The Texan Gets His Spurs: Dempsey at Tottenham [R]

Oh go jump in your ford pinto or whatever it is you were saving up to impress the ladies with and drive back to the FJ thread.

You freaken love me.

 

Um, they have a new coach- so the style is whatever style the new coach has implemented.

None of us are privy to those conversations, although you certainly act as if you are
by using the 'we'.

What evidence do you have that Dempsey has been unable to 'keep up the pace?'
This is a red herring.

 

His style at Porto was similar to what I assume Spurs will be going forward which was up tempo. Porto had flying wingers in Hulk and Varela and a 3 man midfield with a deep lying play-maker, box-to-box midfielder and destroyer. Chelsea because of the squad he inherited he could never implement a similar system. Since coming to Spurs beyond signing Dempsey who plays in the hole the signings have been in a similar tactical outlook to Porto. Also with the players on the squad it sort of determines how we'll play.

I've supported Spurs my whole life, so I say we sometimes. Someone mentioned this once before, I never heard anyone reference this outside of the Yanks abroad section. Do you guys not support clubs or do you just follow American players? Everywhere I go and see fans of the club say 'we' when talking about their club.

Just looking at him the first to matches he seems off the pace and out of sync, he has to adapt to be successful. Others think that Spurs should adapt to Dempsey's tempo but we've played this way for awhile now and got production from his role.

AVB tactically isn't radically different to Redknapp's approach. The difference is how detailed the plan is and involved he gets implementing that strategy. He's said he doesn't want to tweak the lineup that much, but I think if he had his way we'd be playing a 4-5-1, which is a little different from his 4-3-3 with inverted wingers at Porto.

 

Writer's cramp, I'm guessing.

 

You say 'Spurs' as if every player is one and the same. They are a collection of players that have different attributes. On all teams, players adapt to each other.

Regarding AVB, you are looking in a rear-view mirror to understand the future. Good way to get into car crash logic.

 

True but Dempsey shouldn't expect the whole squad to adapt to his style of play. That's not going to happen and if he can't adapt he might have problems. Sigurdsson is in the process of doing the same thing coming from Swansea where the tempo is a little slower. Dempsey has to come more to the pack rather than the pack come to him.

At least I'm basing my assertions off something substantive. Given AVB's history he would like to play a certain way but due to transfer failings and players already on the squad he's going to play a little different.

The one thing that's pretty obvious is the pace we'll play at the athletes we have like Bale, Lennon, Dembele, Sandro, Walker, etc.

 

Sure. But I won't miss you!

 

SoCalYid, If Dempsey comes up on hard times at Spurs, we are going to take it out on you!

 

I've thought the same thing. If Bradley and Demps both end up sitting SCY will need to sockpuppet!

 

Is there a good chance of Dempsey starting today or at least getting a good amount of playing time?

 

no

 

It is only a chance. The chance is neither inherently good or bad. The chance, in itself is benign. Only Clint himself can define it's goodness or badness.

 

Sounds like Bale will again be at LB which bodes well for Dempsey but badly for Spurs.

 

So... where does Dempsey fit in this scheme ? AvB has to adjust his "ideal tactics", perhaps permanently, accommodate Dempsey's attributes ?

 

If Bale starts at LB again it will confirm that AVB is a moron especially if Valencia is playing RB. Caulker and Verty are capable in the back.
------------------sandro-----------------
Lennon-------Dembele--------Bale----
----------------dempsey-----------
------------------Defoe---------------

This gives them essentially 5 in midfield to clog passing lanes. My bet is Sigi starts instead of Clint. A battle between ManU's forwards and the Spurs midfield. More than likely, Kagawa diagonal balls into the box are the difference.

 

Seriously, what are you talking about? Bale is the only player on Spurs who is arguably better than Dempsey. Dempsey had hardly played in months, so it takes time to work out the kinks. Its as if you think the entire Spurs team is better than Dempsey or he is some incoming freshman joining a fraternity at Spurs.

Sigurdsson is a much younger player, who had only played in the Premiership for half a season.

 

This did not work well the last time Bale played LB (with Dempsey at LW). Have they worked out the kinks in order to try it again or would they put a different player at LW?

 

Seems to be quite a few Spurs fans who wonder if Dempsey is good enough to be on the team in the first place and/or is a poor fit. Dempsey's performance thus far has been less than impressive but that could simply mean lack of pre-season. Dempsey will have to get used to playing at a higher tempo/make quicker decisions than what he needed to do at Fulham; can he do it ?

 

Why will he have to make quicker decisions? Are Spurs opponents faster and quicker thinking than Fulham's were?

I'm fairly appreciative of SoCalYid's and other's measured, almost eyeore-ish pessimism in regard Demps, given that he is the current Elder Jesus of American Soccer, but the US plays a fast game, Fulham was not the Craven Over 50's Club. Lennon and Bale are fast, sure, but Spurs do not play hopeful balls over the top that Demps has to beat 21 years old CD's on the sprint. Lennon will cut back three times, stand up, juke again before he crosses 80% of the time - Bale as well. Demps has been in a midfield or withdrawn position - he needs to be slightly trailing the ball 3/4 of the time anyway.

The speed of the EPL did not change because Demps took a subway ride. If Demp's speed of thought was quick enough to score against EPL backs at Fulham, what makes Spurs different? That one makes no sense to me.

 

Well said.

Now onto the show. Tottenham can nick a point today and they are level with the pack, and making statement that they are in hunt for Champions League this season, and will be well positioned to make it happen.

 

Bale and Lennon not team players? Ypu can have Defoe as he is selfish, but Lennon and Bale are most defintely teamm players.

Let's e honest too, if we cast as critical eye over Dempsey as is being cast on the other Spurs players here, he would not come off well at all in his last 3 games.

I think Dempsey's big problem is that for years he's been allowed to play a very free role at Fulham, but now he's moved to Spurs he's been asked to play a much more constrained role. It's something he's just going to have to learn to do though.

 

This is overdoing it. Against Roma, Dempsey did as well as anyone. Against Swansea last week he was ok, some players looked worse. The coach doesn't care about the Cup match as much (they never do), especially if you win.

We don't know what AVB has told Dempsey about his role or what AVB has told other Spurs teammates about their new role and the style AVB wants to impose. There are assumptions here by you and other posters as to what Spurs 'style' is. Memo: There is a new sheriff/manager in town and we are JUST learning about his style. Last week, he had Bale at LB, etc.

Those who think they know Spurs, and think certain things are cast in stone need to get with the program since we don't know what is said in the locker room, what AVB has in store for Dempsey, what AVB has told to the rest of the team (outside Dempsey) about how he wants them to play. Way, way too many assumptions here about team knowledge and expertise when history will deceive as much as provide the right answers here. The long-time Tottenham fan doesn't really have an advantage in figuring this out any better than you are I. In fact, the longtime Tottenham fan will err in thinking certain things remain the same (when AVB may
be changing them as we speak).

As far as free ranging/Dempsey- I guess you weren't around when Dempsey played for Hodgson, eh? Nobody is 'free ranging' in Hodgson's systems.

 

Which was enforced by injuries to Assou Ekotto & Naughton.

 

@SpursOfficial
Our starting team today is: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen, Sandro, Dembele, Dempsey, Lennon, Bale and Defoe #COYS

Bale LM by the looks of it.