Tottenham Hotspur FC 2013/14

[EJG1980]

I dunno, you wait twenty years for a win at Old Trafford and then two come along at once

We did get away with one with the Lloris / Young incident but as fallenangle said, we'd need a few more of those to balance out some of the dodgy decisions we've had up there in the past. It was fantastic in the away end as everyone was celebrating Webb turning down the penalty appeal almost as much as goal One of the best away atmospheres I've experienced.

It's my birthday tomorrow, so, hopefully Spurs can give me a slightly late present on Saturday in the FA Cup. I saw a story on the BBC that we might be trying to loan Lescott from Man City and want to have it done in time for the Arsenal match. Would be a good signing if we can pull it off and there must be quite a few doubts over Kaboul's long term fitness now.

[fallenangle]

We certainly need good alternatives for all of the back four, particularly on the left. Danny Rose isn't up to speed yet and Naughton clearly isn't happy there.

Like the way Lennon has been playing in recent games. Almost back to his old self with far fewer of those usually wasted diagaonal attempted dribbles into the box rather than choosing to use his speed to beat the man and get to the goal line and cross. I think the threat to his automatic selection on the right from Townsend has had a beneficial effect.

[EJG1980]

I'm pretty sure I remember Lennon having a similar upturn in form when we bought David Bentley.

If it's possible as part of his loan agreement I'd bring back Assou Ekotto in January. Will cost nothing, no settling in period needed, instant cover / competition for Rose. Personally I would never have loaned him out in the first place.

Just saw on Sky Sports that we're considering recalling Tom Carroll from his loan so he's not going to play in QPR's FA Cup match this weekend. Assou Ekotto has been given permission to play however, so it seems like we're not looking to recall him.

[fallenangle]

Disappointing result yesterday, to say the least. A decent game to watch and Spurs' general performance wasn't that bad although not nearly enough goal scoring chances were made. Dembele was particularly good but pairing him with a relative noob in midfield to take on the more defensive tasks was clearly a failure.

After a bright Spurs start they faded Arsenal just played better in all areas of the pitch and took their chances. Sorry for Danny Rose making that mistake for their second goal but as I said just before the game here: he's not back up to speed yet.

[EJG1980]

Yup, just about sums it up. It was an okay performance but Arsenal's was better and they deserved to win, simple as that.

I didn't realise quite how many players we had injured until they read out the list during the match. Defoe, Holtby and Townsend are back in training though and hopefully with a week until the next match we can get a few more back. The players who have been playing every match over the Xmas / New Year period can have a well earned short rest too.

[bwi]

I dont think kaboul has played in more than a few matches for a season and a half now.

[fallenangle]

The injury list is horribly long and we're particularly missing guys like Vertongen and the under-rated Sigurosson. You'd think there would be some solid news on buying in a defender or two and maybe another striker during the January window.

There were a few rumours about Assou-Ekotto coming back to Spurs to fill in that left back position but apparently that won't be happening.

[EJG1980]

Poor old Kaboul, I really fear for his long term fitness. He has one main chronic injury that keeps reoccurring (his knees, I think, can't remember properly) and whenever he gets over that he then picks up a different kind of injury a few games into any comeback. He gets over the new niggle and then main injury flairs up again... it seems to be an unending cycle.

At the moment we've got Dawson and Chiriches as our only fit senior centre backs, with midfielder Capoue and young right back Fryers seemingly the backup. Even if Vertonghen and Kaboul were both back in training tomorrow I think it'd be a completely unnecessary gamble not to bring in one dedicated central defender either permanently or on loan.

Edit: Defoe, Townsend and Holtby trained again today and now Sandro and Lamela are back in training too. Hopefully they'll be fit enough for the squad (if not the team) on Saturday. Could do with some defenders following suit though.

Agree about Gylfi, I think his slow start tarnished him a bit in some fans eyes. He doesn't get the credit he deserves for his form in the second half of last season and this season so far (and he rarely plays in his favoured position in the middle). Hope he's back from injury soon.

[EJG1980]

The Toronto Sun are claiming that Defoe will be unveiled as a Toronto FC player on Monday. I hope it isn't true but at least we don't have to wait long to find out!

