Inter Milan Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

USAYID said:

Sorry, you may be right, but I'm still waiting for my Berbatov replacement, as well as my Modric and Ven der Vaart replacements.......

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I'll give you Berbatov one but 'replacement' is a funny word. We have used the money from Berbatov, Keane, Modric to buy a lot of good players that have flourished for us. Maybe not direct replacements, but good players. We may have failed to find a Berbatov replacement as you put it, but we DID try with the likes of Pav, Ade etc etc. Hasn't worked so far, and we desperately need a re-evaluation upfront

The only point of contention is that we seem to be not spending money in the past two windows, but if Bale left, we would most definitely see some nice European or beyond talent coming in, who could develop into great players for us.

robin09 said:

That's probably the first time I've been as frustrated with Adebayor as some of his stronger critics on here.

He was slow to react to the ball on so many occasions, but then will run full pelt for half the pitch and beat a defender.

Then reverts to looking disinterested and wasting opportunities for the remainder of the match.

I don't know if it's confidence, or more worryingly, motivation. Either way, in any other season neither Ade nor Defoe are playing remotely well enough to start games.

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its JD as well, I thought the pair of them were poor yet again, I think avb's got his work cut out with them and it wouldn't surprise me if they both went in the summer.
To score a goal, which was worth two, and look like your child has stolen your last haribo is just not right, as you said is it a motivational problem with him or does he just not give a shit?
this isn't just another moan about our forwards though, I thought we were pretty poor all round.....

Our names on the cup now I reckon. I shall be booking a flight tomorrow to Amsterdam. COYS

stonecolddeanaustin said:

Indeed. Season ticket holders didn't even have to pay for a ticket and they still couldn't get more than 25% full. Italian football is on the decline in a major way (apart from Juvé it seems).

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To be fair, they knew it was going to be a stroll in the park for us and all over by half time. Oops!

Just had time to reflect on the game...(reflection time, if you like)

It is embarrassing to lose being in such a good position, but the whole complexity of the outcome would have been sooo different had we played the first leg at the San Siro and lost 4-1, then won the second leg at WHL 3-0.

We did well to get a 3-0 agg lead, and in the end, it saved us.

UncleBuck said:

its JD as well, I thought the pair of them were poor yet again, I think avb's got his work cut out with them and it wouldn't surprise me if they both went in the summer.
To score a goal, which was worth two, and look like your child has stolen your last haribo is just not right, as you said is it a motivational problem with him or does he just not give a shit?
this isn't just another moan about our forwards though, I thought we were pretty poor all round.....

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Kinda makes you realise that ol Dempsey guy's not that bad after all...

mpickard2087 said:

I suspect Gallas wasn't 100% tonight, after pulling out of the Liverpool game at the weekend. People say he can't play the high line but for most of the season he been comfortable with it and called the offside trap well.

I'm not sure why it looked so vulnerable tonight, although the fullbacks positioning didn't help matters, and the midfield hardly offered a lot of protection or pressure on the ball. I think everyone just lost composure and decision making fell apart under pressure.

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Friedel.

Do we know when Dempsey is back?

Flightrisker said:

Kinda makes you realise that ol Dempsey guy's not that bad after all...

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Still Ade over Dempsey.

Dempsey's shooting is so poor he doesn't deserve to be in the side and waste balls like Defoe.

We finally got him out of the side, let's keep it that way.

mpickard2087 said:

I suspect Gallas wasn't 100% tonight, after pulling out of the Liverpool game at the weekend. People say he can't play the high line but for most of the season he been comfortable with it and called the offside trap well.

I'm not sure why it looked so vulnerable tonight, although the fullbacks positioning didn't help matters, and the midfield hardly offered a lot of protection or pressure on the ball. I think everyone just lost composure and decision making fell apart under pressure.

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There was nobody really pressing the Inter midfield enough I thought, which was allowing them to get their heads up to pick the right passes - couple that with Friedel in goal and we looked like a disaster waiting to happen.

Scarlet57 said:

Do we know when Dempsey is back?

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Sunday mentioned...

AVB changed the tactics tonight and badly got it wrong. With Bale not playing and Lennon only coming on in the second half we lacked pace on the break which we have been so good at recently. Defoe looked off the boil, Adebayor wasn't great but improved second half. Anyone know why BAE wasn't playing and didn't even come on as a sub ? Walker made some shocking mistakes, Gallas should retire, and Dawson should play next European game. Oh and bring back Lloris as well.

Scarlet57 said:

Do we know when Dempsey is back?

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Should be back for Fulham.

Ugh, have just seen reports of the Inter fans making monkey noises at Ade. Bunch of fucking plums.

Mr Pink said:

There was nobody really pressing the Inter midfield enough I thought, which was allowing them to get their heads up to pick the right passes - couple that with Friedel in goal and we looked like a disaster waiting to happen.

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I agree, said as much about Parker in this thread, and even mentioned Dembele in another thread about the protection given our defence. Wasn't good enough. Also the runs were quite clever, Cassano in particular peeled wide which shows up the fullbacks who are playing tight to their centre half.

Haven't read through any of this tonight, as just got in from the pub.
However, in the interests of balance after the wave of positivity and hyperbole towards Andre Villas Boas and the team over the past few weeks - and I include myself in that - it has to be said that we got it wrong on so many levels tonight.
If Harry had made some of those tactical errors, he'd have been hung from a lampost on the High Road.
Clearly AVB thought getting a goal would settle the tie, so with no fit wingers available we packed the midfield and told the full-backs to push on and play as wingers. This backfired so many times in the first half it just wasn't funny.
Naughton and Walker got their pants pulled down over and over again, and our offside trap got sprung repeatedly.
It was the wrong tactic but we took fucking ages to adjust.

Secondly, it's time to abandon the meritocratic faith in old Brad for these games. He's rooted to his line, he's not as agile as he was, and if we're serious about winning this competition the extra 10 per cent in every position could make the difference. Why piss about now we've come this far? We've got a world-class keeper who suits the high line we play, sat playing with his cock on the bench - get him in there from the Quarter-final onwards please.

We're despereately short of alternatives in central midfield too. Poor Scotty, bless him, gives everything he's got, but the old engine is quite clearly running on empty.

Finally, I didn't advocate signing Adebayor permanently when his loan expired - he's a talented guy, but for whatever reason, be it what he's been through with those tragic events at the Africa Cup of Nations, or be he just the sort of character who doesn't have a fifth gear, he's a fucking disgrace. He hasn't lifted a finger for us in months, and he was absolutely shocking tonight. In those last 10 minutes he didnt chase anything down, didn't pressurise the keeper after back passes, turned his back when the ball was near him, and looked as if he was exhausted after doing jack shit all night, while people like Dembele, Vertonghen and Parker were still dragging their carcasses around.

RickyVilla said:

Our names on the cup now I reckon. I shall be booking a flight tomorrow to Amsterdam. COYS

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You can't go wrong with that decision.

Even if we don't make it, the weed and women're all you need- and you'd still have your hair too.

minesadouble said:

Or they way I ran out of booze by half time ?.

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I'm sorry, that's totally inexcusable sir and would rate that worse than our defending this evening!

BK007 said:

You can't go wrong with that decision.

Even if we don't make it, the weed and women're all you need- and you'd still have your hair too.

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And my mrs lives 10 minutes from the airport!!

Flightrisker said:

Kinda makes you realise that ol Dempsey guy's not that bad after all...

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when's he due back? Can't come soon enough...

RickyVilla said:

Our names on the cup now I reckon. I shall be booking a flight tomorrow to Amsterdam. COYS

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Please don't