The Lack of Ekotto - is it all that bad?

[brasil_spur]

So i was really worried with Benny out that Rose would struggle at LB and although he's looked a bit shaky at times in the last two games he's done a decent enough job for us.

However i actually think this has more to do with the type of LB Rose has been in contrast to Ekotto.

As we all know Ekotto gets forward as much as he can and likes to run with the ball.

Rose on the other hand has been pushing forward, but nowhere near as much as Ekotto does and certainly not spending as much time out on the left wing as Ekotto would.

In turn this has led to Bale spending more time out on the wing and less time cutting in and i think this is where we are benefiting from Rose being in the team.

However i have my doubts on Rose's suitability as our first choice LB as i don't think he can cut the mustard at the level we need.

So my suggestion is that i think we need a new first team LB this summer, and not one that bombs up and down the wing but one that plays with more composure and sits back a bit more.

I love Benny, and perhaps he can start playing more that way and less in an attacking way, but i'm not sure that's in his nature.

 

[ryantegan]

So i was really worried with Benny out that Rose would struggle at LB and although he's looked a bit shaky at times in the last two games he's done a decent enough job for us.

However i actually think this has more to do with the type of LB Rose has been in contrast to Ekotto.

As we all know Ekotto gets forward as much as he can and likes to run with the ball.

Rose on the other hand has been pushing forward, but nowhere near as much as Ekotto does and certainly not spending as much time out on the left wing as Ekotto would.

In turn this has led to Bale spending more time out on the wing and less time cutting in and i think this is where we are benefiting from Rose being in the team.

However i have my doubts on Rose's suitability as our first choice LB as i don't think he can cut the mustard at the level we need.

So my suggestion is that i think we need a new first team LB this summer, and not one that bombs up and down the wing but one that plays with more composure and sits back a bit more.

I love Benny, and perhaps he can start playing more that way and less in an attacking way, but i'm not sure that's in his nature.

good point mate

 

[C-oops]

I disagree. Benny is too good to be anywhere near the top of our lists of priorities for replacement as far as summer signings go. Replacing the full back is not required to make Bale stay wide. He managed it up until Christmas with benny playing behind him. It's clearly a tactic that has been devised. Bale moves in off his wing to try and lose his markers, Benny pushes up wide left. It's simple enough to put into practice and just as simple to tell Bale to stop moving inside and simple enough to tell Benny to stop pushing on as much. They are supposedly intelligent footballers near the top of the game. I think replaceing BAE as an alternative to the above is drastic to say the least.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

I disagree. Benny is too good to be anywhere near the top of our lists of priorities for replacement as far as summer signings go. Replacing the full back is not required to make Bale stay wide. He managed it up until Christmas with benny playing behind him. It's clearly a tactic that has been devised. Bale moves in off his wing to try and lose his markers, Benny pushes up wide left. It's simple enough to put into practice and just as simple to tell Bale to stop moving inside and simple enough to tell Benny to stop pushing on as much. They are supposedly intelligent footballers near the top of the game. I think replaceing BAE as an alternative to the above is drastic to say the least.

I think Rose has shown us all that he's nowhere near the quality of BAE. I'm not saying Rose is poor, but he is inferior to the high standards BAE sets.

 

[saintlyspur]

its a bit soon to be writing rose of.Its only his second start this season and in two high pressure games,im sure if he had a run in the side he would perform a bit better than he has,lets not be to quick to judge

 

[Stoof]

I don't think Benny is the reason Bale cuts in. I think Bale is the reason Bale cuts in.

 

[Kingstheman]

I think it is a good thing that Rose is playing. The lad needs a chance, we need to bring young players through and have a versatile squad.

Last night - having to deal with Kevin Davies was a good exercise for him, given the height/physical disparity.

That said, I am a fan of Ekotto.

 

[brasil_spur]

I don't think Benny is the reason Bale cuts in. I think Bale is the reason Bale cuts in.

There's been quite a few times recently though where Benny has given the ball to Bale and then legged it up the wing outside of him. What's Bale supposed to do at this point - go running up the wing holding hands with Benny?

I've also seen a lot of time where Benny is maybe only 10 yards from Bale who is himself with 10 yards of the corner flag - all too congested if you ask me.

I do think that Benny is capable of being told to hold his position more and like i said i love the guy, but either a change of tactics or a change of player would (and currently is) work well for Bale and the team.

 

[JimmyG2]

Very happy to see Rose step up but he does not have the technical ability of BAE.
Nor is he as keen as BAE to be the oulet ball for Friedel and the central defenders.
But we don't find out these things unless he plays and his forced selection will answer a lot of questions
and perhaps make us appreciate BAE's qualities, or not as the case may be.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I don't afford Disco Benny cult hero status like some others, I think he's good but nowhere near as highly rated as he is by some.

But I think Rose is shit, sorry.

He's a championship left midfielder who is filling in at left back, and we're doing the Tottenham thing of affording him affection because he's a young lad and we want him to be better than he is. Bit like Jamie O'Hara.

 

[THOWIG]

Who do you suggest we buy?

 

[Stoof]

There's been quite a few times recently though where Benny has given the ball to Bale and then legged it up the wing outside of him. What's Bale supposed to do at this point - go running up the wing holding hands with Benny?

