After the QPR game Harry insisted that he let the likes of Corluka, Pienaar and Bassong go out on loan simply because they wanted to and denied that the decision has had any influence on the club’s recent run of results.
Watching in Germany however, Vedran Corluka has suggested that lack of squad rotation has been at the core of Spurs’ problems in recent weeks.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished sixth,” Charlie said.
“They didn’t rotate enough. They don’t have depth on the bench.
“That’s the main problem. I watched almost every Spurs game and they played them all with the same 11, 12, 13 players and that’s why the players now are really tired.”
Corluka went on to add that a club of Tottenham’s stature should be in the Champions League
“Tottenham, for me, had one of the best teams in England and of course it will be an unsuccessful season if they don’t go to the Champions League,” he added.
“I don’t know what the chairman will do if they don’t qualify. I know only that it will be an unsuccessful season.”
Spurs’ major unbeaten runs have been carried out with a largely settled side however, so is Corluka’s assertion correct?
It is and it isn’t. It’s clear for everyone to see that the players are knackered. Yes, Redknapp didn’t rotate, but would we have had that run if he had?
I don’t remember anyone suggesting he should leave Bale or Modric out of the team for any games back then – why would he? We don’t have anyone we can call upon to fill those roles.
Yes spot on. Imagine the uproar if Harry had left a fit Bale, Modric or Parker out earlier in the season.
They don’t need to play the whole game all the time. Swap Modric out for Livermore or whoever after 60 minutes.
Of course its a risk but you balance that against having a better selection of match fit players and your starting lineup not so ragged.
Sandro, Kranjcar, Rose, etc. weren’t given enough game time. They get a chance in the rare game and we (fans) get frustrated with them for not playing their best. What do you expect when they average 20 minutes of game time a month?
Look it I understand if we rotated during the great run we wouldn’t have had the run. But there is a reason why Man U rotates, because over the whole season they get more points playing 75% or so of there true starting 11 for some games, then not rotating at all. Fergie spots starts for certain players, grind out wins, he gets the most out of his squad and that’s difference between United and all the other top 6 clubs that constantly slip up against bottom clubs. You can’t tell me that their that big difference between are bench and some other lesser club’s starting 11.
I’m fed up with Redknapp and maybe he should have rotated the players more, but had he not played the best available players and lost a match he would have been criticised for that, as he was for playing Cudicini in the semi-final.
I think we all should look carefully at the similarities of last and this season. Both are amazingly identical the way both shaped up. Team gits the top gear by Christmas and from then on struggles begin. Another identical detail is both seasons showed an alarming drop of form,motivation and fitness straight after big and important games. Last year it was CL game against AC Milan, this season Man. City away. In neither circumstances also is important that in both seasons obviously for some reasons that we don’t know, which could be ill advice from Redknapp or even lack of financial support from Levy January transfer window was wasted. Last season apparent and urgent need of a goal scorer was not satisfied ,it contributed to teams lack of form possibly creating to win chances to win 3 games but failing to score, this season again January transfer window was wasted with two has beens even though both were contributors to important goals specially Nelsen , but lack of quality additions to the squad once again put pressure on players that we are too reliant on. Harrys court case and England link in my opinion reflected his mental tiredness on his squad too.
That’s what subs are for,every other top manager makes subs on the hour mark! Oh no not Arry more like 85mins, he does my head in!
Redknapp is rotating his wife all night long
Quite simply yes, we should have rotated more and used our fringe players. Just look at how Fergie mixes up his side every week – every player (when fit) in the squad gets game time and he picks his side according to who they’re facing. We can’t really criticise Harry for that fantastic run we went on with a settled side between September and January, however this guy has been in football management for 28 YEARS!!! He must have learnt something in that time about keeping players fresh!!! Not the greatest bunch I know, but we’ve got Dos Santos, Bentley, Jenas, Townsend, Corluka, Naughton, Pienaar and Caulker all on our books and we can’t use them in our squad?? Half of those have played international football, so if we’re still paying them, why couldn’t they do a job? Harry sold Pav and bought in Saha – how has that improved the squad??
