Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool.

Anybody have a stream yet for the game?

http://www.atdhenet.tv/48577/watch-tottenham-vs-liverpool

Lennon hit the post! Cmon Azza, we know you can do it!

The games on ESPN, pretty boring and whats with the long ball tactics we look more like the spurs of the oneday ramos era

Well miffed with Briedel constantly hoofing up field with no target man. Everytime straight to the opponents. At least Pool are playing like Swansea....simple ball from their goalie and 3 passes later they over halfway line and still have possession. Still the lads playing well and some good chances for both sides. Should be few changes for the 2nd half.

Under Ramos we won every friendly ,including a nice 5-0 thrashing of Roma .So reading too much into these games is not a good idea ,just enjoy them for what they are .
Jenas still in a Spurs shirt ? jeez wil he ever go away ?.

A New goalkeeper ,a right winger & 2 strikers a definite must .Modric set to seal £33 million transfer to madrid so a replacement for him a necessity .No cheap $hit ,has to as close to the talent of Modric as possible .

Big C. If i follow your analogy does that mean if we loose the rest of our pre season games. Will we them blitz the EPL haha heres to wishful thinking

Sorry just got back home, here are the links guys:

http://www.footballstreaming.info/streams/todays-links/
http://www.firstrowsports.tv/
http://lsh.lshunter.tv/index.php?option=com_lsh&view=lsh&layout=webmaster&tmpl=component
http://www.freefootball.eu/upcoming.php
http://www.realtvsport.com/
http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-1.html
http://atdhe.tv/
http://www.vipbox.tv/sports/football.html
http://www.sportz-for-free.org/spurstv.html
http://hitsports.net/
http://www.asssportsnet.com/
http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/

ENJOY! :D

Big C - use Modders cash on the forward line. There is no replacement for Modric, he is unique. We can make do with Bale, Hudd, sandro, Parker, Lennon, sigurdsson in midfield.

Who needs Modric when we have Hudd! What a pass to our new CF Gallas!

Carroll coming on, I have great hope with this kid

Big C, I think Siggy was the Modric replacement and I think most of us are kind of hoping for something better than that. We gave him a 60k a week which is higher than Modric currently. I think we are just waiting out for the best offer now. Also, I know its just a friendly and it may not mean all that much but its obvious in all the areas that we are weak in and that is creativity. Huddlestone can come in and do it vs weak teams but once teams close him down he is not going to be much of a threat. Realistically this is a side who is fighting for 5th and possibly could finish even lower than that. You can't assume that we don't have vdv, walker, ect because once the season starts there will be injures and other things that keep players out of games. I am really worried about this team taking major strides backward but its hard to say until the transfer window shuts and the season is over. Last season not selling Modric showed intent but now not spending money on quality and him still wanting out isnt really making me thrilled. Keep him or not it will not mean we see him at his best ever again.I just honestly want to part ways and hope to get a GK, CF, and maybe loan or Sahin wouldn't be terrible while we find a quality replacement.

Why on earth did Harry Kane take that free kick? I would have picked Vert from those on the pitch left.

seams

Can't draw any conclusions from that, but observations certainly. For me, Livermore is too much of a poser and holds us back, Jenas is still Jenas (sideways, sideways, backwards), Sigi was better than I thought but not great, and Tom Carroll must play ahead of Livermore, Jenas etc. Bentley is still the same waste of money that he always was (so far in his recovery), Gallas looked good, Naughton disappointing. No sign for me of how we might implement a high-line and overall nothing to stand out really. Obviously, I hope that Sandro, Ade and 2 others will make a significant difference but cannot judge anything at present.

We definately need a creative midfielder. Hudd came on and gave us a different dimension with his passing, but he can't turn and manouver like Modric. Townsend looks just about decent enough for the EPL. I think that we may see Jenas feature for us this season, though I certainly hope that we don't see him in the first team.

i'm all for abit of Jenas bashing now and then but i think it would be harsh to be critical of him today as he was playing in the Defensive midfield role and it is not like we conceded and he did win the ball back quite alot.

AVB should be starting Carroll and not Jenas.

