Gallas: how much longer Andre?

[stormfly]

If Kaboul and BAE weren't injured I'm sure Gallas would not have played so many games. In about a month it's going to feel like we have had a great transfer window with 4/5 great players joining the squad. We will then be awesome (I hope).

 

[Stavrogin]

Gallas Is worth having about for the season.
Kaboul and Vertonghen will be first choice and caulker is a great replacement or swap about with them two.
I love dawson but we should cash in if possible - funds would be useful and maybe we could try bring another kid through for next season.

His served us well though. I'd clap him in his last game for us.

Towards the end of last season it looked as if Gallas had 'passed on' but he's been serviceable enough this year.

The defensive problem, such as it is, is that we're not very strident. It's a hard thing to see, the lack of initiative within what are reactive scenarios, but it was especially evident in the 2nd and 3rd goals yesterday. It's as if they're too often staying on the back foot.

It's not that surprising though. AVB is probably giving them certain instructions that they're coming to terms with. Then, look at our average defence this season: Walker, out of form; Gallas, diminishing; Caulker, new to squad and inexperienced; Vertonghen, new and often out of most his comfortable position; Naughton, new to team and young.

Huge difference: to (in form) Walker, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto.

It's one of things we'll never know. Would Dawson have provided a better stopgap? It's possible but it's hardly been very bad.

 

[hybridsoldier]

I think gallas feels he needs to be deeper as he ain't as young and quick as the others. Also he is weary that Friedel isn't so quick off his line.

Lloris is lightening off his line and I am sure if we play him it will only help the high line we play, even though Brad has great qualities - this tips things for Lloris IMO

Easy to create scapegoats like Gallas you have to look at the wider picture

 

[punky]

I can't fathom how Gallas ever started ahead of Dawson, let alone every time.

 

[jonathanhotspur]

I think gallas feels he needs to be deeper as he ain't as young and quick as the others. Also he is weary that Friedel isn't so quick off his line.

Lloris is lightening off his line and I am sure if we play him it will only help the high line we play, even though Brad has great qualities - this tips things for Lloris IMO

Easy to create scapegoats like Gallas you have to look at the wider picture

Agree about Lloris being lightning quick. It's wonderful to see.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

The reason we aren't playing well is that we have one decent striker and he's only started twice, a few of our best players are injured, we have two lazy and reasonably unintelligent wingers, a big fat non metronome waddling around the midfield, no fucking left back, a tubby line hugging keeper most of the season, and a slow, stupid centre back with minimal leadership qualities and a penchant for humping it long to our 2 foot tall striker will not solve these problems.

This is probably the best paragraph I've ever read on SC.

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

This is probably the best paragraph I've ever read on SC.

Really? I agree with most of it though. I'm not a fan of dawson and his penchant for the long diagonal but I think he gives it away less than gallas. Stop going back to the keeper who then has to hit it long. When he does play it forward it's often a lottery. can't argue about huddlestone either can't wait to see him out the side.

 

[spud]

Fair enough, my comments were aimed more at some of the others, particularly the ridiculous OP.

I have repeatedly said that Gallas is not the future and that when all are fit he probably won't start, certainly not as first choice. But Dawson is not the future either and is not the answer for the here and now either. I don't get why Gallas would be more trouble than Dawson (a player AVB tried to offload who would surely see AVB as a threat to his career and more likely to stir up trouble for him of the pair) in the dressing room ?

I'm curious why you think my post is 'ridiculous'. You might like to note - if it's relevant to your opinion - that I didn't say that Dawson should play instead.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Really? I agree with most of it though. I'm not a fan of dawson and his penchant for the long diagonal but I think he gives it away less than gallas. Stop going back to the keeper who then has to hit it long. When he does play it forward it's often a lottery. can't argue about huddlestone either can't wait to see him out the side.

Gallas actually gives the ball away less than all of our regular defenders this season. Of The CB's, his completion rate is 91%, Caulker 89%, Vertonghen 85%, Dawson's is 75%.

His passing is perfunctory I know. I'm not saying he's a visionary, I know Vertongehn is better on the ball and his much better vision with his passing etc.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I'm curious why you think my post is 'ridiculous'. You might like to note - if it's relevant to your opinion - that I didn't say that Dawson should play instead.

No you didn't, others did though. But I'm not sure who you think should play given our current circumstances if not Dawson. You just made the even more ridiculous assessment that Gallas was causing Walker problems. Walker is an un-intelligent footballer, who reads the game badly, has bad technique, especially under pressure and has caused us far more problems than Gallas this season.

 

[spud]

No you didn't, others did though. But I'm not sure who you think should play given our current circumstances if not Dawson.

Caulker and Vertonghen would be my choice, which is evident from my reference in my original post to having three young players in the back four. I'm not sure how the opinion of other people about something that I didn't say makes my post 'ridiculous'; perhaps you can enlighten me.

You just made the even more ridiculous assessment that Gallas was causing Walker problems. Walker is an un-intelligent footballer, who reads the game badly, has bad technique, especially under pressure and has caused us far more problems than Gallas this season.

Walker was far better last season than this. This season he has had Gallas next to him nearly every game. Last season he didn't. You obviously think that's just a coincidence. As for ridiculous, I think your assessment of Walker qualifies. He's a young, talented player who is learning his game (and working on his weaknesses) at the sharp end. Your opinion of him is 'ridiculously' over the top.

You seem to believe that a great many of our players are 'unintelligent'; I recall that you described Bale and Lennon thus in an earlier post. What do you mean by it? Perhaps you could tell me who you think is an 'intelligent' footballer.

