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‘Un pour tous, tous pour un’

minesadouble

Drove my Chevy to the Levy
Jul 27, 2006
749
2,933
Player of the Season?

It struck me this morning. Sooner or later, we’re going to be asked who is Spurs player of the season? And I realised how ridiculous that annual debate currently seems. It’s like a parent being asked to choose their favourite child. There is no way I could choose my player of THIS season, above all.

And therein lies the answer to Spurs 15/16. Title or not, trophies or not, even top 4 or not, this is a triumph of the whole, not any individual part. How could you NOT choose Lloris whose game-saving moments are only matched by his quiet leadership and captain’s example? Or Alderweireld, not only the buy of the season but the best CB in the premiership? Or Dier, our modern Dave Mackay, whose attitude is as non-Spursy as it’s possible to be? Or Dembele? A lamb reborn this season as a lion. Or Alli? Enough said. Or Kane? Again, enough said. It would be just plain wrong for ANY of these six NOT to win.

But that’s just a shortlist of six. Could you really leave out Rose, who just laid his solar plexus on the line to remind us never to write off young talent too early? Or Vertonghen who simply needed a partner worthy of the name? Or lung-bursting Walker, Davies and Trippier for that matter, each prepared to be rotated for the greater good? Or Lamela, the quiet assassin, whose pressing and foul count go unnoticed by those who demand endless defence splitting passes? Or, in particular, Eriksen, a genius who sweats 12 kms a match, the player through which the two parts of Pochettino’s machine flow; creation and destruction.

But with so many crucial games to come, isn’t it a bit early to write off Chadli and Son, Mason and Bentaleb, Carroll and Vorm, who all – like Wimmer – are ready to step off the bench, egos under control, knowing they have important roles to play?

Player of the Season? The question misses the point and in doing so hammers home the truth. Under our own French captain, this Spurs squad visibly embodies the motto of the Musketeers; ‘un pour tous, tous pour un’. It took a match against Manchester City’s individual millionaires to highlight it so perfectly. Win or lose, these Spurs really are “All for One, and One for All.”
 
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topaz

Active Member
Dec 7, 2006
104
32
I do take your point and do rejoice, of course, in the unparalleled unity and teamwork. But Toby Alderweireld is my own player of the season. He has managed to overcome decades' worth of defensive frailty. Of course he has been helped in that by Poch's system, and in particular by having Dier operating in front of him. But his positioning, his anticipation and his generalship of the defence have been without parallel. Long may it continue.
 

TheChosenOne

A dislike or neg rep = fat fingers
Dec 13, 2005
47,874
49,706
I do take your point and do rejoice, of course, in the unparalleled unity and teamwork. But Toby Alderweireld is my own player of the season. He has managed to overcome decades' worth of defensive frailty. Of course he has been helped in that by Poch's system, and in particular by having Dier operating in front of him. But his positioning, his anticipation and his generalship of the defence have been without parallel. Long may it continue.


Good call Topaz, also he distributes the ball exceedingly well.
 

Snuzzy

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2005
2,281
2,659
Yeah, this is a bit too precious and smug. We play well as a team. But we don't need to go all meta on things.

Player of the Season = Toby.

That wasn't too hard now was it.
 

JonnySpurs

SC Veteran
Jun 4, 2004
5,345
12,398
Article has a nice sentiment and I like it but as the above posters have said there's only one winner for player of the season and young player too for that matter. I'd love to give them all an award for being so awesome but if they win the league, europa league or FA cup then they'll have done that for themselves.

Player = Toby Alderweireld. Worst defence to best defence isn't only down to him but his contribution has been absolutely gigantic in getting us there.

Young Player = Dele Alli. I really don't need to add anything to this.
 

waresy

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2004
2,421
1,569
It does feel as though we have gone from a club where fans struggled to identify with the players and for those that like to, know who to actually want on the back of their/their childs shirt to a team of players who we're going to struggle to say who has contributed the most and deserves the 2 accolades on offer (Many will still be eligible for Young Player too).

Early days very much so with possible 20+ games to play and a win over City hasnt won us anything, despite what the media hype could be misunderstood to be this week but we should be able to look back on this season with a sense of restored pride and players who we enjoy watching and struggle to pick a first XI from.

