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AVBs tactics working as we thought they should

February 13th, 2014 , Posted in Articles
Feb, 13 2014
2 Comments »

Inverted wingers, high defensive line, a defensive midfielder and a lone striker, surely that reminds you of our Portuguese friend during his time at the Lane. The two key differences I saw was the inverted wingers not looking to shoot all the time and the speed at which the whole team looked to get things done.

The pre match meltdown on personnel chosen was again evident but perhaps a little more understandable given the 4 central midfielders in the line up (and Naughton at left back). Perhaps that was why the official twitter account felt the need to specify what was happening:

The official account also went on to add that Rose and Defoe were new injuries in addition to the already known absentees (Sandro, Lamela, Siggy and Chiriches). This explained Rose’s absence but didn’t explain why Fryers was not picked in his place. As it was, Newcastle didn’t seem to target Naughton when they did have the chance.

Spurs, for a change, started quick and were pressing Newcastle high up the pitch. This did, on occasion, fail which meant the opposition outnumbered us on a few occasions at the back however with practice this should become less frequent. And I would take high energy pressing over standing off any day of the week regardless of the chance of being outnumbered.

Capoue was great at winning the ball back but, in the first half at least, was a little wasteful once he had the ball back. The second half was much improved. The biggest benefit of Capoue playing appeared to be the freedom it gave Paulinho and Bentaleb, both were pressing high up the pitch and getting involved in attacking the final third, with Paulinho grabbing himself another goal and Bentaleb providing a couple of assists.

Much has been made of the apparent reluctance to play a defensive minded midfielder since Ferdinand’s comments. I agree with Ferdinand that the midfielders should be clever enough to see that if someone goes forward then they may have to hang back and cover them however if you have someone who will predominantly hang back then it is easier for the midfield to understand who should attack 90% of the time (therefore do it quicker) and then cover the defensive minded player on the odd occasion he does make a foray forward.

This was also true of Capoue covering his defence if one of them had the chance to bomb forward or was caught up field, Kaboul did this a few times. Kaboul was back to probably give the central defence pairing most would choose. His pace was crucial on a few occasions so it was great to see him back in the team. Hopefully he does not have any adverse reactions to it.

It was a good performance from the team, much more like what we want. Shots on target obviously helped the situation and, while we could have restricted Newcastle a little better perhaps (we did have Lloris to thank on two or three occasions), it will do the teams (and fans) confidence the world of good.

But we have been here before this season, I recall the good performance against Norwich that was also a joy to watch. On that occasion it was Norwich’s tactics that made us look good, I just hope we made Newcastle look far worse than they actually are rather than they made us look good.

The break may be a good thing as it will give Tim more time to get his methods across to the players – assuming they don’t get the weekend off to go get plastered somewhere. The next two league fixtures are crucial – Norwich away and Cardiff at home. City’s trip to Norwich showed they will be tough to break down while our home form makes the Cardiff game trickier than it should be.

However it is the games following these two that make them must win games – Chelski away, Woolwich home, Southampton home and Liverpool away – all before the end of March. Whatever happens, it certainly feels better chasing teams above us rather than trying to defend a top four place – feels like there is more freedom to the situation. We are heading into the Redknapp fall off period now – let’s hope Tim didn’t pick that bug up from Harry.

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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Is it really the end of the world every time we don’t get three points?

February 3rd, 2014 , Posted in Articles
Feb, 03 2014
14 Comments »

That’s how it seems currently when gauging the reaction to a Spurs result. We seem to expect to win 95% of our games (annihilating the opposition while we are at it) like we have been champions for the last 5 years unchallenged. It is a sad state of affairs.

Confidence in the team is an asset – this is generally what happens away from home leading to one of the best away records in the league. Expectation simply leads to debilitating pressure – this is White Hart Lane at the moment.

There are always problems and Spurs seem to have more than others but this is relative. We have problems in relation to our position – our problems are nothing in comparison to say Fulham.

When AVB was in charge it was persistence with inverted wingers, the pedestrian pace or freezing out Ade (though many at the time were more than happy with Ade being nowhere near the team). Now, with Tim, it is his persistence of selecting Bentaleb over other more established players, how there are not enough bodies in the midfield or why did he leave us short up front once Defoe leaves.

We do love a moan and that is despite our results (in the league at least) appearing to have picked up – faster tempo, more goals, more points than prior to Tim’s appointment. These were all things that everyone wanted – even if you were pro AVB like me.

It feels bad, we cannot deny that. But this was due to expectation, assuming that because other teams were in a state of transition we’d be in a good state. The opening appeared to be there but we failed to take advantage of it.

Problem is we had our own transition of losing Bale and signing so many. If Bale had stayed we would have had that bit extra but would he have played as well if his heart was set on leaving? We’ll never know…

So what happened up north?

Hull, to their credit, have only conceded 9 goals at home so far this season – that is half as many as we have and yet we are considered top four potential while they are relegation contenders. Hull have gained one more point at home than we have managed at home. They were never going to be spanked at the KC.

We didn’t play well but was this because Hull played well or simply an off day on our part? In reality it was probably a bit of both. Long was a thorn in our side, Dawson always struggles against the small quick players while Vertonghen was always going to struggle with so little match practice under his belt.

Despite playing poorly there were a few glimpses of slick play that, given time, will grow into the style of play we all crave. Our goal was fortunate but at least it was taken, yet again we struggled to get shots on target.

