Foggy

Levy Looks to give Harry a Belated Christmas Gift.

Jan 072012

With the transfer window upon us football fans everywhere are waiting with breath bated for their clubs to make that first move. Though as you know there has been very little movement thus far. However according to Mr Redknapp our Daniel just loves this time of year.

“Daniel (chairman, Levy) normally likes to do something – he enjoys the transfer window. If the right player comes along he would look to do something special I’m sure.”

Tottenham have been linked with Blackburn defender Chris Samba but Redknapp cooled that particular speculation, although he admitted adding a star name could be a possibility while insisting no first-team players would leave.

Junior Hoilett has been another player linked with a move to Tottenham. Though for me both Hoilett and Samba fall just short of that quality we need to move the first eleven on to that next level.

I mean let’s face it we’re up there with the big guns now and if they haven’t shown much interest in them. Well it’s just a thought but Surely then we need to be looking elsewhere too.

Wages may again though be the thorn in our side, after all if you want top quality it’s pretty certain you’ll have to pay top bucks. Unless of course you come across another Van Der Vaart. Someone who has made his money and now wants to play for the love of the game.

We need that player that will either push our regular starters up a gear, or move one aside and take his place. And I’m not sure those mentioned would do this.

On another note it was great to hear about John Bostock making a re-appearance today, he received good reviews from some of the Spurs forums. With members commenting on how lean he looked whilst his style of play appeared more aggressive (taking players on).

John has found it hard going at Tottenham since his move from Crystal Palace and in hindsight probably regrets making the switch so soon in his career. Hopefully though this could be the first fruits of his turn around.

All the best John. Here’s to you proving to all that your the real deal.

Norwich v Tottenham: Advantage Spurs?

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Dec 262011

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Norwich on the back of a frustrating draw against fellow title challengers Chelsea. (title challengers I know it still sounds too good to be true). And although both sets of fans, Spurs and Chelsea alike would probably argue their team might have edged it.( Tis true the goal line clearance by John Terry still with rankles me|). A draw was a fair result.

Enough though of yesterday, let’s take a look at how we aim to take advantage of Chelsea (1-1) Liverpool (1-1) and Man City (0-0) only managing draws today. A positive result at Carrow Road could see us edge a four point gap between ourselves and the blue flag flyers from South London.

TEAM NEWS:

Harry Redknapp says he’s hopeful of Rafa van der Vaart featuring at Norwich tomorrow night (Tuesday, December 27).

The Dutch forward was forced off at half-time of Thursday’s draw against Chelsea with a hamstring problem but has been back in training at Spurs Lodge.

Meanwhile, Harry reported that Ledley King came through the Chelsea match okay but he wouldn’t have enough time to recover to feature at Carrow Road.

Harry also ruled Jermain Defoe out with his hamstring injury and that he’d ‘wait and see’ on Younes Kaboul’s hamstring problem.

Speaking after training on Boxing Day, Harry said: “We’re hoping Rafa will be fit and it looks like there’s a chance he’ll be okay.

“Jermain isn’t fit though, Ledley was okay after the Chelsea game but this one has come around too quickly for him. He’s not fit.

“We’re not sure on Younes yet, we’ll have to see how he is.”

Michael Dawson is on the road to full recovery from his Achilles injury while Tom Huddlestone (ankle) remains sidelined.

ADEBAYORS RUTHLESS STREAK:

With Defoe again being absent, it seems likely that Harry will continue with the tried and trusted front pairing of Adebayor playing off Rafa.

“If you want to be in the top four those are the types of games that you have to win home or away. We have to do what it takes to win those games. Otherwise, forget it.”

Adebayor, on a year’s loan from Manchester City, scored in last Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea and said Spurs should take heart from drawing with a title rival.

”Five or six years ago we know what would have happened [against Chelsea], which means, the club is going forward and we are improving,” he said.

MIDFIELD CONUNDRUM:

A more perplexing issue will be whether Harry continues with the same midfield that started against Chelsea with Sandro Parker Bale and Modric or will he opt for a little more pace and go for the young lad Townsend or perhaps Pienaar?

Pienaar will always give you that extra work rate. Something that cannot be underestimated on away days. Whereas Townsend will in my opinion offer more speed and directness, something we cannot have enough of.

DEFENSIVE ISSUES:

Another tester for Harry will be the centre of defence with Kaboul (hamstring) King (swelling to knee) and Dawson (achilles) all missing the game. (though Kaboul does have an outside chance). This leaves us with Gallas and Bassong. The former performing admirably in his last appearance though the latter has a lack of game time so far this season.

