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Official - Defoe

He touched the ball about 5 times today and 3 of those were mistouches.

Defoe definitely hinders our allround game by his lack of intelligence and overall involvement in the game. He statistically only completes about 15 passes a game, compared to Ade's 80 and Rafa's 100+.

We badly missed Ade today, but Defoe's part of the illness, not the cure. A useful impact sub, but a poor overall contributor.

We've been fantastic for most of this season and the Ade-Rafa partnership (infact the Ade-Rafe-Bale-Lennon quartet) have been fundamental to that.

Out of interest, are there any forwards similar to Defoe's that you rate?
 
Irrespective of how he did today I think he should start the next 2 games, we all know his limitations but if we can exploit his talents properly then they become irrelevant.

Oh you do, do you?
Which premier league side do you manage again?

all strikers struggle when no-one passes the ball to them.

If the lad had had decent service, Savic excepted - then he might have fared a little better.

Pompous statements about how to get the best out of him make people look little better than gutterboy, until that basic fact is recognised.
 
Irrespective of how he did today I think he should start the next 2 games, we all know his limitations but if we can exploit his talents properly then they become irrelevant.

The limitation that popped into my head was the length of his legs.. :(
 
Did you notice that on numerous occasions the ball was pumped up front in the air, because Defoe is 5 feet 7 inches playing against 2 centres backs that are 6 feet+ tall, now that is not Defoe's fault.

But he has poor movement too, so I guess we couldn't get the ball to him on the ground either. That's why Bale and Lennon kept delaying when they got forward, because Defoe was never in a good position. The only way he actually saw the ball was long punts over the top.


Out of interest, are there any forwards similar to Defoe's that you rate?

Yes, but they mostly played in the 80s when you could get away with carrying a poacher who contributed so little. I guess Inzaghi was the last of that dying breed who was particularly successful.
 
His finish was absolutely superb, the miss was awful awful luck...said at the time the slight motion inside had cost him half a yard, if he'd gone towards the line he might've been offside, it was just awful luck all round. Another two inches of height and that's in...don't know if anyone remembers, but two seasons ago there was a very similar moment before we scored, Crouchy missing that time...this was like Gazza in 96...thought JD did really really well. I remember one passage where he held the ball, turned, carried, beat two men, fed to Rafa who then proceeded to try and score from 30 yards like he did a few times today and instead planted it in row J...was gutted for JD today...
 
But he has poor movement too, so I guess we couldn't get the ball to him on the ground either. That's why Bale and Lennon kept delaying when they got forward, because Defoe was never in a good position. The only way he actually saw the ball was long punts over the top.

Absurd if you're referring to the second half. He started finding the channels, we didn't isolate him so much, Bale and Lennon stuck to their roles much more...if there's one player to have expected more from today, it was Rafa who did nothing in terms of helping create space for Defoe, finding space himself or (indeed) ever looking like he was going to find anyone with a proper pass.
 
Gutter Boy i'd be careful if i were you, you're slowly turning into an Afan figure. You aren't going to find many people siding with your views on Defoe whilst he is scoring. Obviously you're entitled to your opinion but if i were you i'd keep it to myself for the time being...
 
Oh you do, do you?
Which premier league side do you manage again?

all strikers struggle when no-one passes the ball to them.

If the lad had had decent service, Savic excepted - then he might have fared a little better.

Pompous statements about how to get the best out of him make people look little better than gutterboy, until that basic fact is recognised.

Not sure why anyone needs to be a Premiership manager to see his weaknesses, he has been a Spurs player for the majority of the last decade and although he has improved in that time it is still obvious that no matter who he plays with, no matter what service he gets, playing up front on his own along with the various possession-based requirements of that role are things that Defoe isn't very good at.

All strikers' teammates struggle to pass to them when they don't make themselves available, both sides of the argument have to be considered and I think that Defoe is more at fault. You could even go as far as saying we were only hoofing it to Defoe because he didn't find the gaps to facilitate balls along the floor (not that I think this is totally the case).

'Pompous' statements about how to get the best out of our players are what football forums are for, and I have recognised plenty of times that it wasn't Defoe's fault alone anyway...
 
Not sure why anyone needs to be a Premiership manager to see his weaknesses, he has been a Spurs player for the majority of the last decade and although he has improved in that time it is still obvious that no matter who he plays with, no matter what service he gets, playing up front on his own along with the various possession-based requirements of that role are things that Defoe isn't very good at.

All strikers' teammates struggle to pass to them when they don't make themselves available, both sides of the argument have to be considered and I think that Defoe is more at fault. You could even go as far as saying we were only hoofing it to Defoe because he didn't find the gaps to facilitate balls along the floor (not that I think this is totally the case).

'Pompous' statements about how to get the best out of our players are what football forums are for, and I have recognised plenty of times that it wasn't Defoe's fault alone anyway...

