August 31, 201014 yr Sorry but there's np way he's as good as Gerrard LOL (or was at his peak...) He's a good player, but far too inconsistent. On his day he is very good, but he just has far too many off days imo. He's a good signing, but he's been signed purely for the Champions League imo. Gerrard has got 80 in 366 VDV has got 92 in 249
August 31, 201014 yr The only problem I have with him is that he's slightly injury prone. Otherwise another great bargain from 'arry, this really was last minute as well especially as 'arry said himself on SSN a couple of hours before he wasn't going for anyone. @Craig: Do you really think Defoe will work on his own at front? :blink: If you're talking about playing someone alone upfront that would be Crouch, personally I'd go with having two especially as Spurs have one of the best choices for strikers in the league.
August 31, 201014 yr The only problem I have with him is that he's slightly injury prone. Otherwise another great bargain from 'arry, this really was last minute as well especially as 'arry said himself on SSN a couple of hours before he wasn't going for anyone. @Craig: Do you really think Defoe will work on his own at front? :blink: If you're talking about playing someone alone upfront that would be Crouch, personally I'd go with having two especially as Spurs have one of the best choices for strikers in the league. Yeah I just picked Defoe at random as he is our leading scorer, Crouch would be more effective for sure But Harry has been looking for a 4-5-1 system playing a diamond formation that Venables used to but hasn't had the right pieces of the jigsaw to do it, now he has.
August 31, 201014 yr Dundee United (Signed - Scott Severin) (Sold - Damien Casalinovo, Franciesco Sandaza and Jennison Myrie Williams) Not that my team are a massive club 8-)
August 31, 201014 yr Author Gerrard has got 80 in 366 VDV has got 92 in 249 Gerrard has only been used as an attacking midfielder for the past 2 seasons... Craig there is no way i'm ever going to admit that Van Der Vaart is a better player than Gerrard LOL, if you asked anyone who they would rather have in their team over the two it would be Gerrard every time... VDV is good, and like I say £8m is a v.good price. But i'd have gone for Gomez or Diego if I was looking for an attacking midfielder/striker.
September 1, 201014 yr I love Van Der Vaart, has been one of my favourite players in the world for years now. Really excited to see him in the Premiership (despite who he's signed for!), he should be a key man for Spurs. Yeah he didn't do it at Madrid because of all the competition, and he's not an automatic starter for Holland either with Sneijder normally taking up his position in the team, but he's still a top player and if Spurs can build their line-up around him I feel they are in for another very good season. The only problem is that it's likely to limit Niko Kranjcar's opportunities further at the club, and i'm a big fan of him aswell, but the season is long so I should think everyone will get a chance. DMC - Huddlestone (can he play DMC?, if not Palacios or the new lad Sandro is an option) RM - Lennon LM - Modric (Bale dropping back to LB) AMC - Van Der Vaart CF - Crouch CF - Defoe Looks quality to me, can always go 4-4-1-1 if needed, drop one of the strikers and either push Bale back into midfield and move Modric inside or bring in a more defensive minded player like Palacios.
September 1, 201014 yr I love Van Der Vaart, has been one of my favourite players in the world for years now. Really excited to see him in the Premiership (despite who he's signed for!), he should be a key man for Spurs. Yeah he didn't do it at Madrid because of all the competition, and he's not an automatic starter for Holland either with Sneijder normally taking up his position in the team, but he's still a top player and if Spurs can build their line-up around him I feel they are in for another very good season. The only problem is that it's likely to limit Niko Kranjcar's opportunities further at the club, and i'm a big fan of him aswell, but the season is long so I should think everyone will get a chance. DMC - Huddlestone (can he play DMC?, if not Palacios or the new lad Sandro is an option) RM - Lennon LM - Modric (Bale dropping back to LB) AMC - Van Der Vaart CF - Crouch CF - Defoe Looks quality to me, can always go 4-4-1-1 if needed, drop one of the strikers and either push Bale back into midfield and move Modric inside or bring in a more defensive minded player like Palacios. I don't get this "didn't do it in Madrid" bit According to Opta stats he created a goalscoring chance every 31 mins and 29 secs at Real, that is 2nd only to Fabregas in FIVE European leagues, that is impressive by anyone's standards, he was anything but a flop, even saw off Wesley Sneijder who many see as the best midfielder in the world.
September 1, 201014 yr Gerrard has only been used as an attacking midfielder for the past 2 seasons... .... and hasn't played half of his career in the Dutch League.
September 1, 201014 yr .... and hasn't played half of his career in the Dutch League. You seem very dismissive of the Dutch League That league has produced the likes of Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Johan Cruyff, Marco Van Basten, Wesley Sneidjer, Arjen Robeen and of course Van Der Vaart
September 1, 201014 yr And that has what to do with the quality of the league? At what age did all of those move to a stronger league?
September 1, 201014 yr And that has what to do with the quality of the league? At what age did all of those move to a stronger league? Van Basten - 5 years Van Nistelrooy - 7 years Davids - 5 years Sneijder - 5 years Robben - 4 years None of their reputations are tarnished by spending long time in Dutch league, they all spent that number of years at a Dutch club before moving elsewhere so if their careers are not tarnished by playing years in Holland nor can VDV's
September 1, 201014 yr You seem very dismissive of the Dutch League That league has produced the likes of Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Johan Cruyff, Marco Van Basten, Wesley Sneidjer, Arjen Robeen and of course Van Der Vaart I'll destroy that league with 2 words - Afonso Alves :lol: Good luck Mido, you might score at least 3 goals now!
September 1, 201014 yr I'll destroy that league with 2 words - Afonso Alves :lol: Good luck Mido, you might score at least 3 goals now! There are successes and failures in every league :P Look at Adebayor's stats in France, Shevchenko's in England, Henry's in Italy, Roque Santa Cruz's in Germany The odd example of a player from the Dutch league being $h!t elsewhere can be replicated in every league Adebayor 2003–2006 Monaco 79 (18) 2006–2009 Arsenal 104 (46) 2009– Manchester City 28 (14) Henry 1999 Juventus 16 (3) 1999–2007 Arsenal 254 (174) Santa Cruz 1999–2007 Bayern Munich 155 (31) 2007–2009 Blackburn Rovers 57 (23) Just 3 examples ;)
September 1, 201014 yr But they're all major, difficult leagues and players do struggle to adapt. Strikers who can't get a good ratio in the Dutch league don't often get a chance elsewhere. Just look at the records for people like Kuyt and Kalou. Fantastic in the Dutch league but they're never going to get the same in England or Italy, certainly not on a consistant basis. If Gerrard had spent as long as VdV in a poor league he'd have scored more goals too. As for Santa Cruz, I'd say his one good season at Blackburn was the anomoly, not the five seasons with Bayern.
September 1, 201014 yr But they're all major, difficult leagues and players do struggle to adapt. Strikers who can't get a good ratio in the Dutch league don't often get a chance elsewhere. Just look at the records for people like Kuyt and Kalou. Fantastic in the Dutch league but they're never going to get the same in England or Italy, certainly not on a consistant basis. If Gerrard had spent as long as VdV in a poor league he'd have scored more goals too. As for Santa Cruz, I'd say his one good season at Blackburn was the anomoly, not the five seasons with Bayern. Kuyt is a fantastic player but was totally used badly by Rafa, usually played out of position, Kalou is a decent player but underused by Chelsea, most of the time I see him he is on the bench. I don't think the Dutch league is an amazing league, it is not as strong as England, Spain, Italy and probably not Germany but I would say it is the next highest
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