AVB and Defoe

[danielneeds]

Anyone got any theories as to why AVB thinks that Defoe can lead the line by himself?

Obviously at Newcastle he had no choice, but since Adebayor joined, however fit he is, there have been options.

I just don't get it. Anyone who understands football at any level can see that Jermain is not suited to leading the line, physcially or in terms of footballing intelligence.

I don't know if AVB has just been forced to back him because Levy couldn't sell him, or he doesn't want to alienate him in terms of the dressing room, or perhaps he thinks with coaching he can turn him into some sort of Mini-Mini Falcao?

I just don't get it, but whatever it is, unless this clusterfuck of a situation changes, it could cost him his job.

 

[Blake Griffin]

keeping him onside(excuse the pun), dropping him the second ade re-signed and just after scoring against newcastle would've alienated one of his only two strikers. i do think ade will start the next game over jd though.

 

[Sanj]

Its probably due to a lack of fitness/ match fitness on Ade's part.
I do expect Ade/ Dempsey to start against reading now.

 

[ShelfSide18]

I think, and absolutely hope this is the case, that Ade must be criminally unfit. Like, as unfit as half the fans who turn up with their beer belly's hanging out the bottom of their 04/05 Kappa Kits, manboobs on show and saturated in stella coated sweat from the walk from WHL station, munching on a double decker burger with extra burger sauce. That unfit.

 

[danielneeds]

But who made the decision to keep him in the summer, Levy or AVB? The fact that AVB will only play with one striker means we are left with him being a spare part for another season. I can understand Harry keeping him around as an impact sub because of the emotional ties between them, but the decison this summer is mind-boggling.

I'm guessing that because the Adebayor deal was difficult to tie up, they maybe did not want to leave themselves with no forward, but the brave move would have been to sell Defoe and bring in someone who fits the system we are going to play. It's not rocket science, is it?

 

[Blake Griffin]

because we wasted two months(although it's more like two years now) offering inter well below what they wanted for leandro damiao.

 

[vicbob]

Because he was our only fit/registered in time striker. Cant see him starting much in the league when Ade is fit, would rather see Dempsey start tbh. Will play in Europa and come on as sub in league, but can see him leaving next year. Giving the difficulty we had in tying up one striker, i can see why we didnt let him leave this year.
Needs to be dropped asap, as looked shocking on Saturday though and clearly does not fit the system (although what system he does fit i'm unsure).

 

[SteveH]

Defoe can still do a job coming off the bench - but now third choice.

 

[sloth]

because we wasted two months(although it's more like two years now) offering inter well below what they wanted for leandro damiao.

Change the record mate!!!

 

[EZSpur]

Defoe - full pre-season with us!
No recognised striker coming in during transfer window
Ade not quite match fit
AVB not ready to start Ade and Sig or Ade and Dempsey together yet - need time to train and gel
Hate to admit it, but Defoe is a proven goalscorer
Should be given a chance under new manager, everyone starts with a clean slate.

.......thats all i got folks!

 

[Blake Griffin]

Change the record mate!!!

that's the first time i've said it!

 

[SteveH]

because we wasted two months(although it's more like two years now) offering inter well below what they wanted for leandro damiao.

dont forget Moutinho!

 

[danielneeds]

Defoe - full pre-season with us!
No recognised striker coming in during transfer window
Ade not quite match fit
AVB not ready to start Ade and Sig or Ade and Dempsey together yet - need time to train and gel
Hate to admit it, but Defoe is a proven goalscorer
Should be given a chance under new manager, everyone starts with a clean slate.

.......thats all i got folks!

No-one questions the fact that he scores goals, but can he hold the ball up, and make intelligent movement to bring others into the game? Almost 8 years of watching him tells me that he can't.

 

[AW?]

Ade wasn't fit. Next?

 

[jurgen]

He's our Falcao

 

[ShelfSide18]

Defoe and VDV's strikerate are actually remarkably similar if you look at their careers, Defoe has always weighed in with goals but never as much as people may think - he's never hit a really, really impressive return for us that mitigates him doing fuck all else.

 

[ShelfSide18]

He's our Falcao

Not even in his wildest, most sordid erotic fantasies!

 

[Leachie]

You make it sound like this has been going on for months. It's been a couple of games.

Ade will be the main man.

 

[Blake Griffin]

i do feel sorry for defoe, it says a lot about the rest of the team that we depend so much on hitting long balls and playing them down the channel to a hold up man. maybe if we could pass the ball from the back, through the midfield and into the striker(s) on a consistent basis then he wouldn't appear to be so much of a burden. the second one of our defence is put under any kind of pressure and the space is limited we resort to sticking it down the line and hoping ade can make something out of it.

 

[Krafty]

Adebayor's lack of fitness has played a part, I also think AVB has wanted us to move away from a two winger system (although he has continued to use the two wingers, who do not have the game to be inverted wingers or inside forwards or whatever) to a move fluid system where Defoe is not 'up there on his own'.

Obviously it would help if people did support him, made moves up to, off of and beyond him, and Gallas didn't punt 45 yards balls up to him when he has two 6 foot plus defenders on him.