The Tottenham Thread 12/13

[NipHolmes]

I think AVB deserves a lot of credit.

He inherited some good players from Redknapp, but he has improved Tottenham a lot. Lloris, Dembele and Holtby have all been good, cheap signings aswell as bringing through players like Caulker and Naughton.

He's also improved Gareth Bale massively. He doesn't get a lot of credit regarding Bale, but it's obvous Bale has gone up a level this season and AVB definitely plays a part in that. Under Redknapp, Bale was too often a kick-and-rush player. Bale's positioning, movement and vision in the attacking third are a lot better this season.

I think Tottenham will finish third, Chelsea still have a few bad results to come with Benitez in charge. I'd be stunned if Tottenham didn't finish in the top four.

If AVB buys well, which he has done so far at Tottenham, they are realistic title challengers in the next few years.

Good manager who made mistake of going to Chelsea which damaged his reputation so early on, credit to him for going there.

Suffered a backlash from tabloids for replacing Harry, proiving more astute and getting the most out of the team. Shame Levy didn't deliver a striker for him which has made his job harder being as Defoe's injured and Adebayor is lazy now he has a contract.

Good luck to him, sound manager and imo nice bloke.

 

[THFC6061]

Last Time We Met...

24th July 2005, Peace Cup Final, Seoul World Cup Stadium, South Korea.

Olympique Lyonnais 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur

GOALS:
Jérémy Berthod 7' (o.g.)
Robbie Keane 9' & 45'
Hatem Ben Arfa Goal 74' (pen.)

Tottenham Hotspur:

Radek Cerny

Stephen Kelly, Ledley King, Anthony Gardner, Erik Edman (Goren Bunjevcevic, 36)

Wayne Routledge, Teemu Tainio (Pedro Mendes, 45; Dean Marney 88 ), Michael Carrick, Andy Reid

Hossem Mido (Fredi Kanoute, 67), Robbie Keane (Jermain Defoe, 65)

Unused Subs: Fulop, Burch, Yeates, Davenport, Huddlestone, Lennon, El-Hamdaoui.


Olympique Lyonnais

1 Gregory Coupet

5 Claudio Roberto Cacapa (C), 12 Anthony Reveillere (Diatta 45), 3 Cristiano Cris, 23 Jeremy Berthod (Sylvain Monsoreau 52)

4 Michael Essien (Jeremy Clement 73), 7 Mahamadou Diarra (Pierre-Alain Frau 58 ), 10 Florent Malouda, 26 Benoit Pedretti

22 Sylvain Wiltord, 18 Hatem Ben Arfa

Unused Subs: 25 Joan Hartock, 30 Remy Vercoutre, 31 Francois Clerc, 11 Honorato Nilmar, 19 Karim Benzema, 9 John Carew

REPORT:

Robbie Keane's brace gave Tottenham a 3-1 win over Lyon in the final of the Peace Cup in Seoul, South Korea.

Stephen Kelly's deflected cross put Spurs 1-0 up early on and Keane headed home Mido's cross soon after.

Keane met another Mido cross at the far post to make it 3-0 after half-time, before Hatem Ben Arfa pulled one back for the French side from the spot.

Lyon boss Gerard Houllier included Chelsea target Michael Essien in his starting line-up.

Essien came off in the closing stages after an effective display in midfield.

His best moment was a 61st-minute cross for Lamine Diatta that forced a fine save from Spurs keeper Radek Cerny.

Tottenham will receive around £1,150,000 in prize money for winning the pre-season competition.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy told the club's website: "I'm absolutely delighted for Martin and the team and it's a terrific start to our season.

"It was good to see great team work and our new signings settling in and playing so well."

 

[THFC6061]

Make no mistake, Olympique Lyonnais are a very good team indeed.

Spurs won tonight thanks mainly to the individual brilliance of Gareth Bale.

We go into the second leg with a slight advantage but it will still be a very tough game for us next week and we have to play much better than we did tonight.

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

I noticed Adebayor was at his usual competitive best.

 

[THFC6061]

I noticed Adebayor was at his usual competitive best.

He's been off-chocolates for most of the season.

But he still puts-in a decent shift, so I can't fault him for that.

With strikers it's invariably a matter of confidence - once Adebayor's returns I'm sure he'll be back to his lethal best.

 

[THFC6061]

Spurs v City Fixture Change

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City (H) – now Sunday 21 April, KO 1.30pm – live on Sky Sports

 

[blink922]

I noticed Adebayor was at his usual competitive best.

He's been off-chocolates for most of the season.

But he still puts-in a decent shift, so I can't fault him for that.

With strikers it's invariably a matter of confidence - once Adebayor's returns I'm sure he'll be back to his lethal best.

You'll be waiting a while.

 

[City_Sean]

Enjoy watching spurs, lasts night game had three sensational goals, (umtiti's was absolutely outrageous)

Bale has improved a lot, as has lennon, the team under AVB has more fluidity, rather than being so rigid under Redknapp.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

I noticed Adebayor was at his usual competitive best.

He's been off-chocolates for most of the season.

But he still puts-in a decent shift, so I can't fault him for that.

With strikers it's invariably a matter of confidence - once Adebayor's returns I'm sure he'll be back to his lethal best.

haha, Arsenal and us are still waiting...

 

[bluevengence]

I noticed Adebayor was at his usual competitive best.

He's been off-chocolates for most of the season.

But he still puts-in a decent shift, so I can't fault him for that.

With strikers it's invariably a matter of confidence - once Adebayor's returns I'm sure he'll be back to his lethal best.

haha, Arsenal and us are still waiting...

Any excuse to post this again...

[bigimg]http://therepublikofmancunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/fanscity.gif[/bigimg]