Soldado is a broken man, confidence has been drained to the point where he’d probably miss an open goal. Is there a solution? I don’t know but he needs to keep playing otherwise we will never know. Perhaps he is simply not suited to the Premier League. Whatever happens we won’t recuperate anywhere near our outlay on the man so we can but hope he turns it around.

Lennon has reverted to being a passenger again but with the lack of natural wingers fit he is the only option. He kept appearing inside too often, it was almost as if the ghost of AVB was haunting him, telling him to play inverted. I am surprised Sherwood didn’t change it to 4-3-3 with Ade, Eriksen and Soldado as the front three with Paulinho, Bentaleb and another central midfielder.

The question in most people’s minds was ‘why were there no substitutions?’ Paulinho was knackered, Soldado and Lennon ineffective – surely a change was needed? Surely Kane or Chadli could have been given a go in place of Soldado for 15-20 minutes. But then Soldado does need to be on the pitch if he is to turn his fortunes around…

Next game is Everton at home, let’s hope some of the nearly fit guys are back. If they are then I think Bentaleb and Lennon may be benched for that game.

Enic out

Enic and Levy are getting a fair amount of stick at the moment, some of it justified but to say they should sell up is an overreaction. They have made mistakes like StubHub but have also provided us with a state of the art training complex.

News on the stadium is slow and tedious but that is the nature of development within London. This more than any other reason would be why the club pursued the Olympic stadium so strongly – it was a mistake to do so but in their eyes it was a quick(er) and cheap(er) way of increasing matchday revenue and subsequently the wage bill. And then hopefully success…

However, despite me saying it is too soon to want them out, they are at the tipping point. How they act over the coming 12 months will determine how fans truly react. The StubHub deal was a three year agreement so we have another two years of that but the club could announce now they will sever ties at that point. You would expect some movement on the Stadium situation over the timeframe mentioned and if Enic show they truly mean business here then fans will come round to them again.

The summer is when I truly see Enic going one way or the other in relation to how the masses perceive them. What happens to Sherwood and do we sell our best players. If say Lloris, Vertonghen or Sandro go, even for stupidly large fees, it will re-enforce the notion that we are no more than a feeder club – a stepping stone for players before they get their ‘big’ move.

Sherwood has said he needs fourth to remain in the job, seems harsh but this opens the door for Levy to get rid of Tim. If he gets a manager that can unite the fans then there will be a honeymoon period where we will be able to get on with improving with the full support of the fans.

Otherwise the infighting will continue and inevitably affect the players. AVB was divisive due to his Chelski links and the cloud he left under. Sherwood is divisive because of how he was appointed and being almost a polar opposite to AVB in perceived approach to tactics. The only way I see Sherwood uniting the two camps is by getting 3rd (or fourth easily) and winning the Europa League – unlikely.

So is it time to panic again? Is it time for ENIC to move on? What will it take to unite White Hart Lane with everyone pulling in the same direction?

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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It was bad but we’ll learn

January 30th, 2014 , Posted in Articles, Match Reports
Jan, 30 2014
5 Comments »

It was a bad result last night. City looked like world beaters while we looked like lower league opposition. Except had we been lower league then City would not have gone all out to annihilate us.

The opening exchanges were one way traffic, City glided through us with ease with our midfield being totally ineffective against the opposition. Misplaced passes and dallying on the ball being the biggest problems in our midfield along with City players easily finding space. The wide players simply didn’t have a chance to get involved.

The first goal from Aguero was a class finish – you can’t help but think that if Levy had succeeded with his audacious bid for him before City got him we would have somehow ruined him. Some are suggesting that Lloris should not have dashed out to meet him but that is Lloris’ game and probably works more often than fails.

Staying put on his line may have helped but Aguero would have simply smacked it rather than his delicate dink and Aguero has incredible power as his shot that hit the post testifies. Also once he is in that position there is very little defenders can do as they are flat footed and Aguero is sprinting.

After more City pressure and a ludicrous save from Lloris we started to edge more into the game. It was pleasing to see that the players did not let their heads drop and kept at it – even though for this game (or at least that half) they were not very good at ‘it’. Set pieces appeared to be our best bet as City looked suspect from them and a moment of controversy from one.

Dawson put the ball in from an Eriksen free kick but was ruled offside. BT Sport apparently asked the linesman what decision was given and the response was ‘Dawson offside’. What this didn’t address is whether it was directly from Erkisen’s free kick or from a flick from Ade. Now we know from replays that Ade did not touch it and that Dawson was not offside from the kick. It could be argued that Ade was interfering with play given he was directly in front of the keeper but if that was the case then most free kicks would result in an offside – plus the linesman explicitly said Dawson offside.

BT also showed a view from the linesman’s position (after the game) – don’t know how accurate that was but if they were using decent software then it should be pretty accurate. Dawson and Ade completely blocked his view of the City defender playing Dawson onside. We have got to be honest here and say that the linesman can only give based on what he can see. The decision was wrong and clearly a goal back would have changed the prospects of the game but to crucify the linesman for that decision is a little harsh.

Capoue coming on at half time was an obvious choice but perhaps it would have been Bentaleb had Dembele not picked up a niggle. Capoue quickly set about letting the opposition know that he was there the rough them up a bit and should have been booked early on. Spurs looked better and more composed at the beginning of the second half but then the second moment of controversy struck and it clearly had an effect on the game.

