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Ledley's 'we've got 2 teams' interview

Adam456

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2005
4,453
3,117
Slightly disturbing number of articles on top 4 finish now. So much for the keeping quiet and taking it game by game. On the other hand it may have a psychological impact on other teams when playing us.

Also, a slightly astute journalist might have come out and replied 'yes - the one that turned up against Stoke and Wolves and the other one' :evil: :)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-to-top-four-finish-believes-Ledley-King.html

Tottenham's 'two teams' can lead club to top-four finish, believes Ledley King

King who returned to lead Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-0 win over West Ham on Monday, believes the quality of the squad could take the club into the Champions League.

“We have two teams at the moment and they can both play,” said King. “We know the competition for places is fierce and we have to perform or we won’t be playing. That is working in our favour.

“We have a fabulous squad at the moment. You look at the bench and some of the players injured or not involved. It’s important we push each other and strive for greatness.”
That factor was highlighted by the goalscoring return of Luka Modric against West Ham, a strike which helped Tottenham ease back into the 'Top Four’ with 18 games left.
“We’re not sure how long we’ll be in the top four because of the other games and it’s so tight at the moment,” warned King. “One defeat or draw and teams are overtaking each other. That is a battle that will go right to the end of the season. We’re trying to put as many points on the board as we can and see where that gets us.”

Spurs took 10 points from four games over Christmas and King added: “It has been a good Christmas. The Fulham game away from home, we didn’t really play but still got a draw. So to come away with a draw we were relieved and knew at home if we could get four points from six over Christmas we would be happy. We did the job against West Ham.
“This season we are showing the signs and looking like a team with the capabilities of getting in the top four. We’ve had a couple of hiccups, the results against Wolves and Stoke at home, but other teams are doing it as well. That is keeping us in there.”

Spurs have continued to flourish despite King’s absence, caused by a succession of injury problems.
“It’s been difficult for me,” admitted King. “It’s been a frustrating season and it’s not been my knee. I’ve picked up niggles with my hamstring. It’s important you don’t let those things get in your head.”
 

Jody

SC Supporter
Sep 11, 2004
7,004
5,814
He's right you know, if you get hamstring niggles in your head it's game over.
 

Pinto

Active Member
Nov 1, 2004
2,994
39
The problem with King's statements are we don't really have two teams. Would any of you want to see this team start a Prem game?

Gomes (because we don't have a backup worth a shite right now)

Hutton Corluka Huddlestone Bale

Bentley Jenas ???(don't have a clue who to put in Wilson's spot) Niko

Keane Pav


Looks like a team that is not going to win a bunch of matches to me but whatever. Even if you replace Corluka with King/Woody I would be worried about this team.

Do we have a solid bench of 5-7 players yes, but with our injuries to central defense we really don't have anywhere near 11 solid backups.
 

Kendall

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2007
38,502
11,933
The problem with King's statements are we don't really have two teams. Would any of you want to see this team start a Prem game?

Gomes (because we don't have a backup worth a shite right now)

Hutton Corluka Huddlestone Bale

Bentley Jenas ???(don't have a clue who to put in Wilson's spot) Niko

Keane Pav


Looks like a team that is not going to win a bunch of matches to me but whatever. Even if you replace Corluka with King/Woody I would be worried about this team.

Do we have a solid bench of 5-7 players yes, but with our injuries to central defense we really don't have anywhere near 11 solid backups.

How come you've put Corluka and Huddlestone in at cb when we have 4 other cbs?

2 teams:

Corluka Woodgate King Assou-Ekotto

Lennon Huddlestone Palacios Modric

Defoe Crouch​

and

Hutton Dawson Bassong Bale

Bentley Jenas Kranjcar Giovani

Pavlyuchenko Keane​


This definitely highlights a need for a Wilson cover player. I think we could get away with a midfield of Jenas/Kranky against the likes of Peterborough, but not many others.
 

Pinto

Active Member
Nov 1, 2004
2,994
39
How come you've put Corluka and Huddlestone in at cb when we have 4 other cbs?

2 teams:

Corluka Woodgate King Assou-Ekotto

Lennon Huddlestone Palacios Modric

Defoe Crouch​

and

Hutton Dawson Bassong Bale

Bentley Jenas Kranjcar Giovani

Pavlyuchenko Keane​


This definitely highlights a need for a Wilson cover player. I think we could get away with a midfield of Jenas/Kranky against the likes of Peterborough, but not many others.

When was the last time we had 4 healthy central defenders? Granted if and that is one big ass if all our defenders are healthy the two teams look better but as we are right now with 3 CB at best the team is just pretty strong but not 2 deep in every position. I also don't have much faith in either Hutton or Bale as defenders so I still think that lineup would have major problems winning a lot of points.

I would also say I still think we would have a very hard time scoring with the second team. Pav and Keane just don't look good enough to break down the top half of the leauge IMO. Granted maybe our goals would come from Niko and Gio but that is a young and inexperienced lineup with Gio and Bale covering one side and Jenas trying to fill in for WP as Niko will be out of position quite a bit flying forward and we would get hit on the counter a lot as well.

Anyway, maybe you are right about the depth when everyone is healthy but as we are at the moment I just don't see our second team doing that well in the Prem.
 