This was the first game I saw under AVB and if I should jugde our tactics and players from just one game this would be my verdict. First the NEGATIVES: our defence high line looks like a major disaster! I hope AVB will change it. He should go for the same tactics we had last season with some tweaks of his own. Attacking wise a worrying fact against Liverpool was that we had zero chances to score after Bale left the pitch. A few transfer mr. Levy, please! Jenas is no good, sell him. Bentley should be sold if anyone is stupid enough to buy him. Kane is not ready for this level, loan him. Then the POSITIVES: Naughton looks like he can fill in for Walker and BAE. He started as a right back and moved to the left when BAE was substituted off. Townsend definitely has some promise in him! He could be our future new Lennon. Huddlestone can pass! Our midfield was much better when Hudd came in. Verts looks class even though he had only 15 minutes of playtime. I saw too little of Carroll to say anything of him.

Conclusions JJ as to go he s not good enough - when he came off at 80min I didn't realise he was still on the pitch - average going to be any use

Bentley - as to go did nothing to show ushe is good enough.

Kane tried his best but just didn't seem much of a threat isn't ready for a top four side - we need at least 2 strikers.
Gif showe some good composure but he will not do Modric job not sure where he wil fit into the first 11.

Livermore average he will be behind th other cm's under AVB.

Townsend showed some good runs but not convinced he s good enough yet.

Bassong - times up of he needs to go.

Positives- Hudd looked good. Dawson was good doing what he does best. Young Carroll is the lad I believe is gifted and good enough now to join our first team squad.

We didn't seem to have a style and players didn't seem to blend and we didn't tick like we do with Modric - if we don't replace Modric and use what we have then we need something special up front better than Ade to get us the goals because we will not have so much possession without Modric so we need to compensate up front by being to rely on a striker that will get us out of trouble and one that will scare the opposition.

WE look like WIP (work n progress) and lacked that 'special' quality - don't kid yourself Modric is a class above these players.

Ive sorted it now lol

NOTICE TO ALL OF YOU ----WARNING ---WARNING--- I lost connection to the game due to some ba$tard scammers locking up my computer, Ref comes in the shape of UKash Met Police logo, it's back doing the rounds, go to google type in ''scammers locking up computers'' I'm not IT wiz, but i got (as you can see) it working again, by going into safe mode networking, pressing F8 when your computer, shows the first sign of coming on, then set new system restore point, my computer is scanning as we speak or in this case type, SO PLEASE DON'T PANIC, JUST BE AWARE IT'S A PHUCKING SCAM, which was with us last year. And i take it, it was 0-0 can't see any mention of goals...

Thanks spu 4 life

So its wasted then sydqcb5, even if the reasons are valid, its still a semi wasted pre season. Scary thing is, the only major player I can think of effected by international comp is Sandro. What we are seeing out there is currently 100% Spurs minus Sandro.

syd, exactly. AVB is letting Jenas, Bassong, Bentley and others determine if they have what it takes. I believe, subject to parties coming in who are obvious upgrades (ie Lloris or Cesar), our squad will be: Cudicini, Friedel, Gomes, Walker, Naughton, Caulker, Kaboul, Dawson, Gallas, Vertonghen, BAE, Fryers, Hudd, Parker, Sandro, Bale, Rose, Lennon, Sigurdsson, VDV, Defoe. Everyone else is vying for the remaining 5 or six spots. Any quality additions will merely fill those spaces. Short of a sign of life, Bassong and Jenas will be sold. Bentley will likely be a subsidized loan. The first task for AVB is to pare the squad down. I'd rather keep Carroll, Townsend and Smith than watch Jenas, Bentley and Bassong. If I'm honest, I am very disappointed in Bassong. I really thought he'd come good. To be fair, he's neither a LB or a LW, but Rose has done way better playing out of position. COYS

Guyver, they are just working on conditioning. We haven't yet seen even an approximate starting XI. I'd love to see our MF with Sandro in front of the back 4 with Sigurdsson and VDV on top of them, Bale and Lennon out wide and Adebayor up top. Sandro is a beast. 2 ball moving players to launch the attack. pace out wide and a striker who can play football, use his head and who can create. I think we are much better looking than some are giving credit. Guys aren't yet fit, it's brutally hot and fringe players are getting their last chances. I really don't see it as a waste of time. I'm sure August 9, we'll see the starting XI AVB intends to start against Newcastle. If Jenas, Bentley, Bassong, Pienaar and Modric are all gone, Ade and another striker signed and another winger in, I'll be very happy with this window. If that winger is Remy, I'd be ecstatic. If Moutinho or Allen are in to replace Modric, even happier. It's neither Bleak House, nor Hard Times. Great Expectations perhaps and we'll pip them all in to the CL. COYS

I want to see Hudd playing with main XIstarters. He is playing with likes of Bentley Jenas, Livermore & Bassong and there is no way we can see how good is afterinjury come back.Hopefully he starts against Redbullls part of our strongest preseason XI.