Rose tackled Dzeko in the area from behind, clipping the ball and Dzeko. Linesman (same as the offside decision) decided he had seen enough to give a penalty – the ref was unmoved by the challenge which is strange as from his position it would have been harder to see Rose’s touch on the ball. Rose was sent off for his efforts.

Now as a Spurs fan he got the ball therefore it was not a foul. Problem is football is not played that way now, the lino saw it as a tackle from behind (which is pretty much outlawed even if it is not reckless) in which Rose clipped Dzeko and was therefore a foul in his eyes. With my Spurs head on, it was a great challenge. My general football head says it was 50-50 and lady luck was elsewhere last night. What I really take offence with here was the red card, that was overkill and a penalty was punishment enough even though it was a little harsh. The red card decision however was totally the ref’s decision – just because a foul occurs in the area does not mean it was a red card.

After that there was only going to be one result. City got their third and eased off. Capoue, who run around like a nutter for the rest of the game and often the furthest forward, got one back from a corner. Fernandinho looked like he tried to block with his arm but missed, it would probably have made a better game had he blocked it with red card and penalty. However, some people suggest that the intent of an action is just as bad a carrying it out…

City are by far and away the best attacking team in the league and we can only thank Lloris for numerous saves preventing this from being a truly awful result. The players will learn from this (especially the younger ones) as will Sherwood. We just need to hope that they learn quick enough to ensure the rest of the season is a positive one.

The biggest fear is that if we miss out on Champions League football again then some of the players that have been here a few years may well leave, namely Jan and Hugo who both are pretty much irreplaceable. Three points though is nothing with 45 points still up for grabs.

I must also say that I am very surprised that none of the players returning from injury were on the bench last night, I can only assume that Tim is waiting for them to be fully fit and didn’t want to risk them in that game.

So what next

Well there are less than 48 hours left in the transfer window and while many of us predicted a quiet window for Spurs, the rumours are still flying around. Problem I see is if Levy does plan on moving Sherwood on in the summer then how can he possibly back him in the transfer market.

Despite Holtby and Capoue both featuring last night, both are still being linked with moves away. I am not saying they will not happen but I find it strange that Spurs would risk injuring them if they wanted to ship them out.
Berbatov coming in also keeps hanging around. He is not the player we sold and I still don’t see how he would fit in to any system Sherwood has used so far. That being said we do need another striker with Defoe’s departure so the rumour of a straight loan swap with Holtby makes some sense. It would give Holtby the league exposure he may need and gives us another striker.

The most recent rumour, which may have more to do with another club being linked , is Konoplyanka – he scored against England once. He is apparently a left winger predominantly but you would think with Chadli, Townsend and Lamela all trying to make that position their own (I am assuming Lennon is nailed on the right) that another player really is surplus to requirements. It would be very Spurs though to sign another one.

I still personally think that nothing will happen this window…. Don’t bother heading to the stadium/training ground kids, let the Sky Sports News man report nothing in peace.

So what do you think? Linesman was wrong but decisions understandable? Any movements in or out?

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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Will anything happen this January?

January 8th, 2014 , Posted in Articles
Jan, 08 2014
No Comments »

Well it is here, panic buy Season is in full swing but will Spurs do anything this year? The last few times Spurs have installed a new manager before January but after August has resulted in a relatively large splurge of cash but this time is different. This time we are not flirting with relegation but we are considered to be underperforming by most.

I think that any spending will be a simple result of someone else leaving or long term injury. Unless someone amazing makes it clear they want to come to Spurs, I doubt any massive names or fees will be happening at the Lane this window. Having said that, this is Spurs and they do a like a surprise now and then.

Had AVB still been in charge I would have been a little more confident of some spending happening but we have already seen evidence of Sherwood’s faith in the youth setup in his short time in charge. This could well be a window of no incoming players!

Goalkeeper

With Lloris we have an undisputed number one, there is no challenge so I would not be surprised if one of Friedel or Gomes left. Friedel is at the age now (42) where he knows he is unlikely to be first choice anywhere in the Premier League so I don’t think he would leave in January unless a lucrative MLS offer comes in. Gomes on the other hand is probably in the period where goalkeepers are considered in their prime. He will clearly want a chance of making the Brazil world cup squad and would need first team opportunities. Given he has pretty much been trying to leave for years I would say Gomes is finally going to get his wish.

I only see incomings here if both Friedel and Gomes leave which I doubt the club would allow but both are out of contract in the summer so that is when I would expect some real movement. Looking for a Lloris mk II…

Defence

Had AVB still been in charge I would have said left back was nailed on for some transfer activity given Rose’s long layoff and the reluctance of Vertonghen to play left back. But I think Sherwood has more faith in Fryers than AVB which is good for Fryers. Many will say we should still be signing a left back but I don’t think Rose has done anything majorly wrong to be shunted from first choice. His recent apparent poorer performances have occurred with Eriksen ahead of him providing very little help, often outnumbered two to one.

Luke Shaw would be most people’s choice (mine included) but why would he leave the south coast. They are having an amazing season so far, beyond most expectations. Given his age he has the luxury of hanging around for a few seasons before thinking he needs to move somewhere else to realise his footballing dreams. He also would not come cheap, this is just a pipe dream.

Coentrao was heavily linked at the beginning of the season and has played a grand total of four games for Real this season. You would expect him to want out but he is probably on mega wages and I don’t think there is much chance of him not being in the Portugal squad for the world cup. Also with Utd apparently keen he will probably opt for them given the better wages and few Champions League games available.

