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Match Report: PAOK 0-0 Spurs

September 16th, 2011 Posted in Articles, Europa League, Match Reports
Sep, 16 2011
2 Comments »

Europa League Group A – Thursday 16th September 2011

Spurs Team: Cudicini; Walker; Corluka; Bassong; Townsend; Falque (Fredericks 81); Carroll; Livermore; Dos Santos (Parrett 92); Kane; Pavluchenko

‘The kids are alright’ So sung The Who . Harry Redknapp may well believe that too this morning. A young and inexperienced Spurs side got a very creditable draw in the intimidating Toumba stadium last night.

Spurs survived some late scares as the more experienced PAOK side got a grip as the match went on but a point was the least that Spurs deserved after a good show of possession football in the first half and flashes of quality throughout. Iago Falque making his Spurs debut almost broke the deadlock early on but saw his shot cleared off the line. Falque showed flashes of his potential throughout and may well prove to be the one who can push Aaron Lennon to new heights on the right wing this season. It could be said that PAOK were allowing Spurs time and space but even so Tom Carroll was excellent throughout and along with the ever improving Jake Livermore really put on a show in how to dominate and control a game. With Falque and the much maligned Giovani Dos Santos floating across the width of the pitch linking well with the central midfield Spurs were constantly probing and threatening.

Up front Harry Kane once again showed his workrate and movement and should have won a penalty when a defender tripped him as he burst through. The referee however got it completely wrong, booking the youngster for diving. Spurs were almost punished instantly when PAOK went up the other end and won their own penalty as Cudicini naively tripped the Anathasiadis. There was nothing Cudicini could do about the penalty as it was slotted home by Lino. Fortunately for Spurs keeper the officials spotted some encroachment and a retake was ordered. This time the penalty was pulled wide of the post and Spurs were reprieved.

Into the second half and PAOK came into the game more but even so Spurs still showed some good attacking play while struggling to find the final ball. Falque again had a good chance after a rare piece of good play by an otherwise ineffectual Roman Pavlyuchenko, this time the Spaniards shot just curled past the post with the keeper stranded. PAOK continued to threaten, especially down Spurs left. Andros Townsend is a winger, something that Redknapp struggles to grasp by playing him at left back. He was effective going forward, but at the back time after time he was beaten or out of position, allowing the Greek side to get to the byline and put threatening balls in. This often left Bassong and Corluka struggling, as with most of the more experienced players for Spurs. Luckily Kyle Walker was on hand to help out, showing a cool head throughout and why he is the future for Spurs and England at right back. As the match got into the last 20 minutes some of the Spurs youngsters began to look a bit leggy but Redknapp seemed to have forgotten substitutes were allowed and this meant PAOK could really start to have an impact. In the final few minutes Carlo Cudicini had to make two excellent saves and the crossbar also kept PAOK at bay.

Overall this was a really encouraging performance from the youngsters, particularly given the atmosphere created by PAOK’s fanatical support. This experience will stand them all in good stead for the future. Some of the more experienced heads however will not walk away with much credit. Roman Pavlyuchenko was at his uninterested worst and why he was allowed to waste two good free kick opportunities by blasting the ball wide and over is beyond belief. Corluka had moments of looking like a classy centre back but also had moments that made you question what he was doing and much the same can be said for Bassong. Cudicini continues to stake his claim as back up to Brad Friedel, giving the penalty away was his only real fault and the two late saves more than made up for that.  Of the youngsters, as previously stated in this blog, Tom Carroll really is looking an exciting and excellent prospect. He is a deep lying playmaker in the mould of Andrea Pirlo and Spurs own Luka Modric. Carroll possesses a rare footballing intelligence – that should impress Alan Hansen – and is able to spot a pass and execute it, over varying distances and from either foot. In the past too many ‘next big things’ have been wasted at Spurs but it is imperative that Carroll is allowed to flourish and is given his chances to shine. This Europa League campaign is a good opportunity for him but it must be hoped that he’s given chances in the Premier League also, as top class competition will allow him to fully develop into the player he can be.