Spu 4, the fact is there has been a lot of damage with players being frozen out of this team. I think, AVB's approach is a bit of damage control which conveniently fits in with the Euros and the Olympics. Fact is, VDV and a few others are not ready to be putting in 90 minutes and we have squad players at the Olympics. Perfect scenario to allow assets to prove themselves or to be realized. I don't believe as Bassong was ever in AVB's plans. Why sign Vertonghen otherwise? Same goes for Bentley and Gio. Why sign Sigurdsson? Pienaar, I believe could have been a great asset in this system but I believe his mind was made up. Same for Modric. Levy knows all this as does AVB. For the first time in 4 years, I believe there is a concrete plan. I believe the squad will be pared down and I believe players like Caulker, Naughton, Vertonghen, Fryers, Sigurdsson are replacing what we all call dead wood, all of which will finally be moved out. The free picks, Carroll, Fryers and others will see action, but we'll have a squad of 25 that AVB intends to use. I am absolutely optimistic about the future of Spurs. There will be bumps. There will be guys that don't get it. I believe AVB will move them on and will put together a squad that can play a style of football we'll all love. Bale, Lennon, VDV, Sigurdsson, Ade can all score goals and create. There's my front five. Supplement them with players like Remy and Perisic and it's awesome. Add a clinical striker with strength and pace (Rossi) and it could be the beginning of something awesome. Our defence is much more competent and mobile than what Chelsea had/have. We'll be just fine. COYS

peterballb - "I am absolutely optimistic about the future of Spurs" Whilst your optimism is great it is completely unfounded.

big cockeral - spot on mate - Hudd is squad player - at best! there is actually more of an arguement that Jenas should be considered ahead of him.

Jenas better than Hudd. He's faster, I'll give you that. That's about all he's better at. Hudd and Modric played pretty good side by side as I recall to get us 4th. Hudd is plenty quick enough and the composure of today's game changed as soon as he came on. Night and day. COYS

peterballb - Its ironic that you use Chelsea as one of your examples as to where we are as it is our current manager that has given us hope that we can we overtake them by pratically taking them down single handed.

Mr. Spurs, where exactly have all of the other clubs around us improved? I don't see it. We have replaced an aging and ailing King with Vertonghen. One of the best young left-sided CB's in the game. He's not Ledley King at his prome, but then King hasn't been that for some time. Nelsen replaced by Caulker. Huge upgrade. Pienaar/Kranjcar/Bentley replaced by Sigurdsson. Again, huge upgrade as the lad can play. BAE is still one of the best LB's in the EPL. Bale is still the best LW in the world. Lennon is still one of the best RW in the EPL and Walker is one of the best RB's out there with cover on both sides by Naughton, a player I rate better than Walker. VDV is still a top footballer and Ade, assuming he signs, wants to be here and produced pretty decent numbers while squandering tons of chances. A few good additions, some tactics and execution on set pieces and who knows, maybe we'll win all those games we should have over the past four years but didn't because we could not break teams down. This is a very good young team. Add Remy, Lloris, Allen and Ba and we'll be pretty well off, IMO. COYS

sydqcb5 - Hudd compared to Pirlo is not great comparison because of the speed and pressure of the Premier League compared to the Euros. Pirlo would not make such a impact in the PL - he would not be given the time.

All very well saying Modric is only one player but he's worth four of the others. He made spurs tick and he's absence was clearly visible in these pre season games. He is irreplaceable.

peterballb - again I love your optimism but for all the names you mention (some of which are not even Spurs players) I have serious doubts over AVB tactics - do you not share my fear at seeing Dawson play a high line!!!!! - a AVB tactic which he loves but does not suit the PL.

Hot_Spur - exactly mate Modric is an unloyal rat but he is by far our best midfield player and his ability to retain the ball and relieve pressure is worth so much. Put it this way if we had two Modric's in midfield we would be formidable. Only his goal tally lets him down.

