Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Irish villain]

can we get away with playing 2 wingers and ash in an advanced position, particularly away from home?

We probably can but only just and it does raise the question as to why need Ireland... Is he a luxury item we should cash in on?

[rutski]

Carew is fucking shit and needs to be replaced as soon as we can.

Amazing that Heskey is looking twice the player Carew is.

We couldn't cope with Crouch today and VDV was just the one that shone through.

For them Jenas did nothing and Bale? What's all the hype?

paul, why does there always have to be a ****** of the week off you? John carew this, some other ****** next week then another after that?

[TheBarneyArmy]

One quality player the difference today, was amazed to see Dunne in for Cuellar, hopefully its just GH taking a look at the squad. We can forget any idea of 6th as this is going to be an experimental period up to the January window and probably for the rest of the season, as I can't see us forking out on the over-inflated transfer prices that January brings, though based on the performances of Carew and Dunne today we could do with it.

[martyn ellis]

Far too many negative comments on here. I went to the game and went home feeling positive, considering Houllier's been here a couple of weeks, considering he's working with someone else's players, considering he's managed NRC and Emile back to effective first team football, considering he's got them PASSING the football TO A TEAMMATE, considering we played Spurs off the park for long periods (and not just the first half) when if you remember it was them who did the same to us at VP last year, and considering they have some pretty good players despite their injuries. The only difference was the Crouch-van de Vaart partnership which we couldn't replicate. We played some good stuff. Houllier felt we should have had a draw and Harry was particularly magnanimous about us, and fair dooze to him. For the neutral a pretty entertaining game and maybe one we should have drawn. Let's hope MOTD does us justice.

[VillaAlways]

Yes 'Arry was very complimentary about us in the post match interview I thought

[Toronto Villa]

Some people are suggesting the season's a write off, or that top 6 isn't realistic. I'm struggling to find a realsitic challenger to us for 6th to be honest. In any other year, you'd expect Liverpool and Everton to be obvious candidates, but quite frankly both of those teams have massive issues of their own. We have a lot more stability than both of those two. I'd argue that our squad depth is better with more overall quality, and we will have money to spend in January to improve on that. Taking the obvious; Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and Spurs have better squads, who else is better and will have what it takes to beat us out for 6th over the course of a season? I think 6th is very realistic this season.

[rutski]

Far too many negative comments on here. I went to the game and went home feeling positive, considering Houllier's been here a couple of weeks, considering he's working with someone else's players, considering he's managed NRC and Emile back to effective first team football, considering he's got them PASSING the football TO A TEAMMATE, considering we played Spurs off the park for long periods (and not just the first half) when if you remember it was them who did the same to us at VP last year, and considering they have some pretty good players despite their injuries. The only difference was the Crouch-van de Vaart partnership which we couldn't replicate. We played some good stuff. Houllier felt we should have had a draw and Harry was particularly magnanimous about us, and fair dooze to him. For the neutral a pretty entertaining game and maybe one we should have drawn. Let's hope MOTD does us justice.

good positive feedback and i agree! 3 games in and gerard is going to need a bit of time!

[Percy McCarthy]

I'm with the optimists. We were quality for long periods, apart from decision making in the final third. I reckon if Houllier and his staff were in situ a fortnight before the start of the season we'd be second in the league now. Just the way the League Cup is going means the season shouldn't be regarded as a write-off yet.

[Comrade Blitz]

Dunne playing worse now than under MON - was he pro-MON?

[SoccerHQ]

I thought Spurs deserved to win tbh. We had a few breaks (including some comical fcuk ups when we had 3s on 2s at 1-1) but the only real chance after our goal I can remember was Albrighton not quite gambling on Carew missing that chance.

Our lack of ball retention is worrying me again. It cost us at Stoke just sitting back in the second half, we got away with it last week as Wolves are crap but today time and again giving the ball away at 1-1 it was only a matter of time before Spurs scored. We need to improve that otherwise we'll continually come up short like in cup finals, today and Man. City away last season.

Big fan of Petrov but he hasn't looked at all right this season so I'd look at getting a cultured european central midfielder in january to replace him.

Oh and move Young back to the wing a.s.a.p and have Ireland just off the striker please. It's not hard, that Van der Vaart chap looks quite decent at it.

[Walmley_Villa]

Far too many negative comments on here. I went to the game and went home feeling positive, considering Houllier's been here a couple of weeks, considering he's working with someone else's players, considering he's managed NRC and Emile back to effective first team football, considering he's got them PASSING the football TO A TEAMMATE, considering we played Spurs off the park for long periods (and not just the first half) when if you remember it was them who did the same to us at VP last year, and considering they have some pretty good players despite their injuries. The only difference was the Crouch-van de Vaart partnership which we couldn't replicate. We played some good stuff. Houllier felt we should have had a draw and Harry was particularly magnanimous about us, and fair dooze to him. For the neutral a pretty entertaining game and maybe one we should have drawn. Let's hope MOTD does us justice.

Thank you

[SoccerHQ]

Just like Stoke's equaliser and winner, and just like Wolves' equaliser, their winner was inevitable. We could have done something to stop it, by shoring up the midfield or adding Cuellar, but we didn't.

We simply can't keep the ball, so we're always going to invite pressure. And because our defence is frequently at fault, as it was today, we're always going to concede.

Big changes needed on the personnel side, which really isn't going to happen until next season. This one is all but wrecked already.   

Yep, that in a nutshell for me.

Top priority for me in January would be a culture european central midfielder from somewhere, have Petrov as a reserve.

I honestly think we'd be o.k when Gabby gets better and gets back into his stride with Young back on the wing and Ireland in the free role.

Albrighton once again had a good first half and an ineffective second half so I'd look at having him as an impact sub.

And yep shocked that Carlos was dropped. Poor decision. That said I though Dunney was generally o.k, lost both goals from Crouch pulling to the back post and beating Young in the air and Petrov not tracking VDV.

[villajk]

Far too many negative comments on here. I went to the game and went home feeling positive, considering Houllier's been here a couple of weeks, considering he's working with someone else's players, considering he's managed NRC and Emile back to effective first team football, considering he's got them PASSING the football TO A TEAMMATE, considering we played Spurs off the park for long periods (and not just the first half) when if you remember it was them who did the same to us at VP last year, and considering they have some pretty good players despite their injuries. The only difference was the Crouch-van de Vaart partnership which we couldn't replicate. We played some good stuff. Houllier felt we should have had a draw and Harry was particularly magnanimous about us, and fair dooze to him. For the neutral a pretty entertaining game and maybe one we should have drawn. Let's hope MOTD does us justice.

Just got back.  Haven't read the whole thread but you are quite right Martyn.

I thought we played really well at times and enjoyed Heskey's hard work in winning the ball for the assist for Albrighton's goal.

We certainly didn't deserve to lose. 

It's a new era, it takes time but it's looking positive at the moment.

Looking forward, for the first time in a long time after a loss, to seeing MOTD.

[JD]

I'm not too unhappy about the result (apart from all my family are Spurzzzz fans  ). We have to give Houllier time to mould his own team and style. At least he is using subs and trying out players. Give it a month then he will know who he wants to keep and who can go. He will also have moulded his own team and style. 
I'm optimistic about this season. We will get stronger than we are now and we're not far off the top 6. Apart from Chelski (who lost last week), no team is setting the league alight and even Manure seem to have trouble both scoring and hanging on for wins.
We are still in two cup competitions and have a favourable draw next round, so what's not to be optimistic about. 

[olaftab]

MotD. Dunne was rubbish whenthey scored. Late, slow and static