Comments on: Don’t Let O’Hara Leave: 6 Spurs Youngsters We Let Go Too Soon

By: Daz

Daz — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:29:37 +0000

PPS – Yeah O’Hara should be held onto.
He could come on for Palacios if we’re having trouble breaking teams down, as he can make decent runs from midfield and has a hell of a left foot shot – as well as provide cover for left back, as stated.
Look at Bale… give them games, they will improve – most of the time!

By: Daz

Daz — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:25:16 +0000

PS – Etherington always looked dangerous… but like Lennon at times, his final ball was lacking. Sometimes Etherington didn’t even keep the cross in play – after beating several men down the flank!
I would actually love to see him involved in the England squad, but just not sure about his final ball yet – and he’s a lot more experienced than Lennon now, so you wonder, will he improve THAT much? Pace is still there though, and him and Lennon in a game where the opposing full backs are sitting deep and a swamped midfield, they would be very handy!

By: Daz

Daz — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:21:05 +0000

‘Stuff’ – yeah Davies and Etherington definitely on that list… Davies should have definitely been retained as he was far more consistent – could have easily played through the middle as a late runner from midfield, and Hoddle should have been stronger and told Anderton to stay wide right.
(I don’t know where Hoddle got this impression that Anderton was more effective in the middle – in one game I remember fuming after half time, as we were 1-0 up and coasting, after he’d been giving the opposing full back a pasting, then Hoddle thought, no we’re doing too well – I’ll put Darren in the middle and put Willem Korsten on the left instead… I think we lost 2-1)

I didn’t include them initally as they were both bought from Peterborough, but they’re definitely in the ‘sold too early’ category.
Davies at one point was being touted as a £10m player under Hoddle, because of the quality of the goals he was scoring – even from wide right!
Could have been the player we’re crying out for right now with 2 holding players in the middle, and the goals all drying up!

I always thought Espen Baardsen looked a decent keeper too… at a time when Walker was looking like a complete idiot every week! Baardsen reminded me a bit of a younger Erik Thorstvedt!

By: spursfan

spursfan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:57:26 +0000

apparently Zidane once flew over WHL….does that count?

By: Enorme Nuez

Enorme Nuez — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:09:13 +0000

When I read that O’ Hara isn’t good enough I have to ask, “Good enough for what?” To displace Jermaine Jenas in our midfield, to play alongside Palacios when we play the likes of Wolves or Stoke? To come off the bench and add bite to the midfield? Shore up the midfield when we need to protect a lead or keep the ball? Provide emergency cover at left-back in a match?

Well, anyone have an answer? Fair enough many may deem him as a squad player, but players are squad players until they prove themselves. Huddlestone was deemed a squad player but look at him now. It takes time but it also takes matches. It is upto the player to take advantage of this. The likes of Dos Santos and Taarabt are ones who need to do this, but I also believe they came to us too young. The shitty thing about the Premiership right now is that teams like us are chasing the Top 4 and are buying players to attain that level which in-turn negates our youth players. We have some talent and I hope Redknapp keeps with his previous history and plays them. He has brought through some of the best players of the current generation.

O’ Hara should stay and Jenas should be sold if we are to accommodate squad players.

By: mo

mo — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:24:36 +0000

Not playing Dos Santos is a big mistake, bags of class and skill but never gets a look in. Harry only has one formation and so if a player is missing he simply switchesthem, defies for meaner fir ezample. That’s why e ee caught out so often he never changes tactic@ or formation and good managers build their team to stifle that.

Everytime I see JJ and Bentley being played I shed a tear as Bostock and Gio are far more talented and have thehunger you need to win games but don’t get a look in.

By: stuff

stuff — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:33:10 +0000

What about Simon Davies and Etherington, both outted and Davies still a Wales international and scoring for Fulham, Etherington being pushed for an England place, did we let them go too soon?

By: Daz

Daz — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:26:36 +0000

I think Lee Barnard had too much of a mouth on him… didn’t seem to hold the ball up very well either, but his goal record in the reserves was pretty amazing. Worked hard enough, like O’Hara but seemed more grit than skill to me… I would have liked to have seen him get a season on the bench though.

By: Daz

Daz — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:22:19 +0000

Other names that spring to mind:

John Hendry (Played 2nd fiddle to Lineker under Venables)

Stephen Robinson – scored on debut

Andy Turner – scored on debut, proven talent, not enough chances.

Danny Hill (Great cross from left for Sheringham in 3-2 win over Everton)

Darren Caskey (England U-18 Captain & Euro Championship winning side – along with Sol Campbell, Scholes et al) Played in midfield with Sol Campbell in 4-1 win over Man U at WHL and was promptly dropped for being too good & Campbell went back into central defence!
Scored last minute winner in 3-2 win over Everton above – calmly passing the ball through a crowd of about 7 players into the far corner.

Scott Houghton (2 long range screamers on his full debut I think, and both were featured on ‘goal of the month’ on MOTD. Dropped for being too good.

Neale Fenn (Better than Rory Allen – lower scoring ratio, but less injury prone and better at holding the ball up)

Dean Marney – See ‘Scott Houghton’ – again 2 screamers in a 5-2 win over a gritty Everton side, along with Reto Ziegler scoring. Marney sold to Hull as we were happy with Jermaine Jenas apparently.

Bought but not retained for some reason:
Erik Edman (40 yard screamer against Liverpool, and promptly sold to Wigan??)

Reto Ziegler (Loaned out to Wigan at a time when we had injury problems at left back and left mid)

Allan Neilsen!! (Scored the winner in the League cup under George Graham and promptly sold for being too effective?)

Giovanni Dos Santos (Thankfully only on loan… but doesn’t look like he’s coming back – although Harry apparently ‘likes’ him.

We seem to be one of the few clubs who ditch their youngsters too early – whether they did well or not!

*deep breaths*

By: gayfere

gayfere — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:40:50 +0000

there is some talent there with jamie.his problem is that he disappears from the match too often.maybe his time away will cure this problem.