'Tottenham's forgotten man'

[Kendall]

Reading an article about the Sunderland game and they mentioned Kranjcar, Sandro and Corluka all playing well and all being 'forgotten men' at Spurs. It got me thinking, of the current squad, how many have been dubbed a 'forgotten man'?

Bale - Burst on the scene, got injured, struggled to gain even a bench position, now one of the most highly rated players in the world

Hutton - Started OK, then turned crap, got injured, disappeared, went on loan, most people thought he'd be sold, came back, played a lot this season as a first choice player. Possibly set to become a forgotten man again?

Assou-Ekotto - Came here, played a bit, got replaced by Lee, got injured, disappeared under Jol, made a return under Ramos, got better under Redknapp. Could have become a forgotten man when Bale replaced him due to injury, but was too good to leave out. Plays every week now.

Kaboul - Started poorly, never got settled, was denied a squad number, sold, bought back, bench player, now probably likely to be our main man in defence going forward.

Huddlestone - Regarded as a forgotten man at the end of the 2008/09 season when Jenas and Palacios was the preferred pairing. Before injury was a first name on the teamsheet. May struggle to win his place back...

Jenas - Dubbed a fogotten man last season when Huddlestone and Palacios (later Modric) were the preferred CM lineup, now plays most games.

Pavlyuchenko - Forever being called a forgotten man, particularly last season

Palacios - When he didn't get much gametime this season as Huddlestone and Modric were the preferred choice, even his mum got involved as he was becoming a 'forgotten man'

Bassong - A forgotten man this season, due to limited appearences.

The press is forever going on about members of our squad being forgotten men, but enough players have come back into the side after being called so. Do the press need to wind their necks in about this?

 

[TrueYid]

This season like last, Harry has relied on a settled team and very rarely has changed, but when his hand has been forced due to injury, the replacements who have come in have been absolutley fabulous.

I do not know what is causing it, but it seems, everytime a player has been asked to step up they have done so and done so excelently. I am really impressed with how we have managed this, with all the talk of players being unhappy on the bench, they really have shown that they can step up and perform.

Redknapp has been hinting in his last two post match interviews how impressed he has been with Kranjkar in particular

 

[fortworthspur]

Sandro has never been known so he cant be forgotten. Kranky has certainly been our forgotten man, though.

 

[PaddoSpurs]

Hi Kendall

I am so 50/50 about Harry's man management skills - is he brilliant or just lucky?

Is the success of the 'forgotten men' a brilliant Harry tactic or do they succeed in spite of Harry when his favourites are unavailable - especially Bale & pav last year. Over the last couple of years Spurs have had such a huge squad but very little rotation of players.

By the way have you just moved to Oz? Welcome.

What are your thoughts on the A league? Is there any players that have caught your eye? Did you watch the Asian Cup? Have you become a Heart or Victory supporter?

 

[rez9000]

This season like last, Harry has relied on a settled team and very rarely has changed, but when his hand has been forced due to injury, the replacements who have come in have been absolutley fabulous.

I do not know what is causing it, but it seems, everytime a player has been asked to step up they have done so and done so excelently. I am really impressed with how we have managed this, with all the talk of players being unhappy on the bench, they really have shown that they can step up and perform.

Redknapp has been hinting in his last two post match interviews how impressed he has been with Kranjkar in particular

Redknapp and the whole coaching setup in general, I would have thought.

He does it time and again. He seems to have an innate knack of getting players to perform. At Portsmouth, for instance, he had a collection of unknown players and veterans and made them FA Cup winners.

Ignore what Pav says, every other player wants to play for Redknapp. And I think that's why even if a player is out of the side for some time, when they return, they perform well because they want to impress him.

 

[WhiteHart4Ever]

Redknapp and the whole coaching setup in general, I would have thought.

He does it time and again. He seems to have an innate knack of getting players to perform. At Portsmouth, for instance, he had a collection of unknown players and veterans and made them FA Cup winners.

Ignore what Pav says, every other player wants to play for Redknapp. And I think that's why even if a player is out of the side for some time, when they return, they perform well because they want to impress him.

He does indeed, but - while of the opinion that Harry is the best manager at Spurs for the 20 years I've been a supporter - I do question whether he isn't a bit lucky as well. Harry's tactic with fringe players seems to be to piss them completely off until he needs them so their full of angerfueled energy when they get the chance and then praise them endlessly to keep their spirits up once they actually get the chance to start a few games in a row.

His timing might just be perfect for all I know. But what he certainly does not do that quite a few other managers do is: a) rotate the squad (and maybe part of our injury problems lie here?); and b) Sub anyone that isnt a striker or a CM (the only position he almost rotates). So players like Sandro, Kranjcar, Bale (last year) dont get the chance to get a bit of gametime to get used to the league and how we play (Sandro, Bale) or to show what they can do and/or contribute to changing the game..

Now, whatever his reasons and tactics: Everything he touches turns to gold at Spurs - and that's more than good enough for me! COME ONE YOU SPURS!!

 

[RJ1882]

Arent all good managers 'lucky' ? Werent Man Utd lucky in the champions league final when 2 subs scored 2 last minute goals to win the game? Hasnt Fergie always been lucky when brining on Ole Gunnar Solsjkear and he was bagging goals? Hasnt he continued that luck with Macheda a couple of years back and Hernandez this year?

I am very frustrated at Redknapps apparent lack of squad rotation, and fear we will lose one or two good players because he is afraid to change things from game to game, but if it continues to work then so be it, good luck to him and long may it continue.

Corluka supposedly signed a new deal so will be goign nowhere and is obviously happy to stay. Krankie will hopefully get more game time and stay on, enticing to Luka to look no further than WHL as a stage to play his footie on.

Then we'll all be very luck to watch the little magician in action for the next few years.

