Is Redknapp Tactically good Enough!

[Mr Pink]

I'd say Jenas first season was a very good one. A young player who performed at a high level. He was injured for the majority of the second season, but his return to the side, coupled wit Kings and combined with Keane and Berba figuring eachother out, signalled our charge to 5th place that season. It is since then that I have issue with him.

Huddlestone started this season superbly, but from Wigan home onwards I've been left unsatisfied by him every time, with his last outing being his worst in a very long time.

Palacios was superb in his first half season, and very good (after his brother dying, it should be noted) for the first half of last season. Somewhere along the lines something went wrong, a since last January we've looked far better with him than without him.

I didn't say Huddlestone wasn't a better player than Jenas, I believe he is. I said that his performances range from brilliant to rubbish. All he needs is one brilliant performance and one rubbish performance in a season and that will be an accurate statement, and within these first few games I suggest that he has provided examples of both.

I take it you didn't read my entire point or you'd have picked up on my confessed exaggeration, not to mention on the fact that the Hudd/ JJ/ Palacios thing was merely a fragment of the post as a whole, rather than the crux of it.

Thats hardly a balanced way to appraise someones overall peformance over the course of a season!

Yes I get what your saying, just didn't agree with the particular way you were saying it. Huddlestone was consistent last season, that can include having a few not so good performances - of course it can. But in the main its widely acknowledged that he has come on leaps and bounds and was an integral part of the team's success last season. Playing him regularly was always going to see him improve and develop. Needs to score more goals though, he should do with that right foot.

I agree with you regarding his form since the Wigan game though but the rest of the side isn't exactly setting the world alight either. Will judge him properly at the end of the season.

Jenas had regressed, Huddlestone has progressed - thats the key difference for me, albeit the present form of both wouldn't exactly support that, but I think its accurate in terms of looking at the last 12-18 months.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I'll definitely agree with you on that.

 

[crazyteknohed]

Hey kkemal, big up the Winchmore Hill posse :cheers:

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

We are inconsistent, both individually and as a team, HOWEVER if you look at our high points they are continuously getting better, first half at Bremen illustrates that. So to answer the question of the OP I think the answer is no. I'm no HR fan but credit where it is due and he is obviously trying to take us to the next level which involves playing a much more fluid system of football, this won't happen overnight but I'm all for the direction.

 

[rich75]

We are inconsistent, both individually and as a team, HOWEVER if you look at our high points they are continuously getting better, first half at Bremen illustrates that. So to answer the question of the OP I think the answer is no. I'm no HR fan but credit where it is due and he is obviously trying to take us to the next level which involves playing a much more fluid system of football, this won't happen overnight but I'm all for the direction.

Not picking on you in particular.. but what the fuck is this "next level" we're supposedly aiming for? Every year no matter what we've achieved people always bang on about is player x good enough to take us to the next level, is the manager good enough etc etc.

I'm assuming it means whatever we didn't achieve in the preceding year but the people who say it never ever seem to consider consolidation a wise idea.

Your next level seems to be a "fluid system of football" others want guaranteed top 4, others want cups or a run in the CL ... it just winds me up.. it's a short hand for anything we haven't yet done and seems to be a stick with which to beat whoever is currently playing for us or in charge.

Any level in football is so fucking nebulous its crazy. Have Arsenal dropped down a level because they can't convincingly beat low ranked sides at home 100% of the time and haven't won silver ware for 5 years.Have we gone up a level as we made the CL but somehow dropped back instantly because we can't beat West Ham?

I loathe the phrase, it seems to mean everything and yet absolutely nothing all at the same time.

In fact it's right up there with "World Class" as a pet hate .. what the fucking hell does that mean?

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

I can't speak for others but next level to me means progress. To make progress from last season we need to play "better" football, retaining the ball more. I would say last season we moved up a level in that we beat the scum and chelski at home. This season's obvious step up would be to beat at least one of the top 3 away from WHL. All of this progress is towards the ultimate goal of winning the league some day, crazy I know but that's what I dream of.

As to valuing consolidation my experience is that if that is what you aspire to then you tend to go backwards. That isn't to say that if you do in fact consolidate you can't look back on it with satisfaction.

 

[eViL]

Opinions like this contributed to the sacking of Jol eventually.

I'm pissed off with the last result but I'd be REALLY pissed off if we lost Redknapp.

