Good Afternoon.
The first game, the first defeat and if you listen to some; the first of many. Under our last manager who I developed a seething contempt for, I was accused of everything from not supporting the team to starting the King’s Cross fire. Now I’m genuinely finding positives it’s being suggested I be sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
Tactically we were superior. Individually we were lacking. The Bar Codes played as if they were the away team for much of the game. The only real giveaway were the referee and his assistants cowed by a very noisy Geordie audience. If Bale is to play more centrally then he has to show some wit and know when to move out wide. Their right back took a yellow and ought to have been pressed. He wasn’t. Instead we too frequently found ourselves involved in some class of medieval battle reenactment.
Newcastle won their first corner on the 45th minute. Newcastle shot twice and scored twice. These two statements give an immediate and interesting reflection upon how the game went.
Brad He’s a damn good goalkeeper but yesterday he looked past his sell by date both in terms of agility and mindset. We need a keeper who can get off his line and sweep. We need a modern thinking man who understands that hoofing the damn thing blindly up field turns possession into a 50/50 ball.
Kyle has improved his offensive game enormously. The Forest Gump runs seem to be a thing of the past and he is winning corners and throw ins. Defensively I still get the feeling he’s going through the motions; he doesn’t think of himself primarily a defender.
Gallas No I don’t know what the deal with Vertonghen was, but Gallas for the main part looked the business. He also looked about 53.
Kaboul went about his business as he always does when he has a decent game. He was understated and effective.
Benny needs a kick up the bottom. We’ve enough on our plate without him drifting off into some LOL’d out daydream. Mr Sloppy lives next door Benny. You won’t get away with the ‘dizzy’ stuff under Villas-Boas. Or me…
Jake worries me. I like his bravery and I warm to his no nonsense style. But if he was your evening meal, he’d be a TV dinner. He needs to distinguish himself before he wakes up one day and discovers he’s become the next J****. He could be really useful, but as yet, he actually isn’t.
Sandro had what at best could be called a ‘so what’ type performance. Not nice to say, but accurate. Olympics? An unfamiliar gum shield? Who knows or cares? What is essential is that with Scotty out for another month or whatever, he gets back into the groove as soon as.
Azza’s attitude seems to have improved. I don’t know what it is but he seems to have a bit more pep about him. Early early doors, but it would be great if he had a memorable season at long last. That said he didn’t exactly tear Toon in two, but certainly heading in the right direction. More please.
Gylfi took some quality corners and if we can get use to the ball actually being fired in like this then we really ought to see some goals from these. Otherwise he didn’t quite see enough of the ball. He really didn’t. Was he wasteful? Same old same old, isn’t it? If they go in you’re carried off at shoulder height and go home with the Prom Queen. They don’t and nobody remembers your name.
Bale didn’t really get it on and he seriously needs to watch that the Ronaldo impressions don’t solely focus on writhing in agony, checking for non existent blood etc. As above, he needs to get a handle upon when the part or the pitch he’s in becomes too busy for him to operate effectively and he needs to move.
Defoe, despite all his inherent limitations gave us a good game. He doesn’t do much other than turn and shoot but I swear I caught him tracking back on at least two occasions. Took his goal and the cruelty of only being level for a couple of minutes was unbearable.
Van der Vaart he was a breath of fresh air when he came on. Hungry for the ball, tenacious and intelligent. When he gave the penalty away it was like watching the back end of pantomime horse fall over whilst soiling itself.
Villas-Boas. You could hear him imploring from the technical area, ‘go, go, go!’ He’s really suffering from a depleted squad and the resultant depleted options. Yes we need a striker, but more importantly we need a better plan in the middle than Jake. I’m not using him as a whipping boy here, rather highlighting he’s a supporting actor, not a leading man. We missed Modric
and Modric would have arguably allowed Gylfi and Bale to fly a little further than they did.
the crazy thing is if we are not actually in touch or ongoing in some transfers,we are not gong to get very far in august,unless levy throws big money down so i hope people at the club have pulled their f*cking finger out,levy being at the game yesterday is a bit of a worry isn’t it,shouldn’t he be in his office with the blinds down and the maid with 24h coffee on the go
Why wasn’t the Adebayor deal sorted before the season? What the f*ck has Levy been doing all summer? It p1sses me off that we always fail to do business early and get a team in place before the first game…all training together and had a pre season together. If I was more cynical I would actually believe it was due to us not wanting to pay these players wages for the few months leading up to the new season.
