Who would we miss the most ?

[Pirate55]

What is your point here? Bale played in all or most of those games as well...

Do you disagree that we have been doing better against the "big boys" under Harry than previously? Do you disagree that Modric has been a part of most of that?

Again I ask, what does it mean to "take a game by the scruff of the neck"?

For a central midfielder to take the game by the scruff of the neck means to dominate the opposition in all aspects of the game. Creating, tackling, passing, shooting, creating goals, scoring goals. I am sorry that you feel threatened but regrettably (as a spurs fan) the facts speak for themselves. Our central midfield dont dominate major teams. Hence we dont win against them.

 

[braineclipse]

It's my belief that the main goalscorer of any team is the most important player. Goes back to the old cliche, the hardest thing to do is to stick the ball in the back of the net. That's why strikers/goalscoring midfielders get sold for obscene amounts of money like ?ú80m in Ronaldo's case. Teams generally don't win leagues without a player who scores 20 goals minimum a season. Modric is a fantastic player, but Bale's goal threat is what separates the two in my opinion.

Seems quite simplistic to me.

When Bent was our top scorer he was our most important player? Compared to minutes on the pitch isn't Defoe quite easily or highest scoring player this season? Is he our most important player then?

We're not comparing Modric to the 37 league goals Ronaldo has this season.

Teams generally don't win leagues without a good goalkeeper either. You need loads of different players, this is obvious. Modric doesn't do everything and no one has argued that he does.

Mancini likes two out and out defensive midfielders. Modric wouldnt replace a yaya, dejong or barry. Would he replace Silva or Nasri- no, doesnt create enough, would he replace milner, johnson - no not a wide player. Ergo, unlikely to fit into Citys way of playing. Chelski or Man Ure on the other hand quite possibly.

Are you saying that Mancini wouldn't play Modric ahead of Gareth Barry? Right. I think this discussion is nearing it's end...

 

[Jurgen the German]

For a central midfielder to take the game by the scruff of the neck means to dominate the opposition in all aspects of the game. Creating, tackling, passing, shooting, creating goals, scoring goals. I am sorry that you feel threatened but regrettably (as a spurs fan) the facts speak for themselves. Our central midfield dont dominate major teams. Hence we dont win against them.

Agree with that. Fabregas during his last few seasons at Arsenal is an excellent example of this.

 

[africanspurs]

For a central midfielder to take the game by the scruff of the neck means to dominate the opposition in all aspects of the game. Creating, tackling, passing, shooting, creating goals, scoring goals. I am sorry that you feel threatened but regrettably (as a spurs fan) the facts speak for themselves. Our central midfield dont dominate major teams. Hence we dont win against them.

xavi? pirlo?..not dominating midfield taking games by the scruff of the neck then?

 

[Pirate55]

Please re-read your contribution to the thread then try saying that again

Equally pathetic comment

 

[mick cooper]

For a central midfielder to take the game by the scruff of the neck means to dominate the opposition in all aspects of the game. Creating, tackling, passing, shooting, creating goals, scoring goals. I am sorry that you feel threatened but regrettably (as a spurs fan) the facts speak for themselves. Our central midfield dont dominate major teams. Hence we dont win against them.

watch the Manure game again then, because we bossed them throughout the game

 

[Pirate55]

xavi? pirlo?..not dominating midfield taking games by the scruff of the neck then?

The difference is that they do dominate the midfield and their teams are successful because of it

 

[Pirate55]

watch the Manure game again then, because we bossed them throughout the game

in the first game we were mullered. In the second game we played better, but I recall that we had Sandro and Livermore in the middle. Still lost both games heavily.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Equally pathetic comment

No more pathetic than the 10 or so you have already made.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Seems quite simplistic to me.

When Bent was our top scorer he was our most important player? Compared to minutes on the pitch isn't Defoe quite easily or highest scoring player this season? Is he our most important player then?

We're not comparing Modric to the 37 league goals Ronaldo has this season.

Teams generally don't win leagues without a good goalkeeper either. You need loads of different players, this is obvious. Modric doesn't do everything and no one has argued that he does.


Yes I agree it is simplistic view, but more often than not, I believe it's the case that the most important player in a team is the one who is the biggest goal threat. I will admit I'm biased as I am a striker. I know Modric isn't in the team to score goals, but if he did score 10+ goals a season, then he would have a much stronger case for being our most important player.

 

[Pirate55]

Seems quite simplistic to me.

When Bent was our top scorer he was our most important player? Compared to minutes on the pitch isn't Defoe quite easily or highest scoring player this season? Is he our most important player then?

