Blogs

Chalkboard For Sid James Park

|
Image for Chalkboard For Sid James Park

Good morning.

There will be some feeling as we travel oop north today we have far too much in common with the one legged man who entered into a bottom kicking competition.

Striker-less is an unkind phrase as midget gem and all round diminutive dynamo Jermain Defoe is ready, willing and able. As he proved the other night for England. But is he what we really need? Well, my dears …he’s what we’ve got. On an upbeat note, he’s never in his career have a better opportunity to ‘turn it on’ and really prove he’s worth his place. Nevertheless for me he’s benched.

I’d have to run with a 433 and essentially try to implement a ‘best of’ the preseason formations. This is a Premier League game of course so I’m struggling to see the benefit of Rafa as a substitute. That’s a scenario which says once Defoe’s finished bombing around like a mentalist for 65 minutes we throw on a guy who’s prepared to have a few shots from outside the 18 yard box.

Back four picks itself with Vertonghen and Kaboul standing strong front and centre. Dawson seems to lack the finesse for the Villas-Boas method, but the option to bring him in if he’s needed is a bit of a coup. Let’s hope there’s no hair brained scheme to sell him to Liverpool being considered.

Our midfield needs Sandro like a flower needs water. Despite his unavailability for the preseason the boss said of him, “He has had the best training possible in terms of playing time so you can say that he is one step ahead in terms of physical preparation.” Livermore should find Sandro inspiring company and whilst there is obviously no Modric, we are still fielding four players in advanced positions who I’d deem as intensively creative.

The deep lying front line will let van Der Vaart drift slightly forward of Bale and Gylfi who have clearly been developing an understanding. This could be dependent upon AVB’s instruction of course as close to the 433 High Line™ as we have yet seen. Despite the overuse of the phrase High Line™ the only glimpse we got of it was against Valencia went we went into ‘all hands to the pump’ mode after their second goal went in.

The last words from the boss: “It will be very difficult but we have our ambitions and strengths, which we will look to use. It will be a match fully charged with emotion but we have to be solid and stable. If we do that we can take something from the match.” This says to me he’s minded to avoid a loss, try a nick a win. He may well have got that just about right.

Share this article

328 comments

  • The Tottinghams says:

    Very worried about this season. I am going to focus on my Fantasy team. How is everyone finding picking their teams?

    • BrisbaneLillyWhite says:

      I’ve got Defoe in mine… but he’s been benched there too.

      • BrisbaneLillyWhite says:

        Also wanted to say, with regards to this season, ‘Don’t panic Mr Mainwaring’ if we get tonked in the first 2 games because our team sheet isn’t settled (see last season). We can still pull it back quite quickly once appropriate transfers are complete. If we can improve on the end of last season rather than the start, we’re onto something good.

  • CLaw says:

    I think he’ll play Defoe ans it’ll go something like:

    Brad
    Kyle – Eunice – Jan – Benny
    Sandro – Jake
    Azza – Sig – Bale
    Defoe

    Bench of Carlo, Daws, Rose, Thudd, *****, Kane, Rafa

    • Canon Stars says:

      Agreed, apart from VDV in for Sig

    • Spurstacus says:

      Agreed except VDV in for Jake.

      • jerkinmahjurgen says:

        Vdv will be on a card every time he plays in the middle, running the risk of being sent off. Too clumsy and rash in the tackle and also gets hot headed. And in the thick of it would risk injury. I’d put Defoe on the bench. And take some bacon. They’ve lots of muslims, apparently. That should give us an edge.

  • Nick Andrews says:

    We appear to have gone backwards since the end of last season when we ended 4th with that terrible manager of ours…can’t believe we’re going into the new season with a makeshift midfield and impotent attack…

  • Bibby says:

    Annoyed by reading so much horeshit before today. Deal done ade 100k per week, done deal moutinho 80k per week. Done deal llorente 100k. Clearly all made up crap, we start today with no quality striker.

    Iwould not want to go to Levi’s house at Christmas time. He goes shopping on boxing day. Not happy.

    • BrisbaneLillyWhite says:

      He’s probably more of a Hanukkah kind of guy

    • cookiebun says:

      Same as that. Levy said he was strengthing. Has had 3 months in which to do it but sat on his wads. He doesnt look such a shrewd chairman today. In fact he’s a tight arsed little miser.

      • BrisbaneLillyWhite says:

        He’s got form for this though. Its not really all that surprising. Spurs aren’t super rich and prices come down in the last few days of the transfer window so waiting makes sense. In my opinion, its worth potentially sacrificing a few games to get a good player (or two) who’s hopefully going play 100+ games at a price we may not have been able to afford a few weeks earlier.

        • DaveYid says:

          But last year even after doing that we came up with zero strikers and then a few months later sold the rest of them off.
          It’s worrying me even if I do understand what Levy is once again doing. It’s hindered the team once and it’s about to do it again.

    • Smog says:

      You can’t move in Levi’s house without tripping over a pair of jeans

  • Nottmspur says:

    Agree nick. Finish top 4 twice in 3 seasons. Thats boring, lets change it all and finish mid table and all be pi**** off again for years to come

Leave a Reply to BrisbaneLillyWhite Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *