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Spurs boss discusses the best roles for Fryers and Eriksen

mawspurs

Staff
Jun 29, 2003
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Tim Sherwood believes that Zeki Fryers’ future is at centre-back after the 21-year-old defender started in the middle alongside Younes Kaboul against Fulham on Saturday.

Read the full article at London 24
 

slartibartfast

Grunge baby forever
Oct 21, 2012
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Maybe but the defending against Fulham was a bloody shambles again and I blame Sherwood for that. We play a high line but dont drop when we lose possession and are too square along the back line.
If any of the Fulham attack had pace we'd have been 3 down again in the first half again.
Nevermind, it'll all be over soon thank God.
Defensively we have gone from one bloody extreme (AVB) to another.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
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If he's going to stick with a high line then we need pressure on the opposition (completely lacking against Fulham) and ideally a strong defensive midfielder, but apparently he's not good enough.

But yes, Fryers looks better at centre back than left back. Let's just hope Chiriches doesn't suffer from being scapegoated for the West Brom mess.
 

thinktank

Hmmm...
Sep 28, 2004
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At least he sees that with Fryers. Gotta give it to him for that.

I've been saying it all season.
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
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Maybe but the defending against Fulham was a bloody shambles again and I blame Sherwood for that. We play a high line but dont drop when we lose possession and are too square along the back line.
If any of the Fulham attack had pace we'd have been 3 down again in the first half again.
Nevermind, it'll all be over soon thank God.
Defensively we have gone from one bloody extreme (AVB) to another.


We played a new center back pairing on Saturday, we were without our recognised right back and a dumb left back. What did you really expect?
It's like we have never had issues along the back line all season?.

"If any of the Fulham attack had pace we'd have been 3 down again in the first half again" but they haven't and they didn't but hey ain't hindsight a great thing, i mean if Suarez and Lukaku were playing for Fulham they may have scored seven. Makes the same sense.

We had sixty four points at the same point last season (according to Wiki) and have sixty three this season, so hardly anything to worry about now is it? The only thing that's gone from one extreme to another is your hate for the manager.

 

18Klinsmann

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2005
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Yes, Fryers is probably better at CB, but I find it hard to understand why he was picked ahead of Vlad, unless the latter was not deemed entirely fit on Saturday. Fryers looked quite uncomfortable, and Vlad should be given more time to find his feet in the PL. He looks like a very good player on the ball, and has good pace as well.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
24,604
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We had sixty four points at the same point last season (according to Wiki) and have sixty three this season, so hardly anything to worry about now is it? The only thing that's gone from one extreme to another is your hate for the manager.

After 35 games last season we had 65 points, level with Chelsea in fourth, two behind Arsenal in third. We're currently seven points behind Arsenal in fourth.
 

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
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I agree with Sherwood on Fryers, he look more natural at CB rather than LB.
 

18Klinsmann

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2005
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494
We played a new center back pairing on Saturday, we were without our recognised right back and a dumb left back. What did you really expect?
It's like we have never had issues along the back line all season?.

"If any of the Fulham attack had pace we'd have been 3 down again in the first half again" but they haven't and they didn't but hey ain't hindsight a great thing, i mean if Suarez and Lukaku were playing for Fulham they may have scored seven. Makes the same sense.

We had sixty four points at the same point last season (according to Wiki) and have sixty three this season, so hardly anything to worry about now is it? The only thing that's gone from one extreme to another is your hate for the manager.
There was no apparent need for the new cb pairing if Vlad was fit enough to sit on the bench. It's true that we've done well to collect points due to our impressive away record this term, but we have looked very vulnerable under TS and have been completely demolished by all the top three teams. The gulf has clearly widened considerably between us and the top teams, and THAT is something to worry about.
 

Danners9

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Mar 30, 2004
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Sherwood has taken to deploying Eriksen on the left of midfield but he wants the Dane to stay away from the touch-line and drift into central areas.

“I don’t want him to play wide,” said Sherwood. “I think in my first game at Southampton, he played inside. I think he likes to play on the fringes of it and get the ball in between the lines rather than being on the combative side."

--
who else could play on the left? Townsend I suppose, Lamela if he wasn't injured/'injured', Chadli? Or if he didn't go with the 2 strikers it would leave centre options that allow Eriksen to be in the middle of a 3.

Except they previously said they don't believe in designated DMs, Capoue is MIA and Sandro isn't good enough at the moment. Hm. Shame they didn't get TS to elaborate on why he doesn't want to but does anyway.
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
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We had sixty four points at the same point last season (according to Wiki) and have sixty three this season...

