Vital Spurs Debate Section

Match Thread – WHL Comforts For Spurs As We Look To Lay Down A Marker & Cut Through The Toffees

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Well, it’s been a strange old summer for supporters of all clubs, let alone Tottenham Hotspur fans but it’s finally time for the first match thread of 2020/21.

I trust this finds the good citizens of Vital Spurs and their wider bubbles, in good health and spirits, as this coming season is bound to be a rollercoaster, both on and off the pitch!

2019/20 was interesting, to say the least, with our problems and the changes we saw (nobody mention poor performances), so this year after a semi-busy transfer window of captures, we also have Europa League qualification to look forward to – which simply only complicates things further given the additional games we face for barely a Plovdiv of financial benefit compared to the Champions League itself.

But it’s Everton up first as we go into a new strange season where fans still won’t be in attendance and nobody knows if we’ll actually perform like the Spurs we expect either, but the likelihood is more of the same pragmatic type of football Jose Mourinho is famed for – we just have to hope the results follow.

Everton...

Win

Draw

Lose

It’s a busy start to the season with five games to pack in ahead of us slipping into October, so can we lay down a marker against the Toffees and show that we’ve learnt from last season’s mishaps?

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  • PompeyYid says:

    Thanks for the match thread Danny, this could be a sticky situation, lol! COYS

  • Niall D says:

    Hi Danny
    Nice to see a new Thread. I note from history that Everton have come away with very little against us. I hope this is the case yet again this season. I note they have brought a couple of decent players in.
    But I’ll take either of our 2018 results against them 6-2 or 4-0.
    Will be good to see how our team is :
    Set up, ie attacking or defensive (tin hat on)
    Personnel, who is on the pitch in this vital mid field areas
    I think we’ll get a 2/3 niler with Sonny and HK10 to score.
    COYS.

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    Five days until Jose starts moaning about the fixture pile up, his lack of squad depth, his lack of striker options and the referees.
    Five days until his mind numbing boring anti-football, defend deep and punt long balls up to Harry tactics. How long before Levy realises he made one almighty mistake and gets rid of this dinosaur. Hopefully he’ll be gone by Christmas. COYS

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Don’t you realise DoncasterHotspur; That if we can get in a new left-sided CB and a PL proven non-striking striker and hopefully within the next 24 hours…. Spurs will win the quadruple!

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    HT – you are so right. What am I thinking. The quadruple is as good as hours. If only we had a decent manager COYS

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Spurs 10-4!

    Kane and Son hat ticks. 2 from King and a couple from Deeney to finish them off…

    Toffees make a good go of it though, with two from Gylfi and a stunning Aaron Lennon brace! That’s if they haven’t sold them back to Spurs by then.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Lennon! What am I on? Walcott! … Walcott to score a stunning brace…… If he can still walk that is!

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Why do people keep mentioning ‘tin hats”?

    Anyway, with my tin hat on, I’m gonna warn you all. I don’t care if we just about manage to win this by just the 1 to nil… But if we are crap and boring in doing so, I will definitely moan about it!

    It’s really not just about winning. Buying. Selling. Jose-ing! There’s more to life than voluntary, self-inflicted, boredom! God help me!

  • El Jefe says:

    HT – I did not say getting a new STR and LCB would win us anything but it might help us in not surrendering embarrassingly like we did last season in all of the Carabao, FA and CL and in some way the Prem also – indeed we were “saved” by the mid-season shut off and being able to get especially Sonny and HK10 back, etc otherwise we’d not even be in the EL this season and the restart in June onwards would have continued to be absolutely woeful without them. EL might indeed not be much to many but it’s still another decent revenue stream (all very welcome ATM) if we take it seriously enough and an international trophy at that but for that we’ll need a full squad of bloody decent players!

    If people are already complaining about crap and even losing football imagine losing both of them again for some time – unthinkable quite frankly and even more so because we’ve still to replace the likes of Lloro and Janssen (not that they were up to much anyway) – not bloody asking for a lot to just get in a couple more decent squad players FFS!

