Cartilage Free Captain: FanPosts

The real reason we missed out on CL for the last 3 years

2013-05-21T18:34:50Z

Recently the one season we had our squad in place for the first game was the one season we made CL, 2009/10

Points gained in the first 3 games :

2009/10 9pts
2010/11 4pts
2011/12 3pts
2012/13 2pts

Daniel Levy must stop messing around in the summer and have our team settled and ready to go by opening day.
This season we lost a total of 8 games.
5 of those loses were in the first 12 games of the season.
1 win and we would have been celebrating CL football. 1.

Cheer up community thread.

2013-05-21T11:19:25Z

In the U21 premier league final thread I mentioned that after the week we have just had we could do with a cheer up thread and some people agreed.

This is that thread. Post funny gifs, videos, memes, and as it is the Internet cats and other assorted animals.

a01chtra said he will be around in the evening (UK time) to create comedy gold.

I will start it off with a few things.

Smeagol sings mad world

Cat in a shark costume chasing a duck

This, just this.

Now its over to you.

In the U21 premier league final thread I mentioned that after the week we have just had we could do with a cheer up thread and some people agreed.

This is that thread. Post funny gifs, videos, memes, and as it is the Internet cats and other assorted animals.

a01chtra said he will be around in the evening (UK time) to create comedy gold.

I will start it off with a few things.

Smeagol sings mad world

Cat in a shark costume chasing a duck

This, just this.

Now its over to you.

João Moutinho Please

2013-05-21T00:19:05Z

Look, I love Tom Carroll as much as the next guy. He shows great promise and has good passing and vision. However there are better players than him out there. My opinion on Carroll last year was that I wanted him to play because of how he played and not how good he was. We needed someone in the middle who could pass quickly and keep us moving. That elusive Modric replacement that we've desired for nine months.

The trigger was reportedly almost pulled once, on August deadline day but the deal fell through due to a fax machine or dodgy lasagna or something. Of all the what-ifs we go through during the season, of draws that should have been wins and losses that should have been draws. My mind goes more back to this potential transfer. Had this gone through I personally think Tottenham Hotspur would be looking down mightily from second place, leering at all those who foolishly dared to challenge them during the season.

Moutinho is coming off a stunning year. He was the lynchpin of the Euro 2012 Portuguese team, and carried that over to FC Porto, where his phenomenal play carried them past the UEFA Champions League Group Stages, and won his side the Primeira Liga title for the third consecutive year. He is, without a doubt, a fantastic footballer that is exactly what Spurs need. The best part about him? He's already played under manager Andre Villas Boas and is known to excel in AVB's system. Next season, were he to play alongside Sandro and Dembele in a three man midfield... well I honestly don't think I could name a better midfield in the Premier League. If we went for him in August the money is definitely there, and I think we should spend it, because he's well worth it.

I know what you're thinking, that we need to only spend that kind of money on a striker. But I'd much rather spend that on Moutinho, because players of his caliber at that position don't come around very often. He fits into our style as well as French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. And with someone like David Villa available for 9 million pounds, I'd be happy make Moutinho the big ticket signing of the offseason. Let me know what you think of the diminutive Portuguese. #MoutinhoByJune

Poll

Should Spurs sign Moutinho?

2013-2014 Commentariat Prediction League, Roll-Call Part 1

2013-05-20T15:42:27Z

via i.smimg.net

Okay, ladies and gents. Now that the season is over, we can look with eager eyes toward this summer. Hopefully, there will be a ton to discuss with new signings, transfers away from the club (sadly or not so sadly), and continued player development during the offseason. This roll-call is Part 1 of two articles that I will be posting, the second coming the first week of August before the season begins so that we don't miss anybody. Then, we'll all gather together again for another exciting campaign for Tottenham Hotspur.

The idea and premise of the Commentariat Prediction League is simple: why do the writers of Cartilage Free Captain get to have all the fun? We like predicting Tottenham's results and scores too! I've seen quite a few of us pick correct results in the comments of the Writers' Prediction League pieces, some of us correctly picking the scores as well (even goal scorers, for those sage and wise among us). Therefore, we as the faithful commentariat and wonderful members of CFC will come together to create an awesome prediction league that's all about glory and daring to predict the correct score is doing thus.

The rules are simple. Commentariat members, depending on the number participating and approval of those participating, will be divided into 20-member divisions mirroring the Premier League, Championship, npower Leagues, etc.
Every time a member predicts the correct result of a Tottenham Hotspur Barclays Premier League match (or all matches??), that member will earn one point. For example, if you think Spurs will beat Arsenal 2-1 in the home fixture, as they did in 2012, and Spurs do in fact win, but they win 4-2, you get a point for predicting a Spurs' victory.
Every time a member predicts the correct result AND the correct score line, that member will earn 3 points.

I've also thought of the idea of incorporating goal differential into this prediction league, and it is up for discussion. What if GD in the Commentariat Prediction League was predicting the goal scorers for Tottenham? Or maybe the goal scorers for both teams? Each person would earn +1 GD for every correct goal scorer predicted. What do you guys think?

Regardless, I've gotten some good feedback from y'all thus far and I'm excited to see who triumphs. There is one problem though. If we are going to make this interesting with relegation and multiple-member divisions, we need to determine a way to set up divisions and when relegation and promotion would occur. I'm up for any ideas you guys can come up with, but I've put a few ideas into a poll at the bottom. I'm sure if you wanted to go for maximum glory, you could volunteer to be in the lowest division and climb all the way to the top! Either way, the poll will close at midnight ET on May 31, so get your votes in before then!

