Harry's baffling tactics

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Is it me, or are others just as frustrated and utterly baffled by Harry's 'tactics' and team selections sometimes? Thoughts?
Take today's annoying draw against the Geordies for example:

Not only does 'arry - in all his wisdom - nulify the threat of Bale by sticking him out on the right (arrrgggghhh!!), but yet again drops the in-form Defoe - fresh from a two-week break - for the '1-hour-man' VDV, who played 90 mins midweek for Holland!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of VDV, but he's a luxury who unfortunatley does disrupt the balance of the team, so he needs to be used wisely. We had a real goal threat when Defoe came on. I think 'arry needs to have the guts to bench VDV when necessary and stop stroking the guy's ego.

Just thought I'd include some quotes from 'arry after the match which make me seriously question what goes through his mind at times:

"Rafa looked a bit leggy today - he's been away on international duty. I gave him the nod over Jermaine but I thought he looked tired. Jermaine came on - full of beans - and grabbed a goal"

But at least when 'arry was asked about his 'inspired' Defoe substitution, he had the good grace to admit his cock up: "If you're that clever you'd have started with him [Defoe]"

Well maybe with that he'll finally do the sensible thing against Blackburn - start with Defoe and keep Bale on the fucking LEFT!!!
 
You're right about one thing, I seriously don't understand why 'arry thinks he needs to keep inverting his wingers.

As for VdV, I'd still give him the nod over Defoe. I'm inclined to agree with the analysis done on VdV v. Defoe on Windy's blog.

But, I'm still blown away by how wasteful Spurs tend to be with the ball. I think the players tend to force shots rather than really trying to be methodical.

Kinda surprised Ade hasn't had a couple of more goals, he looks great whenever he's got possession. Very cool and collected, he has fucking amazing awareness of where everyone is around him, imo.
 
Me neither. The whole Bale on the right thing just doesn't work. He's lethal on the left and is utterly wasted on the right because, let's face it, his right foot is non-existent.

I guess the VDV v Defoe thing is a matter of opinion.

But what irks me is that Defoe definitely should've started the game as he was fresh. He looked sharp and did more in 30 mins than VDV did in his usual hour.

Just so frustrated as Newcastle were there for the taking today.
 
I completely agree with the above.

As has been discussed, we always seem to playing with the formation and players to fit VdV in midfield. We are somewhat blessed with a very good midfield at present, but rather than drop VdV, Harry seems to want to play him wherever he can and will try and fit him in, regardless of how many minutes he will play, or how it affects the system.

As for Bale, he is also become something of a problem. Obviously he is talented, but the majority of teams have now worked out how to defend against his kick and chase style. He will still do well on the break, but generally he is doubled... sometimes tripled, up on. Most teams will spend all week preparing for Bale down the left, so when he starts down the right, I guess it take some teams by surprise. Also Modric seems to play ok on the left cutting in, although most of us would prefer him right in the centre. I don't really recall seeing Modric playing on the right.

Yesterday I would have played

Ade Defoe
Bale Modric Parker VdV

or even

Ade Defoe
Bale Modric Parker Townsend

I think we would have done just as well, if not better, if VdV had not played... not because he isn't talented, but because he is somewhat of a luxury player to have playing for only 60mins.
 
redknapp is tactically inept, even though i again agreed with the vdv substitution (getting bored of seeing that face you pull rafa), bringing on pav at the end?! jesus fucking christ, i knew then we weren't going for the win.

newcastle were there for the taking. annoyed this morning. sort it out foreskin head.
 
I don't think the result was down to the tactics employed, we created enough clear cut chances to kill the game off. If Defoe had fed Livermore, or if Adebayor had fed Defoe and they'd scored this thread wouldn't have been made.

Redknapp has to juggle the squad and it's easier to criticise in hindsight as the result didn't go our way. The injury to Ledley is a massive worry although I don't think Bassong did too badly yesterday. Bale was switched to the left after about half an hour anyway. Too many of our players didn't play well yesterday and I don't think that was down to tactics, it's just one of those things. Parker, Modric, BAE, Bale and a few others didn't play to their full potential but we've come away with a point, 13 out of 15 so on the whole we can't grumble.

Very frustrating we didn't shut the game out and we have to beat Blackburn next week
 
Defoe and Adebayor work pretty well as a partnership, that said, it's hard to argue with VdVs ratio. It's a tough one, we're really narrow without Lennon and this will continue to be a problem. Luka or VdV will always go inside when they're played out wide. It just congests the midfield, even Bale was going inside.

It's a big ask for Townsend to start and hit the ground running but he's the nearest like-for-like we have for Lennon as it stands.
 
With Lennon coming back there is going to be a time when HR has to drop VdV/Defoe. I just hope that VdV can accept that he may not play every game.

Similarly HR may consider dropping Modric for some games - Sando and Parker or Parker and Huddlestone with VdV in front. We are blessed with an amazing midfield with any number of combinations, just seems that HR may not quite no which to play and when.

