The forgotten injury that might have led to our current problems

[Phillip]

I had almost forgotten about Yossi Benayoun, and his injury a while back, and how, if he had not gotten injured, his midfield dribbling ability, as well as his ability to score a good deal, might have made our current dire situation a whole lot different.

Just thinking out loud.

[Ben]

I had almost forgotten about Yossi Benayoun, and his injury a while back, and how, if he had not gotten injured, his midfield dribbling ability, as well as his ability to score a good deal, might have made our current dire situation a whole lot different.

Just thinking out loud.

He doesn't seem the type of player to turn a team round when they are going through what we have been. Look at Liverpool last season for example.

[Phillip]

Agreed, Ben, but he is/was the closest thing that we had to Lamps to fill in that critical role that we don't currently have -- a midfielder who has the capability to score goals and to penetrate defences.

[Hutch]

He doesn't seem the type of player to turn a team round when they are going through what we have been. Look at Liverpool last season for example.

I disagree there. I thought Benayoun was under-used by Benitez and often looked dangerous for Liverpool when he came off the bench.

[Ben]

I disagree there. I thought Benayoun was under-used by Benitez and often looked dangerous for Liverpool when he came off the bench.

Do you really think things would have been different if he had been fit? That fact that we signed players like him & Ramires in the summer instead of players who would improve the team, not just add to the squad.

The last time I saw him play, Josh was the best player in a disapointing defeat, which was prob the start of our form dipping.

[Kalou Time]

His passing and vision is something none of our other central midfielders have. I believe he is both footed which is a bonus seeing as Malouda & Zhirkov in CM have been limited to mainly attacking from the left. He is the ideal link up from midfield to attack in the absense of Lampard.

[Kalou Time]

Do you really think things would have been different if he had been fit? That fact that we signed players like him & Ramires in the summer instead of players who would improve the team, not just add to the squad.

The last time I saw him play, Josh was the best player in a disapointing defeat, which was prob the start of our form dipping.

How could we have improved the team and not just add to the squad?

I take it that means u wanted somebody in our starting 11 replaced. Who?

I think we have the best starting 11 in the prem so naturally we needed players that could come in and do a job when asked

[Hutch]

Do you really think things would have been different if he had been fit? That fact that we signed players like him & Ramires in the summer instead of players who would improve the team, not just add to the squad.

The last time I saw him play, Josh was the best player in a disapointing defeat, which was prob the start of our form dipping.

Yes I think Benayoun could have made a difference had he been available, for the reasons given above by Kalou Time. Unfortunately he'll be out for some time yet. So whether or not his availability would have made much difference comes down to a matter of opinion.

[Ben]

I take it that means u wanted somebody in our starting 11 replaced. Who?

I think we have the best starting 11 in the prem so naturally we needed players that could come in and do a job when asked

Yes thats what I meant.

Our first 11 would look a lot better like this

Cech

Ivan, Alex, Terry, Cole

Essien, Schweinsteiger

Lampard

Neymar, Malouda

Drogba

Yeah, I know Schweinsteiger wasn't available. But it would also looked better with Van Der Vart in it. Instead we got Ramires, who might turn out to be good, but massively over priced. Much like when we signed Mikel.

[icecoolguy22]

He would be really useful right now. When will we see him again, next may? Liverpool looked a more threatening team when he played.

[Ben]

He would be really useful right now. When will we see him again, next may? Liverpool looked a more threatening team when he played.

I think he was a good replacement for Cole, who is hardly "Lionel Messi'esk" since his move up there. But, the point is, we have been getting worse since we lost to Man City, we need a better balance up front and players who we can rely on when we have injuries. I wasn't his biggest fan, but Ballack & even Deco would have been useful lately. Calv needed replacing too, especially as it seems Bruma is not ready for 1st team action (played badly in all appearances this season).

[Kalou Time]

Yes thats what I meant.

Our first 11 would look a lot better like this

Cech

Ivan, Alex, Terry, Cole

Essien, Schweinsteiger

Lampard

Neymar, Malouda

Drogba

Yeah, I know Schweinsteiger wasn't available. But it would also looked better with Van Der Vart in it. Instead we got Ramires, who might turn out to be good, but massively over priced. Much like when we signed Mikel.

First of all the club tried to sign neymar but who is to say he would perform better than Anelka? Anelka is our top goalscorer this season and you dont want him in the starting 11? Might look better on paper but will neymar track back and work as hard as Anelka does off the ball? I doubt it.

Schweinsteiger is a good player but most on here would agree Mikel has been our best player this season so would i swap him for the german? No thanks

Van der Vart wasnt available in July or start of august for the price he went for. If we hadn't of signed anybody by the last day of the transfer window everybody on here would have been going mad.

