"Woodgate looking great"

[onthetwo]

I'm doing my best not to get too excited about the return of Woodgate. I love the guy, I think he's second only to King in terms of ability out of our centre backs, but 18 months out, during which he'll have turned 30, will be very difficult to come back from at anywhere near his previous level. What little pace he had will surely be completely gone, and he'll have to retrain himself completely to read the game as he used to, not to mention take on physical challenges from the likes of Carrol and Drogba.

I do hope my pessimism is completely misplaced though, because if he can get back to his old self then there'd still be a few good years left in him and the guy is class. Hopefully he's like King and can slip back in after an injury without any drop in performance levels.

i think he played against Wigan about this time last year so im not sure that hes been out as long as it feels, but i guess you're right about getting back up to speed....never sure whether he had any pace in the first place tbh.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

i think he played against Wigan about this time last year so im not sure that hes been out as long as it feels, but i guess you're right about getting back up to speed....never sure whether he had any pace in the first place tbh.

Yeah he played a little in the 9-1, looked fine, no injury signs, and asked to be taken off, having not played a single league game last season up to that point. I remembered that but I chalked it up as not counting. I think he also had one other appearance somewhere last season but I can't remember where. To my mind we've not seen him since the end of 2008/2009.

 

[theShiznit]

Am i right in thinking that Woodgate is not on our Squad list?

That's a good thing IMO as now he can fully concentrate on getting up to speed in triaing & friendlies without any real pressure to comeback before January.

 

[spursontheloose]

Looks good for Woody. Just gotta have his "pre season" by the looks of things to get his fitness up!

From the Official Spurs site :-

"Jonathan has worked hard and has had a good month now with the fitness coaches and the physios.
"They have been encouraged by the progress he's made. He has to go through a 'pre-season' as such starting next week, a month of intense, hard work.
"If he comes through that okay there will be light at the end of the tunnel for him.
"No-one could have worked harder than Jonathan to get fit and things are looking more positive, so we're all hoping."



COYS

 

[worcestersauce]

Am i right in thinking that Woodgate is not on our Squad list?

That's a good thing IMO as now he can fully concentrate on getting up to speed in triaing & friendlies without any real pressure to comeback before January.

Good point, maybe the squad rule did us a favour in the long run as once he wasn't ready for September he didn't need to be ready before January allowing a good plan recovery.

 

[Yid-ol]

Didnt want to make a new thread for this but with this good news Harry also said Dawson was doing ball work with Sherwoods group, so if he is doing that he cant be too far away now! just King that isnt going to be training, still taking there time with him and still got a groin problem

 

[kaz Hirai]

amazing, hope he gets through it all right. if he's available for selection January its the equivalent of £15 million CB signing, only slightly inferior to the King imo.

what a dilema to have for harry if all CB are fit in the new year, Guess King and Woodgate is the strongest selection, probably save them both for champions league (if we make it) i should imagine, with Dawson/Gallas for the league perhaps

 

[guate]

Wow, this is really good news as Woody is the classiest centre back in English football IMHO. In fact he reminds me so much of another Spurs stalwart, Mike England who as some may remember was a fantastic centre half for us.

 

[danielneeds]

I'm doing my best not to get too excited about the return of Woodgate. I love the guy, I think he's second only to King in terms of ability out of our centre backs, but 18 months out, during which he'll have turned 30, will be very difficult to come back from at anywhere near his previous level. What little pace he had will surely be completely gone, and he'll have to retrain himself completely to read the game as he used to, not to mention take on physical challenges from the likes of Carrol and Drogba.

I do hope my pessimism is completely misplaced though, because if he can get back to his old self then there'd still be a few good years left in him and the guy is class. Hopefully he's like King and can slip back in after an injury without any drop in performance levels.

Like you I am not going to get too excited about this until I see him line up in the lilywhite, but regarding pace - I don't think losing a few yards would really affect his game that much. His biggest talent is anticipation and reading of the game, I reckon he could play at a high level well into his 30s if he manages to beat this injury situation, a la Paul McGrath.

 

[WexfordTownSpur]

I missed this interview on Sky - maybe some of you saw it?

http://triffictottenham.co.uk/woodgates-looking-great/

wouldn't read to much into that, all sounds a bit vague.:-|

 

[bubble07]

this is brilliant news

 

[HertsYid]

greta news

on his day, he is every bit as good a king for me. if anything better with the ball at his feet.

if we could get half a season out of him with no injuries i think it would pudh us really hard back into the top 4.

 

[steve]

Fitness and confidence is the key. The rest doesn't go away - he certainly doesn't need to learn to play the game again - it's like riding a bike...

 

[beals]

Really hope he makes it back, what a lift to the squad that would be.

 

[chrissivad]

He is in this Video

http://www.tv2sporten.no/fotball/en...spursstjernene-og-harry-redknapp-3346240.html

Great to see him at the lodge with the other lads.

just King that isnt going to be training, still taking there time with him and still got a groin problem

King has been doing work in the gym. And in the video above he says a couple of week away as well.

 

[Stoof]

He is in this Video

http://www.tv2sporten.no/fotball/en...spursstjernene-og-harry-redknapp-3346240.html

Great to see him at the lodge with the other lads.




King has been doing work in the gym. And in the video above he says a couple of week away as well.

Hehehehe.

I love that from Pav when Bale was in the car park: "Bale Bale Bale".

The banter levels seem high. This is a good thing.

 

[kishman]

That video was awesome. I also heard Ledley saying he's about a couple of week away.

Like Stoof, loved the banter from Pav.

 

[walworthyid]

greta news

on his day, he is every bit as good a king for me. if anything better with the ball at his feet.

if we could get half a season out of him with no injuries i think it would pudh us really hard back into the top 4.

Sorry mate, not even close. Woody's positioning and pure defensive instinct is as good as you will ever see. He is a defender to his very core. Ledley is a footballer.

If anything, it is his use of the ball, as well as his all around physical brilliance, that puts him a level above woody.

Woody is top, top class though!

 

[stemark44]

What the fuck is Bale doing with a box on top of his car?

 

[hybridsoldier]

claus lundekvaam wtf?!?!