Agree with Thelonious that we had chances to finish them of and make it 3-1 and generally most of the team were only playing at about 70-80% of what they are capable of.

Its a long season and hopefully this little unbeaten spell can continue for a few more weeks yet - we have a good set of fixtures between now and Christmas

Blackburn, QPR, Fulham, West Brom, Bolton, Stoke, Sunderland... then Chelsea at home. Realistically we will slip up, but I can't see us losing more than 1 of those games, hopefully not too many draws.
 
thing is, Lennon hasn't been playing well for over a year. It's telling that Bentley got shipped out on loan and Townsend is in the squad more often than not. We really should push the boat out for Adam Johnson in the January window, that should put Lennon on edge and make him step his game up.

By playing Parker and Livermore yesterday, I'd imagine the thinking was that it'd free VdV, Bale and Modric to wreak havoc on Newcastle. For a short spell after their first goal did that happen, too many players were below par and we emerged with a point and could've won.

Funny thing is, for years Redknapp, Allardyce et al, were whinging about not managing the better teams. Now Redknapp has got his wish, now he has to juggle the team and keep everyone happy.
 
Thelonious Filth said:
Funny thing is, for years Redknapp, Allardyce et al, were whinging about not managing the better teams. Now Redknapp has got his wish, now he has to juggle the team and keep everyone happy.

I think most of the players in the squad would understand the need to juggle and rotate, and would accept that they aren't going to play every game when they are fit (except Ade). The worry is VdV 'kicking off' when/if he gets dropped for a game.

We've all been saying it for years, but if Lennon could learn to look up before he crosses the ball he would be first class. He wins us a load of corners, but often crosses to no one or takes on a shot at an awkward angle.

He does need some competition on the right - I'm hoping that Townsend gets a break in a premier league game at some point.
 
the defoe/vdv situation is not necessarily a problem in whose ability is better, for me it is that one takes it better than the other and that is whats wrong.

when vdv plays shit (not saying he necessarily did yesterday), and then brought off like he was against arse, he doesn't see what we all see. sometimes (like yesterday), a change needs to be made to change it up. we clearly needed more up front, and he was clearly going to be the one sacrificed, that said, i'm glad he's dissapointed to come off, i just wish he would get his head down and keep his mouth shut about it. maybe i'm being a tad harsh on him, but i keep saying this, no individual is bigger than the team. we do not play people to keep them happy, they play to keep us happy.
 
Mr Vexed said:
the defoe/vdv situation is not necessarily a problem in whose ability is better, for me it is that one takes it better than the other and that is whats wrong.

when vdv plays shit (not saying he necessarily did yesterday), and then brought off like he was against arse, he doesn't see what we all see. sometimes (like yesterday), a change needs to be made to change it up. we clearly needed more up front, and he was clearly going to be the one sacrificed, that said, i'm glad he's dissapointed to come off, i just wish he would get his head down and keep his mouth shut about it. maybe i'm being a tad harsh on him, but i keep saying this, no individual is bigger than the team. we do not play people to keep them happy, they play to keep us happy.

^THIS
 
Think you've hit the proverbial nail on the head.

Arry definitely tries to appease VDV the individual by playing him all the time, rather than thinking about the TEAM. I love VDV's passion, determination, etc, but I think that his inflated sense of self-worth and volatile temperament plays too much of a part in Arry's thinking and makes him fearful of benching him. In fact, when has VDV ever come off the bench?

All I'm asking is for Arry to give Defoe a start against Blackburn because he more than warrants it.
 
So then, unleash the lot of them (JD, Ade, VDV, Mod and Bale) on Blackburn next week and let Parker mop up in the middle?

If it's gonna be like that I fancy our chances of sticking 3/4 past them. They aren't good enough to do the same to us in all honesty.
 
There are times we can play with all of them and we will have to accept we will concede goals, but against some of the relegation fodder you would expect us to be more than capable of coping with them.

Against the likes of Man City and Man Utd I would play to DM's (Sandro and Parker) and make the wingers do the work (this also helps pin back the opposition threat from out wide) play VdV or Modric in a slightly more advanced position behind Adebayor.
 
Can only think that Redknapp saw Bale's two outstanding performances on the right for Wales, and thought that he could replicate them - the problem is, Wales play 4-3-3, and Bale has more freedom as a wing-forward. In a 4-4-2/4-4-1-1, it doesn't work as well.

I really wanted Bale to have 90 minutes up against Simpson who I personally think is a very poor player.
 
i never calm down diver, not until the next game, it is normal for me to feel like this as well...

i agree, they were there for the taking. we have not lost the game though, and if i am not mistaken, we have exactly an identical record after 7 games as we did the season we finished fourth. the frustration doesn't help when you forget that we are still a game behind everyone. i must say, i feel really relaxed about this season now, which is odd for me. i think we are a dead cert for 4th, i personally think we are better than chelsea and will end up in 3rd.

time will tell though. glad we have blackburn next week, they are fucking dross.
 
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