farlieonfootie

Shaping Up

2015-02-21T08:25:00.001-05:00

More to the point, it's been a while since Ed has written anything:

It’s been a while since I’ve written on Spurs, and a lot has happened. First and foremost, Harry Kane put us past Arsenal with two magnificent goals. Kane continues to play at a high level and pundits are wondering if this run is real or if he’s doomed to return to the norm or something below that. We shall see. Regardless, he seems to look like he knows how to play even if he’s not scoring, and Kane and Eriksen have become a terrific punch for Spurs.

The following week despite some good play int he first half, Spurs lost on a Mario Balotelli goal in the final minutes. What are the odds of that happening? Well, prior to his snatching the penalty kick ball out of the hands of his captain this week, Balotelli had about one goal for Liverpool, so I’d say the odds were pretty low. But to be fair, this shot was really just a tap in for Super Mario, so it would have been hard to mess it up. But what I liked most about this game was that Spurs seemed extremely annoyed and frustrated at the end of the game — as if they felt they should’ve won the game. I can’t recall seeing a Spurs team react like that to a loss against a big Club. Interesting, and I think a good sign. (On an unrelated note, I’m still not sure why Brendan Rodgers thought bringing this guy in was a good idea; clearly a desperate move by a desperate manager. But while Rodgers has Liverpool playing well with the return of Daniel Sturridge, it seems that the number of players he brought in that didn’t work out seems a luxury that only could be afforded the bigger clubs.
But returning to Spurs — has Poch’s style finally revealed itself? Clearly he likes to press high in the pitch, and his forwards and midfielders are required to run hard the entire game. The pressing style has paid dividends for Spurs, though, with several of their goals in the transition. But more notably, in addition to preferring younger players like Mason and Benteleb, Poch also put all the players through intensive conditioning after his arrival. Again, all of this suggests he likes his teams to play a little like the “Heavy Metal” style of the Jurgen Klopp, a coach that one clown of a FoF columnist suggested may be one of the best coaches in Europe. A difference, though is that Klopp hunts in huge packs when he presses, and the attacks that follow are at full pace, whereas Spurs pressing is definitely more expansive.

Poch is also using the entire Spurs roster, one that may not have been his but is pretty deep care of Gareth Bale. Will this depth allow them to make the top four? Hmmmm, with Liverpool rebounding and Arsenal playing well, it’s going to be tough for anyone to make the top four, including teams that are already there.

This is farlieonfootie for February 21.

Kandy Kaned, Glovers and Stevie G.

2015-01-07T12:38:00.001-05:00

Ed is still in the holiday mood:

Spurs are usually a team on decline in the festive season. Too many games for too thin a squad. But not this year. After a scoreless draw against Manchester United (we’ll take it against that payroll), Harry Kane went big and busted up Chelsea for Spurs best win in the BPL perhaps . . . ever?

The emergence of Kane has dramatically changed Spurs. With 17 goals in about as many games in all competitions, Spurs seem finally to have found their striker. His emergence from the Spurs own academy makes it even sweeter. One might be tempted to say that the team is finally catching on to Mauricio Pochettino’s direction — and I’d say there is something to that — but correlation is not equal to causation and it still remains difficult to tell. Recall that the same was said of Brendan Rodgers brilliance when he had Suarez and Sturridge, but now that they’re gone the press would say he can’t get anything right.

Kane is not merely scoring, but he’s playing the target man especially welll, and he’s also taking the space aggressively with the dribble like few strikers I’ve seen in the league. Kane isn’t that fast, but he’s fast enough and clever enough to use leverage and positioning to keep him in front of defenders. He’s a pleasure to watch operate and will most certainly be called up for England in the future.

* * *

I should note my sorrow at the loss of the Yeovil Town Glovers at the hands of a somewhat fortunate Manchester United. The Glovers gave 110%, and for most if not all of the match made me wonder why players like Rooney and Falcao were paid so much more than some of the players on the mid-third division team.

The FA Cup is a great competition, but at no time is it greater than the third round when premier league clubs have to play at tiny grounds throughout the country. It’s simply a pleasure to see top tier players go against what appear to be true club teams on un-pampered (and sometimes awful) grounds. There’s simply nothing more fun than watching Eden Hazard kick a ball into a tree behind the goal, or Steven Gerrard put one into a busy road next to the pitch.

* * *

Wait, did I mention Stevie G? His departure from Liverpool will, I suspect, mark the end of the Brendan Rodgers era. Gerrard has taken his lumps of late — and in my opinion his critics are largely wrong. As far as I can tell, he’s looked pretty similar to the player he was last year and the year before. I suspect he’d look a lot better if there was anyone on the team who knew how to score a goal. I think even Minulet would look better then. The problem is that when you lose as frequently as Liverpool are this season it makes for lots of blame to go around. The biter, for all his problems, seemed worth even more than his crazy sales price (I wonder also if he’s enjoying Barcelona or finding it, as I suspect, unsatisfying in the same way Alexis Sanchez may have — ultimately there’s Messi and Neymar and Iniesta and . . . . one ball.)

According to the news, Gerrard is headed for the LA Galaxy. Eh. Could have gone somewhere more exciting, but I’m guessing the weather and the money have made it the place to be.

This is farlieonfootie for January 7.

I Know What You're Thinking (about United, Spurs and Liverpool)

2014-12-18T15:07:00.002-05:00

Ed weighs in on some football and a fantasy trip to the Hawaiian Islands:

I've decided to take a brief time out from my recent Magnum PI immersion and give you, my many fans, a few tired thoughts from the weekend's action.

First, United under Van Gaal is starting to look more like United did under Alex Ferguson -- more the red ferrari than the blue Vauxhall wagon of Moyes's tenure. They're winning when they really shouldn't be, and scoring when the other team seems to have more chances. Part of that always seemed to be luck when Ferguson did it, but interestingly it looks the same for Van Gaal. In addition, Van Gaal seems hell bent to prove that you can be totally weird and yet still beloved by fans and players alike so long as you are winning. As I write this, I remain unclear as to why he likes to do his homework during games, and why sometimes it appears that he needs to be nudged and awoken to the fact that his team has just scored. His post game interviews? Not really English. Kind of. Maybe a little. But not really. And finally, the flat face, the kooky hair style -- really?

Second, Spurs fans love affair with Harry Kane is getting as strong as Higgy-baby's love affair with the Lads. Alongside a forgettable Roberto Soldado, Kane scored yet again and did a terrific job as target man as well. As for another Spurs' Academy product, Ryan Mason, I'm still unclear why he's starting. He's certainly feisty and decent with the ball, but Dembele showed he is dramatically better both offensively and defensively. I suspect Moussa will be included in the starting lineup more frequently in the weeks to come.

Third, the heat on Brendan Rogers is rising faster than TC on a mission in his Island Hopper chopper. I find it hard to say whether Rogers is really that bad a manager. Clearly his players aren't that good. Clearly he also changes tactics with astounding frequency. But they almost won it a year ago, and they're top Striker is a guy that didn't start on his mid-table team last year (see again, You're Only as Good as Your Front Two). Plus, the formation he put on the field did account for a large number of chances many of which should have been goals. Defensively it was all about player mistakes. Does it surprise anyone that Coutinho isn't good at getting back to play defense? I don't know. Right now I blame him somewhat for some of the players he's brought in, but I'm not sure I can say anything else until I see them play with Sturridge back. By the way, is that every happening?

Well, enough soccer talk. A little voice inside me is telling me it's time to get back to the couch and finish off my trip to Hawaii . . . .

This is farlieonfootie for December 18.

Softies: Ed on Spurs

2014-12-05T12:26:00.001-05:00

The title says it all:

Spurs lived up to their reputation of being soft Wednesday against a Chelsea side that completely overmatched them. But fortunately there was more to it than that.

First, Aaron Lennon was rewarded with a starting spot for a good performance DEFENSIVELY against Everton, and started the game with a terrific move and cross to wonder boy Harry Kane, but then screwed up the easiest rule of defense -- “Stay with the runner!” – and was responsible for the first goal by Eden Hazard on a simple wall pass.

Let me just be clear about the stay with the runner rule: there are few wall passes around people in the BPL – maybe two or three a game – because players are trained to do that. But let’s be more clear: I trained my U9 team to do that and would have pulled a U9 player that messed that up. It’s brain farts like this that keep Lennon from being the consistent impact player he should be, and that keep him largely an off the bench player. He was eventually pulled by the coach, and I expect to see him on the bench again in the weeks to come, subbing in only when Spurs are desperate for an offensive spark or a fast player that can play the counter.