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/01/08/toronto-fc-completes-deal-for-england-striker-jermain-defoe

If this turns out to be true we HAVE to spend some money on a decent striker in January. While I think he has potential to be a decent player, we cannot go the rest of the season with Harry Kane as our only backup striker.

[EJG1980]

The Defoe transfer to Toronto FC has been confirmed by Spurs.

He won't be leaving until 28th February but I'd still like us to get an extra striker in as we will still need the extra cover once he's gone.

While I've said before I don't think he's as good as a lot of people make out, he's still been a great servant to Spurs who always gives his all when on the pitch and I'll be sad to see him go. Few things in the future will top the memory of being there to see him score five goals in one match against Wigan.

I'm going to Austin for a couple of weeks in June so if I'm lucky Toronto will be playing a Texas based team when I'm there. Funnily enough the last time I was in the US I actually did see Toronto FC play FC Dallas.

[fallenangle]

Yes very sorry to see him go but this move was reported as being on the cards long ago so I'm not surprised.

So far the biggest waste of the Bale sale money: Erik Lamela, is also reported as very likely being sold or at least loaned to Juventus in an exchange deal worth up to ?30m bringing striker Mirko Vucinic to Spurs. Nothing confirmed about when or even if this will happen but, again, it seems a good bet to me that if he's unhappy and not being used Spurs would want to off load him and get the money back whilst he's still relatively hot property.

[EJG1980]

I'm hopeful that Erik Lamela will come good and the rumours of him leaving are just tabloids filling space.

Plenty of players older and more experienced than Lamela have come to the Premier League and struggled for a while before it finally clicked and they went on to have excellent stints in the PL (Robert Pires springs to mind) so I think it would be mad if we gave up on him after half a season.

Tim Sherwood doesn't seem to think he'll be going anywhere. I know you can't always trust what a manager says but his comments make me hopeful that we still see Lamela as a long term project that will come good in the end.

Tim Sherwood insists Erik Lamela will not be leaving Tottenham on loan this month, but he admits he only intends play the Argentine ?when he?s ready to perform?.

There has been speculation about Lamela?s future this week after his father told Fox Sports Radio del Plata: ?Erik is not happy and he wants to go back to Italy.?

A loan move away from White Hart Lane has been mooted, but Sherwood is adamant that will not be happening.

?He has a big future here, he won?t be leaving on loan in this transfer window,? said the head coach.

?We know what a talented player Erik is and we do also understand how players need time to settle. He needs time to acclimatise to this country.

?He doesn?t speak English and isn?t used to the pace of the games, especially over the Christmas period when they come thick and fast.

?He?s not 100 per cent fit. He?s still feeling fatigued in one of his thighs so we were very cautious with him. We don?t want that to turn into a real injury problem.

?We?re going to take it nice and steady with him. I really want to put him on the stage when he?s ready to perform, rather than let people judge him when he?s half-cocked.?

[BaronSqwelch]

http://lockerdome.com/bbcsporf/6169461380096065/6260114818610708

england player in the making...

[EJG1980]

That miss is right up there with Adebayor's miss against Basle last season If it wasn't for Bentaleb that would have been the best thing about the half for Spurs.

We were poor first half, giving the ball away all over the shop. The main highlight of the half for Spurs (from one of our own players) was Bentaleb's superb long range effort, he was so unlucky not to score.

The second half performance was far better. Much better passing and movement and a really nice opener from Eriksen. After it was announced he was leaving I thought Defoe might get a goal today if he came on.

Four wins out of five in the league, let's hope we can keep it going!

Edit: while we were poor in the first half, I don't want to discredit Palace. They played really well, especially in that first half when they were well on top and really should have been ahead at the break. Very impressed that the penalty miss didn't derail them at all.

Their fans were excellent too, some of the loudest I've heard at WHL this season. They have a good chance of staying up if they keep playing like that.

[fallenangle]

Good win and second-half performance. Loved the fact Defoe scored and the reception he appeared to be getting from many Spurs fans too.

But that CP penalty miss was the real highlight of the game. That is going turn up in football blooper programs for the next 20years.