Jenas for England!

[Phillystile]

again he's named in England squad...yet he never seems to get any action. His natural position seems to be attacking central midfielder...yet that puts him in conflict with Gerrard/Lampard in the central attacking role, Hargreaves and Carrick seem to be picked over him for games because of the need for a defensive central player, and Downing/SWP/Lennon are more benificial in the other attacking midfielder roles.

So why is he always named in the squad though he never seems to play?

[sendorange]

Because he can play well in all three of those roles.

[tapper]

I would think also that it has to do with people seeing him still as "one for the future". I just hope he lives up to that still.

[ox utd]

After today's and the performance against Bolton, How about "Jenas for Liechtenstein". :eek:

[Danners9]

It makes it more annoying because he CAN do it, yet he doesn't.

[LedleybetterthanSol]

Headcase

[DigitalTron]

Many young players have spurts of good play intermixed with being lost or invisible. Problem with Jenas is that he's been playing Premiership soccer for many years now ... and he's still looking like that promising 17 year old kid. He just never seems to put it all together for more than a game or two in a row. There is a point where you stop labelling it potential and start labelling it inconsistency. I think Jenas is at that point. :(

The reason he keeps getting picked, is because no country, save possibly Brazil, has a full complement of players who are skillful enough to make a big impact on the international scene. Jenas has that type of ability when he's on form ... so the manager will always include him in hopes that he finally starts showing that day in and day out. But, with players like Lennon, Walcott, Routledge, Huddlestone, etc., eventually the manager will gamble on other players to fill the bench behind the Rooney's and Gerrards. Jenas still has that chance ... but he's by no means certain to stay there if he continues his erratic form.

Honestly, by the 20th minute if Jenas doesn't look to have stamped his mark on the game, I'd say pull him out. Why waste another 70 minutes when someone else might change the game for the better? Jenas can be a very good player ... but those games that he is we usually can tell pretty clearly by the 20th minute mark. Dunno if it's lack of confidence, severe case of frustration, lacksidaisical attitude, or something else. But, whatever it is, he definitely is Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. In both of our losses, he was very much Mr. Hyde. We weren't solid enough in midfield, leading to a lot of space whenever the opposing teams kept the ball away from Davids. Eventually, soft goals.

-Digital

[By-Tor]

Scott Parker deserves a place on the England team more than Jenas.

[Skizz]

Scott Parker is nothing more than a money grabbing turd burglar - did he genuinely think he was going to be first choice when he moved to Chelsea?

Anyway, Lampard and Gerrard can't play together in midfield as it is. Hargreaves has been earmarked for the other midfield berth while Gerrard sort of drifts out to the left - I think Jenas would probably be best fulfilling Hargreaves role.

[The Double]

After today's and the performance against Bolton, How about "Jenas for Liechtenstein". :eek:

From: Liechtenstein FA
To: Ox Utd
RE: Jenas

We're quite sorted at the "asshole who does nothing in a season except come up with the odd goal" position, thank you very much.

[ox utd]

From: Liechtenstein FA
To: Ox Utd
RE: Jenas

We're quite sorted at the "asshole who does nothing in a season except come up with the odd goal" position, thank you very much.
:D :D

[TheBigBoy]

To tell you the truth I think it was a bit of a mistak taking him ti the WC. Not that he's not talented enoguh but cause ngland had plaenty of cover for CM. SGN could've taken Bent or Defoe (oreferably Bent, played more scored more) instead

[Spur_Forever]

Might just be me, but I think the lad has improved a tad since last season.

Everyone (including myself) who's ever watched Jenas play over a period of time has had the same comments: plenty of ability, speed and potential, but oh so inconsistent. Though true, those comments don't say much about what's really wrong. But I think I've finally managed to put my finger on it. The problem is (was?) his work ethic. Not in terms of how hard he works in training, etc, but rather in terms of his approach to the game, i.e. how hard he works for the team.

