Has Defoe lost a yard?

[TheGreenLily]

He should get way more tap ins. Some really good balls were fizzed in between the keeper and CBs last night from out wide and Pav/Defoe both seemed to hang back on the penalty spot.

I noticed that as well.

Gio put a great ball in at the end of the first half. it all it need was someone to be there.

More bread and butter goals please.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I noticed that as well.

Gio put a great ball in at the end of the first half. it all it need was someone to be there.

More bread and butter goals please.

See above. It wasn't a great ball on that occasion as it was completely the opposite of what the two forwards that he was aiming for had asked.

 

[Booney]

Watch Defoe's contribution for the third goal yesterday if you're doubting his physical condition.

Won the ball back with a sliding tackle deep into our area, ran the full length of the pitch (at a pretty decent pace I might add) and played a killer ball to Gio.

If Keane or Viera had done that in their prime then everyone would have been purring about what amazing athletes they were. Defoe has never relied purely on pace like someone like Michael Owen did. He looks in pretty good nick to me.

 

[adamthfc]

They were both absolutely screaming for the ball to be pulled back but Giovani chose the wrong option on one occasion. They gave him a proper bollocking for it too.

Spot on

 

[Twizzle]

he's 29 not 39, he hasn't lost shit

if he's slow its because he never had any pace to begin with

 

[danielneeds]

I think he has lost a yard, but it is nothing to do with age, he is 29 and never had any real serious injuries, his body is in its prime. I think it is more to do with the bulking up he did a couple of years ago to try and help him win more battles with CBs. When you put more weight on the upper body, you lose a little explosive speed.

 

[Spurger King]

I think he has lost a yard, but it is nothing to do with age, he is 29 and never had any real serious injuries, his body is in its prime. I think it is more to do with the bulking up he did a couple of years ago to try and help him win more battles with CBs. When you put more weight on the upper body, you lose a little explosive speed.

Exactly what I was thinking too. He may have lost a little speed, but he's also become a more robust footballer.

 

[tRiKS]

i've see berbatov out run defenders defoe stuggles with. Acceleration and turn is/was fast. top speed is not up to a great deal.

 

[tRiKS]

See above. It wasn't a great ball on that occasion as it was completely the opposite of what the two forwards that he was aiming for had asked.

Maybe you're right but Defoe had no right to ball out a team amte having over ran the ball when he should have passed it many time himself and was horribly casual on the few sniffs at goal he had. I didn't agree with the commentary that defoes finish was well saved or that his first touch was good.

If this is a discussion about Defoe last night to me showed why he's not a top player.

 

[Misfit]

They were both absolutely screaming for the ball to be pulled back but Giovani chose the wrong option on one occasion. They gave him a proper bollocking for it too.

Oh yeah, remember that now. Ah well, bit of a blemish. Did more in this one game that the previous 3 yrs though probably?

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Maybe you're right but Defoe had no right to ball out a team amte having over ran the ball when he should have passed it many time himself and was horribly casual on the few sniffs at goal he had. I didn't agree with the commentary that defoes finish was well saved or that his first touch was good.

If this is a discussion about Defoe last night to me showed why he's not a top player.

Yeah I'm not arguing that Defoe is a top player, my post was in response to those saying that it was a great ball Giovani (who played pretty well) across the 6 yard box. I even stuck up for Pav on this occasion which never usually happens.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Oh yeah, remember that now. Ah well, bit of a blemish. Did more in this one game that the previous 3 yrs though probably?

Absolutely and I said so in the ratings thread. This has been one of the most frustrating things from the blind 'Giovani lovers' over the past year or so. He has never turned in a performance like that for us, they've been scraping the barrell for snippets for when he has played well, but after last night he finally came to the party. He still has a shit load to work on, but his work rate and desire to impress last night was very good indeed.

 

[jimmy-jojo]

he's 29 not 39, he hasn't lost shit

if he's slow its because he never had any pace to begin with

Agreed. Physically he should be entering his prime as a footballer. He doesn't have as much pace as people think. That's one of the reasons he gets caught offside so much as he feels he needs to get a head start on the defenders, IMO.

Someone like Lennon doesn't get caught offside so much because he knows he has the pace to give the defender a yard and still beat them to the ball.

 

[C0YS]

I think you'll find that Ian Wright was knocking in goals for Palace in his early 20's. All this "He was a late bloomer" was a myth.

His first successful top flight campaign came in his 27-28 season, my point still stands, before then his record mirrored defoe in the same time frame.

 

[Adam456]

Then I sincerely apologise to the great SHAMROCK Rovers for using the wrong half of their mighty name.

Come on you SPURS !!! :beer:

Now now everybody knows that there's a village in Tottenham called Spurs. Next door to the village of Hot

 

[chinaman]

For a player like Defoe, even losing a step in pace can be overcome by mental alertness. That is reading where and when a ball will come before the marker does and moves into the right place ahead of him.

Alan Clarke (formerly of Leicester City and then Leeds United and England) was slow as snail when it came to running, but scored a lot of goals through reacting faster and getting into position sooner than most defenders.

 

[DJS]

Maybe if it has it'll stop him from running offide?!? :dance:

 

[chinaman]

Maybe if it has it'll stop him from running offide?!? :dance:

When you come to think of it, he seems to be less off-side prone in the games played so far.

 

[DJS]

When you come to think of it, he seems to be less off-side prone in the games played so far.

;-)

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I actually caught myself thinking last night 'hmm, Defoe had seemed to lose his pace but the last few games he appears quite nippy again'.