Tom Carroll

[Gilzeantoscore]

Anyone pointing fingers at Carroll would better divert their direction towards Lamela and Eriksen, who were totally ineffective today.

They had bad games, no doubt about that.

 

[Rune]

Carroll was very good in the first half, but faded away in the second half. But I´m scratching my head on what is going on with Bentaleb. Was one of our best players last season, signed new contract in the summer. Terrible in pre-season matches and foult for the United goal, then got injured. After that he is far away from the 1/11. Would think that an in-form Bentaleb would match Dier perfect in midfield.

 

[milo]

Anyone pointing fingers at Carroll would better divert their direction towards Lamela and Eriksen, who were totally ineffective today.

It's amazing that we were so dominant in the first half with two of our attacking players being "totally ineffective". Sarcasm aside, I think that you are going overboard in your criticism of them.

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

Well Kane had that shot, but to me it looked like the Delli Ali show.

 

[Maltese Falcon]

It's amazing that we were so dominant in the first half with two of our attacking players being "totally ineffective". Sarcasm aside, I think that you are going overboard in your criticism of them.

Maybe... however I struggle to remember one attacking move in which they were centrally involved

 

[milo]

Maybe... however I struggle to remember one attacking move in which they were centrally involved

Everton had ten men behind the ball during the first half when we were most dominant. It is tough to get through that. We also need to remember that Eriksen and Lamela spent most of the game on the opposite side to normal. I am assuming that this was on instruction and to either expose a weakness or neutralise a threat. I think that it is difficult to fairly assess their performances without knowing what the plan was there.

 

[Spur of the moment]

Absolutely. I would expect quite a few PL clubs would be interested in him on a free.

Could it be Carroll's the one who's holding out?

Carroll was very good in the first half, but faded away in the second half. But I´m scratching my head on what is going on with Bentaleb. Was one of our best players last season, signed new contract in the summer. Terrible in pre-season matches and foult for the United goal, then got injured. After that he is far away from the 1/11. Would think that an in-form Bentaleb would match Dier perfect in midfield.

Really? Here's my notes of his involvement second half:

47.00 - good Carroll pressure chasing down Barkley who's shot is wayward as result
50.20 - excellent forward pass Carroll to Eriksen
53.20 - exc forward pass carroll to Eriksen whose shot from edge of box tests keeper
56.25 - Carroll nice pass into box for Alli who fluffs control under pressure
62.00 - Carroll good forward pass to Kane who also fluffs control
66.40 - poor backward pass Carroll costs us attacking momentum
69.20 - Carroll's swift intervention in our box helps clear danger
72.00 - Carroll booked for tactical foul on halfway line to break attack
73.57 - superb shot Alli following excellent forward pass from Carroll
76.00 - good work Carroll closing down in defence
77.00 - Carroll excellent pass out to Walker attacking down right flank
78.00 - Carroll's poor headed clearance from box goes straight to Besic whose goal-bound volley is brilliantly tipped over by Lloris

Stopped taking notes thereafter (dinner on table!) but if you call that fading away second half Carroll must have played a blinder in the first.

 

[milo]

Could it be Carroll's the one who's holding out?

I could understand him holding out until he has a clear idea of how much game time he is going to get. Hopefully, his recent involvement will convince him that he has a future at the club. He might not be first 11 material when everyone is fit and on form but he can play a number of positions and can save us a fair bit of money that would be better spent elsewhere.

 

[LCLC]

Could it be Carroll's the one who's holding out?


Really? Here's my notes of his involvement second half:

47.00 - good Carroll pressure chasing down Barkley who's shot is wayward as result
50.20 - excellent forward pass Carroll to Eriksen
53.20 - exc forward pass carroll to Eriksen whose shot from edge of box tests keeper
56.25 - Carroll nice pass into box for Alli who fluffs control under pressure
62.00 - Carroll good forward pass to Kane who also fluffs control
66.40 - poor backward pass Carroll costs us attacking momentum
69.20 - Carroll's swift intervention in our box helps clear danger
72.00 - Carroll booked for tactical foul on halfway line to break attack
73.57 - superb shot Alli following excellent forward pass from Carroll
76.00 - good work Carroll closing down in defence
77.00 - Carroll excellent pass out to Walker attacking down right flank
78.00 - Carroll's poor headed clearance from box goes straight to Besic whose goal-bound volley is brilliantly tipped over by Lloris

Stopped taking notes thereafter (dinner on table!) but if you call that fading away second half Carroll must have played a blinder in the first.

