Which cases would these be?Perhaps you're right. The coach is increasingly becoming the figurehead, with real decisions made by the players in many cases. But if that's the case, who eventually gets to make decisions for the group? I mean, the role of 'captain' in football is already a vastly diminished one compared to other sports, while the role of 'manager' is more overstated. Perhaps we'll see a reversal of that.
Though I personally hope not. Playing Football 'Captain' 2015 is going to be a poor substitute for SI's current gem of brilliance.![]()
townsend and bostock on the bench
[/td]The Tractor Boys continued with their shoot-on-sight policy as Lee Martin, Emmanuel-Thomas and Drury all tried their luck from distance but David Button was only called into action once.
[/td]Low angled effort was well held low down by Jordan Archer.
Corner was cleared out to Reece Gray whose shot was well saved by Archer diving high to his right.
Took the ball on before delivering it low in front of goal and finding its way just inside the far post with Jordan Archer seemingly mesmerised.
Scott Spencer broke clear but ArcherÔÇÖs legs kept out the shot.
[/td]The ball falling to Mitchell Austin whose snap shot was well stopped by Jordan Archer.
Phil Marsh managed to get on the end of a lob to try and loop a backwards header over Archer, but the BishopÔÇÖs Stortford keeper was well positioned.
[/td]Karl Moore again posed a threat going forward and Jansson had to be alert to stop his shot from 20 yards.
Jansson had to be quick off his line to clear outside his area.
We controlled it from start to finish and aside from one moment of madness from Jansson we never looked in any danger.
Holy brick what was Jansson doing just before, you could hear Oman shout "fudgein talk will ya" at him.
Lucky we didn't concede at the end with the keeper flapping.
What was Jansson doing. That effort was inches away
Janssen had a brain fart towords the end, but the chance came and went. Other than that error, that was the sum of their threat.
[/td]Wilbraham and Kyle Naughton had efforts as the game came to a close, but the west Londoners held out.
Naughton - 6.5 - Hard to fault defensively, but his crossing wasn't great today when we really needed it.
[/td]Emmanuel Adebayor, can't help thinking that Caulker would have handled him better, especially in the air?
We certainly did miss Caulker, it would have been good to see him compete with Adebayor today. He is someone we really need to replace with quality for next season.
Although even Caulker would have struggled to cope with the lack of help that Rangel provided today.
I doubt if we'd have conceded either of Spurs' second and third goals had Caulker been eligible to play today.
Zonal marking is at its best when one player attacks the ball and leaves others to cover their zone. For us that player is normally Caulker, he was not playing today hence our weakness.
We don't have tall players to match the likes of Adebayor in the air, especially with Caulker missing.
We need an aerially dominant centre half when Caulker leaves just as much as we need to fill Gylfi's position.
Missed Caulker's aerial presence today.
[/td]Bassong looks on completely unperturbed.
Bassong - good pace but caught in possession a couple of times near the halfway line. Not going to be with us next year so perhaps look at playing Stearman or Berra for the rest for of the season. 6
I'd buy Bassong.
We have no chance of buying bassong!!!
Anichebe showed his fellow striker how it should be done in the 68th minute when he fired in off the far post after Pienaar's diagonal run.
Pienaar should have put the result beyond doubt in the 74th minute having been played in by Jelavic but he shot straight at Foster.
Pienaar is a must, hopefully it's all but agreed.
Pienaar 9 - MOTM - please re-sign him, he made us tick yesterday.
Luckily enough we addressed the attacking issue in jan, Pienaar and Jelavic have greatly improved it.
We played some really good football at times with Pienaar usually instrumental in everything positive.
Pienaar and Baines are inseparable in my opinion.
[/td]Birmingham makes a sub: Wade Elliott enters for Andros Townsend. Reason: Tactical
I'm sorry to say that Townsend hasn't really impressed. I went to Doncaster last night and he was largely anonymous. He's working his socks off but not really producing. The fact that he is playing in front of different full backs each week is probably not helping him. We have a very promising young lad, Nathan Redmond who plays in a similar wide role, when he gets the chance. And I admit that there is a growing school of thought that Redmond may be more effective but Chris Hughton probably prefers Townsend as he is possibly a little stronger when tracking back and carrying out his defensive duties.
He has bags of ability but tends to run down cul de sacs or hold on to the ball a little to long.As you can imagine being a Brummie Redmond is a big favourite here and most fans would prefer him playing. He is just as quick, maybe quicker, and trickier but he is far more direct and scores.
I am sure Townsend has a big big future as a premier player but is still a little raw and when he adds goals to his game etc will be a big asset for Spurs. We have a winger here called Chris Burke, If Townsend could deliver and score like him then the sky is the limit.
I am not sure why we aren't developing Redmond instead of Townsend as this is in our long term interests. I saw Andros a few times at Orient and he clearly was the best player on the park, and he can do a good enough job for Blues if you want to lend him us, so long as Redmond is given a fair chance too.
[/td]Credit to Townsend, seems his effort was too hot to handle and Murph jumped on it to score AGAIN !
[/td]"James and Tom Carroll are not in and unless there is an injury, the current midfield two of Jeff Hendrick and Craig Bryson are going to stay in. They are the first-choice pairing at the moment," said Clough.