Here's to an exciting summer! COYS!

via i.smimg.net

Here's to an exciting summer! COYS!

Poll

What should the initial league division criteria be for participants from the commentariat?

Don't Let it It Linger - It's Time to Start Looking Ahead

2013-05-20T08:19:46Z

It hurts. It always does. Being a Spurs fan, you get used to the inevitable "spursing" of the last month of each campaign. And it seems the more it happens, the worse it hurts. On the other hand, with each progressive season of frustration and 5th (or 4th - Damn you, Chelsea!) place finishes, the pain seems to go away quicker.

This year, I've decided to take the optimistic approach. Dangerous, I know, being a Spurs fan and all - but hey, you can't always look on the darker side of life. So instead of dwelling on another frustrating finish to a promising Premier League campaign, I'm going to look forward to next year. Why? Because, like every year, I think this is the year that Spurs finally make a name for themselves. I may say that to myself every year, but deep down I know it isn't true.

But this year, well, it's different. In the next 90 days a lot will happen: the fixture list for next year will come out, the Europa League playoff draw will take place, and our 2013-14 season will get under way - heck, there may even be some big moves made on that new stadium. So yeah, I have hope. Optimism. I'm ready for this and I think Levy, AVB, and Bale are too - and as long as those three have their heads in the right space, we have nowhere to go but up.

So let's take a quick look at these three individuals and see how big a part they'll play in the next few months:

Andre Villas-Boas

Europa League Quarterfinals (lost on Penalties), 72 points - a club record haul, and 4 points from United including three at Old Trafford. #AVBout Am I right?

But seriously. Despite the, at times, frustrating lineups and meager point differential, AVB did so much for us this season. When he was hired, I had my doubts to, but it's almost like night and day when you look back and compare him to Redknapp.

In addition to all this is the fact that this was his first year. Systems take time to adjust to and AVB's is a good one. It may not have gotten us what we wanted in the first year, but these things take time. As we go forward, and the right pieces come into place, I have boatloads of confidence in his ability to take us to new heights.

Next year will be tough, just as any year is, but if Levy can play his part, I can actually see us taking third.

Gareth Bale

Ahh, the apple of Tottenham's eye. This lad has done so much for us and, at 23, he can do much for us yet. I know that the high profile atmospheres of Madrid and Barcelona can be quite alluring, but Bale has everything he needs to keep moving his career forward right here at White Hart Lane. That, plus the three years remaining on his contract, as well as the not-so-impressive season of Luka Modric at Real this year, should be enough to keep Bale happy at home. The only problem I can foresee is if the chairman gets dollar signs for eyes when said big boys come a-callin' with £60m+ bids in the offseason. Which brings me to...

Daniel Levy

This guy. Arggh. So frustrating and, yet, so responsible for all of the good that have come our way during his reign as chairman. Levy is frugal and calculating and patient. He'll wait, as he always does, until the waning hours of the transfer window before attempting to pull off the big moves that we need to make a go of it. But the big question this year is whether or not he'll actually pull the trigger when the big money is on the line.

We have a great squad, but we are in DIRE need of a natural striker. Another season filled with game-saving goals by Bale just simply won't do. If we had had lured Damiao to North London last summer, I have very little doubt that our goal differential would have rivaled those of Chelsea and Arsenal and out points total would have neared - or topped - that of Manchester City.

Levy has to realize that frugality and penny-pinching can only get you to a certain point - and that point is perennial 5th place finishers and, maybe, occasional Champions League interlopers. But in the long run, with so much of Bale's good years left and a chance to keep him long term. Spurs have to move beyond all that and into the role that Arsenal have held for many years - perennial Champions League contenders.

In order to do that, we need to spend money. Of course we can't be foolhardy and just throw our money at a random big name or someone coming off of one good season with no indicators of repetition. But we need to spend. And we need to do it now. We have some of the finest young lads coming up through our system as well as world class quality in Bale and Lloris, but if we can't play in big games, then we can't have nice things.

If Levy takes the same approach as he has in the past, it will be difficult to lure big names because they'll recognize that Levy is more focused on profit than he is Champions League Football. And while it's great that we have that kind of chairman - one who is smart and tight with money during a period of big change for Spurs (stadium and all) - we need to spend money to make money. And this is absolutely the year to do it.

As I said at the beginning, I'm optimistic. I truly think Levy will realize that 5-6 more million spent last year would have resulted in the 2-3 more points needed to take us to the CL.

But then again, this is Spurs and this is Levy. Truly any sort of heartbreak is possible.

So let's take a quick look at these three individuals and see how big a part they'll play in the next few months:

Andre Villas-Boas

Europa League Quarterfinals (lost on Penalties), 72 points - a club record haul, and 4 points from United including three at Old Trafford. #AVBout Am I right?

Next year will be tough, just as any year is, but if Levy can play his part, I can actually see us taking third.

Gareth Bale

Daniel Levy

As I said at the beginning, I'm optimistic. I truly think Levy will realize that 5-6 more million spent last year would have resulted in the 2-3 more points needed to take us to the CL.

But then again, this is Spurs and this is Levy. Truly any sort of heartbreak is possible.

Sunderland v. Spurs, A Match Report from the Ghost of Grantland Rice

2013-05-20T06:41:45Z

Because sportswriting is dead, and I intend to resurrect it...

