Spurs starting 11 V Top 4

[elvis7754]

But is he going to be our first-choice LB, next season at least? We hardly got a chance to see what he could do there before he was crocked, but his tackling success is about 56%—the worst in the squad. For a FB it should be 80%+.

And whilst a top-quality CB would be nice, and I'm sure we'll go all out to get one this summer, for me it's consistency as much as out-and-out quality—a regular partnership. It's no coincidence that having the same back line for the majority of our games two years ago resulted in the best defensive record Spurs have had in years. (That's not to forget Carrick and Davids' contribution, of course.) A solid CB pairing will go a long way to protecting a keeper going through an iffy patch, as Rio and Vidic did for VdS towards the end of last season and at the beginning of this. Our problem has been that Robinson's slump in form coincided with the defence going to pot because of constant changes in line-up due to injuries. Even a top-drawer, on-form keeper is only going to be able to do so much to compensate for the kind of Fred Karno defending we've seen for the past two seasons. For that reason alone I'd say getting the back line settled is top priority, followed by the midfield, and then the keeper.

agree with this but it works the other way too remember...

a top keeper behind them gives the defence confidence and Robbo's own crisis of confidence cannot of helped our backline, particularly when new comers like Kaboul were being blooded.

x

 

[Coyboy]

Was Bale injured three times? I was away until November, not away from my SC, though and remember one little injury and then was at the Brum game when he went down. But DC, just because he has been out for months I wouldn't categorise him as being 'injury prone' or a worry- he is still growing after all.

 

[DC_Boy]

Was Bale injured three times? I was away until November, not away from my SC, though and remember one little injury and then was at the Brum game when he went down. But DC, just because he has been out for months I wouldn't categorise him as being 'injury prone' or a worry- he is still growing after all.

Hi CB - as ever I'm going from memory - but the problems started in the friendly in Ireland - he got a knock or whatever, and seemed that he needed to go off - even the commentators said so - for some reason Jol & Co decided he should play on - something that got me mad at the tiime - a friendly FFS !!- he played on - finally had to come off - and he then missed the rest of pre-season and at least the opening 2 games (both of which we lost!!!)

he then finally came back - was great as we know - then got crocked v Toon - a lot of people think the tackle that did him was a bad 'un - then came back again maybe too early - got done again v Brum - end of season!

but anyway of course I hope you're right re his long term fitness CB

 

[gavspur]

hi guys, i think this topic has gone slighty off to one side as to what it was actually about, which was that last nights game highlighted where i feel we need to improve to get into the champs league, and not to just make up the numbers, but compete in it. keeper and cm are the positions we are severely lacking.

Van Pommel's right, Alonso and Mascherano would completely transform our team, and i'm not sure of makoun and the other guy, i've never seen them, but is there anyone else realistically who we could get to take us to that level?

 

[brasil_spur]

From that line-up the only ones i would say are CL ready are:
Hutton
Woody
Leds
[FONT=&quot]Berbs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Keane[/FONT]

Bale is close but needs more time under his belt.

So we need 4 midfielders and possibly a LB and CB replacement in case King is out for good.​

 

[badajozjim]

one thing springs to mind when i see your teams in the post apart from Man U and us the others play with one striker and five in midfield. You could argue that rooney is more of an attacking midfielder than a natural striker as he tracks back quite a lot.

 

[bryanabutler]

C/L

Hotspurs61 C/L Team
Neuer/Amelia
Hutton, Woodgate, King/Kaboul/Garay, Bridge,

Arshavin/Modric Veloso, Diego, Bale

Bent/Keane Berbatov/Benzema if Berbs leaves

 

[SpurSince57]

And when was your total dissociation from reality first diagnosed?

 

[SpurSince57]

agree with this but it works the other way too remember...

a top keeper behind them gives the defence confidence and Robbo's own crisis of confidence cannot of helped our backline, particularly when new comers like Kaboul were being blooded.

x

Of course—and as I say, we had two separate problems coincide. But if we'd had King available at the start of last season, and Carrick had stayed, I'm sure the defence would have seen Robbo through his yips and he might have regained the form of previous seasons. Instead, his slump continued. What's hurt us more than anything is having been unable to field the same back line for more than two or three games in a row.