 

[Spurz]

He should work some of that touch with the strikers. They cant seem to do anything no matter what he does

 

[TrueYid]

By the way have you just moved to Oz? Welcome.

What are your thoughts on the A league? Is there any players that have caught your eye? Did you watch the Asian Cup? Have you become a Heart or Victory supporter?

Indeed Kendal, hadn't noticed your in Melbourne, ever been to an OzSpurs meet?
A-Leauge doesn't do it for me PaddoSpurs, I have tried to get into it, but just not the same. I did watch Asian cup final LIVE, bit of a dissapointment, not the result, but that I stayed up so late.

On another note, do you find that Foxsports pundits have a love in with Spurs?

 

[tony_parkes]

Bentley has been a 'forgotten man' for large parts of his Spurs career.

There's something odd about the January transfer window, last year Bale, Pav and Bentley played important roles in the 2nd half of the season after barely threatening to get in the side prior to christmas.

This year Kranky, Corluka and Jenas have come in and been vital in our recent successes. The lesson learned for me is that you shouldn't sell anyone in January who has even the slightest chance of contributing. More than ever, it's a squad game.

 

[piedpiper]

Bentley has been a 'forgotten man' for large parts of his Spurs career.

There's something odd about the January transfer window, last year Bale, Pav and Bentley played important roles in the 2nd half of the season after barely threatening to get in the side prior to christmas.

This year Kranky, Corluka and Jenas have come in and been vital in our recent successes. The lesson learned for me is that you shouldn't sell anyone in January who has even the slightest chance of contributing. More than ever, it's a squad game.

:clap: please get that message through to H.R can you imagine if the right club did come in for Niko in January or that Bale was allowed to leave last january. Oh and Jenas who is so shit and contributes FA was gone. it is a squad game and each player is valuable to the cause.

 

[WhiteHart4Ever]

Arent all good managers 'lucky' ? Werent Man Utd lucky in the champions league final when 2 subs scored 2 last minute goals to win the game? Hasnt Fergie always been lucky when brining on Ole Gunnar Solsjkear and he was bagging goals? Hasnt he continued that luck with Macheda a couple of years back and Hernandez this year?

I am very frustrated at Redknapps apparent lack of squad rotation, and fear we will lose one or two good players because he is afraid to change things from game to game, but if it continues to work then so be it, good luck to him and long may it continue.

All good managers are clever, especially those that do it year after year and for different clubs. Though the question is whether Harry's work with the squad and his ability to pull rabbits out of hats on a regular basis is down to a clear strategy, or a combination of luck and very bad use of players when they're not in the team. Because, while Kranjcar's contribution now and Bale's last year is clearly an asset, arguably there's been a few games this season were we could've needed the sort of finishing Kranjcar has shown recently to bag some extra points yet he's hardly figured at all..

In Harry we trust and all that, but I think it's a fair question.

 

[WhiteHart4Ever]

:clap: please get that message through to H.R can you imagine if the right club did come in for Niko in January or that Bale was allowed to leave last january. Oh and Jenas who is so shit and contributes FA was gone. it is a squad game and each player is valuable to the cause.

I thought there was a pretty solid bid for Kranjcar declined in January, and there's very little to indicate Harry's been anywhere near letting him, Jenas or Bale leave..

 

[pjspur1961]

I think it comes down to the types of characters we have got in the squad...none opf them seem to be throwing their teddy out of the pram when not selected...they seem to train hard & and produce the goods when the chance is presented.

They all seem to realise that the squad is bursting with talent and it's excepted that they will be on the bench because there's strong competition for places.

HR's comments today that the squad has no "toe-rags" just decent indviduals who put in the work and don't sulk.

It's hard to keep everyone happy, but Harry seems to not forget anyone, whether in the first XI, the squad or out of it completly.

 

[ShayLaB]

When a player gets a chance and does well they are rarely dropped again for the next match...play well and you are in.

 

[piedpiper]

I thought there was a pretty solid bid for Kranjcar declined in January, and there's very little to indicate Harry's been anywhere near letting him, Jenas or Bale leave..

Kranjcar came on SSN and stated there was a concrete offer which he declined as his wife is pregnant and he did not wish to move abroad it was a german club. w.r.t to Bale he alomost went out on loan to N.Forest last january. w.r.t Jenas many on here do not rate him and felt he should have gone back in august.

 

[spurdownunder]

Indeed Kendal, hadn't noticed your in Melbourne, ever been to an OzSpurs meet?
A-Leauge doesn't do it for me PaddoSpurs, I have tried to get into it, but just not the same. I did watch Asian cup final LIVE, bit of a dissapointment, not the result, but that I stayed up so late.

On another note, do you find that Foxsports pundits have a love in with Spurs?

Ive only started to really get into the A-league this season. Players like mckay, leckie, flores and those two homos who play up front for the victory are great to watch.

Friday night was a cracker. The crowd was disgraceful though - in more than 30 trips to watch spurs home and away, i didnt see anything as bad as last friday. Wankers!

And yeah the fox sports boys love spurs, particularly harry, bale and modric. And so they should.

Thread hijacked.....

 

[Son_Of]

Sandro has never been known so he cant be forgotten. Kranky has certainly been our forgotten man, though.

yep. how sandro can be called forgotten i don't know.

 

[dimiSpur]

Every team has players that come in and out of focus. It's called form FFS. The media need to get a grip.

 

[Coyboy]

Kranjcar came on SSN and stated there was a concrete offer which he declined as his wife is pregnant and he did not wish to move abroad it was a german club. w.r.t to Bale he alomost went out on loan to N.Forest last january. w.r.t Jenas many on here do not rate him and felt he should have gone back in august.

So we have Niko's swimmers to thank? Furry muff.