Article by Joel SamuelsClick here to follow e-Spurs on Twitter!
Many people have pointed to many reasons for the seeming slowdown in progress that Spurs have made in the last two years. Prematurely sacking Jol? Berbatov and Keane out in the same summer? Damien Comolli? Daniel Levy? Harry’s tactics? Bye-bye Bale? Managerial revolving door?
Spurs fans put up with these theories as much as we have to, just as we put up with the glee with which they are presented to us. However, we all know what it was that propelled us up the table between 2008 and 2012 and he was a 5’9”, blond, hair band wearing Croatian whose name had too many syllables for the song we sang about him – “Na, na, na, na – na, na, na, na – weyeyey – LU-KA MOD-RIC!”
From the moment that he moved inside from the outside-left position he occupied initially under Redknapp our entire gameplan, formation and team form revolved around the diminutive Croatian. His stats have never backed this up and, perhaps, that is why most commentators focused so heavily on a certain Welsh wizard of a winger. Even at Madrid last season where Ancelotti made him the lynchpin upon which he built his Champions League winning team Luka’s stats weren’t get greatest: two goals and nine assists doesn’t make the best reading. But Spurs fans, and now Real Madrid fans, know that that isn’t what makes him so great.
What was extraordinary was the way the game seemed to go at the pace that he chose. If we were moving through the phases quickly it would be his initial pass and then sprint to get back involved that would spur this on. However, if we were a couple of goals up at the Lane and playing keep-ball then you could almost guarantee that every other touch of the ball would be his. He has an uncanny ability to communicate to his teammates when to go forward and when to retain as well as being an incredibly accurate passer of the ball and almost impossible to knock off it when in possession. And it is these qualities that we have lack so desperately for two years.
A brief examination of the players who have played in the same position since he left shows just how much he has been missed: Huddlestone, Dembele, Paulinho, Chadli, Sigurðsson, Holtby. All of whom have been tried deep as the metronome to tick us over and all of whom have, frankly, disappointed. None are the complete package that Luka was. I know many fans were disappointed to see big Tom go but, if we examine the facts, his lack of mobility and inability to find an extra gear have always meant that he is limited to football played at a certain pace. His only truly successful run in the team, in fact, came when he was the deeper support in a two man midfield in the 4th place finish season of 2009-2010 alongside, you guessed it, Luka Modric.
Of the men listed above who have played in the same position as him perhaps Dembele has the strongest chance of replicating some of Luka’s success but there are serious question marks over his range of passing and inability to pull the trigger when through on goal.
So what is the solution? Well perhaps the answer lies in moving a similarly slight-of-build, tricky midfielder with extraordinary vision who has begun life in the Premier League used in an unfamiliar left-sided midfield position, back inside and giving him the reigns.
Perhaps the man to finally replace Luka is Christian Eriksen.
The passing is there, the ability to control a game, beat a man when necessary and, let’s face it, fantastic dead ball ability. Plus he has now got a season of being kicked by the Premier League’s less exuberant teams under his belt. So perhaps the solution for Mr. Pochettino to our lack of creative penetration in the last two years is to move Eriksen back and inside. Give him the keys to the car, let’s let him drive for a bit and see if we can build the team around him.
If not then we have to replace the Croatian creativity we lost when Luka escaped to Madrid. Now. This transfer window. Or we riot.
© e-Spurs 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Spurs
Too true. The much missed Luke Modric
ReplyDeleteEriksen has done a wonderful job in his first season, however, his preferred position is in the #10 role right behind the CF. He does not have the defensive focus nor the stamina that Modric has. You could see it when he played on the left wing last season, he never liked to track back and support Danny Rose, who found himself isolated all too often. I agree with you that Modric has never been replaced and we have sorely lacked that box-to-box midfielder with the vision and guile of Modric, but I do not think Eriksen is the answer. For me, the perfect replacement would be Pjanic at Roma. He has very similar ball handling and passing skills as Modric as well as the incisive vision to play that killer pass and to dictate the pace of the game. Plus he would link up very nicely with Lamela who he played with at Roma. Unfortunately, there is no way in hell we will be able to bring in Pjanic, as he will cost way too much.
ReplyDeletegood points
ReplyDeleteTom Carrol? all right stop lobbing things in my direction,but he has t he potential if we give him the chance.
ReplyDeletePut Eriksen as no.10 behind the striker...goalkeeper/walker/schar/vertonghen/not Rose please...lamela/paulinho/sandro or capoue/a natural left midfielder(depay?)...eriksen...striker?.
ReplyDeleteIf this fail don't blame me...hahaha!.
I'd love to see Tom Carroll turn first teamer like Sturling with Liverpool. Eriksen has a great pass, but I don't think he has the vision. Great technical abilities but for me even Holtby is better.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Eriksen has better ability to make the pass/cross/through balls, but Holtby is quicker at it which is vital in modern games. Carroll maybe, but we'll never know until he's given a chance - consistent amount of chances that is. Although that'll be rare/unlikely, which is sad.
Hope we sign Ben Davies, new CB and keep Lloris. Maybe a striker if Ade does leave to reunite with 'Arry.
Season of chanpions league qualification he was out with a broken leg. Niko kranjcar played the role explain that
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThey (Niko and Luka) played the same amount of games that season - 34 total. However, during Luka's injury it was much more often to be Palacios or Jenas who were found alongside Huddlestone, with Kranjcar occupying the outside left role Luka had played the season before. Then Bale's emergence late in the season kept him out and kept Luka inside where he dictated the play from for the next two and half years.