We're not comparing Modric to the 37 league goals Ronaldo has this season.

Teams generally don't win leagues without a good goalkeeper either. You need loads of different players, this is obvious. Modric doesn't do everything and no one has argued that he does.



Are you saying that Mancini wouldn't play Modric ahead of Gareth Barry? Right. I think this discussion is nearing it's end...

are you now saying that modric is just an out and out defensive midfielder?

 

[Pirate55]

No more pathetic than the 10 or so you have already made.

The differnce my friend is that I am expressing a football view. You, on the other hand, are just being personal.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I call it as I see it. If you arent a Gooner mole on a wind up then you do a bloody good impression of one.

 

[Pirate55]

I call it as I see it. If you arent a Gooner mole on a wind up then you do a bloody good impression of one.

Why? Because I dont agree with your opinion on Modric? That is very grown up

 

[thfcsteff]

Mancini likes two out and out defensive midfielders. Modric wouldnt replace a yaya, dejong or barry. Would he replace Silva or Nasri- no, doesnt create enough, would he replace milner, johnson - no not a wide player. Ergo, unlikely to fit into Citys way of playing. Chelski or Man Ure on the other hand quite possibly.

What?
He'd make sure Modric was the fulcrum point of the side!!!!! 'Doesn't create enough?' Behave! And don't throw 'assist' stats at me, very often it is the pass BEFORE the obvious assist which is the most important...

 

[Park Lane James]

People are quick to point out that we finished 4th two seasons ago when Bale only came good in the second half of the season, but we also did fine without Modric that season whilst he was out with a broken leg for four months.

Modric was playing on the left side of midfield with Huddlestone and Palacios in the centre for most of those games. Bale started to emerge as a full back after the home win to Fulham (his first win with us) - and was only deployed as a left winger a few months on from this - he was still playing as a full back in the FA Cup semi-final!

The reason we coped so well without Modric back then was because we had Huddlestone fit for most of the season - a luxury we no longr have (as I have pointed out in my post on the previous page). Now that Modric's closest replacement (Tommy Thudd) is injured, Luka becomes that much more vital.

 

[Park Lane James]

For a central midfielder to take the game by the scruff of the neck means to dominate the opposition in all aspects of the game. Creating, tackling, passing, shooting, creating goals, scoring goals. I am sorry that you feel threatened but regrettably (as a spurs fan) the facts speak for themselves. Our central midfield dont dominate major teams. Hence we dont win against them.

I'm not sure why you have to re-affirm that you support Spurs - no other Spurs fans on this (Spurs) board have to...

 

[thfcsteff]

People are quick to point out that we finished 4th two seasons ago when Bale only came good in the second half of the season, but we also did fine without Modric that season whilst he was out with a broken leg for four months.

We played with a different style which saw us able to adapt to Huddlestone's ability to move the ball quickly, and with superb accuracy, to our wide men...

 

[braineclipse]

For a central midfielder to take the game by the scruff of the neck means to dominate the opposition in all aspects of the game. Creating, tackling, passing, shooting, creating goals, scoring goals. I am sorry that you feel threatened but regrettably (as a spurs fan) the facts speak for themselves. Our central midfield dont dominate major teams. Hence we dont win against them.

I am confused as to why you think I feel threatened, or why you feel the need to bring that up. I can however assure you I am not, if that makes you feel better.

Your "take the game by the scruff of the neck" definition seems to imply a very specific player type. I don't see how Modric not being that player type means he's not our most important player. None of our players do all those things I suppose, however the player that comes the closest is to me clearly Modric.

"Our central midfield dont dominate major teams. Hence we dont win against them."

Since you seem stuck on "against major teams" and "goals and assists", have a look at how many goals and assists Bale has against those major teams you mention this season... Oh... None...

Modric has contributed, and even been the main contributor in my opinion to us dominating United at home this season, City at home last season, Inter at home last season, Chelsea on several occasions and Arsenal in most ways other than pure possession stats several times.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Modric was playing on the left side of midfield with Huddlestone and Palacios in the centre for most of those games. Bale started to emerge as a full back after the home win to Fulham (his first win with us) - and was only deployed as a left winger a few months on from this - he was still playing as a full back in the FA Cup semi-final!

The reason we coped so well without Modric back then was because we had Huddlestone fit for most of the season - a luxury we no longr have (as I have pointed out in my post on the previous page). Now that Modric's closest replacement (Tommy Thudd) is injured, Luka becomes that much more vital.

This thread is hypothetical though isn't it?

The facts are we still coped with Modric for nearly half a season. Imagine how much we'd miss Bale if he was injured for 4 months!