    1 bloody STR to face off 4 competition’s (as well as his England duties) – bloody ridiculous and quite frankly unforgivable IMHO (not to mention he’s now relatively injury prone on bloody top)!

    Are some on here sure they are not bloody tight wad share-holders because I for one am indeed a bloody share-holder as well as a hardcore fan and not at all happy at facing a full compacted season with only 1 flaming STR on the books (for now at least) – even young Parrott has been loaned out!

    It’s simply not bloody good enough end of!!!!!

    • Hot Tottingham says:

      I know you didn’t say that EJ… I said it! 😉

    • Hot Tottingham says:

      If your THFC shareholding is such a stressful thing for you and it does seem to be your main concern with the club. Then why not sell up? … After all, you did boast to me recently, that your shares were up a hell of a lot on your original buying price.

      But, if you don’t need to sell up your shares, my advice would be to be patient….. Which is the game isn’t it? It’s the gamble… You took a punt on a football club and you took a risk…

      • El Jefe says:

        Completely disagree there HT – my main concern is that we are moving backwards after looking like we were going somewhere recently – and that worries me indeed as a share-holder (rightly and naturally so I feel) but also and very importantly as a genuine hardcore fan as well!

        I am indeed well up on my investment but I’ve made it clear before on here that it is not life-changing quite the opposite in fact AND I love being a share-holder of the club I love and I won’t be selling for pittance when like Levy/Lewis to be fair I think the club is worth much, much more than it’s current market capital/value – lot’s of hidden wealth to be realised so very happy to keep waiting but on the other hand as a loyal fan not very happy that for over 30 year’s now we’ve been pretty much nothing but mediocre on the pitch (barring the majority of the Poch years of course which had everyone hoping……..)!

        • Hot Tottingham says:

          Okay……

          • El Jefe says:

            LOL HT – “Okay” – no worries mate, you are quite right about the gambling and patience required – quite happy to wait as I say it’s not life-changing (unlike my other main investment which am bricking it on currently but am desperately hoping for a better, much better day that will see me off very, very well if it pays off – which I hope should do as we are talking about Lloyds bloody bank after all LOL – just have to stick to what you said above on both of them and be patient – God willing neither is going bust anytime soon…………)!

            Sorry for the deviation folks but me and HT at it again as usual LOL – think we love and respect each other really though LOL……….!

  • El Jefe says:

    Finally as regards the LCB – we don’t currently even have ONE in the squad with Vert’s having left – Dier, Toby, Davy, Tanganga and even Foyth are all RCB’s at best! Not 1 left-footed CB at the club – at a minimum would be nice to have an alternative and a proper left-footer to play there! Someone like VVD can get away with it because he’s world class, etc – unfortunately none of our lot are and need all the help they can get – indeed last season already helped prove this with all the goals conceded and lack of clean sheets, etc but then again it’s just my opinion of course!

  • El Jefe says:

    https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1965610-analysing-the-importance-of-a-left-foot-right-balance-in-central-defence

    https://theathletic.co.uk/2049395/2020/09/08/explained-left-foot-centre-back-ake-laporte/

    Interesting read and take on my argument for at least 1 proper LCB in the squad and I’ll say ideally which in itself is pretty ridiculous but it is what it is and we are where we are!

    The likes of Pep and Ole seem to think it’s important to have at least 1 LCB in their squad but what do I know LOL……….!

  • El Jefe says:

    Hope my last post get’s moderated ASAP – it does go some way to showing why at least 1 proper left-footed LCB is important to have in any squad backed up by the likes of Pep and Ole no less, etc!

    Hope it shows up eventually……….!