So shut the fuck up you whining nubs.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I can't speak for others but next level to me means progress. To make progress from last season we need to play "better" football, retaining the ball more. I would say last season we moved up a level in that we beat the scum and chelski at home. This season's obvious step up would be to beat at least one of the top 3 away from WHL. All of this progress is towards the ultimate goal of winning the league some day, crazy I know but that's what I dream of.

As to valuing consolidation my experience is that if that is what you aspire to then you tend to go backwards. That isn't to say that if you do in fact consolidate you can't look back on it with satisfaction.

The bit in bold is spot on; But don't get hung up with individual results though. Beating a top four side in isolation is meaningless (ignoring the short term elation) if our football doesn't improve and we loose at home to Wigan etc.

They rarely mean anything when you are actually competing at that (top 3/4 level) it is far more important that your football is of a higher consistent quality than you achieve token "cup final" victories over big sides. I would swap beating arsenal for playing well enough to have taken 9 points from Wigan, West Ham and West Brom instead of 1.

Opinions like this contributed to the sacking of Jol eventually.

I'm pissed off with the last result but I'd be REALLY pissed off if we lost Redknapp.

So shut the fuck up you whining nubs.

You say that like it wasn't a good thing.

 

[Mullers]

sometimes i really hate this site...

people are persecuted for opinions...its ridiculous it really is...

he isnt on his own, i agree with the fella & loads more do as well.....we are playing terribly & there is no sign of improvement....weve signed a world class player in VDV & yet we are about as creative as west brom (less judging by our game against them & theres against arsenal)...so there IS a problem...

the buck has to stop somewhere & im afraid the manager is responsible for getting the best out of his staff in every job on the planet...

my opinion is this....is harry tactically naive?-yes!....if we finish lower than 4th & without a trophy should he be replaced?-yes

the end of the season will tell all & i hope (cos i love the club & it comes first) that we are in that top 4 or have an FA cup under our belts.....but if not then we are big enough to get someone else who can...

No, no, no. It's time for some continuity, changing manager every couple of seasons is bullshit, there is also no guarentee that the next manager will do better, he may even do worse. Eg Ramos.

With the squad we have though I would expect us to be in contention for 4th place and a trophy but with the CL to think about as well it's not going to be easy.

It's very early in the season now, too early to jump to conclusions.

 

[SpurSince57]

The bit in bold is spot on; But don't get hung up with individual results though. Beating a top four side in isolation is meaningless (ignoring the short term elation) if our football doesn't improve and we loose at home to Wigan etc.

They rarely mean anything when you are actually competing at that (top 3/4 level) it is far more important that your football is of a higher consistent quality than you achieve token "cup final" victories over big sides. I would swap beating arsenal for playing well enough to have taken 9 points from Wigan, West Ham and West Brom instead of 1.

You say that like it wasn't a good thing.

So winning the CC under Wendy Random means fuck all, essentially?

 

[Misfit]

No, he isn't. We'll never get top 4 with Harry in charge. We need a guy with a flashy name again. Pellegrini did well enough at a Spanish club and wears spiffy suits. Let's get him in pronto. Bound to work. You can't achieve success without the manager having a little salt and pepper mojo going on with his hair.

 

[stevenqoz]

As yet we have largely been unable to put out our strongest side. Injuries have obviously limited us. I would say that Harry would probably have these eleven earmarked as being our first choice side : Gomes King BAE Dawson Corluka Huddlestone Modric VDV Lennon Defoe Crouch......I don't remember them playing together so far.
Damien's point about coaching experience is a good one. Every coach has their own ideas. They see players differently. While Harry has a host of specialist coaches on staff, some who he listens to, ultimately he is the game day coach and we are paying him to do a job. He will be aware that in the end DL won't always accept the excuse that 'I can't / haven't put out my strongest side yet." That said, I think he has quite a few brownie points still to spend with DL because he is doing a good overall job at Spurs. The lack of a big powerful hold the ball up centre forward coming to Spurs in the window is not Harry's fault. Tottenham are a possession team. The performances against Breman away and Citeh at home demonstrated this. However without Defoe as a turn the defence outlet teams are able to press up on us knowing that there is no one to get the other side at speed.

 

[roosh]

Nothing wrong with Redknapp. Massive injury list, the death of the brother of a hugely influential player [from last season] and his replacement not yet ready to play, are the reasons we are not performing to the level we had hoped.

Once we sort out the Palacios/Sandro shaped hole in our midfield, we will be fine, even with the strikers we have at the moment.

 

[Misfit]

As yet we have largely been unable to put out our strongest side. Injuries have obviously limited us. I would say that Harry would probably have these eleven earmarked as being our first choice side : Gomes King BAE Dawson Corluka Huddlestone Modric VDV Lennon Defoe Crouch......I don't remember them playing together so far.
Damien's point about coaching experience is a good one. Every coach has their own ideas. They see players differently. While Harry has a host of specialist coaches on staff, some who he listens to, ultimately he is the game day coach and we are paying him to do a job. He will be aware that in the end DL won't always accept the excuse that 'I can't / haven't put out my strongest side yet." That said, I think he has quite a few brownie points still to spend with DL because he is doing a good overall job at Spurs. The lack of a big powerful hold the ball up centre forward coming to Spurs in the window is not Harry's fault. Tottenham are a possession team. The performances against Breman away and Citeh at home demonstrated this. However without Defoe as a turn the defence outlet teams are able to press up on us knowing that there is no one to get the other side at speed.

You missed out Bale.

Agree with you though in general.

 

[Mr Pink]

As yet we have largely been unable to put out our strongest side. Injuries have obviously limited us. I would say that Harry would probably have these eleven earmarked as being our first choice side : Gomes King BAE Dawson Corluka Huddlestone Modric VDV Lennon Defoe Crouch......I don't remember them playing together so far.
Damien's point about coaching experience is a good one. Every coach has their own ideas. They see players differently. While Harry has a host of specialist coaches on staff, some who he listens to, ultimately he is the game day coach and we are paying him to do a job. He will be aware that in the end DL won't always accept the excuse that 'I can't / haven't put out my strongest side yet." That said, I think he has quite a few brownie points still to spend with DL because he is doing a good overall job at Spurs. The lack of a big powerful hold the ball up centre forward coming to Spurs in the window is not Harry's fault. Tottenham are a possession team. The performances against Breman away and Citeh at home demonstrated this. However without Defoe as a turn the defence outlet teams are able to press up on us knowing that there is no one to get the other side at speed.

You have forgotten our most dangerous player! Bale.

 

[Mr Pink]

Anbody who is seriously contemplating a change in manager needs to get a grip - unless Harry takes the England job that is.

 

[spurs_viola]

....
If lennon and Palacios start playing like they can, we get Defoe and Dawson back and Keane gets back to something like he can play we'll be absolutely fine.

At the moment we have no defence through injury so one of our best attacking outlets is having to play further back than he has done recently. Our holding players are either woefully out of form or only been in the country a month. Our top scorer from last year is injured and the other 3 strikers are doing there best impression of the invisible man every other game.

Tactics mean fuck all if the players you have available aren't playing well

This really should bring out a wry smile...Somehow the same reasoning is hardly ever applied to the start of the season under Ramos, and yet just read the words above and think back to what he had to work with then:

BAE was injured, so Bale, one of our best attacking options - and just back from long injury himself - had to play left back; King was not fit to play many games...sounds familiar?
Our holding midfielders were Jenas and O'Hara - hardly the most solid combination; Huddlestone was more or less in his first full season and needed time to settle in; Modric been in the country about a month; Bentley...let's not even go there; Lennon was just finding his form after long injury...sounds even more familiar perhaps?

Our TWO main strikers and top goalscorers both departed and we were left with nervous Bent and the Man U youth reserve, who both did a good impression of invisible men most of the time...the bell is ringing louder, except Ramos did not have ANY OTHER option up front before Pav came in from an injury in late Sept and then inevitably took time to settle?

Add to that Gomes being in the country for only a month too and then getting injured in one of the numerous fouls from Pulis' Stoke in one of the early games...

Then if you compare the squad/team that Ramos had then and Redknapp has now, perhaps you may be forgiven for thinking that Harry should really be doing better with this squad, although the reasons for the difficult start are valid - albeit less so than the situation Ramos had then.

 

[AW?]

We need Defoe back and firing on all cylinders that's all.

 

[Misfit]

Nevermind. Confuddled myself. Still, the point stands. Fuck Ramos!

 

[stevenqoz]

You missed out Bale.

Agree with you though in general.

Sorry about that Lennon or BAE to sit down then