PLAYER RATINGS - West Ham 2:0 Tottenham

And you are just as lazy. "The" is not "d".

 

My biggest issue with this season is the sheer lack of drive and commitment from most of the outfield players. Thats just unacceptable with how much theyre getting paid. As one person said above, the way that ade and paulinho faced that free kick epitomised the lack of guts all year. I don't know why we shipped out Holtby, as we could've done with his energy, either starting or coming on as a sub to up the tempo of our sleepy team.

We have good players, who think they are too good to play for the team. IMO anyone who has that attitude should just go, rather than waste MY hard-earned money and support for them.

Lots of other issues to sort out tho. Horribly unbalanced as a squad, let alone as a team. We have more midfielders than possibly any other team in the prem, and yet lack decent fullbacks. No natural leader on the pitch. Need an experienced manager with good man management skills for a start, but also one who knows how to organise a defence and make us of our most willing midfielders (i.e. Sandro). The list goes on...

 

I agree that we have good players, but I DON'T think the issue is, 'they think there too good for Spurs'.

For me, the team has been set-up for MOST of the year to play WITH the football, and not properly balanced to be able to adjust to life WITHOUT it! Of course, there are eleven players charged with with working whether the team has the ball, or not, but like I said in my previous post, too MANY players are being asked to do roles that are alien to them, instead of FOCUSSING on their strengths.

Think about it, how many times this year has Dembele been charged with protecting the back four , instead of operating with the freedom that allows him to attack the oppositions penalty area, from deep, on a REGULAR basis?

How many times has Paulinho been seen, NOT arriving from deep, but almost exclusively stationed on the edge of the opponents box where he lacks the guile, vision and technical ability to CONSISTENTLY effect the game in that position?

How many times has Sigurdsson/Chadli been asked to fulfil a MORE rounded list of midfield duties in the centre of the pitch (in a two), despite their skill-sets suggesting that their efforts would be better used either in a three or further up the pitch?

How many times have teams been able to SIMPLY waltz their way through the middle of the Spurs midfield with limited opposition, as a result of the lack of defensive INSTINCTS installed in our engine room, and find themselves running directly at the Tottenham back 4?

These are just a FEW observations I have made about the Spurs team throughout the course of the season, that I feel have had a detrimental impact upon the sides performance/balance, and believe me, there are many, many more.

Even under AVB, the hardest workers WITHOUT the ball (in the Spurs midfield/attack) , were Lennon and Dembele, two players that, although you hope will put in a shift, you wouldn't REALLY want to FOCUS on knackering themselves out fulfilling defensive duties on a CONSISTENT basis, as we ALL know their energies would be better used in more advanced areas of the pitch, but that is exactly what has happened this season!!!

Our attacking (and ultimately our defensive) players have been left EXPOSED and OVER-WORKED by ,BOTH, our managers inability to find the perfect, or even well-balanced, BLEND, between, having forward-thinking components on the pitch, COMPLIMENTED by more defensive minded ones... It IS as simple as that.

Out of all of our midfielders the campaign, Sandro and Capoue MUST have made the LEAST appearances for the team in the EPL. Add the endeavour, work rate and pressing ability (as well as other things) of Lewis Holtby to that list, and Spurs managers have done their utmost to REMOVE all of the fight, physicality and leaders from the team.

Now when I say 'leaders' I don't NECESSARILY mean the those with the biggest voices in the team. When I say say 'leaders' I am referring to players who INSTIGATE action from their teammates, and EMOTION from the crowd. The 'leaders' are the ones that act as the CATALYST for the teams MOMENTUM in a match, and also through their sheer WILL and ENDEAVOUR inspire a feeling of defiance in the face of adversity. etc, etc...

That is what AVB and TS have failed to identify at ANY point during their tenures this season. And that is why BOTH men DESERVED to lose their jobs!!!!

I could go on, but I won't...

So while the players have failed the club, and themselves, on a number of occasions this....the managers have committed the biggest crimes, for me.