SOME GAME STATISTICS:

Spurs make 120 more passes per game than Norwich and complete 11% more. Spurs also run with the ball three times more often and Norwich have been dribbled past 146 times. With Kyle Naughton ineligible against his parent club, the questionable Richie de Laet may deputize at right back. Norwich have made a total of nine defensive errors with de Laet making two in just five appearances. If Gareth Bale is fit, the Welshman will relish running at the Manchester United loanee. Bale created four chances against Chelsea, including the assist for Adebayor’s opener.

Eight of the 18 goal assists made by Norwich so far this season have come from set pieces. Spurs have also made nearly 50 more shots than Norwich despite playing a game fewer. They have scored the sixth highest number of goals and Grant Holt is in the top ten goal scorers in the league. Grant Holt scores at better than a goal every two games for Norwich. He also has committed more fouls than any other player in the division, despite making only eight starts.

Norwich have a simple style of football. It’s predictable, but it’s hard to stop. They are aware of their limitations and so tend to sit back and defend until they get their chance. They love to use width (making 23 crosses every week) and they create 10 chances per game. Spurs press the ball when they are out of possession. They make more challenges per game (98 to 87 despite Spurs much higher possession average) and less tackles. Because Tottenham try to close the ball down all over the pitch, they have won the ball nearly twice as often in the final third (54 to 28).

Statitional credit to (SAMROOKE89) English Premier League Index. Many thanks.

Time for a New Ruling on Game day Squad and Substitute Numbers?

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Dec 252011

We are of course all perfectly aware of how the game has changed over the last decade or so. And of how much more importance is now laid at the feet of squad players. Gone are the years of first elevens with “back-ups” to cover for the odd injury here or there.

No, within these heady times of the multi-million pound earners, the depth and more importantly the quality of their number must be forever improved upon to ensure continuing success. With managers not only tactically rotating footballers to avoid injury, but to directly exploit an oppositions weakness by bringing in a “squad player” for a specific game, the importance is relevent now more than ever. Unfortunately though and this is the point of my article. As we know the Premier League only permits the naming of seven substitutes with the use of three of those during each game.

I began to wonder then if it were not time for a change too in how the allocated numbers are used. Below are the given specifics of the squad ruling.

At the close of each transfer window teams must announce a squad list of 25 players.
Eight of these 25 must be “home grown,” meaning they have been associated with the FA or Welsh FA for three seasons (or 36 months) prior to their 21st birthday. Home-grown does not refer to nationality, simply how many years spent in England as a youngster.
In addition to their 25, teams can include an unlimited number of players under the age of 21. Players under the age of 21 in this context were born on or after January 1, 1989.
Clubs can change their squad list only during transfer windows, with a provisional rule in place for extenuating circumstances (like goalkeeping crises). The registered squad can be changed freely during transfer windows.
These squad rules are in effect only for Premier League matches. These rules do not apply to the Champions League, Carling Cup, or FA Cup.
Of these numbers seven shall be named as substitutes on match day, with three permited to be used on the field of play.

Seeing then how such importance is placed upon the squad, both by the FA and the Premier League would it not benefit the game to allow the manager to work from the entirety of its number on any given match day? Whilst raising the amount of substitutes from the current three to a more useful six. In my opinion this would go some way towards helping prevent further player unrest, as it would allow many more players to ply their trade at your club on a much more regular basis.

With debates then raging over goal line technology, the usage of the fourth officials and replays to more effect, both of which I am fully behind. I wish to add another ingredient to the recipe that makes us all drool with anticipation.

January Sales. Berbatov 80% Off. Cahill and Hoilett for the price of One.(club lists).

21 Responses »

Dec 212011

Well it will soon be time for the January transfer window to creak open again… Not the same as the summer one though is it… You know, terrible draft and all that. Still we’ll just have to wrap up a little more I suppose and brace against the icy draft. There is the possibility of getting yourself a bargain though. Yep if your anything like me you’ll love a good deal.

And this got me to thinking… I wonder what special offers are out there for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur. Think about it the more you save on a top player that’s going cheap the more you’ll have to spend on those that are held to longer deals with their clubs. Canny Thought don’t you agree.

Again with the likes of Harry and Daniel we certainly have two of the better dealers out there. So without further adieu here are those players coming to the end of their contracts and hence are in the shop window as of November the seventh 2011 Christmas glitter and all.