As well as having 2 points (not 1) fewer than we had last season after 35 matches, we have exactly the same number of points as we had last season against the same opposition.

We won the corresponding fixtures to our three remaining matches last season to finish with 72 points.
 

Sweetsman

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2011
6,673
6,588
If Fryers is defensively sound enough at CB and apart from the mistake that brought about the Fulham goal he appeared steady, then I suggest we would be better off with him replacing the combustible, spatially challenged Rose at LB. The problem with telling people they are playing for their places is that it doesn't exactly engender calmness on the pitch, especially if our esteemed manager is as calm as a bag of snakes.
 
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tgd15

Member
Jul 8, 2012
31
33
If Fryers is defensively sound enough at CB and apart from the mistake that brought about the Fulham goal he appeared steady, then I suggest we would be better off with him replacing the combustible, spatially challenged Rose at LB. The problem with telling people they are playing for their places is that it doesn't exactly engender calmness on the pitch, especially of our esteemed manager is as calm as a bag of snakes.
This! Your fastest defenders are fullbacks, and your best / tallest defenders are central. Fryers is both tall and fast. But I reckon he'll get more playing time competing with the likes of Naughton, and Rose for the left back position, as opposed to fighting for a centre back position with Kaboul, Vertonghen, Chiriches.
 

slartibartfast

Grunge baby forever
Oct 21, 2012
18,320
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We played a new center back pairing on Saturday, we were without our recognised right back and a dumb left back. What did you really expect?
It's like we have never had issues along the back line all season?.

"If any of the Fulham attack had pace we'd have been 3 down again in the first half again" but they haven't and they didn't but hey ain't hindsight a great thing, i mean if Suarez and Lukaku were playing for Fulham they may have scored seven. Makes the same sense.

We had sixty four points at the same point last season (according to Wiki) and have sixty three this season, so hardly anything to worry about now is it? The only thing that's gone from one extreme to another is your hate for the manager.
What???
I was refering to the way we have been defending recently not just the Fulham game. It doesnt matter who we put there its the same outcome. Its the set up of how we're defending not whos playing thats the issue.
I never said anything about points and what has that got to do with commenting on our defence? If we score 5, let in 4 and win 3 points that does not mean we havent got a problem defensively.
What did I expect? I expected it to be the same hence my post and as I said it hasnt been any different whoever plays because they are playing as instructed. Obviously I'm not refering to the comical individual errors but the overall set up. I fully expect it to be the same next game as well. In fact some of the individual errors have imo been caused by the way they're being instructed to play because Ive noticed that instead of clearing the ball or putting it out we are trying to bring down high balls, control it and pass our way out even when running towards our own goal area to collect a high ball with 2 of the opposition up your arse. Bloody stupid imo.
Im not worried about it either as the season is almost over and we've nothing to play for.
Hatred? Do me a lemon. Unlike most on here I dont have a problem with TS dealings with the media although I think the recent Sandro comments and publicly stating our players are much of a muchness wasnt particularly clever. Not exactly a moral booster is it but likely to alienate yourself from the squad.
If I think a Manager, whoever it is, is doing something bloody stupid I'll post about it. Thought that was the idea of this site, to give your opinions?
Id take TS over AVB all day long. At least Im not bored to tears.
Do you not see a problem with our defence then? Rhetorical question. I dont care if you do or dont.
 
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Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
16,047
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There was no apparent need for the new cb pairing if Vlad was fit enough to sit on the bench. It's true that we've done well to collect points due to our impressive away record this term, but we have looked very vulnerable under TS and have been completely demolished by all the top three teams. The gulf has clearly widened considerably between us and the top teams, and THAT is something to worry about.


I guess that you didn't see Vlad play at WBA? he was the one in the middle of our defence getting left stranded when WBA put in any sort of attack and was subbed at half time.

Being demolished by the top teams ( i guess you mean by that Liverpool, Man Citeh, Chelsea and Arsenal (two one-nil losses) is new? I mean like we have beaten them all how many times since the PL was formed?

The gulf has indeed widened and so has the countless hundreds of millions spent by Chel$ea and Man Citeh. Perhaps though you overlooked that little fact. That is something we really shouldn't worry about because we are in no position to do anything about that. We are a club currently in the next tier. The almost have's. Almost good enough but not quite.

