Defoe Vs Man City

[DanNolan]

I know a lot of people will want toshout me down over this, however I am sick and tiredof him being SC's scapegoat.

Talking solely about todays game. He didnt do great in the first half with the ball but then it wasnt his fault that we didnt get the ball in the right areas. Without the ball he pressed high up the pitch and covered whenever either winger went walkabouts. He did his bit to keep a shape.

In contrast during the second half I feel that he did very well. He stretched the CBs often, he scored a goal with a cool finish, and worked his butt off for the team. Bales cross was just out of his reach, and yes its annoying but imo bale could have squared earlier which is what defoe checked his run for. The bad thing for us is by checking his run it meant he didnt quite make it to the ball at the end. Everyone is so quick to jump on his back, he played well today certainly ran himself into theground for the teams benefit. Why oh why must "fans" berate him so much?

Face it we dont have an uber world class striker, but Defoe does his bit scores his goals and works hard. Hes improved his hold up play no end and created chances to counter today. I say well played Jermain and the rest of the Boys did me proud today! How abut we stop moaning at players that try their best?

 

[gilzeantheking]

Hear Hear

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

 

[adamthfc]

Spot on

 

[fortworthspur]

yup. if he doesnt score on their gaffe, they probably would've crushed us.

 

[Yid-ol]

well said!

 

[jonathanhotspur]

What I would like is if he would shut the fuck up talking to the papers about England-this and first-team-football that. This is a bloody good side now so he has some neck getting his new agent to get on the blower to Levy about a lack of playing time.

 

[jamesc0le]

couldn't agree more. he's obviously not aguero but far too many people seem to be of the opinion that if a player is not the best in the world then quite clearly they have to be the f.worst.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Oh please fucking stop it. He's so weak it's pathetic. Even that chance just before the end where he goes past Lescott then Lescott says "boo" and frightens him off the ball. He's an instinctive finisher, of that there's no doubt, but the rest of his game is very weak and his influence is largely negative as we cannot retain the ball when he plays.

Great, he ran around a little. So does Adebayor and VDV, they also touch the ball more than 5 times a game (I exaggerate. 13 times a game).

 

[saintlyspur]

as I have said in the past he is our version of marmite you either love him or hate him Im a big fan but no doubt dan ashcroft will be on here telling us he is the worst thing since sliced bread

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Yep thought he did fairly well myself. He was isolated in the first half especially, as VDV didn't get up around him often enough. Agree about the chance at the end as well. He held his run waiting for the ball inside which was the natural one you would play.

 

[houstonspur]

he played well today given that we didn't play to this strength(s).

that said, we badly need another big-bodied lone/target striker.

 

[Blake Griffin]

was actually 31. ho hum.

 

[adamthfc]

Yep thought he did fairly well myself. He was isolated in the first half especially, as VDV didn't get up around him often enough. Agree about the chance at the end as well. He held his run waiting for the ball inside which was the natural one you would play.

Spot on

 

[jonathanhotspur]

Yep thought he did fairly well myself. He was isolated in the first half especially, as VDV didn't get up around him often enough. Agree about the chance at the end as well. He held his run waiting for the ball inside which was the natural one you would play.

As Harry said, he changed the direction of his run which cost him vital time.

 

[jamesc0le]

he played well today given that we didn't play to this strength(s).

that said, we badly need another big-bodied lone/target striker.

considering redknapp's tactical infllexibility yes, the need is great.

but we have versatile players that could be used as stop-gap solutions. as prev. suggested kaboul could have been used today as a target today to support defoe. bale could have been used as the central target. even just asking bale to stay close to defoe would have helped. as would have playing lennon and bale as narrower attacking mids, nominally in front of a midfield 3.

so many options, we chose none.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

What I would like is if he would shut the fuck up talking to the papers about England-this and first-team-football that. This is a bloody good side now so he has some neck getting his new agent to get on the blower to Levy about a lack of playing time.

The thing is, I'm not necessarily convinced he is that bothered about being a squad member of a good team. I think he just wants to play every game, for whoever it is.

Sounds weird but I get the impression with Defoe he would rather be first choice for a team like Fulham that a squad member of the top 4.

 

[DanNolan]

BC do you honestly think number of touches of the ball is a way to rate players. I often see youpostin "stats", at the end of the day defoe scored today. I think e did a lot of positive things too. When Torres was red hot at liverpool I dnt seem to remember people saying wow did you see Torres he was great he touched the ball 40 times and a pass completion of 88%. It was the fact he scored that matters. In a team of modric, VDV, bale etc id be mighty pissed off if defoe, whos skills include shooting and running off the back of defences, was touching the ball as much as them? If he touches the ball 10 times a game and scores 1 or 2 a game and we win because he compliments other players in the team then great.
Just because barcelona play great football, possession football where they all have lots of touches doesnt mean its the only effective way of playing. In a pacy counter attacking game its quite normal for strikers not to touch the ball till the end of the move.
Defoe having not many touches of the ball today says as much about our final ball as it does his indidvidual performance.

 

[jamesc0le]

oh no, u gonnn don it now..

 

[DanNolan]

what have i done?

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Defoe's game today:

60 minutes - long ball over the top, error by defender - good first touch, good finish

c.70 minutes - gets beyond his defender in the 18 yard box, crap control, wide

93 minutes - lacks anticipation and pace to get onto Bale's cross, fluffs it 'Gazza '96 style'

Also he was offside quite a bit too.



But that's it - 3 times he was involved in play. Ade would have clocked up 80 odd passes if he'd been on.

Defoe's a decent impact sub, but when he starts it's like playing with 10 men.

He also gives the ball away far too often and breaks up our fluidity because he's not got the intelligence to be on the same wavelength as his teammates.