Debunking Myths

“Let us aim high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory”- a take on Bill Nicholson’s quote that gets blasted around White Hart Lane before kick-off. But it’s a quote that’s digging deep into the mindset of the Tottenham faithful, and it’s not beneficial.

People need to realise Spurs are not a top four club; the Harry Redknapp era was one where the lilywhites overachieved. Like Levy, when things aren’t going 100% fine, fans get on the backs of the players, manager and board. If Tottenham keep that bar raised so high, disappointment will always be the outcome, and the transitional era will never end.

The fans are voicing their frustration, evident through the booing at the end of each half vs Stoke, but where has it gone wrong? It’s time to put an end to some theories:

“It’s all Daniel Levy’s fault”

No. In a word, no. If you want Daniel Levy to walk, reconsider your choice of club. We simply couldn’t afford some of the players Pochettino wanted in the summer- Musacchio and Schneiderlin would have cost Spurs in excess of £60m. Is it Daniel Levy’s fault the players aren’t fulfilling what’s been asked of them? Why golly, yes it is, let’s burn him and put a stake through his heart!

Whispers after the summer window suggested that Levy wants Poch to see how he does this season, then give him full control over transfers next year. Also, has anyone considered Tottenham don’t have a net spend is because they’re managing finances until the new stadium, and then splash the cash?

“The players aren’t pressing like Pochettino wants!”

Since pre-season, there's been no sign from anyone at the club that a high-pressing system will be deployed. In fact, Pochetinno’s Southampton dropped their pressing game in the second half of last season so I don’t see why so many were expecting it at the Lane.

“We would be fine under AVB or ‘Arry!”

Harry Redknapp made the most of the three world class players at his disposal, and AVB’s playing style wouldn’t suit the players here, much like last season. The Portuguese should have been allowed the duration of last season at the club, but it didn’t seem like we would reach our goals.

“Players with passion are better than those who don’t care!”

Not necessarily. Some people have the idea that just because a player shows emotion and passion that they’ll somehow make a team a winning one. That is false.

Andros Townsend is a lifelong Spurs fan, so in theory, will play for the shirt and with all his heart. That is false. Townsend is one of the most predictable players I’ve seen grace the turf at White Hart Lane; his on-the-field actions are comparable to a song on your phone stuck on replay. Our captain, Younes Kaboul, would have been given that title because of his enthusiasm and leadership, when in fact, his performance against Stoke left many wondering if he was actually playing so poorly on purpose. Suave characters like Hugo Lloris and Christian Eriksen are our best players, and although they don’t scream or shout, are a class above the rest of the current crop.

“Erik Lamela will be our Bale” (see date August 2014)

I believe some people have now realised we’re going to have to wait a bit longer to see the best of Erik Lamela. The truth is, he is still adjusting to the Premier League, and it could take the entirety of this season to become accustomed. The club’s record signing only played nine times last season, and never started a game at White Hart Lane. For him, last season was the very slightest of learning curves- it’s this year that he’ll learn the vital lessons.

Like the rest of our team, he’s not a guaranteed starter, and will have to work hard in order to win his place back in the side. But as he said this week, he’s not giving up on the challenge ahead.

“The problem at the back is entirely the defence’s fault!”

The defence has no protection. Dire performances from Kaboul and Fazio don’t change the fact that there’s no strong character in front of them. Unlike his first impressions, Etienne Capoue has proved to be a liability. The lad has no grit, and is a shadow of the smooth operator that impressed fans at the start of the 2013/14 season. Whilst having the current iteration of Sandro would be no better due to the edge he’s lost, Tottenham desperately need a man who is willing to risk everything and will protect the back four- Capoue is not that man.

Have a little patience.

Striking Gold with Harry Kane

Tottenham Hotspur’s match at home to Asteras Tripolis will most likely be remembered for Erik Lamela’s moment of magic (well, it was beyond magic, but that’s beside the point). However, amidst the jubilation, one man stepped up to the plate once again and proved his worth for Spurs- Harry Kane.

It wasn’t long ago that many people were ridiculing the fact Kane was Tottenham’s third choice striker (if you claim to have never made a Harry Kane joke, you’re lying). But now, it’s a totally different story, with the academy graduate pressing for an England call and, certainly based on form, showing his worth to claim a Spurs starting spot.

You can look at his recent record and say “pick him” simply because he’s providing goals when Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado aren’t, but it’s when you look deeper at Kane’s game when you realise he deserves to start. The system Mauricio Pochettino is introducing requires three main qualities from his man up top- good link up/hold up play, precise finishing and an admirable work rate. At the moment, Kane is the only option who fits the bill.

