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Nabil Bentaleb

Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

From what I remember of Capoue's first few games his passing was never better than erratic, his shooting downright awful and he got completely taken out on more than one occasion, leaving our defence exposed.

I think you remember wrong then - Capoue has been no worse than solid....
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

To rectify this lack of balance Sherwood has tried Sigurdsson, Holtby and Eriksen as central midfielders in addition to Bentaleb. For now Bentaleb is emerging as the best option if we want a passer in central midfield. I want a passer in central midfield, I can't think of many successful top team without one.

I would suggest Eriksen is a better option for central midfield ahead of him at the moment as on the left he does feck all, by which I mean he plays everywhere except on the left giving Rose very little protection or support.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

You say that as though Capoue is a clogger yet in his first few games at the beginning of the season when fully fit and in his favoured role he was arguably our most impressive performer. He looked powerful, well disciplined, good positionally and able to play decent short and long passes.

Since then he's got injured, dumped in at CB, comments in the press that could have a negative effect and then not given another run of games in his favoured position. He has shown he can perform in there and has caps for France ffs, he should be given some gametime in the middle.

Which part of my post are you saying sounded like Capoue is a clogger?

I rate Capoue, but Bentaleb is clearly a different player type and to me clearly a better passer, has shown better movement and better touches. He's shown more in terms of passing than any of the 4 players AVB played in the centre and he's helped us attacking play.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

I would suggest Eriksen is a better option for central midfield ahead of him at the moment as on the left he does feck all, by which I mean he plays everywhere except on the left giving Rose very little protection or support.

Possibly, but I don't think Eriksen has shown himself better defensively than Bentaleb and I think Bentaleb is doing very well on the ball in that central role.

We'll just have to wait and see what Sherwood does when more players return from injury I suppose. I'm very happy that he's putting a focus on passing and movement at least and I'm delighted with the early signs Bentaleb is showing.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

I would suggest Eriksen is a better option for central midfield ahead of him at the moment as on the left he does feck all, by which I mean he plays everywhere except on the left giving Rose very little protection or support.

No, Eriksen is perfect in that left sided role. Sometimes he drifts in and out of games but he's generally been good, and his picking up excellent goal scoring positions.

I still think Sandro and Dembele is the way forward in the middle.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Altough we have very good options in the middle with Paulinho, Capoue, Benteleb, and Holtby (i would only play Holtby if he's partnering Sandro though).
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

No, Eriksen is perfect in that left sided role. Sometimes he drifts in and out of games but he's generally been good, and his picking up excellent goal scoring positions.

I still think Sandro and Dembele is the way forward in the middle.

Perfect? I think not. He cannot be perfect if he fails to support his full back. Sure he gets in excellent goal scoring positions but that has nothing to do with him playing on the left, if he played on the right (which does not work for me) or in the middle (which does) he would still get into goal scoring positions.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Bentaleb has done something our other more talented players often seem to forget about, pass quickly and simply. I think this quality alone should make sure he'll be involved a lot towards the end of the season.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Which part of my post are you saying sounded like Capoue is a clogger?

I rate Capoue, but Bentaleb is clearly a different player type and to me clearly a better passer, has shown better movement and better touches. He's shown more in terms of passing than any of the 4 players AVB played in the centre and he's helped us attacking play.


Well you did say:

We've had a lot of running, tackling and physical strength, but very little passing tempo, movement, proper first touches etc.

That to me sounds like a clogger, people being busy in the midfield without ever actually doing anything.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

I think you remember wrong then - Capoue has been no worse than solid....

Exactly - people forget we won 4 out or our first 5 games I think when he was playing and controlled them very well.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Perfect? I think not. He cannot be perfect if he fails to support his full back. Sure he gets in excellent goal scoring positions but that has nothing to do with him playing on the left, if he played on the right (which does not work for me) or in the middle (which does) he would still get into goal scoring positions.

Hmmmmm so why didn't he then?
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Hmmmmm so why didn't he then?

Maybe because with Townsend injured we lack a natural left winger. The fact that he prefers Ericksen ahead of Chadli is not really saying much when I consider how unimpressed I have been with the latter.

Sorry you mean goal scoring positions, well he scored a couple under AVB, nut to be honest I think Ericksen simply needed time to find his feet in this league.

Against Arsenal he gave Rose zero support and got into zero scoring positions. Personally I like Ericksen but not on the left flank, particularly because he simply never plays ( I mean stays) there
 
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Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Perfect? I think not. He cannot be perfect if he fails to support his full back. Sure he gets in excellent goal scoring positions but that has nothing to do with him playing on the left, if he played on the right (which does not work for me) or in the middle (which does) he would still get into goal scoring positions.