 

The players who were brought in have quite openly stated that the chairman promised they were joining an ambitious club.
Since we sacked Redknapp we have gone backward. The majority of Spurs fans love levy. They love that he has brought stability to the club financially, but couldn't give a **** that on the pitch their
there has been little success.
The assertion that levy has attracted big names is utter rubbish. Klinsmann, Lineker, Gazza, Sheringham, Dumitrescu, .....LEVY wasn't at the club for those players. Spurs are a big name in football and will attract big players regardless of levy. What they do know is that once they show how good they are they will be sold and move to a club that will win things. 10, soon to be 11 managers in 13 years is a joke.
LEVY sits in the stands motionless. Why? Because he doesn't care about the football club, only the PLC.
After Harry, no matter what anyone thinks about him, the reason was given by Levy that the club must go in a new direction. Well it has. Backwards.
LEVY recently stated we will be in a new stadium by 2017. If anyone actually believes that, I am astonished! So in the next few months all the permissions will be signed and all working grants authorised and building will start this summer? Levy was pulling the wool over your eyes again and you fall for it again.
We have a state of the art training ground. Good. So why have we had so many injuries this season?? What is the point in having a state of the art facility if the players on it get sold to teams who can win titles but have lesser facilities? We have a special relationship with Real Madrid of who only they are getting any benefit! Whose idea was that? Oh yes, Daniel Levy...again.
LEVY is a liar, has no time for the fans and in thirteen years has delivered the league cup.
Tottenham Hotspur Football club is less important to Daniel Levy than the PLC and it would appear that this is the case for the majority of Spurs fans too which I will never comprehend.

 

Agree! I don't think Cavajal, Pepe, Ramos and Cuentrao would be able to do a much better job playing behind our current midfield. Those that see our back line as the problem cannot see the woods for the trees.

 

Ideally we need to focus on being a strong attacking force. I would like to see the new manager use wide players, make sure Eriksen is at the centre of the team and to avoid changing the team week in week out.
I believe a few players need to move on such as Dawson, but overall the summer is about getting the players into their best positions, getting them to play at pace and crack on next season for the top four. Champions league football and a trophy has to be the aim next season for a club as big as Tottenham Hotspur.

 

If dawson goes we have to get a strong centre back in, a top quality defender. Cant see verts at the club next season so with our questionable full backs its a total rebuild. Whether kaboul can return to his best and chiriches step up remains to be seen. Agree that the whole team has defensive duties that have been overlooked this season. Back to the basics as they say. Coys

 

Chiriches good be brilliant from what I have seen of him so far this year. I agree that verts will probably on his way, so another top class centre half is needed. Left back in particular needs addressing and we still need goals. Maybe Soldado will come good but I would like to see someone clinical like Hernandez from man United.

 

Talk of Loris going too, but surely we have to keep him. Vlad does look good and hopefully he'll get the responsibility next season to be the main man. Dont think Caulker is the answer but there must be a top centre half and left back out there that wants to play in london. The benfica CBs look good and what are we the 12th or 14th richest club in the world ? Coys.

 

As usual we will need to sell before we buy so ill expect us to cut a few MFs so we can strenthen the defence

 

Tim has to showcase the players he wants Levy to sell. I think he would play Townsend is he could. Mirror says those three are going away.

 

I don't think Tim will be there long enough to have ANY kind of impact on sales and departures. I think Baldini and Levy will act quickly to appoint a new manager meaning that all three will probably discuss incomings/outgoings with the Head Coach having the final say.

I DON'T believe Spurs will sell any of the teams KEY personnel, which would include Jan AND Hugo. Levy can sell a vision to the blind, and I think he will use that ability to convince the players to give the club one more season under a new manager.

His pitch will be along the lines:

- the club is going to hire a manager who produces an attractive brand of football, returning to the clubs old traditions.

- the board plan to invest in 2/3 quality players to improve the squad.

-the clubs new signing will be better this year for having a FULL season in the EPL.