MrSpurs, Dawson, as I see things, is behind Kaboul, Gallas and even Caulker so I don't really worry too much. Gallas/Dawson in a cup game with Kaboul/Vertonghen in the league game with Caulker as backup really doesn't have me worrying. In fact, while Dawson was on against LA, he looked pretty good and composed, but he's nowhere near first choice. That's like asking me if I'm not concerned that Cudicini is our keeper. Not worried because he's very unlikely to play much more than a bit role. Take our best XI and if you think they are not in the top 4, then we see things very differently. No we don't have Ade yet. Wait until next week. Then we will. COYS

Fine Hot_Spur, then Gomes is fabulously lucky. Lucky is better than always unlucky. Went the wrong way twice. That gets in players heads and that makes players try to be too fine. Ask England players. They know all about it. COYS

peterballb, I wish I shared your optimism, but unless we sign cover for the wide areas, a good replacement for Modric and some good forwards, we won't be playing CL football in 13/14. 1 thing seems certain, we won't be prepared for the start of this season, especially as we are adjusting to a new system with crap like Jenas and Bentley rather than our potential new signings.

Gomes is a liability - great character - great shot stopper - great bloke im sure - but all of that means nothing when Chelsea fans are crying with laughter becasue his dropped the ball between his legs in to the net!! once is once too many and players like Vert need confidence when joining a new club not the uncertainty of having that joker behind them.

MrSpurs, I suppose that's because we throw our manager under the bus before a ball has been kicked in anger. It's clear you don't like AVB. That's fine. You could be right. What I know is that this same group of guys (less Modric) with no coaching or execution whatsoever, managed 4th twice and a 5th. Many of the same young guys played roles in two 5ths under Jol and a CC trophy under Ramos. This is where we are. We are not a mid-table team. There are 7 teams that can seriously suggest that they could get a top 4 position without breaking into laughter. We are one of them. What have we lost? Ade (as things stand), Pienaar, Modric, Nelsen, Saha, Kranjcar, Corluka, King. What have we gained? Vertonghen, Sigurdsson, Fryers, Caulker, Naughton. Other than Modric who wants out, we are, IMO, better off across the board, now and for the next 3-7 years. Add a winger or 2 a striker or 2 and a keeper or 2 and we'll compete week in and week out in all 4 competitions. COYS

Hot_Spur, some keepers read it better than others. All go the wrong way on occasion. Friedel doesn't save any. He doesn't get in to anyone's head. Cech, Buffon, Gomes, Reina do. It makes a difference and a penalty save often turns a game on its head. Keepers react to what a shooter is doing. You can Pirlo it and few will save it (ok, perhaps Grobelaar), but most players you can read where they are going. Advantage is always with the shooter. Some keepers have better numbers than others. It's not just dumb luck. Some are better, some are worse. COYS

Also Peter, Harry ultimately failed twice because he didnt use the "squad" this isnt just about the 1st XI. With decent back up players like Pienaar and Kranc no longer with us, the only difference between Harry and AVB could be that Harry chose not to use the squad, whereas AVB won't have much of a squad to choose from. But we will see.

Guyver, it's still three weeks before the season starts. I believe Ade will sign. I believe we will replace Modric (Levy has already said he will go nowhere unless we have our replacement - the deal is already more or less done). I believe we will add the 3rd striker AVB has said we need and I believe once Jenas, Bassong, Gio, Bentley decisions are made and it's determined that Townsend and the other kids aren't quite there, wing cover will be added. There is a plan. AVB was the plan before Harry was let go. Vertonghen, Sigurdsson and others knew who the manager was going to be. If nothing is done prior to the Newcastle game, I'll be with you. If Pienaar and Modric are gone this week, Ade in and others on the way in, I'll be quite happy. COYS

As far as I know, Tim Sherwood is still running our development program. Falque. Smith. Coulibaly. Kane. Etc., plenty of squad to choose from. Other than strikers, every position on our first team is covered with decent quality, the only question mark perhaps with Lennon, but Siggs can play on the right and score, he did so for Swansea last season.

