Tottenham 2-1 Inter

--------------------Cerny--------------------
--Routledge--Dawson--Davenport--A.Ekotto--
--------Tainio---Huddlestone---Davids--------
--------------------Keane--------------------
-------------Berbatov-----Defoe-------------

Goals
Spurs: Tainio (36, 79)
Inter: Martins (43)

Spurs: Cerny (Fulop, 46), Routledge, Assou-Ekotto, Huddlestone (Ghaly, 62), Dawson, Davenport, Tainio, Davids, Keane (Murphy, 82), Berbatov, Defoe (Ziegler, 72). Subs: Gardner, Barnard, Ifil.

Inter Milan: Toldo, Cordoba, Maicon, Zanetti, Stankovic, Samuel, Pizarro, Cesar (Choutos, 82), Marino (Solari, 46), Dacourt, Martins. Subs: Carini, Slavkovski, Bonucci, Fautario, Belajd, Andreolli.

Highlights link:
1st half http://www.megaupload.com/dk/?d=VGTT5K3S
2nd half http://www.megaupload.com/dk/?d=MX9T6QE8

The showpiece clash of preseason against Inter Milan ended in another Spurs victory courtesy of two Teemu Tainio goals; one a fortunate deflection off Inter's Marino, and the other a superb left foot curler following a run which began with an interception in his own half. The Finn remains a popular figure amongst fans for his all action game and because he supported the club as a young boy, but what is often overlooked is just how good a footballer he really is. Hopefully an increased goal output next season, as suggested against Inter, would help put that right. Equally comfortable playing off either foot, Tainio is a very technically capable player who combines intelligent movement and use of the ball with no shortage of aggression and work rate. He's also peculiarlarly good in the air for a player of his height, frequently winning headers against players to whom he must cede nearly a foot in height.

All eyes at White Hart Lane, certainly from a media standpoint, were searching for a potential successor to Michael Carrick. As expected, Tom Huddlestone's preseason form meant he once again assumed the role once occupied by Man Utd's new £18million midfielder. For those who know Huddlestone and his capabilities, including Martin Jol, this was not the nineteen year old's best game, which Jol attributed to fatigue following a busy preseason schedule. It's easy to forget, given his physical presence on the pitch, that Huddlestone is still young, and as I've made clear in the past, I believe that with the right coaching and opportunities to play and develop, he will become a top player. Perhaps even surpassing the player he will inevitably be compared to this season. As it was, Spurs fans had to content themselves with some neat passing and a couple of crunching tackles.

The new signings all acquitted themselves well on their White Hart Lane debuts, including the virtual new signing that is Hossam Ghaly. Despite gaining something of a cult following amongst fans, this was a first glimpse of Ghaly the player, and most will have been satisfied with his direct and energetic approach. Benoit Assou-Ekotto impressed again at leftback and looks as though he will have few problems adapting to the Premiership. Dimitar Berbatov looked sharp and continues to tick the boxes that many thought he would fail to, particularly in terms of aerial ability and work rate. It is also a joy to watch the kind of intelligent movement that has probably been lacking from Spurs strikers since the likes of Klinsmann, Lineker, etc.

In terms of the system, Jol made it pretty clear post-match that he wants to have this 4-3-1-2 option at his disposal. Personally, I hope he decides that for it to work properly he needs a genuine 'number 10' in the hole rather than Robbie Keane filling in. The Irishman simply isn't at his best playing from there, and there were a number of occasions where the role required him to play from deeper positions and he managed to break the flow of moves by dwelling on the ball. That is the Keane of two years ago that I had hoped we had seen the last of.

Whilst the components of the three man central midfield may need refining (Davids for example looked out of sorts) there is no doubting that it works extremely well in terms of controlling the middle third. Mourinho, in my opinion, is right when he says that eventually every team in England will be forced to play this way, so as to avoid being dominated by teams that do play that way, and for our players to have the familiarity with this mode of play will benefit Spurs in the long term. Personally, I'd prefer to see a system that managed to incorporate that central triumvirate AND two wide players, but since that would probably mean omitting both Keane and Defoe, I can't see it happening too often in the medium term.

This weekend also saw the first appearance of Didier Zokora in a Spurs shirt as a Spurs XI beat Cambridge City 2-0. Aaron Lennon completed ninety minutes and Lee Young-Pyo gave a timely reminder of why he will go into the season as first choice leftback, despite the best efforts Assou-Ekotto with a goal and man of the match performance. Andy Barcham scored the other goal and Jamie O'Hara put in an impressive performance in midfield.

Carrick off for big bucks

The club has confirmed what everyone knew was coming, Michael Carrick will be a Manchester United player next season. A fee has been agreed, likely to be in the region of £17million once future clauses are taken into account, and Carrick will be unveiled at Old Trafford once personal terms and a medical are completed.


