Good morning
Much better and well done to all them for getting their acts together. The game itself was extremely watchable and it was to our credit as this looked like the Aston Villa that McLeish fielded, a token striker and 10 men behind the ball.
The tactical shape was pretty much spot on and I think we’re slowly but surely growing into and developing a tempo that both suits and can be sustained. One prominent factor was our ability to pinch the ball off the Villan’s toes. Postionally we used the width of the pitch more and it showed.
Some kindly souls thought I was overly beating Brad up last week and so here’s a thought for you. Yes, Lloris did boot the ball up the field but he did it a lot less. The net result was a passing accuracy rate of 67% opposed to Brad’s 18%. I know it’s boring, but if you give the ball away you’re a liability, you’re not a benefit.
Okay, let’s fly through the individual performances and see what we saw.
One iffy throw out but I thought he looked brand new. Lively coming off his line on a couple of occasions and a good punch out. All this Brad’s lost his place stuff in the media needs to be sniggered at. We paid good money for this lad. Brad’s 141.Get over it.
On her way to the city, Dorothy meets Kyle Walker, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion , who lament that they lack respectively a brain, a heart, and courage. Time to make a definite separation in people’s minds between ‘athlete’ and ‘footballer’. If Levy is cute we can flog him to some schmucks who haven’t clocked the fact he can’t defend. 53% of Villa’s attacking moves were down the left wing. You work it out.
Won 5 headers, won 2 off-sides and generally ran the back line show like a good’un. The influence of Billy must not be glossed over. What happens when Kaboul returns? Difficult decisions are the burden of rank.
This is very out of character for me. This ‘kids’ coming through always have some glaring deficiency that seemingly only nasty old me can see. You know, until they’re loaned out and disappear into the ether. But Caulker is a cut above. Thoughtful and technically mature he really could become quite some player. A 92% pass accuracy rate.
Almost embarrassingly busy. It’s ‘interesting’ to consider the difference between his forward runs and those of Benny’s. Add to this that we don’t appear to suffer from the ‘all hands on deck’ routine that normally follows one of Benny’s forays.
He was pretty exceptional out there. The midfield was packed. It was messy. But he genuinely did a job on the Villans; add to this a pass accuracy rate of 90% and you’re looking at an indispensable player.
He had one of his best games in the shirt yet. Head up, he was looking and elegantly achieving wherever he went. Every time he got the ball he did something useful with it. Few footballers can be accused of that. The only player to match the passing accuracy rate of Caulker.
Really frustrating performance. Yes a goal and I’m not being dismissive, but his runs seem to increasingly achieve little. Most of his attempted crosses also fall into the same category of indifference. He’s been called up for England and I really wish he’d decline and focus on the Lilywhite.
He’s going to be one of those guys who occasionally comes good but is unlikely to set the world alight for us. A really excellent vanilla ice cream.
Much more involved and I swear I came away from the game thinking he’d really made an effort defensively. Fortunate not to get booked for the dive. We’ll be discussing that in depth on the next blog a little later.
Exasperating. His shots were so off target it was painful. The Caulker ‘goal’ was a mental blast from 3 yards out that was heading towards a hamburger stall before it was deflected. 6 shots and the one on target was weaker than a blind kitten in a tumble dryer.
Really mixed it up and that puts the Midget Gem back into a file marked ‘Impact Sub Only.’ He opened up channels and caused havoc drawing markers and doing something with the ball analysts are referring to as passing to team mates.I’d like to see him play with Siggy ‘in the hole’ behind him instead of Dempsey. Creatively that appeals. Lots.
The boss got a good performance out them and if you squint your eyes we’re quite frequently playing push and run. He needs to be sharper with his substitutions. I thought Dempsey and Defoe both looked time expired by the half time whistle.
A few gifs for @sharoconnor …
Defoe is killing us. Against great teams some games are decided on half a chance you may get a couple of times a game. He needs 12 of those to get a goal with some luck. I love the lil’ bugger I really do but he is not a team player and we need someone who can conduct the orgy of footballing delights with immense footballing dimensions. Ade Ade Ade.
Ade and Siggurdson together was the first time in the season that I BELIEVED in us beyond tactics. There was magic there.
I agree about Defoe. He scores goals but Adeybayor is going to be absolutely vital for us this season, as he was last season.
The new boys Vert and Dembele have been a revelation so far. Dempsey is solid, Lloris looked good, now we just have to get Sig cooking. Caulker looks like he’s been there for years, but I’d agree about Defoe; shots were too wild and it might be Ade time next weekend vs Chelski
The only way we’re going to get Sig cooking is by dropping Dempsey. And that’s fine by me. Dempsey, like Pienaar before him, looks out of his depth at a bigger club (no disrespect to Everton intended). His missed header from six yards out was shockingly bad. Ade and Sig did more together in ten minutes than Defoe and Dempsey did in eighty and that’s how we need to start against Chelsea.
You need to take into consideration that Villa were by that point 2-0 down playing with 10 men and a makeshift defence. Such circumstances would surely flatter any attacking team.
Do you honestly think that Defoe and Dempsey would have looked that good if they’d stayed on? I don’t.
No, but then Siggurdsson has routinely looked poor this season, until that 10 minute cameo.
I agree that Ade will make a difference, but we knew that already.
good performance.not great but good.signs of a team coming together? still think bale isnt trying.put ade & defoe together against chelscum and give terry something to think about.1 up will play into their hands i feel.
They’ll pass around us if we play 4 in the midfield. They have the best passing midfield in England if not Europe. Of the top 3 players among top 5 European leagues from last season till now with most assists, two are Mata and Hazard!
We need the power of Sandro and Dembele in midfield and the ability to get the ball to Ade who can then bring either Siggy or wingers in.
We’ll get hung out to dry in a 4-4-2
Agree Habib. But would it necessarily be 4 4 2 if both Ade and Defoe started? Ade is very clever and gets himself into the game by dropping deep, popping up on the wings to receive the ball. Thought we lacked urgency in 1st half which is a bit worrying.
Seeing Rooney and RVP together I hear you. But then Ade would play where Siggy plays. Problem is Defoe is not RVP :) But I’d like to see this combo in a cup or Europa game once!
Caulker is the new King!
Dembele is doing what I thought he couldnt. I just thought he was the same as Siggy & Dempsey. He is the creative heart of a decent mid field.
Defoe! The worlds greediest midget. The Media really frustrate me with their addoration of Defoe’s “strikers instinct”. I hear this & interpret straight into “c***”. He should have beaten more at school. Please please please sell.
Adebayor should be an automatic starter for us. A quality football performance. A team player. A positive attitude
So you’d sum up our 9th leading all time goal scorer as a c*nt?? Who needs enemys with so called fans like you.
So you’d sum up our 9th leading all time goal scorer as a Cnut?? Who needs enemys with so called fans like you.
I am giving my opinion of the team. What is yours?
Don’t know why that posted so much.. I think for most part of this season Defoes played brilliant there can’t have been many spurs fans happy to see him play alone up top and with exception of yesterday I’d dare say his all round play has been pretty damn good, yesterday he was trying too hard chasing goal no200 and maybe he fancied a birthday goal I’m not sure. The fact is upto now his been our only striker and I’m not disappointed
So you’d sum up our 9th leading all time goal scorer as a c**t?? Who needs enemys with so called fans like you.
I might be one of those few who is worried by our first half performance. If we want to be top 4. take a cue from Chelsea. We need to tighten the noose at will and not like some awoken drunk.
Dembele and Vertongen are a cut above. I could smell galacticos all over.
Bale flatter to decieve, if he wants to be a Great. Take a cue from the 2 Belgians in terms of application and consistency