Part of why he's getting into scoring positions is because he has (or takes) less defensive responsibility on the flank. Him not tracking full backs properly gives him a lot more freedom, wouldn't get away with that in the centre of the park I think.

Very few players have the ability to play in the centre of a 4-4-2 and still be a consistent goal threat, haven't seen that ability in Eriksen yet at least although it's obviously possible that he could develop that.

Well you did say:

That to me sounds like a clogger, people being busy in the midfield without ever actually doing anything.

You realize I was talking about all the 4 central options used under AVB? All of Sandro, Dembele, Paulinho and Capoue. If you really think I described them all as cloggers I think you should have jumped in to defend Dembele and Paulinho first, but I didn't actually describe them as such. Seems like a typical polarization of a viewpoint that wasn't polarized. I didn't call them cloggers, I pointed out some of their limitations that I think are fair.

If you disagree, tell me about the midfield partnership we featured using two of those 4 players that gave us enough passing tempo and movement in the centre of the park. Which of them offers passing tempo, movement and proper first touches? I haven't seen enough of that from any of them, certainly nowhere near the level Bentaleb showed against Palace.

Once again I point out his passing stats. Over 100 attempted passes in total. He completed 48 out of 52 passes in the first half, the half where we as a team were outright poor. Most games Dembele, Paulinho, Capoue and Sandro struggle to get significantly past 52 passes in a game even when we're playing well.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

No, Eriksen is perfect in that left sided role. Sometimes he drifts in and out of games but he's generally been good, and his picking up excellent goal scoring positions.

I still think Sandro and Dembele is the way forward in the middle.

This seems to be a fairly common view, and certainly it's a good midfield partnership. I remain concerned that in terms of passing that's a fairly poor partnership.

Apart from Chelsea under Mourinho (who had one of the best target men in the league in Drogba and used him a lot) which top teams have been successful with a midfield partnership that's as limited as those two in terms of passing and passing tempo?
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Maybe because with Townsend injured we lack a natural left winger. The fact that he prefers Ericksen ahead of Chadli is not really saying much when I consider how unimpressed I have been with the latter.

Sorry you mean goal scoring positions, well he scored a couple under AVB, nut to be honest I think Ericksen simply needed time to find his feet in this league.

Against Arsenal he gave Rose zero support and got into zero scoring positions. Personally I like Ericksen but not on the left flank, particularly because he simply never plays ( I mean stays) there

Forget scoring, he rarely got himself in goalscoring positions when he's played centrally.

He's getting in these positions now because he has licence to drift around, to roam. It harder to mark the run of a left sided player coming in field then it is if he started in a central position, hence him picking up some great positions.

At Arsenal he got into zero scoring positions? hmmmmm minus the 1 on 1 where he should have buried it you mean?
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Opposition players are fining it hard to track his runs since he moved to the left. Valencia was left for dead because he didn't notice, the gooner right back left for dead, yesterday again completely unmarked. He's had other chances too to score.

Defensively he does leave Rose exposed, i agree, but i wouldn't change anything now (except introduce Lamela into the starting X1 in place of Soldado)...to partner Ade.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Maybe because with Townsend injured we lack a natural left winger. The fact that he prefers Ericksen ahead of Chadli is not really saying much when I consider how unimpressed I have been with the latter.

Sorry you mean goal scoring positions, well he scored a couple under AVB, nut to be honest I think Ericksen simply needed time to find his feet in this league.

Against Arsenal he gave Rose zero support and got into zero scoring positions. Personally I like Ericksen but not on the left flank, particularly because he simply never plays ( I mean stays) there

Are you being purposefully hyperbolic here?

I like the wonky and like Eriksen on the left of a 4-4-2, for now I think it's where he should play if we play with two strikers.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Sherwood on Bentaleb:

"I think he's been great," he told reporters. "Like I said, when he came on against Southampton, I was sure about him but you never know until you put them on the stage.

"It shows that he's unfazed and, for me, his performances are growing from week to week. He's performing very, very well.

"I know Bentaleb, I know what he possesses. He trains like every day is the last day in the world and that's a great trait to have for a young kid."

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/spurs/news/sherwood-thrilled-with-bentaleb-form_129969.html

No "He's done well in the absence of X", a proper Redknapp double adjective praise from Sherwood.

I might be wrong, but I honestly think Sherwood sees Bentaleb as a potential starter even when more players return from injury as long as he keeps performing at this level.
 
Re: Official Nabil Bentaleb Thread

Daily Mail claim the FA are interested in persuading Tottenham French born teenager Nabil Bentaleb to play for England.
 
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