Gallas: how much longer Andre?

[brasil_spur]

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.

Personally i think we need to go a step further.

I think we are 5 players short at the moment in the squad. Those positions would be:

CB that can cover at RB for the squad, basically a junior version of Kaboul.
CM squad player that can compete with Carroll for first team place and rotation.
CM/AM first team player to play alongside Demebele.
RW first team player as Lennon is only good enough for a regular squad position.
ST - first team level to compete and rotate with Adebayor.

Players that are dispensable: Dawson, Gallas, Huddlestone, Dempsey, Defoe, Livermore (loan preferable), Townsend (loan preferable), Jenas and Bentley.

 

[Damian99]

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.

What "high line" is this that we are playing then? Oh yeh and the "high tempo, pressing game" where is it???.

Even if he didn't get the players he felt he needed to start the season and aside all the injuries, i see nothing of this type of tactic with the 11 players we field.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

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.

Mate, we've conceded 12 goals in 4 games, if AVB wants Brad Friedel to be the goalkeeper and try and play the high line then I'm sure Dawson would not have a problem having a crack at it...

Something needs to change, BC will argue until he is blue in the face that Gallas is better than Dawson, a lot of the time I wouldn't disagree, but we need to change something, we are defending like 5 years olds with no feet at the moment.

 

[lillywhites61]

I think he has be wonderful for us. And it's just a shame we have the injuries we do in defence but I have to say I would rather see Daws in there now to be honest.

 

[TheGreenLily]

Surely picking Dawson from the start would be the more logical choice of that were the case. The most popular man at the club, club captain, almost certainly more able to carry along the other players with him onside than Gallas ?

Let's ignore the fact that Gallas was also being picked by Redknapp ahead of Dawson shall we.

There's no fucking conspiracy in this selection you (all of you) muppets. Gallas is just a better option than Dawson. Even yesterday you saw Dawson make a big error of judgement that cost a goal and your still calling for him to be re-instated.

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.

Gallas is not at the peak of his game, he will be replaced by Kaboul when he recovers his fitness I'm sure, but he is a fucking long way from being the reason we aren't winning games or playing well, in fact he's been the reason we have won a couple.

Agree, with that.

I was just commenting on why he maybe making some of his choices, that is all. Was not knocking him or Gallas.

 

[ethanedwards]

Mate, we've conceded 12 goals in 4 games, if AVB wants Brad Friedel to be the goalkeeper and try and play the high line then I'm sure Dawson would not have a problem having a crack at it...

Something needs to change, BC will argue until he is blue in the face that Gallas is better than Dawson, a lot of the time I wouldn't disagree, but we need to change something, we are defending like 5 years olds with no feet at the moment.

It's squeaky bum defending, I would not be suprised if we get a few more heavy defeats.

 

[jonathanhotspur]

What "high line" is this that we are playing then? Oh yeh and the "high tempo, pressing game" where is it???.

Even if he didn't get the players he felt he needed to start the season and aside all the injuries, i see nothing of this type of tactic with the 11 players we field.

It's so fucking true. We've seen plenty of this high line business over the last 2 weekends and it has been seriously risky stuff (even with the lightning quick Lloris between the sticks) but where the hell is the pressing? I thought the two were supposed to go hand in hand?

 

[Damian99]

It's squeaky bum defending, I would not be suprised if we get a few more heavy defeats.

The defence does look very very frail, which begs the question, what leadership qualities is Gallas bringing to, well atleast that back line??? Because it doesn't look a particularly well organized defence at the moment.

 

[Damian99]

It's so fucking true. We've seen plenty of this high line business over the last 2 weekends and it has been seriously risky stuff (even with the lightning quick Lloris between the sticks) but where the hell is the pressing? I thought the two were supposed to go hand in hand?

Obviously a big part of that maybe altered with injured players returning, lets be right Huddlestone probably couldn't press his fucking trousers.

But aside Big daft Tom, we are not a high tempo pressing team, in fact so far from that, its not true.

 

[brasil_spur]

Mate, we've conceded 12 goals in 4 games, if AVB wants Brad Friedel to be the goalkeeper and try and play the high line then I'm sure Dawson would not have a problem having a crack at it...

Something needs to change, BC will argue until he is blue in the face that Gallas is better than Dawson, a lot of the time I wouldn't disagree, but we need to change something, we are defending like 5 years olds with no feet at the moment.

Fair enough i suppose, we can give Dawson a crack at it, i'd rather we go with Caulker and Verts for now with Naughton at LB until either Kaboul or Ekotto are back fit.

 

[brasil_spur]

What "high line" is this that we are playing then? Oh yeh and the "high tempo, pressing game" where is it???.

Have you even watched the games recently?!?!?