The hands of watches in Newcastle and North London marched onward in lock step as the fleeting hopes of Lilywhites cowered in their cruel shadow. Having placed their fate firmly in the hands of their most detested and bitter rivals, Tottenham Hotspur lay impotent in their pursuit of Europe’s most exclusive fraternity, needing the capricious Gods of Football to act in unusual magnanimity.

Brought before the Divine, they were judged unworthy of the gates of Heaven, to spend yet another year in purgatory, where the faithful could only hope their sins be forgiven in the name of Saints Ledley, Glenn, and Bill. They would not be redeemed. It would be another summer spent East of Eden.

Arsenal, hated Arsenal, had come away with their needed three points and their earned glory.

No indignity would be too petty for Spurs on this day, as their Welsh wizard was rugby-tackled in the penalty area and booked for his troubles, adjudged to have "simulated" his fall under the crushing weight of Sebastian Larsson. No doubt a product of his ill-deserved reputation of crying wolf, it was the sort of victim-blaming that would have a feminist seeing red, and left Bale seeing yellow.

For those who believe the moral arc of the football universe bends towards justice, it did not in the gathering shadows of White Hart Lane, where referee Andre Marriner ignored that, and two subsequent penalty shouts for handling in the area. The Spurs technical area, marshaled by Portuguese Manager Andre Villas-Boas and German Assistant Steffen Freund, was apoplectic, writhing and shouting at each disgrace like men caught in the shrapnel of the £40million catastrophe waiting to happen.

The boys from East Haringey found themselves as they so often have this campaign: facing a team that was out-gunned and out-classed, yet with a fanatical will to sacrifice blood and honor to keep the back of their net (and their score sheet) clean. Sunderland, by the bookies reckoning a 12 to 1 long shot, appeared to be an underdog having its day.

The Black Cats even managed a few intrepid moments of brilliance going forward, snuffed out only by Hugo Lloris’s almost inhumanly cool head and a dash of good luck. Jack Colback was a man possessed, the selfless warrior who threw himself in front of attempt after attempt with zeal and gusto. Paolo Di Canio’s men withstood Adebayor in an unusually clever and useful mood, Aaron Lennon running himself aground, Kyle Walker and Bale surging recklessly forward, and Huddlestone lumping every ball he found into the danger areas.

Perhaps pity flickered across Fate’s face when, for the second week in a row, as Spurs found themselves at their most despairing despite their effort and skill, an out-matched team decided to become an out-numbered one too, with David Vaughan being sent off with a quarter of an hour remaining for an utterly unnecessary challenge and a second yellow card. Still, the wall buttressed by Simon Mignolet held.

With the zero hour approaching, Gareth Bale gave his adoring legions one last gift, a soaring note, ringing out across the ground, that sang bittersweet verses of the sort that only a moment of unwanted parting could inspire. The curling effort launched from 25 yards shy of goal, off of Bale’s Midas left boot, sucked the sound and the air from the stadium on its flight while the crowd contemplated if it was really possible that Gareth had saved them, at the death, one last time. It was only fitting that a trademark strike, after a trademark glide from the right touchline, at a trademark moment of need, would end up still coming short of what they’d need to hold onto the very man on whom their hopes rested.

Faith, then, is the belief that the cockerel will yet cry out next August; as the sun comes up, as it always has. Faith that Spurs will once again come marching in. Faith that to dare is to do, and little else matters.

Because sportswriting is dead, and I intend to resurrect it...

Arsenal, hated Arsenal, had come away with their needed three points and their earned glory.

E.ofY.L.L--'13--"Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad"

2013-05-20T04:21:55Z

I didn't want to write in the comments section for two reasons:

A: I don't want trolls to read this. We have a couple lovely trolls, but still...I really don't want to discuss my love of our club with them. Or have them equate it with theirs. Fanposts are our spaces, infrequently visited as they are.

B: Nobody reads the articles. I don't know if this is my therapy or what, but the chances of people getting in an argument seems less over here in the dodgy end--the FanPost zone--of CFC. And seriously, what's to fight over now? It's all done. It's all hindsight. It's over. Not forever obviously, but this version of it.

So without any further justification or theatrics, here it is, my end of the year love letter.

"Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad"

-Derek and the Dominos

Beat up. I feel beat up. And I think it's this way because I really don't want the season to be over. I'm not ready. The drama that this squad brought forth this year may not always have been what we wanted, but as flawed as they and many of their performances were, they were gritty, they were fighters. They made me smile or genuinely proud so, so many more times than they have made me sad. This realization is important and worth celebrating although, as I sit here writing, the sensation of emptiness fills my gut and chest. In the end, they were my escapism, as they always are. And I loved them, independent of my already total love of the club, as they were--imperfect them--an extension of the "imperfect us", "the imperfect me".

Tomorrow, I will wake up and move on, knowing full well that this incarnation of the club will never exist again. I will get on with the day, completing tasks varying from the mundane to anything but. I will repeat this model four more times. I will then watch the European final on Saturday, and I will probably find a moment or two to smile in between now and then when I think about Lewis Holtby's ongoing bromance with the entire squad, Scott Parker's pirouettes, or the two Kyle's penalty shootout, etc, etc.

But for now it is pain--the level of pain Scott Parker appeared to be in after David Vaughan hacked him down--and at the moment it, independent of my brain telling me it is all alright, it feels infinitesimal. And I don't want to hear that it is only sport. I've been told my whole life that life itself is precious, and sport--in varying shapes and forms-- has been an important community and personal institution for millennia, therefore, it too is precious. The pain is real, and by acknowledging it, the pain will heal.

