What the pundits & media are saying about us

[gilzeantheking]

Tottenham Hotspur are the best pound-for-pound team in England - and it isn't even close to a debate


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-england-and-it-isnt-even-close-a7694671.html

 

[eppingyid]

well done the independent. cheers for posting

 

[shelfmonkey]

Is Monkey Man trolling here or has he been hitting the pipe?

Writing in his Daily Mail column, former Arsenal defender Keown believes Costa is still a better player than Kane despite the Englishman’s impressive goal record.

“I would also select Diego Costa over Harry Kane. At the moment, Costa is the better player — though Kane is not far away,” Keown said.

“In a one v one Costa has caused defenders so many problems this season. He was desperately unlucky to miss out on the Player of the Year shortlist.”

Give him a banana.

 

[E17yid]

Give him a banana.

Give him one of of yours, you cheeky monkey.

 

[kmk]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39660453

Chelsea v Tottenham: Dele Alli's movement sets him apart - Frank Lampard

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard won the FA Cup four times during a glittering 13-year spell at Stamford Bridge.

He joins Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Jermaine Jenas at Wembley on Saturday for BBC Sport's live coverage of the Blues' FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham.

Lampard explains what could decide the battle of the Premier League's top two - and why Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli and Chelsea winger Eden Hazard are the most likely match-winners.

I've been watching Alli closely this season and he clearly has great technical ability - you can see that from his touch and from his finishing.

The magic for me, though, is his movement to get into the box without being marked.

If you watch him during games, he is always very aware of what is around him - his head is always moving and he is waiting for the right time to make his run.

That intelligence is the special thing he has that sets him apart.

Some of it is natural, but other parts of it you work on, which is why I think he will get better and better as he gets older.

That was the case with me - I worked it out. I was never the quickest player, so I knew I had to get an edge somewhere else around the box.
You only need a yard and I used to wait for people to either take their eye off me, or to switch off.

Midfield players generally don't like running back and defending around the edge of the box so I always had the idea that, if I could get in and around there and make my move at the right time, then I would get my yard.

We have already seen a big improvement from Alli this season, and part of that is down to him being higher up the pitch.

He has developed into a number 10, playing behind the main striker, rather than being a number eight and a more traditional midfielder who likes getting forward.

He is so clever with his movement and clinical with his finishing, so he had to be given that free rein.

Alli is a highly intelligent player - the kind of number 10 we have been craving in England for years, and bemoaning the fact we have not got one. Now he has really arrived.

With experience, it is something you get even better at. Alli has only just turned 21, so he can certainly do the same.

The reason he is so effective is because knowing what he does is one thing - but stopping him doing it is completely different.

It is a big ask for Chelsea to nullify Alli completely on Saturday but it will be critical to the outcome of the game.
For that to happen, it will be down to whoever plays in midfield for Chelsea - potentially N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic - to stop the service into him.

If Alli gets the ball in an attacking area, then he is dangerous whatever he does, whether it is with long shots if he is behind Harry Kane, or if he is running past Kane and arriving in the box from deep.

You cannot afford to give him any space at all and I am sure restricting that will be an absolute priority for Chelsea on Saturday.
They will obviously have to deal with Kane and what he is doing up top too, but behind him Alli will play a decisive role if the Blues allow him to.

Alli and Kane are not Tottenham's only threats, of course. Something you have to give Spurs a lot of credit for is the number of goals they get from right through their team - but Chelsea have individual match-winners too.

I think Hazard is the outstanding player in the Premier League at the moment, closely followed by Alli. Chelsea are no one-man band, but he is the most likely to make a difference.

I know Eden pretty well after playing alongside him for a couple of seasons and he relishes these big games.

He sees them as a stage for him to show his ability and going into the semi-final I think he will be quietly confident - but still very confident - that he will have a big impact.

I think he has matured this year in particular after what was a difficult season for him, where he got some criticism. He has come back even better than he was before.