I only hope we sign Ade as he is the best option .I can see trouble ahead with this man ,but beggars can`t be choosers .
He`s clearly an half decent player when he wants to be ,but that chip on his shoulder never seems to want to go away .Giving him a 4 year deal could be a massive mistake imo ,but it does appear our options are limited .
Harrys a dick leaving a squad in this mess .There`s holes everywhere ,glad he`s gone .

tengboon - "Falque. Smith. Coulibaly. Kane. Etc" can you see any of those player becoming must pick first teamers?............ no neither can I.

big cockeral - so Harry did well to finish 4th with a squad that is a "mess".

LOL, media now saying AVB is after Fulham's Dembele to fill Modric's place, they have no idea do they, pure guesswork.

MrSpurs
Harry had 4 strikers ,he left us with one .
Signed a goalkeeper who was good for one year .
All our ageing players are one year older & closer to being spent .
King has retired .
Deadwood everywhere
Everything under Harry was so temporary

Scott Parker is another .He looks like he`s been on the pi$$ all night & slept on a park bench .I don`t expect much from him next season

big cockeral - yeah but Comoli was looking at the future when he signed the likes of Bentely - football is about the now its about this season - dont be fooled with the latest fashion of talking about 'projects' and 'master plans'. Parker done a job, friedel done a job and ironically if Chelsea had stuck with the manager that we now have we would have made the Champions League.

MrSpurs, Harry's side threw away 21 points in the season he got top 4 in games where we dominated. Harry was all about showmanship. Harry was all about throwing players under the bus. It was by luck, nothing else, that injuries forced his hand and allowed players to come in where otherwise they would have remained firmly nailed to the bench. Harry is a hack as a football manager. Great quotes though, if that's your thing. Also never accountable. I have never liked Harry Redknapp and would never have hired him, let alone fired Ramos (whose system Harry adopted after a year once he got VDV). Yet I gave Harry one full year before I let in to him on any subject. It was not until December 2009 that I started in on him. Go have a run about is not coaching. It's allowing the players to do what they want. They did. They got 4th, 5th, 5th. Jol got 5th twice with a fraction of the talent and a much stronger top 4. Harry has won one trophy in his entire coaching career considering competitions to be below him. Well, we now have a manager who has a style, has a plan and has won more in a couple of seasons than Harry has in his whole career. Ramos won more with Spurs than Harry did. Why? Because he could coach and he set our team up to beat the opposition. Sure, repeat Harry's mantra, 2 points in 8, but it doesn't tell the story that we had no replacement at striker, new players front to back, and still remained in Europa and the CC. Rightly so, teams are beating down his door to come coach them. He'll be hired in December by a team in danger of relegation and he'll play his best XI in to the ground, spend ridiculous sums of money on older players and allow the team to eventually be relegated a couple of years later in a huge financial mess. Won't be his fault. Never has been. Always someone else to blame. COYS

One away league win in 2012 & an FA Cup thrashing says it all .
It was all falling apart around him

Just an observation and not an attack on anyone. It seems to me that there are many on here who are not giving AVB even the right to make a mistake before calling him out on the carpet. What Spurs need are results on the pitch. If we finish below 7th, the year is an utter failure. I don't think these players, if healthy, are capable of that. A high defensive line is nothing new. Old school really. Italians have been doing it for decades. Compress the field. Move forward and back as a group. I saw it in today's game. As they were looking after Bale, AVB pulled Kaboul aside and spoke to him. from that point on, but for one time in the second half, we didn't get caught out. The defenders started anticipating passes and picked them off. As it went on we became more comfortable. Same for the game against LA. We have a very young, fit, athletic back 4. Chelsea did not. We will also have Parker or Sandro sitting in front of them. Really, it's not that bad. If we'd have been focused for the first 10-15 minutes of games last season, we'd have gotten 10-15 more points. This young team just needs to be coached. They haven't had that for 4 years. IMO, that is changing. All I ask is that he be given a chance. With this great squad, Harry won nothing. Let's see what AVB can do. COYS

I agree with the squad being left in a "mess" situation. The recruitment of old fogies was a shortsighted consideration and lack of rotation added to the mess. Basically, its now up to AVB to sort of the mess, i.e, finally dispense with te deadwoods and to find a core of players (along with the new recruits) to move us forward. And at the pace that we are moving in the transfer market, I am with Guyver, i.e., "we won't be prepared for the start of this season, especially as we are adjusting to a new system with crap like Jenas and Bentley rather than our potential new signings."

