Football 2006-07

[Paul Clement]

Have you heard the rumours of a swap deal between Spurs and Liverpool? Allegedley we are thinking of swapping Bellamy for Defoe. I hope not, Bellamy is a pile of jank.

[Jonno]

Whilst being unfamiliar with the word "jank" , I do agree with the general tone of your post, Paul!

And Arsenal have lost again tonight - losing for the first time in 40 years apparently to Fulham!

[Larry]

Have you heard the rumours of a swap deal between Spurs and Liverpool? Allegedley we are thinking of swapping Bellamy for Defoe. I hope not, Bellamy is a pile of jank.

If i were a Spurs fan I certainly would not be to happy at the prospect of this swap deal - I can't understand Joel's attitude towards Defoe, he is a natural goalscorer with a proven record and if he is just given a decent run in the side he will start to bang in the goals again.

[Dave Lewis]

Have you heard the rumours of a swap deal between Spurs and Liverpool? Allegedley we are thinking of swapping Bellamy for Defoe.

I have now!

If only it could be true...

[Paul Clement]

Defoe did well playing alongside Berbatov in the win over Wigan apparently. He's a player that thrives on confidence, and I don't think he's ever had that level of confidence while playing under Jol. He needs those games to show that he can be a twenty goals a season striker.

[Paul Clement]

Whilst being unfamiliar with the word "jank"

Sorry Jonno, it must be the Sittingbournite in me. Jank is rubbish, or to be exact he's a load of jank would be he's a load of w***. I never used to use colloquialims until I started coaching a pub team.

[Larry]

Sorry Jonno, it must be the Sittingbournite in me. Jank is rubbish, or to be exact he's a load of jank would be he's a load of w***. I never used to use colloquialims until I started coaching a pub team.

don't know why you just don't say he's crap -

[Paul Clement]

don't know why you just don't say he's crap

Me neither. I must stop spending time with chav types.

[Paul Clement]

I sometimes feel I'm starting to understand football managers, but then something happens that completely surprises me. Man Utd signing Henrik Larsson on loan is one of those things. He's always been a good striker, but at 35 I find it hard to believe they've gone for him.

[Paul Clement]

And I think Jonno will appreciate those sentiments.

[Captain Tancredi]

Dumped out of the cup by Peterborough for the second time in the last few years- one of the most frustrating things about playing in League One is the way you end up getting wound up by some of the most insignificant clubs in the country, particularly after going out of the Johnstone's Paints to Darlington.

[Lissa]

I sometimes feel I'm starting to understand football managers, but then something happens that completely surprises me. Man Utd signing Henrik Larsson on loan is one of those things. He's always been a good striker, but at 35 I find it hard to believe they've gone for him.

The best way to understand it is to imagine it is 0-1 or 1-1 or something similar and ask the question "Who would you rather bring off the bench - Henrik Larsson or John O'Shea?"

Then it all makes sense.

[Paul Clement]

The best way to understand it is to imagine it is 0-1 or 1-1 or something similar and ask the question "Who would you rather bring off the bench - Henrik Larsson or John O'Shea?"

I wouldn't even put John O'Shea on the bench. It still doesn't make sense to me though. After selling Van Nistelrooy, there was a lack of options up front and I would have thought he would have been better oif keeping Guiseppe Rossi as the club as backup rather than send him out on loan to another Premiership team where he still remains more of a backup player.

[Larry]

And I think Jonno will appreciate those sentiments.

the most frustrating thing for Jonno will be how poorly Spurs played - ok the first penalty was very harsh and I don't think it was a pen but in truth they hardly had a shot on goal in a game that Arsenal were by far the better side.

[Paul Clement]

It should have been the perfect time to play the Gooners, they've lost a couple of games on the bounce, and Henry has an injury. Hopefully we'll bounce back, though so far this season has been a big anti-climax after the great season we had last time out.

[Larry]

It should have been the perfect time to play the Gooners, they've lost a couple of games on the bounce, and Henry has an injury. Hopefully we'll bounce back, though so far this season has been a big anti-climax after the great season we had last time out.

well perhaps the truth is just like us you over performed last season and now your expecting to much in thinking you should be equaling it or doing better.

[Jonno]

We can forget about the league in terms of Europe next season - we're going to have to win one of the three cups we're still in to get there methinks.

Hats off to Reading though - what a marvellous start to the season they've had!

[Paul Clement]

well perhaps the truth is just like us you over performed last season and now your expecting to much in thinking you should be equaling it or doing better.