Lets enjoy the remaining games and see how far we can go this season, with a little occasional dare to dream that we might have something shiny to show for it as well
 

TaoistMonkey

Welcome! Everything is fine.
Staff
Oct 25, 2005
32,629
33,577
Yeah, this is a bit too precious and smug. We play well as a team. But we don't need to go all meta on things.

Player of the Season = Toby.

That wasn't too hard now was it.

Not really that easy though is it. We bought a good defender who is good. No discredit to Toby of course.

My player of the season is Dier. He's played right across the back four and I was honestly worried for him.

Now look at him. Destroyer
 

Snuzzy

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2005
2,281
2,659
Oh yeah I have time for that. I meant, it's not so hard to pick one particular player who's stood out to you, regardless of us playing well as a team.
 

diamondlight

Well-Known Member
Nov 16, 2006
1,263
1,326
I do take your point and do rejoice, of course, in the unparalleled unity and teamwork. But Toby Alderweireld is my own player of the season. He has managed to overcome decades' worth of defensive frailty.
I agree. Toby player of the season. Alli, lloris, Kane, rose, lamela, dier, Erikson joint second. The rest of the squad joint third. Everyone deserves to be on the podium this season, and hopefully that's exactly what is going to happen.
 

parj

NDombelly ate all the pies
Jul 27, 2003
3,586
5,861
Dier for me. Saved us £20-£30m to bung to the planning authorities for the stadium. We could have easily wasted £15-£20m on a holding midfielder that could tackle but not able to find a pass. Dier for me has been key to the team. You could see it against city, Rose in the final third so they counter attack down his side .. Oh wait Dier is there and wins it back. His reading of the game is superb.
 

vuzp

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2004
1,446
1,311
yes the defence has been great with Toby, but also some of the world class saves Lloris has made that has keep us in games, he has saved us so many points also.
but every player has help in so many ways, we have such a great team at the moment. COYS
 

Jules

Active Member
Aug 23, 2005
149
96
The season isn't over yet. Plenty more football to go. I do get your point, it's hard to choose when everyone has been giving their all.
 

TottenhamMattSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
10,925
16,007
I want to say Alli but it's Alderweireld.
Without the solidity of our defence I doubt the system would work.
Walker, Rose, Vertonghen, Davies, Lloris, they were all there last season and most the seasons before when we leaked goals like a relegated team.
He's an injury free Ledley king. Hardly ever fails to make the block and rarely even makes a foul.
 

joe_90

Member
Nov 25, 2010
26
33
PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year

AND soon best player in the world

Dele Alli

:)
 

minesadouble

Drove my Chevy to the Levy
Jul 27, 2006
749
2,933
Thanks to all for comments and feedback. I’m sorry if my original post came across to anybody as smug. It wasn’t intended that way. It’s just that in previous seasons I’d never felt as I do now. I always had a clear favorite; Klinsmann or Ginola, King or Parker, Berbatov or Bale. That’s not to say that, when pushed, I couldn’t select a THFC Player and Young Player of 15/16 but in my case it could still be any two from seven, or even eight (as I have a gut feeling about Lamela in the final third of this Season). Because the squad is so young I’m not even sure who qualifies for Player v Young Player but, personally, I have Dier, Alderweireld and Alli just ahead of the rest.
 

Chris_D

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2007
2,652
1,278
I'm old enough to remember years when no player really deserved the award, I think Simon Davies got an award one year. This year, we've had half a dozen put in a better season than we normally get out of anyone. Hugo, Toby, Dier, Alli, Kane have all been fantastic. I'd probably go for Toby but it's not easy.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
It's a team game chaps
and I 'd like to see Toby take on Man.City on his own.
Oh all right then throw in Hugo as well
The awarding of individual honours
destroys the collective spirit, the team mentality.
I'd give it to Paulinho who finally made us realise
that buying in stars without Premiership experience doesn't work.
But then how will I face my adopted son Harry over breakfast
if I don't give it to one of our very own,
the epitome of all we currently stand for.
And then Christian my favourite player
who proves that buying in foreign stars with no Prem Experiance
does actually work if you buy the right stars.
Oh I give up, give it to Mauricio.
 

Topeka

To Win It All
Aug 11, 2014
331
366
I think we should vote them all players of the year and give a team trophy as they have really demonstrated that they are playing for each other and most importantly the shirt!
 
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