But for that to happen you need those around you to help create space, especially against teams like them!!!! I don't understand what people aren't seeing here. Ade, when in that role, has an obvious physical presence which allows him to aggressively hold the ball/feed the likes of VdV, etc...Defoe doesn't have that, so today, he really really needed VdV to help create space by providing runs and movement too. Instead, Rafa sat deeper, leaving Defoe (more often than not) isolated)...I think if you watch the match again you can clearly see how many times Defoe DID hold the ball up/make some good runs/help create pockets of space.I think too often people fall back on the cliched image they have of Defoe as opposed to the realities of what they might have actually seen!
IMHO mate...
 
OMG, I often wonder if some of the statements made on here are made by people who were actually at the game!! What I saw at the Etihad today was a player in a white shirt, who actually defended from the front. He run his socks off today, scored a really good opportunistic goal and but for half a yard, could have scored another.
 
Defoe showed great awareness for his goal, but to suggest that the miss was due to the length of his legs, or any physical trait is quite far fetched. The miss was as inexcusable for a top striker as many a spanking our defenders/goalkeepers have gotten for their mistakes. Defoe should know that better than anyone. But eaten is eaten and those things happen. Take it on the chin and move ahead. At least he got his foot on the ball, much better than watching Crouch come sliding in way after the game was over and everybody had gone home.

Great showing by our boys anyhow, we really deserved something today.
 
But for that to happen you need those around you to help create space, especially against teams like them!!!! I don't understand what people aren't seeing here. Ade, when in that role, has an obvious physical presence which allows him to aggressively hold the ball/feed the likes of VdV, etc...Defoe doesn't have that, so today, he really really needed VdV to help create space by providing runs and movement too. Instead, Rafa sat deeper, leaving Defoe (more often than not) isolated)...I think if you watch the match again you can clearly see how many times Defoe DID hold the ball up/make some good runs/help create pockets of space.I think too often people fall back on the cliched image they have of Defoe as opposed to the realities of what they might have actually seen!
IMHO mate...

Defoe obviously still does hold up the ball, he still moves etc. but he just doesn't do it that well. You don't need to be big and strong to move the centre-backs around, just think about someone like Rossi, Eto'o or Messi.

I agree about Rafa, I think he was even worse than Defoe today but I just think Defoe is a poor option up front on his own and that he cannot escape blame for our impotence going forwards.
 
Defoe showed great awareness for his goal, but to suggest that the miss was due to the length of his legs, or any physical trait is quite far fetched. The miss was as inexcusable for a top striker as many a spanking our defenders/goalkeepers have gotten for their mistakes. Defoe should know that better than anyone. But eaten is eaten and those things happen. Take it on the chin and move ahead. At least he got his foot on the ball, much better than watching Crouch come sliding in way after the game was over and everybody had gone home.

Great showing by our boys anyhow, we really deserved something today.

I thought it was Bale's fault, if Defoe had got the ball early he would have been nailed on to score, he was in typical Defoe territory, but Bale decided to beat his man and by then it was too late and there was nothing Defoe could do.
 
Defoe obviously still does hold up the ball, he still moves etc. but he just doesn't do it that well. You don't need to be big and strong to move the centre-backs around, just think about someone like Rossi, Eto'o or Messi.

I agree about Rafa, I think he was even worse than Defoe today but I just think Defoe is a poor option up front on his own and that he cannot escape blame for our impotence going forwards.

You've picked two world class players there...but Messi has Villa and also the likes of Iniesta and Xavi all helping him; note how quiet he often is for his national side. Defoe is certainly not a great solo forward, but in the circumstances I thought he id really well today, scored an excellent goal, was really unlucky and generally did some great work...I simply think he's an easy spacegoat for some mate, not necessarily you BTW...
 
I agree steff, Defoe did well considering he is not a lone striker. His goal was a great finish, and second half he came into the game in a positive way. As for the miss it was unlucky, simple as. But I do think today showed he need for an additional striker option just to vary it up when needed.
 
You've picked two world class players there...but Messi has Villa and also the likes of Iniesta and Xavi all helping him; note how quiet he often is for his national side. Defoe is certainly not a great solo forward, but in the circumstances I thought he id really well today, scored an excellent goal, was really unlucky and generally did some great work...I simply think he's an easy spacegoat for some mate, not necessarily you BTW...

Funny thing is I agree with most of that! Great effort in the circumstances, just not what we needed to beat City, but I think he is definitely worthy of starting the next couple of games at least.
 
I don't really know why the Defoe arguments keeps on raging - we all know his deficiencies and his positive points. The bloke is a tireless worker and will always be in with a sniff at goal throughout the course of a game - keep him hungry and he's a fantastic asset to have. Playing up front on his own (not his best position by a long shot) today, he did well considering how little he saw of the ball. He scored one and was a toe-length away from grabbing another!
 
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