Roberto Soldado’s future at Spurs in doubt, says Terry Gibson

[DiamondLites]

Maybe, but not enough to justify his complete lack of goals.

He's clearly a good player and it's a shame it hasn't worked for him, but he's arguably our 4th choice striker at the moment due to his lack of return in front of goal.

Think it will be best for all concerned once he's gone.

Bloody hell, he's so bad he's 4th choice striker at a club with only 3!!

As others have said, give him a run with Kane and Lamela in particular as you can see he has a great understanding with both. Can't be any worse off than wheeling Ade out every week

 

[Sandwich Technician]

To my mind Roberto Soldado is without doubt the most frustrating spurs player we’ve had in years. We all hoped he was the striker we’d been crying out for ever since the sublime Bulgarian had sulked and stomped and sloped off to join the prawn sandwich brigade in 2008. Except unfortunately he isn’t.
To some degree Roberto must shoulder a little of the blame in allowing the pressure to get to him. Attention grabbing headlines like ‘The Magnificent Seven’ and the patently ridiculous Beatles/Elvis statement from that divvy Garth Crooks did not help our new players to settle in at all, and saddled them with a lot of undue pressure to instantly perform. Even the most seasoned Premier League player will take time to adapt to a new teams culture and players, never mind a foreigner with personal tragedy playing for their first time overseas, in a completely different league and having to cope with a new style of football. In Roberto’s defence I cannot remember him having a string of 8-10 games where he could start to build an understanding with his possible provider team-mates like Kane, Eriksen, Chadli and Lennon. Neither AVB or Sherwood or worryingly Pochettino have played to his strengths and noted and taken advantage of what he had excelled at for Valencia in his time there.
The other thing to be said In Roberto’s defence is the paucity of clever and creative players we have to link up with around him. He has a good understanding with Eriksen on the odd occasion they are played together – and I’ve also seen tantalizing glimpses of what could be between him and Lamela. He is a deft and gifted passer of the ball – we just need him to rediscover the art of passing the ball, ideally into the back of the net.

Though part of me is beginning to think he is just very, very unlucky/Spursy as without fail, something always seems to get in the way when he has a clear goal scoring opportunity, usually an unbelievable bit of last-ditch defending, the paint of the woodwork, or the body parts of Andros Townsend.
However, however in true wildly delusional Tottenham Hotspur supporter tradition, I believe he has some important role to play in our future history, and with the right set-up around him could somehow be the catalyst for a reversal of fortune from our current misery and woes. What evidence do I have for this? Absolutely none at all – I am just another spurs fan feeding on scraps of hope.

 

[stemark44]

I think his confidence is shot to bits and I don't think he will recover it here.
The guy needs to get back to Spain asap but nobody out there is going to give Levy what he wants.
If by some miracle they do,I would imagine that Soldado is on £60,000+ a week.He ain't getting that anywhere else.
He could be here for the long haul.

 

[slartibartfast]

In my eyes he ruined the club and the identity of it.

Strong words but the negative approach started with him and we are still in it's shadow.

It took AVB a season to ruin the positivity that Harry built despite Gareth Bale's best efforts.

You're cruising for a Yankspurs, Crazyheart backlash lol.
Apparently AVBs football looked ok from thousands of miles away...
Oh fu#k. Now Ive done it as well

 

[yiddopaul]

You never know. There are lots of intelligent people out there who can see that there is more to him than goals.

But we bought him for goals. Goals is what we need.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

You never know. There are lots of intelligent people out there who can see that there is more to him than goals.

Lots of seemingly intelligent people believe in religion too.
Doesn't make them right.

 

[Sweetsman]

Lots of seemingly intelligent people believe in religion too.
Doesn't make them right.

Thankfully, there are people like you to provide a balance to those intelligent people. It goes to show that there is order in Nature.

 

[Japhet]

Unfortunately he is, and has been, starved of service since he arrived. AVB's style of play had no room for impulsive players with an eye for the unorthodox. Sherwood clung onto his Adebayor love in, and he has hardly had a decent shout under Poch. The players who are meant to be supplying him seem to largely be playing for themselves, which is a major reason for the difficulties we are in. Soldado is class, no doubt about that, but he needs a 'team' around him, which at present, he hasn't got.

 

[Sweetsman]

Why does only AVB get the blame when he was only there until December? Sherwood didn't play him either. Ray Houghton stated that Soldado was taking up intelligent positions that went unnoticed by the other players. The reasons behind his lack of form probably lie in his personal tragedy and the managerial upheavals leading to a complete lack of playing style: he lost confidence and snatches at shots when he has to think, but can score instinctively. The birth of his son has led to an improvement in overall contribution to play, and I think once he scores one or two many more will follow. More than that, he will be a better player than before.

 

[eddiebailey]

Unfortunately he is, and has been, starved of service since he arrived. AVB's style of play had no room for impulsive players with an eye for the unorthodox. Sherwood clung onto his Adebayor love in, and he has hardly had a decent shout under Poch.

True but Tim initially gave Ade and Bobby equal game time. Ade got goals, Bobby didn't, so he persevered with Ade. The problem as Gibson says is that Soldado's confidence is shot. Poch's tactics and his team mates implications aren't helping him (or Ade), but the issue has gone beyond tactics and teamplay now.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

Thankfully, there are people like you to provide a balance to those intelligent people. It goes to show that there is order in Nature.

Thankfully, there are people like you to provide a balance to those intelligent people. It goes to show that there is order in Nature.

So you're really suggesting I'm thick because i don't believe offering "more than goals but never scoring any" is in some way beneficial?
Classy comeback.

 

[Japhet]

True but Tim initially gave Ade and Bobby equal game time. Ade got goals, Bobby didn't, so he persevered with Ade. The problem as Gibson says is that Soldado's confidence is shot. Poch's tactics and his team mates implications aren't helping him (or Ade), but the issue has gone beyond tactics and teamplay now.

Did he? My recollection was that he brought Ade in from the cold and started him just about every game. Could be wrong though, but that's how I remember it.

 

[eddiebailey]

Did he? My recollection was that he brought Ade in from the cold and started him just about every game. Could be wrong though, but that's how I remember it.

Tim played them both for his first half dozen or so games; in terms of chances I would say Bobby benefitted from the increased service to the same extent, but at that point he could not have scored at a nurses hen party.

 

[Sweetsman]

So you're really suggesting I'm thick because i don't believe offering "more than goals but never scoring any" is in some way beneficial?
Classy comeback.

Based on your conclusion, I think you proved my point.

 

[worcestersauce]

The bottom line is that £25million strikers ought to get more than two goals from open play whatever the system or however much the coach wants to ruin him, sadly he hasn't so if Gibson has got it right I'm not surprised.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

The bottom line is that £25million strikers ought to get more than two goals from open play whatever the system or however much the coach wants to ruin him, sadly he hasn't so if Gibson has got it right I'm not surprised.

I like the cut of your jib

 

[deadlight]

You never know. There are lots of intelligent people out there who can see that there is more to him than goals.

But for a striker, goals is the main attribute - very much so. A striker who is intelligent, holding the ball etc. but who isn't/can't score goals is not what they're paid to do.

 

[millsey]

You never know. There are lots of intelligent people out there who can see that there is more to him than goals.

Then hes not for us as we need someone to score goals, as we dont bloody have any stiker doing that

 

[TaoistMonkey]

Then hes not for us as we need someone to score goals, as we dont bloody have any stiker doing that

But he's getting other people involved in goals. Unitll he finds his confidence and can then be a bit more selfish in front of goal i'm happy with the way he's playing.

 

[millsey]

But he's getting other people involved in goals. Unitll he finds his confidence and can then be a bit more selfish in front of goal i'm happy with the way he's playing.

I agree hes should be starting instead of Adebaor, but we didnt by a 25 mill striker to get other people involved in goals. And as Chadli seams to be the only one scoring its person rather than people