What a difference a new manager makes!!

One of the biggest indictments on last season’s managers at the Lane surely had to be the lack of any of our English players making the plane to Brazil.

In recent years, Spurs had been proud to have a number of players who were making the English team, but last season, injuries and poor management of players meant our English contingent were left at home.

Square pegs in square holes

I recently stated after the QPR game that one of the things that really pleases me about our new manager is that he does thing simply and is playing people in the right positions. But more importantly than that, he seems to be putting trust and faith in our players. In any job, trust and faith from your boss definitely helps you to perform to your very best.

The fall and rose

Danny Rose came in for a lot of stick last season and to be fair, a lot of it was well deserved, but what a difference a new manager makes. In pre-season, I was very impressed with Rose, he looked fitter, hungrier and his defending and attacking both seemed to be coming together early well.

He played well against QPR and his wing back play was brilliant in my opinion, and the arrival of Ben Davies seems to have really pushed him forward and today he has been duly rewarded with an England call up.

At the end of last season, I actually thought Rose might have had his day at the lane but I am delighted that he has proved me very wrong and I hope he grows from this.

The future

When Pochettino was appointed, for the first time in a few years, I actually started to think about the long term future of Spurs, rather than the continual short term panic that I feel has hindered us from reaching a consistent top four finish in the Premier league.

We saw at Southampton just what Pochettino can do with talented youngsters and the call up of Rose to England is just another example of a manger getting the best out of players whose potential has previously been ' hidden. '

Of course, I don't want to forget Townsend, as although he hasn't featured too much for Spurs in the first two games, his England call up will no doubt help his confidence and I expect him to be a big part of our team this season in all competitions, so well done son.

Dier chance

I thought Eric Dier may just sneak into the squad after his two early showings for Spurs, but although he has not been chosen on this occasion, I honestly believe that he could end up being a big part of England in the future and I am excited about him continuing to improve at the lane.

The future's bright, the future's lillywhite!!

It is still early days, but it is good to see our players brimming with confidence, and hopefully as they continue to take the Premier league by storm ( I hope ), we will again see the spine of England coming from the might Spurs!

As ever, and of course....COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!!!!

 

Nice article. But, in my opinion, Rose was UNFAIRLY criticised by folk who do NOT have a rounded understanding of the game. It's as simple as that!

Rose has ALWAYS been a good player, with bundles of potential, but, as I said at the time, there were MANY mitigating circumstances which played their part in the inconsistent form we saw from him towards the back end of last season. The problem is, your average punter doesn't consider these things when it comes to assessing the ability/potential of a player.

And, how can they - when their FAR too busy waiting for the latest bandwagon to come around the corner?

As far as I'm concerned, Danny hasn't shown me anything new this season, that I hadn't already seen in the past. The kid is a young talent, who has PLENTY of scope to improve further. Nothing has changed because he has played 2 good games. He still has a considerable amount to learn and, as a consequence of that, he will still make mistakes.

It's just about continuing to support, encourage and believe in the guy when he does, instead of slaughtering him!

Rose is NOT a natural LB. He is a converted one. It's not an easy transition to make. In fact it's one of the most difficult!

But what Poch has seen, is what I have always identified, and that is that Danny has a great set of tools, which are perfectly suited to that role ...( Yes, I said tools ), and an extremely trainable mind.

When you have those two things, you always have a chance, providing you have someone who is willing to take the time to show you the ropes.

And to be fair, who is there better placed to help Rose make the necessary adjustments than a attack-minded, former, International class, defender, in MP.

 

I think the criticism came from him being out of position and not tracking back enough to be honest. My main criticism of him last season was more about fitness as he did look at times like he had been having one too many takeaways, but as I have said many times before, I think a lot of that May have been down to the poor training regime that seemed to be in place.
The number of injuries last season and fitness levels suggest that the fitness coaches and doctors were simply not doing their jobs, likewise the management.
Danny undoubtedly shoed potential last season at times, and when on loan at Sunderland was their player of the year.
He is now being handled correctly and I am happy to have been proved wrong about him.
Providing players with trust and belief from the very top is essential for any manager to do, and MP has this at his core which is why the youngsters will flourish under him as was seen at the Saints last year.

