Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[sfx412]

Beaten by a team with better players, more depth and class finishing.
Its great the likes of General K telling us we need to give the kids a chance but they don't cope with the pressure of such games.
Another good game for the 2 O'Neill caste offs, Petrov did very well in the first half, then faded but he wasn't on his own. Can't see the point of Carew any more, not that I thought he was much use anyway apart from scoring against poor sides.
Houllier must be desperate with the lack of alternatives in midfield and attack, but then if he'd had 150 mill to spend like some he might have.
Generally not a bad performance, worth a draw, pity its 3 points dropped and its 9 months before he can sign anyone seriously. I don't see the youth stepping up, Albrighton faded again, Bannan did little, Ireland doesn't fit and will soon get fed up.
Why he played Dunne I'm not sure, he couldn't cope with their front line, his concentration wandered too many times again.
Perhaps in the 2 weeks before Chelsea visit he will have sorted more out, I wish him luck, the depth of the problem left by the previous manager was exposed for all to see, today. All that money spent and few no options.

I really hope that you're wrong wrt Ireland.  We need his creativity.

So do I but so far he's failed to impress which really and truly is not surprising considering he only moved a few months back, has been injured and has not played 2 games on the trot.
Thing is he's not suited to our present style of play, with him in the side we lose some defensive capabilities.
Perhaps GH will change that in time.

[PeterWithesShin]

Why the feck can't we hold on to a lead on a regular basis? I hate days like this.

[sfx412]

Why drop  Cuellar for Dunne though.  That was a stroke of absolute madness.

Dunne the ever present, current International, driving force behind most of last season, and you reckon its absolute madness?
If he hasn't bucked up his ideas in 2 games time it might be, but sticking with the tried and tested and not changing much would seem a very sensible option in the initial stages of his managership.
Well it does for me.
He has already kept Coker and Young in to some benefit, rejuvenated Heskey and A Young and even Downing looks the real article, at last. I admit he's lost a game and I've got the knives out of the drawer, but only for a polish, you seem to have yours nicely sharpened, Risso.

[Olneythelonely]

Good job we only used one kid for 80 minutes and another for 10 then isn't it. Although, Gareth Bale is the same age as both of them.

Different players bloom at different ages. It depends on the position as well, and Bale is electric quick and a left-winger, two attributes which help him stand out at an earlier age.

So you wouldn't have played Albrighton then?

When did I say that? I'm defending our young players! I think we should give them as much chance as they need because they're very promising. It's just that Bale is standing out at a younger age, which while true might be a bit misleading as to overall promise.

I was arguing the same point. I thought you were disagreeing with me. Never mind.

[PeterWithesShin]

Why drop  Cuellar for Dunne though.  That was a stroke of absolute madness.

Dunne the ever present, current International, driving force behind most of last season, and you reckon its absolute madness?
If he hasn't bucked up his ideas in 2 games time it might be, but sticking with the tried and tested and not changing much would seem a very sensible option in the initial stages of his managership.
Well it does for me.
He has already kept Coker and Young in to some benefit, rejuvenated Heskey and A Young and even Downing looks the real article, at last. I admit he's lost a game and I've got the knives out of the drawer, but only for a polish, you seem to have yours nicely sharpened, Risso.

So surely that means sticking with a player who had a good game in a match we won last week?
And the Dunne we are seeing this season is not the Dunne we saw for most of last season, that's why the decision doesn't make much sense.

[mr woo]

Disappointed by defeat but by no means a bad performance.

In fact, I thought we passed the ball around better than we have done for 4 years.

There was a willingness to hold the ball and take 5 or 6 touches when possible rather than hoof it at the earliest opportunity, which we have done for the past 4 years.

Unfortunately, we still have the same problem we've had for some time. Fuck-all up front.

Theres no question moving AY up front takes a threat away from the wing. Albrightons good but not at Ashleys level.

I don't know if Carew's pissed, on drugs, unmotivated, unfit, out of practice or out of confidence but he was way off the pace today and has been all season.

We need someone stronger than Young, more mobile than Carew and more intelligent than Gabby.
If GH really thinks the forward line doesn't need some work I'd be very surprised.

[Olneythelonely]

Yes Bale is some player, but I'm surprised you hadn't realised he plays for Spurs not us and it was our youth I was talking about.

So it's just our kids that can't cope with the pressure? Gotcha.

[ronshirt]

Dear sfx412, I have an idea that you will polish away until your wrist can take no more.