AVB has his work cut out with new system, a mixture of players that won't have enough competitive practice time together. I honestly hope that these USA friendlies represent the FINAL games for some the dead woods and that once back home, the final frindlies run-in would include our FINAL 25 to start the reason. Olympics out of the way, No 14 departed new recruits in place and the start of the new era. COYS.

Just consider the training schedule as well, under Harry they did one 2-3 hour session per day and all they did was jog round a field, no ball training. With AVB they are doing three 2.5 hour sessions per day and three quarters of it is with a ball. Problem with Harry was that the players were not fit due to lack of training, that's why the performances collapsed at the end.

I think the paranoia might stem from the belief that this season feels eerily like the 08/09 season. Latin coach, with a continental style of play. Ex Spurs player as his assistant (Poyet). Star player wants out, no strikers, need a new GK..

MrSpurs, one could also suggest that there is a huge bias on here against Continental coaches. Ramos was never given the benefit of the doubt. Jol was always looked at as being naive, even if a really nice guy. When you take in to consideration what each manager had at their disposal, Jol's accomplishments far exceed anything Harry ever did. There is nothing to suggest Harry would have beat Chelsea if AVB were still their manager in the FA Cup semi. He did manage to get Chelsea further in to the CL than any of the other EPL CL squads. Unfortunately, he had no support from the veterans and had an assistant more than happy to push him overboard. Karma is a coming. COYS

P.S. I am in no way an anti continental coach - if my posts gave that impression then I take it back.

Trophies are important for confidence and psychological boost.....that 'feel good' thing!. Instead when we had 3rd handed to us on a plate, our mnager said we were over-achieving.....what hppened after that is history!

Not sure you can say Continental managers are the best, there are good and bad in both Continental and English. The best manager spurs have ever had was English (Bill Nick). One of the best managers the world has ever seen was English. (Brian Clough). There have been many other good English managers.

Here's what I believe about managers, they are hired to get a specific group of players to perform beyond their abilities and they are fired for not doing so. It's why Inter can win a trophy a year on average while having a manager a year on average. RM are the same. Certain players are key. Managers come and go. Very few have a tenure such as Sir Alex, who won Europe in a 2nd class league before going to United. Let's hope we have found a diamond in the rough in AVB. I believe the potential and the pedigree is there. Time will tell. COYS

Peter, I haven't been watching the preseason and I'm very satisfied not to, and to just let things take shape for the season. But your review of the progression is exactly what I would like to see. The matter of not being coached in this way before, i hope, has the players eager and willing to adopt the more conscious approach to controlling a game. I think it's assured that there will be a degree of failure, but aspects sound encouraging if your view is accurate.

Hate per-season either playing or watching, means nothing, totally uncompetitive and pointless. Only fitness and the fact by the first proper game things should be in shape and real football can begin. My only pre-season concern is ours won't finish until Aug 31st when we'll finally buy someone and sort our squad out. Need to get players in straight after USA return, next week there wants to be some good news,

Didn't watch the game, sounded rubbish but doesn't matter. One thing I do know is both AVB and Rodgers won't both turn out good, let's hope we've picked the winner.

How can you even compare Hudd and Pirlo? Euros or PL Pirlo would run circles around Huddlestone. Huddlestone is very overrated player but almost every Spurs fan and he is a joke of a footballer for me. I am sorry he can do his passing...yes but seriously he is nothing more than a mere squad player. With all do respect Hudd isn't going to fill the hole left by Modric...