Second, Vladimir Chiriches is awful, at best a second division player. Danny Rose, Kyle Walker, even Kyle Naughton, when are you coming back? Chiriches isn’t merely a poor center back – his natural position – but an even worse right back. It’s not just his defense that is poor; he also gives up the ball in possession regularly. The matchup against Eden Hazard must have been hysterical to the Special One, especially when he saw that Aaron Lennon is the midfielder above him. It’s possible to criticize Pochettino for this – Chadli should have started the game both for his brawn and defensive abilities. Not to mention he does happen to be a top scorer for Spurs right now. But again, the lack of defensive personnel due to injury and players he did not bring in is the biggest problem Spurs have right now, and not something the manager can be properly blamed for.

Third, Ryan Mason is someone that you want to be good, could be good, sometimes might be good, but just isn’t that good. He lacks defensive ability, and while he is quick on the ball and in moving the ball, he also makes too many loose passes. I suspect he starts because he has potential and is an academy kid. At this point, though, Dembele would be a better choice, especially against a physical team like Chelsea.

Fourth, Nabil Bentaleb had his first standout game against a top opponent that I can recall. He controlled the middle well, moved the ball well, and has earned a starting spot to me. He is on the soft side, but he has gotten better here, and was one of the few positives in the game.

Fifth, Harry Kane is a star in the making. He was constantly an offensive threat, running at player throughout. He knocked Gary Cahill out of the game and made him looked bad in the process, and put one off the cross bar, his second game in a row hitting one off the post. His passing is also terrific, as is his holding play, at one point coming away with the ball after being attacked by four Chelsea center backs and midfielders. For the first time in a while, the Spurs seem to have a good striker. I would stick with Kane and maybe even (gulp) Soldado in my second striker role and spend more money on defense. If I was to pick up a striker, I would look for a star from a second-tier team rather than trying and failing to outbid the top teams on the top talent.

Finally, it would be impossible not to notice that Corresp. Scott was abundantly clear that he believes that I’ve lost a step out on the pitch on Mondays. I’m not sure what to say about that, other than that I yet again completely sympathize with Stevie G. Liverpool’s problems aren’t his, they’re the rest of a simply okay side that was made to look good by two enormously talented strikers. Allen, Coutinho, et al – good players but not great without a top tier striker. More interesting to me is that Brendan Rogers was until a few months ago considered one of the best managers in the BPL. In fact, he was just featured in my monthly NSCAA magazine. Now, of course, he’s being questioned for changing tactics so frequently and is starting to look a bit on the hot seat. My questions are more fundamental – why did he abandon the Swansea possession game style at Liverpool? And why is Liverpool now arguably worse than that Swansea side that got him the Liverpool job to begin with?

This is farlieonfootie for December 5.

Great Dane!: Thoughts on Spurs and More

2014-11-26T12:28:00.001-05:00


photo by Laertes	via PhotoRee

Ed has thoughts on Spurs and more:

Spurs finally won. More than that, they played at a pace that made them look like they wanted to win. Granted, they picked up that pace after a somewhat fortunate red card sent Hull to ten men, but hey, they got it done.

For the first time in some time, Danish star Christian Eriksen finally had a good game. His goal was terrific as was his creativity in the middle of the field. Eriksen is a number 10 and dies not play wide to the same effect. The modern game requires speed wide, and he doesn't have much of it.

Which of course brings up the question -- where does Lamela play when Eriksen is central? Well it turns out he played in pretty much the same position as Erikson. Weird but on this day effective.

Another note is Harry Kane. Kane is certainly not a top Striker -- he's big but not that big, average on the ball, and a good but not great shooter. But...he's playing better now than any other striker Spurs have, meaning, of course he's scoring goals. A brilliant commentator brought this point up not long ago in a blog piece titled "Your Only as Good as Your Front Two." Spurs finally have someone who is putting the ball in the back of the net. If that continues it will make all the difference.

Some additional thoughts from around the league:

-- Manchester United won this week against a better Arsenal side in typical Arsenal fashion. Now United are in the top four. Wow they don't seem to have played even remotely good enough this year to deserve that placement.

-- Chelsea continues to kick everyone's butt. Mourinho may have been forced to resort to stealth face pinching at Real Madrid, but he certainly knows the formula for winning the premier league. And how much of a beast is that Costa guy? Wow, I get it now.

-- Liverpool just ain't good. Correspondent Scott laments the team and speaks of Rodgers being on the hot seat. But the real problem was summed up in that same article I referenced above -- 50 goals are gone this year. What's more, many of rest of the players are kind of "eh." Joe Allen? Borini? Balotelli? Would Chelsea ever start any of those guys? Regardless, I liked seeing Lambert up top -- and he earned his starting spot with a great first touch and goal very early in the game.

-- Yannick Bolasie may be a name that haunts Scott Roberts because he simply dominated his side of the field for Chrystal Palace against Liverpool. His speed and terrific runs -- note how he shoved the Liverpool defender off course on a great through ball to pick up an under hit pass -- where fun to watch. In fact, I'll give him my player of the week award. He was definitely the most influential player in that match against the Reds. Come to think of it, why not player of the week honors? Great job, Yannick!

This is farlieonfootie for November 26.

What's it All About, Gylfi?!

2014-11-12T10:16:00.001-05:00

Two days in a row; what's going on here? Correspondent Ed is what's going on:

Spurs looked horrific this Sunday against Stoke, but sadly they are playing pretty much as I would expect them to play. In short, the line up is pretty poor. Uncle Harry had Kaboul playing pretty well at Spurs, but that was a long time and a long injury ago. Vertonghen also seems to play as if he cares little. At left back, Danny Rose has proven fast, quick, and otherwise mediocre, and the same can be said of the right back position. Walker may have been reckless but he could also provide a lot of pressure from that side. At midfield, Capoue is just about a step down from Huddlestone, and Mason is a poor man's Tom Cleverly (I know, that's too mean). Townsend is a super fast one move pony, and on the other side is Nacer Chadli (great name!), whose proven to be pretty good, but not that good. Finally at striker we have "I'm not in a contract year" Adebayor, the $28MM bust from La Liga named Soldado, and of course, the home town boy who is these days the best of the three, Harry Kane (plus he plays goalie).

Here's a ray of sunshine though: Kane, Rose, Mason, and Townsend all came through the academy and all started against Stoke. I get it and I like it, but right now they're not enough and the rest of the team is even less of enough.

I recall Spurs moving Gylfi Sigurdsson to go with Erikson and Lamela. Well, Christian Eriksen has been disappointing -- the poor man's Gylfi? -- and Lamela has been a lot of flash and potential but very little production. In short, Gylfi has outperformed them both by a lot.

So where am I going with this? Well, I'm not trying to protect Pochettino, but the reality is that these aren't his players seem very middle of the table to me. Combine that with the fourth manager in the last two and a half years and one might suggest that management is blowing it. These are great days for the Premier League and Spurs are missing out. Perhaps it's time for Daniel Levy to start feeling the heat. After all, what do you call a team that sells one of the best players in the game and spends it on mediocrity?

Liverpool.

Oops. I meant Spurs.

You get it.

This is farlieonfootie for November 12.

You're As Good As Your Front Two (or One)

2014-11-03T14:51:00.002-05:00


photo by emdot	via PhotoRee

Ed sums up the current state of the Barclay's Premier League:

You're As Good As Your Front Two (or One) -- Is it true? Well, in this year's Premier League it seems to be.

Take Manchester City. They are a completely different team with Sergio Aguero in the lineup. He put four up on Spurs and another on United though he could have had another in the first game and two more from PK's in the second. Dzeko is an excellent player but Aguero may be the best in the BPL.

Take Liverpool. Without Sturridge and Suarez they've looked completely ordinary. Or maybe worse than that. Everyone's picking on Stevie G, but the bottom line is they've had 50 premier league goals on the bench or playing for another team. Good luck making the top four without them.

Take Chelsea. Diego Costa has put them on top; Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto were never going to get it done.

And of course take Spurs. Since the move of Bale they've struggled. Adebayor is back in mid-contract form, and Soldado just doesn't seem very good. The top scorer on the team has been, shockingly, Nacer Chadli. But I'm hoping that may change with academy boy Harry Kane.

Midweek in the Europa League Kane put three in the back of the net and played goal. Okay, he gave up a goal on the only shot at him, but still, it's the effort that counts. And Sunday against Aston VIlla, when Coach Pochitino finally removed the listless and ineffective Adebayor and replaced him with Kane, Spurs attack came alove. He also finished the game with a terrific winner off a free kick.

One often wonders what makes teams pay so much for finishers. But this year's BPL is a great reminder. It recalls that wonderful adage of Ray Hudson: "God must love mediocre strikers because he sure makes lots of them."

