Great article on our injuries and praise for AVB...

[Snarfalicious]

It has largely slipped under the radar that Tottenham Hotspur have played virtually the whole season so far without their No1 central defender and their player of the year from the last time out. They have also missed their first-choice left-back for all but three matches, their playmaker for eight and their most dynamic attacker for the past three.

André Villas-Boas, the manager, deserves credit for not banging on about the absentees as he has handled a transitional period in his new job and kept the club up where they want to be, in the Premier League's top four. But the appearance of Scott Parker, Tottenham's player of last season, as a late substitute in Sunday's 1-0 home win over Swansea Citysignalled a timely return of the cavalry.


Benoît Assou-Ekotto, the left-back who has not played since 1 September, has resumed full training after a knee problem and should be in contention for Saturday's visit of Stoke City, as should Gareth Bale, who felt his hamstring at the start of the month. Younès Kaboul, the club's best centre-half last season, has not played since the opening-day defeat at Newcastle United because of a knee injury that required surgery but he, too, is close to a comeback. Michael Dawson, the reserve central defender, is expected to be available for Stoke after hamstring trouble.

The picture is one of intense competition for places and of a squad ready to make a significant push. After Stoke, Tottenham travel to Aston Villa and Sunderland before they entertain Reading on New Year's Day.

"Scott Parker's return is very important," said Mousa Dembélé, the midfielder, who missed five weeks from mid-October with a hip problem but is now back to form and fitness. "He's a very organised guy, very professional and he is an unbelievable player as well. It's good for the team that there are a lot of rivals because it makes everybody sharp. I know that if I play one bad game, then Jake Livermore, Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone and Tom Carroll are behind me. And, of course, there is Sandro, too. So we have to keep playing and that keeps the level high in this team."

Before Swansea, Parker's last game was for England against Italy in the Euro 2012 quarter-final on 24 June; he has been frustrated by a complicated achilles injury. It will be intriguing, though, to see how or if Villas-Boas accommodates him in the starting XI, given the strength and balance of Dembélé's partnership with Sandro.

Tottenham missed Dembélé when he was out – they lost four of five league matches without him – and it is highly unlikely that Villas-Boas would drop him. One option would be to play him further forward as a No10, although Dembélé, the August signing from Fulham, has grown into the deeper-lying role and the responsibility of compensating for the departure of Luka Modric to Real Madrid.

"Martin Jol tried me in more of a midfield role at Fulham last season and as I can attack and also defend a bit, I prefer this position," Dembélé said. "I like to see a lot of the ball and, in this position, I do. Before I came to Tottenham, I was a big fan of Luka Modric – for me, he was one of the best in England – but I am a totally different player so I don't feel I have to do exactly what he did. I just try my best to be as important as he was."

The one cloud on the injury front for Villas-Boas was the ankle and hamstring damage that Emmanuel Adebayor suffered against Swansea. The squad is short on strikers and although Adebayor's injuries are not serious and he has said that he will not go with Togo to the Africa Cup of Nations that begins next month because of a pay dispute, Villas-Boas will scrutinise the January market for fresh blood up front.

The Portuguese wants to strengthen and he heard an endorsement from within his squad for a potential target, the Ajax and Denmark attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen. "Technically, he's one of the best players I've played with," said the defender Jan Vertonghen, who joined Tottenham from Ajax in the summer. "He's left- and right-footed, and is always fit. He's a good player and a good player can play here."

Villas-Boas, though, has been boosted most noticeably by his sparsely populated treatment room. "People don't seem to value the situation we've been through," he said. "Younès has missed so much time … Gareth, Dembélé, Parker, Assou-Ekotto and then Rafa [Van der Vaart] and Modric [who were sold]. These players all played an important role last season. But the players coming back from injuries is a major, major bonus for us."

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/17/tottenham-scott-parker-injury-list?

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Probably the most balanced and factually correct article I've read on AVB and Spurs this season.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Probably the most balanced and factually correct article I've read on AVB and Spurs this season.

It's refreshing when an article reflects that the person writing it actually has a clue as to what's going on with a club.

It's also nice to see actual quotes and not just some twists of words and misconstruing statements to reflect some sort of drama.

 

[PT]

Begs the question whether Levy will offer funds to spend big this winter, given that the squad will need trimming before spending in the first instance.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Begs the question whether Levy will offer funds to spend big this winter, given that the squad will need trimming before spending in the first instance.

We're actually pretty fortunate that Redknapp got the QPR job. We could possibly loan out Livermore and sell another to him (if he's interested).

 

[panoma]

Avb gotten so much stick from the media and our own supporters this season, yet he not once tried to hide behind injuries, suspensions etch. I like him more and more, allthough i was happy with his appointment right from the start and about time he get some praise.

 

[marvel]

Shame it still feels like he is always one loss away from being called a clown from all corners of the media. What makes it worse is Rodgers' apparent free-pass from the media. Imagine the chaos if we got beat 3-1 at home to struggling Villa. It's nice to see the appearance of more balanced articles like this but I feel he won't truly turn the media round until we actually finish 4th or win something, if at all.

 

[Spurger King]

Interesting reading Dembele's comments on his midfield role. Since he joined I was under the impression that he had been moved to that position by Jol due to a lack of options, and that Dembele himself would probably prefer to play further forward.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Interesting reading Dembele's comments on his midfield role. Since he joined I was under the impression that he had been moved to that position by Jol due to a lack of options, and that Dembele himself would probably prefer to play further forward.