I don’t think we are short at left back with Fryers seemingly trusted under Sherwood and I see no reason why he or Rose will be sold/loaned. If Sherwood really feels left back is an issue then I think he will simply recall BAE but I don’t think he is any better than Rose.

Right back is fine with Walker as first choice and Naughten/Fredericks as backup. Walker has been linked with a move to the big boys in France, they do have plenty of cash to spend so it may tempt Levy to cash in but I don’t think he will – summer perhaps if Fredericks is considered good enough. Naughton is far better at right back (as opposed to left back) if not as adventurous as the other two, I doubt we will see him on the left under Sherwood again unless we are really desperate.

Centre back is only currently an issue due to injuries however Kaboul currently appears to be permanently regaining match fitness. He may well be a lost cause which is a shame given the really good season he had prior to getting injured in AVBs first league game. His contract is apparently up in the summer so the clubs faith in his ability to get back fully fit (and subsequently a contract extension) probably rests on the next few months. He doesn’t have the link with the club that King did so I don’t think he will simply just have his contract renewed, he would have to earn it.

Given the questions around Kaboul it was no surprise to be linked with Lescott on loan. This would be a sensible move as it provides the central defence cover we need in the short term before getting someone that Sherwood wants in the summer. However, Lescott is currently cover at City so why would he move to be cover at Spurs – if he did come (though now unlikely) it would be to play regularly.

I think if we do sign anyone permanently at centre back then it will be similar to Chiriches. By that I mean a young player who many have not really heard of but again there will be youngsters that Sherwood knows about within the club, Veljkovic was on the bench for a couple of home league games.

Midfield

The midfield, on paper at least, is an area where you would think we are covered and shouldn’t really need looking at unless someone exceptional is available. However, you cannot dismiss that many of the midfield are yet to click properly and find some form. There are glimpses but never consistency.

If there is one thing that I think is lacking, even on paper, it is a deep lying passer. Someone who can see a pass quickly, whether it be short or long, and make it more often than our current batch. Problem is we have an abundance of central midfielders, especially if Sherwood does go down the route of a more traditional 4-4-2.

Pirlo was touted a bit. Again the question is ‘why would he leave?’ Juventus are clear title challengers and have won the league the last two seasons. The only reason I can see him leaving is that he is getting on a bit and wants to try playing abroad for a swan song. He is class and I would love him playing alongside Sandro but I would question whether his legs will cope with the speed of the Premier League. Perhaps Carroll will be recalled…

Tom Ince is another name continually linked but cannot help but feel this link has come about from how we went about transfer business a good few years back. Buy young British talent. However with the amount of players that can play as winger I would be incredibly surprised if anything came of this link.

In terms of outgoings from this area many have been linked but I don’t think any will be allowed to leave, especially if they were only signed in the summer. Lamela is the one currently being talked about most given he is apparently pining for Italy. I am not surprised given his lack of league football, 3 starts and 6 sub appearances. He needs to adapt so hopefully his South American counterparts can help him do that as well as some more playing time in the league.

Forwards

With AVB gone and the apparent reintroduction of Adebayor (long overdue in my opinion) a lot depends on the formation that Sherwood will utilise as to whether any business is done in this area. If one up front comes back in (as I think it eventually will but as part of a 4-3-3) you would assume someone would have to be shipped out before any new arrivals come in.

It would be highly unlikely that Soldado would be leaving given his recent arrival and Adebayor is clearly in favour under Sherwood. Defoe is being heavily linked to the MLS, it almost seems nailed on and is quite a deal for the MLS. It is no surprise he is leaving, in the league he has not performed both this season and last. He has been a great servant but the time is right. I’d expect Kane to be involved more unless we sign someone.

The supporter’s interest in Benteke appears to have cooled a bit given his lack of form so far this year. He does however still tick a shed load of boxes when it comes to the kind of presence you need when playing a solitary striker.
Playing one up front is why I was always confused a little by the links with Hernandez. He doesn’t strike me as someone who could lead the line by himself and, while a better player, is essentially a younger Defoe in my eyes. Definitely needs a partner to play with.

Berbatov is another name that has been doing the rounds quite a bit, short term contract would be the only way he would return. You cannot deny his ability when he wants to play (a little like Adebayor) but where would he fit in?

Big spending

I actually think there is a massive possibility that there will be no money spent this January. The squad is still good and while a little light at the back given the injury proneness of some, simply needs some confidence instilled in them. That can only come from winning and support, not more integration issues.

Everyone wants that superstar signing but with the current negativity around the club, recent sacking and current league position it is unlikely to happen. Some would say that Sherwood lacks the pulling power to lure a bigger name and while this is true, it is less of a factor when the director of football is so heavily involved.

So will we spend anything in the window? What outgoings will realistically happen? Get the youth more involved?

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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It’s all 442’s fault

January 7th, 2014 , Posted in Articles
Jan, 07 2014
6 Comments »

Well another North London Derby done and another defeat to the wanderers. We didn’t play spectacularly poorly but we didn’t play well either. We went with confidence given the three wins we have had under Sherwood, particularly after the away win at United. Perhaps that contributed to our downfall. Not saying we should not have gone looking for a win but perhaps a little too confident given we were visiting the league leaders.

