MOM and player ratings - Hearts Vs Spurs

[dav3j]

We looked brilliant in the 1st half but let's not kid ourselves, that was like beating a thalidomide at arm wrestling.

Everyone played very well but there were a few concerns for when we face better opposition.

Corners - why do we look in such a panic defending them but ineffectual when we get one? I really think we need to do some more work on them in training.

Walker - fast and strong but his positioning has to improve because against premiership attacks he's not going to be able to make up for his mistakes.

Krancjar - I love watching him play but he's a bit of a passenger when the opposition have the ball.

VdV - class act but is fitness an issue? Early season I know but from the evidence of last season he does seem to tire and give the ball away and commit rash challenges.

Defoe - it seems harsh to criticise him on what was probably his best performance since the 9-1 against Wigan but he still got caught offside, fluffed several shots and gave the ball away too often for my liking. Of all our players tonight he is the one I worry most about being able to reproduce this form in the premiership.

Just a few minor niggles on what overall was a great performance.

Absolutely. When they got 3 corners in succession in the second half we looked to be panicking big time. Gomes wasn't exactly brimming with confidence and composure either.

 

[StartingPrice]

a goal and 2 assists- very greedy

The fact is that he he received the ball several times, when other players where in better positions, and had piss poor shots. That was being selfish. As we have seen many, many times, this is a feature of his player. In the many, many games we have seen him do this in, he hasn't always scored or provided an assist. Therefore, it is fair to assume that if he was less greedy he would have provided more assists over the years, and our points haul would almost definitely have been better.

Look, I'm not one of the ultra-anti-Defoe brigade, by any means, but it is a simple fact that he is often greedy in front of goal when team-mates are in a better position and a simple pass is on. If you didn't see him doing that several times last night then I really don't know what game you were watching. In other games that could have cost us (hence the joke about it really costing us). But I wasn't even saying he had a bad game (so no need to point his stats out to me). Just saying, alas, he still makes poor choices/is greedy, despite looking much improved in other ways.

 

[onthetwo]

We looked brilliant in the 1st half but let's not kid ourselves, that was like beating a thalidomide at arm wrestling.

Everyone played very well but there were a few concerns for when we face better opposition.

Corners - why do we look in such a panic defending them but ineffectual when we get one? I really think we need to do some more work on them in training.

Walker - fast and strong but his positioning has to improve because against premiership attacks he's not going to be able to make up for his mistakes.

Krancjar - I love watching him play but he's a bit of a passenger when the opposition have the ball.

VdV - class act but is fitness an issue? Early season I know but from the evidence of last season he does seem to tire and give the ball away and commit rash challenges.

Defoe - it seems harsh to criticise him on what was probably his best performance since the 9-1 against Wigan but he still got caught offside, fluffed several shots and gave the ball away too often for my liking. Of all our players tonight he is the one I worry most about being able to reproduce this form in the premiership.

Just a few minor niggles on what overall was a great performance.

I agree with that. Toward the end he started messing around in front of our Back-4 and giving the ball away. United would have scored at least 5 against us in that second half due to the ease with which we gave the ball away. Even Harry looked a bit animated about it at times.

Anyway, I think we all realise Monday will be very different.

 

[Viper]

I was really impressed with Livermore, looks like he has great potential. Even as a squad player Jenas is rendered as useless now as I'd much rather Livermore was used as a squad member than loaned out again. Hopefully our centre midfield should be covered this season by Modric, Sandro, Hudd, Diarra and big Jake !!

 

[double0]

Its only Hearts ringing quietly in once ear.

That said it was an excellent performance from all players involved particularly impressed with Livermore, his use of the ball size and strength could mean the need to Jenas. Aaron Lennon too who's been criticised far to often by some in SC played with intelligence pace and work rate, if he can continue to score the sort of goal against hearts we really have a player.

Have to remember it was Hearts and they were poor Utd will be different.

Gomes-6 Nothing really to do.

Walker-7 Great pace can improve defensively but looks encouraging.

Dawson-7 First ball was a long hoff but in fairness did limit as game progressed and used the ball better with simple passes.

Kaboul-7 Comfortable, us of ball good.

Assou-Ekotto-8 Up there with the best left backs in world football imo little if no help from bale.

Lennon-8 Impressive display from a winger...not appreciated by many on SC I'm afraid, he started and finished his goal superbly.

Livermore-8 Excellent short passing and well taken goal.

Kranjcar-8 Great easy game not pressed at all from Hearts distribution great got cocky at times against better opposition will not be able to get away with.

Bale-8 Great energy going forward and well taken goal but final ball wasn't the best and thought he could have assisted Assou-Ekott better at times but fantastic carrier of ball.

Van De Vaart-8 Played in between the lines a ghost, now you see him now you don't...fitness still needs improving from 75-90min.

Defoe-8 Two assists??!!?? and well taken goal, welcome back Defoe...keep it up big season.

Subs;
Huddlestone-7 Great assisting ball for Bale goal.
Townsend-7 Looked good at this level hope to see more use of him along with livermore rose walker they youth coming through looks promising.

Redknapp-9 Good use of squad.

 

[chrissivad]

Defoe 8 - Good game. Dare I say "looked sharp". Involved in two or three build up's for goals, and played a good ball for Lennon.

involved in 4 out of the 5

brought the ball in from the left, one two with VDV. Then some pin ball and VDV scores

Defoe got the second

One two with Livermore who scores

put the ball across the goal for Lennon

more in one game than all of last season :lol:
we were good, but Harts made us look amazing. Hard to do ratings

And yet people are obsessed with sticking a big lump up top that can "lead the line" :roll:

One game against Harts where they gave us as much time as we wanted to get the ball under control and then decide what we want to do with it. :lol:

There will be plenty of games where "a big lump up top" is what we need.