Spurs 2013-14: Jermain Defoe, The Greatest European Scorer

[Bailey10]

Spurs absorbing way too much pressure again vs City. Why field a lineup with four central midfielders if you can't keep posession or make tackles before your own final third?
 
This seemed like the perfect game for Capoue. Could stick him in front of the back four to provide some cover and put in some hard tackles against fellow giants Yaya and Fernandinho.
 
Edit: Sherwood subbed him in for Dembele at the start of the 2nd half

 

[DJnVa]

Wow. Out of nowhere Adebayor scores.

 

[mgoblue2]

You guys aren't gonna get away with that against a team that plays a striker. Good defending from Spurs today, didn't let Everton play their game. Injury time penalty on Coleman aside, deserved points for Tottenham.

 

[URI]

Getting away with what? Getting 3 admittedly deserved points?

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Yeah the commentators said Capoue didn't get the ball, but I thought otherwise. It was a solid challenge and he got enough of the ball IMO.
 
On the other hand, if you're playing Steven F. Naismith up front against a Dawson/Vertonghen CB pairing while Traoré wilts on the touchline, you kinda deserve to lose - especially with the display Naismith had in minutes 70-80. Yes Traoré was coming back from injury, but if he's fit enough to be on the bench he should be fit enough to come in for 10 minutes to give your side a chance.
 
edit: this was probably more suited for the Everton thread...

 

[mgoblue2]

I think it was deserved for Spurs but I just don't think there will be many teams that will allow one shot on target to score through a defensive lapse and fail to come anywhere near scoring outside of a couple chances from the immortal Leon Osman. Personally I thought it was a penalty but (excuses) I didn't expect Mark Clattenburg of all people to give there.

 

[URI]

I think it was deserved for Spurs but I just don't think there will be many teams that will allow one shot on target to score through a defensive lapse and fail to come anywhere near scoring outside of a couple chances from the immortal Leon Osman. Personally I thought it was a penalty but (excuses) I didn't expect Mark Clattenburg of all people to give there.

 
But for the first time since Sherwood took over, Spurs played a true 4-5-1, and even then, Adebayor played almost a false 9 rather than a striker.  It was a tactical choice against Everton, especially knowing that Dawson and Vertonghen aren't going to let much get through the box on the ground.  A different team like Arsenal would have killed us today.
 
Dembele ran all over Everton when he had the ball (MOTM for me), and Bentleb/Paulinho did a good job of breaking up any long stretches of possession that Everton had. 
 
And there are plenty of teams that don't allow many scoring chances come up with shit on their end (see:  Man U 2 - Fulham 2.  I think Fulham had 2% possession)  Spurs locked Everton down by making a tactical adjustment.  Now, if we played 4-4-2 with Soldado up and Lennon off (probably) Spurs would have had more scoring chances, and we would have drawn 2-2.

 

[mgoblue2]

My only gripe with Spurs tactically is the lack of Eriksen in the middle, he shouldn't be playing on the wing. I also think Everton's injuries showed despite the fact that they have cleared up as of late. 90 minutes of a fully fit Barkley or a half from Traore or Lukaku probably could've added some clinicality in the final third. And as much as I love Barry or McCarthy neither of them are particularly incisive. All in all you guys probably just edged it anyway.

 

[URI]

Sherwood loves Bentaleb, as today he played him in a holding role, even with Capoue on the bench.
 
Paulinho plays box to box up the middle, and Dembele's strengths play well in the central.  Eriksen is fine because, hey someone needs to play on the left, and him at 95% of himself on the wing is still better than Townsend/Gyfli/Chadli

 

[soxfan121]

Getting away with what? Getting 3 admittedly deserved points?

 
Eh, we must not have watched the same match. I saw a Spurs team that got a world-class, top-notch finish and otherwise looked defensively organized but punchless going forward. The points were deserved but I think that if Tottenham tried to play that same tactical style against Chelsea or Man City, it would have been  4-1 defeat for Spurs. Everton's lack of an effective striker (holy shit, Kevin Mirallas is an epic ballhog) made this an "admittedly deserved" win for Spurs that made this neutral wonder if they could withstand that style of play from a team with a good striker. 
 
 
FWIW, Aaron Lennon is one of my least favorite players to watch - behind Mirallas, but still - and I thought he was utter dogshit for y'all. And while I get what Sherwood's doing with Bentaleb, I'm quite sure Bentaleb should be starting for a Championship team, not featuring for Spurs first team over Capoue. Kid is developing but he will cost you 2 or more points some time soon with the proverbial rookie mistake.

 

[DJnVa]

 
Eh, we must not have watched the same match. I saw a Spurs team that got a world-class, top-notch finish and otherwise looked defensively organized but punchless going forward.

