Tag Archives: gerrard

Will Joe Cole tip the balance?

Posted by on July 21, 2010 7 comments

Joe ColeA few days ago, I wrote an article discussing the online betting for next season’s Premier League title. I found it puzzling that Liverpool were a significantly shorter price than Tottenham going on last season’s form, coupled with the uncertainty surrounding the future of their star players. Gerrard was to be joining Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid and Torres was also allegedly keen to move, that is if anyone is brave enough to risk millions of pounds on a player that looks to have serious issues if his World Cup performances are anything to go by.

I genuinely thought Joe Cole would end up at Tottenham this summer. If the internet and newspapers are to believed, Spurs offer of wages was the lowest of his suitors, and significantly lower than those Liverpool where willing to pay. The way I see it, Liverpool were willing to pay over the odds for a player like Joe Cole as a statement of intent. They are not in the Champions League currently, have appointed a very talented but arguably low profile manager and looked like a club in serious regression last season. Cole’s signing not only shows they are still able to attract players of world class

All this being said, I don’t think it’s the end of the world that Spurs missed out on Cole. We already have a wealth of talent in midfield and paying 100k a week or more for a player in his late 20s who has a very poor injury record probably wasn’t the right move for us in hindsight. I think he was a lot more important for Liverpool than he was for Tottenham.

Do I think Cole’s move to Liverpool will propel them to mount a challenge for the Premier League title this coming season? Not a chance. Do I think he will tip the balance in their favour over Spurs where the battle for a top 4 spot is concerned? I doubt it, but I fully expect them to be better than last season. The only problem for them is, Spurs will be too!

Have the bookies made an error?

Posted by on July 16, 2010 25 comments

LedleyI was having a look at the betting for next season’s Premier League today and although the bookies normally aren’t far wrong, I feel the prices are a little off the mark. While I don’t for a second expect Tottenham to be winning the league, I am confused as to how they can be 40/1 shots with Man City as short as 9/2 and Liverpool as short as 11/1.

Man City’s spending power is phenomenal and they have added some serious talent to their squad this summer with the likes of Boateng, Toure and Silva joining an already excellent group of players. The problem for them is I don’t see Mancini as the man to get these players to gel or control their egos and settle the unrest when their start to the campaign isn’t as phenomenal as everyone is expecting. I think they could well end up in a similar position to last season.

Are Liverpool suddenly going to be a successful side under Roy Hodgson? They looked awful at times last season and it’s going to take them time to rebuild. Torres appears to be in a very bad way if the world cup is anything to go by. Carragher isn’t half the player he was a few years ago and Gerrard turns it on when he’s in the mood. This is assuming Torres and Gerrard are staying.

Now onto the 40/1 outsiders! Admittedly, one good season does not a great club make, but there is just as much reason to believe we can continue our progression under Harry Redknapp as there is we will resume the battle for 7th and 8th place. I don’t feel like last season was a fluke. Our home form has been solid for a number of years now and we have finally mastered the art of picking up points on the road. The possibility of a Champions League campaign will test the squad, but we have the strength in depth now to be able to change the personnel from game to game and still be a force in the Premiership.

The betting for the top 4 sees us 6th best behind Chelsea, Utd, City, Arsenal and Liverpool. I seem to remember us being given a similar chance at the start of last season. History has a habit of repeating itself…

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves but…

Posted by on August 17, 2009 7 comments

That was one of the most impressive Tottenham performances I have seen for many a year. I’m not saying everything about the play was perfect but the way we kept our heads after the penalty was exceptional. In previous seasons, we would have gone on to lose the game.

There are no two ways about it, Liverpool were completely outplayed. If Robbie Keane had been at all clinical in front of goal, the game would have been over by half time. It wasn’t a Liverpool team at their best but it was their best team. Torres couldn’t cope with Ledley and Gerrard had no answers either.

It was beginning to feel like on of those days when Tottenham were squandering chance after chance but then came Beniot Assou-Ekotto’s strike straight out of the top drawer. I didn’t rate him at all a few months ago but Harry has transformed Ekotto into a very good player. If he can add a few goals this season he’ll be invaluable.

Wilson Palacios is fast becoming my favourite player, I’m sure a lot of you feel the same. It just seems like he can’t put a foot wrong. He works tirelessly for 90mins, can tackle, go forward and never gives up. In his post match interview yesterday Harry Redknapp said Palacios is the type of player Tottenham have been missing for a number of years and I agree 100%. We look like a top 4 side when he plays it’s that simple.

I still panic when Gomes has to do anything. It makes the game more exciting but I can do without it to be honest! He had very little to do yesterday but still managed to try his hardest to give the game away by taking Glen Johnson out. Luckily, the rest of the team managed to continue their relentless pressure on Liverpool and come up with a winning goal. Sebastien Bassong made the perfect debut and it was great to see him get the winner. On what we have seen so far, Harry certainly knows his stuff in the transfer market.

I more expectant than hopeful about Wednesday’s game at Hull and that is very unusual. Our home form has been exceptional for a while now, let’s make ourselves a formidable outfit away from the Lane too.