No clean sheets yet this season ?

[Gold7]

It's just dawned on me that we are yet to record a clean sheet this season after playing 5 games (6 if you include Doncaster) , whilst it hasn't contributed to a poor start quite the opposite in fact there is cause for concern I feel.

If we break it down I suppose you could say liverpool and man u are teams who are likely to score against any team so no problem there however in each of the other three games we have conceded from not great play from the other team but some not so clever play by our selves.

Man u put 3 past us last game and I have a fear that chels may do something similar. Even against the lesser side's it seems to be taking at least 2 goals to win . I just hope our good start doesn't evaporate because of a habit of conceding a goal every game.

I don't think its a big problem really but just don't want it to become a habit, after all we did have 10 clean sheets last season at home (a club record I believe ) so we know we're capable.

[GQCoolest]

Well, last year Spurs only let 10 goals in at home. This season, we've already let in 5 in 3 matches. That is certainly cause for concern. I think getting Woody back will be a massive help, because, if you'll notice, Hutton has been directly at fault for no less than 2 of the goals (Bowyer's & Rooney's). Once he is out of the picture (Sell him in January Arry!), I think we will improve, with the back 4 of Corluka, King/Bassong/Woody (pick 2), BAE.

The defense has certainly been shaky, each goal conceded has been more of a defensive lapse rather than a moment of quality, save Cole's wonderstrike and Giggs' FK, and even that should have been a FK not conceded by Wilson.

Gerrard Pen: Johnson allowed to waltz into penalty area by Hudd and Corluka, stupid foul by Gomes.

Hunt goal: Horrid marking, and Cudicini doesn't come for the ball

Cole Goal: Great strike, never thought he'd score that with his weaker foot.

Bowyer Goal: Hutton at fault, let's the ball bounce, poor communication with Cudicini

Giggs Goal: Great strike, wall did a poor job, bad FK given away by Palacios

Anderson Goal: Poor clearance by King, Anderson's first goal in the prem

Rooney Goal: Hutton turned in knots by Rooney. Excellent finisher finishes excellently.

[TURKISH]

We look so open its unreal, I think King needs to play left side when at cb and once woody/dawson comes back we should be alright. Every season is different but we don't look as strong as a unit like we once did last season. Bassong is still very much green, but king was the same at his age but JJ could help keeping a balanced side.

[Gino Ginelli]

Well the latter stages of last season saw a settled back four that really came to understand each other, along with Palacios and Jenas admirably pelting it about the midfield to cover them.

The start of this season has seen that disrupted with key injuries to Woody and JJ. Bassong at 22 and having just arrived still has much to learn in terms of defensive experience and working with our defenders. A few times we have been caught out due to a breakdown in communication or lack of understanding between the full backs and CB's. Bassong is certainly a canny defender, but the experience and ariel presence of Woody can't be matched.

And despite me preferring Huddlestones superb passing range, JJ offers pace and workrate when coupled with Palacios and can provide much better covering and tracking to help the defence out when under pressure. Huddlestone while massive has the poorer positional sense and is very easily turned for pace.

With the return of these two key players, plus Gomes (while Cudicini offers far better decision making and experience, Gomes physical prescence and understanding with the defenders counts for a lot), I would suggests that our defence becomes much less porous.

[berbzy 'G']

Well, last year Spurs only let 10 goals in at home. This season, we've already let in 5 in 3 matches. That is certainly cause for concern. I think getting Woody back will be a massive help, because, if you'll notice, Hutton has been directly at fault for no less than 2 of the goals (Bowyer's & Rooney's). Once he is out of the picture (Sell him in January Arry!), I think we will improve, with the back 4 of Corluka, King/Bassong/Woody (pick 2), BAE.

The defense has certainly been shaky, each goal conceded has been more of a defensive lapse rather than a moment of quality, save Cole's wonderstrike and Giggs' FK, and even that should have been a FK not conceded by Wilson.

Gerrard Pen: Johnson allowed to waltz into penalty area by Hudd and Corluka, stupid foul by Gomes.