He probably just loves the feeling of continually abusing midfielders/defenders across the whole pitch.

 

[Mr Pink]

Interesting reading Dembele's comments on his midfield role. Since he joined I was under the impression that he had been moved to that position by Jol due to a lack of options, and that Dembele himself would probably prefer to play further forward.

I've always argued that he's better deeper, getting the balance of offense and defensive ability out of him...not surprised he thinks the same.

 

[gibbospurs]

Avb gotten so much stick from the media and our own supporters this season, yet he not once tried to hide behind injuries, suspensions etch. Like him more and more, allthough i was happy with his appointment right from the start and about time he get some praise.

until we lose the next match and everyone will be on his back in here.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Whatever our individual and collective grumbles about facets of our performances this season, AVB's really had his hands tied by injuries to some key personnel on top of losing our most important two players.

 

[Harry_Snatch]

The squad is very strong when you consider the guys that have been out and are returning. On of Siggy or Dempsey needs to come good though. Dempsey has played his best games in behind Defoe but they are both taking up a squad place in a position we could really do with signing a genuinely top class player.

 

[ShelfSide18]

I've always argued that he's better deeper, getting the balance of offense and defensive ability out of him...not surprised he thinks the same.

I do too, having watched him quite closely now. I think it's wrong to say he's just a dribbler, he's just very good at taking the ball past opponents and advancing from deep with the ball at speed creating 2 on 1s all over the pitch - it's great at picking apart opposition shape.

But people don't seem to be quite getting how many passes the guy gets through too, yesterday against Swansea he made the most passes 73/81 which is impressive going and the better we get as a group, and I hope a progression to a more proactive stylle under AVB similar to yesterday then he will great in either a 4-3-3 or in the deeper 2 in a 4-2-3-1. I don't think he's quite got the craft or ingenuity (and even goal threat) to make the no10 position his own and it may even detract from his ability to carry the ball forward at speed as part of it's effectiveness is that it is coming from deep - defenders hate that. He also has the bonus of being excellent n a defensive sense too - all in all a very, very good signing.

 

[thinktank]

Best article I've read this season.

 

[Shadydan]

I think the media are starting to take AVB seriously now, of course there will always be a couple of sentationalist articles here and there but I generally get the impression that they've bigger fish to fry namely Benitez.

 

[Mr Pink]

I do too, having watched him quite closely now. I think it's wrong to say he's just a dribbler, he's just very good at taking the ball past opponents and advancing from deep with the ball at speed creating 2 on 1s all over the pitch - it's great at picking apart opposition shape.

But people don't seem to be quite getting how many passes the guy gets through too, yesterday against Swansea he made the most passes 73/81 which is impressive going and the better we get as a group, and I hope a progression to a more proactive stylle under AVB similar to yesterday then he will great in either a 4-3-3 or in the deeper 2 in a 4-2-3-1. I don't think he's quite got the craft or ingenuity (and even goal threat) to make the no10 position his own and it may even detract from his ability to carry the ball forward at speed as part of it's effectiveness is that it is coming from deep - defenders hate that. He also has the bonus of being excellent n a defensive sense too - all in all a very, very good signing.

Couldn't agree more Shelfie, precisely the way I see it to.

 

[Jaffer99]

I do too, having watched him quite closely now. I think it's wrong to say he's just a dribbler, he's just very good at taking the ball past opponents and advancing from deep with the ball at speed creating 2 on 1s all over the pitch - it's great at picking apart opposition shape.

But people don't seem to be quite getting how many passes the guy gets through too, yesterday against Swansea he made the most passes 73/81 which is impressive going and the better we get as a group, and I hope a progression to a more proactive stylle under AVB similar to yesterday then he will great in either a 4-3-3 or in the deeper 2 in a 4-2-3-1. I don't think he's quite got the craft or ingenuity (and even goal threat) to make the no10 position his own and it may even detract from his ability to carry the ball forward at speed as part of it's effectiveness is that it is coming from deep - defenders hate that. He also has the bonus of being excellent n a defensive sense too - all in all a very, very good signing.

I Think for 15 mill, he was a sip, very underrated player....

 

[paige09]

really don't remember Dembele being on our radar for very long when we signed him but he's been integral in our game.

Don't really see him as a 10 as he often looks for the pass first and looks hesitant to shoot. His goal in his first game was sensational though.

And if anybody can enlighten me as this is my 2nd year following Spurs (and football) and first year on a board but I just remember being a little uncomfortable when Kaboul started. King and Dawson pairing was when I was at peace of mind although it didn't happen very often.

 

[nicdic]

really don't remember Dembele being on our radar for very long when we signed him but he's been integral in our game.

Don't really see him as a 10 as he often looks for the pass first and looks hesitant to shoot. His goal in his first game was sensational though.

And if anybody can enlighten me as this is my 2nd year following Spurs (and football) and first year on a board but I just remember being a little uncomfortable when Kaboul started. King and Dawson pairing was when I was at peace of mind although it didn't happen very often.

Last season Kaboul was head and shoulders above everyone. It was a travesty that Parker was voted player of the season ahead of him. Kaboul was rightly first choice centre back.