4-4-2 is what is looks like on paper given there are two recognised strikers. In reality, as I have mentioned previously, it is rarely a flat 4-4-2. One of the strikers always comes deep but the positive with two strikers on the pitch is that you have a more natural tendency to get in the box and score within the team. The problem with two natural strikers is when you do not have the ball as you are relying on these naturally final third minded players (well at least one of them) to drop back and help out in the middle third of the pitch in a defensive manner when playing teams with a five man midfield – that is not so natural.

Comparison

Below are images (from whoScored.com) of the average positions of players in both North London Derbies – Spurs are in orange and the first image is the FA cup game…

FA Cup – 2-0 under Sherwood
sherwood v ar

League – 1-0 under AVB
avb v ar

The first thing to notice is the formations don’t appear to conform to what was described by pundits and media, in the league game under AVB it was said to be 4-2-3-1 but looks far more likely a 4-3-3. In the cup under Sherwood it was described as 4-4-2 but with it so congested around the centre circle you cannot really make any traditional formation out of it.

The second thing I noticed was the chasm in the cup game between defence and midfield and how the opposition midfields average positions seem to be in that gap. This was due to a lack of a natural holding midfielder, something that the opposition clearly targeted but with Capoue either out of favour of severely lacking match fitness (and Sandro injured), Sherwood had little choice.

Third was simply how deep Chiriches was in relation to Dawson which makes the gap appear even bigger however, from looking at Walcott’s position, it was probably due to being worried about being done in behind.

Finally, Rose was well and truly exposed again with Eriksen infield so often. It will be interesting to see if Sherwood persists with Eriksen out wide once Townsend or Lamela return to fitness. I don’t mean that Eriksen has been playing poorly but for the good of the team against difficult opposition.

I think that while Sherwood was technically correct in that we were not outnumbered in central midfield, given how infield Eriksen was, the lack of a deeper defensive midfielder gave the appearance that we were overrun as they simply found more space available to them than our midfielders did.

It is clear to see that AVB’s team was clearly more rigid in their formation compared to Sherwood’s. However this is skewed by Eriksen’s natural tendency to be centrally positioned. It is a shame that AVB wanted his wide men to cut in rather than stay wide once they received the ball as width is what most fans have been calling for all season…

So what next

Personally, I think we should stop worrying about whether it was 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 or some other concoction and worry more about the players playing well, something that was lacking at the weekend, too many players underperformed. Every team has injuries but that is why we have such a large squad, to deal with these situations and looking from what was available at the weekend, only Bentaleb for Capoue was the questionable decision.

I was one that didn’t want AVB to go, I think he would have worked out his issues with formations and attacking fluidity. Was his spat with Ade silly? Yes but I am sure Ade wasn’t a saint in the situation. And yes I have always wanted Ade in the team as I always thought he was the striker most suited to AVB’s style.

I haven’t seen anything that says we have taken a step backwards under Sherwood so far despite his two defeats coming against the teams I despise the most. Nor anything really suggesting a leap forwards. Given time, support and a fully fit squad I am sure he will get things right with whatever system he chooses to play. The key is that we give him the time even if you believe he is a stop gap until the summer.

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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It’s all doom and gloom

December 27th, 2013 , Posted in Articles
Dec, 27 2013
8 Comments »

Well three games in and most people have already made their minds up about our Tim. To be fair to Sherwood, most had made their minds up before he was appointed as the permanent boss. To be equally fair to AVB the same happened in summer 2012.

The fanbase is well and truly split over this appointment but for Levy, this was probably the only realistic appointment open to the club. We can say he should have gone and got someone big from a club or country but if they are successful then why would they leave their current job midseason. Some would suggest Hoddle but not many chairmen would rehire a previous manager, let alone one of Levy’s apparent nature.

Sherwood has the apparent security of an 18 month contract so can say that he is not simply an interim. Clearly this may not be true as even if he does well Levy could turn round and give the job to someone else come May. Its win-win for Tim, does badly and it was simply too big a job for his lack of experience, does well and he is the next Guardiola.

So what has changed?

Well the obvious is the apparent formation change to 4-4-2. I say apparent because from the two games I have seen live (the defeat and the draw, perhaps I should stop watching) the strikers have moved around a lot, dropping deep, moving wide etc. So in my opinion, on paper it may well be 4-4-2 but in play it could be anything.

What has changed is that by playing two natural strikers there appears to be a slightly more natural tendency for more players in the box however there has also seems to be clear instructions for midfielders to also get in there. Despite this change we still have the same issue that has plagued us all season, lots of attempts but few shots on target and few on target results in a lack of goals. In all three games the opposition had less attempts but more shots on target.

The tempo has noticeably increased, get forward quick and strike while the opposition is still setting up. This will take time to sink in for the players so I would expect some more poor form at home for the foreseeable future.

With Sherwood coming from the youth setup there appears now to be more chance of the youth players coming in and getting a chance. I hope Carroll gets a recall as it may prove my article about him not having a future at Spurs wrong. This is probably the most exciting thing about Sherwood for me, I always want success from within rather than bought in. Problem is we have a very big squad and once they return to fitness it will be interesting to see if this philosophy continues.

So what now?

It will be intriguing to see what business, if any, is done in January. Some would say that Sherwood would struggle to get big names in but surely this is what Baldini is for as a director of football. If Sherwood is really interested in promoting youth then there may well be no movement in the upcoming transfer window.

We are not too far off the seasons objectives so we should not write the season off yet. A decent run and we are well and truly in the mix if you are a glass half empty kind of person. Glass half full and we are already in the mix, five points is nothing with 20 games still to play.