One final player to talk about is Giovani Dos Santos. He seemed to take a battering from some Spurs fans on Twitter and Facebook last night. This was very harsh, as he was extremely lively, especially in the first half, always wanting the ball and his movement made him difficult to pick up for the PAOK defenders. Some of his link up play was excellent, although often ruined by Pavlyuchenko and his ’brick wall’ touch. Dos Santos also showed a good range of passing with one 40 yard crossfield ball in particular highlighting his ability. Yes he faded in the second half but he’s clearly not at full match fitness and he wasn’t the only one to do so. PAOK were also denying Spurs the ball and defending is clearly not his forte or why he’s in the team.

Few if any of the players on view last night will get much game time against Liverpool on Sunday but with a Carling Cup clash with Stoke and then Shamrock Rovers visiting The Lane in a few weeks we shall all be seeing much more of these talented Spurs youngsters.

COYS

Stuart Watts ( @Studub on Twitter )

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Match Preview: PAOK v Spurs

September 13th, 2011 Posted in Articles, Europa League, Match Previews
Sep, 13 2011
10 Comments »

Toumba Stadium, Thessaloniki, Greece. Thursday 15th September 2011. 6pm kick off. ESPN.

Spurs start their Europa League Group A campaign with a tricky visit to Greece where they take on PAOK. While it would be easy to dismiss the opposition as not in Spurs class it would be foolish to underestimate them. The Greek fans are notoriously passionate and PAOK are the fourth most succesful club in Greek Superleague history. After a period in the doldrums and almost going out of business PAOK have experienced a renaissance over the last four years and will be looking to use this competition to prove that they are back as one of Greece’s major players again.

The start of the Greek Superleague has been affected by a corruption scandal, although it must be pointed out that PAOK have not been implicated in this. They finished 4th in last years League and have started this season with a win and a loss, the defeat coming this past weekend. PAOK got to the group stage after two qualifying rounds, dispatching Norwegians Valerenga and Ukrainian side Karpaty with relative comfort. The Greek side don’t boast any major names but a few players may be recognisable to some and provide experience and a potential threat to Spurs. Their captain and defensive rock is Chilean international veteran Pablo Contreras. He is vastly experienced winning a French title while at Monaco and has played for a number of clubs in Spain’s La Liga. A former Real Madrid man may well be patrolling the midfield; Uruguayan Pablo Garcia is a fierce tempered, tough tackling old school hard man. His first six games for PAOK saw him sent off an incredible THREE times! Out wide ex Porto man Vierinha could provide a threat, he’s able to score as well as create and Spurs will have to keep a close eye on him. Up front the biggest threat is likely to come from one of PAOK’s hometown heroes, Greek international, Dimitris Salpingidis. Whilst never prolific internationally (is any Greek striker?) he has a good scoring record domestically and is PAOK’s joint top scorer in European competitions.

Spurs meanwhile come into this game on the back of their first win of the Premier League campaign, Saturday’s impressive 2-0 victory at Wolves. This should mean raised spirits in the camp and a team confident of being able to navigate this potential banana skin tie. However there are still rumblings of discontent surrounding Spurs, whether it’s Harry Redknapp admitting he knew that Spurs were going to start the season badly due to wantaway players – don’t get me started on this subject – or his recent admission that he would be willing to sell Gomes (someone tell him the transfer window is closed!) and now Rafa Van der Vaart announcing his unhappiness at being left out of the Europa League squad. As ever Spurs demonstrate an inability to do things the easy or quiet way.

