Krafty
Well-Known Member
- May 26, 2004
- 4,781
- 2,108
The signing of Stewart Downing seems to be moving closer than at any other point of the never ending transfer saga, but a lot of Spurs fans, and fans in general, seem to slate the lad. Football, however, is a team game, and sometimes it’s the team that makes individuals look bad.
Having attended pretty much every home game for the last four years, and becoming more proactive on the SC forums, I’ve noticed a growing trend of picking out scapegoats and berating them, without looking at the wider picture.
Bent cannot hold the ball up, Bentley cannot beat his man, Lennon cannot cross, Jenas does not get forward enough, Zokora is too deep – all valid comments in isolation, but the search for perfection every second of every game is futile and rather than focus on one player lets look at the team as a whole. After all, the players have the quality, we have seen that, and its team work and bonding that can often separate quality teams at the end of the day.
You may have noticed that the issues I have outlined above are largely offensive problems. We have struggled for goals, and it’s a team problem. Signing Downing, ‘the left footed’ Bentley as some detractors might say, would certainly give us balance, but he will not be the complete answer. Too often we give a player the ball and watch him try to beat one or two men. Downing and Bentley, more side midfielders than wingers, do not have blistering pace or a box of tricks, but they can deliver a ball. They need the team to open up space for them to get the ball in. Do that and we will see their quality.
Beckham needed a Neville, Downing gave his best performance for England in Germany with Bridge behind him. It’s all about partnerships, especially on the wings where you can easily find yourself with nowhere to go. Is it a surprise that when a partnership clicked we got goals? Now those two players have left, we have chopped and changed systems, players, managers, and it has not helped.
Hutton’s injury has been a blow. I feel he could have linked up really well with Bentley. Corluka looks like a centre back filling in at right back – very good defensively, but I doubt we will see him overlapping much. On the left we have switched between Bale and BAE, mainly because of form and fitness, and given them the task of patrolling the entire left flank on their own. The opposition have been able to pack the centre and make it congested, knowing that we rarely double up on their full backs.
Downing will not suddenly solve all our problems, nor will Defoe or whoever, but with better balance, a settled line-up and work on the training pitch, we can start to build the team that will get us to the top.
Having attended pretty much every home game for the last four years, and becoming more proactive on the SC forums, I’ve noticed a growing trend of picking out scapegoats and berating them, without looking at the wider picture.
Bent cannot hold the ball up, Bentley cannot beat his man, Lennon cannot cross, Jenas does not get forward enough, Zokora is too deep – all valid comments in isolation, but the search for perfection every second of every game is futile and rather than focus on one player lets look at the team as a whole. After all, the players have the quality, we have seen that, and its team work and bonding that can often separate quality teams at the end of the day.
You may have noticed that the issues I have outlined above are largely offensive problems. We have struggled for goals, and it’s a team problem. Signing Downing, ‘the left footed’ Bentley as some detractors might say, would certainly give us balance, but he will not be the complete answer. Too often we give a player the ball and watch him try to beat one or two men. Downing and Bentley, more side midfielders than wingers, do not have blistering pace or a box of tricks, but they can deliver a ball. They need the team to open up space for them to get the ball in. Do that and we will see their quality.
Beckham needed a Neville, Downing gave his best performance for England in Germany with Bridge behind him. It’s all about partnerships, especially on the wings where you can easily find yourself with nowhere to go. Is it a surprise that when a partnership clicked we got goals? Now those two players have left, we have chopped and changed systems, players, managers, and it has not helped.
Hutton’s injury has been a blow. I feel he could have linked up really well with Bentley. Corluka looks like a centre back filling in at right back – very good defensively, but I doubt we will see him overlapping much. On the left we have switched between Bale and BAE, mainly because of form and fitness, and given them the task of patrolling the entire left flank on their own. The opposition have been able to pack the centre and make it congested, knowing that we rarely double up on their full backs.
Downing will not suddenly solve all our problems, nor will Defoe or whoever, but with better balance, a settled line-up and work on the training pitch, we can start to build the team that will get us to the top.