This is farlieonfootie for November 3.

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On the Spot: Ed on Spurs, Arsenal, Jurgen Klopp and More

2014-09-17T09:24:00.000-04:00

Ed's on the spot with some timely commentary on Spurs vs Sunderland, Jurgen Klopp and Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund:

As you all know, Spurs tied Sunderland this weekend 2 to 2. That's three two's if you're counting. But despite the let down in the score, Spurs were dominant. Dembele got his first start of the season with Benteleb just returning from international duty -- or at least that's what was said. In my opinion, Dembele is the better of the two, but Benteleb certainly deserves considerable time this year in the middle.

Erikson also seems improved; in fact, he seems a step faster. And Lamela and Chadli (Chadli!) both continue to impress.

In some ways Spurs coughed up this game, giving up a cheap goal quickly after their first, and choking one past in the end. But they were also unlucky; a cross bar and a post were squarely hit after good attempts, and they dominated possession and the game. One might say Sunderland Manager Gus Poyat was just looking to score on counters such as this, but the reality is he had no choice. His team could only win if they took advantage of the very few opportunities they were given, which of course is exactly what happened. All in all, a good day for Spurs as they look a team headed in the right direction. And all in all, a Premeir League that's still looking a bit of a mess at the top.

# # #

Is this man the best coach in Europe?

It seems to me he's in the running. Dortmund not only ran Arsenal out of the building, they looked man for man to be the far better team. Examining the enormous changeover at Dortmund and the loss to injury of many of their starters, it's amazing how the team hasn't missed a beat. It would seem that no one does more with less than this guy year after year. Again, it's strange that he has less imitators -- though I'd say that Pochettino's style is similar.

I've always gotten the impression that Arsene Wenger wasn't much of a tactics manager so much as he is a style manager. That and bringing in personnel that trend towards that style. However, Klopp seemed more than ready to pressure Ramsey and Wilshere into looking very ordinary, and he was happy to turn Alexi Sanchez into trouble repeatedly. Klopp's style depends upon overloads that trap ball carriers, and fast attacks on offense. Arsenal never seemed ready; not at the beginning nor at the 89th minute.

Miguel Arteta was also exploited by Dortmund. The midfielder looked a very good fit for the Championship Division or less, as it seemed he was running in sand the entire evening. Arteta and the position of holder remains Arsenal's weakness. Arsenal needs Flamini, because he's the best they have at a position that demands a player with speed and strength.

And what of Danny Welbeck? He seemed to make Van Gaal's point for him, as he failed to finish 2 if not 3 very good opportunities. Will this become mental for Welbeck? Does he have the equivalent of the golfer's yips?

Finally, how did Mezut Ozil get so bad? The announcers at their weekend game said it was like Arsenal were playing with ten men he was so bad. It was hard to disagree. And in this one at Dortmund he continued his utter mediocrity. Oxlade-Chamberlain deserves to play far more than this guy regardless of how much they paid to get him.

This is farlieonfootie for September 17.

Humble Pie: Ed on Spurs

2014-09-03T10:40:00.002-04:00


photo by The Gifted Photographer	via PhotoRee

Just when Spurs thought they were good, just when they thought they could run with the big boys, just when they thought top four might actually be possible . . . . . down comes the hammer. Oh what a tease this team is.

Not unlike last year, Spurs were pretty much violated by Liverpool. Mario Balotelli really should have had 3 in the first half, but somehow blundered them. For some reason this is always the case with this guy -- tons of raw talent that almost but never really materializes. Wonder if that will happen at Liverpool. Wonder if at the end of the day he's really just not that effective . . . . .

But, wow, Sterling and Sturridge were just way too fast for sSurs. As was their new defender, Alberto Moreno, who promptly took the ball from Andros Townsend and rampaged 70 yards down the field before putting it in the back of the net. These Spurs fought hard in the first half -- Lamela in particular -- but again showed that they were a cut below this tier, even if Liverpool isn't quite top tier.

Troubling for Spurs was the back line, with Kaboul and even Vertongen not looking good. Perhaps the former isn't; perhaps the latter is just in a spell of bad form. It's hard to say.

I will say this, the first half was fun to watch. Spurs did make a few chances for themselves and did their best to grapple with a team that just outran them. Plus this is the manager's third game for the team -- it's difficult to expect that much from him at this point. What we do see, though, is a team that is plucky and skilled. And players who looked pretty much awful last year, like Capoue and Nacer Chadli (and Lamela) have all looked good. Soldado? Well he hasn't exactly been on the field much yet, so probably not.

Still wondering what's up with Paulinho. Injury? Does the coach just not like? We will see.

Was sad to see Sandro get moved as he was a hard player. Also sad to see Holtby gone on loan as I thought he did everything he could to make the team this summer. And poor Dawson -- definitely not a top tier defender but certainly a guy who brought a ton of heart to the team. The poor man's John Terry if you will (in only the good ways, of course). Well, we see what our new guy, Benjamin Stambouli from Montpellier of League 1 can do. When you don't have lots to spend, buy French. As Wenger has shown, sometimes there's deals to be had there.

COYS!!

This is farlieonfootie for September 3.

# # #

Three Points: Liverpool 3 - Spurs 0

2014-09-02T14:24:00.001-04:00


photo by lostajy	via PhotoRee

Although happy about Liverpool's win, Scott is now officially concerned about a Manchester United lineup that could feature Falcao, Di Maria, Rooney, Mata and RVP:

Now that’s much better. Granted, this wasn’t the steady dismantling of Spurs that Liverpool achieved twice last season. Rather, there were a few lucky bounces and calls but more than enough to secure the points and put defeat to Man City behind them.

Raheem Sterling, should he stay injury-free and under the careful nurturing of Brendan Rodgers, will be a global star in the coming years. I am continually impressed with his ability to dribble past, around and through defenders with such pace. Add to that his developing ability to be in the right place at the right time, such as at the far post to guide in Jordan Henderson’s cross in the eighth minute, as well as a still-improving sturdiness that allows him to shield and protect the ball, and he is well on pace to being one of Liverpool’s top stars of all time. Still, I agree with Rodgers’ comment, which is consistent with similar comments that leave me hoarse on the training ground of teams I coach – he needs to work on his left foot. After such a sensational dribble through the penalty area in the second half, all that was needed was a left-footed strike to bag his brace and match the score of last season’s second encounter between these two teams. Instead, hesitation saw him then clunk the weakest of attempts with his right foot straight at a very grateful Hugo Lloris. Two footed players can score double the goals, Raheem!

Mario Balotelli’s Liverpool career began with what has been described as a “solid shift.” Despite his two missed headers and woefully wayward volley later, I agree. He did his part defensively, was creative at times and seemed very willing to play with others. Most impressively, he kept his cool better than I would have after an over-eager Eric Dier swept his legs from behind on a hard challenge that eventually yielded a bit of the ball, and should have further yielded a yellow for the Tottenham defenseman. Subbed around the 60 minute mark, the Italian is bound to find his groove and, when he does and if he maintains his cool, he can prove lethal up top with Daniel Sturridge and Sterling, not to mention Henderson and others, to combine with.

After a very shaky debut against Manchester City last weekend, Alberto Moreno was solid defensively and showed the type of attacking instincts that Rodgers likes in his outside fullbacks. Robbing the fresh-to-the-game Andros Townsend of the ball in his own half, the Spaniard’s acceleration and speed with the ball allowed him to maraud all the way into Tottenham’s box, where he was given too much space and availed himself clinically with a finish to the bottom, far corner. Something to build on for sure.

I’m not really sure why Steven Gerrard won so many bonus points in this game. He was average at best, despite dispatching another penalty won by Joe Allen who easily tumbled when grabbled by the naïve Dier. For me, Gerrard gave away the ball too often and was not accurate enough in his passing. Don’t get me wrong, he is still a huge asset to the team and deserves to be on the field. But when he has an off day, I am not afraid to comment on the Emperor’s nakedness.

Daniel Sturridge will settle down once he scores. He was creative and willing to share, and even pressed with enthusiasm up top. And I am consistently impressed with his ability to hold the ball when under pressure.

Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren need to spend some time together – preferably both on and off the pitch. They seem to have the raw materials of a formidable central partnership but clearly lacked communicative skills or understanding at several points in the game. Meanwhile, Javier Manquillo had another solid game on the right but needs to lose the penchant for a yellow card every game.

Nobody is getting too excited yet as there are a lot of shiny toys to fit into the system, but bouncing back like this after Man City was a welcome three points.

This is farlieonfootie for September 2.