[KRS]

It was only a matter of time till we lost under GH and it will be interesting to see how we bounce back. Just a shame his first home league game is against Chelski, so hoping for a good strong display in a game we're not expected to win.

GH is dealing with the aftermath of the MON era, and making the best of an average expensively assembled squad. Its genuinely hard at times to look through our squad and see where money was squandered, but we'll just have to take it game by game and hope for improvements over time.

[Shrek]

why are so many people throwing in the towel? We got beaten by a good side. Good sides beat good sides all the time. Our challenge is how we react from defeat. If anyone thinks Houllier was going to magically make us into the finished article is dellusional. It's going to take time and a couple of transfer windows at least. Keep yourselves together. It's a long season where a lot will change.

Bang on mate!!

from the mood on here the only mistake Houllier made was Cuellur being dropped, we are not throwing the towel in, we are just really pissed of at how shit Carew currently is and how shite Petrov is.

[Rigadon]

Thing is with Carew, he doesn't look unfit to me.  He still has a burst of pace over 5 yards,  he just makes the wrong decision more often than not.  He isn't finished, he's just as limited as he ever was.  Both he and Gabby are effective when making instinctive, athletic movements but as soon as they have to think about it they struggle.

Our approach play is great at times:  incisive and few teams can live with the pace, however it comes off 1 in 5 times at best with the other 4 times ending in a bad cross or a missed one on one.  Guile in the middle up front has been lacking since I don't know when.  I think GH will sort that out but until he does we'll be nearly men and infuriating to watch at times. 

As for Dunne.  He's out of form but still put in the tackle of the game.  He deserves time after last season to get it right.

[ktvillan]

My disappointment at the result is offset by a lot of positives.  We played some great stuff first half an hour and they couldn't live with us the first 15 mintues.  We passed and moved more in one half than in 10 games under MON.  EVen second half we passed it around nicely but had no cutting edge in the final third.

Other plusses were that Warnock was much improved, Heskey was inspired, NRC did a lot of good work and Downing looked lively and inventive, as did Albrighton at first, and Luke Young kept Bale fairly quiet.

Downside Albrighton faded again and should have been subbed after about 60 mins, we had nothing up front once Heskey got crocked, Ashley spent too much time bitching and falling over,  Carew was hopeless again, and Collins, who had a good game otherwise, was beaten in the air for both goals.   Dunne looked slow and lethargic again and shouldn't be in ahead of Cuellar or even Davies for me.  Petrov was okay but badly at fault for goal 2 where he stood and watched VDV get away from him and have a free shot at goal. 

We must tighten up in defence and find a few more goal threats.

[rutski]

My disappointment at the result is offset by a lot of positives.  We played some great stuff first half an hour and they couldn't live with us the first 15 mintues.  We passed and moved more in one half than in 10 games under MON.  EVen second half we passed it around nicely but had no cutting edge in the final third.

Other plusses were that Warnock was much improved, Heskey was inspired, NRC did a lot of good work and Downing looked lively and inventive, as did Albrighton at first, and Luke Young kept Bale fairly quiet.

Downside Albrighton faded again and should have been subbed after about 60 mins, we had nothing up front once Heskey got crocked, Ashley spent too much time bitching and falling over,  Carew was hopeless again, and Collins, who had a good game otherwise, was beaten in the air for both goals.   Dunne looked slow and lethargic again and shouldn't be in ahead of Cuellar or even Davies for me.  Petrov was okay but badly at fault for goal 2 where he stood and watched VDV get away from him and have a free shot at goal. 

We must tighten up in defence and find a few more goal threats.

some decent points but the davies comment? Dont forget dunney and his performances last term, it is going to take a while for gerard to change things!

[PaulWinch again]

Lots of good things about the performance and individually I was impressed by Downing, Heskey, Ash, Marc and Warnock(first time in ages). However they were diminished by the result and Carew and Dunne's performances.

[mrfuse]

Agree with the comments Carew isint up to it anymore time to move on im afraid, Reo has to start regularly hasnt put a foot wrong  and petrov can only play 1 half.

Not sure if Ireland can play in this formation he would be better in the Ash role but Ash is playing that role well.

I like the formation but but it needs... and I cant believe im saying it Heskey in it i doubt Gabby could play it and we can see Carew cant play it. Not sure if the Fonz could do it possibly but a lot to ask a young inexperienced striker to do it.

I like the fact we have 3 really good centre halves  and one youngster we can rotate.

Somehow weve got to get a decent tall striker upfront in transfer window or end of season someone like Adebayor even if he is a knobhead