Raging, no one is going to fill the void of Modric. No one. That's why the valuation is 40M. He is, for Spurs, irreplaceable. Spurs can, however succeed without Modric. It is the beauty of the team game. Let's all just accept, he does not want to be here and thus move on, so how will we go forward? I believe we should play a 4-1-2-2-1. Parker or Sandro in front of the back 4 to protect the gut. 2 of Sigurdsson/Hudd/VDV in front with Bale and Lennon out wide and Adebayor up top. What we therefore need is an option for Lennon, Bale and Adebayor. I would argue Defoe does not fit. Add Ba/Dembele and Remy and you have three players that can play multiple positions and provide cover all over the MF and striker. Add Moutinho or Allen and you have a 4th with the quality necessary to complement Hudd/VDV/Sigurdsson. The future is in having players that can adapt to different circumstances. Bale cuts in, Sigurdsson cuts out left as happened on the goal against LA. That's what we need. It's all about team play. Anyone who watched today and was not impressed with the backside pressure we applied, not only by the starters, but all of the subs, was not watching the same match as I did or have not been watching Spurs these past 4 years. All of the MF was doing what Lennon does game in and game out, largely unheralded. This puts tremendous pressure on the opposition offence and turns the ball over. Also in both games, the defence became more comfortable with the system as the game went on. All with subs happening left, right and centre. It won't mean much until the Newcastle game, but there's lots I have taken from these games. Jenas, Bassong and Bentley are done. Gallas and Dawson have roles, but as support players. Sigurdsson is going to be one heck of a player for us. Naughton, who IMO, did not put a boot wrong today, will give solid cover to Walker and BAE. I'm very encouraged. Coming from someone who some continually call a doomsayer (I am not, I am a realist), one would think all on here would be tickled pink. In the next week I expect Pienaar and Modric to be gone, Jenas, Bentley and Bassong to get their last kicks at the can, Adebayor to join along with the Modric replacement, another striker, winger and keeper to then follow before our preseason match on August 9, where I expect the lineup to be pretty much the one that will face Newcastle on opening day.

Cannay wait and thanks to the generosity of ItalianYiddo, I will be enjoying the first 2 matches at WhiteHeart Lane as I celebrate 10 years of wedded bliss (away from the boys). The future is bright, the future is LillyWhite. COYS

rockerty, I believe there will be bumps. I also have not been this filled with anticipation since my early days of following this club. The days of Chivers, Pearce, Peters, Perryman, Gilzean, all managed by Bill Nicholson. AVB was not my first choice. He was not in my top 5. We are losing Modric. We have gained 5 quality young players (Caulker, Naughton, Fryers, Sigurdsson and Vertonghen). Gareth Bale has bought in and signed on, as has Walker. VDV is going nowhere. Nor is Lennon. By all accounts Adebayor is on his way. As per Levy, Modric will go only if replaced. Sandro is here for a while too. Parker three. I am having a lot of trouble seeing where we are worse unless people believe Harry was a great tactician and was the reason we won. I believe Harry told his favourites to go out, run about a bit and don't fuss the technicalities of the game. I believe AVB will bring the fundamentals and the structure that will get so much more out of the lads. There is always a risk. With a hack (my opinion) of a manager, we managed fourth. That's all on the players. We have finished 5th, 5th, 11th (CC win), 8th, 4th, 5th, 4th over the past 7 years. We are a CL contending team. So are 6 other teams. I find it hard to compare our lineups negatively with Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelsea. We're right in there. COYS

I didt compare Pirlo with Hudd I used him as a example just to say being slow is not the end of the world, there are players in this world who are slow but they are best in their positions. Pirlo shined in world cup at 33 because i) he had 2 energitic midfielders De Rossi & Montolivo who had pace & creativity by his side. ii) obviously, when he got the space, he had the quality to deliver.

Being slow is only part of Hudd's game, there is more to him. The fact is he never played 30 games in a season either by injury or being overlooked in midfield. All I am saying, we have got a leaner Hudd, who has a good passing ability. Well, he is not Modric, but he is different player who could be used in a effective system.

@PeterB - You make some excellent points in regards to the general progress we are making under AVB. For the most part I tend to agree with you, but Perhaps I am a little more cautious. With 3 weeks to go, it would naive to think everything is going along swimmingly. The lack of activity in the transfer market is worrying, however you could be right in suggesting that once Kaka is moved on from RM, the wheel will start to turn and the transfer cycle will begin. I just feel there is still too much to organise before the season commences and that we will be slightly unprepared. The addition of Ade is extremely critical at this stage. His integration into the squad and one of familiarity with the players is vital for us. Our schedule however is quite favourable and it is imperative we get off to a good start. AVB & Spurs needs to put down a marker early, the pressure will be on from day 1. Finally, very nice of Italianyiddo to help you out with tickets. 1-0 to Vital Spurs Community.

Townsend, I dunno. He does not seem to show pace, and every other skill he has is nothing outstanding. Wish he could be like Raheem Sterling, as that kid was on fire and gave his all when allowed.

Only bright spot from that horrible performance (2nd half mostly) is that Tom Carroll tried some neat passing and overall showed he had real potential that can be attained soon if the tried harder.