Shambolic United / Spurs on Top / Bruisers at City and Chelsea: Week 2 in the Barclay's Premier League

2014-08-28T13:35:00.001-04:00


photo by Anamorphic Mike	via PhotoRee

Ed's not getting too worked up just yet:

Let's just all take a deep breath. Exhale slowly. Now let's take a cool, measured, unbiased look at it.

Manchester United pretty much stinks right now.

They're awful. Losing to the MK Dons? I mean, the Don's may be promoted next year . . . . to the Championship Division. I realize United had a second team lineup out there, featuring such no names as Chicharito, Cleverly, Kagawa and Welbeck. And the BPL keeper of the year De Gea. And yet they still got absolutely poinded by the seventh place team in League One. Ouch.

It's fascinating that Louis Van Gaal has brought this team to a low even David Moyes never reached. Let's be fair to LvG -- had Moyes done what he's just done there may have been riots in Manchester. Three games against poor competition and no wins to show for it. Plus they look very much like they don't know what they're doing. Some questions may be asked:

1. Was changing the system really what was needed at United? Or was it merely the players. Is both achievable?

2. International Soccer is completely different from the Club game as it is tactically so much simpler. Just because the 3/5/3 worked in the World Cup doesn't mean it will work in the BPL. And did it really work? The Dutch were an immensely talented team but they really only scored when Arjen Robben scored. And he pretty much scores in any system.

3. Should tactical changes be made before personnel to match it arrives? The BPL is to good to spot the first three months of the season to the competition. Last I checked fourth place was three places away from last years team. This year it could be worse.

4. Does the pre-season mean anything? United won the Guinness Cup and looked good doing so. These guys are outplayed for long stretches by teams with inferior talent.

I know, it's early. And they could turn it around. And what's three months if the next five years are terrific. But hey, every time is becoming squeaky bum time for United.

Plus they're just tough to watch.

# # #

On the other end of the table -- and I mean the completely other end -- is a plucky Spurs team that dominated its weekend match against Uncle Harry's new squad, QPR. The game was never close. Uncle Harry just decided to put together the old 3/5/3 as well, and again it is showed a complete train wreck against a Spurs team that is looked simply dangerous. Harry's always gotten the snub for not being a tactics guy -- a truly unfair criticism if there ever was one considering his near unparalleled success at Spurs. That said, QPR had no idea what they were doing until they changed back to the 4/4/2.

The most positive points about Spurs are:

1. Depth in the middle, maybe too much depth: Benteleb has started and played well in both matches. Capoue looks good. Dembele, Sandro (not yet played), Paulinho (where's he been?) -- that's a truckload and someone will be leaving I'm sure. I suspect Paulinho which is the worst of those choices I would think, but probably the most valuable.

2. Depth outside: a brace by Nacer Chadli showed he knows how to play. Lennon remains, and is looking more and more like a backup. Townsend (will he be traded? Hope not). And Lamela, who put in a dominant performance.

3. Depth at Number 10. Eriksen looked like Mata. Holtby always brings a big spark.

4. Depth in the back: Dier looks good and has two goals. Now they're bringing in another center back named Fazio.

5. Depth at Striker: Well not really. Though Adebayor and Kane have played well, neither is a world beater. Soldado has got to be on his way out, right?

But more than all this, they're fun to watch.

A good new coach can go a long way it seems.

# # #

Manchester City looked just bigger, tougher, stronger and faster than Liverpool on Monday. Not a fair fight watching Coutinho try to take on Yaya and Fernando (not to mention Kompany) in the middle. It was a matter of time before the team with better athletes hammered it out. And wow can they bring the hammer. They look about as scary as . . . . .

Chelsea. The only other team that looks their match.

But wow it's way too early.

Go BPL!

This is farlieonfootie for August 28.

Spurs and More -- Week 1 Roundup of the Barclay's Premier League

2014-08-20T10:50:00.005-04:00


photo by Jimmy_Joe	via PhotoRee

Ed's at it again:

Well, it seems the bossman has forgotten where his crayons are, so here’s my post on the weekend’s action:

On Spurs v. the Hammers:

This Spurs team doesn’t appear richly talented, but they are young and used their depth well this weekend. I also think the expectations for the team are a bit lower, which I think will help them at least until or unless the pressure builds as the season wears on. Spurs players are younger and I don’t think they feel as much pressure when games like this one remain close for so long.

I enjoyed watching Holtby and Townsend come off the bench and inject some intensity and pace into the game. Immediately Holtby had a steal that led to a break. I also liked Pochettino’s confidence in the bench and the very young players on the squad. This is not to denigrate Erik Lamela, who looked confident on the ball and much better than he did in any of his appearances last season. He clearly has talent, now he just needs confidence, and Pochettino is clearly trying to help him get it.

Benteleb played okay, but I found it interesting that he was out there rather than Paulinho or Sandro or Dembele, none of which made an appearance. In light of Spurs interest in Morgan Schneiderlin from Sunderland, I’m wondering if each or all of these players may be headed out of White Hart Lane. I think this would be a curious choice, despite the fact that Etienne Capoue played well in the role of the disrupter. Perhaps there are injuries that I am unaware of?

Adebayor played well, though not well enough to score. Erikson was quiet and ineffective. Spurs will need much more from him from week to week as he’s one of the few creative players in the lineup.

Harry Kane was brought on instead of Soldado. Not only did the Spaniard show little last year, he also showed little in preseason. Often players with talent from the Spanish league don’t translate to the Premier League. I suspect this is because defenders are bigger and faster from top to bottom in the BPL. Soldado lacks pace, isn’t a strong target man like, say, Lambert, and isn’t a shifty quick release guy like Lewandowski. It would seem that he’s the Spanish version of Chris Wondolowski – which makes me think he just might not be good enough for Spurs.

Hugo Lloris showed why he’s the best keeper on the team despite his relatively small size. His quickness kept Spurs alive in a game they could’ve lost and probably should’ve tied.

Younes Kaboul looked very mediocre, but then there was Eric Dier, the Spur’s hero who neatly dribbled pass the Hammer’s keeper after a perfect pass from Harry Kane in extra time. It’s so nice to see a new signing perform well out of the gate – not the typical thing for this team.

Of course, it’s impossible to make any big conclusions after just one game. Perhaps the Hammers are awful, or perhaps they are terrific. One never knows at this point . . . .

On the Rest of the League:

n Clearly Manchester United’s lineup wasn’t top notch, and clearly they didn’t dominate at home against a mid-table team, but . . . . let’s recall that Swansea converted on pretty much their only chance in the second half, a half that United pretty much dominated. And let’s remember that Siguurdson’s goal came off a very fortunate rebound. That said, the oft- injured Robin van Persie is needed quickly, and I question just how good that Herrera guy is at midfield. Or that Ashley Young was the first choice at wingback. But hey, way too soon to panic. Way, way too soon.

n Chelsea did look white hot against an overmatched Burnley side. News flash: Cesc Fabregas is a really good player, just like he was a few years ago. I agree with Mourinho – he wasn’t used the right way at Barcelona, a team that seemed to have a stockpile of scorers and playmakers such as Fabregas and Alexis and Iniesta and Messi yet still only played with one ball.

n Arsenal looked less than I would have expected, but they got their win. Alexis looks to have completely the wrong body type in those tight new kits, but he certainly played well and seems much more part of the action than he was at Barcelona. He also seems really tiny though in the BPL.

n Liverpool looked like a team that missed Suarez, though Sterling has amped up his game considerably. Coutinho? He needs to look like he did in preseason, not like he did most of last year. At this point he’s no David Silva.

This is farlieonfootie for August 20.

Fired Up

2014-08-16T14:23:00.001-04:00

Ed's ready for the season:

How fired up am I about the 2014/2015 season? Well, right now my anticipation has me on the same hair trigger as the Bossman when he panics his way out of the bathroom midstream after hearing Ian Dark scream “Rooneeeeey” in the other room. As the young people say, I’m completely off the chain right now.

Completely.

Why is it going to be that good this year? Well, how could it not? This year seven teams – seven! – are going to be in a mini-tournament for the top 4 spots of the premier league. There’s clearly disparities among them, and it’s very likely the top four will be teams we are so regrettably familiar with, but even so, at least one of these giants of the BPL is going to be left out of the party. Who will it be? Liverpool, United, Chelsea, City, Arsenal? The story lines abound. Here are those from the top 7 clubs:

1. Will the Special One continue his second season magic? Will Matic be the ultimate BPL Cleaner? Is Diego Costa that good or will he become the BPL’s next Roberto Soldado?

2. Will Liverpool survive the departure of the biter? Will Gerard finally get his title? Will Coutinho and Sterling become dominant BPL players? Is Sturridge going to be as effective now that he draws all the coverage? Is Brendan Rodgers actually that good a manager?

3. Will Arsenal contend for a top spot? Will a team made better over the summer finally compete with the top four? Will Ramsey get through the season without injury and take over Ya Ya Toure’s spot for the best midfielder in the BPL? Is Mikel Arteta even close to fast enough to be captain and holding midfielder?

4. Is Louis Van Gaal really that good? Will he steer a United team that looked really good this pre-season back into the contenders that they once were? Will Van Persie stay healthy? Will Rooney continue his pre-season form? Will the lack of European play propel them to the title? Will anyone be able to play defense?

5. Will Toure Ya Ya still have the drive to win despite the Birthday Cake debacle? Will the rest of the City team want it as bad as they did last year? Will Sergio Aguero play more than 10 games?

6. Will Everton’s starters stay healthy? Will Ross Barkley dominate? Will the team be as competitive now that they also have the Europa League to play in? Lukaku, Barry, Barkley, Stones, Mirelles, Baines, Coleman – are these guys really good enough to make it into the top four?

7. Will Mauricio Pochettino finally be the manager Spurs have been looking for? Will Roberto Soldado score? Will Eric Lamella play as well as he did in the pre-season? Will the Holtby press allow Spurs to compete with the top teams? Will Danny Rose become a big star? Will Erikson? Will Adebayor play like he cares? Will Benteleb grow into a top tier BPL midfielder?

Of course, it’s impossible to know what will happen. What we do know is all of these teams look to be as good or better than they were last year. And what I expect is that this year will confirm that the BPL is the best pro league in sport, as no other top league has this much competition for the top spots. Germany and Spain are at best a top 3 and really just a top two. It’s actually a shame that the BPL only have 4 Champions League spots, as I think the world’s most popular league is looking like it deserves more.

Finally, the coverage at NBC continues to shine. By using the ESPN formula and bringing in English broadcasters and commentators, NBC didn’t forget that part of the appeal of the BPL is it’s very Englishy foreign-ness. To that end Men in Blazers, coming off their success at the World Cup, are also joining the crew and will continue to bring up provocative issues like this:

“My biggest concern for Arsenal is that they will be battling runner’s nipple all season long.”

“Yes, very tight new kits.”

Gorgeous. I just can’t wait. Now let me finish peeing . . . . .

This is farlieonfootie for August 16.

Inexplicable

2014-05-29T14:47:00.001-04:00

Ed is not amused:

o Let's not kid ourselves, the Landon Donovan omission is a disaster for the US team. I like Jurgen Klinsmann, but there is no explanation as to why he would leave the best soccer player in US history off the team. The explanation he gave -- that the other players at his position were just a little tiny bit better -- isn't good enough. If it's close, you take the guy who has more world cup goals than Lionel Messi. Donovan played great as recently as the 2013 Gold Cup, and I take him at his word that he did well in the recent tryouts. I think it's clear, punctuated by the odd tweet by his son, that Klinsmann didn't like him. It is impossible to arbitrate that dispute. However, good coaches deal with players like this and get the best out of them. See, e.g., Harry Redknapp (I cannot imagine Landon Donovan is tougher to manager than Emmanuel Adebayor). Win or lose at the World Cup, this decision was a stinker for the team and for US soccer.

o Spurs have just hired former Southampton Coach Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentinian guided Southampton to new heights. That said, he had talent on that team -- Lallana, Rodriguez, Shaw, even Lambert, were all excellent players. Southampton's style seemed to be similar to that of Pep Guardiola's. The team pressed high on defense and possessed the ball on offense. Similar, but not the same, as the possession wasn't as obsessive as Barcelona's.
o Almost more interesting than the new coach is what the Spurs will end up doing with their personnel. I would expect the team to move for Lallana, though acquiring him is all a matter of whether or not a top 4 team (or Manchester United) wants him. If so, no chance for Spurs, and don't be surprised if Lambert or Rodriquez join. If not, well, they have a chance. That said, does he really fit in at a top tier squad? Is he fast enough? Would he start? We will see this summer.....

o On a final note, I am both happy and sad to announce to all of my fans that I will be leaving the sidelines of the best U9 team ever -- Fort Lauderdale Select. My two year term has ended, and I hope and believe that I achieved my goal of leaving the team in better shape than when I found them. While we were not tactically advanced, our technical skills were as good as any. Our teams ended the season with almost exactly as many wins as losses, which is perfect I think, and we are one of the few teams in our Club's history to win a tournament and to come in second at a tournament at the Premier League level. I will always cherish my memories of teaching the boys this great sport, and look forward to watching from the sidelines like a dad should. I will of course be ready for that special moment when Daniel Levy calls and asks me to take over, even if only for a few months. Hope the pros like Coerver drills. . . . . .

This is farlieonfootie saying "Bon Voyage" to Ed's coaching career on May 29.

Faster!: The Need for Speed in the Barclay's Premier League

2014-03-19T08:11:00.003-04:00


photo by Kevin Krejci	via PhotoRee

Ed wrote this column pretty quickly, as well:

Is it all about speed? The new trend of the BPL's winningest teams makes you thinks so.

Let's start with Liverpool -- Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, both very fast and quick with or without the ball. United's defenders looked absolutely plodding against them. On the other end RVP and Wayne Rooney looked, well, okay. But on the break the two Liverpudlians seemed untouchable. It makes what happens behind them somewhat irrelevent. Just hold a good line and eventually you'll get one through.

How about Chelsea? For all the talk about Samuel Et'o's age, he still looks pretty darn fast to me. Their game plan against Spurs was to wait until he or their other speedster, Andre Schurrle, stole the ball or got a break. Pretty football? No. Effective? Yes.

Arsenal? Well against Spurs this weekend, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played the number 10 spot. Was he there to act as a creative playmaker? No. Clearly, Arsene Wenger took page out of Mourinho's book and just waited for the break. It came, of course, but Oxlade-Chamberlain messed it up. The rest of the game was all Spurs, but did it matter really? And what has hurt Arsenal more than Theo Walcott's injury?

Spurs? Emmanuel Adebayor is pretty fast, but not that quick. Andros Townsend comes into the game and it's a different story. Everything seems to click as he rockets around the pitch. Chances are made, shots are had. Townsend is great on the ball, but more than that he's the fastest guy out there.

City? Well, they're a different team without Sergio Aguero. Not so easy to find the back of the net. James Milner is so skilled AND so slow. Ya Ya Toure? Fastest guy on the team and it shows every week.

I could go on, but there's no need. Speed up top seems the trend; the big target man is falling into history. I would even say that England has a better chance in the World Cup than they have in years due to the new speed of Danny Welbeck, Raheem Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Townsend (he'll be there), and others. Used to be a lot of square passing holding midfielders (see, e.g., Gareth Barry), but now there's a ton of threat.

Is this what it's all about in the BPL? I don't know, but it's starting to look that way.

This is farlieonfootie for March 19.

Dispatched: Ruminations on Manchester City vs. Barcelona and Spurs vs. Benfica

2014-03-14T11:46:00.000-04:00


photo by geezaweezer	via PhotoRee

Ed offers a dispatch on how Spurs and Man City were dispatched:

o Was I the only one watching Manchester City play Barcelona at the Nou Camp? It seemed the English media -- all the English media -- got it wrong (and not for the first time). While City did have a spirited first 20 minutes or so, and while they did play better than in the first leg, they were once again completely outclassed by Barcelona. The slick and counterintuitive interior passing of Barca left City's expensive lineup swinging madly at the ball as it bounced between them, and it could have easily been 2 -0 pretty early in the game if not for a poor offside call and a missed penalty call on a clear foul against Messi. The idea that City is "still a year or two away from European football success" is stupidity. Or that they're still missing a few players to get them over the top. That's wishful thinking apologists talking. City isn't too NEW to compete in Europe, nor are they just missing a few players: the reality is Barca is simply far better than what may be the top English club, and they're far better than most other Clubs in Europe.

o Part of the reason is Messi, who is finally returning to full form. Messi looked so much faster and quicker than all of the City players it was bizarre. He darts past their entire lineup when he wants to. Neymar ain't bad either. Or Iniesta. Or Fabregas. Wow. are these guys good....

o I understand that the Spanish media have been all over Barcelona's manager due to poor league play. Having never watched them I can only speculate. But perhaps the teams in La Liga are finally learning how to play against their system. Clearly the zone doesn't work; I'm still not sure why teams don't man mark Iniesta and Xavi in the middle. Regardless, I expect to see this team in the finals. Wouldn't Bayern v. Barca be a dream to watch?

o Speaking of dispatched, today Spurs were all but booted from the Europa League by last year's champions Benfica. Tim Sheridan also had a meltdown, both before and after the game. The before the game meltdown was actually after the Chelsea game, when he called out his players to the press and in the locker room. Hard to have much of a problem with that, though I'm not sure effort would've gotten it done regardless. As for his meltdown in the Europa League, I'm not sure I mind it either as by all appearances the Benfica manager was trying to show him up with some gloating from the sidelines. The English press have made a big deal of it. To be sure, Tim has clearly never coached U-9 travel soccer because it can get far worse than that. But all of that said, the reality with this team is it has little creativity, a suspect defense, and one mediocre finisher. That just doesn't get it done at the highest levels whatever your tactics are. Thank AVB and Chairman Levy for bringing in a half dozen holding midfielders, a striker that can't finish, and an Italian that can't make his way off the bench. Way to spend 100MM guys!