A top-class keeper would have made some difference, but I wonder how much; I've used Jääskeläinen as an example before; for some reason Bolton's previously pretty sound defence completely lost the plot about halfway through last season, and Jääska simply couldn't compensate for the idiocy going on in front of him.

And in the ACN you had the two best keepers in the competition, Al Hadary and Kameni, one behind a solid well-drilled defence, the other behind a complete shower. Kameni let in four goals in the first game, none of which he or anyone else could have done much about, because the Egyptian forwards were going through the Cameroon defence practically at will. The final would have been a massacre if it hadn't been for his heroics, but in the end the defence made one slip too many. At the other end El Hadary pulled off some great saves, but wasn't having to defy Eto'o and co single-handed.

 

[stemark44]

If I had to make a suggestion I'd say Jean II Makoun and Mathieu Bodmer, they played together for Lille last season (Bodmer's at Lyon now). Makoun is kinda like Makelele and Bodmer is kinda like a lanky Gerrard. I haven't watched them much but what I have seen has impressed me and they seemed to complement each other well as a centre midfield partnership.
I'm sure some people on here will have more informed opinions on them than I have, I just thought I'd throw a couple of ideas into the hat.

These two guys were indeed highly recommended by a few of us last summer as good buys for Spurs,unfortunately our management team did not have the good sense to read our reviews and plumped for Kevin Prince Boateng at £5.4 million instead. What a buy! :bang:

 

[stemark44]

one thing springs to mind when i see your teams in the post apart from Man U and us the others play with one striker and five in midfield. You could argue that rooney is more of an attacking midfielder than a natural striker as he tracks back quite a lot.

You are absolutely right because none of the teams mentioned in the original post play the 4-4-2 formation,they all play the 4-3-3 system.

 

[SpurSince57]

These two guys were indeed highly recommended by a few of us last summer as good buys for Spurs,unfortunately our management team did not have the good sense to read our reviews and plumped for Kevin Prince Boateng at £5.4 million instead. What a buy! :bang:

Yup—although I only got to see Frog footy when I was over there last season, those two were a very solid combo for Lille, and it's maybe not a coincidence that their form has bombed this season since Bodmer left. He's a bit slow (not a lot quicker than the Hud, to be honest), but very commanding, good positional sense, good passer, and excellent in the air. Oh, and he takes a good free-kick, too. Makoun's much more a Zokora-type DM.

What puzzles me is that we'd done business with Lille (Dervitte), and Comolli is big mates with their coach. Shouldn't he have known that Bodmer was available, at a very reasonable price?

 

[gavspur]

You are absolutely right because none of the teams mentioned in the original post play the 4-4-2 formation,they all play the 4-3-3 system.

Yes, but i did also say, basic 442 formations, best players or whatever, whether they play Gerrard behind Torres, Tevez behind Rooney, or Lampard behind Drogba, it was a basic 'who's players are better than ours in their team?'.. Not wanting to take the piss guys/gals, but i did try and cover myself from the 'well its not the same formation' responses.. Its an 11 V 11, roughly the best 11 of each team.:shrug:

 

[stemark44]

Yup—although I only got to see Frog footy when I was over there last season, those two were a very solid combo for Lille, and it's maybe not a coincidence that their form has bombed this season since Bodmer left. He's a bit slow (not a lot quicker than the Hud, to be honest), but very commanding, good positional sense, good passer, and excellent in the air. Oh, and he takes a good free-kick, too. Makoun's much more a Zokora-type DM.

What puzzles me is that we'd done business with Lille (Dervitte), and Comolli is big mates with their coach. Shouldn't he have known that Bodmer was available, at a very reasonable price?

