Ledley King

[Lily White]

what have you got if you dont mind me asking?
if suffering with knee trouble at mo - related to my knee cap being slightly out of alignment, which makes it difficult to walk somedays.
physio is the only solution, MRI and X-Ray showed nothing wrong

I have chondromalacia patella. The cartilage in my right knee is gradually wearing away. My problem is hereditary and there doesn't seem to be anything to stop it. Sometimes it is fine and other times I get locking, sticking, pain and horrible grinding and crunching noises. A knee brace helps during bad spells.
Luckily for me that I do still have some cartilage left, apparently poor Ledley hasn't.

 

[DubaiSpur]

He's the King of the Lane. He always will be. He's always given everything he could, always took to the pitch without a word of complaint. Knowing his knees were deteriorating. Knowing that every step he took on that pitch increased the likelihood of him needing walking assistance later on in life. He's always put the club first( including when turning down big money-moves abroad back in the day). It's time we did the same; put him first, above any financial considerations. Ledley should get a new contract lasting a decent length of time.Then, it's up to him when he chooses to retire. I think he's earned the right to that choice.

 

[DubaiSpur]

This belongs here as well.

[video=youtube;dUfjPtPMA7Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUfjPtPMA7Y&feature=plcp&context=C39a3cc9UDOEgsToPDskLN6-YFlp3XWR3XTciaqH6P[/video]

 

[yiddo2786]

I really cannot believe that people are writing off Ledley based on 90 minutes against a top Arsenal side that was cutting through our midfield with ease. I'm genuinely shocked. This man is a club legend who is still the best centre half at the club.

 

[noddy1991]

yep no doubt should kaboul and dawson be found wanting next sunday the same people slating ledley here will first in the queue crying out for him back for the everton game

 

[Mulletperm]

My take on this is that he appeared a lot slower because he was up against someone who is basically a sprinter (Walcott). There was absolutely no cover on the left as Ekotto was either looking to cover Sagna (that Bale should have been doing) or pushing forward into the space where Bale should have been, trying to supply crosses.

Their dominance on their right-hand side was simply because Bale was absent. It's no coincidence that Walcott scored two with the amount of space he had to run into.

 

[ArcspacE]

Ekotto and King are still (easily in Ekotto's case) the best players we have in their positions.

That doesn't mean (especially in Ekotto's case) there isn't better out there.

King looked painfully slow on Sunday, struggled to move almost, perhaps his knees have finally reached the end of the line and at his age he can no longer miss training, jog a bit before games a pull off 90 mins of world-class defending. As sad as it may be - nothing lasts forever.

 

[Klinsmania]

So what people are saying is we need to replace King with someone better, so that King will no longer be a first pick. OK, how does one do that then? We would have to go out and buy the best defender in the world, oh wait, we already have him. I'm not biased, but I firmly believe that King reads the game better than anyone else, is as quick as anyone else and is as composed as anyone else. He didn't have a blinder on Sunday, but I don't think he was poor.

It was our lack of midfield support that caused the problems. King repeatedly held up RVP or someone else, only for them to lay the ball off to an untracked runner from midfield. I would say King has made one genuine mistake this season, and that was giving away the injury time penalty against City, but apart from that he has been impeccable. To write him off after one terrible team performance is laughable. After his next great performance, which is likely to be in his next game, everyone will be crawling back out of the woodwork and insisting he be given a new contract. Pathetic.

 

[DanishWhite]

I concur.

The midfield with Parker, Bale, Modric and Niko folded COMPLETELY and Ade and Saha gave NO support whatsoever.

Not Kings fault, although you can see him being slower than last year, fair enough.

 

[RunTMC]

King himself said he is now the slowest one in the back four after years of being the quickest.I say give him one more season. You could count the number of bad games from King this season on one hand.

We need a leader to replace him eventually like a Kompany or Vidic, trouble is who? Caulker is being tipped to be a very good defender, but I'm not sure he is the answer, only time will tell.

When he made that comment the back four was Walker - Kaboul - King - Ekotto. Dawson was still out injured. And i would agree that he would be the slowest in that lineup but he's certainly quicker than Dawson.

 

[Hotspur]

Good grief #-o

That is a good point.

 

[AdamB]

Have been saying for a while now that he hasnt looked his old self. I would still give him a new contract, whether thats either a short 'normal' contract or a longer-term pay as you play type deal.

Will be interesting to see whether Harry selects him ahead of Daws on Sun - my guess is that he will

 

[Jurgen the German]

When he made that comment the back four was Walker - Kaboul - King - Ekotto. Dawson was still out injured. And i would agree that he would be the slowest in that lineup but he's certainly quicker than Dawson.

