Tottenham were the laughing stock of the weekend as a result of their 6-0 drubbing from Manchester City on Sunday, but rather than the players taking the stick it seems to be Andre Villas-Boas who has taken most of it. I don’t agree with the abuse the Portuguese coach has received, so here are three players that I think he should drop for the club’s next league outing – a home clash with Manchester United.
1) Michael Dawson
The centre-back reminded us why he has taken so much flak against City with a really poor display. He was given the run around by Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo and never looked settled in what he was doing.
Negredo’s first touch for his stunner left Dawson dazed.
2) Sandro
Although the Brazilian is a firm fan favourite and has turned in some sterling performances this season, he needs to be dropped as a result of an embarrassing display this weekend. He was run all over the place by the likes of Yaya Toure and even scored an own goal.
3) Erik Lamela
Although the former Roma man has been looking sharper than ever recently, his efforts against City were appalling. His crossing was poor, his positioning was questionable and he looked as though he didn’t want to be there. Although that’s understandable.
DAWSON IVE BEEN SAYING FOR A LON TIME IS OUT OF HIS DEPTH.A GREAT GUY ,BUT NOT A TOP NOTCH PLAYER.SANDRO MAN OF THE MATCH MANY TIMES.HAS ONE BAD GAME AND PEOPLE WANT TO SHAFT HIM.THE ITALIAN THE JURYS OUT.CANT SPEAK ENLISH A MAJOR HANDICAP.GIVE HIM TIME THEN DECIDE HOW GOOD HE IS.
Lamela was the only one going forward trying to dribble and create something. Taking him out now would be a disaster for his career and for Tottenham.
the author clearly never watched the game…and Lamela is Argentine ot Itaian…other than that SPOT ON..drop Sandro our BEST PLAYER…he got booked early which made his job twice as hard…he scored an own goal because he was the only player defending..
You can't drop players on the strength or one poor game. Sandro is a beast and had a bad one – doesn't deserve dropping. Lamela needs time and was arguably the best of a bad bunch on Sunday
Sandro was one of the better players. He wasn't helped by Paulinho going AWOL and getting an early yellow card.
Sandro is the first name on the team sheet for me.
Lamela is only going to get better by playing more minutes. He clearly has the talent, he just needs confidence and a few more muscles.
Either Dawson needs to be dropped or our tactics need to change to stop us leaving him so exposed. He is perfect for a defence that sits deeper and hits teams on the counter. He is not suited to AVB's style.
Agree re Dawson, but you're way off re Sandro and Lamella.
Sandro was overrun because no-one else turned up!
Paulinho had a shocker (and should not have been playing after two full internationals and a transatlantic flight) and as for Holtby….
Lamella should be played on the right, where he made his mark for Roma.
Adapting to the Prem is very hard – Modric was awful for over a year, Drogba ditto for Chelsea.
Expectations for this year have been wildly overblown – the only player I really think might be a bust is Soldado, but even hen, he is getting zero service.
That's the problem with football, you've got people like this saying AVB is clueless…
Drop Sandro?
just wow.
Youre a total idiot. Drop Sando and Lamela our two half decent players on Sunday.
I would drop Paulinho. The guy needs a rest.
Youre a total idiot. Drop Sando and Lamela our two half decent players on Sunday.
I would drop Paulinho. The guy needs a rest.
AgreedDawson isnt up to it…Sandro is and will always be first on the team sheet. Paulinho is too layed back and complacent(things cos he plays for Brazil he only needs to turn up ???)Lamela just needs minutes.,. Get a left back quick and go to 4 4 2 with wingers playing as wingers and we will be ok.. Inverted wingers cramps the game and thats not the Spurs way. Bomb down the wing and get a cross in..SO SIMPLE
Lennon is not as sharp as he used to be and should be dropped instead of Lamela on the right wing who is progressing instead of Lennon who is declining. Townsend should fill Bale's boots on the left wing and be ordered to cross the ball on his strongest foot to give the strikers to latch on to. Notice I said Strikers, because Defoe should play infront of Soldado, they would link up a bit like Saurez does with Sturridge. If Townsend decides to keep shooting and not letting our strikers do their job then Chadli on the left. Sandro is a good defensive midfielder but he is very one dimensional and always runs the risk of getting sent off, while Eriksen is out, our formation should be switched to 4-1-3-1-1 if he wants to beat United, with Lloris in goal, Walker RB, Chiriches CB, Vertonghen CB, Naughton LB, Capoue Holding M, Pauliniho CM, Townsend LM, Lamela RM, Soldado CF, Defoe ST. Subs to used. Dembele for Capoue or Pauliniho, Chadli for Townsend, Sigurdsson for Lamela or Soldado. This team is well balanced with no body playing out of position or on a weaker foot, it has a world class keeper, calm,quick defenders, fast full backs, a beast of a defensive midfielder protecting the back four allowing Pauliniho to link up with Soldado more, Quick, tricky wingers providing ball after ball to two strikers instead of one isolated player who needs service.
“Sandro was given the run around by Toure” – really? I forgot Toure was playing – as notd by Souness and Hoddle.. Sandro was shackled by an early yellow card and lack of help from a poor back 4 and lack of cohesion in his midfield partners. And he still managed a decent shift.
Lamella isn't going to get many crosses in on the basis that AVB likes to play with inverted wingers (ie: playing the opposite flank to cut in and shoot rather than get wide and cross).
Dawson – ok I will give you that one. If he was too slow and not good enough to play the highline at the start of the season, then quite why he is suddenly deemed good enough to be a regular starter and club captain is beyond me.
How does Paulinho constantly get a pass for doing nothing? And why does the team's only leader (Dawson) get slated when it was Kaboul who was atrocious? Terrible article.
Agree with all the comments – Dawson was poor, not quick enough anymore. Sandro didn't deserve his early booking but was still tackling and hounding – best of our defensive unit, Lamela was best of our attackers, where were Paulinho and Holtby – both went AWOL for much of their time on the pitch which is why the were replaced.
You clearly no nothing about football. I also suggest you get a set of spectacles. Sandro was the only player to come out with any credit from Sunday. Lamela, well how you can judge the guy after a few games is beyond me. If you were in charge on this basis you would have sold Bale when he was shit. Daws, yes is now showing his age but again dropping someone who is going to be needed for the next fight is naive. I suggest you watch Coronation Street instead
What a terrible article from a spurs fan – you either didn't see the match, or you saw it but you weren't watching! Lamela and Sandro were our best players on Sunday! It's not just what you do on the ball, it's what you do off the ball too – I suggest that when spurs lose the ball, don't watch what the opposition do, watch what our players do – look who it was that was closing the Man C players down up to the final whistle – Lamela!
The obvious players to drop are Holtby and Paulinho (particularly Paulinho – he's way off the pace)
And, may I add, a major issue as to why we're not doing so well is the lose of D Rose – vertonghen is not a LB but he is a world class CB, and we need him in that position. He will consistently be shown up by wingers with pace, and he can't get back quickly enough if we lose posession higher up the pitch – We desperately need L Shaw to push Rose for the place.