*** HAPOEL TEL AVIV v SPURS *** Offfical Match Thread

[joey55]

Kinda like LYP on the other wing then ?

Yeah i suppose so, but the obviously the opposite thing happens to him. But the key difference between the two situations is that LYP gets to overlap and linkup with the play, whilst Lennon tends recieve the ball in front of the other players and the moment he gets it, he'll have a defender on him.

 

[talkshowhost86]

one
step
at
a
time
:grin:

Bring on Wigan!

Well said. One step at a time should be our motto at the moment. We were an absolute shambles when Wendy took over and it's literally a case of just getting a bit more solid before Gus and Wendy can weave their magic/bring in some new players.

 

[Babylon22]

Do you think it is just a question of form or that teams now know exactly what to expect from Lennon? Personally i think that as long as defenders don't allow him on the outside and force him to cut inside, then he just isn't that dangerous. It seems now that defenders get so tight on him that he doesn't get chance to run at them like he used to. And when he does they just make sure he has to cut inside which narrows things up and gives him little space to work in.

Today he didn't play well.But still got in behind the fullback 3 or 4 times. Could've had 2 or 3 assists tonight if his final ball was better. Even when not playing well,he is still a threat.You might not rate lennon....but he's the best we've got. :shrug:

 

[TheChosenOne]

Yeah i suppose so, but the obviously the opposite thing happens to him. But the key difference between the two situations is that LYP gets to overlap and linkup with the play, whilst Lennon tends recieve the ball in front of the other players and the moment he gets it, he'll have a defender on him.

touche Joey

 

[jurgenthegerman18]

I thought we looked a bit more solid though, everyone is working hard closing people down, especially Malbranque who was quality in the first half. As PLtuck said above me, the change in the playing style is becoming more apparent in every game, players are starting to look hungry and bit more confident. If we can beat wigan and keep improving things get much better, quickly.

 

[eViL]

I fear for Lee, cus when he does overlap, he slows the play most the time to switch onto his right, which presumably, Ramos won't like..

 

[joey55]

Today he didn't play well.But still got in behind the fullback 3 or 4 times. Could've had 2 or 3 assists tonight if his final ball was better. Even when not playing well,he is still a threat.You might not rate lennon....but he's the best we've got. :shrug:

It's not that i don't rate, i just think a lot of teams have got wise to him and therefore he isn't as effective as he was. You're right, he is the best option we've got and there are other numerous other issues more important the RW to sort out first, but I'm not sure Lennon is going to still have the same impact that he did in his first year.

 

[DC_Boy]

more good news following on from our great result, anderlecht are winning 1-0. this puts us in 2nd place in the group, though effectively third. 3rd is good enough to qualify If we can beat Aalborg we're nearly there.

 

[PLTuck]

I fear for Lee, cus when he does overlap, he slows the play most the time to switch onto his right, which presumably, Ramos won't like..

especially with Bale back soon and Malbs starting to pull a few strings.

Maybe Ramos will try him on the right to try and fit him into what he wants, but I wonder if he's too old now to play his opposite position regularly.

 

[eViL]

I thought Lennon was looking a bit on the heavy side actually (for a midget)

 

[DC_Boy]

Lee has always looked much better at LB rather than RB for us, so if Ramos does try switching him it's liable to be a failed experiment.

Salty did well this evening and for me is a better RB than Lee.

 

[N10toN17]

An away win and a clean sheet, I'll not turn my nose up at that in our current position. Onwards and upwards.

 

[DC_Boy]

looks like anderlecht have drawn which is a good result for us, if we can beat Aalborg we're in a great position to qualify.

 

[theShiznit]

two observations.

Grass was too long which doesn't suit a quick passing game.

and Chimbonda should never get anywhere near the left side of a football pitch again (yes Left Centre half is too close)

and PS. i had £10 on us to score in both halfs and keep a clean sheet.. GRRRR

 

[worcestersauce]

Posted this on front page but I guess it fits here too.

Well it seemed to me that we played from a different plan today.
I can't remember the last time I saw us knocking the ball
around between ourselves without playing a long pass from the back, also I can't remember the last time we didn't knock loads of balls into the box from wide and well outside the box rather than trying to get into the box with the ball, I can't remember the last time Robbo threw the ball out rather than kick it upfield.
We did still play some long passes from defence and we did lob some balls into the box and Robbo did kick the ball upfield but only sometomes not almost every time.
Also I can't remember seeing us playing quick short passes just outside the oppositions box on the "D" trying to get to a position where we could thread a ball through to a striker running onto it, and both goals came from inside the box and from the by line now I can't emember that happening very often, unless Aaron Lennon had his rocket boots on.
I am not sayng what we have done before is right or wrong and I am not saying a new way is right or wrong yet, we will have to see but it seemed pretty certain to me that changes are taking place and today they were putting it into practice and we will get better at it.

One other thing, the Channel 5 commentator remarked on the poor team spirit because our players were shouting at each other, he must be an idiot, I've been hoping they would start shouting at each other for ages, at last they're showing some fight.

 

[donny1013]

European away games are usually dour affairs and this was no different. on paper at the end of the season it says 2-0 away win, end of. We got the job done, move onto Wigan which is a MUST win game.

 

[JJetset]

Ok who was more of a pile of jiz in this game...Zokora or Jenas?

Hard call as i thought both were pretty average and hopefully KPB is just getting to pace etc as i thought he blended into our midfield blandness very well!
At least Malbranque gave it a go today which made 1 of 2 players for spurs!

 

[talkshowhost86]

Hard call as i thought both were pretty average and hopefully KPB is just getting to pace etc as i thought he blended into our midfield blandness very well!
At least Malbranque gave it a go today which made 1 of 2 players for spurs!

I still think steed should play in the middle to be honest. He's easily our best midfielder at the moment and I think he could do more from the centre where the current incumbents are all being useless.

When Bale's back I say get him on the left and Steed in the middle.

 

[joey55]

I still think steed should play in the middle to be honest. He's easily our best midfielder at the moment and I think he could do more from the centre where the current incumbents are all being useless.

When Bale's back I say get him on the left and Steed in the middle.

Jenas was Young player of the Year in 2003 and he played in the middle in a DM role with Dyer as the more attacking CM. Newcastle finished 3rd that year. I don't see a great deal of difference between playing with Dyer than with Malbranque.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Jenas was Young player of the Year in 2003 and he played in the middle in a DM role with Dyer as the more attacking CM. Newcastle finished 3rd that year. I don't see a great deal of difference between playing with Dyer than with Malbranque.

I just think that JJ's passing seems to have gone to pieces recently which means that even if he does win the ball/cover well in a defensive midfield position then he gives it away too much when he has it. I think he may be the best of a bad bunch at defensive midfielder but I'd definitely trade zokora and JJ for a midfielder who's decent defensively and can actually pass the ball.