 
Here's the thing---we NEVER look defensively organized.

 

[URI]

 
Eh, we must not have watched the same match. I saw a Spurs team that got a world-class, top-notch finish and otherwise looked defensively organized but punchless going forward. The points were deserved but I think that if Tottenham tried to play that same tactical style against Chelsea or Man City, it would have been  4-1 defeat for Spurs. Everton's lack of an effective striker (holy shit, Kevin Mirallas is an epic ballhog) made this an "admittedly deserved" win for Spurs that made this neutral wonder if they could withstand that style of play from a team with a good striker. 
 

 
You need to read a bit better.
 
mgoblue (an Everton fan) admitted that Spurs deserved 3 points.  So when I said "admittedly deserved 3 points," I was referring to his admission.
 
And then I made a whole post how they tailored their tactics to Everton in this match, and how if they tried it against another opponent of higher quality or ambition (and specifically mentioned Arsenal who have an insanely creative midfield mixed with a very good outlet for it) we would have gotten killed.
 
So I think we watched the same match, but I have a feeling you're responding to a different poster who isn't me, and hasn't yet posted in this thread, and using my words as a surrogate for these responses.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

The point really isn't whether Spurs would have beaten a different team with that same strategy, it's whether that strategy beat Everton.  It did.  Some would call coming up with a game plan designed to beat that week's opponent "good coaching".
 
EDIT: or what URI said.

 

[soxfan121]

 
You need to read a bit better.
 
mgoblue (an Everton fan) admitted that Spurs deserved 3 points.  So when I said "admittedly deserved 3 points," I was referring to his admission.
 
So I think we watched the same match, but I have a feeling you're responding to a different poster who isn't me, and hasn't yet posted in this thread, and using my words as a surrogate for these responses.

 
Probably true.
 
Additionally, I did mistakenly quote your post instead of mgoblue2's post (606), which was the point I ended up addressing. My bad. 

 

[Gunfighter 09]

The point really isn't whether Spurs would have beaten a different team with that same strategy, it's whether that strategy beat Everton.  It did.  Some would call coming up with a game plan designed to beat that week's opponent "good coaching".
 
EDIT: or what URI said.

 
About 8 weeks ago I would have bet several mortgage checks that we would not see this post in the Spurs thread. 

 

[teejay1324]

Michael Cox both in a write up and on the Guardian's podcast thought Spurs were horrible, thought Sherwood got his tactics completely wrong and Spurs were lucky to win. Basically took a big shit on Spurs performance, I normally agree with Cox, but not this time. Completely agree with URI in that Spurs actually looked organized without the ball for once, it's a rarity, I was really pleased with the defensive performance. Still think Capoue was the better option in the holding role over Bentaleb, but whatever, we're stuck with Bentaleb playing for as long as we're stuck with Sherwood, got the three points.
 
My thoughts on the match:
http://soccertofootball.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/sherwood-gets-tactics-right-spurs-take-the-points/
 
Cox, complete opposite, even the title:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/feb/09/tottenham-tim-sherwood-tactics-everton

 

[veritas]

Team today:  Lloris; Walker, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Naughton; Dembele, Bentaleb, Capoue, Paulinho, Lennon; Adebayor
 
Either Dembele/Paulinho on a wing or that's an odd formation they're going to be using.
 
edit:  yup:

 
Tottenham Hotspur ‏@SpursOfficial  22shttps://twitter.com/SpursOfficial/status/433678048719015936
We will line-up in a 4-3-3 system with Lennon and Dembele in support of Adebayor.

 

[DJnVa]

And Adebayor pots another..., 1-0 over Newcastle in 19th minute

 

[DJnVa]

And Paulinho makes it 2 nil.
 
Hopefully Fulham can at least keep that draw with Liverpool.

 

[URI]

He back heals when he wants to...
 
I'm confused though, as they are playing different personel, in a different formation, with a different result against Newcastle than they did against Everton.  What is this madness?

 

[DJnVa]

He back heals when he wants to...
 
I'm confused though, as they are playing different personel, in a different formation, with a different result against Newcastle than they did against Everton.  What is this madness?

 
Not sure, but it wouldn't work against Man City.
 
EDIT: Another for Adebayor.

 

[soxfan121]

He back heals when he wants to...
 
I'm confused though, as they are playing different personel, in a different formation, with a different result against Newcastle than they did against Everton.  What is this madness?

 
Tim Sherwood, Tactical Genius.

 

[DJnVa]

Heh. Soldado comes on for the last 5 minutes for Adebayor. That can't taste good.