I can remember when we were the nearly ones. We nearly got relegated, and believe me that wasn't that long ago that we were almost in that perilous position again recently. Be thankful for what you have in this Club which is a profitable top six or seven side. To think we are any better is just not realistic at this moment in time, as we just do not have the finances to compete.
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
16,047
18,013
What???
I was refering to the way we have been defending recently not just the Fulham game. It doesnt matter who we put there its the same outcome. Its the set up of how we're defending not whos playing thats the issue.
I never said anything about points and what has that got to do with commenting on our defence? If we score 5, let in 4 and win 3 points that does not mean we havent got a problem defensively.
What did I expect? I expected it to be the same hence my post and as I said it hasnt been any different whoever plays because they are playing as instructed. Obviously I'm not refering to the comical individual errors but the overall set up. I fully expect it to be the same next game as well. In fact some of the individual errors have imo been caused by the way they're being instructed to play because Ive noticed that instead of clearing the ball or putting it out we are trying to bring down high balls, control it and pass our way out even when running towards our own goal area to collect a high ball with 2 of the opposition up your arse. Bloody stupid imo.
Im not worried about it either as the season is almost over and we've nothing to play for.
Hatred? Do me a lemon. Unlike most on here I dont have a problem with TS dealings with the media although I think the recent Sandro comments and publicly stating our players are much of a muchness wasnt particularly clever. Not exactly a moral booster is it but likely to alienate yourself from the squad.
If I think a Manager, whoever it is, is doing something bloody stupid I'll post about it. Thought that was the idea of this site, to give your opinions?
Id take TS over AVB all day long. At least Im not bored to tears.
Do you not see a problem with our defence then? Rhetorical question. I dont care if you do or dont.


I see plenty wrong with our defence. It' broken, busted and generally fucked. It worries me shitless and should be taken apart, burned and buried in a casket so far down that it will never be found until Goggy the one eyed Gog monster finds it. By then Gog will be able to polish a turd. Then and only then will my faith be restored in our back four.

Is that clear?.....................:bag:
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
16,047
18,013
If he's going to stick with a high line then we need pressure on the opposition (completely lacking against Fulham) and ideally a strong defensive midfielder, but apparently he's not good enough.

But yes, Fryers looks better at centre back than left back. Let's just hope Chiriches doesn't suffer from being scapegoated for the West Brom mess.


You know being selective does not do you credit.

Tim actually said that "Sandro is good enough". See how i, just like you left out certain words of the actual interview.

Secondly Chiriches was not the scapegoat for the West Brom game, he actually did have a mare of a game and was rightly subbed at half time. The only position that Chiriches would have looked good playing that day would have been that of ball boy.
 
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Ionman34

SC Supporter
Jun 1, 2011
7,182
16,793
Yes, Fryers is probably better at CB, but I find it hard to understand why he was picked ahead of Vlad, unless the latter was not deemed entirely fit on Saturday. Fryers looked quite uncomfortable, and Vlad should be given more time to find his feet in the PL. He looks like a very good player on the ball, and has good pace as well.

I disagree with Fryers. Barring the gaff that led to the goal, I felt he looked relatively comfortable. Most of their penetration came down the flanks, particularly our left.

I like Vlad and think he has a lot of potential, but I think he's getting destroyed with our current set up.

Trevor Francis, who normally talks out of his arse, made the comment in the WBA game that he looked disinterested and, for once, he was on the money. Vlad appeared to have no idea how to manage the player he was tasked to mark. The amount of times he was left for dead was ridiculous.

The way he is playing reminds me of Kaboul in his first season for us, his head is shot.

The best thing for him is to stay away for the last 3 games and then rebuild his confidence over preseason, hopefully with a better, more organized manager.

There's definitely a player in there, he just needs the manager to bring it out.
 

JoeT

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2005
3,813
935
As well as having 2 points (not 1) fewer than we had last season after 35 matches, we have exactly the same number of points as we had last season against the same opposition.

We won the corresponding fixtures to our three remaining matches last season to finish with 72 points.
And we had Gareth Bale...don't forget that.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
24,604
21,898
You know being selective does not do you credit.

Tim actually said that "Sandro is good enough". See how i, just like you left out certain words of the actual interview.

Secondly Chiriches was not the scapegoat for the West Brom game, he actually did have a mare of a game and was rightly subbed at half time. The only position that Chiriches would have looked good playing that day would have been that of ball boy.

He said he's not good enough 'at the moment', ergo he wasn't deemed good enough for any of the games since Benfica. If our only fit defensive midfielder is not good enough for the team, then the manager has to change the defensive set up away from one which is heavily reliant on the midfield protecting the defence and pressurising the opposition. Ignoring the actual issue does not do you credit.

The whole defence was poor against West Brom, not just one individual. Unsurprisingly enough, just taking that one individual out did not all of a sudden make us defensively solid against Fulham. Neither does being flippant do you credit.
 
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