Defoe in confident mood

[mawspurs]

Source: Euro Sport

Striker Jermain Defoe feels Tottenham are playing well enough to beat Aston Villa or anyone else as they continue their quest for a Champions League spot.

Both Spurs and Villa are battling for fourth in the Barclays Premier League and the game at White Hart Lane could prove vital in the final shake-up.

"That's a big game for us, a massive game," said Defoe, whose side currently occupy fourth. "Villa are a good side, they've got a great manager and they're playing well.

"But the way we're playing we're confident going into every game."

[Son_Of]

they're a good side but we were all over them at villa park. concentrate for the whole 90+ and we can put one over our rivals here

[GlennHoddle]

Not a dig, but if JD got his head up at times and passed to teammates he could be one of the best in the world.
He can be very frustating when he has the blinkers on and goes for goal no matter where he is.
That said, i think he is getting better and better

[pistolP]

Not a dig, but if JD got his head up at times and passed to teammates he could be one of the best in the world.
He can be very frustating when he has the blinkers on and goes for goal no matter where he is.
That said, i think he is getting better and better

:clap::clap::clap:

[dickyid]

Defoe's not here to be a linkup man. I cannot see a manager telling such a gifted finisher "you should play your team mates in more". More like "fill your boots, son". (Didn't Les tell him "go out and get a hat trick" v Leeds?)

Now, if you'd have said "teach him to not be offside all the time", that's a different story :)

[GlennHoddle]

Is Defoe such a good finisher though?

IMO there's a bit of an Andy Cole about him, needs alot of chances to score and when given time to think, more often than not he will just smack it or miss (3rd goal against was well taken though).
You rarely see Defoe curl one into the net or place/guide the ball, its nearly always power he goes for which suggests to me it could go anywhere (but if on target will more often than not beat the keeper).

At the start of the season, he linked up very well with his teammates and wasn't shooting on site, did playing up top with Crouch impact on his this??

That said, his scoring record speaks for itself and he will without doubt be up there when the golden boot is given out at the end of the season

[spursbhoy67]

Defoe is the type of forward who scores the majority of goals based on instinct and reactive finishing. However, the more time he has to put away the ball the more likely he is to miss. For example, his chance when through at Birmingham last weekend and the penalties against Leeds and Everton. Then when he has little time to react he can be an accomplished finisher, his goal against Birmingham for example.

It makes no sense of course, but think how much better Defoe's record would be if he finished his one on one chances and his penalties.

[StanSpur]

My feelings about Defoe are mixed. He scored 3 against Leeds but should have scored many more. Everyone keeps going on about being a natural finisher but i don't share that opinion. I think he has a lot of shots off target (too many for a natural finisher) I also think that the majority of his goals are either flicks off a cross or blasts - a natural finisher in my book would have a little more finness like the likes of Fowler and Lineker. He needs to score more but so does his partner whoever that may be. Crouch doesn't seem to score frequently, Keane was obviously not on form this season and doesn't really gel with Defoe and Pav doesn't play. I'm hoping Eidur can add a little bit of the crouch target man role with a few goals on the side and be our top partnership for the remainder of the season (and if all goes well hope that we have a 12 month option on his loan deal).

[dickyid]

a natural finisher in my book would have a little more finness like the likes of Fowler and Lineker.Setting the bar a bit high with Lineker there aren't you? I never saw Greaves other than sitting next to Ian St John on ITV, but Lineker's the best I've ever seen, then Klinsmann, then Defoe.

[GlennHoddle]

Setting the bar a bit high with Lineker there aren't you? I never saw Greaves other than sitting next to Ian St John on ITV, but Lineker's the best I've ever seen, then Klinsmann, then Defoe.

Sheringham would be miles ahead of JD in my book.

[avonspurs]

Sheringham would be miles ahead of JD in my book.

not for me. In terms of link up play, defo Sheringham before Defoe but as finishers I'd go for the latter over the former.

[Garth]

Ian Rush was the best natural finisher I've seen in England I think, when he went through on goal i just seemed inevitable that he was going to score, and the majority of the time did. He scored a goal in the F.A Cup Final I think against Everton, and he just passed it into the corner, didn't panic at all. Made it look easy. Great finisher.

[GlennHoddle]

not for me. In terms of link up play, defo Sheringham before Defoe but as finishers I'd go for the latter over the former.

ah noooooo way, explosive yes defoe, but more controlled and accurate would have to go with Teddy.
Goal against Lpool in FA Cup springs to mind :grin: