Ratings vs Wolves

[brett.spurs]

Sloth, I beg you, drop the 'u' from Adebayor!

Other than that I agree with your post, I just hope Harry sees it the same way.

 

[jonathanhotspur]

I think Kranjcar's such an enigma, when the team's on top he's such an asset, composed, does the simple things really well, but also has vision and imagination, he can set a mesmerising tempo in the final third and when he gets a sniff of goal he has a very impressive conversion rate.

When the team's not on top though, whe you need a bit of muscle, some grit a shoulder barge, or some dynamism, something to knock the oppo back on their heels, he becomes a liability. It's not only that he's slow, it's that he seems weak too. Not a pussy like Bale is, just weak. A ball that looks 50/50 the other fellow always gets to first, a shoulder to shoulder and he loses out. A man goes past him ad he's never going to get back and be useful, as if he's on slow mo and everyone at normal speed.

Yesterday, while we were at 0-0 I and many others were wondering how long Harry would wait before bringing GDS on, Kranjcar was the weak link and while his stats show he wasn't doing anything wrong per se, e simply wasn't offering the team anywhere near enough.

My mate's dad calls him a "four niller". I like Kranjcar but I was disappointed with his performance for the first hour or so. Couldn't understand why Harry wasn't making any changes, in fact.

You can tell a lot about Kranjcar by the way he contests an aerial challenge-he turns his back on the ball.

 

[bomberH]

And Bale pulls out of every 50-50

 

[Ionman34]

Are you being serious? I'm going to take it that it's me missing some hidden irony here (doing it to get people like me to respond?)

Anyway, I didn't have anything to criticise Harry for yesterday.

I wouldn't have sent out exactly the same team as him, but so what? His selection and his decisions were sound and understandible (in a way for instance, the team against City was not understandible and in fact a bit absurd).

He stuck to his guns and we scored on 60. It would have been interesting to see what his tactical substitutions would have been had we not scored when we did and how long he would have waited to make them. But he was completely correct to give the side he'd picked at least an hour to do something - and they did.

The only thing I can say is that this shouldn't come into for particular praise just as it shouldn't be unduly criticised. He picked an obvious team given the players he had available, and should get the average mark based on the performance, be that 6, 7 or whatever.

The test will come later when he has all sorts of options available to him.



I think Kranjcar's such an enigma, when the team's on top he's such an asset, composed, does the simple things really well, but also has vision and imagination, he can set a mesmerising tempo in the final third and when he gets a sniff of goal he has a very impressive conversion rate.

When the team's not on top though, whe you need a bit of muscle, some grit a shoulder barge, or some dynamism, something to knock the oppo back on their heels, he becomes a liability. It's not only that he's slow, it's that he seems weak too. Not a pussy like Bale is, just weak. A ball that looks 50/50 the other fellow always gets to first, a shoulder to shoulder and he loses out. A man goes past him ad he's never going to get back and be useful, as if he's on slow mo and everyone at normal speed.

Yesterday, while we were at 0-0 I and many others were wondering how long Harry would wait before bringing GDS on, Kranjcar was the weak link and while his stats show he wasn't doing anything wrong per se, e simply wasn't offering the team anywhere near enough.

Once we scored, he became an asset, the team as a whole got the go forward as Wolves were forced to come out of the shell and force the issue. Space opened up, our confidence rose their's fell and Kranjcar was one of our players who came into his own.

Personally, I want to see us go 4-2-3-1 when Sandro's back:

Sandro Parker
VdV Modric Bale
Adebayour​

A formation that put us to the sword (aided by Harry's suicidal team selection) when we played City. In which case Kranjcar is not an issue. The players to come in would be Livermore for Sandro or Parker, Lennon, Kranjcar GDS for any of our front three. the only place we're in trouble is we've no replacement for Adebayour, which is why, had we not got such an amazing offer for Crouch I'd have wanted to keep him. Hopefully we've a centre forward lined up for January, but I won't hold my breath.

Whilst I agree with virtually all of your post Sloth, the highlighted bit, I think, is incorrect. Kranjcar was instrumental in us going the goal up in the first place and was hardly a passenger to that point either, not that I'm suggesting you see him as a passenger.

I'm one of those of the opinion that we will adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation in the main, with personnel alterations depending on opponent and venue and Nico, IMO, will feature on the left when we look to keep it tight & narrow. In this kind of formation I think he is an asset, in a more open formation he can be a weak link.

 

[IamCelestial]

someone photoshop adebyor's face onto omars face in my avatar

pls

Ade sure is a stickup boy! I can imagine how when he comes to the ground, the other guys starts shouting "Yo Ade yo! Ade's here"

 

[agrdavidsfan]

Friedel - 7 calm and reassuring proving us all wrong!

Walker - 6 decent but never want too see him against a top 10 team unless at right wing!

King - 8 our best player at the club brings the best out in others rolls Royce!

Kaboul 7 - solid shows he's better without Dawson and can actually mark!

BAE 7 - solid can't remember his last bad game!

Bale 6 - busy but wasted on the right when ades upfront as we lose momentum when he has to cut inside!

Parker 7 - the sort of experience and player you need away from home made so many clever fouls to stop momentum of wolverhamton!

Modric 6 - Better and shows he is not sulking! Had a few smiles too!

Kranjcar (Ghost) 5 - only plays when were on top goes missing when we are struggling love him tho!

Defoe 8 (MOM) - looked sharp hungry eager! Well basically looked like old JD!

Adebayor 8 - exactly what the doc ordered! And he's not even match fit!

Dos Santos N/A But done fuck all of note when he touched the ball!
Livermore N/A but could turn into a Parker type player if he learns off Scott!

Redknapp 7 - shouldn't have put bale on the right and should have made subs earlier decent tho!

 

[AlexSkree]

People talk about 4-4-2 but really we played very similar to when VDV plays. Even Kevin Bond said we played 4-4-1-1. So i dont think the reason for the win was that VDV was away and we played a different formation..

 

[Mr Pink]

Friedel 6.5 One very good save from Henry, but not much to do thereafter

Walker 7 his recovery pace is excellent, which he demonstrated on several occasions yesterday. One great clearing header as well. Would of been an 8 had he made more of his good attacking approach play.

King 6 a bit ropey first half, but grew into the game in the second. Great to see him back.

Kaboul 7 a commanding performance, pretty assured in eveything he did and all in all a good game.

Ekotto 7 one little brain fart aside, he was diligent in everything he did.

Kranjcar 7 got robbed first half which could of cost us and was generally pretty labored looking. Second half he had far more influence and was involved in both goals.

Modric 6.5 one gorgeous first time defense splitting pass in the first half, put himself about and kept things ticking. Still more to come from him though.

Parker 7.5 MOM Ok he had a couple of hesitant moments but he really puts his foot in and closed down quite high up the pitch, and did it extremely well. Demonstrated a great appetite in the middle of the park and a lovely little assist for Adebayor.

Bale 5.5 Really havn't been impressed with Bale for quite sometime now and yesterday didn't change that. Ok he was played on the right but even when he went left I just thought he was selfish and wasteful. Doesn't work hard enough either and needs to man up.

Defoe 6.5 I actually thought this was one of Defoe's better games. Ok he could of done better and didn't get his head up sometimes but there was a bit more in finding a pass this time round - a slight improvement in that department for me. Obviously got the killer goal so job done from his point of view.

Adebayor 7 Clearly not match fit but still offered more than any of our strikers have done in recent times. Great first touch and hold up play on show, took his goal very well. Exciting times ahead if we can keep this guy fit.

 

[Wiener]

Personally, I want to see us go 4-2-3-1 when Sandro's back:

Sandro Parker
VdV Modric Bale
Adebayour​

A formation that put us to the sword (aided by Harry's suicidal team selection) when we played City. In which case Kranjcar is not an issue. The players to come in would be Livermore for Sandro or Parker, Lennon, Kranjcar GDS for any of our front three. the only place we're in trouble is we've no replacement for Adebayour, which is why, had we not got such an amazing offer for Crouch I'd have wanted to keep him. Hopefully we've a centre forward lined up for January, but I won't hold my breath.

With Corluka/Walker and BAE/Rose respectively at right-back and left-back and King/Kaboul and Gallas/Dawson in the middle of a back four, the above formation would be pretty damn good. I also think Huddlestone, Pavluychenko and Defoe can be used quite effectively in the 4231 formation.

My only concern is that our injuries in key areas continue to hobble us and that 'Arry sees it your way.

As for the win against Wolves, I didn't see the game but am hugely pleased with the result, optimistic for the future and it's good to see that nearly everyone commended BAE for his performance.

 

[Wiener]

Harry 9/10 ,

We are lucky to have such a talented manager .

He is going to take us to the stars so long as he ignores the criticism on here .

League title contenders this year .

Is this for real?

As for the idea that 'Arry would give 2 farts about any criticism on this site, I think you underestimate his resilience and self-belief. He didn't get where he is by being a pussy.

 

[brett.spurs]

Dos Santos N/A But done fuck all of note when he touched the ball!

Pathetic comment, the kind that annoys the Gio defenders. He's on the pitch for 6 minutes, touches the ball once and because he doesn't run the length of the pitch carving through 5 players it's deemed as yet another poor Gio performance in which he blew yet another chance.

 

[agrdavidsfan]

Pathetic comment, the kind that annoys the Gio defenders. He's on the pitch for 6 minutes, touches the ball once and because he doesn't run the length of the pitch carving through 5 players it's deemed as yet another poor Gio performance in which he blew yet another chance.

Didn't say he was poor just all he did was one poor pass out wide

 

[thfc1989]

Didn't say he was poor just all he did was one poor pass out wide

It was a pretty silly comment

 

[stemark44]

Didn't say he was poor just all he did was one poor pass out wide

Actually it was a pretty decent pass out wide..........the only problem was that he had Kranjcar running on to it and my grandmother can run faster than him.
If it had been Bale,he would definitely have gotten the ball.

 

[Gilzeanking]

Like many others here...I'm slightly concerned about Bale . Some say he's not been good this season..but to me he hasn't been at the races for a lot longer than that .

However , in the Wales game before the England one I heard he was at his best . Anyone confirm this ? . If so this may mean that , as feared ,he's in good form now...but Prem defences have him sussed .

 

[t79boy]

Please VDV take this !