What team will Harry Redknapp pick? It’s almost impossible to guess. Redknapp has admitted more than once that the Premier League is his priority and this competition is an unwelcome distraction. With a massive home game against Liverpool on Sunday he may well rest as many players as he can. That said injuries may force his hand in some areas, Michael Dawson being the latest player to join the crocked list. One change at least is certain, Brad Friedel has not been named in the Europa League squad so either Gomes or Cudicini will get the nod. With Dawson’s injury in mind it seems certain that one player who will continue to feature is Younes Kaboul. He will have to take much of the responsibility at the back as his partner is likely to be either the low on confidence Seb Bassong or right back out of position, Vedran Corluka. Croatia boss Slaven Bilic, in his day an excellent centre back, has said that he sees Corluka’s future at centre back and he clearly has all the necessary qualities. What he lacks is time in the role. It will be interesting to see which option Redknapp goes for. Benoit Assou-Ekotto could get a well earned rest at left back, although as one of Spurs most consistent and in form players Redknapp may see it as too much of  a risk to rest him.

Elsewhere in the team, some of the youth players may get their chance. After impressing against Hearts and Manchester United, Jake Livermore must be in with a shout. Loan signing Iago Falque made the bench on Saturday and might get an opportunity to shine. Eternally young Giovanni Dos Santos has also come back into the frame, with many Spurs fans clamouring for him to be given a chance while Lennon and Van der Vaart are sidelined. Up front if Redknapp opts to switch things about then Harry Kane could be given another chance, despite his penalty miss on his debut against Hearts he showed some impressive skills and good work rate.

Prediction

Whichever team Spurs put out, there are no easy games in Greece and a win would be a fantastic start for the clubs hopes (if the management have any) of reaching the knock out stages. PAOK will make it hard for Spurs, manager Laszlo Boloni is an experienced head and he will look to restrict Spurs attacking threat whilst being conscious of giving the home fans the positive play they will demand. Greek fans are extremely passionate and could play a massive part in the proceedings, particularly if Spurs do play several youngsters. If Spurs can control the ball early on they could frustrate PAOK and their fans to good effect. With little idea what team is going to be picked it’s hard to make a solid prediction so I’m going to hedge my bets and go for a 1-1 draw, whilst being hopeful the boys can turn it on, prove me wrong and bring home all three points.

COYS

Stuart Watts ( @Studub on Twitter )

 

The Odds (all odds from Oddschecker.com and correct at 2100 13/9/11)

Spurs win: 13-10

PAOK win: 9-4

Draw: 23-10

My prediction (1-1): 5-1

First Spurs scorers

Defoe/Adebayor: 11-2

Kane/Pavluchenko : 7-1

 

Free bets available at Freebetssports.com

 

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Match Report: Wolves 0 – Spurs 2

September 11th, 2011 Posted in Articles, Match Reports, Premier League
Sep, 11 2011
4 Comments »

THFC1882′s Stuart Watts brings you another guest writer. This time Ciaran Griggs gives his view on yesterdays match.

Finally We’re Off

After two painful early season results against the unstoppable forces of Manchester (good and evil, I’ll let you decide which is which), many a fan and journalist alike had billed our away fixture to Wolves as both the real start and also, laughingly in my view, a make-or-break game to signal our intentions for this Premier League season.

Before the international break, the two sides’ fortunes had been somewhat contrasting. Wolves on a high after 7 points from 3 matches and a newfound belief in their status as a Premier League side. Spurs were propping up the foot of the table and, after a relatively quiet transfer window, a large number of our fans were writing off our chances – a distinct sense of gloom settling over N17.

So which Spurs team would turn up for the 3pm Saturday kick-off at Molineux? Comeback kings, marauding attackers or the rather meek, porous team from the back end of the 2010-11 season? Looking at the starting line-up, I think that most fans would have been relatively happy, with a standard Spurs 4-4-2 being employed. Van der Vaart’s absence had divided many Spurs fans. He is a genuinely high quality player, of that there is no doubt, but much like Lampard for England, Spurs have a tendency to become shapeless when he is in the side. Given the importance of the fixture, a solid line-up was essential, with both banks of four working together to close down any opportunities for the home team. Parker and Adebayor were handed their Premier League debuts. The former to add some steel and fight to our midfield with the injured Hudd and Sandro not available, the latter to add some much-needed quality to our faltering forward line. Maybe the biggest surprise was Gareth Bale reprising his newfound Wales role on the right-hand side of midfield, with Niko occupying the space on the left-hand side.