 

How is converting from left winger to left back one of the most difficult transitions to make? Do you think it is easier to convert from goalkeeper to inside right or centre half to centre forward? Many teams now playing 5-3-2 are playing wingers as fullback or "wing-backs". The positions are the most similar on the pitch and calling it the most difficult transition calls into question your football insight.

 

I've never had a big problem with Rose, though he does look much better going forward than defending to be honest. He had a decent game on Sunday, pleased for the man.

I'm much less convinced about Kaboul in the heart of our defence to be honest. I hope the new kid Fazio gives us some more options there.

As much as I'm unconvinced about Kaboul, I'm excited about Dier. He plays with a calm maturity well beyond his 20 years. I don't want to get too carried away, but his potential is one that is surely getting other Premiership clubs green with envy. What a great bit of business for us.

I've liked what I've seen so far under Poch, though Sunday will give us a better flavour of where we are right now. COYS.

 

Terri- Perhaps it would of been wiser of me to insert the word realistically into the comment where I said 'Rose is NOT a natural LB. He is a converted one. It's not an easy transition to make. In fact (realistically) it's one of the most difficult!' But, hey, I didn't bank on coming across a smart Alec in the vicinity! My mistake.

Tell me, out of curiosity, when was the last time you saw a pro GK make a transition to 'inside right' (whatever that's supposed to mean) in the modern game? Or when have you ever seen a manager move a CB to CF on a permanent basis? So I'm NOT sure how seriously we can really take those comparisons.

Listen, I reckon the truth is, any player, can play any where on a football pitch.... How well they could fulfil a role that is not their preferred one, however, is another question entirely, though.

You talk about wingers playing at wing-back, and you are correct, but, again, I would suggest that this is not ideal, as the requirement from a technical, mental and physical aspects, are FAR more varied, my friend.

You see, not only is a modern fullback expected to operate as part of the defensive line, they are also required to operate within EVERY other section/3rd of the field too. Any yet, there is a reason why the call the back 4 'the last line of defence'. And while your role as a fullback means you have to focus intensely on things like:

Mental

• tracking runs.
• positioning.
• marking and anticipation/reading of the game.
• awareness and concentration.
• bravery and aggression.
• off-the ball movements.
• communication
• Teamwork
• decision making

you are also expected to have:

Technical

• good technique (.i.e be good/comfortable in possession)
• regularly win tackles/ make blocks.
• instigate attacks with passes.
• good delivery from from wide positions.
• have good/ decent dribbling skills.

Physical

• strength.
• great stamina levels.
• high work rate.
• good/decent aerial ability.
• good balance
  

Like I said, ALL of that is expected, whilst also being a fundamental part of 'the last line of defence'. Get past that 'line', and your in on goal. It's as simple as that!

Listen, I take your point that there IS some similarities in being a LB and LM/LW. And some of the things I have mentioned above will relate to both roles. But that is all it is, a FEW similarities!

Because while a winger gets to pass his man on, or jog back as opposed to sprint , the full back cannot.

While the winger is very unlikely to have to cope with a 2 on 1 situation, down his side of the pitch, directly outside the penalty area, a fullback will.

While the fullback has to concern himself with the space between himself and his fellow CB, tracking runs from all over the pitch, and playing off-side, a winger does not.

Yes we have seen wingers play as full/wing backs in the past, but we have also seen that it is FAR from ideal as they don't tend to possess the defensive instincts required to adapt to that position, at the very highest level.

Hence the reason players like Valencia wouldn't, usually, start against the BIG teams at RB, tending only to come on/in, in that position, if Utd were trailing/desperate.

Hey, I said it before, any player CAN play any where on the field if asked. But don't be fooled into thinking that just because they can play there, that there going to be any good. Especially against top-level opposition.

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

What I will say, however, is if you wish to continue this friendly debate, you could always try listing the expectations of a winger/wide man, in the same format have used (mental, physical, technical) and we can discuss this further...

Or we can just call it Ramos43 1 vs Terri 0...