Consistency

This was one brutal weekend for me to watch football, especially Spurs but I managed; had to attend a Christmas parade early morning Saturday, which I almost though it was going to hurt my chances of watching the game but I found a way, I may have been cold and struggling to keep warm but I got to watch the game in its whole entirety.  That aside, I got to tell you I was shocked to see the same line up I’ve seen the last weeks, with some exceptions but still, I thought MP was going to shuffle things around, as I have come used to.

Consistency is something we have lacked for months, different line ups, tactics etc., all of us have complained that we don’t have a set line up, it always changes and of course it doesn’t give us the consistency we need all around. The lineup I’ve seen over the last games has been somehow consistent, is it our ideal line up, perhaps not but it is better than changing 9/11 players game in and game out. As much as many won’t like this, I do like this, I like seeing this consistency because it is VERY SLOWLY, starting to show some results. Seeing Mason, Bentaleb and Kane on each game lineup gives me some hope, hope that these youngsters can teach the old dogs how to play, with passion, aggressiveness for their jersey. I am not saying each “old” player is bad and don’t show spirit/heart, all I am saying is that having passion, aggressiveness and love for the jersey can be very fruitful and rewarding.
Do I feel like the current 11 is our best squad? Absolutely not, changes have to be made, players who don’t want to improve and settle by doing the bare minimum need to be tossed out on the street, even if you can’t get what you paid for them, we don’t need those attitudes on the team, it is bad contagious energy and it becomes a poison on the pitch and in the clubhouse.

Here’s what I’m trying to say:

The back four (Davies, Jan, Federico, Dier/Chiriches) have been the consistent 4 and this works, Fazio is adjusting but he holds his ground, pays attention and doesn’t make the shit mistakes Kaboul kept making by leaving Lloris vulnerable. Jan could use a smack on the back of the head because he makes some decisions sometimes that to me make no sense, puts the team and Lloris in jeopardy, maybe he is done and doesn’t want to improve, but he is a better option than Kaboul (if he decides Spurs is where he wants to be at). Dier is young but has passion, he doesn’t mind shoving someone to the ground if needed, he defends in a very physical way, more than any of other busters we have. Chiriches has been given his chances, at times he can be good, switches the ball across the field, but he is very easy to beat in the back, many outrun him~ probably because that’s not his natural position~ but still, he needs to make better decisions. Yes he isn’t walker, we all miss him and I hope to have him back. Davies does a good job holding back, he can be outrun too but most of the time I have seen him stay back, push up when necessary and then retrieve to cover, especially in corners when Jan and Fazio move up, Ben makes better decisions when it comes to move up the pitch, not like Rose, who just loved playing up top and taking unnecessary shots on target.

The middle with Mason, Bentaleb and Eriksen is a good mix, all 3 are always after the ball, fight consistently to keep it and then move it up the pitch, with little success as our attack still lacks the power and creativity we need. Lamela has gone back to his old ways, started well and now he just tries to make stupid flashy plays that end up on him losing the ball, sitting back and watching others try and recover because he is too damn lazy to do it himself…let Roma have him back.

Lennon offers the ability to create space, he tries to defend and recover the ball, can be physical at times but obviously gets outmuscled but I have to admire the effort to try, not the best accurate shot but again, he tries, more than most of these busters.

I don’t know what I can say about Chadli, or Townsend, or Dembele, Paulinho…I can’t say much about Paulinho, he hasn’t had much playing time, neither has Townsend and criticizing them for just 2 games of play wouldn’t be right… same could be for Dembele but I heard there’s more to the story than meets the eye.  If true, I hear he lacks passion in training, he doesn’t want to do more than just hold the ball, pass back and stay put in his little “hole” and not push the ball up, he doesn’t feel that’s his style. Ties with what I said earlier about passion for the shirt you wear, get his ass out if this is true.

Attack needs help, whether Soldado gets it together or not (good for him on his goal, bad on the chances missed against palace) and Kane cannot be counted on to do all the work himself, we need a Jackson Martinez, Rodriguez, anyone.. I don’t care who, the help is needed, we need to bring in 2-3 strikers, one can that play in the premier league, that fits the profile/demands of the league, 2 to help sub because right now we don’t have anything. I don’t have anything against Kane, I love and appreciate his passion and eagerness to be the best, but this is the most he has played in the last 12 months, he is getting adjusted and he will come around, but he needs help. Adebayor needs to go, he lets his ego get on the way, his comments to us fans were not fair and asides from that, he is lazy, does what he wants and when he wants, pathetic excuse of a player, not needed or wanted at WHL.

I don’t expect anyone to like my comments, nor do I wait until everyone types their own and they are published to draw my conclusions, they come from the match days, play analysis and the group of lads I work and watch the games with. I know MP has a lot of work to do, lots to fix but he deserves some credit, his system is slowing showing flashes of working, the young academy players fit that profile, older players like Eriksen, Lloris, and Fazio etc. also seem to fit the profile, but until everyone is on the same page, no major results will be seen. I hope that Levy trusts and believes in him, gives him this season to shape things out, release/transfer the players we don’t need or want to be here, let MP bring the talent he needs, instead of relying on Mr. Baldini to bring some crap other teams didn’t want.

I am just as frustrated as most of you are, I am disappointed and angry, I want results now but I also have to be realistic. I have to understand that a new manager or head coach, needs time to be able to implement his tactics, it doesn’t happen in 1-2 months, I believe by season’s end MP will have his system working efficiently and he will strengthen that system in 2015-2016 when more reinforcements come in, the ones he requires!