Yeah I wasn't saying he was slower than Dawson, but in our first choice back four, he's the slowest.

I think he's got at least 1 more season in him. It's essential that he remains at the club after he decides to call it a day.

 

[mick cooper]

Whilst I agree with the commonsense approach that the midfield went to ratbrick, anyone who disagrees with the notion that King was slow and played poorly (for whatever reason) is deluding themselves.

I have been supporting and watching the team from the day the guy started playing, and I have nothing but admoiration and respect for him, and all that he has achieved for the club, but he was horribly exposed on Sunday, and a the Ledley king of old would not have allowed them to waltz through our defence as they did for their last 3 goals.

Their first 2 were excellent goals, well taken.

The last 3 simply showed that the Ledley who performed "That" tackle on Robben is long gone, and unless he was nursing a bad muscle pull or hamstring problem, then the game showed that he no longer has the fitness level to keep up.

You can abuse me all you like, if you are a rabid Ledley fan - but you need to accept one thing, nothing gives me more pain, than to have to pen a post like this, about a guy who has given so much to my favourite football club. I hope for his sake he sees the writing on the wall, and doesn't let himself get gutted like that again.

The mans a legend, lets not have to watch him die on his knees, but remember and respect him for the incredible performances he has given in a Spurs shirt.

 

[thfcsteff]

Whilst I agree with the commonsense approach that the midfield went to ratbrick, anyone who disagrees with the notion that King was slow and played poorly (for whatever reason) is deluding themselves.

I have been supporting and watching the team from the day the guy started playing, and I have nothing but admoiration and respect for him, and all that he has achieved for the club, but he was horribly exposed on Sunday, and a the Ledley king of old would not have allowed them to waltz through our defence as they did for their last 3 goals.

Their first 2 were excellent goals, well taken.

The last 3 simply showed that the Ledley who performed "That" tackle on Robben is long gone, and unless he was nursing a bad muscle pull or hamstring problem, then the game showed that he no longer has the fitness level to keep up.

You can abuse me all you like, if you are a rabid Ledley fan - but you need to accept one thing, nothing gives me more pain, than to have to pen a post like this, about a guy who has given so much to my favourite football club. I hope for his sake he sees the writing on the wall, and doesn't let himself get gutted like that again.

The mans a legend, lets not have to watch him die on his knees, but remember and respect him for the incredible performances he has given in a Spurs shirt.

On the money.

 

[thfcsteff]

So what people are saying is we need to replace King with someone better, so that King will no longer be a first pick. OK, how does one do that then? We would have to go out and buy the best defender in the world, oh wait, we already have him. I'm not biased, but I firmly believe that King reads the game better than anyone else, is as quick as anyone else and is as composed as anyone else. He didn't have a blinder on Sunday, but I don't think he was poor.

It was our lack of midfield support that caused the problems. King repeatedly held up RVP or someone else, only for them to lay the ball off to an untracked runner from midfield. I would say King has made one genuine mistake this season, and that was giving away the injury time penalty against City, but apart from that he has been impeccable. To write him off after one terrible team performance is laughable. After his next great performance, which is likely to be in his next game, everyone will be crawling back out of the woodwork and insisting he be given a new contract. Pathetic.

I love the man, but he was absolutely done for the third goal (Friedel shares equal culpability but Ledders wasn't onto Rosicky and should've been)...the 4-3-3 second-half setup was a disaster. I fully, fully expected to see Lennon and Sandro or Livermore in the second-half; to put Sandro into a 4-3-3 when he's been out injured was criminal. How often have we played that system? He should always be employed by us, but he had a poor game Sunday most likely because physically, he is battling some grim situations...BTW, re: Benny. I was livid that he didn't chase back for the 4th, that Parker was ahead of him, madness and this from someone who LOVES the man...but Bale needs to be getting far far more stick than he is for leaving him totally exposed. When the two work that left-hand side, and Lennon and walker have the right, and we have Luka and Parker in the middle with VdV in the hole, we control games. Harry needs to answer why he did not do this. Simple question yet not one of his media-pals has asked him...curious...

 

[braineclipse]

Whilst I agree with the commonsense approach that the midfield went to ratbrick, anyone who disagrees with the notion that King was slow and played poorly (for whatever reason) is deluding themselves.

I have been supporting and watching the team from the day the guy started playing, and I have nothing but admoiration and respect for him, and all that he has achieved for the club, but he was horribly exposed on Sunday, and a the Ledley king of old would not have allowed them to waltz through our defence as they did for their last 3 goals.

Their first 2 were excellent goals, well taken.