This is farlieonfootie for March 14.

Spanked: Thoughts on Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal

2014-03-11T18:54:00.001-04:00


photo by Franco Folini	via PhotoRee

A refreshingly realistic Ed, on Spurs' traditional end of season tailspin and other thoughts:

Spurs decidedly played the part they historically play against Chelsea this weekend -- that of a fifth place team with pretty much no business making the top four. They lost, of course, four to nil, and let's not kid ourselves into thinking that the game was actually closer than that. It should have been 1 - 0 with Spurs down to ten men after about a minute if the refs had not made a charitable offside call. And this was just a preview of what was to come, as it turns out, over and over and over and over....

Chelsea let Spurs possess the ball, which Spurs did, but it was no surprise that Spurs did so harmlessly. Kyle Walker was playing in an advanced role on the right and his lack of skill was exposed by Cesar Azpilicueta. The Chelsea left back made it clear yet again why Ashley Cole now occupies a spot on the bench. On the other side, Gylfi Sigurdsson is simply not enough of an athlete to make a difference out wide. And Aaron Lennon, who buzzed around in the number 10 position more often that not, did his typical "I'm crazy fast and dart all over" routine but never threatened the goal. Poor Spurs, outclassed and outmuscled.

Was it the manager's fault? Well, some blame could be allowed for Benteleb and Sandro being outmatched by Chelsea's pressing midfield of Ramires and Lampard. Perhaps Dembele and Paulinho -- however tired they were -- should have been pressed into action, as Benteleb is a liability defensively and did make a poor pass right to Samuel Eto'o. But ultimately the middle triangle of Chelsea just bossed the game because they were better. Nemanja Matic is a tough holder, covering ground and making the middle a no fly zone. Matic cost $21MM from Benfica. Wait, how much did Spurs pay for Erik Lamela to warm the bench?

A word on Jan Vertonghen is due. The defender made noise about defecting from Spurs because he wanted to play in the Champions League. To this I sometimes think -- if you were as good as you think you are , shouldn't you be able to carry Spurs to the Champions League? Don't you bear some responsibility for them not making it? Well, it seems the football gods agreed with me in part, as the first goal was the direct result of a Vertongen mental mistake. Look, he's a great player and a terrific addition to Spurs, but dude, be a leader!

Chelsea's strategy is clearly working but I can't say it's fun to watch. Clog the middle and wait for one of your back for to make a mistake. Then pounce on it with the speed of Schurrle and Eto'o, neither of which are dominant but both of which can run and finish reasonably well. Utility can be beautiful but that isn't the case with this team. They are looking the favorite to win the League but I suspect winning in Europe against teams with similar talent will be past them.

Spurs, however, lost the guy that could run at defenses when they sold Gareth Bale for $100MM. And despite spending it all, they didn't pick up a single guy who was even half the threat that he was. Perhaps AVB's most tragic legacy was the number of holding midfielders he picked up at the expense of someone who could attack a defense.

Now, of course, Spurs have to take on Arsenal -- the most vulnerable team in the top four but one which I suspect will yet again humiliate their rivals when they nudge them out and take fourth position. Last time Spurs made it to the top four I think some guy named Harry Redknapp was in charge. Hey wait, didn't he get us to fourth place twice in four years? Oh, that's right, we fired him because he didn't know any tactics.

This is farlieonfootie for March 11.

Gunning for the Gunners

2014-03-06T07:23:00.001-05:00

Ed is remarkably consistent in his Spurs' coverage this season:

o Spurs rebounded nicely from their loss against Norwich and were able to secure the three points from Cardiff City, but did it have to be that hard? Granted, the team had a difficult Europa League game earlier in the week, and as their manager has said, the team usually plays terribly after such matches when they return to the BPL. However, it seems that Spurs are too content to sit on a one goal lead, even against poor sides such as Cardiff. This makes the end a flurry of crosses and near misses and makes the odds of slipping to a draw all too high. I recall the master class show that Barca put on City in the last five minutes. No flurry for City; simply no ball to get ahold of.

o I'd like to think Roberto Soldado also heard at least echoes of my past writings in this space. Or perhaps he was just due. His finish was terrific; his other play was, at it has been of late, quite good. But let's not think one goal will spur (sorry) him into action. Adebayor and the coverage he draws clearly helped. That said, it would be nice for him to be something of a threat in this last quarter of the season. Is it too much to ask for him to gain some confidence and start to put some more shots in the back of the net? Clearly he could do it in La Liga, why not here and now?

o Michael Dawson continues to perform like the John Terry-light of the team. He doesn't have the athletic ability or speed required to be a top defensemen, yet he sometimes always gets that leg out or his head on the ball. He is underappreciated by people like me, and will probably continue to be despite this small praise.

o So where do Spurs stand on the race to fourth? Well, only 4 points behind City, and 6 behind Arsenal. It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Gunners are the team that looks most vulnerable now. The loss of Theo Walcott has hurt them tremendously. But do Spurs have enough left to catch them in these last ten games? With games against Chelsea, Arsenal, Southampton, Liverpool -- that's Spurs's next four -- it's likely that catching the Gunners will be impossible a month from now. So here it is, Spurs: time to step up and get it done. Do you have it in you? Dare we to dream?!?!

Nah.

This is farlieonfootie for March 6.

Same Old Spurs: Norwich City 1 - Tottenham Hotspur 0

2014-02-23T17:15:00.001-05:00

You can almost smell the ennui in Ed's report:

Well everyone at the top of the table won, some in spectacular style, but then there were Spurs. Fresh off a waste-of-time Europa League performance (what is the point, actually, of the Europa league?), Spurs looked a painfully listless side for most of the match. As the boss-man often says, you could almost smell the ennui. Only Michael Dawson, Spurs' least talented player, seemed to really go after it and want to win. Aaron Lennon again made some terrific runs that ended with poor crosses to no one or giveaways. There is no player in the BPL that can beat people at will yet never scores or gets an assist. His final ball has to rank up there with over-35 recreational soccer league players.

It’s easy to blame the manager when a team comes out like this, but frankly I’ve seen it happen to every team in the league and unless it becomes a patter it’s hard to blame Tim Sherwood for this. That said, I’m not sure: he played so defensively and didn’t put in a second forward until the 65^thminute. This is a team that plays good defense but simply cannot score. It was clear that Adebayor alone at the front wasn’t going to get even a chance without help.

Then there is the mysterious case of Roberto Soldado. Spurs only had one shot on goal in this match, and if I recall it wasn’t a very good one. Soldado, however, had a sitter off a pass from Adebayor that my son could have put in the back of the net (as he noted), but which Soldado couldn’t put on frame. Shortly thereafter he had another which he also ... couldn’t put on frame. If Soldado had just been as good as, say, Giroud or Negredo, two players that would have fetched a similar or lower amount in the transfer market, Spurs might actually be in top four right now. However, his complete inability to score given chance after chance is painful and inexplicable. Sherwood ought to sit him down with a shrink as soon as possible. Hey, Brendan Rodgers did something like that with his team and it seems to be working.

Now Spurs sit six points back of a Liverpool side that is showing no indication that it will ever lose again. Considering the people they bought – Soldado, Chadli, Capoue, Lamela – and in his current form at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale is looking more and more a $100 million man. As I’ve said before, at this point only Paulinho has played up to the value of his salary.

This is farlieonfootie for February 23.

Creepy: Thoughts on the BPL and Champions League

2014-02-18T11:12:00.003-05:00


photo by mdpai75	via PhotoRee

Ed has some creepy thoughts:

Spurs keep playing well and winning the games they're supposed to win. This means they're creeping up the bracket. The tough part is Liverpool seems to be doing the same with a big win over Fulham in the last minute. Spurs Manager Tim Sherwood is doing something smart that ABV never did -- bench Roberto Soldado. The Spaniard is probably a very good player but he's simply not mentally fit to play or make an impact at this point and needs to sit until he regains some confidence.