I've also seen a lot of time where Benny is maybe only 10 yards from Bale who is himself with 10 yards of the corner flag - all too congested if you ask me.

I do think that Benny is capable of being told to hold his position more and like i said i love the guy, but either a change of tactics or a change of player would (and currently is) work well for Bale and the team.

Some of the best football we've played has involved Benny and Bale's interaction this year. Benny's crossing has come on leaps and bounds, and some of the 50 yard passes he hits are VDV-like. I think what you're saying is confused, and very much "Team Bale". We're not Team Bale, we're Tottenham Hotspur. No other winger (for example, our own Aaron Lennon) is ever phased by having a overlapping full-back.

I'd dare suggest it's the opposite. When around the box it gives them an extra option, Walker and Lennon get to the byeline inside the box because of their play. As do Benny and Bale.

I agree that Bale is best when running at people down the left-hand-side, but people have become wise to that, so having Benny take away one of the four people marking Bale is a good thing in my eyes.

 

[BPR_U16]

Good that Rose has been given his chance - but his general play shows why he is still only cover for BAE. It may however improve with more game experience but in normal circumstances he will not get that.

Publicly come out and said he doesn't like being second fiddle, question now having played a few more games is whether he will be angling for a move at end season

 

[Wellspurs]

I noticed last night a few times Modrich looked left and maybe because it was Rose and not BAE he deciced to play to the right or back. As much as we love Benny, perhaps that brilliant ball setting Lennon away might have been destined for him had he been there.

 

[brasil_spur]

Who do you suggest we buy?

I don't think i've really thought that far ahead yet, but perhaps someone like Leighton Baines.

 

[brasil_spur]

Some of the best football we've played has involved Benny and Bale's interaction this year. Benny's crossing has come on leaps and bounds, and some of the 50 yard passes he hits are VDV-like. I think what you're saying is confused, and very much "Team Bale". We're not Team Bale, we're Tottenham Hotspur. No other winger (for example, our own Aaron Lennon) is ever phased by having a overlapping full-back.

Not at all team Bale, but Bale is bar far the best attacking winger we have (maybe in the prem right now) and i feel that Ekotto takes up far too much play that was meant for him by bombing down the wings so much.

Ekotto is a defender and Bale is an attacking winger - they have their own roles, yet i feel that Ekotto has been doing too much attacking as of late and this has got in Bale's way to a degree.

I'm not saying Bale is phased by it, but what i think it does is encourage him to cut in more. It also means that if Bale looks to go on a run down the wing, that there is already a deeper defender there who has tacked back to mark the run or potential run of Ekotto.

As for 50 yard passes - that's great and all, but again i'm not sure that's high on the list of priorities when it comes to a LB.

For me Ekotto is doing more than he should and ie he can tone it back somewhat then i think the team will have more shape and play better because of it.

 

[double0]

I think Rose has the abilities to succeed as a left back all he needs now is games to get up to timing and speed. Rose hadn't played a leauge game all season before Assou_Ekotto got injuried a down side on Harry for not rotating the squad enough. To be thrown into the business end like he has deserves some credit in my books.

 

[rawhide]

I don't think Benny is the reason Bale cuts in. I think Bale is the reason Bale cuts in.

Agreed, it doesn't happen that frequently with Lennon and Walker.

 

[Stoof]

Not at all team Bale, but Bale is bar far the best attacking winger we have (maybe in the prem right now) and i feel that Ekotto takes up far too much play that was meant for him by bombing down the wings so much.

Ekotto is a defender and Bale is an attacking winger - they have their own roles, yet i feel that Ekotto has been doing too much attacking as of late and this has got in Bale's way to a degree.

I'm not saying Bale is phased by it, but what i think it does is encourage him to cut in more. It also means that if Bale looks to go on a run down the wing, that there is already a deeper defender there who has tacked back to mark the run or potential run of Ekotto.

As for 50 yard passes - that's great and all, but again i'm not sure that's high on the list of priorities when it comes to a LB.

For me Ekotto is doing more than he should and ie he can tone it back somewhat then i think the team will have more shape and play better because of it.

The problem is the traditional full-back is not that common any more. If you look at all the top teams in Europe, they all have marauding full-backs who spend more time in the opposition's half than in their own.

We used to moan that Stalteri and LYP didn't get forward enough, now Benny and Walker get too far forward?

I just think the modern game requires attacking full-backs in the style of the 3-5-2 wing-backs, especially with how "athletic" the game has become.

 

[brasil_spur]

The problem is the traditional full-back is not that common any more. If you look at all the top teams in Europe, they all have marauding full-backs who spend more time in the opposition's half than in their own.

We used to moan that Stalteri and LYP didn't get forward enough, now Benny and Walker get too far forward?

I just think the modern game requires attacking full-backs in the style of the 3-5-2 wing-backs, especially with how "athletic" the game has become.

I agree, but even Walker doesn't get forward as much as Benny IMO. And Walker is a very attacking RB with a weaker attacking player in front of him than Benny has.

I don't think we need to get in a flat LB in the Stalteri mould, but something in the middle would work well for us (Baines for example).

I do think though that Benny can tone back his attacking play if told to, so i guess we need him to be told that as much as anything else.