For Wolves, the absence of tricky winger Matt Jarvis was the most notable change to the line-up that had performed so well until now.

The game started fairly evenly with both teams finding gaps in the opposition but with few genuine chances carved out by either team. Henry and Parker were patrolling the centre of the park well for their respective sides and Spurs best early movement came from the full-backs, particulary Assou-Ekotto, moving forward into the space vacated by the more centrally-minded Kranjcar. Walker looked assured in the right-back role, moving ever closer to being a first-choice regular with each appearance. Adebayor also looked sharp – he loves a debut, having scored on both his Arsenal and Man City bows – and showed some good early movement, holding the ball up well, allowing our midfield to move forward and offer some assistance, a skill his predecessors, Crouch and Pavlyuchenko, have lost/never had.

Our earliest chance was almost scored by a Wolves player with a skimming BAE cross nearly turned in by the excellent Roger Johnson, forcing Wayne Hennessey into action, only to parry the ball to Kranjcar whose follow-up was cleared off the line. Our intent was clear. Wolves also had chances with Jamie O’Hara stinging Friedel’s hands with a well struck, if somewhat central, strike at goal, easily parried. Wolves’ best chance of the half fell to Henry whose low shot was brilliantly tipped around the right-hand post by Friedel. He’s certainly getting enough chances to show off his goalkeeping ability…The game continued to be of decent quality, without ever reaching good quality and we reached half-time 0-0, a solid start to the game.

The second half continued as the first with some half-chances created but nothing of real import. In the 60th minute, the game changed with Bale returned to the left wing, his best position, to link up with Modric. Both players instantly looked better and we looked simultaneously more balanced and threatening. This yielded results in the 67th minute with Scott Parker finding some space and slotting the ball through from 25 yards (he only passes sideways, right?) to Adebayor, who showed good composure to round the onrushing Henessey and slide the ball back across into the empty net. Make that three debuts, three goals in the Prem for the Togolese forward. He’s an ex-Arsenal player, you say? Tell that to the Spurs fans, roaring out the “Yiddo, Yiddo, Yiddo, Yiddo” chant in full voice.

Spurs continued to push on with Wolves failing to establish any kind of foothold during the following minutes. In the 80th minute, the pressure told with Kranjcar feeding Defoe in the area to the right of the goal, with a trademark Defoe shot, low with power, flying into the net from ten yards out. 2-0 Spurs and hopefully, game over. We saw the game out well, with Harry continuing to apply pressure rather than sitting back. Giovanni came on for Defoe in the 89th minute to keep Wolves guessing. Hopefully he’ll get a few games this year, he’s a great option if he gets his head down and trains hard.

In Summary, Spurs are off the mark, we’re up to 13th. For those panicking, or downplaying a victory against a rather quiet Wolves side, let’s review the positives. We kept a clean sheet, both our strikers scored, our 2 new players played well and all of this with a squad joint top of the PhysioRoom most injured players list. Sandro has signed a new 5-year deal (ssh, don’t tell Harry), Hudds, Van der Vaart, Lennon and Dawson are all set to return to bolster the squad. The depth of our squad should see us through – can Arsenal, Liverpool, or Stoke (ask Martin Samuel, they’re challenging for fourth where we are not apparently) boast a squad as strong as ours? I don’t believe so. Onwards Spurs, we believe again.

COYS

Ciaran Griggs (@LordFIMM on Twitter)

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Would Beckham benefit Spurs?

