Tottenham always look better playing 4-4-2. This is more or less an indisputable fact. It’s been that way since before Harry Redknapp took over at the club and will likely remain that way for some time. If you need any evidence just look at the way Tottenham demolished Newcastle at the weekend using two strikers. It’s not merely that Spurs utilised two forwards and managed to win by a big margin (5 – 0) it’s also that their strikers were absolutely imperative to the win.
Both Emmanuel Adebayor and Louis Saha were magnificent and a four man midfield was more than enough to keep Newcastle at bay. Surely it’s time to make the relevant changes to this Tottenham side in order to keep up the kind of form they’ve been showcasing in recent weeks?
Though Harry may feel the need to place an extra body in midfield during big games, I can’t help but feel that Tottenham would be better served by having that extra firepower going forward.
Which makes me wonder about the future of Rafael van der Vaart. He hasn’t been at his best for a while now and if Tottenham are to play 4-4-2 more often, I’m not sure where he’d fit in. He’s not going to replace the likes of Scott Parker and Luka Modric in the centre of midfield and Spurs now have two-or-three decent strikers to choose from, so he wont get games upfront.
My main concern with Van der Vaart is that he has a tendency to slam the breaks on Tottenham’s often frenetic and fast-paced style of play. He likes to be at the very centre of every part of the game and thus has a frustrating tendency to drop back and collect the ball from in front of the defence. By the time he’s brought the ball up the pitch, the opponent has had a chance to get back into position and stifle Tottenham’s attack.
There must be a reason why he’s known to be a big-game player. Why is it that he has a tendency to perform against big clubs, but can’t always do it against teams lower down the table? Is it a question of motivation or of struggling to adapt to Tottenham’s system?
If it is a question of motivation, perhaps an extended period out on the sidelines will do him some good. He needs to learn that it’s up to him to perform every week, not just when it pleases him if he wants to keep his place.
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It’s not stupid, he has a point I think the problem with vdv is his discipline as he comes far to deep and leaves ade isolated up top.
Would be a real shame not to see Saha playing off ade again. Not seen VDV link up with a predator like that before. There have been plenty of games where we have dominated possession 60 or 70% and found it very difficult to score – and thats been with VDV in the side. There are a no. of factors here – yes VDV does slow down the pace, he doesn’t link up with any of our strikers like Ade/Saha did – but Ade seemed to be playing exceptionally out of his skin, so that might have made the diff? As amazing as Rafa is – and I’d pick him -almost- automatically, I do find him frustrating in the ways described in the article. I hope Rafa will not throw a tantrum if he gets subbed and we goSaha
if we go for 2 stikers up top – if we are struggling to score. Saying this article is rubbish is a bit harsh, although I think the criticism of VDV goes too far and ignores his goals and sheer skill. COYS!!!! bring on the arse.
Also have not seen predatory play as good as that for a looong time in a spurs shirt. Jermain is good but has probs staying on side and misses far too many. Saha if he can stay fit and reproduce that form is a mouthwatering prospect, if,if if – what a coup that would be for HR &DL!
If VDV plays its hard to see us dropping Ade – he’s so important holding up the ball and bringing others into play, yet we must at some point see if Saha can link with rafa – oh what a delicious conundrum.
VDV has been poor recently and does deserve to sit on the bench and be spanked but he always plays well against Arsenal so he has to start against them.
I think that if Tottenham keep scoring the way they are then they have to keep him, even if it is as a bench warmer that can make a difference. He is special (And this is coming from an Arsenal Fan)
VDV is quality. He scores plenty of goals and you are basing this on one performance. VDV could play at any top club in Europe so by saying he is not fit to play for us is an insult.
I disagree MOSTLY, but I think since his arrival last year, he and crouch worked well. But the season before, we scored roughly 20 goals more with crouch and defoe.
A really rubbish and time wasting article. And to make things worse, this stupid article will disrupt the harmony in the team. Obviously Van Der Vaart is a fantastic player and is always determined to win matches. And obviously, we have been doing so well all this while with him in the team. I am not saying that we must always play him in a 4-4-1-1 formation. In fact sometimes 4-4-2 is the formation to play. But we can not be playing 4-4-2 all the time against all teams, less we become too predictable.
Absolutely spot on article. Adebayor is left isolated whilst VDV wants to hold hands with King and Kaboul. We are at our best when we break at sides with pace. VdV let’s sides get back and re-organise. The other problem he has is he is so one footed. Modric, Hud, Kranjcar will all use their weaker foot when required. VDV either can’t or refuses to. Throw in his appalling fitness, and pace that makes the average garden slug look like usain bolt and what in all honesty can VDV offer this current spurs side. He’ll be gone by next season, thankfully. And don’t get me started on his appalling free kicks. The only time he shows any energy is when he rushes to take a free kick or corner, every one of which ends in the stands, wall or keepers stomach. He’s a media darling and a protected species and commentators still love to refer to him as a `set piece specialist’. GET RID
What is so good for Spurs is that they have options….effectively a squad deep enough to have no particular 1st XI. Because this is the case it comes down to who is fit, who has Harry picked, who are we playing and what do we need from the game….are we going out to win? When we have the answers to these questions we can pick the formation to fit the players available….not the othe way around. Thus against Liverpool we didn’t seriously go for a win settling early for a point….low risk 4 5 1 on that day. Even with VDV starting it could be 4 4 1, 4 5 1 or occasionally 4 4 2 with him right. He is a very useful player and Harry too astute to discard him…when fit.
Absolute Rubish.. ask every tottenham fan and your would get the same answer! Hes a fan Favourite down the lane.. and is the reason we got our first taste of champions league. if u look on wiki at his profile on there he has scored more goals for tottenham in less games than he did at real madrid, i think that is saying something about our team. he is one of the best finishers in the game i wouldnt sell him at all hes even said he wants to play the rest of his career at spurs. COYS!
I am a Tottenham fan, but partially agree with this article
What a load B******s! VDV is an amazing player. And we’ve made it to third without the dreaded 442. it has it’s place but to tie to one formation shows an utter lack of understanding football. Pardew said he made a mistake playing an attacking side. For once adebyore got off his lazy arse and tried. VDV Is always in the runnning for MOTM. Like any top team Spurs now have options. I love modderic but VDV could play that role Modders couldn’t play his. Stupid argument because both are outstanding players in their given positions. We drop points nowadays due to simple mistakes of judgement like BAE not kicking the ball out at City in the dying seconds. That will sort itself. It’s all good at spurs right now and some nobhead takes aim at one of our best! Idiot!
Excellent points by John White.
Saha & Adebayor looked good but as ever you need a few strings to your bow which this article totally ignores.
Wash your mouth out son.
who wouldnt want van the man, he scores goals, creates opportunities, puts more moral in the team and can adapt to any situation, hes a yid and he knows he is!!!!
Fucken oath cobber, this article is morals, what we need is to go with three big black men through the guts, get them under the pump, gun strikers, VDV just spends all game holding hands with Ledley who is sitting in his deck chair wearing a dinner jacket.
Strewth I haven’t seen football like this since I came to White Hart Lane in 1996 and watched a 3rd round league cup game vs Bolton, fucken oath we were fucken morals that day, that one game watched from a restricted view seat in the east stand has given me a fucken understanding of the game that fucken Cruyff, Sir Alex and Pep don’t have between ’em, the fucken Oz-ama wannabes, and I’ve taken what I learnt away and have implemented it into little Sanjay’s under 8s Kabbadi practice every other Saturday morning.
VDV is a showman with skills. Dont mind him being at THFC but he is an option no more.
We need them all! Kranky is playing out of his skin right now.