  • El Jefe says:

    As for Sunday v Everton:

    Lloris

    Doherty Toby Dier Davies

    Hojbjerg Sissoko

    Bergs Dele Sonny

    HK10

    All should be relatively fit and raring to go. The defence picks itself and with no Lo Celso, Winks or N’Dombele properly fit and ready to play – Hojbjerg and Sissoko win easily by default – although expect Hojbjerg to be a 1st team regular so long as fit given his unique importance in the DCM spot.

    My only doubt was Moura or Bergs but given Bergs scored a cracker in pre-season and also scored for Holland during the NL games, I decided I’d go with him although a bit harsh on Lucas who was brilliant towards the tail end of last season and kept Bergs on the bench mostly.

    Oh just remembered and seeing as we don’t have a back-up STR for HK10 yet, we may well need Moura to play as our CF in the EL on the following Thursday with HK10 and Sonny especially being rested for the Prem game against Southampton that following weekend!

    Sessegnon and probably Clarke would then have to play on the wings and maybe Lamela as the AMC/no.10 although not very confident on Clarke so hopefully we get the 2nd STR in before that game and he can go straight in meaning Moura and Sess can play as wing forwards and Lamela can play as AMC/no.10 – here’s hoping anyway but that’s a completely different discussion on a separate thread next week – for now concentrate on Everton as best possible (but still having to keep 1 eye on the EL game all the same as coming so soon after)!

  • Geofspurs says:

    Ej …. Jose is a master planner. He’s not worried if he has no left-sided defenders …. he’ll just get the team to play down the right. No worries!!

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    I’ll be serious with you EJ…

    If we are short of cash at Spurs and if we are indeed in desperate need of a left-footed CB; then who is that (rare) world class CB that we can get in for £20m or less? … Which seems to be the number (approximately) that you say we can only really spend on any given new player…

    Why don’t you just say that you don’t think that Dier or Sanchez or Toby or Tanganga are good enough? Or maybe you just did?

    I very much doubt that we were poor, from front to back last season, because we didn’t have a left footed CB? After all, Jan has only just left us hasn’t he? He was still at the club last season…

    This is what annoys me. I recently went to the effort of making the point on here (after a bit of research into it) that actual left footed CB’s are far and few between, (good or bad)… This not just my opinion. It’s a fact… But, surely, everyone should know this. And, many, many teams have been getting by without them ever since football began. Why? Because they have had to, that’s why. And, it’s not crucial anyway… Being right footed on the left as a CB is not crucial… It just isn’t. Some managers will prefer it, for sure. Others will say exactly what I am saying…

    At the end of the day, whether a manager wants one or not, he would be a fool to replace a very good right footed one with a less good, left footed one. Just because he can. That’s If he can even find one that happens to be hanging around just waiting to be discovered. And even though they are far and few between, no other top cub wants him…

    Maybe Jose is looking for one. I don’t know. But meanwhile Spurs do have 4 CB’s that are very good, imo, if not yours…

    England have just played two matches with a right-footed LB and Dier as a left sided CB! Why?

    As for that damned elusive back-up striker? Why are they so damned elusive is a good question I think? Where are they all hiding?

  • block 108 spurs says:

    We all saw young Japhet Tanganga play very well on left side of defence v Liverpool. It is not the holy grail of a player being left footed… as he can be able to kick the ball strongly and accurately with both feet, thus being ambifooted .. 🙂

    EJ, write email to levy about how you feel, as he / assist. donna do read them.

    Next game 2-0 spurs. COYS

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    My apologies to you all for deviating from this match-day thread. I’ll leave it there…

    It’s funny to me that after all this time, it looks like Sissoko might yet again need to be the one CM’er to come to our rescue because of other not being fit or good enough… Especially as we do now have Tanguy at the club. Please Tanguy, come good mate!

  • El Jefe says:

    HT – I do remember reading that post last time and have just read again what you have written – a good fair post of your opinion – (shame one of mine is still in for moderation because it did show with a couple of links as to why having a left-footed CB in a squad is deemed important or even very important as the case may be) personally though as a club who harbour toppish idea’s worst case (top 4 minimum, win cup’s, etc) I think we really should at least have 1 left-footed CB in the squad to compliment those 4 other’s you mention namely Dier, Toby, Davy and even Tanganga (who I do actually think are good overall pretty much like you although perhaps I’m not as carried away by them as you currently already are – I will still withhold some reservation until we can get back to the defensive displays that regularly kept us under 40 goals conceded for a good several seasons under Poch at our very best).

    Problem is with Aurier leaving and Foyth still a big uncertainty over his future with us I think Tanganga is going to be needed regularly as Doherty’s back-up so that will mean we only truly have 3 permanent and experienced CB’s in Dier, Toby and Davy. Surely this is not enough to ride out a full and most importantly compacted season on 4 fronts not to mention a full international schedule including not just competitive but also friendly games as well and all our 3 main, permanent CB’s are currently regular international call up’s for their respective nations indeed – so far from bloody ideal for us for sure IMHO!

    Thus for me a left-footed CB is a real necessity/requirement indeed on various fronts and we need to look to get one in finally (this is though for the club’s bloody scouts to find not me although I was 1 who wanted Ake for sure for example but unfortunately so did Man City and I accepted pretty much straight away as I think you also did that we’d never be able to get him because of his likely price tag which was touted to be a minimum of £40m let alone face off the apparent competition of the likes of Man City, Man Utd, Chelski, etc indeed as soon as Man City got involved it pretty much became a dead rubber IMHO).

    Unfortunately Vert’s last season was no longer at his best and no longer a guaranteed starter and indeed played much fewer games and especially minutes than he normally would have in many seasons past, etc and it might just not be coincidence that it was our worst defensive display since we matched it in 2014/15 if memory serves – losing a player of the class of Vert’s at his best would surely take a tole on many a side us obviously included judging already by last season!

    Think we desperately need at a minimum a good solid LCB (ideally with some experience and pace and comfortable on the ball) and hope we can finally find one and get him in ASAP – to me it makes all the sense in the world!

    As for the 2nd “elusive” STR – we make it more and more of a problem (elusive) with everyday that passes add to that season after season now indeed! I think we make the problem even more and more elusive by our way of doing business, etc – we should just identify a suitable and reasonable target and go all out to get him – which means not haggling on every bloody aspect both with the selling club and with the player himself – as we tend to do with every bloody deal and if it on a rare occasion means we have to get involved in a bidding war so be it and we should just make sure we come out on bloody top for once (especially seeing as we have not been in a serious STR chase for year’s now thanks to HK10 mainly) but then again it’s just my opinion of course!

    We have had a decent opportunity with Bournemouth being relegated to take a pick from King/Wilson for example who are Prem proven, prime age, home-grown and cheap – either indeed being not bad as a back-up to HK10! I’m not asking for world class or expecting it but a bloody half decent STR to compete and cover – indeed the guy would be able to play at least a few Prem games given the compacted season and with HK10 always called up by England and played if fit and definitely have the lion’s share of all 3 cup’s games also – I think there’s plenty of game-time on offer for someone even as HK10’s back-up for me the problem is our willingness to spend on such’s transfer fee and wages because we already see them as a complete inferior to HK10 instead of as a quite possible compliment to him and thus not willing to pay accordingly for such!

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    I felt I should respond to you seriously, as my earlier posts were sarcastic of me….. It’s my humour that’s all…. Not necessarily that funny but certainly not to be taken too seriously, EJ…

    But, in fairness to all the other VS posters I think we should leave this topic alone on here from now on…….
    And we should really stick to it as a match day thread . Or we end up alienating everyone else from here on in….. Please.

  • El Jefe says:

    HT – no worries and it is indeed separate from the match thread but still IMHO very important to the club as a whole but with that last message I think I covered everything I wanted to say on the matter and pretty much perfectly as well so now have it off my chest happy to let it go – no worries about the sarcasm overall!

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