My first post since moving from the old 606...
I've watched many of Redknapps sides down the years, they were often built on a solid foundation - A strong spine, hard to beat with flair in the right places...
Harry, like many spurs managers seems to buckle under the pressure of producing good football above all else. This seemed to be highlighted by our starting midfield today of Lennon, Bale, Modric and Kranjcar. None of those players has an aggressive bone in their bodies and it was naieve to believe that then stood any chance against the likes of Barry, Nasri, Silva and Toure..
When Harry first took over he put a side together which when playing away from home you always believed they would be hard to beat. We had a pretty settled side with Modric on the left, Palacios and Hudd in the middle with Lennon on the right. A well balanced midfield with a chance against most sides...
Harry seems to have abandoned his philosophy and fallen into the Spurs trap of style over substance. I believe a more balanced side (with likely signings) would look something like this..
Friedel
Bale, King, Dawson, Walker/Corluka
Lennon, Diarra, Parker/Sandro, Modric
Adebayor, Defoe
The notable omission being being Rafa VDV. A driving force on his day but there are very few of them. We are seeing a side which has rarely played well since his arrival...
So I urge Harry to go back to basics, sort out the defence then everything else will follow.
Your thoughts ? Constructive if possible please - I realise we're all angry!
Suicidal Harry...
posted on 28/8/11
I like him as a player... but he's not for us anymore I think.
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I don't know about that GD. I feel that Defoe still has goals in him but needs the supply. I'm a bit off VDV for the moment-great player but i think that we are playing our system to suit him rather than the team.
posted on 28/8/11
We're going to have to agree to disagree then lads
Defoe has goals in him, but I can't help but think that if you've got players of Bale, VDV and Modric's quality in midfield you should be matching your frontline in terms of ability and guile. For me he's too straight forward a player; Get ball... look for goal, shoot as hard as you can.
Ultimately I'd love Berbatov back. Ade and Berb is a partnership I'd like to see (dreaming here obviously) but for me I just don't see enough ingenuity in Defoe's play.
Plus, if you have two players with the ability to play in a partnership but also as lone front men - then you've got a real options. At the moment with Defoe - if he plays - we have to play to a system that suits him... and we lose out in letting our truly great players VDV, Modric play with the freedom to get the very best out of them.
posted on 28/8/11
Doctor,how much longer would you give Defoe to start scoring again before you decided it was time for him to go?
posted on 28/8/11
Tohbi, considering it's been the guts of 18 months since he's been in any way consistent - I'd have him out the door asap before his value drops any more... that's not going to happen this window, but if he's not on at least 8 league goals by Christmas I'd be thinking that it would be time for him to go...
... but believe me, I'd be more than happy to be proved wrong.
posted on 28/8/11
8 by Christmas seems a little generous to me,I'd want many more than that but thanks for the firm opinion. I feel like Keane it's time he went anyway. So should Modric if he's not happy. So should Harry if his eyes are on England. All this is unsettling the team.
posted on 28/8/11
I'd differ with you on Modric mate... He may be unhappy and I certainly don't want players in lilywhite who don't want to be there but there's a much bigger issue at the heart of the Modric saga...
The insistence on holding on to Modric is mostly about sticking our feet firmly in the ground and putting a message out to Chelsea (Man Utd, City, Liverpool as well no doubt) that we are not a club willing to sell to them - to a club who we wish to consider to be our rivals.
I think if a foreign team came in and offered 40mil we'd take it in a heartbeat.
posted on 28/8/11
It's a delicate situation(for sure to quote Harry,I hate it when he says that) regarding Modric but we shouldn't be obstinate for the sake of sticking two fingers up to the top teams,they have enough money to get anybody in so it won't hurt them.
posted on 28/8/11
yeah I get what you're saying but i think Levy wants to put out the message that, 'Yes you can outspend us, but no, you can't bully us."
I think that's important, that sort of attitude rubs off on everyone at the football club.
I'm in the camp that says let him sit in the stands or rot in the reserves.
posted on 28/8/11
Good point Doctor but I hope now that Levy concentrates on Spurs and forgets the top teams. Utd 8 Arsenal 2,Mafiaboy where are you-whooooooooooo?
posted on 28/8/11
Fiiiivveeee Onneeeeeeee - we only lost, 5-1, we only lost 5-1, we only lost 5-1....
... small consolation, but consolation none the less.