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Good Month/Bad Month

Krafty

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2004
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Turns out I've missed the entire month of November, so here we are covering Villa, Anderlecht, Arsenal, West Ham, Qarabag and Chelsea, and also the international period...

GOOD MONTH

Dele Alli


Stretch your mind back to the beginning of November, and the progress made by Alli was extraordinary. To think that since then he has pushed on again is spectacular.

The former MK Dons midfielder had already picked up an England cap, but against Italy he was the most impressive player on the pitch, offering not just a box to box presence but also showing immense quality and composure in the attacking third.

We have seen a lot of talented youngsters at the club but there is just something about Alli that indicates that he is not just a big game player, not just a game changer, but someone who simply brings it all to the table no matter what the occasion. We missed his intelligent runs forward against Chelsea but to be honest I don't care - I am just really excited to have such an impressive footballer at the club.

Mauricio Pochettino

Everything is coming up Mauricio! Four wins and two draws mean an unbeaten month, when we faced three London derbies and a trip across the globe to Qarabag. Europa League progress has been secured, the unbeaten run has been extended, we are in a good position in the league and the squad (save one in particular) looks all on the same page.

That the number of issues with the playing squad seems to be diminishing week after week (arguably only a proper second striking option is needed) and that individuals are reaching peak form shows that Poch is a very good manager and its good to see that the club is supporting him.

Harry Kane

Back in the goals. There was never any doubt

Toby Alderweireld

A better centre back than Ledley? Certainly no one has been as good since our King departed, but with Toby there is no injury concerns and he looks set to be an ever present in our defence for many years to come.

The whole defensive unit looks impressive, and the goals conceded column shows that. Alderweireld has been the new name and his mobility, reading of the game and decision making has definitely been a factor in Vertonghen and Walker performing better.

Kyle Walker

Getting back to his best...and he scored!

Mousa Dembele

Has continued his stellar form, and was even afforded a rest at home as the rest of the side went to Azerbaijan.

Joshua Onomah

Missed out against Bournemouth, but again Poch pulls a masterstroke by putting young Josh on with the game against Villa in the balance at 2-1. Rather than some token minutes in a game petering out, Onomah was trusted to have an impact and that will have been a massive boost to the kid.

Eric Dier

Could be set to partner Alli in England's midfield in France in the summer.

The youngsters and players on the fringes

With progress secured, the match against Monaco might be a chance for a young player to make a name, or for a fringe player to earn a second chance.

BAD MONTH

Andros Townsend


The exception to the harmony currently enveloping White Hart Lane. Andros has never really seemed to fit into Pochettino's setup, and I don't think the inverted winger really makes the most of Townsend's talents, especially when he is out of form. A bust up with Nathan Gardiner, the fitness coach, will certainly have not helped his cause and Andros' Spurs career is not simply stagnating, its rotting away. With so many other options, there really does not appear to be a way back for the England international.

Fans of Milos Veljkovic

There is a glimmer of hope that the U20 World Cup winner may stay at the Lane with word that one final attempt is being made to get him to sign a new contract, but with no prospect of making a breakthrough to the first team and only six months left on his current contract, it seems the Serb is going to leave sooner rather than later.

Daniel Levy

English Heritage were always going to be a pain in the backside as the club looks to redevelop the area around the new ground, but I suspect Levy actually enjoys going on the attack in matters like this and we will all be watching with interest to see what happens in the latest development of the Tottenham Stadium drama.

Ryan Mason

Looks like yet another injury lay-off, which is a real shame for Mason but unfortunately not a surprise. Pochettino seems to show great loyalty to the players he likes, and Mason falls into that category, but every injury is a chance for someone else to shine.

Chadli and Bentaleb

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but with our recent run and performances, we no longer rue who is on the injury list. Over the past month has anyone really thought about the likes of Nacer and Nabil and wished they were fit? The big plus point is that, when others start to fatigue, we will have two integrated players fresh and fighting fit, but both have fallen down their relative pecking orders.
 
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doom

Well-Known Member
Dec 13, 2003
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Dembele's improvement has been incredible. No one can get the ball off him as he breezes past some of the best PL players and most importantly he has learnt to be a real threat in front of goal. Our most important player imo.
 

Shirtfront

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2005
1,247
406
Dembele's improvement has been incredible. No one can get the ball off him as he breezes past some of the best PL players and most importantly he has learnt to be a real threat in front of goal. Our most important player imo.

Surely that award goes to our only striker?

I love that Dembele is back to his best - and as you say his dribbling and holding up of the ball is without peer. His tracking back and tackling are top draw as well. But too often he still lacks an end product to my mind. If he can keep chipping in with the occasional goal, I will definitely be on board.

Until then, I actually think Alli has become our most important player, after Kane. He seems integral to the high pressing game Poch wants and his absence against Chelsea was a key reason I think we looked a little off the pace (that and the journey of course).
 

Shirtfront

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2005
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406
ps - comparisons between Alderweireld and King feel very, very premature to my mind. It reminds me of when some on here were comparing Paulinho to Frank Lampard. NB: I am not comparing Alderweireld to Paulinho! Just the tendency to get a little carried away.....
 

N17Jack

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2007
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Toby is good, very good. Ledley was feckin fantastic, brilliant, a God, faithful and a life long Yid. Not quite the same are they. COYS
 

Sweetsman

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2011
6,673
6,588
Dembele's improvement has been incredible. No one can get the ball off him as he breezes past some of the best PL players and most importantly he has learnt to be a real threat in front of goal. Our most important player imo.
He started to shoot....green shoots of recovery.
 

newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
6,051
6,342
ps - comparisons between Alderweireld and King feel very, very premature to my mind. It reminds me of when some on here were comparing Paulinho to Frank Lampard. NB: I am not comparing Alderweireld to Paulinho! Just the tendency to get a little carried away.....

Harsh do you have no shame, I like Toby his been great using his name with Paulinho is cruel So cruel it would be like me saying to my wife, you remind me of Jodie Marsh, comments like that there's no way back only an eternity of hell to pay. hope Santa is reading this and tell you to fuck off this Christmas ;)

I agree with your point lol you don't compare anyone to the king. But Toby is already heading towards God status with his nononse defending.
 

beuller

Well-Known Member
May 10, 2005
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Good roundup. Apart from the King comparison. Felt like a bit of daily mail click bait thrown in.

What the the hec, I'll click..... Alderweireld is very good and looks to have pulled the defence together as a real unit. But as an individual he's not on King's level.

However we have better players now and we don't necessarily need a king. We need someone just like Alderweireld who brings the best out of the others. He's an almost perfect fit.
 

doom

Well-Known Member
Dec 13, 2003
2,368
1,338
Good roundup. Apart from the King comparison. Felt like a bit of daily mail click bait thrown in.

What the the hec, I'll click..... Alderweireld is very good and looks to have pulled the defence together as a real unit. But as an individual he's not on King's level.

However we have better players now and we don't necessarily need a king. We need someone just like Alderweireld who brings the best out of the others. He's an almost perfect fit.
King was the master of getting the best out of his partners - made Dawson, Kaboul etc look decent.
 
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