For me, he is now moving into the very top bracket of players anywhere in the world.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid are out on their own but Hazard is moving into that group behind them and, at 26, he is young enough to keep improving and narrow that gap.

Saturday's semi-final is between the two best teams in the Premier League. As the table suggests, Chelsea are the only team who have played better than Tottenham this season, and there are definite similarities between them.

Both teams are well drilled and very well coached. Both have total trust in their systems, which is something their managers have to take credit for.

If I had analysed Tottenham a few years ago, I would have said 'good players, and they might have a good cup run - but they are not going to win the league'.
Now, with the players they have got and the way they are playing, they have elevated themselves into a situation where they are contenders.
It means they need to win trophies.

That is pressure, but it is a good kind of pressure. In their situation, they have to look at what can they win so they have something to show for this season - and the FA Cup is still their best chance of silverware.

 

[adamsky]

Cascarino has 6 Chelsea players in a combined Spurs Chelsea team. Somehow he has Matic in ahead of Dembele/Wanyama. He even says that Dier was the one who almost got in midfield. Still surprised how underrated those two are.

 

[Mate]

Cascarino has 6 Chelsea players in a combined Spurs Chelsea team. Somehow he has Matic in ahead of Dembele/Wanyama. He even says that Dier was the one who almost got in midfield. Still surprised how underrated those two are.

Cascarino is a twat

 

[he is you know!]

Cascarino has 6 Chelsea players in a combined Spurs Chelsea team. Somehow he has Matic in ahead of Dembele/Wanyama. He even says that Dier was the one who almost got in midfield. Still surprised how underrated those two are.

7 to 4 in our favour in the Mail, still not enough

 

[Gb160]

After hearing Frank Lampard's comments on Dele I'm officially taking back every insult I've thrown at him over the years.
He's just big boned, that's clear to me now.

 

[E17yid]

After hearing Frank Lampard's comment's on Dele I'm officially taking back every insult I've thrown at him over the years.
He's just big boned, that's clear to me now.

I've been quite impressed with him whenever I've seen him recently. Not just what he says but the way he articulates himself as well. TBH, I never minded Frank it's Terry and all the other *****.

 

[Gb160]

I've been quite impressed with him whenever I've seen him recently. Not just what he says but the way he articulates himself as well. TBH, I never minded Frank it's Terry and all the other *****.

He comes over well, clearly well educated.
Get the feeling that while Frank would enjoy a night at the theatre, John Terry would rather be at a dog fight behind an Argos.

 

[bubble07]

judus' combined X1

http://prnt.sc/f1rfbr

No toby or dembele

 

[Marty]

judus' combined X1

http://prnt.sc/f1rfbr

No toby or dembele

Ramsey ...

All that tells me is that player for player we piss on their entire team apart from Sanchez.

 

[Marty]

From Football 365's conclusions from yesterday's game:

* The most obvious conclusion from Arsenal and Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final on Sunday was that Tottenham and Chelsea are comfortably the two best teams in the country. The most obvious conclusion from Manchester City vs Manchester United on Thursday is that Tottenham and Chelsea are comfortably the two best teams in the country.

 

[dagraham]

After hearing Frank Lampard's comment's on Dele I'm officially taking back every insult I've thrown at him over the years.
He's just big boned, that's clear to me now.

What did he say?

 

[Lilbaz]

What did he say?

Interview is higher up the page.

 

[Lukasz]

Cascarino is a twat

To further back up the statement:

 

[Gb160]

What did he say?

I hadn't read that interview, I was referring to a bit of audio on the radio earlier.
I'm paraphrasing but it was along the lines of :
"Dele would be daft to even consider a move right now, he's at the perfect club for his development, great manager who trusts him, and should only even start to consider moving on when he gets to 24/25"

 

[Shadydan]

To further back up the statement:

Never gets old

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

To further back up the statement:

I love the way Cascarino demolishes Syed's entire legal and moral position with one imperious logical equation that should go down in the history of ethical reasoning:

"Well I wouldn't say, well, you know, erm...."

There's just no way back for Syed after that.