Harry doesn’t make many mistakes at Spurs…but this is a glaring one
Football FanCast guest columnist Dan Simpson wished that Harry Redknapp would stop experimenting with 4-3-3, especially when it only seems to be used to accommodate Robbie Keane.
Harry Redknapp claimed in his post match conference that he didn’t know why we played so poorly yesterday. I have to admit my managerial experience only stems to Football Manager, but I will take a stab in the dark that it was perhaps the ludicrous decision to attempt to play a 4-3-3 system, with players who clearly aren’t suited to playing in such of style. While a part of me believes that Harry chose to adopt such a system, because he feels we can replicate what the likes of the scum are producing with a similar line-up, the larger part of me suggests that he is attempting to find a way to accommodate Robbie Keane.
I don’t know what the problem is with Harry and Keane. Whether captaincy dictates selection I don’t know, but if Redknapp fancies playing Crouch then he has to have the bottle to drop Keane, as the three have proven that they cannot play together. I know Keane was disappointed in getting substituted, but was it just coincidence that the team suddenly look better reverting a 4-4-2? I was amazed that it took Redknapp so long to wake up and realise he needed to make a change, but substitutions has never really been his forte.
I don’t want people to read this and feel I’m pinpointing Robbie Keane as the problem here, because I am not, but more that the team cannot and mustn’t be dictated to by his selection. I have no problem with Keane alongside Defoe, as they have proven they can link up, but if Harry wants to play Crouch then Harry has to be bold enough to drop Keane to the bench, not look to incorporate the three. It isn’t the first time it has happened and watching yesterday reminded me of the disjointed performance that we witnessed against United, earlier in the season.
Hopefully the differing (if only slight) in performance in the last 30mins yesterday will tell Harry that his current personnel is best suited to a 4-4-2 and that it is time to stop experimenting with formations, regardless of who needs to be left out to accommodate.
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What an excellent article! he tried it against Utd, he tried it against Chelsea, and he tried it against Sunderland. I’m getting the feeling that Harry would be willing to play Robbie Keane as a left back if that’s what it takes to keep his precious captain on the pitch. Then introduction of Niko in the side was a clear justification of my thoughts, that Spurs prefer playing with wide, flair footballers who know how to dribble.
I also get the feeling that he doesn’t know who to choose from between our 3 central midfielders and that will be an even bigger issue once the likes of Aaron and Luka come back
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Quite right, but a lot of people are having a go at Keane, but who else is asked to play so many different positions? Maybe the question should be why are we trying to accomodate Crouch, not why are we trying to accomodate Keane? Since Harry started playing Crouch from the start we’ve stopped playing any football. We made our best start in ages playing Keane dropping off behind Defoe, with Lennon and Modric adding pace and playing quick passes on the floor. The sooner we get back to that the better. Or is Harry just trying to keep Crouch’s world cup ambitions alive?
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I agree with your view as to Harry’s motives in principle, and we can all have our views as to who he’s accommodating. My view is that it is all of the trio up front and the trio in midfield, and this left the whole team unbalanced and without attacking full backs, Corluka because that’s not his game, and Ekotto because he was too busy defending, we played far too narrow.. I felt that Keane was one of our better players until he was subbed, but the introduction of Krancjar had an immediate effect. It was like a different team. There was a better balance on the left. Krancjar was both adventurous and perceptive, and the whole team played far better. Palacios who had been appallingly inept, was transformed into the powerhouse we all know he can be. Both Defoe and Crouch, each of whom could have considered themselves lucky not to be substituted, Crough ineffective and Defoe going for the world offside record, suddenly played much better, and after being outplayed for an hour I suddenly felt that a win was certain. The midfield which had been outnumbered was suddenly dominant.
One question: Where does Saturday’s events leave David Bentley?
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agree…..crouch cuases problems in his heading into the goal areas ….but we are playing more 50-50 passes it seems s long ball etc..when we move forward….their are twoteams at spurs and at the moment the blend seems at odds with the style of some of the players thinking and movement….our start was no fluke we had n edge which we in the last few games has
been diminishing….
so Modric and lennon and defoe have been missed…
keane is a problem for redknapp….
he has to remember other teams will exploit any weaknesses in unsure play as they see etc….
if we are going to continue to attempt champions league 4th without all the media and hype…
a settled dynamic eleven..knowing their place is vital…or a lack of confidence in movement could send all the good work redknapp/bond etc have done….
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Lads,it was not so long ago that people were stating their belief that Robbie and Defoe would never be able to play together,and Harry has proved that with good coaching it is not only possible but extremely effective.
Let’s be a little more patient with this system,as all these players are intelligent enough to make it work,
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You are right about the team not performing with this set up but the proplem is our full backs dont attack anymore And for this system to work yo need full backs like chelse have cole and boswinga .This would have been my team to make this 433 work and if lennon was playing and a few others it would have worked .GOMES NAUGHTON OR HUTTON WOODGATE DAWSON BALE KEANE PALACIOS HUDDLESTONE KRANJCAR DEFOE CROUCH.
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I was at the game yesterday and felt the problems was with the 3 central midfielders, it just did not work charlie and benoit just did not get forward enough to allow it to work. Also the fact that Robbie scored playing out of position and Crouch and Defoe did’nt have a shot on target between them, suggest’s the problem is with Crouch or Defoe? Maybe if Robbie wore and England shirt he would be forgiven for not scoring 4 in every game? Or maybe thats just the irish coming out in me?
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Great article and you are quite right 433 doesnt work at spurs.Harry needs to keep two up front. If we are to challenge for 4th spot we need a world class striker and a midfielder that can score 10 plus goals a season (we have jenas haha).Liverpool are out of it, so its between us,villa and man arab city. Pav needs to go and then we need to spend big. Defoe is a good striker but misses to many and gets silly sendings off. Id go for Stephen Ireland as he knows the pace of the premiership and would fit straight in and he likes a goal or two. Up front I am not sure who I would want to replace pav but must be 6ft plus and for f ing sake arry’…give bale a chance at the left problem.
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chriscomeonuspurs .We don’t want Ireland any player that uses is grandmothers death has an excuse for missing a game for is country and she was not dead .Is not somone i want at my club and is and andy reids weight loss is not should i put mildly also not down to eating less that’s a fact
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harry is a plonker why hasnt he given pav a go or santos[before injuries]or bale or hutton[except againest arse]ans because he is selfish he didnt play gomas for ages because he was sulking about levy not buying his beloved david, Crouch im afraid is a complete waste when starting , good impact player but doesnt hold the ball up, gets knocked of the ball to easily doesnt ofer any movment[dont take my word watch him in a game]also
harry doesnt like our 2 fullbacks getting forwards much against chelski,mancs,arse set his stall out not to have a ago like he said but to nullfy them lennon left wing against chelski[he tore cole apart for the last couple of yrs before arry crouch and keane against mancs awful all wat i said about crouch happened in that game robbie is not doing it[does he have an agrement to start every game?????]roman has not been given a chance because arry didnt buy him and he cant speak english[wrong arry]harry has inherited a bloody good side we all knew what the problems were thats over but harry is making a rod for his own back against stoke same problems no pace no movement and no idea almost like yesterdayso harry stop putting square pegs into round holes and stop picking the players because you brought them [some hopes] justify playing them
Also Robbie keane isnt the player he was weather thats because of benitz or because berbys no longer here also he did play with defoe few yrs ago and it worked quite well but he definatly isnt the player of a yr or 2 ago
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