Actually, a tie benefits both teams. It qualifies Lazio, and all the Spurs must do is defeat Panathinaikos at home, which is not just probable but likely. So it's no wonder neither team is really trying to win it. It's all under control.
Except for the fact that Spurs are pretty lucky to get out this with a tie if they do - the Bale goal notwithstanding. Bale is a heck of a player.
What's clear with Spurs is the sum is not greater than its parts. That's the opposite of the better teams, where the sum is greater than its parts. This team is not playing up to its potential, nor has it for the most part of this season. It's more individual, solo acts not fitting within a greater concept. The greatest example of that is Bale who without a doubt has the talent to make his teammates better and create numerous opportunities for others and be a key part in a potent attack. However, we seem him look for his own more often than not, which does work sometimes, but isn't fitting into a greater team concept.
Even if Lazio won, Tottenham still makes the second round by defeating Panathinaikos at home. PS: Second-level tournaments shouldn't be played on a home-away group basis. Too many games, and with half the teams not really caring that much, it produces plenty of boring games. I prefer the format of the Sudamericana, where it's direct 1-on-1 elimination from the first round. Like this, with so many weak teams completing the groups (Maribor and Panathinaikos aren't stronger than mid-table MLS teams), the stronger teams have far too many chances to make it through, so they don't have to put much of an effort in half of their games.
I'm getting there as well. The last two times I have seen clint play this poorly: 1. brazil / Italy Confed Cup, 2. First year at Fulham. 'Arry was no great shakes at preparing a game plan, but he prepared the players and they responded and fought for him (he often made good instinctive in-game decisions, including a midfielder, dropping a forward, etc). Those late season drop-offs were likely due to exhaustion and eventually, no 'arry plan B. AvBoarus strikes again.
I noticed when Dempsey/Siggy were replaced with Defoe/Lennon, Lazio started to dominate possession and attacking chances. Coincidence ? And Yeah, I agree Dempsey still looks like he does not care. Except when he gets annoyed by the fouling.
Probably not coincidence. Defoe does not defend/pressure much and Lennon play so wide that he leaves space in the middle. I think that is one reason AVB like Demps for these sort of games - more playing not to lose than to win. I don't know how folks say Demps looks like he doesn't care. He was trying to fight through the double team all day. Yeah, he was trying to draw/get the call for fouls, but with all the fouls called on Lazio the first leg, that's not the worst strategy in the world, but Demps worked plenty hard out there. Spurs need to make better use of of the double team. I'm guessing Ade, by dropping in the hole a bit, was supposed to find space there to use - he just didn't. Clint was very well marked out of this game.
Deuce raps. Hip-hop culture, that has influenced him a lot, emphasizes keeping it cool. He does. That's why he may seem uninterested to those who don't know him. He keeps his body relaxed, but can react in a second. And he's doing a tactical job with the Spurs, a job that is not flashy at all, but he's doing it ok (not great, just ok). That's why the manager keeps playing him. He has his orders. I suspect scoring is not a priority, but just being a holding point in a certain position, and a permanent threat along the same line. AvB is not a bad coach, just kind of naive about the politics of a club. His plans need too many changes. And, truth be told, he lacks experience. Which means he can lose the locker room quick. I hope he's given some time, though. Spurs wasn't a good fit for him, either. He needs to bring more linking players to make things work better. Actually, the more short-passing based style that AvB liked with Porto is compleely unsuitable to Tottenham. They have never been the type to play that way. Bet he'll be gone soon. Shame. PS: Another player with a relaxed approach, who may seem lazy at times, is Kyle Beckerman. Also part of his cultural stuff, with the Rasta influence, where (like in hip-hop) taking it cool is seen as a plus.
I dunno - 9/10ths of the NBA and NFL "rap" and are "influenced by hip-hop culture" but most of them don't slink around with Demps body-language and hang dog look. It's more a Demps thing - he's just got this kind of droopy hang-dog face and body language. He looks like he wouldn't be out of place in a panel cartoon. It's just how he be.
As far as I can remember this is the way CD has always played. He looks for the foul, looks mad when he is taken down, get a free kick. He knows where the ball may go next and scores. He will score, but is that the best progress/development for any team?
His body language was not good today. The team has no identity. They looked like they wanted to play the passing game, but there was zero creativity. Sad.