Hunt goal: Horrid marking, and Cudicini doesn't come for the ball

Cole Goal: Great strike, never thought he'd score that with his weaker foot.

Bowyer Goal: Hutton at fault, let's the ball bounce, poor communication with Cudicini

Giggs Goal: Great strike, wall did a poor job, bad FK given away by Palacios

Anderson Goal: Poor clearance by King, Anderson's first goal in the prem

Rooney Goal: Hutton turned in knots by Rooney. Excellent finisher finishes excellently.

us keeping a clean sheet? We have always been awful for conceding lool.

[irishspur]

As long as we keep scoring freely this wont be much of a problem, however when the goals dry up, as they inevitably will at some point of the season, our defence will have to step up. Woody and dawson will bring great solidity imo.

[inthewoods]

I think its a problem. Look at the Manure game on Sat. If our defense and GK was stronger then we could have sneaked the game or even came away with a point. Conceding goals always cause problems even if your leading comfortably 2 or 3 nil. It shows a lack of concentration and a lax attitude. Our defense needs to sharpen up. Theres going to come a time when our forwards hit a dry spell then what are we going to do if we cant make it through a game without keeping a clean sheet?

[inthewoods]

As long as we keep scoring freely this wont be much of a problem, however when the goals dry up, as they inevitably will at some point of the season, our defence will have to step up. Woody and dawson will bring great solidity imo.

Irish minds think alike! lol

[irishspur]

Irish minds think alike! lol

Haha we know our footy alrite!

[choda]

Well the latter stages of last season saw a settled back four that really came to understand each other, along with Palacios and Jenas admirably pelting it about the midfield to cover them.

The start of this season has seen that disrupted with key injuries to Woody and JJ. Bassong at 22 and having just arrived still has much to learn in terms of defensive experience and working with our defenders. A few times we have been caught out due to a breakdown in communication or lack of understanding between the full backs and CB's. Bassong is certainly a canny defender, but the experience and ariel presence of Woody can't be matched.

And despite me preferring Huddlestones superb passing range, JJ offers pace and workrate when coupled with Palacios and can provide much better covering and tracking to help the defence out when under pressure. Huddlestone while massive has the poorer positional sense and is very easily turned for pace.

With the return of these two key players, plus Gomes (while Cudicini offers far better decision making and experience, Gomes physical prescence and understanding with the defenders counts for a lot), I would suggests that our defence becomes much less porous.

That's an incisive post imo. Huddlestone is a problem. The idealist in me wanted him to succeed but you'll notice all season I've aired my nagging doubts even when he was 'doing great'. I thought there were still major issues to be honest.

Of course there are issues with Jenas too and you won't score as many but I have to say retotting things up I think he is better and safer, at least against your top 10 or 12 in the prem because he covers spaces (doesn't this happen every year with JJ and Hudd?).

He doesn't make incisive telling tackles or show courage to dictate with his end of the build up, his influence is weak and lacking conviction, but he will shut down spaces that develop and that's one thing he does very well. A good stop gap I suppose and does come alive when he gets up the pitch and isn't in 'his' position (is it really his position? I think not).

And I think Gomes, a bit like Van Der Sar for United, has this knack of providing such a physical presence that it is just hard to get past them and defenders feel more solid with a huge athletic figure behind them imo.

Both of these things will make the biggest difference as far as I am concerned. I feel Bassong has taken a bit of flack for these things as well to be honest, but is slightly raw. Think he's an excellent player though and will get better and better.

If Huddlestone gets a lot of space then he will be deadly but he can also be awful when he gets closed down. I definitely have Jenas in the team for Chelsea and if he must insist on never playing Charlie in midfield then I'd probably pick Hudd and Palacios too in a three with the three midgets up in a christmas tree.

[berbzy 'G']

Haha we know our footy alrite!

*It's the cider kicking in*

[GQCoolest]

On the Giggs free kick, while Cudicini gave it a good effort, does anyonee else think that Gomes would have gotten across to save that one? Was very similar to the FK Giggs hit against us in last year's corresponding fixture, which Gomes saved in fantastic fashion.