When you look at the squad we've got, that doesn't seem to be true. Obviously, we aren't playing all that well, and that's why we are where we are in the league, but looking at the players at our disposal:

Robinson
King
Dawson
Jenas
Lennon
Malbranque
Zokora
Berbatov
Defoe
Keane
Mido

These are players that most teams outside the big four would love to have in their starting XI. In the case of a couple of them, teams in big four would also be interested in them if they became available. For a long time, a lot of Spurs fans couldn't get past the notion that we weren't a big club anymore. They still considered Spurs as part of the big four or five clubs in the Premiership despite season in, season out disappointment. I never believed that. In the 80's it might have been true, but only in the sense we would be have managed to qualify for Europe most seasons if English clubs had still been participating. Even back then we weren't potential champions, just a solid league side and a good cup side.
As I said, I've usually been fairly realistic about the potential and shortcomings of the Spurs side over the years, but I'll admit that looking at the squad we have now, we should finish in at least fifth place. I don't think we did over-perform last season because taking the big four out of the equation, on paper we have the strongest squad in the Premiership. We still have weak spots, and for me those are the left back position which we never seem to get right, and I don't think Assou-Ekotto is the answer either, and we could do with a proper left winger because at the moment we don't have one and the midfield becomes too narrow or we play someone out of position.
How many sides have four players of the quality of Defoe, Berbatov, Keane or Mido to choose from up front? Even Arsenal and Liverpool would find it hard to replace their main two strikers as easily. Chelsea too come to that.
When you add Davids, Tainio, Huddlestone, Ghaly and Murphy to the midfield players I mentioned earlier, we have a lot of strength in depth there too. Injuries shouldn't weaken us too much like it has done in years gone by. Defensively, injuries are a bit of a worry, but overall, I still believe that what we've seen from Spurs this season has been nothing like what they are capable of and to me it's obvious that something is not right at the club at the moment.

[Larry]

I'd agree with pretty much every thing you say there Paul, even though i'm a West Ham fan I'll admitt that it's a pitty you did not hold onto 4th spot last year. It would of broken the domminance of the big 4 clubs and the way the title is going we desperatly need another 2 or 3 clubs that are going to be capable of challanging for 3rd and 4th place.

I will certainly agree that Spurs do have a lot of potential but for me the one thing that you are lacking that will turn you into a top 4 club is a prolific goal scorer.May be on paper with Defoe, Berbatov, Keane or Mido you do have a good front line but Keane and Mido are never going to get you 20+ goals a season. Berbatov is struggling to adapt to the Premiershipe and Defoe for reasons I can't understand out of favour and very likely to be on his way out.

I just feel that if you bought a striker who could regularly score 20+ goals a season then with Keane to partner him you would have that strike partnership that could transform you into a top 4 club.

[Paul Clement]

I think Berbatov will be the striker who can do that for us. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I think he and Defoe should be the future strike partnership for Spurs with Keane being the one to come off of the bench when needed to nick a few goals.

So far Berbatov has done better for us in Europe than in the Premiership, but he certainly has the ability to bang the goals in, and If we create enough chances he'll start to put them away. If Defoe were to go, I'd love to see us try to sign Klaas Jan Huntelaar though, as he will be phenomenal.

[Larry]

well if you do get rid of Defoe, you could all ways have Bobby Zamora, back..

[Paul Clement]

well if you do get rid of Defoe, you could all ways have Bobby Zamora, back..

Not even for our reserves side.

[Larry]

only joking mate, after that play off final winner he go the Z man is a hero to us..

[duncan]

I'm a Charlton Athletic Supporter. (Hangs head in shame) and I look at the the foot of the premiership in total despair these days. I was one of those that felt we had become stale under Alan Curbishley, and was looking forward to the new season with relish in the hope we could kick on.

Who was I kidding?

Almost halfway through the season now and we still haven't reached double figures on the points tally. The board sacked Iain Dowie far to early and have given the job to someone who last manged a team over 20 years ago...in the Conference leagues!

Well, it just goes to show you that you can take Charlton out of Curbishley, but they should never have taken Curbishley out of Charlton. Oh how we need him right now.

*Cries meekly* Up the Addicks!

[Larry]

I'm a Charlton Athletic Supporter. (Hangs head in shame) and I look at the the foot of the premiership in total despair these days. I was one of those that felt we had become stale under Alan Curbishley, and was looking forward to the new season with relish in the hope we could kick on.

Who was I kidding?

Almost halfway through the season now and we still haven't reached double figures on the points tally. The board sacked Iain Dowie far to early and have given the job to someone who last manged a team over 20 years ago...in the Conference leagues!

Well, it just goes to show you that you can take Charlton out of Curbishley, but they should never have taken Curbishley out of Charlton. Oh how we need him right now.

*Cries meekly* Up the Addicks!

just makes you wonder how many Charlton fans are now wishing Curbishley was still manager ok you and he had become stale and in truth he should of left several seasons ago. But ynder him you had mid table mediocracy which is the best a club like Charlton can realisticaly ever hope for now the prospect of relegation is very real and I think it will now take some thing very special to keep you up.

As for Curbishldy - with the pressure mounting on Pardew and our new chairman all but saying into days papers he will be out if things don't improve I just wonder if Curbishley may yet end up at Upton Park..