"During a recent game I turned round to James and Tom, who were sat on the bench, and said 'you two are unlucky at the moment because the two central midfielders are playing as well as anybody'.
"If either of James or Tom played in another position they probably would have got in more than they have, but Jeff and Craig complement each other very well in central midfield."
Tom Carroll - probably brought in on his reputation for being a real passer and creator, but nowhere near ready for the Championship.
[/td]Saints took the lead with little more than five minutes to go before the break, when a loose ball in their half made its way to Yago FALQUE who ran through the middle of the Seagulls before producing a low finish with the outside of his boot from ten yards out.
Saints continued to have the better of the play and had their best moment just past the hour mark when Falqu?® linked up with Andy Robinson and Doble, before getting the ball back into his path, and crashing a shot off the top of the crossbar.
The Spaniard struck the woodwork again from Jack Stephens' cross.
[/td]Would have been nice to see Bostock come on yesterday, I really like Ferry but he just offers no goal threat and that is why he's a League 1/2 player. Bostocks main attribute is his shooting and I would like to see him start on tuesday night.
[/td]As an aside, I doubt Bostock is too happy with being an unused sub two games running.
We have loads of games coming up in a short time frame. I am sure he will be needed.
[/td]Millwall makes a sub: Darius Henderson enters for Harry Kane. Reason: Tactical
Having Bouazza on the bench and he plays Kane there, with Keogh on the other wing, at least have them playing on their right feet, Keogh being left footed and Kane right.
England and spurs play Kane like a striker.
Bouazza on the left please,Kane is a good player but not a winger.
Good to see Feeney back in as Kane doesn't work as a winger.
Kane and Keogh have had a good partnership away from home so fingers crossed that continues today.
[/td]On 81 minutes Yeovil's Reading teenager worried his opponents with a pacy and determined run. His deflected shot was trapped by Jon Obika yards out, who appeared almost surprised to see the ball and Bournemouth cleared.
Obika spent a lot of the game having a football hoofed at him and having to challenge defenders much taller than him yet still manages to win his fair share and hold the ball up.
Obika was AWFUL on Saturday! He is far too lazy for League One. You can't expect to have the ball beautifully passed to your feet all the time, you have to create your own luck by being cleverly physically and put the defenders under pressure.
He did two good things against bournemouth: Flick the ball on for Willo, who then worked hard to create himself a very decent chance and kick the ball over his head for D'Ath to run on to but with no support (as it was a counter attack from a corner) the half break away was ruined.
I can't justify his performance being defended because someone was taller than him. His performance was summed up in the last few minutes when the ball was played too him and he backed away from it into the centre back and the CB just stepped in front and took the ball. SCHOOL BOY!
Just venting my frustration watching him lazing about all game. He shouldnt model his game on Ched Evans but more his work ethic on Willo's. He is athletic and probably one of the quickest players in the league but he rarely shows it.
He might not be scoring but agree he has been a good foil for Williams!
Not sure what the problem is with JO this time around, but he's nothing like the first time we had him, and for someone like him at a top prem club surely he should have improved a great deal by now, but imo he has gone backwards in all his qualities...shame.
Confidence maybe? The first time he came down here he was young and confident but then he went to Millwall, Swindon, Crystal Palace, Peterborough and didn't really make an impact and that may have affected him. I remember somebody saying how reluctant he was to shoot on Saturday, so I think this may be the case.
JO did hardly anything of note all game. It wasn't as if JO was working hard to get back and help defend or holding the ball up to give the defence a break.
Just can't stand understand how he is on the books at Spurs. Let's hope he now goes and proves me wrong with a hatrick this weekend.
Shouts against Obika were extremely harsh, yes he had a poor game but to single him out for such torrid abuse was disgraceful. Seems he is the new spacegoat. If you want a 20 goal a season striker, you pay for one. We cannot afford one, so what's the alternative?
Obika played very well. He spent the whole game having the ball hoofed at him from defence and won it more time than he lost it and made some nice touches.
A lot of the passing today was very sloppy & how the hell Obika was supposed to get on the end of some of them is beyond me.
[/td]I'd have liked Dawkins for Salinas, around 85'. Give Dawkins more time, keep Chavez's speed.
I spent most of the game wondering why Dawkins didn't start. I have no doubt that we would have scored at least one goal in the run of play if Simon had started.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11675/7650412/Rodgers-hoping-to-keep-Caulker
Swans want to extend his loan (as mentioned in other threads). I'd accept it with a clause to recall, but that might not be decided upon until after preseason anyway. Caulker will become a massive player for us in a couple of years.
Good point, it might do him just as good to play and train with the aged, but experienced players we have. But it is as I said, I don't want him tied to Swansea for a season, that might be too costly.
That is a great point, the Naybet factor! I'm sure King himself took his game up a notch from playing alongside him.I want him back in our squad this summer. He's proven himself to not only hold his own in the Premiership, but in a team that plays football on the deck. Thanks to Swansea, but we are actually in a position where we need him. One of Gallas or King has to be thinking of hanging their boots (or being pushed) as having two crocks taking up squad numbers just isn't sensible anymore.
Having said that, it would be nice to see him get some playing time alongside one of those two old heads, so definitely in this summer for me.
harry kane scores again
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