What frustrated me more than anything last season was how how he managed to disappear in the middle of important games. His "disappearing act" became almost as famous as his sporadic goals from midfield. Whenever we were being outplayed, he would neither fight to get the ball back, nor go out of his way to make himself open and available. Now Jenas is hardly the only talented Spurs player to have had this fault (a certain Mr. Ginola comes to mind immediately). But he is certainly the only "box to box" midfielder to have it.

Now call me crazy, but despite the sub-par performances against Everton and Bolton, he didn't seem to pull his "disappearing act." At least not more than the rest of the team, anyways... Maybe it's only wishful thinking, but it seems to me like the energetic styles of Davids and Tainio have rubbed off on him a little. Even in the two performances mentioned above, he stayed visible, always asked for the ball, tackled back to regain posession, and ran at the opposing defenses when he had the ball (even when Jol played him at right-back).

If he can keep it up, that would be a huge improvement in itself. The next five games or so should show whether or not I'm right...

[Danners9]

To tell you the truth I think it was a bit of a mistak taking him ti the WC. Not that he's not talented enoguh but cause ngland had plaenty of cover for CM. SGN could've taken Bent or Defoe (oreferably Bent, played more scored more) instead

Done to death i'm afraid.

Most people agree the squad selection was rubbish.

[tapper]

Might just be me, but I think the lad has improved a tad since last season.

Everyone (including myself) who's ever watched Jenas play over a period of time has had the same comments: plenty of ability, speed and potential, but oh so inconsistent. Though true, those comments don't say much about what's really wrong. But I think I've finally managed to put my finger on it. The problem is (was?) his work ethic. Not in terms of how hard he works in training, etc, but rather in terms of his approach to the game, i.e. how hard he works for the team.

What frustrated me more than anything last season was how how he managed to disappear in the middle of important games. His "disappearing act" became almost as famous as his sporadic goals from midfield. Whenever we were being outplayed, he would neither fight to get the ball back, nor go out of his way to make himself open and available. Now Jenas is hardly the only talented Spurs player to have had this fault (a certain Mr. Ginola comes to mind immediately). But he is certainly the only "box to box" midfielder to have it.

Now call me crazy, but despite the sub-par performances against Everton and Bolton, he didn't seem to pull his "disappearing act." At least not more than the rest of the team, anyways... Maybe it's only wishful thinking, but it seems to me like the energetic styles of Davids and Tainio have rubbed off on him a little. Even in the two performances mentioned above, he stayed visible, always asked for the ball, tackled back to regain posession, and ran at the opposing defenses when he had the ball (even when Jol played him at right-back).

If he can keep it up, that would be a huge improvement in itself. The next five games or so should show whether or not I'm right...
I do think Jenas' reputation causes people to look for him when things are going poorly. He did not play well. Looked unwilling to run into spaces to make himself availible. But in playing poorly, it didn't really distinguish him from the rest of the side.

He's a handy scapegoat. But its not a Stalteri-esque situation like those occurances last season when we could honestly say that we had the points won until he made some late mistake that cost us dearly. I mean, if Jenas had played to his potential, we still would have lost because nobody else was really playing well either.

At least, its not that way yet. Jenas more drives you crazy because you look at the things that he CAN do, and then at the things he DOES do, and they almost never match up. But at the moment, that's the story of the entire squad...save for maybe Assou-Ekotto and Lee. Hopefully they get things sorted over the international break and pick up a missing piece or two before Sept 1.

[thebigman]

imo, murphy would be picked over jenas for me if hes on as good form as he was last season before he was bought and not really used

hes so much more creative and creates more than jenas scores

[Mort09]

Jenas is not good enough for spurs let alone england.
I have absolutely no idea why he went to the world cup, luckily for him Walcott was there too and took away all the unwanted attention that would otherwise surely have been aimed at Jenas.
I'd much prefer Huddlestone, Zokora, Murphy, Malbranque or Baptista etc instead of Jenas who is lazy, overpaid and overrated. He simply does not have the composure or passing ability to make it at this level.

[Spur_Forever]

Might just be me, but I think the lad has improved a tad since last season.

