PL: Spurs a Ratings & Reactions

[rjshare]

Spurs have spent millions on their squad and their ugly manager will be gutted as an opportunity missed!

and he would surely be right in feeling that way. they were at home against a team below them in the league and the oppositions keeper and centre halves were the best players on the pitch. how else would you expect him to feel - lucky to have nicked a point?

[andym]

brilliant from brad, dunne, collins and cuellar. stan also got stuck in and didnt give the ball away when he got it which was nice. i thought luke young really struggled, and was worse than cuellar in possession

gabby also worked hard but spent most of the game chasing balls lumped down the line. held it up well. had no service in the last 20 mins.

we were poor for the first half and played better the first 15 or so mins of the 2nd half. but after 60 mins we were pathetic. no attempt to win the game at all. MON has spent 40 mil on the midfield and yet we created nothing. milner, ash and downing in particular kept giving the ball away.

after last week at fulham where we kept it on the deck to work openings today was to back to aimless hoofing. lump it up to carew (who was poor). we also kept going wide and isolating our own players so we kept losing it. the few times we did play through the middle we looked more dangerous, so god knows why we kept trying to cross it at every opportunity. unable to produce a plan B again (despite us having the players and ability to do it).

oh and spurs werent exactly brilliant either. like us their main tactic is to lump it to the big man and get balls into the box. difference is crouch wins a lot (often because hes fouling the defender) but his knockdowns are very good to be fair. we were woeful and yet they couldnt score

pleased with a point but not happy at all with the performance and lack of creativity again. thats now only 1 out the last 6 prem games where we have scored! that is not good enough for the players we have and money spent. a few players also look tired/not fully fit or are out of form (petrov, milner and downing) and yet no rotation again. hes gonna have to at some point or we are gonna go into the carling cup final with a knackered team

[Stevo985]

Our problem isn't hoofing to the strikers. Our problem is not giving it to the strikers enough. The ball gets to midfield, then it goes wide. Everytime. We need that link between the midfield and attack and we simply don't have it at the moment.

[VillaGoMarching]

We have the wining formula. We are in an outstanding position. 3 points of with a game in hand - this is very much game on + we are in the cups - BIG TIME. Great season so far and long may it last.

Great Post David,

[imavillan]

boring boring VILLA.....boring boring VILLA

Spurs fans, what a bunch of sausage jockeys...

[DeepDish]

Its not Downing himself, but a comination of what he and Heskey does to our side.

We are , sorry we were , a fast counter attacking side. A side that could and usually did break from our own box to their box in about 10 seconds with Young and Milner, with Petrov and NRC / whoever prtoecting.

However, since Milner has come inside, Downing is just not quick enough, either in legs or mind - our midfield has slowed to walking pace, and it has nulified our best asset.

If he does want to play this system, then you need to get Downing out and get in someone like Albrighton.

But it won't happen, and that is why we will finish 8th.

Yes we are still 2 points from Spurs. However, up to last week, Spurs had won one in 8 - now it is 2 in 10. When teams around you have runs like that, you need to capitalise - we haven't.

And the team that has - even with today - Everton. They were over 20 points behind us early december. It happened last year - it's happening this year - and it is bloody frustrating !

We started actually to play football after the introduction of Downing and with Heskey in the team.

Remember the assist stats from our central midfielders before Downing and then after Milner was moved in. They tell all we need to know.

[David-Copenhagen]

We haven't lost this year.

I just noticed that - if we keep it up just for Feb as well, what a year it will be.

[Jez]

Very good defensivly but we have to score some bloody goals at some point!

[David-Copenhagen]

Lets get over the crazy periode we have and then kick on.

[VillaGoMarching]

Its not Downing himself, but a comination of what he and Heskey does to our side.

We are , sorry we were , a fast counter attacking side. A side that could and usually did break from our own box to their box in about 10 seconds with Young and Milner, with Petrov and NRC / whoever prtoecting.

However, since Milner has come inside, Downing is just not quick enough, either in legs or mind - our midfield has slowed to walking pace, and it has nulified our best asset.

If he does want to play this system, then you need to get Downing out and get in someone like Albrighton.

But it won't happen, and that is why we will finish 8th.

Yes we are still 2 points from Spurs. However, up to last week, Spurs had won one in 8 - now it is 2 in 10. When teams around you have runs like that, you need to capitalise - we haven't.

And the team that has - even with today - Everton. They were over 20 points behind us early december. It happened last year - it's happening this year - and it is bloody frustrating !

Utter Utter Garbage, for all of Marc's promise to throw him into a team challanging in the upper echelons of the Premier League could be Career suicide for the lad. He's needs to be brought through steadily. and in all honesty i don't he has much more pace then Downing.

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

For all this no goals comments, we've also now had 8 clean sheet's in our last 10.

[VillaGoMarching]

Its not Downing himself, but a comination of what he and Heskey does to our side.

We are , sorry we were , a fast counter attacking side. A side that could and usually did break from our own box to their box in about 10 seconds with Young and Milner, with Petrov and NRC / whoever prtoecting.

