ratings vs Reading

[NWND]

Lloris - 8 made a couple of good saves, commanded the box well, solid.
Walker - 7 practically playing as centre - forward at times had a really good game n both directions
Daws - 6 largely solid and scored but got exposed for pace and positioning at times and got baled out by walker
Vertonghen - 6 couple of slips in concentration that could have been punished ok but not his best game
Naughton - 6.5 solid

Dembele - 8 kept the ball really well and ran through midfield as though reading weren't there at times
Sandro - 8.5 tired of saying this but the guy is an absolute beast he eats midfields alive and doesn't even leave the bones

Lennon 9 MOTM tore reading a new asshole if our strikers had their shooting boots on we'd have won 6-1
Sig - 6.5 nice corner for the equaliser worked hard out of position

Ade - 6.5 great header, still a bit off-colour
Defoe - 6 should have had at least a brace

 

[Mr. Green]

- Sandro was imperious; I may not have always been one of his cheerleaders on this board but there is no better tackler among midfielders in the PL

- Dembele is soooo frustrating. He has so much skill and when he has the ball to feet, it is impossible to take it away from him. But I struggle to remember a single incisive pass in any of the last 4 Christmas games...

- AVB: why, why, why play Siggy on the left???????? It unbalanced us completely as he constantly cut into the middle and Naughton followed to be able to use his right foot. Our left wing was useless all game. If there was one game to start Townsend, it was this!!!

http://www.football365.com/f365-says/8368973/In-Praise-Of-Spurs-Central-Midfield

http://www.football365.com/f365-says/8376072/F365-Says

Could not have said better than these two articles. Though I think our frequent long range shoots add to the variety and utilise the strength we have (Defoe/Walker etc who packs powerful shot, even Bale, Vert, Sandro also could shoot from outside the box. Demps today also shows he is capable of chipping in from afar), and if I am not mistaken, we are currently top of the number of long range goals table.

 

[Rorschach]

Lloris 8 - I hope we have this guy tied into a good long term deal. I wouldn't swap him for any other PL keeper.
Walker 8 - Great game from the young man. Improved passing and understanding of the space between Lennon and himself. His late tackle saved the points too.
Dawson 8 - Delighted he got a goal. There is nothing that pleases me more that a player who fights for the club.
Vertonghen 7 - A few hiccups but overall contributed to a good defensive performance.
Naughton 7 - Shame he is not left footed (for crossing) or at least willing to use his swinger a bit more. Some wayward passing on occasion.
Lennon 9 - Buzzing around the field like a little buzzy thing. Brilliant.
Dembele 8 - So hard to shake this guy off the ball. Still something missing in the final third but I really am nit picking.
Sanrdo 8.5 - His best game of the season for me.
Siggy 7 - Not as good as I had hoped for going on recent showings but not too bad. Far better than earlier in the season.
Adebayor 7 - Goal will do his confidence the world of good. You could see how happy his team mates were in the celebration. Quiet besides that but was involved at least
Defoe 6 - Mr. Hyde today. Not playing for the team I'm afraid.

Parker 7 - His introduction coincided with our worst spell but I put that down to coincidence. Shooooot.
Dempsey 7 - He's changed my mind entirely since the start of the season. I had his transfer down as a mistake but I was wrong.


A special mention for Webb who obviously had a Reading win in his accumulator today. Got so many things wrong it is hard to know where to start. Needs his own chant at this stage.

 

[Simon_B]

I did not know that, i was hoping he would get a game against coventry in the cup next week.

I think someone posted his tweet in the official match thread. Yeah, hopefully he'll recover and get some game time against Coventry. Looked promising when he was introduced against Swansea and has received much praise for his U21 performances.

 

[braineclipse]

Some people clearly did not see the game ...

- Vertonghen was actually definitely no more than a 6. Two slip ups could easily have resulted in goals if we were playing a better team. Furthermore there was none of his vaunted playing out of the ball from defence. Ironic how Gallas gets ripped one after every game even though his play in recent games was nowhere as bad a Verts' game today.

- Dawson kept Pogrebnyiak in his pocket but his lack of mobility is a major limitation. He couldn't get anywhere near Kebe's run on goal on 70 minute but thankfully Kyle Walker is the opposite and brilliantly snuffed out the danger making up a 3 yard disadvantage to pull off a magnificent block

- Sandro was imperious; I may not have always been one of his cheerleaders on this board but there is no better tackler among midfielders in the PL

- Dembele is soooo frustrating. He has so much skill and when he has the ball to feet, it is impossible to take it away from him. But I struggle to remember a single incisive pass in any of the last 4 Christmas games...

- Adebayor was completely ineffective until he rose to head home; Defoe definitely had a better game.

- AVB: why, why, why play Siggy on the left???????? It unbalanced us completely as he constantly cut into the middle and Naughton followed to be able to use his right foot. Our left wing was useless all game. If there was one game to start Townsend, it was this!!!

Townsend was ill apparently.

 

[Robspur12]

Some people clearly did not see the game ...

- Vertonghen was actually definitely no more than a 6. Two slip ups could easily have resulted in goals if we were playing a better team. Furthermore there was none of his vaunted playing out of the ball from defence. Ironic how Gallas gets ripped one after every game even though his play in recent games was nowhere as bad a Verts' game today.

- Dawson kept Pogrebnyiak in his pocket but his lack of mobility is a major limitation. He couldn't get anywhere near Kebe's run on goal on 70 minute but thankfully Kyle Walker is the opposite and brilliantly snuffed out the danger making up a 3 yard disadvantage to pull off a magnificent block
- Sandro was imperious; I may not have always been one of his cheerleaders on this board but there is no better tackler among midfielders in the PL

- Dembele is soooo frustrating. He has so much skill and when he has the ball to feet, it is impossible to take it away from him. But I struggle to remember a single incisive pass in any of the last 4 Christmas games... - Adebayor was completely ineffective until he rose to head home; Defoe definitely had a better game.

- AVB: why, why, why play Siggy on the left???????? It unbalanced us completely as he constantly cut into the middle and Naughton followed to be able to use his right foot. Our left wing was useless all game. If there was one game to start Townsend, it was this!!!

Reawson isn't that why we have 4 people at the back so that hopefully one will complement or cover for the weaknesses of the other and vice versus.

Re: Dembele Be wonderful if his passing improved but as it is he is absolutely critical to us, if he does not play more often we will lose.

 

[mudshark]

Lloris 7
Walker 7
Dawson 7
Vertonghen 7
Naughton 7
Lennon 8
Sandro 8
Dembele 8
Sigurðsson 7
Adebayor 5
Defoe 6

Parker 6
Dempsey 7

 

[zin]

Reading (H) 3-1

Our third win in a row and the double over Reading with the same scoreline as the game back in mid-September. Similar rating also with 6.97 this time round compared to 7.02 last time.

Lennon's second MOTM award in a row and breaks his highest score of 8.32, which he only got in the previous match, with a 8.50 this time round, and this time without even scoring a goal - however providing an assist for Adebayor. Sandro also gets his eighth over 7.5 of the season and leads Gareth Bale by one on the leaderboard now with Bale having been suspended for this match.

Defoe joins Adebayor and Dempsey with five worst player of the match performances although his is in his 26th match of the season to compare with Dempsey (20) and Adebayor (16).