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Post by J'Arry the Spurrier on Aug 25, 2008 14:16:04 GMT -1
thats a lot of impressive work there mate  exalted  Not really. I've got in the habit of cutting and pasting clips and links as I read the papers. I like to keep summaries of our player appearance etc anyway so might as well post them. Only last season was so depressing to start with I kept delaying and then had 10 games to summarise, then 20 and then gave up. As long as I do one game at a time it can be done while reading the articles and drinking coffee. The interactive links are quite nice as it shows player analysis and positions etc. If HTML was allowed I could embed it, but the link will have to do. |
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Post by CmonYouSpurs on Aug 25, 2008 14:17:35 GMT -1
thats a lot of impressive work there mate exalted Not really. I've got in the habit of cutting and pasting. I'll have to take that exalt back then!  ;D |
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Post by J'Arry the Spurrier on Sept 6, 2008 13:39:40 GMT -1
Premier League Match 3
August 31, 2008[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7578479.stm
]Chelsea 1-1 (1-1) Tottenham[/url] [/size] Chelsea: Cech, Belletti (Kalou 75), Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Bosingwa, Essien, Lampard, Joe Cole (Malouda 65), Deco, Anelka (Di Santo 88). Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Bridge, Ferreira, Alex. Booked: Deco, Joe Cole, Bosingwa. Goals: Belletti 28. Tottenham: Gomes, Zokora, Woodgate, King, Gunter (Huddlestone 62), Bentley (O'Hara 72), Jenas, Modric, Bale, Giovani (Lennon 59), Bent. Subs Not Used: Cesar, Gilberto, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto. Goals: Bent 45. Att: 41,790 Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Gomes
Gunter … King …. Woodgate …. Bale
Jenas …. Zokora
Bentley … Modric … Giovani
Bent
Bentley and Giovani switch sides after half-time) Subs: Lennon for Giovani (59) and Huddlestone for Gunter (62)
Gomes
Jenas … King … Woodgate … Bale
Huddletone … Zokora
Lennon … Modric … Bentley
………………………(O’Hara 72)
Bent
Injured: Hutton (foot) Wrong frame of mind: Berbatov (head) Match Reports
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Post by J'Arry the Spurrier on Sept 6, 2008 13:40:27 GMT -1
Squad Analysis of First Team Squad and Changes Problems that needed solving:- Defense – simply put letting in far to many goals, especially at setpieces and long shots. Contributory factors in cluded a goalkeeper unable to command area and inspire confidence, errors by defenders, poor orgainsisation, and lack of a defensive shield from midfield.
- Midfield – unable to dominate and lack of creativity; loss of possession often left defence exposed.
- Offense – few problems until three strikers left. But we needed to improve the poor quality of the crossing and setpieces. We also had limited options to provide width in final third, especially when Lennon was off-form.
Defence- Gomez and Sanchez brought in to replace Robinson and Cerny. Gomes shows the potential to be the commanding influence in the box and inspire confidence in his defenders. The Chelsea game was promising.
- Hutton, Woodgate and Gunter were brought in in January. Corluka joined on the last day
- RB. Unfortunately, Hutton was injured to start the season and Gunter was not deemed ready, so Zokora played RB for the opening games. However, the Corluka signing solves any lack of depth here.
- LB. We now have three options at left back (Bale, Assou-Ekotto and Gilberto), or four if you include Gunter
- CB. An excellent first choice pairing when Woodgate and King are fit, but that is the concern. Dawson was good in partnership with King in the past and hopefully he can form a similar partnership with Woodgate. Corluka could be the answer asKing replacement, but is he aggressive enough, especiallt in the air to play CB in the PL. It was surprising that Kaboul, Gardner and Chimbonda (a regular emergency CB last season) were sold and Rocha sidelined, before Corluka was brought in on the last day of the window.
- I've always maintained that our biggest problem with defence was organisation and protection from midfield. With Gomes replacing Robinson we now have a keeper to command the area and improve confidence (no more collective panic at WHL from 85 minutes on). Along with Woodgate, he should help improve the organisation.
Midfield - No specialist holding player bought to act as defensive shield in midfield, unless Corluka is considered.
- We have to face the fact that Ramos does not seem to want a classic holding midfielder. The solution seems to be playing 2 deep midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 and let them share defensive duties.Playing Jenas and Modric there seemed plan A (the opening two games). But the pairing of Zokora with Jenas seeemed a big improvement.