The last 3 simply showed that the Ledley who performed "That" tackle on Robben is long gone, and unless he was nursing a bad muscle pull or hamstring problem, then the game showed that he no longer has the fitness level to keep up.

You can abuse me all you like, if you are a rabid Ledley fan - but you need to accept one thing, nothing gives me more pain, than to have to pen a post like this, about a guy who has given so much to my favourite football club. I hope for his sake he sees the writing on the wall, and doesn't let himself get gutted like that again.

The mans a legend, lets not have to watch him die on his knees, but remember and respect him for the incredible performances he has given in a Spurs shirt.

Very good post. I disagree slightly though.

We have all seen both Kaboul and Dawson get ripped to shreds at times and Gallas has been injured almost all season. If King is fit and a better than the other options available he should play. If we think he can perform better than Dawson next season and can agree reasonable wages he should be signed on for another year. If Kaboul and some new defender is better than him next season he should be on the bench. If he is better than either of those then he should start when fit. If he is still at the club and there are 3 better centre halves at the club he should be 4th choice and play if 2 better players are unavailable.

It's better for the club to have a better player on the pitch. And no matter how much worse he gets I will never forget how good he was and how important he's been to this club. I don't think any other Spurs fan will either. Meanwhile, if he's good enough and wants to continue, he plays.

 

[mick cooper]

Very good post. I disagree slightly though.

We have all seen both Kaboul and Dawson get ripped to shreds at times and Gallas has been injured almost all season. If King is fit and a better than the other options available he should play. If we think he can perform better than Dawson next season and can agree reasonable wages he should be signed on for another year. If Kaboul and some new defender is better than him next season he should be on the bench. If he is better than either of those then he should start when fit. If he is still at the club and there are 3 better centre halves at the club he should be 4th choice and play if 2 better players are unavailable.

It's better for the club to have a better player on the pitch. And no matter how much worse he gets I will never forget how good he was and how important he's been to this club. I don't think any other Spurs fan will either. Meanwhile, if he's good enough and wants to continue, he plays.

I didn't say ditch him, or discard him.

I just don't want to see him left exposed like that again, I don't want to see a fine footballer, who has been reduced to jogging by his knees be humbled in that way again.

Even at walking speed he has a lot to offer, but not at this level, certainly not for much longer. He wasn't playing badly per se, he just couldn't match the pace of the game.

 

[Southcote Spur]

Whilst I agree with the commonsense approach that the midfield went to ratbrick, anyone who disagrees with the notion that King was slow and played poorly (for whatever reason) is deluding themselves.

I have been supporting and watching the team from the day the guy started playing, and I have nothing but admoiration and respect for him, and all that he has achieved for the club, but he was horribly exposed on Sunday, and a the Ledley king of old would not have allowed them to waltz through our defence as they did for their last 3 goals.

Their first 2 were excellent goals, well taken.

The last 3 simply showed that the Ledley who performed "That" tackle on Robben is long gone, and unless he was nursing a bad muscle pull or hamstring problem, then the game showed that he no longer has the fitness level to keep up.

You can abuse me all you like, if you are a rabid Ledley fan - but you need to accept one thing, nothing gives me more pain, than to have to pen a post like this, about a guy who has given so much to my favourite football club. I hope for his sake he sees the writing on the wall, and doesn't let himself get gutted like that again.

The mans a legend, lets not have to watch him die on his knees, but remember and respect him for the incredible performances he has given in a Spurs shirt.

Best post of the "new" forum, by a country mile. Brought a tear to my eye!

 

[Mulletperm]

Whilst I agree with the commonsense approach that the midfield went to ratbrick, anyone who disagrees with the notion that King was slow and played poorly (for whatever reason) is deluding themselves.

I have been supporting and watching the team from the day the guy started playing, and I have nothing but admoiration and respect for him, and all that he has achieved for the club, but he was horribly exposed on Sunday, and a the Ledley king of old would not have allowed them to waltz through our defence as they did for their last 3 goals.

Their first 2 were excellent goals, well taken.

The last 3 simply showed that the Ledley who performed "That" tackle on Robben is long gone, and unless he was nursing a bad muscle pull or hamstring problem, then the game showed that he no longer has the fitness level to keep up.

You can abuse me all you like, if you are a rabid Ledley fan - but you need to accept one thing, nothing gives me more pain, than to have to pen a post like this, about a guy who has given so much to my favourite football club. I hope for his sake he sees the writing on the wall, and doesn't let himself get gutted like that again.

The mans a legend, lets not have to watch him die on his knees, but remember and respect him for the incredible performances he has given in a Spurs shirt.

=D>