Tottenham are just a team of 'midgets'

yiddo

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/01/13/tottenham-are-just-a-team-of-midgets-blasts-graham-roberts-115875-21037294/

Tottenham are just a team of 'midgets' blasts Graham Roberts
Spurs legend Graham Roberts has accused Harry Redknapp's bottlers of being 'midgets' on the pitch despite their big price tags.

The no-nonsense former White Hart Lane defender insists too many of the club's big-money signings go missing when the going gets tough.

And Roberts believes a clear-out is needed after Sunday's defeat to Wigan left Spurs in the bottom three and the club being flattered by their first-leg lead against Burnley in the Carling Cup semi-final.

Roberts said: "Most of these Spurs players are not up to it. The one thing with Harry is that he will tell you how it is.

"I believe he has got some players up his sleeve and that he needs to move some on before he can get them in.

"Because they need to get stronger. You look at Harry's teams at Portsmouth. They were absolutely massive in midfield. Strong, physical, athletic. Tottenham? They've got midgets.

"None of them can tackle. They are fantastic at home playing the ball around teams but against Burnley in the first half we should have been out of the Carling Cup. He needs a right clear-out."

Mirror Sport revealed yesterday midfielder Jermaine Jenas has been stripped of the vice-captaincy as Redknapp gets tough on his underachievers.

Roberts is convinced the tactic is the right one so the players' lack of graft does not end up tainting their manager.

He added: "If you look at Harry's record, he started off absolutely fantastic and everyone was praising him. He in turn was saying how he has got a great bunch of lads.

"All of a sudden it has turned and he is having a go at them - but his record is worse than the one Ramos had after the first 12 games. Ramos and Martin Jol had 20 points, Redknapp's got 18.

"The players are just not performing. They have to take all the responsibility.

"Our midfield is so lightweight Wigan just steamrollered us on Sunday. It had 0-0 written all over it but Tottenham's problem is they concede from set-pieces.

"Michael Dawson went off injured. Jenas came on and you saw Joe Jordan saying to him: 'You have to pick this person up' as he was coming onto the pitch.

"But the lad went on to score the winning goal. The discipline is absolutely out the window. He's thought: 'I'll just go into the space and head the ball away' but that wasn't good enough.

"Then you've got (Luka) Modric and (Roman) Pavlyuchenko non-existent away from home. At home they are fantastic but you need to roll your sleeves up.

"Dawson was immense in the last couple of games but the rest of them? Bentley has played two decent games since his £18million move. He needs a kick up the backside.

"It takes 45 minutes for Harry to have a go at people in the Carling Cup semi-final for them to start playing.

"These players are on an absolute fortune and need to roll their sleeves up because Spurs will go down if Harry does not sort it out quickly."

Skipper Ledley King added: "We have to improve or we will go down."

Leinstersqspur

I am glad to hear Jenas finally get slated, he has been the talisman for our inconsistencies the last 4/5years...... I would have ran him years ago..... A bottler from the heart......How many great chances has he spurned for us also over the years, I remember him missing an open goal against the gooners 2/3 years ago, a complete waster and well found out on Sunday, given a job to do and failed fantastically! Get rid!

From all the runours it sounds like harry has been convinced that he needs to get players in before the Spurs find themselves in alot hotter water......

What has happened to the Appiah contract? Is he fit?

Modric is not a combatitive midfielder and I dont think we should be expecting him to be.....

Harry made a few mistakes himself Sunday, Ledley King should not of played in Zakoras position and Zakora moved out to the right, WTF?! Bad managers effort made worse by a lack of players effort, worst yet!

Still fancy us to hit Pompey for 3/4!

dats_right

Leinstersqspur wrote: »

I am glad to hear Jenas finally get slated, he has been the talisman for our inconsistencies the last 4/5years...... I would have ran him years ago..... A bottler from the heart......!

100% agree. Jenas is totally over-rated. The guy has a tendency to disappear for long periods during games and sometimes, all joking aside, I've gone maybe a half hour watching the spurs without realising he was playing!

Other than the complete dead wood such as Ghaly, Boateng, Taarabt, Rocha, Gilberto, etc. I think the current crop are generally below par, I'm thinking in particular the likes of Bentley, Bale, Assou-Ekotto, Zokora (at least he tries), Aforementioned Jenas, and I'm yet to be convinced by Hutton or Modric, although the latter does show flashes of brilliance he appears to be to weak physically and is perhaps a luxury we cannot afford at the moment. Even Lennon who can be brilliant has a tendency, as many wingers do, to drift in and out of games particularly when he comes up against the better defenders.

On a positive note, I think Gomes has shown a fighting spirit and more importantly ability in recent weeks as has Dawson and King (as ever). I've also been impressed by O'Hara, okay he's no world beater but does a job and has a handy left foot and Huddlestone, who I must admit I was no big fan of partly because I thought he was a porker, has also impressed this season he has a nice pass and whilst not having the flair of say someone like Modric he definitley offers more defensively (not that that is saying alot). I'm also hopeful that Defoe and either Bent or Pavleycheunco will strike up a decent partnership. Woodgate has been for the most part okay but needs to up his game a bit and I've been reasonably impressed with Corluka.

Anyway, we are weak in nearly all areas and need strengthening, but I think survivial is the name of the game this year and if I were Harry, I would off load as many of: Bale, Lennon, Bentley, Jenas, Ghaly, Boateng, Taarabt, Rocha, Gilberto, Assou-Ekotto, Zokora and Modric as I could in January and take whatever money is on offer with a view to starting the rebuilding process in the summer.

twilight_singer

dats_right wrote: »

Anyway, we are weak in nearly all areas and need strengthening, but I think survivial is the name of the game this year and if I were Harry, I would off load as many of: Bale, Lennon, Bentley, Jenas, Ghaly, Boateng, Taarabt, Rocha, Gilberto, Assou-Ekotto, Zokora and Modric as I could in January and take whatever money is on offer with a view to starting the rebuilding process in the summer.

No way boss you cant get rid of all those players and exprect to stay in the league! We'd be in the championship next year if we get rid of lennon , modric, zokora, assou-ekotto. Get rid of the rest yeah all deadwood imo, maybe bently will come good but we cant just get rid of every one and expect to survive, cos thats what we are up against its a case of survival now. there is only something like 17-18 games left and we have to get over the 40 pts mark pronto. I'd take 17th spot now if it was offered.