ARSENAL

Manuel Almunia

Lukasz Fabianski

Vito Mannone

Tomas Rosicky

ASTON VILLA

Brad Guzan

Andy Marshall

Habib Beye

Carlos Cuellar

Emile Heskey

BLACKBURN

Michel Salgado

David Dunn

Herold Goulon

Vince Grella

Josh Morris

Nick Blackman

Junior Hoilett *****

Jason Roberts

BOLTON

Jussi Jaaskelainen

Gary Cahill *****

Ricardo Gardner

Zat Knight

Sam Ricketts

Paul Robinson

Gretar Steinsson

Sean Davis

Martin Petrov

Robbie Blake

Kevin Davies

Ivan Klasnic *****

Tope Obadeyi

CHELSEA

Henrique Hilario

Nicolas Anelka

Didier Drogba *****

Salomon Kalou

EVERTON

Marcus Hahnemann

Sylvain Distin

James McFadden

Louis Saha

FULHAM

Mark Schwarzer

Csaba Somogyi

Zdenek Grygera

Stephen Kelly

Danny Murphy

Andy Johnson

LIVERPOOL

Fabio Aurelio

MAN CITY

Stuart Taylor

Owen Hargreaves *****

MAN UNITED

Tomasz Kuszczak

Darron Gibson

Ryan Giggs *****

Dimitar Berbatov *****

Michael Owen *****

NEWCASTLE

Tamas Kadar

Danny Guthrie

Alan Smith

Peter Lovenkrands

NORWICH

Declan Rudd

Adam Drury

Zak Whitbread

Simeon Jackson

Aaron Wilbraham

QPR

Radek Cerny

Danny Gabbidon

Fitz Hall

Clint Hill

Bruno Perone

Danny Shittu

Akos Buzsaky

Lee Cook

Kieron Dyer

Hogan Ephraim

Heidar Helguson

STOKE

Carlo Nash

Thomas Sorensen

Jonathan Woodgate *****

Salif Diao

Matthew Lund

Tom Soares

Michael Tonge

Ricardo Fuller

Mamady Sidibe

SUNDERLAND

Craig Gordon *****

Jack Colback

Jordan Cook

Ryan Noble

SWANSEA

Vangelis Moras

Ashley Richards

Kemy Agustien

Ferrie Bodde

Thomas Butler

David Cotterill

Mark Gower

TOTTENHAM

Carlo Cudicini *****

Heurelho Gomes

Ledley King *****

WEST BROM

Luke Daniels

Marton Fulop

Nicky Shorey

Steven Reid

Paul Scharner

Somen Tchoyi

Jerome Thomas

Roman Bednar

Marc-Antoine Fortune

WIGAN

Mike Pollitt

Maynor Figueroa

Mohamed Diame

Jordi Gomez

David Jones

Hendry Thomas

Hugo Rodallega

WOLVES

Jody Craddock

/JSS

There you go, a nice few names amongst that list. I’ve starred the ones which have made my pad. Not rubbish either, as we don’t want to save money for the sake of it, they’ll have to be better quality than we have at the minute. And don’t forget the more we save here on the likes of Cahill we could put towards a Tevez type.

So if any of you have Harrys ear give him a nudge will you… Then give him his ear back by the way. Cheers and COYS. Oh and obviously we keep Ledley and Carlo.

Three Points…But at a Cost?

18 Responses »

Dec 182011

OUCH!! Three points… But at a cost. With Lennon just beginning to rediscover the form that has seen him terrorise defences so many times in his career at White Hart Lane. It seems that on his two hundred and fiftieth game for the club he has torn his hamstring.. And it’s not a minor tear either..

After another great performance today, this time against a Sunderland side looking to nullify our much admired attacking prowess. Again we dominated possession. To the extent that the result should have been more than a one goal victory. Yet in doing so we suffered a loss we could ill afford… Or did we?

So… Let’s have a look-see. Time and again I hear Pundits talking about squad depth, and how Tottenham are apparently up there with the best of them. And yes for me this is a correct observation.

With both Defoe (slight hamstring) and Bale (ankle knock) suffering minor niggles ahead of Thursdays game against Chelsea it was good to see Pav getting on the score sheet today.

But let’s take a closer look at some of the lesser used squad members who in my opinion are more than capable to step up and fill the breach. With our flying winger Aaron lost and Gareth carrying an ankle knock, who could we call upon to see us through the Christmas period?

Andros Townsend: A quality youngster with blistering pace, quick feet and a good level of consistency with his final ball. He also has a keen shot and has more than an average goal threat. His performances so far this season in the Europa League will have given him excellent game time. He should then be more than ready to slot straight in.

Yago Falque: Another youngster and at twenty-one this loanee from Juventas looks a promising talent. He’s skill on the ball is second to none and his low centre of gravity beguiles defenders into making rash decisions. He too has an eye for goal and loves to attack the opposition at every opportunity. For me his league debut can’t come soon enough.

Giovanni Dos Santos: What can I say about this lad that we don’t already know. He has a wonderful left foot, and great vision. He’s quick and again he’s another that has an eye for goal. However his game has never really taken off at Spurs, so perhaps his time has passed.

Either way I feel confident enough in our youngsters not to be overly concerned at the absence of Aaron Lennon. Even Gareth Bale, as great a player as he is, he can be rested. Perhaps a spell on the bench might even lift his game some more.

So let’s say we lose the services of our wingers for a short period of time. Who would be your replacements?