As one midfielder checks out, another checks in. Didier Zokora will make his first appearance in a Spurs shirt today when he joins, amongst others, Aaron Lennon and returning loanee Rodrigo Defendi in the Spurs XI team that takes on Cambridge City.

Squad: Forecast, Lee, Riley, Defendi, Lennon, Martin, Zokora, Daniels, Lewis, Davis, Hutton, Lake, O'Hara, Dawkins, Barcham.

Life after Carrick - Enter The Hudd

The usual Spurs ITK's are reporting that the club has agreed a fee with Manchester United for Michael Carrick, £14million up front rising to £18million with future clauses. United's own ITKs are apparently reporting the same and that The Independent will run the story tomorrow. A good price for a player who isn't fully committed to the cause and an immediate £10million+ profit. There have been some suggestions amongst the media and a section of Spurs fans that Carrick should be replaced; with Van Bommel and Gravesen amongst the touted names. Personally, I think the solution can and should be found from existing personnel. "Who" and "how" will be the questions facing Jol.

1. LIKE FOR LIKE

-------------Robinson-------------
Stalteri-----Dawson-----King-----Lee
Jenas--Huddlestone--Zokora
Lennon------------------------------------
-------------------------Keane
-----------Berbatov------------

Should Jol decide that he wants to persevere with a deep lying playmaker, then it is pretty clear that Tom Huddlestone is best suited to such duties. Huddlestone is, as far as I'm concerned, the biggest uncapped talent in England, by some distance. In fifteen years I have not seen another English player with his natural attributes, both physical and technical, never mind one at his age.

To base a team around Huddlestone as he did with Carrick would be a bold and commendable move by Jol, and build the team around him he must, since Huddlestone's defensive understanding of the game still requires much improvement. Therefore, it is necessary to 'protect' him, and would require a change of system. Specifically, Huddlestone needs mobile 'destroyers' covering him laterally since he lacks the same mobility that allowed Carrick to carry out regular holding duties such as covering the fullbacks and neutralising threats on the flanks.

Fortunately, Spurs are blessed with plenty of these kind of players who can play a little deeper alongside Huddlestone but have the athleticism to get forward and support the attack. Jenas and Zokora are the two obvious choices for this role, and also the most likely to be picked by Jol. Jenas is a favourite who always plays when fit and Zokora is a major summer signing and will expect to be in the side, and rightly so given his World Cup performances and the size of his transfer fee. Tainio (who I would personally choose alongside Zokora and Huddlestone), Davids and Ghaly are all suited to the role, and indeed have all played there this preseason.

Ahead of them, Berbatov leads the line with support from Keane and Lennon. To make it clear, Keane is not a winger in this system, but will have to be prepared to offer width by moving to the left flank so as not to ask too much from Lee Young-Pyo at leftback (a common problem last season). This system does require the fullbacks to get forward consistently to support attacks and provide width, countering the more defensive roles of the three central midfielders. Both Lee and Benoit Assou-Ekotto seem equipped for this, and whilst Stalteri (despite what his critics may argue) is competent going forward it may be necessary for Comolli to find a more obviously attacking fullback for the right side.

2. PURE ATHLETICISM

-------------Robinson-------------

Stalteri---Dawson---King---A.Ekotto
------------Jenas----Zokora------------
Lennon-----------------------Routledge
----------Berbatov-----Defoe---------

A common criticism of the team last season, and a real weakness in my eyes, was a lack of variation in tempo. Carrick, for all his strengths, tends to take time on the ball, assessing options, and if necessary waiting for an opening or the right movement to service the players ahead of him. Whilst this can be spectacular when he hits the right pass, it does mean the opposition is nearly always back and set, compressing the space. The contrast with teams such as Chelsea who base their whole attacking philosophy around quickly exploiting players out of position during the transitions could hardly be more obvious. Therefore, perhaps it's time to dispense with the deep-lying playmaker altogether.

Spurs, in my opinion, have plenty of players who are well suited to a high tempo game aswell as being good enough on the ball switch to a slower possession game. With Zokora and Jenas in the middle, there is no obvious ball player, but with two pacey ball carrying wide players ahead of them and good movement from the two strikers there is no need for anything beyond simple effective passing. The two strongest African teams in the World Cup, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, played in this kind of style, and the results were a joy to watch. With the recovery speeds of the players in such a line up, it would be both difficult for teams to exploit us during transitions and for them to neutralise our threat on the break.