September 9th, 2011 Posted in Articles, Transfers
Sep, 09 2011
13 Comments »

It seems a regular occurence over the last couple of years. Whether its just lazy journalists or there is a real interest, at least a couple of times every year David Beckham gets linked with a move to Spurs. Now with England’s highest capped outfield player reaching the end of his LA Galaxy contract in November, the rumours have started to gather pace again.

Is Beckham Spurs bound?

QPR’s new owner Tony Fernandes has shown his class by announcing his interest in Beckham on Twitter and this has obviously prompted the media to seek out other destinations for Brand Beckham. First stop then is Harry Redknapp. Spurs manager was typically quiet and unwilling to give much away when he said:

“If David wants to come to Tottenham, I’d welcome him with open arms.” When asked if he still had it at 36 “He’s definitely still good enough to play in the Premier League” and added  “His game was never about pace so whether he’s quick or not isn’t an issue….He is worth his weight in gold, he’d be an asset for any club….I’d have him here, that’s for sure.

A November arrival would not pose a problem for Redknapp despite Beckham being unable to play in the Premier League until the new year as Redknapp went on to say:

“He wouldn’t be able to play until the January transfer window opens, though, because we’ve already lodged our 25 players with the Premier League…..But he’d be a great one to have around the club again.”

As with anything that Redknapp says you can read as much or little into this as you like. Redknapp either holds a strong desire to bring Beckham back to the Premier League or he’s just doing his usual of never having a bad word to say about a player.

If the interest is real, it raises the question, would Beckham benefit Spurs?

One of the biggest criticisms of Spurs squad is a lack of characters and winners, Beckham brings a winning mentality and leadership  in abundance. No matter what you feel the level of the MLS is, you can’t doubt Beckhams form and impact this season, he has 2 goals and 10 assists from 21 games this season for the Galaxy. This return is actually his most effective season ever (in assists to games ratio) and comes off the back of an injury hit 2010 season. At 36, Beckham’s age could be an issue but with his old team mate Ryan Giggs still going strong and players like Javier Zanetti still performing at the highest level with a couple of years on him, it has to be judged on a case by case basis. His fitness shouldn’t be in doubt, he’s always been a phenomenal trainer and there is nothing to suggest that isn’t still the case. As Redknapp rightly points out, Becks game has never been about pace, so his lack of it shouldn’t be seen as a problem.

Beckham’s right foot is still one of the most gifted in world football and he has the ability to hit a ball with deadly accuracy. Oh how Spurs could do with someone able to deliver a set piece effectively. After his short spell training with Spurs last year, Redknapp talked up Beckham’s influence on the squad and it can’t be denied that the likes of Lennon, Bale and Townsend would benefit from his experience and advice, especially in terms of crossing. Another advantage that Beckham offers is his ability to play centrally as a deep lying playmaker. With the continuing doubts over Luka Modric’s attitude and willingness to perform for Spurs, Beckham could offer another option to provide creativity from the middle of the park as well as from the wing.

One thing that no one can argue is the commercial value that Beckham brings and a businessman as savvy as Daniel Levy must realise that adding the most recognisable man in football to the squad will help raise Spurs profile, and income, all over the world.

A double edged sword is Beckham’s media profile and the ensuing coverage and pressure this may or may not add to the rest of the Spurs squad. With the most talkative manager in the game already at the club it’s not as if the players aren’t used to seeing the club in the headlines on a daily basis and slapped all over Sky Sports News ticker. It could be argued that Beckham’s arrival would actually mean most of the focus being on him, something that he is more than capable of dealing with. This could well take pressure off the rest of the squad and at least the public face of Spurs would be more attractive than the one offered by the manager.

Of course it remains to be seen if Beckham would even be interested in returning to the Premier League with Spurs and he will obviously not be short of options. His MLS contract gives him the option to take on a franchise in the League but all signs are that he’ll want to carry on playing as long as he can, perhaps with an eye on an Olympic appearance next August.