I also like the middle three that Sherwood is playing lately: Dembele, Paulinho, and the Algerian (now) youngster Nabil Bentaleb. While Bentaleb struggles a bit defensively in the holding role, his creativity and footwork have freed things up in the center of the pitch. His speed is also better than Erikson's, making him a welcome addition to the squad and yet another player that AVB had no confidence in. At this point I'd take him over Llamela and Chadli any day.

It was nice to see Younes Kaboul out there at center back; even nicer to see him perform very well. It's rumored that Kaboul is the fastest guy on the roster in the 100. True? Who knows. All I know is that every time I see him I can't help but think he may be a genie.

But getting back to my original question -- which team do Spurs have a realistic chance of passing to get to the precious number four position in the league? Not sure anyone is a good candidate. Arsenal are the weakest team but they' also are the farthest away. The closest team, Liverpool, is the hottest right now. Chelsea wins the big ones but continues to bungle things against weaker sides. Yet the Blues seem most likely to win the league. And City, well, even without Aguero they're pretty darn good. Nothing to do but keep your head down and keep, well, creeping.

# # #

This weeks Champions League games should be interesting. The biggest is Manchester City against Barcelona. Many thought City could come in and crush the Catalonians, but without Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho this seems doubtful. Plus, Manager Manuel Pellegrini seems to have a knack of being outcoached when he's not familiar with an opponent. Look for Barca to get at least a goal in this one, putting a lot of pressure on City to win at Camp Nou.

Arsenal have the daunting task of facing Bayern Munich. I expect a blowout. Everyone expects a blowout. Which means it will be closer than you think, but still Bayern should have no problem getting past the shaky Gunners' defense. Sorry BPL, but it's looking like a bad day for you tomorrow.

# # #

As a final thought, there's talk talk talk of Becks bringing a team to Miami. Problem is there needs to be a new soccer stadium. The other problem is that Miami is the place pro sports teams go to die. Unless, of course, you have the best player in the world on the roster and you win championships (see e.g. the Miami Heat). It would be fun if this got done, even funner if it's done nearer to Fort Lauderdale, but there's not much hope in that.

# # #

This is farlieonfootie for February 18.

Quick Hits from the Barclay's Premier League

2014-02-05T14:42:00.001-05:00


photo by Claudio Gennari ..."Cogli l'attimo ferma il tempo"	via PhotoRee

From Correspondent Ed:

Bam! Pow! Smack! I think Chelsea just hit the crossbar three more times. Impressive display from the Blues, whether you like them or hate them. They took on Manchester City and at times made City's back four look like a tired recreational team.

Jose Mourinho is the worst thing that could ever happen to David Moyes. Each took over an ageing team, but the Special One has Chelsea revived and looking like contenders while Moyes has United looking the equivalent of Stoke. Is it tactics? Is it motivation? Is it personnel? I recall Moyes opting for Felaini over players like Willian, and recently paying top dollar for Chelsea castaways. United believes that patience is required for new managers; however, this run will certainly put the Board and Sir Alex to the test. Especially if Moyes starts losing the players, which may already be the case.

Roberto Martinez may be the second worst thing that could happen to David Moyes. He also took an ageing team, arguably lost his best player to Moyes (another castaway?) in Fellaini and had his other top player on the bench most of the year (Baines), but Everton seems firmly in 5th place and looks a much better squad than United. So who exactly won when United took Moyes from Everton and Everton had to move onto Martinez?

Spurs looked positively okay against that annoying pre-2013 Spurs team known as Hull City. The beef in the middle of Hull makes them tough to score against with Huddleston and Livermore. New signing Long at the top gives them some speed that burned Spurs. Still, Spurs dominated possession but just couldn't get that second goal. Unlucky? Maybe, but Roberto Soldado also seems to blame as he seems to get worse from week to week rather than better. Clearly the pressure he is putting on himself is doing damage. But do the Spurs have the time or the patience to wait for him to come good.

Still surprised that the Spurs are so willing to dump Holtby. I get Capoue -- the position is overstocked. I would also get Chadli, as I'm not sure what he adds. But Holtby seemed to be coming on as the season went on even if Erikson was his equal. $100MM pounds and what do Spurs have to show for it? Paulinho is pretty much the only player that seemed worth the price at this point.
Not long ago Michael Laudrup was considered a top contender for the Spurs' vacancy. Now he's out at Swansea, and for good reason. The Swans have been terrible this year, barely an echo of what they were not long ago. Laudrup got them some silverware, but was his ability to do that just a hangover from the Brendan Rodgers days? With Rodgers' success at Liverpool, that argument is gaining merit.

The BPL table is a mess. Half the teams could be relegated, and Aston Villa may be one of the worst 10th place teams in BPL history. Only when you get to Southampton do the teams start having class.

Fulham in last place? What a sad state. I cannot imagine the Cottagers going down, but their current form is so bad it's looking very likely. Their hope: even 12th place Swansea is only 4 points ahead of them in the table.

This is farlieonfootie for February 5.

What's a Mata, U? (and More)

2014-01-30T07:30:00.000-05:00

Give Ed a cup of coffee, a bottle of water and a computer and he's good to go

photo by jurvetson

via PhotoRee

In which Correspondent Ed suddenly remembers that he writes about football for a living:

Yes, the title of this little entry also happens to be my favorite university name from the Bullwinkle cartoon. Classic. But what is up with the Juan Mata trade? Where does he fit in? Last I checked he played the exact same position as Wayne Rooney. I also recall that he doesn't really play any other position. Does this mean an end for Rooney at United? Or is it rather just another desperation transfer for the new team in charge? In light of the fact that Lil' Wayne seems to be getting a raise, I'm thinking it's more desperation than anything. Though you have to suspect that Shinji Kagawa is out the door. But poor Juan Mata, he's gone from THE GUY at Chelsea to the guy that will have to fight for time at United with two of the best players in the world. And finally just to pile on, what exactly does Mata bring to shore up United's defensive issues? Oh, that's right, he's a player that got benched in large part because he was undisciplined and wouldn't get back on defense. Weird.

[Editor's Note: This column was written prior to Spurs getting blown out -- again -- by City yesterday] As for Spurs, how 'bout that Tim Sherwood? I keep hearing he don't know nothin' about tactics just like his old boss Uncle Harry. You remember Harry, the guy that put Spurs in fourth twice...? He was very unlike the cerebral tactical advantage man nicknamed AVB, the same guy that thought a high line was the right thing to play with super slow defenders.

This is not to say Sherwood is the end-all-be-all. But at this point he's done better than expected with a team that's down in the dumps. He was able to rejuvenate the mind-boggling talent of Manny Adebayor (yes, I'm going with Manny today). While Manny may be up for a contract year, at least Sherwood wasn't so silly as to bench him forever. We do what we have to do in this world, don't we? But what's more, the team he inherited is now playing more to their strengths and their potential. Erikson is back after being sidelined through injuries and looks terrific. Dembele is playing well. All seems settled. Which is not to say Spurs won't get spanked by City, but hey, might we have a little hope of something more special?

Turning to Everton, it's amazing how pronounced the difference the loss of Ross Barkley has made to the club. Instead of a brash box to box midfielder with speed, a big engine, and creativity, they look simply ordinary and square in the middle. Speaking of square, Gareth Barry isn't really the guy to blame. My favorite whipping boy for many years ("If it's not sideways or backwards, it's not a pass from Gareth Barry", from see, e.g., the May 2005 edition (paper only, paid subscription) of farlieonfootie), Barry's looked very good for Everton, and Coach Martinez of the Wigan FA Cup and the Wigan relegation, looks even better. But sadly the Toffees don't have the money to acquire the depth they need to get to the top four. Hey, it just is what it is, folks.

This is farlieonfootie for January 30.

Onward and Upward: Thoughts on Spurs' New Swagger, and Yesterday's Victory over Manchester United

2014-01-02T08:48:00.000-05:00


photo by iheartspam	via PhotoRee

Ed returns to our pages with some thoughts on United and Spurs:

I hate to disagree with the bossman and it will surely cost me a paycheck or a painful assignment (can you say "Wimbleton Wombles?"), but I don't think United were uninspired against Spurs, I just think they were a combination of unlucky and not that super. By unlucky I mean that they had plenty of chances and shoulda' woulda' coulda' converted a bunch of them if it weren't for cruel chance. Plus I think that Lloris attack of Ashley Young was deserving of a penalty even though Young vaulted him. By "not that super" I mean that this is a team with a suspect midfield and a defense that is good but no longer great. To continue to pull of games like they used to you actually need top-tier talent across the board, and right now they have some great guys but not enough. I do like Rooney at midfield though -- always have and always will -- why not try him at the Scholes position and put Welback up top with Chicharito or RVP? Just a thought.