And Dempsey gets most of the "blame" because he is not creating, never mind what the rest of team is doing or not doing.
He was as much the "forward forward" as he was the "in the hole" player today - at least when I was watching, which was from about 20 or so in. The creativity needs to come from Sigurd and the outside mids, as well as Ade and Demps. But Siggy is not that guy either. Dembele needs to get healthy.
No offense, but you have no idea what you're talking about. He was going up for header after header today and getting hacked on about 80% of them. I'd like to see you go up for a header time and time again knowing you're going to get an elbow in the ear. He also gave the ball away far, far too much today. I don't understand playing two center forwards, yet pumping no balls into the box. Why are they trying to play to feet with two target men?
Dempsey was showing a bit of frustration today not getting the ball. But the few times he got it he turned it over. His teammates don't trust him, but he hasn't done much to warrant it. He does draw fouls. And a point was not a bad result today.
WhoScored has him with 20 touches, 77% pass completion rate, 4 fouls, 1 tackle - overall score 6.1, the second lowest among the starting field players (Sigi is the worst at 6.0). http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/668002/Live Sky has no rating, Eurosport has him only behind Bale and Ade ... but it's rated by the fans.
Fans give him even a lower grade - "5.8", though the whole team is scored lower here and Clint comes off as their 5th best field starter ... which passed the eyeball test for me, since I thought Carroll was non-existent and the defense was, by and large, saved by Lloris and poor Lazio finishing. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/europa-league/2012-2013/lazio-tottenham-hotspur-519636.html
I'd go with middling/average. Bale, again, was most dangerou. Ade was tame, Siggy was his usual shrug. Carrol pass to Bale was very good. I actually thought Naughton, who I think has been off his game, was pretty good. Vert was not terrible, but the right side of Spurs in general was poor in defense. That sequence at around 60 when Lazio put the ball wide was truly shambolic. It just looked silly. I turned it off not long after Clint got subbed out so I didn't see Dembele. If he can get back to form it will do a lot for this club.
It is this kind of criticism that I can't understand. I didn't see any plays like this. I can only assume it was the time that Dempsey was back helping in the penalty box and the ball dropped to him. He dribbles out of the area towards the right-wing and is soon challenged by a Lazio player. He choices were: 1) Clear it down field... An almost certain turnover considering Adebayor was probably the only player down field 2) Turn around and back-pass... Almost certain to result in another Spurs player booting it down field 3) Try to beat the Lazio player... He tried and the Lazio player stopped it... The ball deflects wonderfully for Lazio and they are crossing back into the area quickly. I can understand nitpicking at Dempsey for not being able to beat the guy, but his decision making sure seems sounds to me!!
Dempsey looked poor and despite his cool demeanor he looked even more disinterested than usual. He got his wish - he got on a squad with CL potential (but that was with Harry in charge) but it is almost like he forgot that work is required to actually achieve goals .... what he did over the years at Fulham seems like ancient history this year. With Parker and Dembele back in the fold he will be riding the pine unless he does something special. Ade and Demps and Sigurdsson will all be sitting the bench and Defoe, Parker, Dembele, Bale, and Lennon will be playing. Frankly - between Modric gone and Parker out and AVB in charge - this team seems a shell of what it once was. I don't know how AVB achieved what he did in the past.
I understand being disappointed in Demps offensive contributions and ability to impose himself on the game, but he just did not look disinterested to me. He crashed the goal full force, sandwiched between two defenders on that nifty, but slightly misplayed cross, fought for headers all day. Of course still only tell part of the story, but it looked to me like Demps was battling constantly - and mixed up way more than Ade or even Siggy did. Maybe it was just me. I actually think Lazio keyed on him quite a bit, and smothered him pretty well. Maybe learned something from the first match where he "scored" (didn't they "score" 3 the first leg - pretty amazing they had 4 goals called back in 2 matches. ) I don't know that Parker and Dembele affect Demps straight up. He's been starting in place of Ade or Defoe when he starts. Ade is suspended, so Demps is likely to stay in the starter role. I wouldn't be shocked if AVB decides to go run-and-gun and leave Demps out but for the moment he seems to appreciate him, esp. in more defensive minded outings like this past game.
I've been watching him since he started with New England. The guy is not dogging it. There are legitimate criticisms of his play this season, but lack of effort is not one of them.