It would be foolish to say that Beckham is the key to making Spurs a title challenging force but he may still be able to add some benefit in certain areas on and off the pitch in the short term at least.

Only time will tell if this is more media hype or if there is a chance that David Beckham will be stepping out at White Hart Lane in the famous Lilywhite in the near future.

COYS

Stuart Watts

 

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Match Preview: Wolves v Spurs

September 8th, 2011 Posted in Articles, Match Previews, Premier League
Sep, 08 2011
1 Comment »

Molyneux. Saturday September 10th 2011. 3pm Kick-off.

With the international break out of the way Spurs head to Wolves and the start of the season couldn’t be more contrasting for the two clubs. Wolves have started undefeated with two wins and a draw, whilst Spurs have been comprehensively beaten by the two Manchester juggernauts.

Saturday however should see a different Spurs side take the pitch than the one that capitulated at home to Manchester City. Much needed character has been added in the shape of Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor and both should make their debuts in Lilywhite.

This fixture last year neatly summed up both clubs seasons, Spurs dropping points at a struggling side when they had been the better team. Wolves fightback was characteristic of them but in all honesty Spurs surrendered maximum points as Harry Redknapp wasn’t brave enough to try and close the game out.

With their undefeated and impressive start to the season Mick McCarthy’s men will hope they can take advantage of Spurs poor form. Wolves have never started a season with four games unbeaten while Spurs, even through extremely dark times, have never lost their first three games of a season.

Wolves team news

The biggest news from Spurs point of view is that the dangerous winger Matty Jarvis is unavailable due to injury. Over the last couple of years Jarvis has come to the fore as a Premier League player and earned his first England cap versus Ghana in March. It will be interesting to see who gets the nod in his place. It could well be a chance for former ‘future England winger’ Michael Kightly to shine. Kightly was rejected by Spurs as a schoolboy so will be keen to impress if he does get a chance. Mick McCarthy is unlikely to make many other changes after their good start. Another with a point to prove against Spurs will be Jamie O’Hara, he must have looked at Spurs midfields against United and City and thought about what could have been. O’Hara has more off target shots than anyone else in the Premier League this season, so with Spurs luck its pretty much guaranteed that he’ll score a cracker from distance. Alongside O’Hara in midfield Karl Henry will look to impose himself on Spurs and he will provide Scott Parker with a big challenge. Without Jarvis, Steven Hunt will carry a lot of the responsibility for supplying Doyle and Fletcher with scoring chances. At the back Roger Johnson has added much needed stability and a never say die attitude, though he and his fellow defenders will need to be on top of their game against Emmanuel Adebayor.

Spurs team news

Spurs still top Physioroom.com Premier League injury table with Rafael van der Vaart and Aaron Lennon joining Ledley King, William Gallas and Steven Pienaar on the sidelines. Despite conceding eight goals in two games, Brad Friedel has been impressive and is sure to start. Friedel has made more saves per 90 minutes (7.5) than any other keeper in the Premier League this season and he will hope that the midfield and defence are able to give him a quieter day this time out. Dawson and Kaboul will be looking to improve on their woeful showing at White Hart Lane over the Bank Holiday weekend while Kyle Walker will want to restart his season after illness if he gets the right back slot ahead of Corluka. There is no reason why Benoit Assou-Ekotto won’t start at left back, in typical Benny style he was one of the few to come out of the United and City games with any credit. Spurs midfield should have a different look from the last time out, with Lennon injured Redknapp has a couple of options available to him. His most likely choice will be playing Gareth Bale on the right as he has done impressively for Wales with Niko Kranjcar getting a reprieve and playing from the left. Many would like to see Giovanni Dos Santos get an opportunity but this tricky away tie is unlikely to see Redknapp take that risk. In the centre Scott Parker will surely start, leaving Redknapp to decide if Luka Modrics’ head is ‘right’ for this game. Spurs Croatian playmaker was in fine form for his country midweek, scoring with a cracking 25 yard effort. It remains to be seen if he’s still able to perform to his best in a Spurs shirt. If Modric isn’t ‘right’ then it seems certain that Tom Huddlestone will get the nod and he will look to re-establish his credentials if he gets the chance. Injury to Rafa Van der Vaart means that Redknapp is set to go with his preferred 4-4-2 formation and it would be a surprise if the front two weren’t Adebayor and Jermain Defoe. This little and large combo could well be the key to Spurs getting anything out of this game, it will be interesting to see how the combine in their first outing together.