By the way, I'm still waiting for you to tell us all which games you think that Gallas has won for us this season.

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Gallas actually gives the ball away less than all of our regular defenders this season. Of The CB's, his completion rate is 91%, Caulker 89%, Vertonghen 85%, Dawson's is 75%.

His passing is perfunctory I know. I'm not saying he's a visionary, I know Vertongehn is better on the ball and his much better vision with his passing etc.

Oh yeah no doubt, probably because most of that 91% is back to the keeper, then as I said from there it's a 50/50 or 10/90 if defoes up front by himself. If it's not to the keeper its usually a hospital ball. He may have good passing stats but I would guess we lose the ball soon after alot of the time. Vertonghen is progressive and actually
tries to get us and keep us possession futher up the field. that's why his passing stats aren't as good. I also think caulker and Dawson are more progressive, although Dawson should cut back on that long raking ball he loves to play.

 

[cozzo]

Caulker and Vertonghen would be my choice, which is evident from my reference in my original post to having three young players in the back four. I'm not sure how the opinion of other people about something that I didn't say makes my post 'ridiculous'; perhaps you can enlighten me.


Walker was far better last season than this. This season he has had Gallas next to him nearly every game. Last season he didn't. You obviously think that's just a coincidence. As for ridiculous, I think your assessment of Walker qualifies. He's a young, talented player who is learning his game (and working on his weaknesses) at the sharp end. Your opinion of him is 'ridiculously' over the top.

You seem to believe that a great many of our players are 'unintelligent'; I recall that you described Bale and Lennon thus in an earlier post. What do you mean by it? Perhaps you could tell me who you think is an 'intelligent' footballer.

By the way, I'm still waiting for you to tell us all which games you think that Gallas has won for us this season.

Walker wasn't even that great last season, he was just fast. His speed clouds a lot of peoples judgements. Aren't all players "learning their game", I disagree that he is talented. The media always go crazy when a player is quick and elevate him to the England squad.

How would Gallas make him play worse as opposed to Kaboul, Dawson, Caulker or Vertonghen?

 

[Spurs_Q8]

Walker's been better clearly, because he's never played for Arsenal.

i understand your point of view, as also Walker is really out of form, but you can't compare Walker situation to Gallas, Walker is being picked as the best player in his position, but Gallas still being picked, despite several errors/displays & we have better player on the bench who is better than him.

I like Gallas, but him and Dempsey ( did he played for Arsenal too ? ) should be dropped

 

[Damian99]

By the way, I'm still waiting for you to tell us all which games you think that Gallas has won for us this season.

To be fair i don't know whats taking him so long, he hasn't got many to pick from.

 

[brasil_spur]

Jesus christ OP. Gallas is playing as our back up to Kaboul. As a back up to Kaboul i think he is better than Dawson.

 

[WestBelfast Spurs]

thank fuck im not the only one that feels this way hes brutal

 

[Spurs_Q8]

Jesus christ OP. Gallas is playing as our back up to Kaboul. As a back up to Kaboul i think he is better than Dawson.

Dawson problem he is slow, but Gallas is very very slow, Gallas is better for looking for short passes, Dawson looks more often for long balls, but defensivily? Dawson is good on the air while Gallas is so weak. Also Dawson can make slide tackles, lead the back-line better.

 

[brasil_spur]

Dawson problem he is slow, but Gallas is very very slow, Gallas is better for looking for short passes, Dawson looks more often for long balls, but defensivily? Dawson is good on the air while Gallas is so weak. Also Dawson can make slide tackles, lead the back-line better.

Dawson can't play the high line though, which is the way AVB wants us to play. Using Dawson rather than Gallas would mean a complete re-adjustment of how our defense works.

At the moment we need to be building a stable footballing style, chopping and changing our tactics on a weekly basis just won't do us any favours in the long term.

The problem we have is injuries and to a degree lack of squad players in the AVB style of play.

In Jan i do think we need to see quite a bit of squad change, i don't even think it needs to cost too much, we could get some experienced pros in for cheaper, just so long as they can work with AVB's style of play.

 

[Spurs_Q8]

In Jan i do think we need to see quite a bit of squad change, i don't even think it needs to cost too much, we could get some experienced pros in for cheaper, just so long as they can work with AVB's style of play.

agree with this part, the problem we don't have pacy backup for Lennon & Bale
- Townsend isn't good enough to push or reduce the effect of Bale absence
- Falque is a bit slow and not natural winger
- Dempsey struggled as LW even thought AVB put Bale behind him as LB at home game vs QPR.

Also upfront we've only two strikers, Dempsey proved isn't good enough, so if one of them isn't available for one game, then could struggle, no one on the bench can be helpful if we are behind or refresh legs in 2nd half or rest the striker for cup games.

in that scenario, we need a winger/Striker mode player, who can operate in those two positions, i think Agbonlahor is ideal choice, he wouldn't cost that match, can play LW, RW and CF, Quick and decent on the air.

Dempsey can be sold, Sigurdsson is the option for AM, and Dempsey can be switched there if Sigurdsson isn't available, so we might need to add another CM to add competition for Sandro, Huddlestone, Carroll & Parker, specialy as we don't know if Scott can retain his best or not, and Huddlestone is yet to find some form. I don't know if we need Moutinho type of player or Tioti..

but i think the best transfer market for us would be getting CM & Winger/FC like Agbonlahor, and wouldn't mind us selling Dempsey.