One person's take on how the Spurs became awful and why they'll be great again

cpawfan · Sep 12, 2008

http://www.spurs.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=509745

When casting their eye back over the last few seasons, many have lamented the lack of steel in the midfield at Spurs. The departure of Carrick for Man U in July 2006 was a big factor in our slide from the dizzy heights of 2005-6 down into the current malaise, they say. We became awful because we lack a DM, or so the argument goes.

Well, a holding midfielder such as Carrick is not the only type of DM in the world. The best DM of all is the hard tackling box-to-box DM, and the best example of that type of player was Roy Keane. The greatest Prem midfield of all-time was probably Beckham (Crosser), Scholes (Midfield Scorer), Keane (box-to-box DM) and Giggs (Dribbler). A high octane, super fit midfield outfit of four box-to-box players.

Now consider Didier Zokora, who came to Spurs in June 2006, when we were sitting just outside the Top 4. Man U had been scouting him as a replacement for Roy Keane, who had left them the previous November. Given that we sold our holding midfielder Carrick to Man U a month after buying Zokora, Spurs fans are entitled to ask whether we would not have been better off holding onto the holding midfielder rather than taking the gamble on the next Roy Keane.

Taking out the solid lynchpin holding the midfield together and inserting a highly fancied box-to-box DM was the type of gamble you would expect from a team sitting just outside the Top 4 and looking for greater glory. Unfortunately, Spurs had a horrific run of injuries at the back, and the wheels started to fall off. A multitude of sins have since been laid on the head of Zokora, who became a whipping boy for the chaos that broke out behind him last season.

Despite what the Zokora Haters will tell you, Didier is an excellent player. With an oft improvised shambolic back four and the unfortunate disintegration of Robbo behind him, Roy Keane himself could not have made us look good last season. Opining that Carrick might have provided some cover does not change the fact that we would have been constantly under siege with Carrick, rather than always on the counter with Zokora. Be honest, some of those goal fests were nail bitingly awesome to watch.

Zokora is a great box-to-box DM who goes in hard and is constantly running at full tilt in order to make our midfield work properly. Jibes about headless chickens and complaints about him giving away too many fouls totally miss the point. He rushes madly about to break up attacks and then participate in the counter. He is the hatchet man in perpetual motion, with the hardest job in football. In those recent games when he was playing at right back the team definitely missed his midfield generalship. Back in his area against Chelsea he was MOTM.

We are a different side with Ledley at the back, but even the mighty Gomes-Woodgate-King axis didn't do us much good in the Sunderland match with Zokora playing out of position at right back. If Didier had been left in midfield and Gunter had been playing at right back then both of the Sunderland goals might have been prevented. Clearly Didier is not comfortable at right back, but that need never be an issue again.

Spurs are building depth at the back. I don't know how far off Hutton is, but having a man of that calibre pushing Corluka for right back or aside into the Ledley slot (if Daws can't work it out) fills me with confidence. Gunter is a great talent for the future. Bale at left back really looked the goods against Chelsea, but I think Assou-Ekotto might well have surprised a few people too, had Zokora been there in front of him.

We also have an awesome midfield, if deployed properly. Bentley is a world class Crosser, and Lennon a world class Dribbler. Both times this season that Lennon has been withdrawn from his wing we have wilted in attack, with subsequent goals against us. Conversely, Lennon was part of the group that held out Chelsea after he was brought on. He can't cross? Who cares, he keeps the ball at the right end of the park. No disrespect to the talented Gio, but at age 19 he should expect to be Lennon's understudy for at least a season.

When it comes to Midfield Scorer, Modric is capable of the most astonishing strikes. Unfortunately he seems to have been told that he is to be our Playmaker. I have grown tired of watching a talented five man midfield swirl the ball around for long runs of possession while everyone looks to the next man to score. We might have to start yelling out 'Shoot' in Croatian. JJ has intent, but would be better off the bench. I would rather see him duelling with Modric over one Midfield Scorer slot, rather than receiving the ball from him.

With a little luck, we will see the 4-4-2 make a quick comeback with the arrival of Pav. Bent is a fantastic predator around the box, a perfect Second Striker. The First Striker must be one of those guys who demands delivery every time, and gets it unless the Midfield Scorer is teeing up. We now have the perfect squad to play a world beating 4-4-2. Expect such a side to terrify the Villains at the Lane, re-establishing our best-of-the-rest credentials over quality opposition and getting us back on the Spurs Odyssey towards Top Four glory.

Spurs+JR=Wembley
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CelticKing · Sep 12, 2008

The Spurs have a great future and it all started with the signing of Ramos as the coach IMO.

La Bomba · Sep 12, 2008

Yep. Ramos gets these players no one has heard of and makes them stars, like Alves. Tottenham fans should be exited this season.

cpawfan · Sep 13, 2008

http://www.footballfancast.com/feat...loathe-him-spurs-season-could-depend-him/5318

Another fan's article on Zokora

Football FanCast columnist Hans Schmitz feels that Spurs success this season will ultimately depend on the performance of a certain No.4.

You may love or loathe Didier Zokora but you will always respect him. Yes he doesn't have the passing ability of Hoddle, I accept that he doesn't have the shooting boots of a Lampard, but what he gives the football club is 110% effort every week; something that certainly cannot be said for the rest of his teammates.

Believe me this isn't the President of the Zokora Fan Club speaking here and I'm just as distraught as everyone else that we didn't bring in a top class holding midfielder, but what is done is done and we have to accept that the Ivorian has now been given the arduous task of keeping the midfield together. It is one hell of a job that is for sure, however I believe our success this season will ultimately depend on how well he does it. I have my doubts, but what is the alternative?

I have always felt that Zokora has all the attributes to play the Makelele role. He is quick, strong, tackles well but his greatest weakness is that he is incredibly ill disciplined and gets forward far too often than he should. The route of our problems last season was that both he and Jenas seemed to have the inability to communicate and they were both constantly out of position - when Jenas moved up, Zokora would not sit back and it constantly left our backline woefully exposed. If Didier can adopt the same discipline that he possessed when he played at centre back, then we may have half a chance with him, however failure to do so, will lead to our age old problems.

So the ball now is very much in Zokora's court to prove to the Spurs faithful that he can be the top class holding midfielder that we thought we were signing two years ago. I have my reservations, but I hope for the sake of our season I'm proved wrong.
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bbwMax · Sep 13, 2008

Spurs won't win anything this season. no keane and No Berba means an epic fail is in order Methinks.

cpawfan · Sep 13, 2008

Max said: ↑

Spurs won't win anything this season. no keane and No Berba means an epic fail is in order Methinks.
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Certainly those are two big names to lose, but I have confidence in Ramos to make things work with the young talent he has. I'm also a believer in Pavs.

CelticKing · Sep 13, 2008

La Bomba said: ↑

Yep. Ramos gets these players no one has heard of and makes them stars, like Alves. Tottenham fans should be exited this season.
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Exactly man.

England should have gotten him as a coach.

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One person's take on how the Spurs became awful and why they'll be great again

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One person's take on how the Spurs became awful and why they'll be great again

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cpawfan Monsters do exist

CelticKing The Green Monster

La Bomba The Future

cpawfan Monsters do exist

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cpawfan Monsters do exist

CelticKing The Green Monster

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