- The change to three CMs in a 4-2-3-1 may allow us to get the best out of Jenas, Zokora and Huddlestone. Between the three of them, they have most of the capabilities needed for defensive midfielders: hustle, tackling, positioning, pressing, distribution. It’s a shame we can’t create a holding midfielder by merging them into one. But two of the three should fill the two deep positions in the 4-2-3-1, with different pairs providing different characterisitics. O’Hara and Modric provide depth.
- The 4-2-3-1 formation suits the new signings: Modric, Bentley and Dos Santos. The latter two can play anywhere in the attacking trio.
- Modric is very tenacious for a small creative player. Playing him in the forward position in front of two more defensive players provides a more robust midfield and a better base for Modric’s playmaking skills, although he can fill in deeper or on the left
- The extra man in midfield could be partially negated when two small attackiing players like Lennon and Dos Santos are played together. The pairings of Bentley and Dos Santos or Lennon and Bale might provide more balance, with Bentley and Bale capable of excellent crosses
- A little surprising that Malbranque was let go as he provided creativity and tackling.
Offence- Berbatov was always a likely departure, but Keane leaving was a surprise. With Defoe leaving in January, we have gone from an abundance to drought in the striker department.
- It’s worth remembering that, with Berbatov always likely to leave, the partnership was going to be broken anyway and, given our midfield problems, a switch to a different formation seemed inevitable, as is the modern trend.
- Keane’s lack of suitability for playing wide or dropping deep makes his departure less disappointing. When Levy asked for 15 million and Rafa offered 20 milion, his departure was inevitable. Losing his “clever” flicks should help maintain possession in midfield.
- So, while much is made of the number of forwards, with the switch to 4-2-3-1 we have sufficient depth (except for UEFA Cup games). Last season we had four strikers covering two positions and now we have two covering one position. With Frazier Campbell, a young prospect, as backup we arguably have more depth.
- The solution to the goal problem is to use a fluid front four in a 4-2-3-1 where the attacking midfielders should chip in a lot more goals than we are used to seeing. In many ways this is better as we rely less on one player (like Berbatov). Preseason was encouraging but the opening games show it is more difficult in a competitive English game. We should be better with Modric in the forward central position, though.
- The new formation also provides a chance for Bent, last seasons expensive signing. While he is good as a lone striker in a counteracting team (e.g. at Charlton), the jury is out when in a team that is trying to breakdown the opposition, but the Chelsea game was a step in the right direction.
- Pavlyuchenko is the new boy in town and hopefully can be the player to help break teams down. He will also hopefully be an effective targetman to exploit crosses from Bentley and Bale.
- Arshavin might have been the final piece in providing better and more creative links between midfield and the centre forward, either as auxillary forward or on the flanks, but it wasn’t to me. Maybe in January.
- Campbell is basically there for emergency cover in domestic competition, although as Pavlyuchenko is cup tied he is the backup to Bent in the UEFA Cup, at least until the group stages. January beckons for the knockout stages. That said if he can produce it will be a nice bonus and worth the loan, which doesn’t really cost us anything.
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Post by J'Arry the Spurrier on Sept 6, 2008 13:40:53 GMT -1
Or to summarise the changes over the last year or so: - Gomes for Robinson
- Sanchez for Cerny
- Hutton for Chimbonda
- Woodgate for Gardner
- Corluka for Kaboul
- Gunter for Stalteri
- Bale for Lee
- Modric for Tainio
- Bentley for Routledge
- Dos Santos for Malbranque
- Pavlyuchenko for Berbatov
- Campbell for Keane
- Bent for Defoe
Most of those are improvements. |
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Post by J'Arry the Spurrier on Sept 22, 2008 19:13:23 GMT -1
Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Woodgate, Dawson (Giovani 62), Bale, Lennon, Zokora (Bentley 46), Huddlestone, Modric (Jenas 29), Pavlyuchenko, Bent. Subs Not Used: Cesar, Gilberto, Campbell, O'Hara. Booked: Dawson. Goals: Bent 87. Aston Villa: Friedel, Luke Young, Laursen, Davies, Shorey (Gardner 88), Ashley Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Agbonlahor (Harewood 84), Carew (Milner 63). Subs Not Used: Guzan, Knight, Routledge, Cuellar. Booked: Shorey, Carew, Agbonlahor, Ashley Young. Goals: Reo-Coker 5, Ashley Young 54. Att: 36,075 Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).
Gomes,
Corluka ….…. Dawson …….. Woodgate ……... Bale
Zokora …. Huddlestone
Lennon …..………….Pavlyuchenko ……Modric……..…
Bent.
Subs: Jenas for injured Modric (29 min) and Bentley for Zokora (h-t)
Gomes,
Corluka …….. Woodgate ….….. Dawson ……… Bale
Jenas … Huddlestone………..