Townsend and Carroll both look like they are up for it.. and they will be great squad members with the big schedule we have this season.. Townsend really impressed me with his attacking play... he knows that he has to impress or go out on loan again... got my vote...

@dcruzer - correct and whole heatedly agree with all 4 posts :). I just do not like the actual physical look of Kane either. Why is his mouth always open gasping for air?

Dzagoev... is the type of gritty player we need... gets stuck in and fights for every ball..

I for one don't agree with you guys re our goal keeping. friedel and Gomes are good enough for this season. Problem is you guys don't respect Friedel's positioning sense. MSG times he doesn't have to make a great stop because he's usually in the right place.

jvd - I want to keep Friedel for one reason only. That is we could get 10-20 years from him as our GK coach. He could even end up our assistant manager or even manager. Great communicator, got a very intelligent head on his shoulders, uses science to stay very fit and clearly his influence on younger keepers would be great. As 1st team starter this season, I'm not convinced. I thought his lack of agility and his unwillingness to be brave and come off his line cost us.

Gomes is interestingly about the same age as Friedel was when Liverpool discarded him. He is now at that age where he has the maturity and calmness to be great for Spurs. He can probably now get over a mistake and bring levels of consistency to his game. My guess is his decision making is probably going to be way better than his instinctive nature beforehand.

Charlie Adam is CRAP!!!!! and Bale was brillant until Charlie ***** head hacked him down !! Is that what Brendon Rodgers calls passing football???

Saturday the 18th of August it all kicks off, away to the Barcodes @ 5-30pm in the Prem. With 3 more Pre-Season Fixtures remaining New York Red Bulls on the 31st, then Watford Aug 5th and away to Valencia Aug 9th...That's it, reading over some of the post's and not see all of the two games to date, What POSITIVES have come from them? Can anyone tell me, because we all know Jenas; Bentley and Bassong offer very little to both the team and IMO the squad, having to play these guys in any Prem Fixture is a backward step, With yet another sad day for Defoe, his cousin getting killed in a swimming pool accident, his the only class striker we have, What does Harry Kane bring to the table? Gio Mexico; Sandro Brazil; and Caulker and Rose Team GB all on Olympic duty, Caulker looks good, Sandro we know what we have. What's to become of the other two? Pienaar looking set to return to Everton and Modric at some point leaving if Madrid come up with the money, IMO we are short, well short of a midfield playmaker and god knows how many strikers short, we have the same problem as last season, no like for like cover for Lennon or Bale if any of these two get injured, which will happen, we are stuck with no options of real class. It was mentioned Jenas passed the ball 13 times all backwards, his really improved then. NEGATIVES plenty; POSITIVES ? Siggy and Vert that's it.

I am down-grading my predictions to about 6th 1. Manchester City 2. Chelsea 3. Manchester united 4. Arsenal 5. Liverpool 6 Spurs 7. Newcastle 8. Everton :(

Well said spu 4 life. So many gaps in the squad with only 2 weeks remaining before the community shield game kicks off. It was only after the Adam tackle on Bale yesterday, that I realised how paper thin our squad really is. Kind of slipped my mind that, "we've sold his back up"! Kranc and Pienaar werent like for like, but they were good established premiership players. What about Lennon as well? Its a mess at the moment. You'd have to be crazy not to be at least slightly concerned. We've followed this blueprint before, back in 08/09.. it didnt work. In fact, we still havent recovered from the Berba sale, took us years to recover from the sale of Carrick.. why would anyone be confident that this situation will be any different? because from where im standing it looks eerily familiar. Lots of work to be done, and a new system being implemented on players who we don't even expect to play much of a role next season. Clocks ticking..

the nuge, I did not say things were going swimmingly, just that they are, IMO, going in the right direction. Euros and now the Olympics have made transfers more difficult. Further the economics are not getting any better. That said, I believe it has all given AVB to let players sort out their own fates. It does appear we have a couple imminently on their way. We have 3 in and 2 back from loan. We have released dead wood. More will likely be sold. We still need 2 strikers, one of which will be Ade. We still need a winger. Still need Modric replacement if he's off. GK still needs to be looked at as it really could be in a huge mess in 18 months. If nothing has been done when we go to Newcastle, I'll be beside myself. I expect the team to be pretty much set by the 9th of August with a few pieces of driftwood to still move on. COYS