- with the club NOT qualifying for Europe, the team will be able to focus their attentions on the league and domestic cup success (like Liverpool this year)

- sign a new contract, give me one more year and if the club doesn't qualify for the CL, I flog you in the summer (alla Modric)

As long as the club hires a manager that EXCITES, APPEALS and INSPIRES confidence within the squad, the players WILL stay!!!

I don't think Vertonghen is DESPERATE to leave....I think Vertonghen is DESPERATE for success, and if Spurs hire a manager who Jan thinks can deliver that success, he like the rest of the lads WILL stay.

If Pochettino DOES sign though, I would be more than happy to see the following happen:

Incomings Outgoings (Levy prices)

Delph -£10m Paulinho- £22m (Delph can do his role, and better)
Loveren -£12m Vertonghen £17m (If he is REALLY unhappy)
Caulker/Smalling -£10m-12m ???? Dawson £6-7m (On the decline)
Morata- £10m Adebayor £8m (Getting on. Cash in while stock is high)
Umtiti -£7m Falque £4-5m (Again, unlikely to play)
Lallana £17m Livermore £6-7m (Unlikely to play. Quick cash)
Naughton £4m (Fredricks looks better)
Sigurdsson £7m (too good to sit on bench)
plus
Holtby
Carroll
Pritchard
Fredricks

Now I haven't done the maths but if Spurs were to conduct that business, with those prices (roughly), the club would (probably) turn over a profit. With the club out of Europe, Spurs will need to trim the squad. So the opportunity to sell a bit of dead wood and promote some hungry, young players is something that should NOT be overlooked, especially with Pochettino's ability to work and develop youngsters.

I believe ALL of those players would add REAL value to the Spurs squad, with the potential capture of Morata being the ideal opportunity to test the merits of that 'partnership' with Real Madrid. Personally, I would rather Spurs went for Benteke, instead, but with the Belgian unlikely to be fit until the start of the new campaign, the young Spaniard could come in and learn under Soldado's tutelage.

Umtiti had a great game against Spurs, for Lyon, in the Europa League, capping off an impressive display with a wonder goal at the Lane. Signing the versatile Frenchman would enable Spurs to sign just ONE CB with the youngster able to play at LB and CB. Fryers has also shown POTENTIAL at CB, which means Kaboul, Chiriches and Loveren, with Fryers/Umtiti should be enough cover to compensate for the loss of Daws and Vertonghen.

Delph, Lallana, Carroll, Fredricks and Pritchard would give Spurs a nice, young, British influence in the dressing room.

These deals are (REALISTIC) transfers that I would be happy to see the club conduct, NOT what I necessarily think will actually happen.

 

Tim wont be having much input to any new signings for next season. I think the new manager should decide on who stays and who goes, I just hope whoever it is can convince Lloris and jan to stay as they are both class, particularly Hugo who is as close as weve got to world class. The defence is the area that needs fixing the most, LB long overdue. not sure about Ade at the moment, he's been good this year but as usual he starts really well playing his socks off and then he slumps. as good as he can be he just doesn't have a full season in him. we still desperatly need that 20+ striker. its too soon to get excited about who might come and who might go but I do like the sound of Lukaka for Paulinho,and Lallana for Townsend. swaps never really happen but they sound good. dream on.

 

We need 2 consistant imposing CBs, a LB and RB that have positional awareness and are confident on the ball, a replacement for Lloris when he goes, we need to replace the whole midfield except Eriksen (if hes not sold) and we also need to sell Soldaflop and Adeywhyscore? Then replace them with 2 top notch Strikers that terrorise defences. And to top it of we also need a manager that actually knows about tactics and has a plan.
So basically we need an entire new team that are consistant, know how to play football, can defend, can attack and have a spine. And a new manager.
Not much to ask for is it?

 

And a new Chairman would be brilliant too. Preferably one that knows what theyr doing and has an interest in the actuall football team.

 

Caulker could do well I think. He is quick and .strong and could be a long term prospect, and I think we need that right now at the lane.
If Poch does come in, then I full expect he will be wanting to bring some players with him and that could be exciting. It should be an interesting summer, but then it usually is with spurs.