Pavlyuchenko … Bentley…
Lennon………………....Bent………………………..
Sub: Giovani for Dawson (62 min), switching to three at back with Giovani upfront Match Reports- Villa win piles pressure on Spurs Aston Villa beat Tottenham 2-1 at White Hart Lane to leave Spurs at the bottom of the Premier League
- Spurs stay bottom after home defeat – debut for Roman Pavlyuchenko fails to have desired effect for Juande Ramos's strugglers
- Spurs left rock bottom by lethal Young – Nigel Reo-Coker and Ashley Young condemned Spurs to their worst Premier League start (minute-by-minute and stats)
- Slick Villa cash in as Gomes blunder adds to Ramos's woes A statement of intent from Aston Villa; a statement of descent from Tottenham Hotspur. Rock bottom and Spurs are in a hard place. Crisis at the Lane? That may be scoffed at but one is quickly brewing. This is not progress under Juande Ramos as promised when Martin Jol – now top of the Bundesliga with Hamburg by the way – was sacked 11 months ago. The Spaniard looked in despair on the sidelines as his side slid to another defeat. It is one win in 11 league games for Spurs and a worst start to the season for 34 years. That is shocking for a club with such aspirations.
- Heurelho Gomes plays hero and villain as Tottenham crash to Aston Villa Aston Villa's first league victory in London in four years shimmered with significance, sending Martin O’Neill’s energetic counter-attackers into the top four and sending Spurs spinning to their worst ever start in the Premier League
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Post by J'Arry the Spurrier on Sept 22, 2008 19:15:54 GMT -1
Tottenham: Gomes, Gunter (O'Hara 57), Woodgate, King, Bale, Bentley, Jenas, Zokora, Lennon (Campbell 57), Giovani (Assou-Ekotto 70), Bent. Subs Not Used: Cesar, Huddlestone, Gilberto, Dawson. Booked: O'Hara. Goals: Bentley 33, Bent 73. Wisla Krakow: Pawelek, Singlar, Baszczynski, Cleber, Diaz, Boguski (Malecki 72), Sobolewski, Cantoro, Zienczuk, Pawel Brozek (Niedzielan 79), Jirsak (Lobodzinski 61). Subs Not Used: Juszczyk, Guedes Filho, Glowacki, Barreto. Booked: Sobolewski, Malecki. Goals: Jirsak 34. Att: 35,751
Gomes,
Gunter …. Woodgate …. King …. Bale,
Jenas …. Zokora,
Bentley …. Giovani.… Lennon ,
Bent.
Subs (57 min): O'Hara for Gunter, with Zokora switching to rightback, and Campbell for Lennon
Gomes,
Zokora …. Woodgate …. King …. Bale
Jenas ….. O’Hara
Bentley .… Campbell …. Giovani
Bent.
Sub (70 min) Assou-Ekotto for Giovani. To full back with Bale moving forward Match Reports |
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Post by J'Arry the Spurrier on Sept 22, 2008 19:16:42 GMT -1
Tottenham: Gomes, Zokora, Woodgate, Corluka, Assou-Ekotto, Bentley (Lennon 64), Jenas, O'Hara, Bale (Huddlestone 80), Bent, Pavlyuchenko (Campbell 46). Subs Not Used: Cesar, Gilberto, Gunter, Giovani. Booked: Corluka, O'Hara. Wigan: Kirkland, Figueroa, Boyce, Bramble, Melchiot, Valencia, Scharner, Palacios, Koumas (Kapo 72), Zaki (Camara 82), Heskey. Subs Not Used: Kingson, Pollitt, Taylor, Kilbane, De Ridder. Booked: Boyce, Palacios. Att: 35,808 Ref: Steve Tanner (Somerset). Started in 4-4-2, with two advanced strikers:
Gomes,
Zokora …. Corluka … Woodgate …. Assou-Ekotto,
Bentley …....... Jenas …... O'Hara ….. Bale
.
Bent ......Pavlyuchenko
H-t: Campbell for Pavlyochencko; Campbell played deeper, more as a 4-2-3-1
Gomes,
Zokora …. Corluka … Woodgate …. Assou-Ekotto,
Jenas …... O'Hara
..................(Huddlestone 80)
Bentley …..…....... Campbell….......... Bale….
(Lennon 64)…......................................(O’Hara 80)
Bent
Subs: 64: Lennon for Bentley; 80: Huddlestone for Bale, into midfield with O’Hara to the left Injured: Hutton (foot), Modric (knee) Match Reports |
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