Good Friday to you. And if you can’t manage good then how about no worse than usual? These are austere times we live in, after all.
A hectic Easter weekend of football ahead, then. First up this very Saturday lunchtime it’s Martin O’Neill’s rejuvenated Athletic Club Mackems. I’ve been harbouring somewhat of a soft spot for the former Villa man in recent times, since he was flown in to sort through the wreckage on Wearside. If nothing else, by hauling them out of the turd-festooned mire they were wading in- and even having the temerity to give the locals something to cheer about- he’s debunked the myth that Steve Bruce was in any way a capable football manager.
Sure enough, if buying ex-United players is a bankable attribute – or, for that matter, being a purveyor of turgid, meat and gravy-brand anti-football- then Master Bruce is up there with the best of ‘em. Here’s the Geordie Chancer, in typically humble mood this week:
“Martin O’Neill is currently getting the pats on the back for what he has achieved. He’s a good manager and he has undoubtedly motivated the players,”
”But what is now being seen is the players I brought in bedding down and proving how good they are.
“James McClean and Stephane Sessegnon are the headline stealers but we signed them, of course.”
Classy, classy stuff.
He’s right in certain respects, of course. Stéphane Sessègnon is rather a menace for the Black Cats these days and, indeed, embezzles a headline or three. In truth he’s just one prong of a triple-threat which counts the very direct James McClean (zero appearances under Bruce) and the dependable right bat of Sebastian Larsson among its number. Nicklas Bendtner is enjoying a purple patch recently, too, by his standards, and may just feel he has something to prove on Saturday. Not least of all for the woeful offerings he dished up in the reverse fixture in December. I was almost hit square in the chops by the hilarious spliced volley he attempted in the second half.
Keeping the Black Cats under house arrest could be quite the task, then. In the last eight games at the Stadium of Light they’ve won six and beaten Man City, Swansea and Liverpool along the way. Yes they’ve beaten Swansea and Man City along the way.
For the mighty Tottenham it’s a case of steady as she goes, captain. A repeat performance of the type we saw against Swansea wouldn’t put us too far wrong. The full return of Lennon will certainly spice things up a notch; though if it’s at the cost of the extra protection and dynamism that Sandro offers, for a tough away fixture such as this, it mightn’t be the worst idea to keep the hot-heeled winger on the bench for emergencies only. Either way, I see us sneaking a win.
How do y’all see it?
Follow WFRF? on Twitter. Jesus would’ve wanted it that way.
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Tough away game means it has to be Sandro for extra bite in the midfield. I’d favor the shifting 4-2-3-1 formation of late.
—————-Brad
Walker-Kaboul-Gallas-BAE
——–Sandro-Parker
——-Rafa-Luka-Bale
————-Ade
I think Harry will be very tempted to start Lennon but he should give him 25 minutes, then unleash him on Monday.
I got up at 0430 for that?
You poor bugger.
So Arsenal managed to beat City. Makes the chances of Spurs taking 3rd a tad slimmer. I still have some hope and that lies in Arsenal vs Chelsea. Chelsea are looking strong right now and they could hold Arsenal or even take a win. If Spurs can manage to put a run together (and our opponents aren’t the strongest sides in the league) then it’s possible.
Harry for England!
Please?
Would England have him, based on recent from?
Harry: “We were disappointing. I changed the system to 4-4-2 and we were too open.”
OK, isn’t it the manager’s job to fix that? I’ve been questioning Harry’s decisions lately. He has been getting a lot wrong and he isn’t looking like he knows how to pick up the required points.
Exactly. It is doubly important that we finish strong!
Just last week Harry said we needed 5 wins to get CL football (15 points). Well, 3 games in and we picked up 4 points. 5 games left to pick up 11 points, which I’m struggling to see happen unless Harry sorts this out. Even that might not be enough unless the others around us falter a bit.
