Playing without Harry...

[Spursex]

freundorfoe - 20/3/2018 15:49

Spursex - 20/3/2018 09:08

The point I'm making is life after Harry is possible, not only possible, but may even be just as bright.

I love three up top with the movement and fluidity it creates, I'm also convinced it increases our passing speed and momentum - as we're not look for that one key pass/key player everytime.

All our front 3/attacking midfielders have shown again and again when Harry's not playing that they can score - I even think they play with greater freedom....

I wouldn't sell Harry, but the 'lesson' in all this is - is there any point in buying a back up to Harry or even playing Harry in every game when we can tactically adjust and even substitute him and change the dynamic of the way we set ourselves out and the way we can play...

It might be the difference between coming second next season or even winning the PL....

But it will take real bravery on Poch's behalf.

I was talking with two performance analysts about it post Swansea, both thought I was right....that pleased me greatly - but it's now a debate in my mind - when to start Harry and when to rest him - because what I do know is we can't keep playing him into the ground.

perhaps we can encourage that fluidity from Harry also, he's got lovely vision and great delivery, but we set up to make everything go through him. If he was just one of a front 3 in the same way Lamela has been then it might work in games where our more traditional setup is proving fruitless.

If we adjust our game, I'm not sure Harry would prosper the way he does now - but of course it's possible; Harry's passing range and vision is first class.

What it does bring into sharp relief and brings into a genuine possibility is there maybe absolutely NO need to buy a Harry mark II who will not much more than a bench warmer - which frankly is part of the issue Lorente has - he just isn't getting the minutes to sharpen him up.

 

[xvausch]

Well it looked good for one game, against a completely capitulating side, hardly an example to build a long term future upon. Especially since the recent past is jam packed with proof that your supposition just may be total madness.

However....

It is only fair to also acknowledge that the gameplan was executed without the field presence of Dele as well.

Eriksen, Lamela, Son, & Lucas are playmakers, primarily, and goal scorers second. That's their natural inclination.

Kane is a goal scorer who can make plays, and Dele is a hybrid.

Kane & Dele's inclination is to sweep towards goal and challenge the defender to score. They present clear targets for the run of play. They're both great players, and so the option is positive almost always. The play runs around looking for the feed IN, where Kane & Dele run IN TO.

The others, whilst in the penalty area, are more inclined to clear the space for someone to run to (Kane or Dele) or pass into. Diagonal clearing runs all over the place. And once the area is obviously clear, they will shoot thru the screen from out, or they'll feed the ball into the 2nd or 3rd man running's path.

Was it really an actaul game plane? Or was it just the natural result of the inclinations of the players put out?

If it WAS intended, then Dele surely can adapt, and I'm sure Kane could too. Certainly was enjoyable to watch.

Either way, selling Kane would be a marketing disaster.

:9:

.

 

[Spursex]

xvausch - 20/3/2018 21:50

Well it looked good for one game, against a completely capitulating side, hardly an example to build a long term future upon. Especially since the recent past is jam packed with proof that your supposition just may be total madness.

However....

It is only fair to also acknowledge that the gameplan was executed without the field presence of Dele as well.

Eriksen, Lamela, Son, & Lucas are playmakers, primarily, and goal scorers second. That's their natural inclination.

Kane is a goal scorer who can make plays, and Dele is a hybrid.

Kane & Dele's inclination is to sweep towards goal and challenge the defender to score. They present clear targets for the run of play. They're both great players, and so the option is positive almost always. The play runs around looking for the feed IN, where Kane & Dele run IN TO.

The others, whilst in the penalty area, are more inclined to clear the space for someone to run to (Kane or Dele) or pass into. Diagonal clearing runs all over the place. And once the area is obviously clear, they will shoot thru the screen from out, or they'll feed the ball into the 2nd or 3rd man running's path.

Was it really an actaul game plane? Or was it just the natural result of the inclinations of the players put out?

If it WAS intended, then Dele surely can adapt, and I'm sure Kane could too. Certainly was enjoyable to watch.

Either way, selling Kane would be a marketing disaster.

:9:

.

We've played without Harry a good few times and each time, we have managed to score goals - of course, we'd set up with either Jaansen or Llorente so it was a copy-cat of how we play with Harry - and it hasn't been a great success.

The point is, without a 'point' man it's shown almost everytime how much more fluied we can be - and MOura may well have been that missing link man that makes it work better....

But in any case, you're right, selling Harry would be a marketing disaster - but it may not be a football one..

 

[Departed]

Harry is back in training. :1: