Yesterday we learned that Newcastle had an injury concern over free scoring Demba Ba ahead of this Sunday’s clash at St James’s Park, but if any Spurs fans saw this as good news, that could be tempered by the stories emerging that confirm Emmanuel Adebayor to be a big doubt for the match.
Ade picked up a hamstring strain in our 2-1 win over Arsenal last time out and at best he is rated as 50/50 for the Newcastle game. This will doubtless be a blow for Harry Redknapp as he faces up to the prospect of losing a man who scored three times in his opening two games for the club.
If Adebayor is out, what is our best option? Assuming everyone else is fit, VDV may get his wish, albeit temporarily, to play in the centre, just behind Jermain Defoe while the only other alternative seems to be playing JD and Pav together in a standard 4-4-2.
Options on the bench could include Gio, Kane and even Souleymane Coulibaly, but if Ade is forced to miss the game, who should feature up front from the start?
4-3-3
Friedel
Walker Kaboul King BAE
Sandro Modric Parker
Lennon Defoe Bale
So the guy who scored against the arse doesn’t even get a look in ??? why.
Well you could put VDV in place of Defoe if you like. Neither is likely to be particularly good there as it is not their natural position. Defoe has the advantage of fitness but it is not much of an advantage and not much of a choice. But picking one or the other is better than trying to play them both. Basically Ade adds a huge amount to our play and we have no real cover for him and any line up without him looks a lot weaker to me. Choosing VDV or Defoe is not going to make much of a difference long term.
So we have two crossers of the ball and no target man?!
I know 🙂
Blame Harry and Levy for that.
Anyway wingers can go for goal rather than just hugging the touchline.
Bale has been doing it for Wales and scoring and Lennon is always running across the box so they know how to do it.
Without Ade we are going to need goals from non strikers more than ever.
This is Leveys fault for selling Crouch my plan B he could have exploited Newcastle’s lack of hight. The problem is we are playing a team who are overachieving who run more miles than both Spurs and Arsenal. 114 klm too 121 klm by Newcastle. What this means they will press and deny us space too play Football make us lose the ball high up the filed and exploit us on the break Ady exploits this high line and so did Hudds with his fast long balls over the defence for Lennon and Bale. The secret too stopping this workrate is too score first and make them attack leaving space at the back too exploit with these three all missing Ady Hudds Lennon it means things will be harder. The other factor is Modric Parker Kaboul Pav have bean away and will not match Newcastle’s extra work rate. So the only way is this team Friedl Corluka King Kaboul Bale Midfield Walker Van Sandro Parker Modric Defoe second half take Corluka off Pavlyuchenko on Walker back in defence 442 job done 3-0 Walker Defoe Parker
Definitely not Pav. I would rather see coulibaly or kane than donkey pav who is up there with rasiak, and booth.
I reckon adebayor will play but if he doesnt then its got to be defoe with vdv.
I would love to see coulibaly. He scored yesterday in a spurs X1 and seems to score in every game he plays. What a talent and i would bet that he would be far more accurate and be more of a handful than pav.
Firstly its got too be Pav or our new striker inform Bale with Coulibaly sub. The question should be how did ADY get injured he looked okay against Arsenal and he looked shocked too be subbed. This comes on the back of Harry saying he will have too drop is wages demands if we sign him. This smell funny why is Harry opening his mouth when he has nothing to do with signings very strange, Harry keeps throwing digs at Levey’s wage policy. Lets hope he really is injured because we have to be in the top four to snare Ady and Keep our other stars the JANUARY WINDOW SHOULD BE SHUT PERMANANTLY
It aint got to be pav at all, he is shit plus doesnt try.
Mod, vdv, defoe and bale means we can play sandro and parker in the centre of midfield which is the secret to our success this year for me. We look so much stronger with them anchoring midfield and they can both pass too so it mitigates the lack of height up front
Listeneing to one of Arry’s interviews, he says Sandro has also picked up a knock and is doubtful for Sunday, That is the problem when you have 14+ international players, they either come back knackered or injured. The Geordie tossers will also be flying in with the naughty tackles all afternoon, so will probably lose the match and pick up more injuries. !!!!!
Walker-King-Kaboul-Assou. Modric-Parker-Sandro-Bale. VDV-Defoe. Small upfront but we don’t really have much else. Pav is sh*t and as much as I’d love to see coulibay thrown in as an unknown harry won’t.
That is about the only 442 that looks an option. But VDV+Defoe have never hit it off and you have to shunt Modric to RM to make it happen. Is that worth it?
There are a lot of Pav haters, and while he frustrates me he still scores when given opportunities. I want Ade to play but if he doesnt then Pav has to play with VDV or Defoe. We still need him even if you dont like him, he must play this game for the balance of the team. Keane and Defoe never worked and VDV and Defoe will be the same.
btw we r a 442 team and HR will never play 433 so forget it people. this is not fm,champ manager or fifa etc. 442 works for us, have you been watching the games?
COYS
ps – if were playing 433 i would use Kranjcar or Gio ahead of Lennon as we need goals people
Wow how the memorys faid Lennon would worry every defender in the World now he is behind Kranjcar and Gio in your mindset. We had this with Hudds and i could see he was avoiding any contact with his ankle well before he was sidelined last season. The same is happening too Lennon his groin has not bean fixed and every time he falls heavily he winces with pain this was caused by defenders constantly tripping him up when he sped past them and its finally took its toll on Both players health. These two have bean playing since they where 17 and 18 for Spurs. I hope both players get full fit to take the knocks of the over energised Premiership or we will have lost too Stars with gifts explosive speed and spectacular shooting and Passing. Coys
I am a lennon fan, but i dont want to see him anywhere near the line up if out of form or not fit. That is when Gio or Krancs should be in the side.
plus they score many more goals than Lennon.
point proven
@dahtvspurs: It puts my heart in my mouth every time I see Lennon and Bale get tripped or crunched when they’re flying down the flanks. Great for winning free kicks in dangerous areas (especially Bale) but the way they play – and the way slower defenders deal with them – always makes me worry that one or both is going to end up out for a year.
It’s hard to slot VDV into the squad at the moment but he just has to play with Ade out, he’s a great goalscorer.
Walker – Kaboul – Ledley – BAE
Parker
Lennon – Modric – Bale
VDV
Defoe
No love for Pav in this one from me, there are plenty of easier games coming up to give him a run-out and you have to go with form for a tougher game like this. If Lennon’s not fit then we have to play him but it’s not ideal. Being up ’til half 2 last night playing Fifa (and experimenting with Spurs lineups) might have skewed my thinking though.
(That’s Parker in the middle behind Modric and VDV just behind and off Defoe, not a huge assault down the right flank; the formatting didn’t come out)