However, since Milner has come inside, Downing is just not quick enough, either in legs or mind - our midfield has slowed to walking pace, and it has nulified our best asset.

If he does want to play this system, then you need to get Downing out and get in someone like Albrighton.

But it won't happen, and that is why we will finish 8th.

Yes we are still 2 points from Spurs. However, up to last week, Spurs had won one in 8 - now it is 2 in 10. When teams around you have runs like that, you need to capitalise - we haven't.

And the team that has - even with today - Everton. They were over 20 points behind us early december. It happened last year - it's happening this year - and it is bloody frustrating !

We started actually to play football after the introduction of Downing and with Heskey in the team.

Remember the assist stats from our central midfielders before Downing and then after Milner was moved in. They tell all we need to know.

I'm glad i'm not on my own with my thoughts that we've played better football since the introduction of Downing and Heskey.

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

Remember, we're playing Tottenham here, not a lower table team. It's a point gained.

[rjshare]

We are , sorry we were , a fast counter attacking side. A side that could and usually did break from our own box to their box in about 10 seconds with Young and Milner, with Petrov and NRC / whoever prtoecting.

However, since Milner has come inside, Downing is just not quick enough, either in legs or mind - our midfield has slowed to walking pace, and it has nulified our best asset.

what - you mean like milners goal a couple of weeks ago when him and downing ran the length of the pitch directly from us defending a corner?

we were a set piece team not all that long ago, but since milner has gone into the middle, he has become the 'it' player in the league (after rooney of course) because of his performances.

downing IS becomming more and more disappointing with every passing match, but i think you are a making too many points with not enough facts.

[paulanddonya]

I didnt say Albrighton did I - I said someone LIKE Albrighton !!!

Someone with pace, someone who can take players on and get to the byline.

We cant buy anyone now, so if we were it would have to be Albrighton - thats what I said !.

And if you think we've played good football in the last 2 months , you are watching Coronation Street not football. 2 goal in 6 games (and they came in 4 minutes) says it all !

[Mr_Dogg]

Its not Downing himself, but a comination of what he and Heskey does to our side.

We are , sorry we were , a fast counter attacking side. A side that could and usually did break from our own box to their box in about 10 seconds with Young and Milner, with Petrov and NRC / whoever prtoecting.

However, since Milner has come inside, Downing is just not quick enough, either in legs or mind - our midfield has slowed to walking pace, and it has nulified our best asset.

If he does want to play this system, then you need to get Downing out and get in someone like Albrighton.

But it won't happen, and that is why we will finish 8th.

Yes we are still 2 points from Spurs. However, up to last week, Spurs had won one in 8 - now it is 2 in 10. When teams around you have runs like that, you need to capitalise - we haven't.

And the team that has - even with today - Everton. They were over 20 points behind us early december. It happened last year - it's happening this year - and it is bloody frustrating !

I'm sorry but you don't seem to appreciate what Downing brings to our team, and that us the ability to hold onto the ball. He runs with it, covers 15 yards and passes it compared to say Young who runs 30 yards, crosses and loses possession.

That is not a dig at Young, they are different types of wingers but to have the mixture in our team is to our benefit.

Gabby and Young were always our main counter attacking players, Milner has decent pace but he was never on their level. In fact Milner and downing have similar pace I would say. And remember the goal against Blackburn away, who were the counter attacking players? Downing and Milner. Sometimes you just have to accept peoples opinions but sometimes they are just wrong.

In saying that Downing is slightly off form I think with some passes going astray and some dwelling on the ball.

[David-Copenhagen]

Look now guys our team will only get better and better. Dunne, Collins, Cuellar, Warnock and L. Young at least have two great years in them yet. And how good are Ash, Milner, Downing, Agbonlahor and Delph going to be in the next few years - this could get really really big guys.

Tottenford are going to rebuild soon - as they always do. Liverpools best players are looking for a way out or are getting on.

City, will not be going anywhere unless they get some success - now that could happen, but it might just implode.

Wenger will quit sooner rather than later and so will Ferguson.

It looks good I tell you - it looks good.

[paulanddonya]

Oh right, people now saying Downing brings more to the game than what we see. Funny, its always the crap players that little nugget comes up

Never here people say that line about the likes of Rooney !

He has been woeful the last 4 games, there is nothing hidden that I am not seeing. I think he is a good player, I think he can get better - but please dont tell me he is playing well and I cant see it !

[Hereford-Villan]

We have the wining formula. We are in an outstanding position. 3 points of with a game in hand - this is very much game on + we are in the cups - BIG TIME. Great season so far and long may it last.

Great Post David,

Agreed

[Mr_Dogg]

Oh right, people now saying Downing brings more to the game than what we see. Funny, its always the crap players that little nugget comes up

Never here people say that line about the likes of Rooney !

He has been woeful the last 4 games, there is nothing hidden that I am not seeing. I think he is a good player, I think he can get better - but please dont tell me he is playing well and I cant see it !

Losing less games is part of Downings contribution to the team.

We hold onto the ball better.