Will keeping adel out the side...

[Shania]

Taarabt has a great deal of talent, but he is quite poor at team play. For now, Taarabt needs to be given a very specific role and he needs to adhere to it; if he will not or cannot perform the role(s) assigned to him, he should not be played.

I think we may finally be on the verge of finding our winning combination of players and strategy. Our team's terrible performance this season has certainly not been due to lack of talent, we have many talented (and proven) players for most positions on the team, the problem is that for whatever reason these players have not been functioning as a working unit throughout the season. The problem has not yet been completely identified, nor its solution.

Taarabt is indeed a big part of the problem, because he was so central to the team that consistently failed. This is why I think it would be a good idea to not start him next week, perhaps not until we have actually found our winning formula. Once we know what combination and formation actually works, Taarabt could be put back into the starting lineup in a role that he could perform.

The same goes for Mackie, although he has less to offer than Taarabt in the talent department, he has been a regular fixture in the starting lineup that did not work. In my opinion he should be played as a sub, his workrate may prove important in some games.

Spot on.

[Busheyboy]

Taarabt has a great deal of talent, but he is quite poor at team play. For now, Taarabt needs to be given a very specific role and he needs to adhere to it; if he will not or cannot perform the role(s) assigned to him, he should not be played.

I think we may finally be on the verge of finding our winning combination of players and strategy. Our team's terrible performance this season has certainly not been due to lack of talent, we have many talented (and proven) players for most positions on the team, the problem is that for whatever reason these players have not been functioning as a working unit throughout the season. The problem has not yet been completely identified, nor its solution.

Taarabt is indeed a big part of the problem, because he was so central to the team that consistently failed. This is why I think it would be a good idea to not start him next week, perhaps not until we have actually found our winning formula. Once we know what combination and formation actually works, Taarabt could be put back into the starting lineup in a role that he could perform.

The same goes for Mackie, although he has less to offer than Taarabt in the talent department, he has been a regular fixture in the starting lineup that did not work. In my opinion he should be played as a sub, his workrate may prove important in some games.

I agree with your post.
Taraabt is one of the most gifted players we've seen and that's a big compliment following Marsh, Bowles, Francis, Currie, Byrne, Stainrod, Wegerle, etc but his productivity is poor in the PL. 6 goals in nearly 2 seasons, shocking corners, poor free kicks, not passing when he should and throwing the odd wobbly. His skills are not going to get us out of it.
Love his talent and tricks but time to do something different, we're at the last chance saloon
keep the same team next week, if all fit

[terry ball]

The fact you think he has played 27 games for us just proved my point that you probably dont even watch the games.

He has played 21 games.

How pedantic. 2 match winning moments in 21 then. Gareth bale watch out

[terry ball]

Memories are short. His contribution was massive to the side who went up as champions, but ironically under Warnock he had far more freedom.

Think about the role he is sometimes asked to play. If you use him as the sole out from a deep back line then of course he is going to find life difficult because you can predict that play. Harry has always found it hard to place him but there is a way forward.

Adel ended up as 9 at Chelsea and he troubled them from start to finish, if you play Mackie and Remy on either side he is the obvious candidate to go in the middle. 4-3-3 going forward playing to space instead of a static hold up merchant. I'm convinced that is our best bet given the task ahead. Harry's main problem is that although we've improved at the back, I still don't think he is 100% sure of how to set us up going forward and that is now the key issue.

In a nutshell he is far and away our most gifted player and the fact that the penny hasn't dropped despite the evidence is worrying.

You make some valid points and I don't disagree with the fact he is our most gifted player. The only evidence that is obvious to see is that we are bottom of the league, scored the fewest amount of goals. Playing adel and mackie hasn't worked and now it's time for the final roll of the dice. Hoilett looked hungry yesterday and never stopped working. The ball he played into remy was superbly weighted and if he can produce that kind of form regularly then he's a better all round option than tarrabt.

[Marshy]

How pedantic. 2 match winning moments in 21 then. Gareth bale watch out

Actually, Tottenham failed to win in the first 25 matches Gareth Bale played in...

[Norths]

Actually, Tottenham failed to win in the first 25 matches Gareth Bale played in...

When he was 17 and playing at left back.

[Marshy]

When he was 17 and playing at left back.

In a team full of stars.

(Not to mention Bale made his competitive debut for Spurs when he was 18.)

[Norths]

In a team full of stars.

They had a pretty bang average side back then, certainly not as good as the one they currently have.

[terry ball]

Actually, Tottenham failed to win in the first 25 matches Gareth Bale played in...

Great point mate and well researched. The only downfall to that argument is that it's not Adels first 21 matches. My point was that Gareth bale influences every game, not just now and again. A proper talent and not a show pony

[Norths]

Great point mate and well researched. The only downfall to that argument is that it's not Adels first 21 matches. My point was that Gareth bale influences every game, not just now and again. A proper talent and not a show pony

Well said Terry.

Bale is a very rare talent.

[Marshy]

They had a pretty bang average side back then, certainly not as good as the one they currently have.

Average?

You consider

Modric
Pavlyunchenko
Keane
Lennon
Corluka

to be average? Cool!

Plus, he was 18 when he signed for Spurs, so don't know where you get your 17 year old from.

[Marshy]

Great point mate and well researched. The only downfall to that argument is that it's not Adels first 21 matches. My point was that Gareth bale influences every game, not just now and again. A proper talent and not a show pony

It wasn't well researched. Bale made his competitive Spurs debut when he was 18.

[Norths]

Average?

You consider

Modric
Pavlyunchenko
Keane
Lennon
Corluka

to be average? Cool!

Plus, he was 18 when he signed for Spurs, so don't know where you get your 17 year old from.

A whole year out, wow!!!

Modric wasnt even there in Bales first season ffs.

Lennon was young and inconsistent, Pav and Corluka yes i do consider to be bang average. Keane was good but doesnt make the team anything above average.

[Norths]

Just googled and found this:

It could have been so different had Bale not ignored Manchester United's interest to move to London when he departed Southampton as a 17-year-old in May 2007.

A quick check of his wiki page shows he turned 18 in july of that same year.

So Marshy, you gonna correct your own 'lies' for a change...

[Marshy]

A whole year out, wow!!!

Modric wasnt even there in Bales first season ffs.

Lennon was young and inconsistent, Pav and Corluka yes i do consider to be bang average. Keane was good but doesnt make the team anything above average.

Bale only played 8 games in the PL the season before Modric signed. He then played 16 games with Modric in the side, without winning.

And if you think that Spurs team was not a top 6 side, you clearly did not watch PL football in those seasons.