 

Perhaps, we should remember that although Townsend is 22/23 he is still relatively young in football/development terms. This was his 1st FULL season as a EPL player and although he still has much to work on and learn, he has shown IMMENSE scope for improvement, and in my mind at LEAST, can go on to become whatever he wants in football.

FEARLESS, DIRECT, QUICK, TWO-FOOTED, SKILLFUL and A SPURS SUPPORTER, Andros is EXACTLY the kind of player Tottenham NEED to build a squad/team around, and I would sooner flog my (state-of the-art) laptop than see young Townsend leave Spurs.

Did anyone see the way the kid handles responsibility, pressure and the scrutiny? It is like water off a ducks back, with players in the Spurs and England squad adopting a pass it to Townsend (and he'll do the rest) policy, early on in the season.

Making the jump from QPR to Spurs is not easy, with all the expectation that comes with it. But the way he LEAD an expensively assembled Tottenham at the beginning of the campaign was simply a JOY to BEHOLD.
Indeed, he was a BIG reason why Spurs fans were not thinking of Bale early on in the season.

Players with Andros' CONFIDENCE, ARROGANCE and SELF-ASSUREDNESS are EXTREMELY rare, and hard to come by. Compare his 1st season to say that of Sterling, who is flavour of the month right now, and it is fair to say that Townsend has adapted to life at this level, and beyond, CONSIDERABLY faster.

The kid is a GEM, and this is a view I have expressed since I first saw him rip Charlton a new one in the Carling Cup a few years back.
If he was Spanish, Brazilian or Portuguese, he would be a household name already. As it is, he is ONLY well on his way to doing that.

Lallana for Townsend....I wouldn't swap him for ANYONE in the EPL.

Caulker is a good prospect BUT his development seems to be quite slow, in my opinion. There is no doubt Steven has ALL the physical attributes to be a TOP EPL defender, but it is the mental side of his game that concerns me.
His reading of the game, ability to track runs and positional awareness still leave a LOT to be desired, and I'm not sure I've seen enough during his time at Cardiff to suggest he has improved sufficiently in these areas .

The kid is certainly talented though, and if Spurs can bring Caulker back to the club and sit him next to an EXPERIENCED talker at the back, than I would not be against the idea of bringing an academy graduate back to the club, given his potential.

I would LOVE to see Spurs return back to the policy of promoting/singing young British players again. it worked well when the club did it before, and Liverpool/United have also experienced great value by adopting that particularly policy.

With that being said, the player I believe Spurs should make a PRIORITY signing this summer is Fabien Delph, who will UNDOUBTEDLY become an England player in the not too distant future. Englands answer to a Dembele style type of player, Fabien has come on leaps and bounds in the last season and a half.

Under difficult circumstances, playing in a team with a shortage of not only quality, but experience, Delph has had to grow up relativity quickly. And after struggling to impose himself in the EPL for a few seasons, the former Leeds star has, now, FIRMLY established himself as one of England's brightest prospects.

QUICK, AGGRESSIVE, COMBATIVE, TECHNICALLY ADEPT, POWERFUL, INTELLIGENT, A GOOD DRIBBLER and POSSESSES A GREAT ENGINE, Fabien has reached a point in his career, at 24, that he can look to move on to bigger things, now.

For me, he could play for ANY of the top 6 teams in the EPL, at the moment, with his confidence being what it is, and he would CERTAINLY offer Spurs fans what most had hoped that Paulinho would bring to the team this season (bar, perhaps, the goal return)

The prospect of a triangle in the Spurs midfield, consisting of Delph, Dembele and Sandro would MOUTHWATERING, and would ENSURE we are not overran or out-muscled in that particular department again next season (although part of that has been down to the POOR way in which Spurs have been set-up this year)

He would also be a like for like replacement for Dembele, should the Belgian suffer one of his customary injuries during the course of the next campaign.