My Prediction

It’s too early for Spurs fans and management to panic but with Wolves in good form this game could very easily end with Spurs having their worst ever start to a season and no points from three games. Thats a soundbite that Harry Redknapp certainly wouldn’t repeat ad infinitum. It will be hoped that the international break has slowed Wolves momentum and that Spurs new signings can reinvigorate a listless team. Even with Wolves on top form, if this Spurs team are at it then a win will surely be forthcoming, with no disrespect to Wolves, simply put Spurs are better in every position. There are a lot of ‘if’s’ and ‘buts’ about it though and as Spurs fans know, against supposedly inferior opposition is when Spurs can do their worst. Spurs really need to kickstart their season and with a trip to Greece in the Europa League and Liverpool visiting The Lane in the next two fixtures, it really needs to happen this Saturday. Therefore the optimist in me (not sure why he always shows his face at prediction time) says Spurs are going to win 2-1* and Emmanuel Adebayor will grab a debut brace.

*Note: as well as optimistic my predictions have been woefully inaccurate so far this season, so take it with a pinch of salt.

COYS

Stuart Watts ( @Studub on Twitter )

 

For the gamblers among you, here’s the odds (all odds from Oddschecker.com on Thursday 8/9/11 at 16:00) :

Spurs win: 6-4

Wolves win: 15-8

Draw: 12-5

My prediction (Spurs 2-1): 8-1

Spurs first scorers:

Adebayor 5-1

Defoe 11-2

Pavlyuchenko 7-1

Free bets available from Freebetssport.com

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What now for Spurs midfield?

September 3rd, 2011 Posted in Articles
Sep, 03 2011
9 Comments »

As 11pm came on Wednesday there was a palpable sigh of relief from many Spurs fans. Finally all the press speculation about who was on their way in and out of the club could be put to bed and now the focus would be on the football. At least until December, just before the next window opened. Surely?

No. Not 48 hours into September, The Evening Standard – a publication that has had issues with Spurs for years now – was touting the Modric to Chelsea move for January’s window. This is just another example of certain sectors of the press who seem to have a vested interest in Modric moving to West London. They must all be on a cut of the deal. Or fear Abramovich’s ‘contacts’ from his homeland.

Whatever the media’s motivation, one things for sure, they aren’t making life easy for their favorite manager, Harry Redknapp. This Modric situation will push the famed man-manager to his very limits. It’s going to be Redknapp’s job to make sure there are no repeats of the ‘my heads not right’ situation before the United and City games. While Modric may not be terribly popular with Spurs fans right now, it would take a very short sighted person to believe that the team is better without him (if he’s on form). Where else is the creativity going to come from? Especially with Rafa Van der Vaart sidelined with injury.

Scott Parker may bring battling qualities and much needed character to Spurs midfield he’s not exactly a creative genius like the Croatian. Niko Kranjcar is fine in the middle against Hearts but Premier League opposition is an entirely different prospect, not one that any Spurs fan will look forward to with any relish after Sunday. One man who has shown potential forever is Tom Huddlestone. With superb technique and ability to hit a pass off either foot with deadly accuracy, he’s long been hailed the spiritual successor to Glenn Hoddle. Unfortunately his athletic abilities are equal to Andy Reid rather than Hod – who was hardly famed for his physicality -  and his injury lay offs are always followed by long searches for match sharpness. Once he returns from injury Sandro will look to take his game to the next level, he though again, isn’t a creative force. Whilst it would be great to dream that youth may get it’s chance, in reality it’s unlikely that Redknapp will risk it other than in the cup competitions. Therefore with Parker’s arrival, Jake Livermore’s impressive start will be slowed down, that much is made clear by the fact he was offered to West Ham in a loan deal. Another youngster who will hopefully play in the cup competitions is Tom Carroll. Even played out of position in the second leg against Hearts, he showed that he already has a good range of passing and the vision to go with it.