But this is a love letter so, speaking of precious, I'll end with a short dialogue I had with my seven year old niece today after all of the results and reality had set in.

Niece: Uncle Vince, what does your shirt say?

Me: Come On You Spurs. See.(Pointing to each individual letter of COYS) Come. On. You. Spurs.

Niece: Oh...What does it mean???

Me: Well, you see, when my soccer club is about to start playing, or when they need a little extra push, the supporters at the match all get up and yell "Come on you Spurs", sometimes with their hands outstretched like this.

Niece: Oh. Ok

And as she ambled away, the way only a seven year-old can, I couldn't help but notice the smile that had crossed my, until then, pursed lips. So I don't know why love, my--our--love of Spurs has got to be so sad, but I know it's all ok when it can just as easily make the day as ruin it. And that is worth something.

Love you Tottenham Hotspur, love you to pieces.

Can't Smile Without You

I didn't want to write in the comments section for two reasons:

So without any further justification or theatrics, here it is, my end of the year love letter.

"Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad"

-Derek and the Dominos

But this is a love letter so, speaking of precious, I'll end with a short dialogue I had with my seven year old niece today after all of the results and reality had set in.

Niece: Uncle Vince, what does your shirt say?

Me: Come On You Spurs. See.(Pointing to each individual letter of COYS) Come. On. You. Spurs.

Niece: Oh...What does it mean???

Me: Well, you see, when my soccer club is about to start playing, or when they need a little extra push, the supporters at the match all get up and yell "Come on you Spurs", sometimes with their hands outstretched like this.

Niece: Oh. Ok

Love you Tottenham Hotspur, love you to pieces.

Can't Smile Without You

Summer transfer

2013-05-20T01:16:06Z

So another year ends in heartbreak...but as Yids, summer window brings new hope. Who do you fellas see or want to see the most in a Spurs jersey next season. I'm hoping for my boy Son from Hamburg to sign. Really would fit well with AVB's attacking style. Others I've heard is Moutinho and Villa, the former being unlikely if we keep Bale (please god, keep bale) and the latter being a viable option for about 10 mill. (thats the first time I've used "former" and "latter" in a sentence, hopefully I did that right)

Watching the game from Istanbul

2013-05-19T13:30:04Z

I'm back in Istanbul for another 6 month stint with work and I'm sat here in my COYS tshirt in 30 degree heat feeling sick with nerves !

The game is on at the hotel I'm in and my turkish friends are wondering how we got into this position from when I saw em last and we were 7 points clear of arsenal with 10 games left ?

Seen from that perspective they are right that it is dissociating but whatever the result today I feel very positive about the future for spurs under AVB.

I'm back in Istanbul for another 6 month stint with work and I'm sat here in my COYS tshirt in 30 degree heat feeling sick with nerves !

The game is on at the hotel I'm in and my turkish friends are wondering how we got into this position from when I saw em last and we were 7 points clear of arsenal with 10 games left ?

Seen from that perspective they are right that it is dissociating but whatever the result today I feel very positive about the future for spurs under AVB.

Spurs: Formations and Personnel II

2013-05-10T14:40:36Z

It's been a while since I last wrote (http://www.cartilagefreecaptain.com/2013/1/8/3846944/spurs-formations-and-personnel). 15 league games to be precise. Now, with the end of the season nearing, it would be a good time to follow up on the article and see how right or wrong I was. Like the previous article, I will concentrate on a position-wise analysis. There are a few assumptions I am making: 1. Spurs don't qualify for UCL (sacrilege?) 2. Gareth Bale stays 3. Transfer budget of 30 mn pounds (before outgoing transfers). 4. 4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 is the way forward.

With this in mind, let's now look at how we can build a team which can challenge for the league title (but just miss out?) next season itself (a mandatory requirement if Bale is going to stay). For this, we need atleast 7-8 out of the starting 11 of the quality/ability to be starters for teams like Barca, Madrid, ManU (and obviously Bayern). I will follow up this post with another one purely on transfers to rectify problem areas which we discover in this article (and comments).

GK:

When I last wrote, I praised AVB for introducing Hugo in the way he did. I also wrote that he must be the 1st choice and Brad Freidel the 2nd choice for the next or so atleast (Brad just doesn't want to retire!). Still holds true. Hugo seems to be tailor made for the high-line tactics. This position is absolutely safe and no tinkering is needed.

RB:

If I had written this a month ago, I would have been pitching for a lavish outlay on a new RB but that's just how Kyle Walker is! And after reading Kevin's column, I am more than willing to put my money down on Walker. He has surely improved his defensive abilities, has some serious athletic ability and a very good understanding with Aaron Lennon. Kyle Naughton as the deputy just doesn't cut it though (a deviation from my previous article). However, considering budget constraints and the fact that we have a decent, young and improving first choice, I don't think this is an area to spend on.

CB:

Enough quality and quantity here. But finding the right combination is going to be difficult. SuperJan is an obvious choice but he has been prone to a few mistakes recently especially when Daws is absent or BAE has been having a stinker. Let's hope the problem is more the latter. Also we can't predict if next season he'll be able to cut down on the errors or suffer the traditional second season syndrome.

Choosing Jan's partner is more difficult than most think. Do you go with Kaboul and assume that the preseason will be enough to get him into Kaboom mode after a year out? Also will Jan be able to lead like Daws? Will Caulker be the third choice relegating our awesome captain to 4th choice? Or do you relegate Caulker to 4th choice and hamper his development for Daws leadership?

