Spurs vs Liverpool Post match thread

[Kenneth]

Very good

[Exiled_red]

Given the fact we were pony at the weekend, our most expensive player is deemed to be a carthorse and the player with most appearances for the club is apparently ready for the knackers yard, maybe autocorrect is trying to tell us something.

[truefan999]

What about those of us who thought he was worth every penny, before he came and confirmed it?

Hindsight?

Nope, just sound knowledge and judgement. Not something you seem all to familiar with

Actually before he had even kicked a ball for us I said we would see him as our best player by the end of the season, and the best in the league by the end of this. But I was in a minority.

The posts above identify Carroll as a problem and the tendency to hoof it when he is in the team. That is correct.

In addition to his lack of footballing ability, and his inability to fit in with the team he also fails to provide the first line of defence. A good forward hassles the defenders and does not give them time to play it out of defence. Hence they make quick passes out of defence, the midfielders or forwards have to deal with a less than decent pass. In our case Carroll does not close them down and hence the defenders can pick their pass and hence the opponents are set and have the advantange.

Compare that to the way Spurs closed down our defenders so quickly when we have the ball.

[danperkins]

Actually before he had even kicked a ball for us I said we would see him as our best player by the end of the season, and the best in the league by the end of this. But I was in a minority.

The posts above identify Carroll as a problem and the tendency to hoof it when he is in the team. That is correct.

In addition to his lack of footballing ability, and his inability to fit in with the team he also fails to provide the first line of defence. A good forward hassles the defenders and does not give them time to play it out of defence. Hence they make quick passes out of defence, the midfielders or forwards have to deal with a less than decent pass. In our case Carroll does not close them down and hence the defenders can pick their pass and hence the opponents are set and have the advantange.

Compare that to the way Spurs closed down our defenders so quickly when we have the ball.

I do agree that Carroll is awkward and has a lack of mobility and the injury excuse is wearing thin, but there are many types of good forwards that play different ways.

He hasn't been great and we really over paid for him (same as Henderson) that is clear, but until Gerrard comes back i don't think we'll see the best of Carroll and hopefully that is a far cry from what we are seeing now.

P.S. He isn't lazy and he works very hard, it's just not happening for him at the moment.

[Lecter]

I disagree.

He played well last year against Adam Johnson, Lennon, Ashley Young, Arshavin etc. and he wasn't sent off in any of those games.

He is not ready to be a starter yet as he is too young and needs to mature but in this game imo he could have given us much more than Skrtel who just has no legs to keep pace with Bale.

He struggled badly though in his first game this season (was it sunderland)

His confidence looked completely shot and he was all over the place (have you noticed hes not even making the bench)

A good ****ing over by Bale could completely destroy him

[Kenneth]

Bit melodramatic dont't you think?

[Lecter]

Wouldn't write off Flanagan just yet. Every youngster has to learn and Flanno showed brilliance last season. Once he learns that positioning is everything in the prem he'll come back stronger.

Agreed he just needs to be treated with kid gloves

I'm not convinced that throwing him in at the deep-end against Bale would be condusive to his development

[Exiled_red]

Agreed he just needs to be treated with kid gloves

I'm not convinced that throwing him in at the deep-end against Bale would be condusive to his development

[Lecter]

Bit melodramatic dont't you think?

Not really

Seen plenty of players set back years or fall by the wayside after having their confidence destroyed

Flanno looked quality last year even when he knocked out Carragher his head never went but he looked all over the place early on this season and the pressure seemed to affect him

[Lecter]

I do agree that Carroll is awkward and has a lack of mobility and the injury excuse is wearing thin, but there are many types of good forwards that play different ways.

He hasn't been great and we really over paid for him (same as Henderson) that is clear, but until Gerrard comes back i don't think we'll see the best of Carroll and hopefully that is a far cry from what we are seeing now.

P.S. He isn't lazy and he works very hard, it's just not happening for him at the moment.

I'd actually like to see us put some balls in the box from him to attack

We havent done enough of that imo

[Exiled_red]

Not really

Seen plenty of players set back years or fall by the wayside after having their confidence destroyed

Flanno looked quality last year even when he knocked out Carragher his head never went but he looked all over the place early on this season and the pressure seemed to affect him

Insua probably being the most recent example, he looked a very promising player, but when we continued playing him once his confidence was shot that was it, he's never been the same since. I think we need to be very careful with this batch of youngsters not to repeat mistakes we've made previously.

[Maxiedge]

We've played our best football this year with Maxi, Kuyt, Spearing and Meireles in the side but we managed to fob them all off for the big game yesterday.

Management have got it wrong recently after what looked a good summer.

[Mostar]

Bit of a risk chucking IN an 18 year old Flanagan, who's already endured one torrid afternoon already this season, against Bale.

As I've already said I'd have gone with Carragher there every time, and against Stoke, although I don't think it would've made too much difference to the result.

I also think we're a CM light now. All the talk of having millions of midfielders and now with Aquilani and Meireles gone we look light.

I agree but we have no one to blame but ourselves.

We let Aquilani go as he could not fit Kenny's style of play (??) and Raul on the last day of the transfer window without finding the replacement.

Whatever happens it cannot be owners' fault this time around.

[ric.williams]

Harsh on Skrtel that. He's a better CB than Carra is now, and probably Coates.

skrtel is a liability

[the rev leeroy brown]

we didnt play anywhere near good enough in the first 20 mins when we had 11 men. we had no bite in the midfield area (IMO due to the formation 4-4-2 which was overrun by their midfield which had more desire / passion) which could have ben recitifed by playing spearing IMO.

once we went down (wrongly) to 10 men the game as a contest was over. i cant understand why in a game such as this our most energetic player in kyut was left on the bench. henderson had no impact at all and should not have started (100% down to tactical choices and no hidden agenda or nowt) in place of kyut.

suarez looked petulant all game and i hate to see that. he is a great player but he had no discipline and didnt get into the game at all yesterday. carroll on the other hand is one of few players who can hold his head up. granted his first touch was not great but he won his share of airiel battles and when asked to fill in on the left flank tracked back and put in a good defensive shift.

skrtel was so poor at right back it was nothing short of embarrasing. as a central defender i though his positioning if nothing else would be okay but he never once was in the right position throughout his 60 odd minutes on the pitch. rightly sent off for stupid tackling.

thats our first real setback (the stoke game was a good performance and on nay other day we would have had a good 3 or 4 goal win) as our performance was so so poor. thankfully a league cup te against brighton should restore some confidence and a home game against wolves next weekend shoul get us right back into top 4 before a good game against neverton.