If Redknapp is unable to work his magic on Modric then Spurs midfield will be severely lacking in it’s spark and ability to carve out openings for an Emmanuel Adebayor led strikeforce. This will lead to more responsibility for the wide players. Gareth Bale looked to be hitting his stride in pre season but like many of the team didn’t do himself justice in the first two Premier League games. On the other wing, there are even more concerns, Aaron Lennon has a groin injury but that aside has been woeful at the start of the season. Unlike the left with Andros Townsend, Steven Pienaar and even Niko Kranjcar there isn’t a lot of back up for Aaron. Unless Giovanni Dos Santos is finally going to be given a chance. It seems beyond belief – Redknapp is clearly not a fan despite the Mexicans abilities – but is the only viable option unless Iago Falque really outdoes himself.  Dos Santos is better suited to playing just off the striker and using him on the right could lead to similar problems suffered when Van der Vaart is deployed there. Both players are more comfortable drifting in onto their left foot and are prone to wander, leaving the right hand side woefully exposed.

If Redknapp is forced to use a solid, workmanlike central pairing then he risks his team becoming one dimensional and easy to nullify. As seen repeatedly in the Premier League last year, Gareth Bale can be marked out of games, particularly if opposition wingers are disciplined, track back and help their full back. Spurs Welsh wing wizard needs to really work on his game this year if he’s to be the main man. He can do it, he’s shown he has the skills, he just needs to develop his footballing intelligence and realise when his trademark ‘push the ball past the man and sprint’ trick is going to work and when he needs to try something different. If teams are able to keep Spurs wing threat quiet then it will most likely result in repeated Dawson ‘Hollywood balls’ punted at Adebayor’s head. Having watched that happen every time Crouch played over the past couple of seasons, it really isn’t what Spurs fans want to see and can be just as easily snubbed out as a threat by marking the men looking for the knock downs.

All this brings us back to Redknapp and Modric and finding a way to motivate the Croat playmaker to perform while wearing the ‘chicken badge’. It’s clear that Modric wants away but he must now accept that he’s a Spurs player until January at least and will be expected to play his part or rot in Spurs non-existent reserves. Harry Redknapp may even use the Chelsea move as a motivating tool, telling him that if he’s not playing or playing poorly then Chelsea may drop their interest.

All of this will surely challenge Redknapp to the fullest, he’s already said it’s been the toughest pre-season he’s ever had – of course no mention of how tough it’s been for the club – and this could well be his hardest season in football. Obviously the defeats against the best two teams in the country need to be taken in perspective but even so, confidence appears low and it’s crucial that the team that takes the field are all convinced that their team mates are all on the same page. Redknapp has repeatedly said what a good professional Modric is, only to then destroy that image by revealing Luka’s state of mind to the press. He now needs to turn it back around and get Modric on the pitch, performing to his best. If he can do that, Spurs can get themselves into a position to challenge for the top four and then if Modric is still wanted by Chelsea, targets can be identified that can take his place for what will be a fraction of any fee received for Modric.

Just as vital as Redknapp getting Modric on the pitch in the right mindset is the Spurs faithful getting behind the manager and team. Modric is not going to be everyone’s favourite player but whilst he’s in Lilywhite needs to be supported, even if it’s only for a few more months. Those months could be crucial in shaping Spurs, not just this season but for many to come.

COYS

Stuart Watts ( @Studub on Twitter )

 

 

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