Look, I could go on about this kid ALL day, and I can't emphasise ENOUGH how impressed I have been with Delph development over the last couple of seasons.

With the off- the-ball movement a manager like Pochettino would encourage at Spurs, in the midfield and attack, players like Delph, Dembele, Townsend, Eriksen, Holtby, Sigurdsson, Lennon, Chadli, Carroll and Lamela, (so virtually ALL of them) would FLOURISH, next season.

Baldini take note!!!

 

I would take Lallana over Townsend in a heartbeat. Andros is a good player and will get better but for all his running around there is no end product. Worse, in the early season he selfishly lashed at anything from 30 yards and wasted many opportunities. is it any wonder Soldado got off to a frustrating start with no service. show pony, ok off the bench as long as he stays on the left. Lallana is a fantastic team player who creates and scores.

 

Townsend. I wouldnt swap him for anyone in the epl? there must be someone out there better than Andros. isnt there?

 

It is NOT what Andros is now, that FASCINATES me...It is what I know he can become that EXCITES me, to such a degree.

I ALWAYS say, that MUCH of a wingers end product is determined by those he assists applying the finishing touch.
I remember at LEAST two separate occasions, this season, where Townsends good work has gone unfinished...which means that instead of getting those 2 assists, he ended up with nothing.

First, was his reverse pass, against Chelsea, to Paulinho. An opportunity the Brazilian duly blasted against the post (when he should REALLY of scored, or at LEAST worked the keeper). And then there was his ball across the goal-mouth against Aston Villa, to which Paulinho, AGAIN, contrived to miss....this time, from 3 yards out.

And wasn't it Townsend that supplied Soldado with his FIRST 2 goals from open play for Spurs in the Europa League vs Tiblisi?

Look, I am NOT saying that Andros isn't a rough diamond, but I FIRMLY believe that with a bit of polishing Townsend can FAR exceed the exploits of Adam Lallana.

I was VERY quick to spot Lallana's UNDENIABLE talent this season, and to say it is considerable MAY not do it justice. But we should remember that this is Lallana 1st FULL season at EPL level, too. And at 25 years old, he has played more games than Townsend, at a higher level. Adam STILL has a LOT to prove.

I NEVER saw Townsend as selfish, as much as I saw a young player, who's SELF BELIEF, DESIRE, WILLINGNESS and CONFIDENCE meant that he was prepared to take RESPONSIBILITY. Something which too many Spurs players have failed to do enough this season.

As far as I'm concerned, it was THOSE traits/characteristics that lead to his MOTM displays in the recent qualifiers, and secured England a relatively comfortable passage through to the WC. It is a quality that ALL of the VERY best, attacking, players possess .i.e. Ibra, Suarez, Messi, Ronaldo, Bale, etc, etc.

Imagine of all of the truly magical moments we would of been denied if those players did NOT have that self-satisfying nature to their game.

Would Ibra have scored that OUTRAGEOUS bicycle-kick against England? Would Messi have dribbled past half a Gatefe team before slotting the ball into the back of the net? Would Suarez have lobbed Ruddy from the halfway line? Etc, etc, etc...

Spurs fans SHOULD encourage such ENTHUSIASM and SELF BELIEF in a player. But what do they do, condemn because he isn't quite at a level where he can produce that little bit of magic on a regular basis, YET. If people WITHOUT foresight (I am NOT talking about you notnats) KEEP criticizing young players for expressing themselves, they run the risk of scaring players into becoming too rigid in their approach (i.e. Lennon).

The way Sherwood has treated Andros, especially with Lennons disappointing form, has been nothing short of SCANDALOUS!!!!

Once Townsend refines his skills, gains more EPL experience and matures as a player, he WILL be a STAR, who will no doubt cost more in a potential transfer fee than Lallana ever will.

Speed is a expensive commodity in the current game. The fact that Andros has that, as well as ALL of his other qualities, means that clubs will be prepared to fork out an extra, substantial, amount of money, should Townsend fulfil his ENORMOUS potential.