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We may have to take it on the chin...

montylynch

Fandabeedozee
Jun 23, 2005
5,817
3,988
We’ve got to go into these games expecting and wanting to win, anything less than that and we start down the slippery slope. We all know it will be tough, who’d have thought by this stage we’d have 4 out of 4, definitely not me. Man U don’t look great at the moment, they had two shot against arsenal and won 2-1, they were awful against Burnley and again in the first half against Wigan.

As Harry said after the West ham Game, we’re likely to get bashed up in some games because we hold a very high back line and the ethos at the moment is all about attacking, especially at home, we could easily have scored 6 or 7 against Brum on Saturday, the football we are playing is so easy on the eye. IIRC Evra is Lennons rabbit, all the games against them last year Lennon ripped him a new one, time and again. We’re more than capable of beating United at home and more than capable of putting up a good show against Chelsea, but if we do lose them both, hey ho, life goes on.

I just hope against hope that none of our lot pick up injuries away on international duty, i’d rather none of our lot get picked for their national sides, selfish i know, but we know Croatia v England isn’t going to be a picnic, they’re out for some revenge so it wouldn’t bother me none if Lennon, Defoe and Crouch don’t play.
 

Mr-T

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2006
2,603
563
Yeh if we lose we'll have to take it on the chin or up the batty - whatever your preference.

But our record against Chelsea is pretty good, they'll not be thinking of us as walkovers and we're more than capable of coming away from the Bridge with at least a point if not all three.

And as for Man U - is it just me, or does anyone else think we're about due a result against them? They've had real jammy luck against us for a good few years now and we've been robbed of a win on a few occasions - so now maybe our time has come, a bit like that November 5th when Chelsea came to the lane?
 

Adam

Active Member
Feb 23, 2004
2,556
82
Did we not have Corluka and Dawson playing centre back for the last 80 minutes vs United at home last year?

I do see what the guy who started the thread is trying to say, but the beauty of having a good start is that you allow yourself a little bit of leeway between September and January. The way i see it, we need to get 60+ points this season, meaning that we only actually need to win 16 out of the final 34 games this year, something which should be more than do-able.

People underestimate the importance of racking up early points-it means you can accomodate the odd injury/suspension rather easily; assuming that everyone gets an injury at some point during the season, i dont actually think Modric could have chosen a better time to be out as the spirit of the squad is high and we already have plenty of points on the board as opposed to last year where an important injury in the early part of the Redknapp's reign could have been absolutely devstating.

Whilst losing to United and Chelsea would be annoying, it would be nowhere near as harming as it would have been to lose to Arsenal and Liverpool last year-had that happened, we may well have been playing Championship football this year
 

Son_Of

SC Supporter
Aug 22, 2008
4,260
15
woody and krankjar in to the team for the manure game for king and moddle. not hugely weakened there. let's do united for once
 

Adam456

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2005
4,453
3,117
woody and krankjar in to the team for the manure game for king and moddle. not hugely weakened there. let's do united for once

I hope Woody is there but would be a miracle at the moment
 

SpurSince57

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2006
45,213
8,229
I'm sure Evra's really salivating at the prospect of having to cope with Lennon again.
 

rebrab

Harry Cool
Jun 13, 2008
6,403
22,090
I'm sure Evra's really salivating at the prospect of having to cope with Lennon again.


Evra never really recovered from having to play that game against him... shattered his confidence!

On a side note, Harry's tactics were superb that game. Every other ball found Lennon and my god, did it work! Absolute genius.
 

Hoowl

Dr wHo(owl)
Staff
Aug 18, 2005
6,526
266
Though we could still announce something this evening, as I mentioned in the O'Hara thread, we may have to take a couple of defeats on the chin on account of the injury situation.

Though we're capable, we would have struggled to beat ManUre as usual (bearing in mind they have the ref in pocket) and would prob at best have drawn with Chelsea away. We're probably looking at losing 1-2 points there if we lose both.