A solution I find suitable is to have different, mutually exclusive CBs for the league and European games.

Jan+Daws:

pros: established firmly this season, Daws leadership

cons: pushing either Kaboul or Caulker to 4th choice

Jan+Kaboul:

pros: on paper, the best partnership

cons: leadership? the question of whom to relegate to 4th choice

Daws+Kaboul:

pros: again, an established partnership. looks good on paper too.

cons: do you seriously want to see SuperJan on the bench?

LB:

Aah, the big question. Do you keep Disco Benny for his awesomeness and previously decent performances or spend on a defender when there are obviously other problem areas too? Going by his recent performances, BAE is proving to be a big liability. Jan's displays have been affected trying to cover up his mistakes and unlike Walker he doesn't offer the same threat offensively to paper over his defensive cracks. Remember what I said about players having the quality to start for big, established teams? Well, Benny doesn't just fit in. Buying a young, solid, marauding (and left footed) LB is a necessary it seems. The outings in cups and the occasional appearance against the likes of Norwich at home should keep BAE happy. After all, I don't want to see him go. He has got too much love towards the club for that. Having a strong bench is important too.

RM / RW:

This should be Gareth Bale's position. Not on the left, from where he can't realistically unleash his left footed rockets or in the center where doesn't possess the guile needed to operate there. We have seen in recent matches that he can cut in and shoot from the right. He also doesn't mind running to the byline (if his route inside is blocked) and curling in deliciously unorthodox (and accurate) outside-of-the-foot crosses. Obvious options for this position are Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend (yes, now I do rate him).

LM / LW:

This has been a hotly-debated position since Bale moved inside mid-season. Do you play Dempsey or Sigurdsson and reduce the width and offer and extra man in the midfield or well, dunno...... This wouldn't have been such a big issue if Naughton wasn't playing or Benny was playing well. A new left back and Holtby (Sigurdsson 2nd choice) on the left should be ideal. Holtby can offer really interesting options in this role. Being left footed, he can drive to the byline or being a playmaker by trade, provide an extra passing option in the midfield while allowing the LB forward on the overlap. Not playing in the crucial playmaker role would also reduce the responsibility on him allowing him to flourish as we have seen with Siggy (I have to admit, I was very critical of AVB playing him on the left but kudos to him for helping him rediscover some of his form).

CDM / CM / CAM:

Centre midfield. THE biggest problem. I would rate the lack of a passer and a creator bigger problems than the lack of a world class striker. In fact, I'm going to stick my nose out (at the risk of having it cut) and say that Adebayor is world class. He has shown that at ArseAnal, ManCity, Madrid (to an extent) and his first season here. The departaure of Modric and Vdv is what has affected his form the most with more duties being asked of him in the build up play and lesser service provided. Against Chelsea, with Holtby in the hole, he had a great game.

Coming back to the midfield, we have two good pure destroyers in Sandro (1st choice) and Parker (2nd choice). The issue with Parker and the position in general is that now-a-days, CDMs are also expected to be the technically good passers (Busquets, Alonso, Martinez, Gundogan). As much as I would love the extra dimension it adds to the play, budget constraints mean that we must stick with the pure destroyer (the reduced responsibility would also help Parker perform better).

The two midfield slots are no obvious choices either. For this I have made a table listing the qualities of each midfielder we have.

	Defensive reading of game	Metronomic Passer	Hard worker	Dribbler	Creator	Shooter
Sandro	yes	no	yes	no	no	no
Dembele	no	no	yes	yes	ok	yes
Parker	no	no	yes	no	no	no
Carroll	no	yes	no	yes	yes	no
Huddlestone	no	no	no	no	ok	no
Holtby	no	ok	yes	yes	yes	yes
Sigurdsson	no	ok	no	ok	ok	yes

As the table shows, we have no shortage of willing runners but that in itself can cause problems with players being caught out of position. For the position of CDM, Sandro is the obvious choice due to his fine reading of the game. Sigurdsson had a great time at Swansea as he had two metronomic passer behind him (Allen and Britton). Huddlestone doesn't bring much to the table. He cant be a passer because of he's way too slow to be in the right position at the right time to recycle possession. And I have checked shooter only on those who can realistically get us more than 10 goals a season if played in the right position.

Carroll would be the obvious choice for the passer from this list but he is a youngster and I fully respect AVB's policy of gradually introducing him. He is two seasons away (one loan, one occasional starter) from being a regular starter. We need someone good here. A good recycler will make the whole team tick along with providing the necessary creative ability the side has been so obviously lacking.

For the role of the purely attacking midfielder, we have Dembele and Sigurddson (Holtby is on the left). Both have an eye for goal along with reasonable but not extraordinary creative abilities. Neither has the movement or appreciation of space that players like Mata, Silva, Valbuena, Kroos or for that matter even Holtby have though. So we probably need someone here too. Then Dembele can be used as an option for the midfield positiosn or even RM / RW where he played so brilliantly in the absence of Lennon.

I am so insistent on spending on midfield because all great teams have great midfielders. They may have weak link elsewhere in the park but never in midfield (and this holds true for teams even before the recent romanticization of the midfield by Barca/Spain). Even currently, ArseAnal have had more dominant performances than Spurs because their midfield has a great balance in the form of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla (tactically sound; energetic, passer, creator; creator, shooter). They just lack a bit of physicality.