Okay, one wouldn’t simply look first glance at Harry Kane and say “genius”, but the man has a brain. A big, bulging, footballing brain. His awareness of the space around him is one thing, but he can string a pass a good twenty yards, and I don’t mean a pointless Paulinho pass either. Our system is fluid, especially further up the pitch, and Harry Kane would allow the likes of Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen and Nacer Chadli to make the most of their darting runs and forward thinking.

Whenever Kane picks up the ball from about twenty-five yards, I expect many are now half-expecting him to ping one into the keeper’s far hand post. To be fair to him, that’s becoming a regular occurrence, especially in the Europa League. A hat trick is a hat trick regardless of opposition, and I imagine it’s going to make defenders wary. Adebayor has netted just once this term and Soldado, despite his lack of service during his tenure here, will most likely not be the prolific goal scorer we've dreamt of. The sooner Kane makes his mark in the Premier League, the more likely he is going to develop into the centre forward we've been dreaming of.

Positioning is a troublesome attribute when discussing Tottenham’s striking options. Adebayor is likely to roam out to the wings and back again at turtle’s pace, whilst Soldado may stand their waiting for the ball or drop deep, get involved but we’ll lose a man up top. With Kane though, he strikes the right balance. He comes deep to collect, hold up and get involved if need be, but can also act as a target man. Combine this with the fact we play with two inside forwards and have one of the world’s best prospects playing in the hole and it’s the perfect recipe for much needed goals.

Now the question is, how do we handle him?

Earlier this week, I was debating whether paying £15million for West Brom forward Saido Berahino would be a good deal- my answer was “at the moment, no”. That’s a huge price tag for someone so young and inexperienced; pressure would probably get to him. Fans were also touting Berahino as “the new Defoe” which, although flattering, is yet more pressure on the young man’s shoulders- we mustn't make the same mistake with Kane.

So far in his career, Kane’s good performances have come when people don’t really expect it, and whilst we should start expecting it more, fans and players alike mustn't be relying on him to be the sole source of goals. In his interviews, he’s seemed very humble, and that shouldn't change. He has the right attitude, good ability, and a manager who’s made it clear he wants to work with him.

Harry Kane has been starting to excite people, and he deserves to be starting vs Newcastle.

A Not-so-Harsh Reality

A Not-so-Harsh Reality

“It’s gonna take time”, “Have patience”, “Get behind the new manager”- just some of the phrases that were passed around in the summer. All of a sudden, people are fuming with the team because of a draw, some even bemoaning the supposedly lacklustre play, when in fact it’s some of the best stuff we’ve seen since the Harry Redknapp era. Fuses are proving short amongst the Tottenham ‘faithful’.

Much of this past week has been overshadowed by the uncertain future of our club’s ownership, with ENIC releasing a statement to deny they went so sell up despite interest from Cain Hoy. Unbelievably, some fans want this deal to go through. Whilst our new stadium isn’t coming as soon as we hope, we’re still in financially safe hands. We don’t spend beyond our means- what if new owners didn’t see the financial risk? ENIC have served us well for very long, however frustrating they may be.

Now, to on the field matters. Yes, we threw away a lead twice at Sunderland, but we played them off the park, yet some aren’t admitting that. The defending for the first goal was bad, and Harry Kane switched off for the second- that’s only two mistakes. “We shouldn’t be making any mistakes”- that will improve over time. Poch isn’t an idiot, our weaknesses are obvious, which is why he brought in wholesale defensive reinforcements in the transfer window (on another note, I imagine none of Dier, Kaboul, Chiriches or Rose will start in a fully fit XI). Once the back four gels together like the interchanging front four, we’ll be fine- but it takes time.

You can’t tell me you expected us to go through this season winning every single game by three goals- our first two games were a sign of what’s to come, not what will be the minimum, and people need to realise that. We will slip up, and if we don’t make mistakes along the way this season, we won’t learn from them.

Admittedly, we should have scored more than the two we did at the Stadium of Light, but when a certain Spanish striker returns from injury, I believe we’ll see the best of him. Only two goals from open play last season was a harsh statistic for Soldado, who was a good performer, just was shy of confidence and morale. Don’t forget he lost his unborn son last season, but is expecting another child very soon- imagine the confidence boost, an extra edge, another reason to be motivated. Whilst he didn’t score many, Bobby certainly impressed with his link up play last year, proving he has a good eye for a pass and is instinctive around the box and not just in it. If only we were playing in a system where we had an interchangeable forward line…oh wait.