Everyone (including myself) who's ever watched Jenas play over a period of time has had the same comments: plenty of ability, speed and potential, but oh so inconsistent. Though true, those comments don't say much about what's really wrong. But I think I've finally managed to put my finger on it. The problem is (was?) his work ethic. Not in terms of how hard he works in training, etc, but rather in terms of his approach to the game, i.e. how hard he works for the team.

What frustrated me more than anything last season was how how he managed to disappear in the middle of important games. His "disappearing act" became almost as famous as his sporadic goals from midfield. Whenever we were being outplayed, he would neither fight to get the ball back, nor go out of his way to make himself open and available. Now Jenas is hardly the only talented Spurs player to have had this fault (a certain Mr. Ginola comes to mind immediately). But he is certainly the only "box to box" midfielder to have it.

Now call me crazy, but despite the sub-par performances against Everton and Bolton, he didn't seem to pull his "disappearing act." At least not more than the rest of the team, anyways... Maybe it's only wishful thinking, but it seems to me like the energetic styles of Davids and Tainio have rubbed off on him a little. Even in the two performances mentioned above, he stayed visible, always asked for the ball, tackled back to regain posession, and ran at the opposing defenses when he had the ball (even when Jol played him at right-back).

If he can keep it up, that would be a huge improvement in itself. The next five games or so should show whether or not I'm right...
Well, it's been a couple of games since I made this comment, and I think that my central premise is correct, i.e. Jenas is working harder for the team this season. This was his main failing in past years and the source of his inconsistency.

Though he didn't set the game alight against ManU, he was no worse than the rest of the midfield. Obviously, he did well in Prague, and now has 2 goals in 5 games. Not bad for a midfielder (especially when you consider that we didn't even manage to score in 3 of the 5 games). With Lennon out, he'll be starting on the right, instead of his preferred central position. But he has already said that he's willing to play wherever for the team. If he can perform against Fulham, this could be the beginning of the end for his "inconsistent" tag.

[DigitalTron]

I hold out hope for Jenas. IF he becomes consistent, then he's the type of player I tend to like. He plays both offense and defense, has the physical speed plus the willingness to get stuck in, and doesn't shirk his defensive duties. All that, plus he can score from midfield and dribble a bit too. But, I haven't seen that consistency.

I rated him quite low for the Bolton and Everton games. Looking at the whole game, I saw him making a ton of defensive mistakes, and I just didn't see him contribute offensively at all. I agree that he wasn't the only one, but IMHO, he was a waste of space in both games.

Dunno why it is. My theory (not even sure if it's more than a guess at this point really :D) is that maybe he's easily frustrated. It seems when he's playing poorly he knows it, and he seems to be his own harshest critic (hard to believe with us around I know). So, when he starts out flat, or misses a set piece early on, etc., he tends to self-destruct. His reading of the game tends to suffer. He doesn't make runs, doesn't give the ball back for give-and-goes, and generally loses his focus on the game. I half wonder how he would do if he had some hippie trainer on hand to calm him down.

Just imagine it ... HippieTrainer (HT): "Yeah maaaaaan, you're karma is like .... all outa whack .... you're aura is going all red maaaan. What you need to do is center yourself .... come meditate with me for a few minutes during halftime maaaan, and let's get you're aura back to it's natural golden glow."

Jol: Edfak;sdl DFjdfas;palsdfudsklst!!!! WERAsavdpa sdfalsdkfajs;dlr!!! KRELSDWF EWFWASADFSDF!!!!

Jenas: You're right coach! I'm frikking up! I suck! Dangit, I'm more frustrated than ever now!

HippieTrainer: "Ummm ... yeah ... just ignore what the screaming man is saying JJ ... come with me to a different place in you're mind. Imagine a cool waterfall crashing into a warm pool. Imagine<Houghten interrupts to get the players out for the second half>"

Jenas: "Thanks HippieTrainer, I think you helped a little; now get out of my way, I'm late for my getting stuck in party."

After the game.

Jenas: "Yeah, coach gave me a pep talk at half time, that's why I scored the goal.:

UK Tabloids: "Psycho ex-con shrink running Tottenham. Jol nothing more than a figurehead."

OK, on second thought ... maybe it's not such a good idea. :D

-Digital