 

[URI]

Even more LOLs...Chadli scored and not Bobby Soldier.
 
"Pas dans le visage!!!!" --Newcastle United Football Club

 

[DJnVa]

So the Spurs are 7 points from Chelsea at the top and 8 points clear of ManU? Wow

 

[URI]

What are things that would never happen if AVB wasn't fired for 200 Alex?

 

[teejay1324]

Goal difference is back above 0 again! Chadli's goal, meaningless to the game, but they need all the goals they can get. Great game all around. Thought Bentaleb was fantastic.

 

[Gunfighter 09]

So the Spurs are 7 points from Chelsea at the top and 8 points clear of ManU? Wow

 
Are we at the point where you call it a 5 team race? 

 

[URI]

 
Are we at the point where you call it a 5 team race? 

 
For the Champions League or the title?  We aren't winning the title.

 

[DJnVa]

Tottenham brought 16 year old Joshua Onomah to Ukraine for Europa matchup against Dnipro. Listed as a reserve.
 
And check out Kenneth McEvoy. Look familiar:
 

 

[URI]

Tottenham brought 16 year old Joshua Onomah to Ukraine for Europa matchup against Dnipro. Listed as a reserve.
 
And check out Kenneth McEvoy. Look familiar:
 

 
He looks like SeanBerry!

 

[DJnVa]

Annnnnnd, Spurs lose 1-0.

 

[Gunfighter 09]

Soldado is simply worthless. And Townsend is the most frustrating player in the world with all of his stupid shots from 50 yards out. 
 
I'm still wondering how Paulinho didn't draw a penalty, yet Vertongen was called for a penalty on the same damn play.  That was a waste of a morning off. 
 
This result makes me wonder what kind of line up Sherwood plays next week at home. The BPL match over the weekend is Cardiff at home, so I wonder if, at the least, we see Lloris and  couple of other first team players in the line up next Thursday night in an attempt to move on. 

 

[URI]

So why didn't any of you fuckfaces warn me not to waste 2 hours on that?

 

[Seen The Light]

This game against Dnipro is insanity.  Down 2-0 aggregate (and an away goal), they get one back, then have a player flop and pretend to be headbutted, and the ref gives the Dnipro player a straight red.  Spurs score like a minute later to make it 2-2 aggregate.  Still need another to advance, but wow, what a turnaround.
 
Edit: And a minute after I post that, Adebayor gets it.  3-2 Spurs on aggregate.

 

[DJnVa]

Who flopped?

 

[DJnVa]

Saw this today:
 

Tottenham's all-time leading scorers

• Jimmy Greaves - 266
• Bobby Smith - 208
• Martin Chivers 174
• Cliff Jones - 159
• Jermain Defoe - 143

 

[Seen The Light]

Who flopped?

Townsend I think, but I'm not positive.  Trying to watch at work while avoiding bosses seeing.
 
Edit: It was Vertonghen according to foxsoccer.  Original foul was on Townsend.  Italian announcing not helping.

 

[DJnVa]

You're new to the thread---are you in England?

 

[Seen The Light]

You're new to the thread---are you in England?

No, New Jersey.  Usually lurk, don't post.  But it was such a crazy turn of events that I felt compelled.

 

[URI]

Bobby Soldier, he scores when he wants to.

 

[Gunfighter 09]

We will know where this is going to end up two weeks from today: 
 
- @ Chelsea next Saturday
-Benfica at the Lane on 13 March ( the return is in Portugal on the 20th) 
-Arsenal at the Lane on 16 March
 
Four points out of the two league matches is a must. 
 
With City winning the Capitol One Cup, 6th will earn a trip to the Europa league, so if they miss out on the top 4, Spurs only have to finish ahead of one of Everton / ManU to go to Europe next year. Those are not the kind of conversations we wanted to have in March, but..... 

 

[Tangled Up In Red]

Whither Lamela.
Truly injured, or buried and hidden?

 

[URI]

He's back training.

 

[DJnVa]

It's on the internet so it has to be true:  http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tottenham-transfers-mario-balotelli-subject-3187900
 

Tottenham have offered £30million misfit Erik Lamela in a swap deal with Mario Balotelli, according to Italian sports daily Tuttosport.
 

 

 

[soxfan121]

$30M and Lamela, maybe.

 

[veritas]

That's an odd starting 11. Walker on the wing and Lennon up front with Adebayor it looks like

 

[DJnVa]

After a shaky first 4 minutes, it seemed to go pretty well...

 

[URI]

Considering both teams are parking the bus, it's been a pretty open game.
 
I still think that Sherwood was shitfaced when he made the lineup, but it's working so far.

 

[DJnVa]

Sigh