I’ve been waffling on this for awhile now, but it is time for Ledley to retire. Hurts like hell to say it, but it’s true. His brain cannot compensate for his lost physical skills. It’s getting sad to watch and bordering on cruel to play him.I can’t blame Harry for keeping faith with so immense a performer, but he has been on a downward spiral since the turn of the year. Even a year ago would he conceed the penalty at City, be culpable for a couple of Scum goals, or be frozen against Norwich? I don’t think he won a header yesterday and he looks terrified out there.
Am I alone or is it time?
It’s time.
Kaboul, Caulker, and hopefully Vertonghen or somebody like him as your main CBs next season. Gallas and Dawson in case of emergency, since they’re not able to stay healthy for a full campaign it seems.
Ledley can stay on as a defensive coach if he shows an aptitude for it. I don’t know if he’s one of those guys like Hoddle who might struggle to teach people who aren’t as naturally gifted as he is. The evidence to the contrary is that Kaboul and Dawson both appeared to improve significantly when partnered with Ledley on a regular basis. But that’s different than a strictly coaching role, so who knows.
No way of knowing until he gives it a shot, but yeah, I’ve been in the ‘retire him’ camp for a long time now. He’s still capable of being immense on occasion, but those occasions are fewer and farther between than ever before. It’s tragic that someone so skilled should be so badly short-changed on what could’ve been a monumental career, but on the positive side, he’s played for his country, played in the Champions League, and taken home a tidy pay cheque for a good long while. Time to call it a day.
I reckon he’d make a decent coach, given a little while to adapt to the role. If Sir Les is worth a job then Ledders certainly is.
As for Harry’s non-decision making of late, I’m beginning to despair. All my non-Spurs supporting mates were telling me we were nailed on for third a month or so ago, and now they’re back to the usual Spuds jokes. I think it’d actually be less galling if it weren’t so predictable. Level with Newcastle on points, just ahead on goals.
And now Harry’s issuing a “five wins to get Champions League football” challenge to the team. They’re all clearly exhausted (from an utter lack of squad rotation through a draining series of fixtures) and he’s telling them they have five cup finals. Brilliant. So when they lose or draw the first one, how will he salvage morale? If they win the first couple by playing out of their skins they’ll be completely drained (and/or broken) for the last three. At a time when cool, calm heads would seem like a good way of getting the job done, he’s turning the (already volatile) situation into a potential crisis.
We could end up finishing sixth at this rate.
Harry has botched things in three crucial areas (imo).
1. No Rotation. Many players are clearly knackered. I know Harry is old school and in his day the starting XI always played unless injured, but football is very different now. Top athletes need adequate recovery time and the likes of Bale, BAE, Parker and Modric aren’t getting it and this has been costly.
2. “Clever Formations.” I’m on the record as violently opposed to Bale’s new ‘run-about’ role, Luka on the left and VDV on the right. I’m opposed to any one of these in a given match, yet we have been seeing all three lately and it mostly has not worked. I know Harry thinks players win games over tactics, but only up to a point. Players should compliment each other’s game, not get in the way. You can’t always throw your best healthy XI onto the pitch and expect great things.
3. No cover. Tied into points one and two, it is daft that we have no winger cover. We are set up to play on the wings, yet if one is out we shoehorn the unsuitable Luka or VDV out there (not for long as they drift). This leads to the (un)clever formations and no rotation issues. It might not be fair to blame Harry for this as Levy has the purse, but Harry did say we had players for every position and we didn’t need anyone. It worried me then and I’m afraid my fears were correct. Also daft to send Charley and Pienaar on loan. They would have been useful down the stretch.
It isn’t all woe. I think we can still make the CL, but Harry needs to up his game from what he’s shown us the past two months.
Is this thing on?
C’mon folks; we’ve got a London Derby Semi-Final! Doom & gloom can wait awhile. VDV, Ade and Bale sound particularly up for it and that bodes well, as does the Chavs having Barca to worry about. It’s been too long since we won this cup and it will certainly help confidence to get to the final.
In other words, I’m back to optimistic.
Right there with you, skipper.
F.A Cup special in the ‘morrow.
Let’s win this bloody thing!