ST / CF:

As I have mentioned, I see Adebayor as a good (if not great) striker. Defoe, despite his early season heroics is best suited for the impact sub role. A good midfield will automatically result in better performances from the forwards. We need strengthening in numbers though. I was hoping for Harry Kane to have a hurricane of a season on loan someplace but sadly that wasn't to be. Also after spending in other areas which I deem more important (LB, CM, CAM), not much funds are going to be available for a striker. Let's discover the next Lewandowski instead (remember he was offered to Spurs for 5mn? We have to take our chances here).

Summarizing this rather verbose post, we've to get a left-back and two midfielders (passer, creator). A young striker for the future (and to provide numerical depth) is also necessary.

If you reached the end of this post, thank you for being patient and reading a rather verbose fanpost. Your comments are always highly appreciated. Suggest corrections/transfer ideas etc. and then I'll incorporate them in my next post (exclusively on transfers).

Thanks! COYS!

GK:

RB:

CB:

A solution I find suitable is to have different, mutually exclusive CBs for the league and European games.

Jan+Daws:

pros: established firmly this season, Daws leadership

cons: pushing either Kaboul or Caulker to 4th choice

Jan+Kaboul:

pros: on paper, the best partnership

cons: leadership? the question of whom to relegate to 4th choice

Daws+Kaboul:

pros: again, an established partnership. looks good on paper too.

cons: do you seriously want to see SuperJan on the bench?

LB:

RM / RW:

LM / LW:

CDM / CM / CAM:

The two midfield slots are no obvious choices either. For this I have made a table listing the qualities of each midfielder we have.

	Defensive reading of game	Metronomic Passer	Hard worker	Dribbler	Creator	Shooter
Sandro	yes	no	yes	no	no	no
Dembele	no	no	yes	yes	ok	yes
Parker	no	no	yes	no	no	no
Carroll	no	yes	no	yes	yes	no
Huddlestone	no	no	no	no	ok	no
Holtby	no	ok	yes	yes	yes	yes
Sigurdsson	no	ok	no	ok	ok	yes

ST / CF:

Summarizing this rather verbose post, we've to get a left-back and two midfielders (passer, creator). A young striker for the future (and to provide numerical depth) is also necessary.

Thanks! COYS!

Could Ante Rebić be THE Striker?

2013-05-10T13:15:13Z

In recent weeks, Tottenham have been heavily linked with 19-year-old Croatian striker Ante Rebić. Having witnessed a full match of his and numerous short bursts from time to time, I thought I'd try to inform the commentariat as to his potential fit at Tottenham.

Physically, Rebić is the ideal target man for Tottenham. At 6-foot-1, he is good in the air and strong on the ball, aiding his hold-up play significantly. He also has decent pace which, while not spectacular, helps him latch onto through balls very well, an attribute that has impressed me highly. His technical abilities are impressive for a player of his age and his control in tight spaces is excellent, however his passing could use work as he manages to pick up the ball in good positions and waste possession with a wayward pass to an onrushing midfielder. Rebić's shooting from range also leaves something to be desired, but from within the box he appears to be a confident and capable finisher.

My longest experience of Rebić was in Split's 4-1 victory over rock bottom Zagreb, in which he scored a brace. Both of his goals came from incisive through balls and in both cases he timed his run perfectly so as to stay onside. Neither of the finishes were anything special, but his positioning for both goals allowed him to make simple finishes past a none-too-impressive goalkeeper. It was also not only his goals that allowed him to influence the match, winning a (dubious) penalty for the side's third goal and laying on multiple chances for teammates to spurn time and time again. However, what struck me most in this match was not his play, but his attitude. Seemingly every time a call went against him, he appeared to throw his hands in the air and complain to the referee or an assistant. He also managed to earn a yellow card that should probably have been a red when he kicked out at a player that had just dispossessed him. His statistics also line up with a disciplinary problem, having picked up 11 cards in 31 games this season, a somewhat large number for a striker.

My opinion is that Rebić would be a good signing for Tottenham this summer, but he is not THE striker that we need, despite his great potential. I think he fits more in the Mauro Icardi category of forwards that we should sign as understudies to a proper first choice striker. If this were to occur and the price was reasonable (anywhere short of 8 million pounds or so), it would be an intelligent move as Rebić could take over the reigns in a few years time when he is more refined and his attitude is a little better. For now, Rebić is not THE striker Tottenham need, but one day, he very well could be.

The Wire and The Masthead: An Exercise in Silly

2013-05-06T03:46:14Z

This weekend was intense, both on the pitch and on the site. I for one accept this intensity, as it means Spurs are up to something. If we were all nonchalant about the end of the season, that could only mean we were sitting in the comfortably numb, midtable slots that Liverpool look so good in. But with this intensity often agitation follows. And as supporters of the same divine football club, Tottenham Hotspur, we would do well not to quibble over the small stuff; but the stakes are high, and we most assuredly will. So, in the event that things get too heavy, take a peek over here at what I refer to as "the silly". A mix of light ribbing with pop-culture spice meant to take our minds off of the tension. Hopefully you enjoy my attempt at lightening the mood before the anvil that is Wednesday's match comes to call. And now I present to you:

"The Masthead as Characters from The Wire"

Kevin:Avon Barksdale

Seriously, where is Kevin? Dude is too busy taking care of his business to be garnering the headlines, but rest assured he is the guy that got it all rolling, and he owns the streets. His minions are building him an empire and entertaining the hell out of us in the process.