If we had done nothing and kept the same players together in January, we would not have walked away from the Norwich and QPR games with 0 points. We have enough resources to field 2 starting 11s – one top class and one to at least match up to a mid-table team and that is all we really needed in the last few weeks. Pav, Pienaar and Townsend alone would have made a difference to our bench!! Also, what’s suddenly happened to the younger lads we blooded in the Europa League?? How many years do they have to wait until they get loaned out or sold, instead of a chance in the first team?? Hate to say it, but Harry’s days at Spurs are over – I just wish he’d left for England in February, as we might all have been better off!
If the FA appoint Redknapp as the new England manager I would have to say they have made a dreadful mistake. Everybody is saying Redknapp is a brilliant man manager but look at our recent form. If he was that good he would have lifted the players out of this situation we find ourselves in by now. He is tactically incompetant and you only have to look at all the mistakes he has made in not rotating the team properly and wearing out vital players, playing players in the wrong positions, freezing good skillful players out of the team and ridiculous transfer buying. The Tottenham fans have found him out now along with his coaching staff. The worst part about him is how he, when talking about Spurs, seems to put himself on the outside as if he does not really work for the club but is a bystander making an assessment and by doing so never takes the responsibility he should be taking for his mistakes. It’s like he doesn’t make any decisions. I have never felt he is a Tottenham man through and through and always wriggles out of taking any blame. Yes, mark my words, if he is the next England manager I would give him a year before he is found out again.
Yes I agree with Charlie.
1. Players do look tired.
2. Bench players are no where near match sharp.
3. Some players are guaranteed to play, that doesn’t even happen at Man Utd. You have to make discreet changes just to keep players fresh and on their toes.
As per what Iain said above. The tactics and substitutions have also been poor.
Harry has to be accountable. The run in last years was crap also.
Harry is a poor manager, simply over rated by the press due to his openness and friendliness towards them.
Bournemouth, West Ham and Southampton won nothing under Redknapp and Pompey fans were quick to run him down to us and state that he was a terrible human.
He has no idea how to read or write let alone coach an adult football team.
Those players are excellent but need pushing and tactical guidance Redknapp does neither….we are struggling because of poor acquisitions in the transfer windows, Nelson and Saha were injured on Saturday even though they hadnt featured in any of our previous games, SHOCK! thats why nobody else wanted them they are both injury prone.
We are now in a terrible situation of having to release Gallas, King, Saha, Nelson, Adebayor and Friedel simply because of there age, injury rate or lack of value so we will have to spend shite loads…….Levy hasnt given Redknapp any money which I agree with because he is useless at spending, hopefully the new guy will have money to spend.
Id like to see Hoilett, Moses, Vertonghen, Van Wolfswinkel, Remy and Lloris
Apparently (hum), lots of us would like to get rid of Harry, time to let him know in the stadium next Sunday?
Maybe Harry is to blame for lack of rotation, but the first 11 were playing so well in our good run that it was difficult to leave them out.
Now we’ve fallen behind, we need our best players to perform so again we can’t rotate.
I just think everyone is giving Harry too much of a hard time. He’s a top manager and I don’t think a lot of other managers could have done a better job with this squad.
Levy hasn’t spent big enough for me. Redknapp always says he has a shortlist of players that he discusses with Levy, then the Chairman goes out and does the business. Either Harry’s shortlist isn’t very long, or Levy ignores anyone above £5m. It’s a difficult one to judge.
I agree we can’t know exactly who is responsible for the lack of transfers. But, you can get get fine young players for 5 million. An even cheaper solution (not the best) would have been to leave Caulker, Pienaar, Bassong, Corluka, Bentley,… at the club and use Gio, Kranjcar,…. For the latter, Chomical Harry is fully responsible. He is fully responsible only for a complete lack of training on set pieces (defensive and attacking) and playing players out of position (I never saw Iniesta playing as a winger or Ashley Young with a central role or on the right).
Agree with your ‘cheaper solution’, but the reason we let those particular players go was because they were literally getting no playing time. The odd occasion that they did manage to get some playing time, they were desperate to impress and ended up playing badly.
Also agree with your point on set pieces. I do wonder if we practice them at all. Modric’s corners never beat the first man. VDV is a good corner and free-kick taker but King can’t jump anymore and no one else gets near to heading the ball.
shut up you Stevedickhead
You’re right, Kyle. I am a Stevedickhead. I must have been in denial all this time!