Did Sherwood deserve a chance? If you go by the CV/coaching badges then no, if you go on his U21 team then yeh why not! We want young players to be able to have a go at the big time so why not managers? It doesn’t matter now, he needs time and patience to be able to get his theories across to the players. He needs the support of the players so they will take on board his ideas. He needs us to support the club and players now and why should we not, we know there will not be any more changes until the summer.

Lets face it, if it wasn’t for a certain Tan running amok in Wales we would probably still be the laughing stock of the league with our firing mentality and expectancy to annihilate everyone that stands in our way. Now opposition managers have something else to be questioned about when talking in press conferences. Hopefully this gives Tim and the players the breathing space they need to start getting things right.

Who knows that the next three games will bring? If we win them all then we will probably be labelled as title contenders again…

Should we care that he is a nomad supporter? Of course we should, once he gets sacked or quits that is. Until then he gets all my support as I support the club – not individuals.

So what do you think? Should Sherwood have got the job? Will 4-4-2 work in the long run? Is youth the answer or business in January?

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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Oh it is fun being a Spurs fan

December 19th, 2013 , Posted in Articles
Dec, 19 2013
3 Comments »

Well it is isn’t it, why else are we here? We are constantly expecting more but our club endeavour to find ways to kill them expectations just when they seem reachable.

Everyone, and I do mean 99% of fans, was happy at the beginning of the season once we had realised the Bale departure was inevitable. The transfers looked good and while no one wanted to see Bale go the optimism was there. A season where everyone was pulling in the same direction.

How wrong we were. Rumours that AVB did not want half the players that were signed, that Sherwood tried many times to undermine AVB and that Levy was haggling over miniscule amounts of money (in football terms) all persist and may well be true. We will never know.

The players AVB did not want according to reports are the three signed after the start of the season (Lamela, Eriksen and Chiriches) along with Chadli. Leaving Paulinho, Soldado and Capoue as AVB’s choices. Apparently AVB wanted Villa, Hulk and Moutinho. Clearly though it would not be hard to simply make this all up, problem is AVB will not come out publicly and say either way.

Last night, Sherwood started how the masses wanted. Fast and relentless, pressing everywhere. Started as 4-4-2 on paper, I say on paper because Adebayor was everywhere and very deep more often than a striker should be. If I was pushed I would say it was 4-4-1-1 or even 4-2-3-1. The key was that all were happy with the intent being shown by the players on the pitch.

But the same problems were still there, we had 21 shots but only 4 on target. WH on the other hand had 12 with 8 on target. We shouldn’t be surprised, it is the same players after all. The first half really was all Spurs, second half WH came back into it but it felt to me that as soon as we scored it encouraged the opposition more than us.

The first half was encouraging, Townsend and Lennon getting in down the flanks frequently with Ade constantly finding space between the lines, WH hardly left their own half. Sigirudsson and Dembele were shifting the ball quickly from the central roles while the full backs supported play well. Had we put away one or two of the early chances then we’d probably be dreaming of Wembley.

The goal was a good goal, a counter attack from a WH corner (if I remember rightly). The ball was played into Defoe wide on the left and he took the ball forward at pace (how he kept it is anyone’s guess) and then delivered a superb cross with his weaker foot. Ade was waiting to volley in off the bar. The best thing about the goal was the pace in which the counter attack occurred.

Substitutions didn’t help, Ade and Rose were always going to be replaced given their lack of match fitness but their replacements didn’t quite keep the intensity at the same level. Townsend’s injury was also unfortunate given him and Lennon were stretching the play well in the first half. I think it is worth pointing out that in response to WH’s coming back into the game second half, Sherwood inverted the wingers and it was a run down the right that eventually did Townsend in.

The goals conceded were typical Spurs really, failing to clear their lines from balls lumped into the box. The frantic nature of the first half probably also played a part in the second half getting worse as time wore on, players getting leggy.

It is too early to make a decision on Sherwood, if he is auditioning for the role then he needs time and that means until the end of the season at least. Some will say we need a permanent manager in before January to do some transfers, I would disagree. Half the reason for the director of football is that he signs players in the areas identified as needing improvement and if the rumours are true then it appears this is done with little regard to the coach’s view.

I said in a previous post that we should not write the season off but I think, with how down I feel about Spurs at the moment, I need to come back to reality. Had AVB been in charge and we finished outside the top four and no trophy then it would have been a very disappointing season to the extent where he probably would get the chop. Now with the changes made, if we finish 5th and therefore in Europe again then it is a good season, anything more and it has been a fantastic year.

I simply hope that if Sherwood does not get until the end of the season then Levy has someone lined up now as replacement, otherwise this season will be dire with a quick/rushed/panicked appointment. I’m a sucker for punishment though, I’ll still be singing at the Lane on my next visit and hoping we still meet the start of the season expectations. Rebuilding has started once again, time to embrace it again…

What do you think, is it all fun supporting Spurs? Impressed with Sherwoods first game? Give him until the summer? Scrap this director of football position all together?

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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West Ham (h) Preview 13/14 League Cup

December 18th, 2013 , Posted in Articles, League Cup, Match Previews
Dec, 18 2013
No Comments »

Wednesday 18th December, White Hart Lane, 19:45

So here we are, the first game post AVB. Everything is currently about how it was right to get rid of the Portuguese fella or who will come in next. The most common point I see banded about is that last season would have been totally different had a certain Bale not been there. That is true but it is true for any team! Take Ade out of Harry’s last team and the same point stands. In terms of who will come in next, I think the masses have realised that there really isn’t anyone available at the moment who would unite everyone.