Yes he was at the heart of our good play in the first half - excellent - not so good second half.

I agree he is probably holding out so that he can assess the market. However IMO he would be silly to leave if Poch says he will be involved each week just like this season. He will probably be offered a contract by 7-8 Prem Clubs but the fact is that if he ever dropped down below the Premier League he would be finished pretty quickly - he wouldn't cope particularly well with the constant physicality. However, if he gets a proper chance I think he could be a very decent Prem player

 

[Spur of the moment]

I could understand him holding out until he has a clear idea of how much game time he is going to get. Hopefully, his recent involvement will convince him that he has a future at the club. He might not be first 11 material when everyone is fit and on form but he can play a number of positions and can save us a fair bit of money that would be better spent elsewhere.

At the rate he's still improving it's not inconceivable he could wind up ahead of Mason and Bentaleb in the pecking order. Hell, even Eriksen might need to watch out. But first up he needs to cut out the number of face-palm moments - there were at least three today, an embarrassing air-shot from a Lamela corner, a wayward pass to the corner flag that farted on an excellent attacking move and finally that header straight to Besic that led to Lloris's excellent save.

 

[Cochise]

I still think he looks nervy out there, like he hasn't settled into the team. There were a few misplaced passes early doors, not wildly off target, but the ones that force the receiver to stretch for the ball and result in play slowing down. Personally I think we do need someone like him in the deep midfield starting off those moves, but I do think he's better suited playing further up the pitch in either Lamela or Eriksen's position. He does however not get in ahead of his competitors there.

Personally I want to know what's going on with Bentaleb. For me he's the natural choice in that position alongside Dier, but Poch doesn't fancy him right now for some reason. Has he burnt some bridges?

 

[alekaras]

I still think he looks nervy out there, like he hasn't settled into the team. There were a few misplaced passes early doors, not wildly off target, but the ones that force the receiver to stretch for the ball and result in play slowing down. Personally I think we do need someone like him in the deep midfield starting off those moves, but I do think he's better suited playing further up the pitch in either Lamela or Eriksen's position. He does however not get in ahead of his competitors there.

Personally I want to know what's going on with Bentaleb. For me he's the natural choice in that position alongside Dier, but Poch doesn't fancy him right now for some reason. Has he burnt some bridges?

I have no idea what is going on in Spurs' practice sessions or in Poch's head, but if I were to take a guess, I would say that Carroll is probably displacing Bentaleb on form. True, Bentaleb hasn't been given the chance, but would you take a chance with a player that was shaky in his last match (against Monaco, I think), compared to one who is doing quite well and getting better week by week? Also, Bentaleb is on a longer contract and 3 years younger than Carroll, so maybe this is also about giving Carroll his chance to prove he is worth a contract extension and so far he seems to be living up to it.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Poch is showing loyalty to a player that's performed to a level he is happy with

I fully expect Bentelab to play on Sunday and I hope he puts in a top drawer performance to get back on track

Bentelab is still incredibly young (like our whole midfield) and hasn't made a peep about not playing so is clearly biding his time for his chances which is the right thing

 

[parklane1]

I really do not understand the flack that is dished out to Carroll by some fans, he played well today and he seems to be getting used to the flow of our game. He keeps the ball moving and he always finds space to receive the ball and I hope Poch stays with him.

 

[Cochise]

Against Monaco, Bentaleb turned in a Townsend-esque performance, where he tried to showcase himself.

 

[Raziel]

Couple of moments today Carroll actually surprised me with his pace, not sure if I had a previous assumption.

Good first half, feel off in second (as did most of the team).

 

[DubaiSpur]

I think we'll stick with our current options for CM - Carroll Mason and Bentaleb all have pro's/con's and are more or less on the same level, we won't be looking to sign anyone to step in front of them nor will we sell one and look to add some filler to the squad to replace one.