The main problem with this system is the lack of a genuine ball carrying left winger/midfielder. I've gone for Routledge from the existing personnel, since he would at least be able to alternate with Lennon on the other flank. Given that fluidity and movement are the name of the game here, it isn't necessarily a major problem not to have a left footer on the left of midfield, since all of the attacking players should be interchanging anyway, although it does provide another means of attack. Assou-Ekotto's pace on the overlap could provide an answer.

It could be quite reasonably argued that Spurs simply don't have the right personnel, combining craft AND athleticism, to play this way as yet.

3. ADVANCED PLAYMAKER

-------------Robinson-------------
Stalteri-----Dawson-----King-----Lee

----Jenas---Zokora---Davids----
---------------Tainio---------------
---------Berbatov----Defoe---------

With Carrick's absence, another question is whether a similar ball playing midfielder could replace him, but in a more advanced position. Jol used a couple of systems with players occupying the 'hole' behind the forwards last season (usually Tainio), and this preseason has been deploying Keane there. Whilst Keane has some experience playing there, it is more common for him to be there as a striker coming back to make a midfield five, rather than in a playmaking role.

Theoretically, the player most suited to playing in the whole is Danny Murphy. He excelled there at the start of last season for Charlton, albeit playing with the extra security of a four man midfield. To compensate (since I don't belive Jol will play with a lone striker unless injuries force it) again athleticism is the order of the day in the three central midfielders. Whether Murphy can regain that form, or indeed make any significant contribution at Spurs, remains to be seen.

With specific wide players, the two strikers are expected to do a lot of work on the flanks to provide width. This shouldn't be a problem for Keane and Defoe, since it was something they were both asked to do on the left flank last season to compensate for the lack of an advancing left midfielder. The player in the hole, either Tainio or Murphy, dictates play in the final third, roaming to the flanks if neccessary, with support from either the central midfielders or advancing fullbacks.

Certainly can't be discounted as an option, particularly since Lennon won't be able to play every game this term following a shortened post-World Cup rest period. Whether Tainio or Murphy have the quality to consistently open up teams likely to sit deep against us is the obvious question mark over using this tactic.

Bishop's Stortford 1-8 Spurs XI

--------------Fulop----------------
----Ifil--Lee--Davenport--Ziegler----
-Lennon--Jenas--Murphy--O'Hara-
---------Barnard--Barcham---------

Goals Spurs: Barcham (18, 26), Ziegler (32), Lennon (42), Barnard (44), Dawkins (51, 57, 85)
B Stortford: Galitsios o.g. (53)

Bishop's Stortford: Squad: Hussey, Jones, Gwillim, Grainger, Goodacre, Champion, Howell, Porter, Morison, Midson, Fuller, Stewart, Taylor, Mason, Lockett, Gillman, Evans, Collis, Ward.

Spurs: Fulop, Ifil, Ziegler, Jenas (Dawkins, 46), Lee (Galitsios, 46), Davenport, Lennon (Maghoma, 46; Riley, 79), Barcham (Daniels, 61), Barnard, Murphy, O'Hara. Subs: Forecast, Riley.

A second half hat trick from Simon Dawkins, a fine goal from Aaron Lennon and a convincing performance from Reto Ziegler, were the main talking points from what was nominally a Development team outing (Clive Allen was in the dugout) against Conference South side Bishop's Stortford. With Jol, Hughton and new Youth Team coach Alex Inglethorpe (newly recruited from his management post at Exeter) all in attendance and the involvment of some First Team players the encounter was given an air of importance beyond the typical reserve team preseason friendly.

With Jenas and Lennon only just back in training and therefore given only a 45 minute run out and Danny Murphy showing his usual level of enthusiasm for reserve games, it was left to Ziegler to provide Jol with some food for thought. It was Ziegler's inability to adapt to the the leftback position during preseason last year that resulted in Jol sending him out on loan to Hamburg, reasoning that without the option of playing fullback Ziegler was unlikely to see much first team action at Spurs. If anything, Ziegler's path to the first team is even more cluttered now, but demonstrating the versatility which Frank Arnesen spoke of when he brought him to the club certainly won't do his chances of claiming a squad place next season any harm.

Conversely, trialist Georgios Galitsios, who played at rightback having come on at half time, probably won't have furthered his own case. The AE Larisa player's most meaningful contribution was to provide Bishop's Stortford with a consolation goal when he diverted a cross past Marton Fulop.

[credit DJ ZAC on COYS for information on tonight's match]

Georgios Galitsios on trial

A new name in the squad for the Spurs XI friendly against Bishop's Stortford tonight. Georgios Galitsios of AE Larisa in Greece is on trial at the club with a view to a permanent transfer. From the information I've managed to find, Galitsios is a rightback, not a position where Spurs are particularly well stocked, so this makes sense.