I would rather our current starting 11 than the one you listed

[Kalou Time]

And may i mention spurs built their whole formation and game around Van Der Vaart this season. Big fish in a small polluted pond. So there is no guarantee he would have gelled as quick here or enjoyed sitting on the bench when lampard is fit (Which will be the majority of the season)

[Backbiter]

I heard 5 live's discussion about our lack of depth today (high quality panel: Colin Murray, with Steve Claridge and jason Burt from the press). They were scathing about our bench and compared it unfavourably to other teams' back up, although they said our first XI was very strong.

So I thought what our 1st XVIII actually looks like, and wondered if we did have a respectable bench:

PC

BI

Alex

JT

AC

JOM

ME

SFL

DD

NA

FM

SUBS

Hilario/ Turnbull (pitiful)

Bosingwa

Zhirkov

Ramires

Benayoun

Kalou

Sturridge

Not a bad bench, if we could actually select it.

And yes, Benayoun has been a huge loss to us.

[PloKoon13]

I agree. Benayoun was the man who was there for this exact kind of midfield crisis. He's clever and is a good link player - exactly what we have needed.

[Arq]

I agree as well. I always thought he was underutilized by Benitez.

Edited December 6, 2010 by Arq

[Spiller86]

You raise an interesting point, we did purchase him to break down the stubborn deep defences with his dribbling and creativity. Even if he were coming off the bench he may have made an impact.

That said I think it's a very small factor, compared to other injuries and the disruption in continuity caused by Wilkins departure (which while correlation doesn't imply causality, can't be written off any more as having no impact)

[The Brit]

had little to do with our current problems, but maybe, and I mean maybe, he would have ensured our points tally wasn't as bad as it has been lately

[forbzy]

I agree Yossi was a big loss for us. At the very least his availability would have ensured we played a central midfielder in Frank's position and not a winger (Yuri/Malouda).

Another loss that hasn't been considered on here in recent discussions is Sam Hutchinson. I really believe he would have had a few chances during our current defensive crisis and I'm sure he wouldn't have let us down.

[Phillip]

I agree Yossi was a big loss for us. At the very least his availability would have ensured we played a central midfielder in Frank's position and not a winger (Yuri/Malouda).

Another loss that hasn't been considered on here in recent discussions is Sam Hutchinson. I really believe he would have had a few chances during our current defensive crisis and I'm sure he wouldn't have let us down.

Good point, forzbzy.

[Chippy]

I heard 5 live's discussion about our lack of depth today (high quality panel: Colin Murray, with Steve Claridge and jason Burt from the press). They were scathing about our bench and compared it unfavourably to other teams' back up, although they said our first XI was very strong.

So I thought what our 1st XVIII actually looks like, and wondered if we did have a respectable bench:

PC

BI

Alex

JT

AC

JOM

ME

SFL

DD

NA

FM

SUBS

Hilario/ Turnbull (pitiful)

Bosingwa

Zhirkov

Ramires

Benayoun

Kalou

Sturridge

Not a bad bench, if we could actually select it.

And yes, Benayoun has been a huge loss to us.

When you look at that first eleven and that bench you can understand the club thinking we wouldn't need to buy as we have players like Josh and PVA as well but once a few injuries hit things don't look so rosy, I would bet on that squad to win the title when compared to our opposition, not that I'm writing off our chances of pulling it round.

[bluegraham]

i totally forgot about him. well atleast if he played he would be a proper midfielder and we wud nt have to play yuri in midfield

[big blue]

Definately should have bought in the summer would have signed a gk a centre back a midfielder and a forward if we really wanted to keep to prem n push on in Europe. maybe this run of bad form has opened the men in powers eyes to the fact were not the team we were last year. kalou time asks for names to improve our starting 11, I think there are 1/2 players that could have kicked us on. and a whole host of players that could have given us a tremendous squad and improve our team over the next five years. Complacency is a killer!

[ColeMan]

Benayoun has been missed, but so have Ballack,Deco and Belletti, all could have done a job for us.

But the powers that be have decided to trim costs and we are now paying the price.

To be honest, we have not been playing well for some time, but having said that, all that is missing are a few lucky breaks in front of goal.

[Backbiter]

I agree Yossi was a big loss for us. At the very least his availability would have ensured we played a central midfielder in Frank's position and not a winger (Yuri/Malouda).

Another loss that hasn't been considered on here in recent discussions is Sam Hutchinson. I really believe he would have had a few chances during our current defensive crisis and I'm sure he wouldn't have let us down.

Yes - another very sad loss. They showed his fantastic cross for Lamps' wonder volley against Stoke on CTV the other week, and it was painful to think the lad's career was wrecked so young.