Kendall

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2007
38,502
11,933
It's not about them all being healthy and fit 100% of the time, we do effectively have 2 very strong teams. I think some of you guys really do just like to pick holes in what is a kind of throwaway comment about us having strength in depth to deal with injuries when they arise.
 

soup

On the straightened arrow
May 26, 2004
3,494
3,592
When was the last time we had 4 healthy central defenders? Granted if and that is one big ass if all our defenders are healthy the two teams look better but as we are right now with 3 CB at best the team is just pretty strong but not 2 deep in every position. I also don't have much faith in either Hutton or Bale as defenders so I still think that lineup would have major problems winning a lot of points.

I would also say I still think we would have a very hard time scoring with the second team. Pav and Keane just don't look good enough to break down the top half of the leauge IMO. Granted maybe our goals would come from Niko and Gio but that is a young and inexperienced lineup with Gio and Bale covering one side and Jenas trying to fill in for WP as Niko will be out of position quite a bit flying forward and we would get hit on the counter a lot as well.

Anyway, maybe you are right about the depth when everyone is healthy but as we are at the moment I just don't see our second team doing that well in the Prem.

Maybe not, but you could also compare the second eleven against similar teams for the likes of Villa, City, Birmingham and even maybe Liverpool and we'd still be stronger. Granted that the fully fit squads of Chelsea, Arsenal (maybe) and United are stronger than ours but it's a rare luxury to have a fully fit squad these days.

I don't think anyone can argue about our strength in depth, as opposing managers often wax very lyrical about even our fringe players. I think the only trouble with ours is that often, a few aren't happy about being benched, but that's only really due to the amount of news surrounding Spurs that reaches us. i'm sure other squads have similar problems.

I see your point, but I also see Ledley's.
 

Pinto

Active Member
Nov 1, 2004
2,994
39
I know what King meant and have said so in my earlier posts but just trying to point out we really only have like 5-7 really solid guys and there are glaring weaknesses in our backups.

Just think if we would have lost any one of these players a month or two ago? Gomes, BAE, Wilson, or Lennon. The team just isn't the same. We have no cover for any one of these guys that we can count on and yes I know we would find a way to work it out but it still scares me that people think we have enough cover at the moment and that we don't need to improve our bench in Jan.

Anyway, I wasn't trying to say we would totally fall apart without our starting 11 and even with major injuries we would be ok and hold out until reinforcements or guys came back from injury but just trying to give a different perspective is all.
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
I know what King meant and have said so in my earlier posts but just trying to point out we really only have like 5-7 really solid guys and there are glaring weaknesses in our backups.

Just think if we would have lost any one of these players a month or two ago? Gomes, BAE, Wilson, or Lennon. The team just isn't the same. We have no cover for any one of these guys that we can count on and yes I know we would find a way to work it out but it still scares me that people think we have enough cover at the moment and that we don't need to improve our bench in Jan.

Anyway, I wasn't trying to say we would totally fall apart without our starting 11 and even with major injuries we would be ok and hold out until reinforcements or guys came back from injury but just trying to give a different perspective is all.

Other than Chelsea though which teams do have 'cover' for their star players? And even Chelsea look like they are going to struggle without Drogba and Essien.

I think compared to the rest of the premiership and certainly compared to the clubs we're competing against for a top 4 place, we have plenty of quality on the bench. Yes it always sounds good to say we need cover in every position but you simply can't have two class players for every position because one won't get the games and will eventually strop off in a Darren Bent-like fashion.

The key really is to have a certain number of players in the squad who can play in various positions and I think we're starting to see that.

Modric can cover across the midfield, as can Kranjcar, whilst JJ can do both defensive and attacking midfield roles. At the back Corluka can play in a couple of positions as can Bassong and Bale can fill in anywhere on the left.
 

Kendall

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2007
38,502
11,933
True enough TSH my good man.

United for example:

Right Back: Neville, Rafael
Left Back: Evra, Fabio
Centre Back: Rio & Vidic / Evans & Brown

Left: Giggs, Obertan
Right: Park, Nani

Mid: Carrick & Fletcher, Scholes & Anderson, Gibson (ignoring Hargreaves, who is dead)

Strikers: Rooney & Berbatov, Owen & Wellbeck/Machieda

Now the positions aren't set in stone because of course Brown can also play right back, Nani, Park and Obertan often play either wing but, there is generally a big gulf in the standard of cover to starters here, with the exception of perhaps Scholes coming in for Carrick or Fletcher.
 

DC_Boy

New Member
May 20, 2005
17,608
5
we have massive weaknesses in our cover

gomes is the only PL standard keeper

Crouch & defoe is the only 'top 6' striking option we have

i also think we don't have proper cover at LB either - but that's about to be tested
 

StartingPrice

Chief Sardonicus Hyperlip
Feb 13, 2004
32,568
10,280
a slightly astute journalist might have come out and replied 'yes - the one that turned up against Stoke and Wolves and the other one' :evil: :)

.”


Or "yeah, the first team and the permanently injured/disgruntled one":eek:mg:
 

ohh_when_the_spurs

SPEEDY GONZ-AZZA
Jun 12, 2008
1,220
1,406
True enough TSH my good man.

United for example:

Right Back: Neville, Rafael
Left Back: Evra, Fabio
Centre Back: Rio & Vidic / Evans & Brown

Left: Giggs, Obertan
Right: Park, Nani

Mid: Carrick & Fletcher, Scholes & Anderson, Gibson (ignoring Hargreaves, who is dead)

Strikers: Rooney & Berbatov, Owen & Wellbeck/Machieda

Now the positions aren't set in stone because of course Brown can also play right back, Nani, Park and Obertan often play either wing but, there is generally a big gulf in the standard of cover to starters here, with the exception of perhaps Scholes coming in for Carrick or Fletcher.

u might want to put valencia on the right?
 
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