With Tottenham heading to the capital of Scotland with more walking wounded than a scene from Braveheart, one player’s ill-fortune is another’s chance.
Tottenham have five first team central midfielder’s out, with Tom Huddlestone, Wilson Palacios, Luka Modric and Sandro all falling foul to the rigours of the summer break! How you get so many casualties in pre-season is anyone’s guess…
Whether it’s Harry’s old school method of coaching, the weary limbs of our delicate maestros, or just good old fashioned bad luck, it is a worry and a problem for someone else to investigate.
My glass is always half-full, so instead of worrying how we’re going to cope without our first choice, but fragile midfielders, I’m thinking this could be an opportunity to unearth an hidden gem.
Jake Livermore, due to an unfortunate sequence of events, is the last midfielder standing. With only one first team appearance to his name and less than fruitful loans to Milton Keynes, Leeds Utd, Peterborough, Ipswich
Town and Derby, he is going to be given a chance against the Edinburgh club.
He came to prominence after scoring against Barcelona in a friendly at Wembley a couple of pre-season’s ago.When he was asked in the post match interview: “How does it feel like scoring against the best club in the world?”, he replied: “The best team in the world? I play for them.”
After that statement, most Tottenham fans hoped the Enfield born youngster would burst into the first team and carry us to glory.
With injury slowing his progress down, he finally has his chance to stake his claim and unwittingly he’s representing his fellow youth players. If he shines today he is opening the door for the likes of Andros Townsend, Jon Bostock, and Dean Parrett and Harry Kane to be given a chance on the big stage.
If he doesn’t perform, you might as well lock the door and hide the key on the Tottenham production belt.
Good points, and I like the fact that like me your glass is always half full. hope he stakes his claim, certainly has a great chance of forcing himself into the big picture. If harry says last man standing, how does this make niko and Bostock feel, they surely must be an option tonight?? and what is it with our training,coaching,physio system? so many injuries! or is it just poor timing on Harry’s part as Hudd, and King could have had operations long b4 they did. good luck tonight Jake! COYS
The injuries are bad luck. Hudd has not recovered from the previous injury – which was long term. Sandro’s injury was on duty with Brazil. Modric’s last match was for Croatia last week – maybe it was their training methods? Pienaar was injured in the friendly vs Bilbao, and previously played for South Africa. This happens when you have players from all over the globe.
Pleased for Livermore… but DJ, I think Kranjcar will play too.
Lennon Livermore Kranjcar Bale is my guess for midfield
I am shocked Livermore has got ahead of Bostock, I have never seen anything from Livermore to think he has what it takes but he does seem to have the work ethic, I have no doubt Krancjar and Livermore will be more than enough to destroy Hearts, I personally think Central Midfield is Krancjars best position he isnt a small man and is more mobile than Huddlestone.
Just please rest VDV and Bale they arent required and if one of them get injurd before United we will regret it, espiecially as United have no Hernandez, Vidic, Rio, Rafeal, Fletcher and Evra.
Team for Hearts
Gomes, Walker, Bassong, Kaboul, Rose, Lennon, Townsend, Livermore, Krancjar, Defoe, Pav
Team for United
Friedel, Corluka, Kaboul, Dawson, BAE, Lennon, Bale, Hudd, Modric, VDV, Crouch/Adebayor
I guess alot depends on Adebayor getting here in time for United and how well Walker and Krancjar perform against Hearts
Livermore is a named squad player – as he is over 21. Bostock is young and still a free pick. We must find out ASAP if Livermore can cut it or not. Bostock is less of a priority. Also, we cannot rest players. The likes of Vdv and Bale need a competitive run out before Man U game. Without that Man U have a huge advantage. They do not need rest this early in season.
Exactly, we need to find out what Livermore is capable of. I like him and think he could be a nice squad player for us moving forward. I also agree with your thoughts on Bale and VDV. I don’t think Adebayor, or any other transfer, will be ready for Man U (if anyone is brought in). So…my lineup for this evening’s matchup would be:
Gomes-Walker, Kaboul, Dawson, Rose-Lennon, Livermore, Kranjcar, Bale-VDV, Defoe (subs-Kane, Coulibane, Townsend, Bostock, Gio, Bassong).
It will be nice to finally have a competitive game, COYS!
Thoroughly intelligent comment from TonyRich – and certainly not the first time either.
I like the idea of players fringe/youth players against Hearts, but even at that we should still keep a spine of experience players in the team. I’m thinking Dawson-Kranjcar-Defoe/Crouch. And I DO consider Kranjcar a quality, experienced player. Definitely play Livermore/Bostock, Rose, Coulibaly, etc, but put someone older in with them. Manchester United is able to give playing time to their younger players throughout the season this way.
This is a great chance to try something new. No doubt VDV was a sensation last year, but at what cost, non of our other forwards could really play with him. Clearly Modric want’s out and for a lot of money. Given the players we have, Harry should take the opportunity to play VDV in a central midfield role, see how he performs, clearly VDV in CM probably as an attacking midfielder clearly, would need someone along side him to do a lot running and tackles, Sandro ideally. but clearly he is not available, so in this game Livermore. VDV plays a central role along with Sneijder for Holland often only one the 2 playing, so clearly not alien and something he has done already in pre season.
Could be a great opportunity to try a different style should modric leave. Clearly VDV is a clever footballer, and certainly offers more of a goal threat from midfield, almost lampard esq with his run’s. Would also allow our miss firing forwards to revert to playing as a true pair which is clearly where / when they function better.
Could actually be a win, if modric that desperate to go, 30+ mil and allowing us to solve the problem with VDV in one go could be a blessing… Adebeyour and Defoe up front could actually be quite effective (if not greedy partnership) which allows us to shine….
WOW clearly likes the word clearly – 6 times and its still ringing in my head. hope Krancs gets the nodd and agree that the players need some game time, they have played a few times though so shouldnt be too rusty.
my team Friedel
walker – kaboul – bassong – BAE
lennon – Kranjcar – Livermore – Rose
Pav – Defoe
subs to be used VDV,Bale, and Kane all in 2nd half
Only Spurs could have an injury crisis before a competitive match. Though we all know Modric is just bunking off.
He’s one for the future great performance in Scotland and more to come. Harry knows what’s in front of him and now Jake does to. Pleased to see home grown getting a chance however fortunate and taking it with both legs so to speak.