We are clearly playing a high defensive line, the commentators barely stop to mention this and the fact they think it is a bad idea throughout the game.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Mate, we've conceded 12 goals in 4 games, if AVB wants Brad Friedel to be the goalkeeper and try and play the high line then I'm sure Dawson would not have a problem having a crack at it...

Something needs to change, BC will argue until he is blue in the face that Gallas is better than Dawson, a lot of the time I wouldn't disagree, but we need to change something, we are defending like 5 years olds with no feet at the moment.

Getting who ever plays to fucking close down properly would be a start, this would cancel out about 80% of everything we are conceding. A different RB (with a brain and some control over his feet), LB fit, two central midfielders to add to Sandro fit, Lloris in, and Adebayor fit and available and picked most weeks would be next.

I've constantly said Gallas is not the long term answer and will get rested when all are fit. But swapping him for Dawson is not going solve the above issues, which are the main problems, not a defender who IMO is performing pretty consistently whilst all (and I mean virtually all) around him is going to to pish.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

What "high line" is this that we are playing then? Oh yeh and the "high tempo, pressing game" where is it???.

Even if he didn't get the players he felt he needed to start the season and aside all the injuries, i see nothing of this type of tactic with the 11 players we field.

It's so fucking true. We've seen plenty of this high line business over the last 2 weekends and it has been seriously risky stuff (even with the lightning quick Lloris between the sticks) but where the hell is the pressing? I thought the two were supposed to go hand in hand?

This is the problem. I think we are clearly trying to play a higher defensive line, but when you have half arsed ****s like Bale, Lennon, Defoe, Dempsey and Hudd in your midfield/attack the pressing (which aids the high line, putting pressure on the ball preventing opposition forward movement etc) goes tits up and the defence ends up getting sucked up and down and opponents have all the time in the world to play through balls.

Most of us said at the start of the season Hudd will be no good for this method, he struggled under Redknapp, let alone truing to play the pressing game. Trouble is, injuries have rendered him one of the only fit senior cm's and this is costing us, along with not having people like Parker who are naturally dynamic and diligent at pressing. Dembele is good at this too.

A lot of our problems could dissolve when all are fit and if we switched to a 433:

Parker-----Sandro-----Dembele

Will be a very hard working dynamic cm area, and will protect the defence so much better and enable us to play higher up the pitch hopefully.

 

[Damian99]

Have you even watched the games recently?!?!?

We are clearly playing a high defensive line, the commentators barely stop to mention this and the fact they think it is a bad idea throughout the game.

Until Man City and we got fucking done time and time again, at what point were we adopting the so called high line??

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Fair enough i suppose, we can give Dawson a crack at it, i'd rather we go with Caulker and Verts for now with Naughton at LB until either Kaboul or Ekotto are back fit.

I'm looking for Dawson and Caulker with Vertonghen at left back. Mainly because in my opinion Naughton is fucking useless at left back.

 

[brasil_spur]

Until Man City and we got fucking done time and time again, at what point were we adopting the so called high line??

The whole match, in basically every match we've played under AVB.

 

[brasil_spur]

I'm looking for Dawson and Caulker with Vertonghen at left back. Mainly because in my opinion Naughton is fucking useless at left back.

You could be right, worth giving Dawson the nod for now to allow him the chance to prove himself at least.

 

[Damian99]

The whole match, in basically every match we've played under AVB.

Yeh my mistake, i mean it's not like we have sat back and invited pressure against Southampton and Man United and pretty much most teams this season, you're quite correct

 

[brasil_spur]

Yeh my mistake, i mean it's not like we have sat back and invited pressure against Southampton and Man United and pretty much most teams this season, you're quite correct

I think you are getting confused with what a high defensive line means.

It means that when you are in possession of the ball or when the play is in either two thirds of the pitch that aren't your defensive third, then the defenders step up the field further than normal and play in a line which stops the attackers getting in behind them without being offside.

Obviously you can't play a high line with the majority of the opposition players are inside your half with 4 or 5 of them in around your box otherwise your defenders would be playing alongside your midfielders.

It's pretty simple really and has been very obvious that this is what we've been trying to play. I'd agree that it hasn't been massively successful for us as yet though, but neither has much else that we've been doing of late.

 

[Damian99]

I think you are getting confused with what a high defensive line means.

Im fully aware of what a high line means and how it's played but as already pointed out, surely that tactic has to be employed with a high pressing game also, squeezing the play higher up the pitch, putting the opposition under pressure. Making them rush their passes thus giving away cheap possession.

But we are not pressing the ball at any type of tempo anywhere on the pitch and if AVB has been adopting this tactic clearly without the high pressing game, then its no wonder we have conceded so many goals and the mans a baffoon. Also i also cannot see this high line week in and week out with Brad "i can't come off my line today lads" friedal in goal, that simply does not make any sense either.

I am still not convinced we have played with this high line anywhere near as often as you make out, but it's all about opinions, so fair play.