As for Spurs, well, AVB is gone and Tim Sherwood is in and the team is starting to look a lot like Harry Redknapp's from a few years back. During the outrageously fun "Festive Season," a season that used to be perilous for teams like Spurs, the Spurs have launched into a new (old) formation and have acted like the team that Gareth Bale took to the Champions League.

Was AVB really that bad? Well, he certainly had a prolific impact on Roberto Soldado, a striker who used to score repeatedly and now can't make so much of a tap in. But I can't blame him for Emanuel Adebayor, a player who only shows up to play when it's a contract year. Adebayor was halfway out of the BPL -- probably on to mediocrity in the League 1 or some such thing -- but now has probably put some life back into his career. Interestingly, he's currently the most important "new addition" in the Spurs lineup. AVB's banishment of Adebayor obviously worked though not to the benefit of the banisher, and the serial behavior that earned Adebayor his sentence might also make him easier to sign (but please only give him a year-to-year deal).

As for Benoit Aaaou-Ekoto, well, that's harder to explain. His replacement, Danny Rose, is definitely a high quality player. But behind him, Kyle Naughton seems a disaster to me. And remind me the point of taking a player who could probably have fetched the team $5 to $10MM and dropping him so far out of sight as to make him worthless. Clearly it isn't hard to get into the AVB doghouse.

What was AVB's biggest issue? Most commentators talk of his insistence on playing a high back line with slow players. There is truth to this, and Spurs were exposed against top tier strikers in part for this reason. But I think this was a symptom of a bigger problem, and that is AVB's impatience and overconfidence in his system. AVB was intent on installing what he knew regardless of whether his players could handle it or were ready for it. I suspect the best coaches in the world learn to adjust -- the job is both teaching and learning, and AVB has need been willing to do the latter. Soldado wasn't working alone at the top and the team wasn't scoring, but AVB was unwilling to try anything different despite ugly score lines.

I think the same impatience was evident during his stint at Chelsea when he benched the likes of Frank Lampard and John Terry, two guys who looked pretty darn outstanding against Liverpool just last weekend. Perhaps they both are too old and too slow, but yet somehow they still looked among the best players on the pitch and Lampard's stats simply don't lie. Something was clearly to be learned there, but instead AVB dumped them without having guys who were better.

Now AVB has breathed the rarified air of managing two top level BPL teams before he was 40. And yet, like many at that age, he thought he knew all he needed to know when in fact he had just begun. I certainly don't wish him ill, but instead hopes he starts over again in a lower role rather than trying another spot at the top. Really, there's no rush.

As for now, onward and upward!! Those boring AVB Spurs that couldn't string together two passes seem all but gone, and somehow the team has learned to pass creatively and energetically AND hang in their on defense against top talent. All in a few short days. Thank Tim Sherwood for that, but also thank the players who have been giving it all they have on the pitch.

A few interesting notes about Sherwood. He played 93 matches for Spurs from 1999 to 2003. He was hired by (and seems inspired by?) Harry Redknapp. Perhaps the peak of his career was at Blackburn, where he at first struggled to make the first team before becoming the team captain and guiding them to the championship. In other words, he seemed to learn on the job.

This is farlieonfootie for January 2.

Comments on a Complete Performance: Liverpool 5 - Tottenham Hotspur 0

2013-12-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

Photo by Tim Geers on Flickr

Scott is enraptured:

A "complete performance" is how Brendan Rodgers described Liverpool's effort away at Tottenham last Sunday; and I couldn't agree more. It wasn't just the 5-0 scoreline, even if a first clean sheet in five games weren't reason enough to cheer. It was the tenacious and unrelenting pressing of the ball. It was the pugnacious tackling and swarming defending. It was the creative passing and running that sliced and diced. It was the stunningly stubborn will to play the ball out of the back. And, it was a certain Uruguayan with the captain's armband who contributed a mere 2 goals and 3 assists.

To say Luis Suarez is on fire of late is to describe Sofia Vergara as merely pretty. He ignites the players around him, and will continue to earn the respect of more and more players, fans and coaches as he continues to mind his manners and not dive. I'm not even convinced he embellished Paulinho's cleat to the chest, which clearly deserved a red card because you could see that the Brazilian purposely contorted his leg to impede Suarez who was on his way past. Only 11 games removed from his suspension for preschool antics and there he is sporting the captain's arm-band, playing with integrity and having only accumulated 1 yellow card so far in the season. Rodgers has managed him brilliantly and I may exhale yet. By the way, 2 goals and 3 assists go a long way toward helping people forget a wide open net you missed.

But while Suarez was clearly the leading man, the supporting cast was a veritable Reservoir Dogs of character actors. Young John Flanagan (because that's what the commentators are required to call him, it seems) has been a revelation both defensively and going forward. And how about a first Premier League goal for the young lad? It was taken brilliantly on the half-volley before it careened in off the cross bar for the third, and traditionally decisive, goal.

Were it not for the Suarez' incomparability, Raheem Sterling would surely have been man of the match. He was everywhere - harassing, creating, taking on players, chasing down balls. And is it just me or has Raheem been hitting the gym? Why, it was only 2 months ago that the slight midfielder was getting shoved off the ball at every coming together. But now it was he who was muscling defenders off the ball and effectively using his body to shield and buy time before his next lightning move or penetrating pass. His goal, when it finally came, was well taken and deserved. I, for one, am glad we have already signed him to a long-term contract.

Something must be said about the improving Jordan Henderson, even if I must eat a little crow in the process. I was perhaps loudest among those bemoaning the price paid for the former Sunderland player after a long run of consecutive starts last season yielded only some hard running and an open mouth. But it seems he is finally coming of age as he helps set the tempo with his high-energy play and that hustle is beginning to be matched by his increasingly deft touch and vision. His persistence and the quality of his volley were deserving of the goal they enabled.

There's always a silver lining and maybe the one applicable to Steven Gerrard's injury absence will be the long-term development of these players who must shoulder more responsibility.

This is farlieonfootie for December 19.

Spy vs. Spy: Intercepted Spurs' Correspondence

2013-12-17T09:43:00.005-05:00

Photo by Terry Robinson on Flickr

Despite numerous assurances to the contrary, it appears the National Security Agency is still spying on ordinary Americans -- and ordinary is exactly the way that we would describe the level of insight in this recently intercepted dispatch between Correspondents Ed and James:

[James]: For the record, I think Daniel Levy is a freaking moron and AVB is not far behind.

[Ed]: It's really hard to know. If AVB was the personnel guy, then he couldn't get it done with his own players and it's hard to judge Levy other than for bringing him in only to relieve him so quickly. Only the players know who is truly to blame -- maybe both of them....

[James]: AVB got his tactics colossaly wrong on too many occasions. You can't play the likes of Dawson and Kaboul in a high line and insist on playing guys like Soldado and Defoe as lone strikers. On the other hand, they spend £100 million to bring in essentially six versions of the same player over two years, while still thin at center half and full back.

[Ed]: And only one striker. And no top tier guy.

[James]: But hey, they still netted £10 million after Gareth Bale and wage savings...! They can't get anyone good mid-season.

[Ed]: You can't question Levy's negotiating skills.... It will be interesting to see what a new coach does. I hope they get someone good.... I imagine Uncle 'arry is wondering what he could've done with £100 million.

[James]: It'll be Tim Sherwood as season-long Interim Manager in my opinion. There was a really good article in the Telegraph about how Levy f-ed up the Moutinho deal at the last minute over £1/2 million. Negotiation Skills: you get what you pay for.... Most of the guys they got are young with "sell-on" value. So who gives a s-t if they all play the same position? Make it work, Mr. Manager, and get us the Top Four and win the Europa league..... And, oh, play exciting, attacking football.

[Ed]: Hah! We saw from the beginning that they needed more creative guys...plus they're more fun to watch. Arsenal just spent £40 million for one guy and now look amazing. World class talent is where it's at.

[James]: So what world class manager worth a crap is going to take on that assignment and work for Daniel Levy?

[Ed]: The guy stuck in Russia.

[James]: Fabio Capello? You think we're boring now....

[Ed]: I'm not saying he's who I want.

[James]: Plus, Capello has balls, he's actually won s-t. I don't see him putting up with Levy.... Spurs have the expectations of Manchester United and the budget of Sunderland. *Poisoned Chalice*

This is farlieonfootie for December 17.