Four games into his first real run in the Tottenham team and Erik Lamela is already being turned on. That’s ridiculous. The lad scored a superb volley on international duty where he rubbed shoulders with Angel di Maria and Sergio Aguero, but some are protesting about his lack of footballing ability and intelligence. He troubled the Sunderland defenders when given the chance, which is why he was fouled so many times- that’s how they planned to neutralise the immediate threat. Oh, and he nearly had a Gareth Bale-like moment when he hit the bar, but let’s forget that great effort shall we?

If success isn’t immediate, people panic. Pochettino’s project won’t be perfected after four games- get a grip.

The Bright Side

As Big Ben strikes 11, the footballing arms race is put on hold until the New Year. The summer transfer window of 2014 has been disappointing by some people’s standards, but it’s not all doom and gloom.

Many people entered this season with the mindframe that we won’t finish in the top four, and that we shouldn’t tinker with the squad too much. Just three weeks later, and some are berating Daniel Levy for not opening his pockets to sign a player we don’t need but want after being beaten by a rampant Liverpool side.

We didn’t need Welbeck, nor would it have been one that was financially beneficial. Should Welbeck have been a striker, we’d have four of them, each of a similar calibre. Emmanuel Adebayor may be going to the African Cup of Nations, yes, but it’s possible Pochettino has something lined up in January. A lot can happen between now and then, too. Adebayor could lose form, Roberto Soldado may have found his golden touch again, young Harry  Kane may be on the verge of an England call up- you never know. Welbeck as a winger would be no upgrade on what we have either; not much more than a week ago were people in awe of Nacer Chadli’s demolition of the Queens Park Rangers backline.

People wanted Welbeck as they believed he was a player with a big reputation who’s an upgrade on what we have. When he suddenly made the switch to Arsenal, people felt like their hearts were ripped out. One lost deal on transfer deadline day made us believe we’re falling behind our rivals. We really won’t look back in anger at this deal.

Another deadline day transfer no-go was the departure of Andros Townsend. Opinions of him were split after last season, with some calling him one dimensional, and others calling him a great prospect. I get why so many people are ready to write Andros off, but surely things can only get better for him after the Liverpool game? Let’s not forget, most people would have thought Jay Rodriguez was bang average before last season, and some of you were willing to throw £15m PLUS Andros in exchange for him. Poch has arguably what made Rodriguez the player he is today and made Adam Lallana a £25million player; why can’t he have the same effect on Townsend?

There has never been a nickname of a Spurs player more cringey than ‘The Beast’. Sandro’s personality was a smokescreen for his faltering ability in recent months. Of course, there was a time where Sandro could have been world class, but those days have gone. Ironically, he never really recovered from that injury vs QPR. Since then though, he’s been off the pace, a little slow to react and time challenges. At the time of his sale, he was worse than Etienne Capoue, and we already had a replacement in Benjamin Stambouli. We’ve missed Sandro’s form for a long time- it’s only now we’ll miss his character.

Stambouli’s transfer was rather overshadowed by angry fans bemoaning the lack of other signings- how do we not know Stambouli will be a shrewd signing and a player when pretty much no one has seen him play? No one had heard of Luka Modric when he signed.

The possible signings of Mateo Musacchio and Morgan Schneiderlin were simply beyond the realms of financial possibility; if we had signed them, we would have spent nearly £60million. Don’t have a go at the people upstairs for not splashing the cash; you’d only be eating your words. Don’t act like we didn’t spend £107million last year and are still adamant on keeping those players (none of which we sold). We don’t have a net spend in preparation for the stadium move in the next few years, instead of having to hold back when we do move in (a la Arsenal and the Emirates). Would you rather hold back now and stabilise, or become a real force upon moving into a new state-of-the-art stadium? Levy wants to win the Premier League- he will have to spend at some point.

So, here’s what’s been good about this summer:

• We’ve tied down Hugo Lloris, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, to a new contract.
• Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela are two of the world’s best young prospects.
• We’re still in a good financial situation.
• Our squad is still looking good and on course for another top six finish as expected, whilst also retaining an average age of 24.4 years (23.7 without Brad Friedel).
• We weren’t forced into panic buying anyone.
• We reinforced at the back, acquiring players in each defensive position possible.
• We have a young manager with bright ideas and is convincing players Tottenham Hotspur have ambition.

Just like a mother telling her son upon returning to school, it’s never as bad as you think it will be- we’re going to be okay.