Who could expect we'd have 3 of our best 4 centre backs out at one time ? Plus losing our best attacking midfielder and No1 keeper. I reckon we should stop worrying about cover and have our best go at those two with the players we have and try not to be too dissapointed.

Jenas will be back at some point so we can cover suspensions. Only issue we really have is what if Wilson is out for a while........

United haven't replaced Ronaldo so they may have to take this season on the chin. I think we stand a great chance against United at home and I don't imagine they're expecting a easy ride. Against Chelsea, well the team we sent to play Chelsea last year contained Gunter, GDS, Bale, Bentley, Bent and Zokora (none of which we would now consider first team players) and we got a draw so we should be in a stronger position this season.

I know we will look better when Modric, King and Woodgate are back, but surely Harrys work has been about more than just particular players. Look at the cup game, we went out and won convincingly with a second string line up. Harry knows how to make a team, whoever's available. That's the asset that the top managers seem to possess. Whoever Fergurson or Wenger puts out you expect them to perform a particular way and win.

I am confident we can get a result against United.
 

Bobishism

*****istrator
Aug 23, 2004
15,035
126
He reads the game pretty well normally, but having shifted into the centre from RB his positioning has been all over the shop and he doesn't have the pace to recover.

This isn't something totally new. He's done it at RB a lot this season, as well as last. I've seen him switch off a few times. Fortunately, we've conceded few from it.
 

InOffMeLeftShin

Night watchman
Admin
Jan 14, 2004
15,104
9,113
This isn't something totally new. He's done it at RB a lot this season, as well as last. I've seen him switch off a few times. Fortunately, we've conceded few from it.

I know what you mean Bob. I don't think he has started the season particularly well and he definitaley had some moments last season. Then again Hutton has just as many moments and as RB's go they are pretty good.

I like Corluka a lot I just wish he was faster so that when he gets it wrong he would be able to recover. The rest of his game is good, he is very comfortable on the ball and technically sound. I think he is actually one of our better defenders when he is in the right positions.

What we have to remember (and it is easy to forget with Corluka) is that he is still only a kid. Certainly for a defender. He is only 23. Most 23 year old defenders are horrible, although when the ones that usually make it into the team at that age are athletic enough to recover when they make a positional mistake. For example someone like Clichy probably makes just as many lapses as Corluka but is able to recover far easier. When Corluka gets it wrong he is almost out of the game.

I'm certain he will only get better with time. He has too much about his game and as he plays more and more (particularly against the same opposition) his positioning will get better. It happens with all defenders and that is why they can play even when they are old and slow.

We will have to accept some mistakes from him, and in fact all our young players, and hope we can ride it out with the good things that they contribute. So far we can't have too many complaints surely.
 

Adam456

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2005
4,453
3,117
We can say what we like about last year's games and that other clubs would love to have Chalky and Bassong as first choice but the problem is, in the two games they've played together (against Hull but particularly Doncaster no less) they looked very, very shaky.

I hope they can train a bit and get an understanding in the middle but if we concede a couple of soft goals against Man U then don't come on here knee-jerk and say the team/squad is rubbish

(somebody will - which is why SC is interesting)
 

Destroyer

B513 R16
Jun 12, 2004
4,026
192
I think were more than capable of getting at least a point against Manu at home, anything against Chelsea will be a huge physcological plus.
 

gerishep

Connected to the Spurs.
Aug 2, 2004
1,159
1,955
I can smell some arrogance in the air, I don't think we can ever under-estimate manu. We somehow have to cut off the supply route to grannyshagger and count dracula, otherwise we might be doomed.
 

3Dnata

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2008
5,879
1,345
Taking one on the chin is better than taking it up the a.... in my opinion.
I'm not sure if that helps.
 

spurs mental

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2007
25,075
49,234
I can smell some arrogance in the air, I don't think we can ever under-estimate manu. We somehow have to cut off the supply route to grannyshagger and count dracula, otherwise we might be doomed.

We've got Wilson Palacios for that. :up:
 
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