As far as I’m aware everything has been agreed our end. The hold up is an issue between Adebayor and Man City over which Levy has no sway.
But hey, continue to bad mouth our chairman if it makes you feel better.
Say whatever you like but Spurs have gone backwards and will NOT finish 4th or higher this season.
Only Spurs would use an opportunity to progress and instead get worse.
Levy is only interested in a new stadium and the fact we have made money on transfers suggests we are nowhere near ambitious as our rivals. And before someone pipes up about Arsenal….they are exactly why we should be spending the dough on players rather than a shiny big new stadium!!!!
well the chances of being top 3 are unlikely with the money the mancs and chavs spend and the arse know what they are doing too,4-6 is our level but i am not impressed with the squad as of right now,4th will be tough as we are
Fulham are top so anything is possible
just had a spy at spurs’ accounts for year end 30 June 2011, we can forget about any marquee signings if those accounts are anything to go by, the money simply ain’t there
There is big money being borrowed for NLDP just acquiring property we don’t own (up to 150 million to date) and more importantly very little in way of operating profits, champions league income got eaten up in the main by higher wages & bonuses.
Lots of blurb but some interesting proviso’s within small print, club is preparing for significant write off for costs of project to date if bank funding is not forthcoming.
Also noted we’ve got £30 million in debts bearing 7.29% spread over 16 years from 2007 for monies put into the club in 2002 & 2006 (for player purchases I presume?)
as I always thought – football ain’t a business
That’s a lot less promising than I expected,I can understand why DL has to drive a hard bargain and thank God we’ve got him running the ship.
fw – for a football club the books are ok but I don’t buy this ‘in Levy we trust’ bullshit, he’s trying to compete in an industry where financial doping is the norm without the required working capital within the business without borrowings
as a business it’s in a poor position, too much borrowing loaded onto the business for day to day funding, very little cash and presentation of the accounts indicate to me they’ve been prepared to sell the business i.e. lots of information completely unnecessary for financial reporting requirements (I call it fluffing)
have a look for yourself, I’m not impressed
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/media/docs/annual_report_2011.pdf
jfdit Far too much reading for a man of my lack of business intellect but thanks for trying.I thought you were saying there ain’t as much money to spend as the average yiddo thinks.But on Levy,I do trust and I am very grateful he stopped Redknapp fucking us up financially like he done at Pompey.
no worries fw, I don’t doubt levy’s trying his very best but he’s got an uphill challenge trying to get us up with the current top 4 teams with their rich owners with our current funding
I’m praying joe lewis has a change of heart and decides to spend some of his billions on our new ground
the ‘joe lewis’ stadium has a nice ring to it doesn’t it
The problem about your perception of the situation is easily undertood by your name.
Something about gratification..not sure what the phrase is
I didnt think Livermore was poor, not great though. he needs to play a disciplined role or he wonders off. i really hope we can find someone who can move the ball forward from central midfield.
Should we give Carroll a go while we dont have a striker ? It would protect him from taking all the grief if he didnt go well.
he is not that bright and hasnt that much talent.
Yes he can kick the ball and he can tackle.
Spot on assessment
Off topic I know, but was given a free ticket to Upton Park yesterday and it was good to see Bent is still totally reliant on his team mates.
Spent the whole game looking to run on to through balls which never came.
West Ham still after the OS but they are offering season tickets for this season at reduced prices.
Looks like they may have unearthed a diamond in Diame, who I believe signed for them from Wigan on a free transfer.
Stephen Ireland playing in bright pink boots managed to spend most of the game passing to the opposition. Perhaps he thought Villa were playing in claret and blue.
Nolan scored but the guy appeared seriously unfit and makes Hudd look athletic.
Villa had masses of possession but no end product. Can only remember each keeper making one save.
Thanks for the Claret-y
You lost me after ‘Upton Park’.
Bitch :-D