Thats exactly the same thing that annoys the hell out of me and If I remember correctly Bodmer went for just over £3million.It really does seem to me that in France a few people 'in the know' are taking the piss out of Comolli and us!
We really have had very little success from players that we have bought there - Kaboul,Taraabt,Ekotto,Tainio,Dervitte and Zokora.Maybe it is a market that we should steer clear of in the future!

 

[SpurSince57]

I think it's less a question of individual players being better, but of the team as a unit. Returning to our back line of two years ago, Stalteri came in for no end of stick, a lot of it unjustified, Lee also, and Dawson somehow escaped a lot of flak; nevertheless, by Spurs standards, they and Ledley were rock-solid. Only Chelsea and Liverpool conceded significantly fewer goals.

Now I don't think even Stalteri and Lee's stoutest defenders would claim either is, or was, absolutely top-drawer. Dawson was a raw kid. Even Ledley had only developed into a top-class CB the previous season. On paper, it wasn't the strongest line-up. Nevertheless, it worked very effectively most of the time, and Robinson picked up most of the pieces when it didn't.

So what went wrong?

 

[gavspur]

I think it's less a question of individual players being better, but of the team as a unit. Returning to our back line of two years ago, Stalteri came in for no end of stick, a lot of it unjustified, Lee also, and Dawson somehow escaped a lot of flak; nevertheless, by Spurs standards, they and Ledley were rock-solid. Only Chelsea and Liverpool conceded significantly fewer goals.

Now I don't think even Stalteri and Lee's stoutest defenders would claim either is, or was, absolutely top-drawer. Dawson was a raw kid. Even Ledley had only developed into a top-class CB the previous season. On paper, it wasn't the strongest line-up. Nevertheless, it worked very effectively most of the time, and Robinson picked up most of the pieces when it didn't.

So what went wrong?

My personal opinion? Carrick and Davids mate. With help from Teemu and Jenas, along with Carrick always passing us outta trouble to Lennon, who was flying then.

 

[guy]

We moved away from the notion of solid fullbacks to th enotion of attack first defend second fullbacks! I.e chimbonda and BAE. No coincidence we then shipped goals galore. And also cos carrick left and we were left with the shite that is zokora!

People say carrick isnt a good tackler, isnt tough enough, but he uses his brain instead and intercepts passes before he has to make a tackle. Thats what we lack BRAINS!

 

[gavspur]

We moved away from the notion of solid fullbacks to th enotion of attack first defend second fullbacks! I.e chimbonda and BAE. No coincidence we then shipped goals galore. And also cos carrick left and we were left with the shite that is zokora!

People say carrick isnt a good tackler, isnt tough enough, but he uses his brain instead and intercepts passes before he has to make a tackle. Thats what we lack BRAINS!

:clap:

 

[stemark44]

I think it's less a question of individual players being better, but of the team as a unit. Returning to our back line of two years ago, Stalteri came in for no end of stick, a lot of it unjustified, Lee also, and Dawson somehow escaped a lot of flak; nevertheless, by Spurs standards, they and Ledley were rock-solid. Only Chelsea and Liverpool conceded significantly fewer goals.

Now I don't think even Stalteri and Lee's stoutest defenders would claim either is, or was, absolutely top-drawer. Dawson was a raw kid. Even Ledley had only developed into a top-class CB the previous season. On paper, it wasn't the strongest line-up. Nevertheless, it worked very effectively most of the time, and Robinson picked up most of the pieces when it didn't.

So what went wrong?

Seriously the biggest impact on our ability to defend or lack of it - has been the loss of Michael Carrick.
Most people here did'nt rate the guy highly but he has left a hole in our team the size of the Grand Canyon!
In fact there is no midfielders playing in the premiership that I would take ahead of him!
You watch Carrick play - he is never hurried,can always find space,can spot dangerous situations because he does'nt ball watch - he constantly looks for the options the man on the ball has and then intercepts the pass.

 

[guy]

So who then can we purchase who uses brain first, brawn second in the carrick mould? i dont have a clue