So for now, and I would not be surprised if it is until the summer, we have the three wise men at the helm – Sherwood is clearly the lead but will be helped by Ferdinand and Ramsey. I am surprised the club made a point of announcing that all three of them are moving into the first team arena when essentially the only point people were really concerned with was who is now manager/head coach.

I don’t have an opinion either way about Sherwood at the moment given I have no idea how he will coach/manage the team. He did well with the U21 team last year and he appears to have the backing of the board. Even if I hated him though it wouldn’t matter, he is currently part of Spurs and will get my support. I hope he does well, it kind of goes back to it being better if success comes from and is built from within.

Sherwood, to his credit, has said the right things so far – essentially say that we will now do the reverse of things we were criticised about previously. Get in their faces, be quick and attack. Hopefully we see signs of this tonight.

Many would like to write this season off given the period of instability we are about to enter but why should we. We are a few points off the seasons league target and in all three cup competitions. Let’s get the optimism back and support the players while they go through these troubled times…

My Opposition opinion

Since their result against us at the beginning of October, West Ham have been in a bit of a slump. They have won twice since against Burnley in the cup and Jol’s final game in charge of Fulham.

They sit a point above the relegation zone in the league so you would think that their minds will be elsewhere but we need to remember how big a game this is for both clubs given the result earlier in the season. Had AVB still been in charge I think big Sam may have played a shadow team but given the recent changes we are there for the taking. It will be a strong team we will face.

Again had AVB been in charge then they would have turned up with a 4-6-0 formation but given the complete lack of knowledge around Sherwood (though I believe the U21s also played 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3) and our current injury/suspension problems in defence I would be surprised if they did not play a striker.

Expected line up

Well Sherwood’s first team selection will be interesting; we are not struggling in the league so I don’t think he will go with a shadow team. He should know how much Octobers reverse affected the fans and the Spurs hierarchy. It should be a strong team with perhaps the exception of a makeshift defence.

I suppose the main question is whether Sherwood will really take this game seriously. If not then there could be a load more young players in the line up – that may be the kick some senior players need. Paulinho and Dawson are suspended while Vertonghen is injured and Kaboul is probably still a doubt.

It was hard enough guessing AVBs teams and we had previous games to look at. I think we will stay with 4-2-3-1 given how little time Sherwood has had to change things. I have gone with:

v west ham - Football tactics and formations

Subs: Archer, Kaboul, Rose, Lennon, Chadli, Sigurdsson, Adebayor

Prediction

I wouldn’t be surprised if this game went to extra time but I am going for a 2-0 Spurs win for no other reason than we need cheering up.

So what do you think? Who will be Sherwood’s first choice striker? Inverted or natural wings? Team full of youngsters instead? What is your line up and predicted score?

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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So who is stupid enough to come to the Lane then?

December 16th, 2013 , Posted in Articles
Dec, 16 2013
5 Comments »

Well that was a kick in the teeth. 5-0 at home, well and truly battered. Even if Paulinho did not get sent off it was still heading for a hiding as we never looked like scoring. Not a single shot on target at home is an absolute disgrace for a team that is supposed to be competing at the upper end of the league.

The line up was a fair one given the current fitness levels, it was the same midfield and attack as the Utd game and the defence was as good as it was going to get if we accept Rose and the other centre backs were not fit enough. You could argue that perhaps Fryers should have started and I would agree with you given he is naturally left footed but Naughton has always been ahead of him so no surprise there. AVB saw he was being targeted and yanked him off at half time.

The enforced change of Sandro was unfortunate but no excuse, Demebele and Paulinho are worth £32 million between them and should have been strong enough in midfield. Essentially the whole team simply did not turn up and the opposition played extremely well – credit where it is due, we did not help ourselves but they were very good.

I could accept being poor going forward when we were solid at the back, expecting it to get better as the players bedded in but now we are not even that. Simply we were just poor.

Those who read know that I have supported AVB and I know you are expecting me to turn round and say otherwise now. I won’t. I don’t think sacking him now will achieve anything other than instability. We could have waited until the summer to swing the axe.

The key here is that I want Tottenham to do well, if that means ditching AVB then I am all for it. I just don’t see who is available to come in and achieve that goal of Champions League. We will be going through the players having to get used to yet more new tactics and formations. I don’t expect any immediate ‘new manager’ syndrome where the players get fired up. Wrong end of the table for that to work in my opinion.

Essentially I want Spurs to win, that’s 10 blokes often in white, one in green and a bench in blue. Who they are doesn’t really matter but whoever it is will always get my support.

Who would come in now?

  • Just signed a contract extension with the US and is taking them to a world cup.
  • Also going to the world cup but is friendly with Baldini. We remember how well his England team played.
  • If someone can explain why he would leave Dortmund, midseason or at any point, for us then I am all ears.
  • Said after being replaced by Pep (after doing the treble) that he never wanted to coach again. Don’t blame him!
  • Why would he leave St Marys? It’s all gravy at the moment.
  • Swans have done ok but Michu was the team last year much like Bale was ours.
  • You thought AVB was defensive. Just no.
  • He only took over at Roma in the summer and they are currently flying high in Italy.
  • I have no opinion never seen him manager. He will get temporary charge at least.
  • He got us to a point but no further.
  • Didn’t exactly set the world alight last time. Just waiting to be shot at by the media.
  • May have been more attacking but there is some definite rose tinting going on….
  • Let’s not ruin his career before it starts ok!

