Defending .. simply not top 4 record

[Spurs_Q8]

Hello all,

Young Boys (A) 2-3 '' Dawson - Bassong ''
Man City (H) 0-0 '' Dawson - King ''
Stoke (A) 1-2 '' Dawson - Kaboul ''
Young Boys (H) 4-0 '' Dawson - King ''
Wigan (H) 0-1 '' Dawson - King ''
West Brom (A) 2-2 '' Gallas - Kaboul ''
Werder Bremen (A) 2-2 '' King - Kaboul ''
West Ham (A) 0-1 '' Corluka - Bassong ''
Aston Villa (H) 2-1 '' Huddlestone - Bassong ''
Fulham (A) 2-1 '' Gallas - King ''
Inter (A) 3-4 '' Gallas - Bassong ''
Man Utd (A) 0-2 '' Kaboul - Gallas ''
Inter (H) 3-1 '' Gallas - Kaboul ''
Bolton (A) 2-4 '' Gallas - Kaboul ''


anyone can remember how our defending in those games ? simply our defending record isn't like last season when Dawson and King were available in most matches ..

I've reached to a point to say that, 3 good defenders in King, Dawson & Kaboul aren't enough and safe number to have as CL Team who wants CL spot again, because King condition, and Gallas & Bassong aren't up for it as they already made a lot of mistakes ..

even thought I still rate Gallas as good free signing/addition, but we've to answers for our defensive record :

if King o
r Dawson are available, we must keep Gallas for home games ( where our team play his best ) .. and King for away games.

OR

sending Bassong on loan and bring better CB as long term replacement for King, who should be treated as 4th choice instead & Gallas as 5th choice ..

 

[Raxscallion]

I do wish people would stop writing Bassong off. Him and Daws were our main defenders last year and they did an excellent job. CBs need to play regular matches together, that's all that's been missing this season. We just need Dawson back from injury and we'll be fine.

I agree that we need another CB though. King's a bonus when he's fit but can't be relied on enough to be part of the equation. Woody may never come back for all we know. Gallas IMO has been rubbish and should only be a last resort. Kaboul and Seb are both young in CB terms and need to play alongside a more experienced partner (which is why Bassong was fine playing alongside Dawson or King last year). So we need one more established quality CB to cover injuries such as Dawson's. It should be our second priority after a CF.

January/Summer signings needed:
1) CF
2) CB
3) Right-sided midfielder as backup for Lennon. Playing Niko or Luka out of position there is not good enough.

 

[RickyVilla]

We weren't great today but damm can we attack. Thats the Tottenham way. Amen

 

[Dr Know]

I think things will always seem worse when we've had a defeat. I really couldn't see this thread as many other surfacing had we beaten Bolton today. I think the defence was pretty poor today (but not necessarily a poor defence) but so was the attack. We have a settled squad and some that are still settling in. We seem to change our 2 CBs on a regular basis (because of injuries) and that must play havoc for the team but more so for the keeper and FBs. The sooner we get Dawson back and another CB as a regular pairing the better.

 

[KILLA_SIN]

Dawson still makes gaffs every game bloody game.

 

[werty]

As I said in previous threads, it's not the back four or centre back pairings that's the problem, it's the team shape. It would help if we had our first choice back four, but even they would stuggle because of the way we are set up.

Until this year, we've had a great shape under Harry. When we got set we were very hard to break down. This year though we've been far too open and look unorganised. The back four and two centre midfielders have had to do nearly all the work because we don't get/demand enough from our wingers and whoever is playing behind the striker. I don't buy that because we have two wingers playing we're going to be more open. Last year against City, Chelsea and Arsenal we had two wingers playing and we defended excellently.

In the second half against Inter our shape was very good until towards the end when we started getting tired. Bale and Lennon were defending properly, we had a midfield five that was hard to play through, yet it didn't hinder us offensively and we played some excellent attacking football. We need to play more like that and demand more defensively from VDV, Lennon and Bale. Do that and we'll keep more clean sheets and win more games.

 

[archiewasking]

Let's get our defenders back from injury, get a settled back four and then moan if we keep shipping goals. :evil:

Anyway, as the great Danny Blanchflower said, "We try to equalise before the other lot score" :up:

 

[Twizzle]

a marquis striker wont help us if we are gonna concede 4 gaols against middle of the table opposition

 

[StartingPrice]

a marquis striker wont help us if we are gonna concede 4 gaols against middle of the table opposition

Why settle fo a Marquis, why not go for a Earl (but not Robbie:grin or even a Prinice:shrug:

A marquee striker might help as well:wink:

It's a funny old game. Last season our defence was solid and everyone was drooling about our forward options...this, the defence is vulnerable and we need a No.9.

 

[spurs mental]

Dawson still makes gaffs every game bloody game.

:rofl:

What a totally shit post.

Dawson makes very little mistakes, and was our main CB last year. He was also our captain the back end of last season when King was out. Dawson was the first name on the team sheet last season when fit, and God are we missing his solidity at present at the back.

Once Dawson comes back into the team, watch our defensive record improve and ultimately, our results and league position.

 

[double0]

Clean sheets is a distinct absence from our recent results, trying to put the finger on why this is the case has become baffling but ever since Palacios limited appearances in the starting 11 we haven't done quite as well on the defensive side of the game. Harry does like an attacking set up, two wingers two attacking full backs, on paper should be good going forward but then you look at our goal scoring record quickly realise we haven't been knocking down the door with goals scored either.

Harry has the players within the squad to do better in the league IMO and its up to the manager to set up the balance of the team depending on our opponents.

 

[Spurs_Q8]

same problem today, can't blame Kaboul as he fought hard, but still we need someone lead our back-line, Gallas might be questioned again with Sunderland goal.

 

[punkisback]

I would easily swap Gallas and £7 mil for turner. He is turning us into laughing stock defensively, no communication and no teamwork with him and the others. He also seems to lack the strength and Pace nowadays to cope with attackers.

 

[lilywhitecurtis]

Dear Bus-Conductor. Michael Dawson fan now?

 

[dax]

No Corluka no good defence !

 

[NEVILLEB]

Gallas has made some terrible errors

 

[Misfit]

I dunno, only 2 or 3 goals worse off than 2 teams in the top 4, us having played one more game for good measure. Bearing in mind we have King, Dawson and Corluka all out - not disastrous. Could be better for sure but hardly panic stations.

Unless the argument here is that our defence, which truly is missing a fair few bodies, should play above and beyond whilst missing a good 50%-75% of its starters to compensate for our strikers (of which there is one, count 'em 1, missing) being utterly toilet in front of goal? Is that the argument?

Because the conclusion I reach on thinking about this stuff 'n junk is that it is not our defensive record which is "simply not top 4 record".

 

[bryanabutler]

I would like to know has Gallas got a contract to play every game , or has Harry got something against Bassong, who played very well last season.

 

[SpurSince57]

I would like to know has Gallas got a contract to play every game , or has Harry got something against Bassong, who played very well last season.

But has been pretty poor this. Haven't you noticed?

Leaving aside tonight's fantastically annoying stupidity, there is very little difference between our defensive record this season isn't horrendous by any means. We've conceded just two more than United. As Misfit points out, it's our goalscoring that's the problem.

 

[Coyboy]

We are conceding really sloppy goals. Contrary to a few seasons back where even Claude Makelele could score a wonder goal against us, no team has really scored 'a good goal' against us much this year. Individual errors have been a plenty.