Uncle Menno:Lester Freeman

They are both, how shall I say it, senior members of the crew. I mean Menno's so old he actually met Lord Baltimore, but I digress. Not only a lovable senior Menno, like Lester, is incredibly patient, and excels at his job with a style that stands out because of the crazies who he has to work amongst. Also, Menno keeps saying Auntie is a hottie; Lester didn't do too poorly either.

theroosevelts: Weebey

I don't know. They are both from BMore and if I get into any more fights in my life, I am pretty sure I want theroose--like Weebey, some old-fashioned muscle--there with me. theroose probably likes fish, too. Right?

Ryan Rosenblatt: Frank Sobotka

You know, ends up dead in the harbor. Which is like a ditch.

patrickfealty: Marlo Stanfield

Calculating and smart, Ed and Marlo have a toughness not immediately apparent (Marlo because of his quiet nature; Ed his adoracute accent) that allows them to rise to stardom in their chosen fields. Marlo: drug dealer. Ed: blogger extraordinaire. Marlo also tends to be awkward interpersonally, and while Ed is a great talker, his hands sure were awkward in that recent photo. Also, Ed had to be Marlo because of my next Masthead choice.

Lennon's Eyebrow: Omar Little

He has risen up from the Commentariat like Omar rose up from the streets to be something a little bit more. Something a bit fearsome, really. When they saw Omar coming, they dropped the stash. When LE comes for you in an argument, gird your loins. Also, Omar and Marlo were locked in an existential battle that had little economic relevance. As much as the show's duel was about Butchy, it was about not letting another get over on you. Welcome to the LE vs. Ed debates of 2013 everyone! Stay a while.

Bryan A.:Stringer Bell

Goes to school, knows better than most of us, and isn't afraid to let us know about it. However, given all his smarts he makes a crucial error. Like Stringer's soiree into real estate Bryan dabbled in something he had no business getting involved with (mustaches) and has paid a horrible price.

MCofA:One of Multiple Police Chiefs

Do you even have to ask? He jukes the stats, baby!

Spooky:Wallace

Wallace ended up in the country, far from the streets. Spooky has his own site, and doesn't write here anymore. Yeah, mismatches and shit.

The Sleeper's Sleep: Norman Wilson

Who?? Yes, Norman Wilson, Carcetti's omnipresent, if not reluctant, campaign manager. Almost always the smartest person in the room, he doesn't need to talk often to steal the scene, and frequently, he can scarcely believe the all encompassing circus he is somehow, in some cruel stroke, associated with.

Mechanick: "Herc" Haulk

Says shit in a funny accent that invariably makes others (Ashlock) roll eyes. However, quite lovable and probably a blast. The guy you most likely want to have a beer with. Sorry, Menno.

Nick Petrilli: One of the Rowhouse Bodies

Despite his triumphant return to the comments today, he remains MIA as a writer. He is "missing". He has "disappeared". Somebody get an Amber Alert going; I don't care if he is a grown-up.

*Now I know he is not masthead, but I would be remiss to not throw a shout to our own favorite site comedian and son of Baltimore:

Skipjack: Jay Landsman

The funniest in the room. It's their world, we are all just the straight-men/women. Bawlmore to the core.

Part II: "I am a real boy"

Hopefully this brought some fun to the table. If not, and you are still stressed, I'll include something else. In honor of Stevellieux's unveiling of his crazy beard and my upcoming one year anniversary on the site (I am totally making fun of the thread the other day) I thought I could contribute this. Remember, I am just a guy who will kiss a sandwich, and the rest of us are just as ridiculous. Don't let anyone bring you down if things get bad, but let's put all of that on hold if we can. The glory is waiting and we may just get some this year yet.

COYS! And may I add--COYMFS!

"The Masthead as Characters from The Wire"

Kevin:Avon Barksdale

Uncle Menno:Lester Freeman

theroosevelts: Weebey

Ryan Rosenblatt: Frank Sobotka

You know, ends up dead in the harbor. Which is like a ditch.

patrickfealty: Marlo Stanfield

Lennon's Eyebrow: Omar Little

Bryan A.:Stringer Bell

MCofA:One of Multiple Police Chiefs

Do you even have to ask? He jukes the stats, baby!

Spooky:Wallace

Wallace ended up in the country, far from the streets. Spooky has his own site, and doesn't write here anymore. Yeah, mismatches and shit.

The Sleeper's Sleep: Norman Wilson

Mechanick: "Herc" Haulk

Says shit in a funny accent that invariably makes others (Ashlock) roll eyes. However, quite lovable and probably a blast. The guy you most likely want to have a beer with. Sorry, Menno.

Nick Petrilli: One of the Rowhouse Bodies

Despite his triumphant return to the comments today, he remains MIA as a writer. He is "missing". He has "disappeared". Somebody get an Amber Alert going; I don't care if he is a grown-up.

*Now I know he is not masthead, but I would be remiss to not throw a shout to our own favorite site comedian and son of Baltimore:

Skipjack: Jay Landsman

The funniest in the room. It's their world, we are all just the straight-men/women. Bawlmore to the core.

Part II: "I am a real boy"

COYS! And may I add--COYMFS!

Poll

What is your favorite season of The Wire?

1

1 votes

3

6 votes

4

10 votes

Bacon Sandwich

18 votes

35 votes | Poll has closed

Spurs Background Archive & Requests 2

2013-04-23T20:52:49Z

Link to Archive 1:

(Please vote on which were best if you have time)

I've been notified that comments have expired on my previous post... tarnation. So, until somebody suggests another better way of doing this - I'll just do a second one and so on.