I think it was poor timing from the board if only because there is no one readily available to take over. But I understand the decision; the negativity around the club had reached a point where the players were never going to play well. Losing at home so badly on two occasions simply is not right but I can’t help but feel that we fans are also partly to blame. The incessant expectation for us to steam roller everyone is simply unrealistic. We always start off encouraging but we quickly turn to groaning when something doesn’t come off.

The next sucker to take the job will also suffer from the same expectation levels. And they will probably crumble. That is just it, this is the Spurs we have become.

So who do you think will get the job? Right time for AVB to go or should have waited until summer? Should Baldini go as well? What about Freund!

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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Anzhi (h) Preview 13/14 Europa League

December 12th, 2013 , Posted in Articles, Europa League, Match Previews
Dec, 12 2013
2 Comments »

Thursday 12th December, White Hart Lane, 20:05 live on ITV4

Back to European action in a dead rubber for both teams. We will win the group and Anzhi (or Anji depending on where you look – even the official Spurs site uses both) will finish second. Why bother playing at all?

Given that the game has nothing riding on it, aside from our 100% record in the competition so far, I cannot see how any of the first team players will be able to get truly ‘up’ for the game. They should be professional about it yes, see it as a way of forcing their way into the team if they are not already a regular etc etc… Hopefully the crowd generate an atmosphere that will push the players to perform.

AVB has said he will treat all competitions with respect and attempt to win them all but you have got to wonder how much respect will be shown to this game.

And with silly season around the corner, this Lamela loan story is about as silly as it can get. He needs to acclimatise to the English game – how will playing in Spain help?

My Opposition opinion

Anzhi are not the team they were a few seasons ago. They currently sit bottom of the Russian top division, 5 points from the relegation play-off positions and 10 points adrift of guaranteed safety with 11 games to go. While I am sure they do not want to play this game any more than we do, it could be seen as a release for them. A no pressure game to simply go for it – if that happens that could only play into our hands.

Almost all of their big names were shipped out over the summer, the majority moving to Moscow by the looks of it but also the two that have joined Chelski. They do however still retain a few decent players that can cause problems but in general it looks like the heart and soul of the club has been ripped apart by a billionaire owner who decided to drastically reduce funds for the club. If only that would happen in West London…

Expected line up

Honestly, I do not know how AVB will approach this game. Give the youth a run out or still a pretty much first team line up… I reckon the latter as he would really want 18 points, how else will we all have a meltdown about not protecting players given we have already qualified with an important game at the weekend. I have gone for:

v anzhi - Football tactics and formations

Subs: Gomes, Rose, Fredricks, Dombaxe, Eriksen, Coulthirst, Kane

In goal you would expect Lloris will sit this game out. Not even on the bench for me. Will Gomes get a farewell game? He may as well given the dud nature of the tie. He may even prove that he should be Lloris’ number two rather than Friedel!

Rose is back in training but I would not expect him to start this game with Liverpool at the weekend. Bench at most and perhaps a fifteen minute run out. I would expect Fryers at left back and Naughton on the opposite flank. Perhaps a youth player at right back given Naughton may be required at left back at the weekend but I don’t think AVB works that way.

Central defence is an odd one. We know Vertonghen, Chiriches and Kaboul are out meaning we are likely to see Dawson and Capoue paired again. Not a bad thing in my opinion if it is possible we will need to go with this combination come Sunday. Dawson though has pretty much been an ever present this season so it is worrying that he is our only recognised centre back available given he may be due a little rest. Fryers could play in the middle but AVB would not do that alongside Capoue given his inexperience.

One of the middle two picks themselves if AVB does go with a strong lineup, Sandro is that man. Who partners him will be interesting as it could be any of Dembele, Paulinho or Holtby. I have gone with Holtby as his tenacity will get in the faces of Anzhi.

I reckon the wings will be inverted for the game. Townsend and Sigurdsson to play for me given their last starts were in this competition four games ago. Kane has returned from injury but reckon he will take a spot on the bench with Rose and Eriksen. Lamela to play the number 10 but in reality all three advanced midfielders are interchangeable with each other…

I know, Soldado will probably play and we will probably revert to our inverted wingers. You never know though, he may thrive and gain some confidence if Anzhi decide they don’t want to be here… hopefully at some point, the wingers will switch to their ‘natural’ sides and we can see how he does.

Ade was left out of the squad completely, it must be curtains for him now come January. You would have thought that a game that really had nothing riding on it would have meant Defoe/Soldado or both left out of the squad. It’s a shame, I do like him (when he performs clearly) and people want to see us try two up front – this game was surely perfect for that!

Prediction

It is a hard one to call, dead rubbers are generally played at a snail’s pace and given our apparent slowly slowly approach in the main so far this season – it could be a very dire watch. Hopefully they prove me wrong… I’m going to be optimistic and say 5-0 Spurs given the troubles Anzhi find themselves in – Soldado must get a couple then!

So what do you think? Defoe to keep his place? Inverted or natural wings? Any of the three youngsters get a start? What is your line up and predicted score?

You can follow the blog on twitter, @thfc1882dotcom and “like” our facebook page! We are even on instagram. If you are really bored you can follow my ramblings about anything and everything on twitter (@waddiealex) as well…

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