Tag Archives: Tottenham

Spurs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Crystal Palace & More

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Spurs

WLLLLLLWDLLDWD

P 14 W 3 L 8 D 3

Good record at Wembley guys!

And now we have their manager saying that they are too big to win the League Cup or the FA Cup.

1 League Cup in 18 years is what they have won. No FA Cup in 26 years. No league title in 56 years.

They are the laughing stock of English football. I always giggle to myself when they are classed as one of England’s biggest teams. When people talk about a top 6. Their manager has won nothing. They have won nothing of note for decades.

Small time club who have always thought they are more relevant than they are.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

LLLDD

I won’t laugh too much as the first two results on that run were for Arsenal. But good to see his Liverpool career start so “well.”

The lad clearly had a high opinion of himself, but it was clear to see that his talent was never as big as his ego. He simply is not as good as he thinks he is.

Thierry Henry had it spot on when he said “I just do not know what he is good at. What he brings to the table.” He seemed to blame everyone for his stagnation at Arsenal, but he never seemed to blame himself.

When he joined Liverpool, he was playing week in week out for Arsenal at right wing-back. He left to play central midfield.

At the Scousers, he has found himself in the middle. In the middle of his bench that is.

Oxlade-Chamberlain came off the bench for his debut at half time. In the Champions League he came on in the 89th minute. Then at the weekend against Burnley he was introduced to play in the 79th minute.

57 minutes played over 3 games. Well done mate. Enjoy rotting. In 2 years you will be at Hull or Stoke. All because you think you are better than what you are.

Crystal Palace

10 games

3 managers

9 defeats

9 games without scoring

Look forward to their idiotic “ultras” crying as they go down.

Be careful what you wish for

Crystal Palace are bottom. Many wanted Frank de Boer to replace Arsene Wenger.

One place above Crystal Palace in the table are Bournemouth. It still baffles me why some fans wanted Eddie Howe at Arsenal.

Finishing off the relegation zone is Everton. The side many Arsenal fans said we should be emulating. The side a lot of fans said would finish above Arsenal. They have proved it is not about spending, but who you spend it on.

4th from bottom are West Ham. Remember when people wanted Slaven Bilic because he showed passion?

I have said time and again, I want Wenger replaced, but replaced with someone of superior quality. A lot of names often banded about are useless, and have since proved to be so. Be careful what you wish for.

Keenos

Bournemouth, Booing Sanchez, Title Rivals and Everton

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Bournemouth

We won, expected us to win, we did what was expected.

A bit like I expected us to lose at Stoke and Liverpool, Saturday was a routine win. Not much to get excited over.

Good post-game drink up though.

Booing Sanchez

Title Rivals

Early doors I know, but Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea look streaks ahead of everyone else this campaign. I expect United and City to start breaking away as their first XI’s and squads are incredible. Chelsea will fall away due to a thin squad – there last two title triumphs have been due to being able to keep a core 14 players fit.

With regards to everyone else, it is much of a muchness.

Thousands of column inches have been written about Arsenal’s crisis. And things are not great. But also a lot has been written about how great Tottenham and Liverpool are. That they are upwardly mobile, forward thinking clubs. 1 point splits the 3 clubs after the first 4 games.

It just shows how the media can spin your perspective on things. Arsenal are not as bad as many make out. Liverpool and Spurs are not as good as they make out.

Expect it to be close between all 3 for 4th place spot.

The caveat is however that Arsenal will not be in the title race this season. It is OK being like Nelson Muntz and pointing and laughing at others misfortune, but we are in a bad position. We should be talking about competing with City, United and Chelsea, not small clubs like Liverpool and Spurs.

Everton

Talking of small clubs, it seems to have gone unnoticed about how poor Everton have been this season.

The talk over the summer was about brilliant they had been. Their new majority shareholder – Arsenal’s ex share holder Farhad Moshiri – had breathed new life into the Scouse club. Attracted massive new investment and made funds available to buy in players.

And they bought in a lot of players. 14 in total. £133,100,000 spent. There was talk about how they would be a threat this season. That they were showing Arsenal how to do it. That with a top manager and funds spent, they would be challenging for the top 4.

After 4 games, they have 4 points.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have both spoken in the past about buying too many players. Admittedly Arsenal did not buy enough this summer, but I laughed in August when people were demanding the club buy an additional 5 or 6 players. They pointed at Everton as a club doing it the right way.

But the fact is, Everton were like Spurs when they lost Gareth Bale. They sold their best player (Romelu Lukaku) and replaced him with a load of mid-table averageness.

4 points in 4 games and just 2 goals scored. Well done guys.

Keenos

 

Who would Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain start central midfield for?

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So Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has turned down a move to Chelsea.

According to the BBC;

Oxlade-Chamberlain believes the Blues planned to use him at wing-back, and his primary reason for wanting to leave Arsenal is to play in central midfield.

This backs up the thinking that I have had all along with Oxlade-Chamberlain, that he thinks he is a better player than he is. That he sees himself as an action man central midfielder at the highest level. He has delusions of grandeur.

He is not good enough to play central midfield for Arsenal, so what makes him think he can play their for Chelsea? In fact, going through the top sides, who would he play central midfield for?

Oxlade-Chamberlain is not a central midfield, so the reality is there are 3 positions he could play. Box to box, attacking midfield, or as a winger.

Would he get into any top sides playing this position?

Chelsea

Box to Box – Recently signed Tiémoué Bakayoko will partner N’Golo Kante in central midfield, with Cesc Fabregas backing them up.

Attacking Midfield / Winger – Eden Hazard, Pedro & Willian.

Chelsea might not have many options in their dangerously thin skin, but the options they do have are all better than Oxlade-Chamberlain. He would provide good cover for Bakayoko, Fabregas, Hazard, Pedro & Willian, but, like at Arsenal, he will find himself at right wing back, then back up for positions further forward.

Tottenham

Box to Box – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has a very similar style of play to Mousa Dembélé, but is not as good.

Attacking Midfield / Winger – Christian Erickson and Dele Alli are guaranteed starters. Son Heung-min and Moussa Sissoko are options for the other wing if Spurs play 4 at the back. They are a similar level to Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Oxlade-Chamberlain might get a chance to play for Spurs if they play 4 at the back, but the favoured formation at the moment is 3 at the back. That leaves Oxlade-Chamberlain in the same position as at Arsenal, playing right wing back.

Manchester City

Box to Box – Central midfield options of Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, İlkay Gündoğan, Fabian Delph and the option of playing Kevin De Bruyne deeper.

Attacking Midfield / Winger – The aforementioned Kevin De Bruyne, plus David Silva, Bernard Silva, Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus.

Manchester City have an abundance of options in midfield and attack. Oxlade-Chamberlain would not even get into their 2nd team

Liverpool

Box to Box – Georginio Wijnaldum is the type of player Oxlade-Chamberlain could become, but the Dutchman is better. Chuck in Emre Can and Oxlade-Chamberlain would be 3rd choice. They have also just spent a world record fee on Naby Keïta, due to join next season.

Attacking Midfield / Winger – Even without Coutinho, Liverpool had enough going forward to destroy Arsenal at the weekend. Mo Salah and Sadio Mane were electric on the wings. Add in Adam Lallana.

The side Oxlade-Chamberlain wants to play for. But do they even want him? They are also targeting Thomas Lemar. They have better options in their squad, and better options set to sign.

Keenos