Same set up as previously; requests for any backgrounds or edits below, I'll do them as soon as I can. Please as a general rule either be specific (i.e. give me example images or explicit instructions) or let me know that you're happy for me to interpret as I see fit. That way, it should happen quickly and in a way that is hopefully ace for you. Backgrounds will be listed numbered below, edits of lower resolution in comments only. Note that sbnation's image importer means that the backgrounds will be lower resolution here than in the original imgur uploads, which I'll link to in the comments.

Request away!

EDIT 29/4: I shouldn't really have to say it, but if you're going to use my stuff elsewhere, please namecheck me and/or link here. I don't watermark because I want people to use them as backgrounds, don't make me ruin the damn images, guys. It's just politeness.

Link to Archive 1:

(Please vote on which were best if you have time)

I've been notified that comments have expired on my previous post... tarnation. So, until somebody suggests another better way of doing this - I'll just do a second one and so on.

Request away!

A Q&A Session With Takura Mtandari

2013-04-23T13:29:53Z

Heya Cartilage Free!

A1 here, hope you're all well.

So, my news:

A friend of mine from primary school, Takura "Tak" Mtandari (links: 1 2 3), was snapped up into the Spurs academy at a young age and remained with them for several years, getting a professional contract under Ramos and then unfortunately being released by Redknapp. He was a phenomenal talent at primary school for what it's worth, you literally couldn't tackle him. I was fortunate that he was in my class/year so I never had to play against him, and he's probably I guess part of the reason why I enjoy football so much to this day. He's subsequently spent time at Norwich and had a trial for PSV. Right now, he's just back from the US, and is looking for a club. Hopefully, signs are that he'll be picked up by a good side in a good league, as the interest from PSV indicates.

Maybe some of you followed his progress a few years back as I obviously did. I'm sure that all of you wish him as well as I do, he's a really nice guy and even at school he kept his feet on the ground despite his undoubted skill and just played to enjoy the game. I've good memories of a fine partnership in one Kwik Cricket game with him that I'm certain he'll have forgotten by now. For me, crowning glory. Guy was so cool! He's always tended to do well in my FM games, put it that way.

Q&A

Aaaanyway, long story short, I got in touch with him the other day and asked him if he'd be up for doing a Q&A session. He said yes, and that he still had a lot of friends at the club who might be better equipped to answer some of the questions (this is the approximate age group of being early 20s so think people like Danny Rose, Steven Caulker, Andros Townsend, Tom Carroll). He's said he's happy to pass on any questions(/I guess messages?) you have and see to which they'll be happy to respond.

I hope this goes as well as I think it could.

OBVIOUS CAVEAT:

Please be duly respectful and - as Tak has requested specifically - don't ask questions which could get the players in trouble. I've suggested that Kevin vet the questions and that we then email them on to Tak. That aside, knock yourselves out, guys. Questions and messages for consideration/filtering in the comments below, hopefully the Q&A itself will happen in a couple of weeks (allowing more people a chance to see the post and contribute).

  Thanks, Takura!

Heya Cartilage Free!

A1 here, hope you're all well.

So, my news:

Q&A

I hope this goes as well as I think it could.

OBVIOUS CAVEAT:

  Thanks, Takura!

The (Hopeful) Evolution of Kyle Walker

2013-04-23T00:05:12Z

Kyle Walker had an immense performance against Basel in the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinal. He also had a fantastic game against Everton. And again against Manchester City he was a dominant force. Now we've seen good matches from Walker before this season and last. He was on a good run of form in between the Sunderland and Liverpool games, rarely making a glaring mistake defensively and contributing his usual attacking output. I would say overall during this stretch he was an above average Premier League right back, however, the past three matches he has been nothing short of spectacular.

Something in these past three matches has been different for me though. Whereas most of the season he was using his incredible athleticism to make up for his subpar positioning and awareness, lately it has been used as merely a bonus. His positioning the last few matches is the best it's been in his entire career. He's been bossing and controlling the entire flank essentially by himself lately, the type of feat few fullbacks can achieve. The run of form he's been on has been that of a world class fullback in the making. Walker's passing abilities and raw athleticism is already matched by few others in the world at his position.

Many fans thought, myself included, that the injury to Lennon would leave Spurs exposed on the right wing, due to Lennon's phenomenal ability to track back and Walker's less than stellar record. But instead Walker has emerged, quick and powerful, as the full back we all hoped he would become. Against Everton he was given the daunting task of controlling the marauding Leighton Baines. Not only did he keep him completely under control, his attacking ability kept Baines pinned far deeper than he prefers. Walker's brilliant cross to the top of the box creating the equalizer against Everton, and he frequently put Baines to shame that game with his attacking prowess.

The equalizer against Manchester City also involved Walker somewhat. He ran on to the ball as though preparing a shot, drawing City's defense forward, only to hit a quick pass to Gareth Bale who set up Clint Dempsey for the goal. We've all known that his attacking abilities are unmatched in the Premier League, but now that his defense is shaping up, Walker is ready to take on the world.

But the real question is, can he keep this up? He's gone through runs of good form before. But I think this is the best he's played in his career and the most positionally aware he's been as well. What do you think, can Kyle 1 keep this up?

Poll

Is Kyle Walker's current form now the standard for him?

Yes, he's turned a corner defensively

26 votes

No, he's still the same old Kyle

5 votes

Bacon Sandwich

9 votes

40 votes | Poll has closed