[Gold7]

On the Giggs free kick, while Cudicini gave it a good effort, does anyonee else think that Gomes would have gotten across to save that one? Was very similar to the FK Giggs hit against us in last year's corresponding fixture, which Gomes saved in fantastic fashion.

yep agreed said exactly that in the match thread .

[SpursChina]

Not Cudicini's fault,but Gomes's height & agility would make that a saveable goal. But a reverse could happen in other different situations. Regardless, Gomes is preferred against Chelsea as I think he'll be really prepped up against the big teams if there are enough encouragement from the Spurs fans. Come on Spurs !!!

[deadleyledley]

one major flaw as to why we concede so many goals s that we give away too many silly free-kicks around our goal. our lack of ability in the air without daws and woody is not very helpful.

the keeper is a problem as gomes keeps getting injured and so cudi doesn't have time to get match practice and both make simple errors that can be dealt with like communication and coming out to catch the ball from crosses.

[choda]

one major flaw as to why we concede so many goals s that we give away too many silly free-kicks around our goal. our lack of ability in the air without daws and woody is not very helpful.

the keeper is a problem as gomes keeps getting injured and so cudi doesn't have time to get match practice and both make simple errors that can be dealt with like communication and coming out to catch the ball from crosses.

King and Bassong are excellent in the air, having Corluka, sometimes Hudd and Crouch is more big men as well. I wouldn't see that as a big problem, all our centre backs are good in the air. I think we could do with Gomes being back and replacing Hudd against the better teams as he is too easy to cut open.

Plus, it has to be considered that we are playing an attacking game this year, we are going to concede more but hopefully score a lot more and that looks likely with all the talent we have going forward.

[Shelfside]

King and Bassong are excellent in the air, having Corluka, sometimes Hudd and Crouch is more big men as well. I wouldn't see that as a big problem, all our centre backs are good in the air. I think we could do with Gomes being back and replacing Hudd against the better teams as he is too easy to cut open.

Plus, it has to be considered that we are playing an attacking game this year, we are going to concede more but hopefully score a lot more and that looks likely with all the talent we have going forward.

That may well be the case that we are playing more attacking football this year but no team can rely on scoring more than they let in as their basis for success.
When we have our regular CB's playing again and also when Bassong has developed an understanding with both of them,there should be an improvement.But so far most of the goals we have let in have been the result of sloppy defending by us.

[Rojoknapp]

That may well be the case that we are playing more attacking football this year but no team can rely on scoring more than they let in as their basis for success.
When we have our regular CB's playing again and also when Bassong has developed an understanding with both of them,there should be an improvement.But so far most of the goals we have let in have been the result of sloppy defending by us.

Sounds like a pretty good recipe for success if you ask me :001_smile:

[Shelfside]

Sounds like a pretty good recipe for success if you ask me :001_smile:

Ok smartarse :tongue: let me rephrase that.No team can hope for success if every week they have to try and score four because they've let in three.A sound defence that lets in a minimum amount of goals is the starting point of which all successful teams are founded upon.

[Gold7]

i reckon had we had Gomes in goal for both west ham and man u games west ham would not have scored that goal and neither would giggs have scored that free kick at such a convenient time (just before half time).
why i say convenient time is that people may say that conceding that one goal didn't lose us the game but in my opinion it does , its the timing of the goal which is crucial had we held on till half time then harry gets to reshape the team and give out new instructions but conceding the goal just puts the other team on a high and they can't wait to come out for the second half.
on the other hand you save that goal and you hold on for twenty mins of second half, they get frustrated and who knows ?

[Rojoknapp]

Ok smartarse :tongue: let me rephrase that.No team can hope for success if every week they have to try and score four because they've let in three.A sound defence that lets in a minimum amount of goals is the starting point of which all successful teams are founded upon.

I gotcha mate, just couldn't resist :tongue_smilie:

It's true though - Defences win championships. Just look at United last year - a ridiculous amount of 1-0 wins. And Chelsea under Mourinho.