Georgios Galitsios
Club: AE Larisas
DOB: 06.07.1986
Age: 20
Height: 1.83m

Comments: "I really like him. He is only 19 and he’s one of the best right wingbacks of the championship. Yes I know we don’t have any good right wingbacks, but he is very young and he has amazed me in a lot of games. Obviously he needs work, he had his pants creamed in the game against Olympiakos, but still I think he is one of the players that have a lot of potential. Good cross by the way for a kid." [Greek football forum, best young players thread]

Squad for Bishop's Stortford: Fulop, Forecast, Ifil, Lee, Davenport, Ziegler, Riley, Lennon, Galitsios, Jenas, Murphy, Daniels, McKenna, O’Hara, Maghoma, Dawkins, Barnard, Barcham.

Notable returns for England World Cup squad members Lennon and Jenas. The Official site reports that Carrick misses out along with Robinson, Zokora and Lee who returned to training on Monday, despite previously reporting that Carrick had returned to training with Lennon and Jenas last Friday.

Stevenage 0-3 Tottenham

--------------Cerny----------------
Tainio--Dawson--King--AssouEkotto
----Ghaly--Huddlestone--Davids---
--------------Keane----------------
-------Berbatov------Defoe--------

Goals: Defoe (33, 87), Berbatov (80).

Stevenage Borough: Potter, Fuller, Nutter, Oliver (Goodliffe, 84), Gaia, Bulman (Henry, 50), Thorpe, Miller (Lewis, 84), Boyd (Hatton, 68), Dobson (Mackie, 68), Stamp (Nurse, 61). Subs: Julian, Osei, M Wright, Atieno, Gier, Binns, C Wright.

Spurs: Cerny, Tainio, Assou-Ekotto, Huddlestone, Dawson, King (O'Hara, 85), Ghaly (Routledge, 46), Davids, Berbatov (Barnard, 82), Keane (Ifil, 75), Defoe. Subs: Forecast, McKenna, Daniels.

Goals link: http://rapidshare.de/files/27079158/Stevenage_vs_Spurs.wmv

Another game, another makeshift rightback, this time Teemu Tainio, who gave further evidence of his versatility by making his first start in defence for Spurs. The system was much the same as the Birmingham friendly, with Huddlestone deployed as the ball playing holding midfielder, and Davids and Ghaly providing energy and protection either side. This for me is how Huddlestone can be incorporated into a Premiership side, despite his lack of experience and a certain defensive tactical naiveness. We have plenty of players (the aforementioned Ghaly and Davids, aswell as Tainio, Jenas, Zokora, etc.) who can play alongside him and provide fullback cover aswell as acting as twin 'destroyers', thus enabling Huddlestone to concentrate on sweeping up and breaking play centrally then getting on the ball and dictating, much like Pirlo does for Italy/Milan.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto continues to impress all who have seen him with his touch and pace down the left side, and could prove to be an excellent 'find' by Comolli (Assou-Ekotto was well known in France, but the only other English club who expressed an interest in him was Arsenal, who one would expect to be abreast of goings on in Ligue 1).

Two more goals for Defoe, who appears focussed and determined, not to mention fully committed to Spurs given his comments in the press after the game, talking up Spurs and trying to encourage Carrick to stay. I'm by no means Defoe's biggest fan, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and a few months without watching him play mean the memories of the flaws in his game have faded, and I'm once again optimistic of a positive season from him. Who says Spurs fans are fickle? He took his first goal very well, and like the whole Spurs team benefitted from the space that Stevenage offered them. His second was a debatable penalty and rounded off a 3-0 scoreline that was harsh on Stevenage 'keeper Danny Potter, who turned in what was by all accounts a career best performance.

The other goal was another penalty, won and converted by Dimitar Berbatov, and executed with the stuttered run up which will be familiar to Bundesliga watchers. Again impressive, Berbatov is already exceeding expectation that he is merely a Van Nistelrooy style goal-getter, with his team play, aerial prowess, work with his back to goal, and general technical ability.

Carrick uncertainty continues

Michael Carrick's future at Spurs is still uncertain, and threatens to be this week's 'drama' following on from the Damien Duff transfer saga of last week. As usual conflicting ITK reports, with some saying he has been offered a huge contract, and parity with the club's top earners Davids, King, etc. and others suggesting he has made his mind up to go and will refuse any new contract, regardless of the terms.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that any player who expresses a desire to leave is welcome to do so. The trick then comes in ensuring that as large a transfer as possible can be extracted from the buying club. Player departures are always inevitable and I'd rather focus on the players who DO want to be at the club, even if it damages the team in the short term. When fine margins rule football at the highest level, the difference, in the long term at least, that a player who isn't 100% committed to the cause can make cannot be discounted.