*** Tottenham Hotspur vs Panathinaikos OMT ***

[Gutter Boy]

Re: Tonight's performance / UEFA Cup

Tonight was like a home game the way it turned out. And whilst we've cracked playing away, we still struggle at home.

Tonight we again lacked
1) Creativity in the centre of the park
2) A focal point for our attack

We need to learn to win at home (or in away games where teams park the bus). I don't mind our first teamers having had another practice at that tonight.

We've also got a young, fit, versatile squad now.

There's also a long international break after Villa.

 

[braineclipse]

Is it because where we are asking him to play ?

Isn't the number 10 role his favoured one?

I rather Dempsey than Sig but in all honesty its choosing lesser of the two bricks. I dont understand how they are playing simply because like you say it does really feel like we are playing with 10 men. Thats a hindrance especially to someone like Defoe

Incredibly harsh imo.

I think Dempsey has done well for us. Sig hasn't really settled in the way we were hoping, but very early days yet.

Defoe has been having a great start to the season, are you telling me he's doing this despite being supported by a "brick" attacking midfielder as well?

 

[Bullet]

They will be showing a few seconds of the Spurs game after this advert break on ITV4...

 

[suffolkspur]

I was interested to hear the reasons for the performance from AVB and am disappointed that he has blamed fatigue for the loss. I was happy to see a strong line up out there and that we were taking the competition seriously but he must have sensed some of the players were tired and if so why not make more changes. This also doesnt bode well for Sunday if it is true.

 

[Mumorn]

I wonder if we'll go 4-4-2 on Sunday and start ade and defoe up top?

 

[Harry_Perkins]

Re: Tonight's performance / UEFA Cup

I've seen AVB's comments today about respecting the competition which is fair enough but do we really stand a chance of winning this competition once the teams drop in after the champions league group stages? I think not..

Of course we have a chance. It was not so long ago that we were reaching the quarters of the European Cup - we can surely have a good bash at this competition. This is one of the most positive aspects so far with AVB, compared to Redknapp. I never bought the line that it hurt our chances in the league and I never saw much evidence of it. It never seemed to make a great deal of difference to anything. That was just Harry trying too hard to please his corporate masters, for which the league only matters.

The second half performance was very poor and got me thinking, do the players really give a sh+t about this competition and hence dont give as much as they are already thinking of the game at the weekend?

If that is the attitude of some, then they need the proverbial firecracker up their arses and if they don't react to that, ship 'em out!

 

[Kingdawson]

I wonder if we'll go 4-4-2 on Sunday and start ade and defoe up top?

With AVB? doubt it. 4-2-3-1 thanks.

 

[DHSF]

Isn't the number 10 role his favoured one?



Incredibly harsh imo.

I think Dempsey has done well for us. Sig hasn't really settled in the way we were hoping, but very early days yet.

Defoe has been having a great start to the season, are you telling me he's doing this despite being supported by a "brick" attacking midfielder as well?

Most people think I have it in for Sig but I really dont I just dont think he was the type of player we needed or Dempsey to be honest. We needed someone creative someone who can unlock defences. to me it seemed we spent around 14m on two players where one 14m but creative player would have sufficed.

Both Sig and Dempsey have had one contribution apiece this season but I wouldnt care if they didnt score or pass like Scholes but they need to do more in terms of either defending or attacking rather than just sitting there aimlessly not having a clue what theyre doing

 

[diego_maradona]

I just want to see Ade upfront, nothing against Defoe. I just want to see if alters our possession stats.

 

[seaside spur]

I just want to see Ade upfront, nothing against Defoe. I just want to see if alters our possession stats.

We desperately need Ade back up top.
Defoe has done as well as his hold up ability/physical size allows and chipped in with a few goals but Ades hold up/link up play is at a different level.

 

[Spurs7891]

I just want to see Ade upfront, nothing against Defoe. I just want to see if alters our possession stats.

What is this "Power Horse for Adebayor" advertisement during the match is all about ? Has someone started a campaign to get Adebayor start for us ?

 

[thfcsteff]

let's hope he's sufficiently fit and motivated to do his bit for our club on sunday, eh?!!!!!!!

 

[DHSF]

What is this "Power Horse for Adebayor" advertisement during the match is all about ? Has someone started a campaign to get Adebayor start for us ?

They really should have called it Horse Power - would have been better and made for a better advert - "you want more horse power - drink horse power" grrrrrrrrr

 

[Mumorn]

Ade is in the same boat as Lloris.

Both realistically based on "reputation" should be starting, but the players ahead of them really do not deserve to be dropped.

 

[seaside spur]

Just like last year, this has now become a three team group with Panathinaikos the Shamrock Rovers of the group (the whipping boys).
They are the team that the other three will all beat, er...except for us tonight.

With the dropped points at home to Lazio it is looking quite tight, as Maribor have already beaten the Greeks and only lost narrowly tonight to Lazio away.
If Maribor beat Pana away(probable) and get a result at home to Lazio,then we will have to take four points off Maribor(maybe six) and beat Pana at home.

 

[seaside spur]

Ade is in the same boat as Lloris.

Both realistically based on "reputation" should be starting, but the players ahead of them really do not deserve to be dropped.

That's true, but we seem to running Defoe and one or two others (Bale/Vertonghen) into the ground.

 

[Spurs7891]

Disappointed about the result and performance. This is typical Spurs. We always get big-headed after getting a good win. After beating ManU, we got complacent and lazy. Panathinaikos were shyte in the 1st half and we should have scored more than the goal by Dawson. But we were very clumsy in front of goal. It seemed like we were still celebrating the win over ManU. We just couldn't lift our game.

Have said it many times this season that this team just can't win a match 1-0. Our defence are very poor for that. Without King and Kaboul, our defence are even more poor. We will always concede goals especially when you pair Dawson with Caulker. So, we have to score 2 or 3 goals to win a match. If we don't score more than 1, then just forget about winning that match. So, we fail to get the 2nd goal and so we were duly punished for that.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Disappointed about the result and performance. This is typical Spurs. We always get big-headed after getting a good win. After beating ManU, we got complacent and lazy. Panathinaikos were shyte in the 1st half and we should have scored more than the goal by Dawson. But we were very clumsy in front of goal. It seemed like we were still celebrating the win over ManU. We just couldn't lift our game.

Have said it many times this season that this team just can't win a match 1-0. Our defence are very poor for that. Without King and Kaboul, our defence are even more poor. We will always concede goals especially when you pair Dawson with Caulker. So, we have to score 2 or 3 goals to win a match. If we don't score more than 1, then just forget about winning that match. So, we fail to get the 2nd goal and so we were duly punished for that.

Yep, typical Spurs as you say. Remember when we lost 3-1 to Reading the week after we beat Chelsea in the league for the first time in 16 years? Or when we got smashed by Brum the week after winning the Carling Cup?

Really hope we've got it out of our system and tonight's game was a wakeup call for Sunday.

 

[liquid_football]

Just like last year, this has now become a three team group with Panathinaikos the Shamrock Rovers of the group (the whipping boys).
They are the team that the other three will all beat, er...except for us tonight.

With the dropped points at home to Lazio it is looking quite tight, as Maribor have already beaten the Greeks and only lost narrowly tonight to Lazio away.
If Maribor beat Pana away(probable) and get a result at home to Lazio,then we will have to take four points off Maribor(maybe six) and beat Pana at home.

Maribor is a very poor team,we will get easily 6 points against them and we will probably beat Panathinaikos at home aswell

 

[billyiddo]

^ id say Maribor away will be a difficult game and not one we can expect 3 points from

they comfortably beat Pana in the opening game