I disagree, I think we'll add a centre-back who's also comfortable as a DM if we manage to shift Fazio (either now or in the summer), and that player will be Dier's back-up: in an ideal world that would be Veljkovic, but that ship's sailed. That means nine players for three spots, which necessitates a bit of pruning that will likely see Carroll leave given his contract situation. That's the first point: the second would be that I doubt Carroll himself would want to stay and perpetually rotate in and out of the side based only on how the many other options for CM are training and playing. He's now almost 24, and he needs long-term, consistent first-team football if he wants to really push on. He won't get that here, not while Dier, Dembele, Mason, Bentaleb, Eriksen and Onomah are around. So why sign a new contract only to become a rotation option?

I don't think we'll keep him beyond the summer (and I don't think he'd want to stay around either, given his situation and the possibility of a hefty signing-on fee if he leaves on a free come July 1st), but again, we might as well enjoy his good performances while he's still around.

 

[braineclipse]

Alderweireld said the first half yesterday was our best half of the season or something like that? And Carroll played in the centre of the park replacing Dembele who a lot of people are talking about as one of our players of the season...

Obviously did more than fine. And when we got put under pressure in the second half (not surprising, Everton are a good team) Carroll did his job most of the time in that situation too.

Proved that he deserved the start and unless Dembele is back against Leicester I think he'll deserve another one.

 

[billyiddo]

I disagree, I think we'll add a centre-back who's also comfortable as a DM if we manage to shift Fazio (either now or in the summer), and that player will be Dier's back-up: in an ideal world that would be Veljkovic, but that ship's sailed. That means nine players for three spots, which necessitates a bit of pruning that will likely see Carroll leave given his contract situation. That's the first point: the second would be that I doubt Carroll himself would want to stay and perpetually rotate in and out of the side based only on how the many other options for CM are training and playing. He's now almost 24, and he needs long-term, consistent first-team football if he wants to really push on. He won't get that here, not while Dier, Dembele, Mason, Bentaleb, Eriksen and Onomah are around. So why sign a new contract only to become a rotation option?

I don't think we'll keep him beyond the summer (and I don't think he'd want to stay around either, given his situation and the possibility of a hefty signing-on fee if he leaves on a free come July 1st), but again, we might as well enjoy his good performances while he's still around.

Not sure I get the reasoning we'll go for a CB that can play DM - is it just because that's what we have with Dier?

Re your second point - I think Carroll has begun to show there is not much to choose between him and Mason/Bentaleb and he has every chance of establishing himself as the no.1 option of those three if given a good run of games - I agree he won't want to be a backup/rotational player long term but right now he is getting his first real run out in the PL for us, I can see an extension with the thinking being that he either proves his worth over this season and next, if not he will then move on - this would suit both parties imv

 

[braineclipse]

I disagree, I think we'll add a centre-back who's also comfortable as a DM if we manage to shift Fazio (either now or in the summer), and that player will be Dier's back-up: in an ideal world that would be Veljkovic, but that ship's sailed. That means nine players for three spots, which necessitates a bit of pruning that will likely see Carroll leave given his contract situation. That's the first point: the second would be that I doubt Carroll himself would want to stay and perpetually rotate in and out of the side based only on how the many other options for CM are training and playing. He's now almost 24, and he needs long-term, consistent first-team football if he wants to really push on. He won't get that here, not while Dier, Dembele, Mason, Bentaleb, Eriksen and Onomah are around. So why sign a new contract only to become a rotation option?

I don't think we'll keep him beyond the summer (and I don't think he'd want to stay around either, given his situation and the possibility of a hefty signing-on fee if he leaves on a free come July 1st), but again, we might as well enjoy his good performances while he's still around.

Finding a CB that is also good enough as a DM is by definition harder than finding someone that's good enough in just one of those positions.
If we really want a DM backup to Dier (I'm still not convinced that we do our should want one) you pretty much automatically have to reject all DM options that are shorter than say... 1.8m/5.9ft.

I find it strange that Pochettino would invest this much game time into a young player like Carroll if the club thinks it's likely that he will just leave on a free/tribunal come the summer.