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Pre Season 2013

Providing everyone is fit, I would go with this as my first team:

---------------Lloris------------------

Walker---Kaboul---Vertonghen---Ekotto

-------Paulinho-----Sandro----------

Lennon------Dembele---------Bale

-------------Soldado----------------


Subs: Friedel, Naughton, Dawson, Sigurdsson, Chadli, Townsend, Defoe
 
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A convincing win before the season starts would have been erection inducing for the team. So really disappointed we didn't win. But maybe expected too much too soon from the team, especially the new players Paulinho, Soldado and Chadli. Nice to see Soldado scoring, albeit from the penalty. And it was a well-taken penalty. Maybe now we have a reliable penalty taker. Soldado really need the goals like that to lessen the burden of expectations of his 26m price tag.

Expected much more from Paulinho. Still don't know what to expect from him or if he will improve our midfield. But can see from this match, that he will need more time to show what he can bring to the team. Brazilians tend to take very long time to adapt to the PL. Even Sandro took long time to impress for us. So we will have to be patience with Paulinho. Didn't expect much from Chadli. But if he is really the replacement for Dempsey, he will have to score some goals to repay us for buying him.

I think this match proves we still need a creative midfielder to create chances for our attacks. Modric used to do that for us but Dembele has not really done that since replacing him. We need someone who can make a defence-splitting pass and unlock a tight defence for our attacks to benefit from. I don't think anyone from our current squad can do that consistently. It will be a pity if we don't buy such a midfielder to create the chances for Soldado to score from. Don't think even the return of Bale will make much difference as he concentrates on scoring goals now, instead of creating for others. We need the Modric type of midfielder now.

Nice to see Kaboul returning from injury. Now we need Vertonghen to shake off his injury problem. Then hopefully both Kaboul and Vertonghen can work together to keep our defence tight. But not so sure about Dawson and Kaboul starting in defence until Vertonghen returns. Dawson tends to do well only with a more experienced defender. AVB needs to do something to make Dawson and Kaboul work together.

Wish we had given more playing time to our new players before the season starts next week. Now they are going to take time to settle down at Spurs, especially Paulinho. Hopefully we will be able to lift our game against Crystal Palace next week.
 
Slagging off the singing? Well, it is frowned upon these days, what with ticket prices, and you know, seats, and using said seats to facilitate comfort whilst bemoaning a poor performance.
 
Has anyone actually slagged off the singing? Someone complained about singing 'stand up if you hate the arse', which I fully agree with. Why not love Tottenham instead?
 
Also heard a few 'Jermain Defoe, he is a yiddo' too. When he was on the bench. I suppose all that was missing was 'I love Martin Jolllll'
 
The ONE rendition of 'Stand up....' Came from the Park Lane not Block J.

We did have two rendtions of Shoes off if you love Tottenham' though!
 
The ONE rendition of 'Stand up....' Came from the Park Lane not Block J.

We did have two rendtions of Shoes off if you love Tottenham' though!

If they ever did stand up if you love tottenham i would stand up but the whole stand up if you hate arsenal annoys me. Im a spurs man arsenal of no importance to me.
 
My take on the Espanyol game is this:

I don't worry about winning in pre season, because most time when Spurs had a good pre season - we would fail in the premier league shortly after. IN line with this logic - I am happy with a relatively winless pre season - perhaps making the players more hungry when the real competition starts.

I thought Paulinho looked great - yes it was subtle, instead of a rip roaring entrance - but good enough for me. I can see by the nice drag back skill that fleeced two opposition players, and the large physique which he can shield the ball easily with, that this was a superb acquisition.

Chadli - I'm in two minds about at the moment. He was only 7m, so the signing can be hit or miss - its not like he has a world class price tag. I'm sure he can be useful and grow into the new team and role.

Soldado - not much to go on ofcourse, but he looks stocky which is good, since as a lone striker you need the physical presence. He is not tall, but looks sharp with his head if he gets a chance. He is unlike Damiao who we were heavily linked with - who has a superb foot and shot, but lacks the physical bulk (albeit is taller at 6'2) that Soldado will introduce (I suppose a little like Defoe - short and stocky).

The team passed well in patches, showing control of the game, and this will only get better with time for sure.

Siggy had some great skill moments, but unfortunately did not amount to much. I hope he keeps his shooting mentality - but maybe Andre has asked him / the team to hold up the ball / use it intelligently instead of shooting it off, in the final 3rd more.

Sandro and Kaboul were huge bonuses of course, and you could see they were good from the get go.

A full house for £20 each I think, so good support. Some of the pre season friendlies are big money making tools with the tournaments abroad and high profile teams competing, even though its scarcely competitive a times.

I wonder what playing / training Holtby / BAE have done as well?
 
so that's it for pre season? i still have no idea whats our first eleven on opening day, but it looks like 4-2-3-1 without bale.
 
Tom Carroll, Harry Kane and Jordan Archer kick-off a busy midweek of international action with a clash of old enemies at Under-21 level tonight.

Tom and Harry will no doubt be looking to get one over team-mate and Scottish goalkeeper Jordan when England and Scotland meet at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane. Kick-off is 7.30pm.

Tom will be looking to add to his one cap at U21 level, while Harry is looking for his first U21 cap after representing the U20s in the FIFA U20 World Cup in the summer.

Meanwhile, Jordan will aim for a seventh cap at U21 level for Scotland.

The action continues on Wednesday with another eight players on duty.

The Spurs focus will be in Belgium, where Jan Vertoghen, Mousa Dembele and Nacer Chadli have been called-up for the Belgian squad to take on Hugo Lloris' France.

Jermain Defoe and Kyle Walker are in the England squad to face Scotland at Wembley.

Paulinho is back with Brazil after their success in the Confederations Cup with a friendly in Switzerland while Gylfi Sigurdsson is with Iceland, who take on the Faroe Islands.

Gareth Bale has joined the Wales squad and will train but take no part in Wednesday's friendly against the Rebublic of Ireland
 
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