Can Tottenham play Luka Modric & Niko Kranjcar in the same team?

Ollie Irish

17th, December 2009

16 Comments

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Ostensibly, Niko Kranjcar was signed by Spurs to deputise for the injured Luka Modric. But after a slow start to his Tottenham career, Kranjcar has been in stunning form of late, giving his manager one of those clichéd ‘nice’ selection headaches.

Kranjcar and Modric have played together with great success for Croatia, often with the former out wide and the latter through the middle. So Arry Redknapp might think about doing the same for Spurs. Modric might play in the mystical ‘hole’, as the designated second striker:

Lennon, Palacios, Huddlestone, Kranjcar

Modric

Defoe

That looks like a good way to set-up the team’s front six for away fixtures, with the fast counter-attack in mind; Modric can drop back to join the midfield quartet when Spurs are on the back foot, then link play between the midfield four and the main striker on the break.

Agree/disagree?

Posted in Opinion, Tottenham Hotspur

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16 Comments

  1. mizman says:

    agree this would be awesome away from home! Also gives lennon less defensive responsibilty. At home, one of the midfield will drop out for Keano/Crouch

  2. Steve says:

    That would be an awful selection, we play a lot of crosses into the box and this would not suit defoe and modric. There’s no one to hold the ball up and we will struggle against more physical sides.

  3. whats goin' on here says:

    totally agree.i do think modric is our best player but only a fool would drop niko at the moment. whatever the decision i would not want to be harry at the moment.different for a supporter though lol.

  4. Chris says:

    Yes Yes and Yes, Nico on the left, Modders in the middle with Palacios or Thudd ad Lennon on the right. Awesome midfield (on paper)

  5. watson says:

    no height in the team! silly!

  6. HB says:

    Defoe gets more joy plucking Crouch’s hand me downs.
    Which leaves either Modric or Nico.
    For me it’s the latter.
    And if Harry had any sense he’d concur.
    My fantasy football team is at stake here.

  7. hekko says:

    Gomes
    Charlie Dawson Bassong Benoit
    Palacios
    Lennon Modric Kranjcar
    Crouch Defoe

    What’s that phrase again? Oh yeahh… to dare is to do.

  8. Del boy says:

    looks a bit like the famous 5 in days gone by

  9. Simon Kelly says:

    guys, i was at the game last night and i just wanted to say that we played brilliantly against an on paper, class man city team.

    BUT what i want to right is this.

    It is time to stop being so racist and immature to Adebayor. The guy would stand up coz he hates Arsenal… Granted, he is no legend, and he’s an arrogant player, but consistantly chanting about His Dad washing elephants and his mum is a whore… i think as fans we can be a lot more intelligent and positive!

    Maybe you will see this as a lack of support, but i think that it is time to stop the abuse!

    Simon Kelly

  10. Ty says:

    I personally wouldn’t mind seeing Modric in CM in place of Hudd. Hudd has no real physical presence anyway so its not like we would be loosing any grit. All Hudd does is spray the ball around and hit shots from outside the 18. Modric could do all this only more effectively. Palacios in to tackle, Modric as a deep lying playmaker with Lennon on his right, Kranjar on the left, Defoe and Crouch up top. I imagine this would be very hard to beat!

  11. J. Bro says:

    Everytime i’ve seen Modric in the middle of the park, he’s not been as effective as he is when on the left. Why? When he’s on the left, he has more freedom to roam in the middle and doesn’t have as much defensive responsibilities. That’s why i think he should remain on the left! I think Krancjaer should play behind Defoe because Kranjaer can actually head the ball and can also hold the ball up – he’s not a small lad like Modders, who would struggle as the second striker. By the way, seen Crouch recently and he’s hold up play is appalling. Sure Kranjcaer ain’t gonna be much worse. I don’t propose this for all the games but i would like to see it being given a run. But if i had to pick one, it would be Modders all the time!

  12. Indyfan says:

    I would definitely play Modric with Krancjar- and drop Crouch. With Crouch, Lennnon and co. think primarily of crossing aerial balls into the box – and Crouch has not been particularly productive, despite his height. He had a hand in both goals v Man City but did litle else except being beaten to the ball time and again. He showed no marked ability to hold the ball up, as mostly when the ball came to him it ended with him – on the deck. Sorry, Crouch can be very good but Krancjar has shown he has the ability to be a fine striker – so I’d put him up front and have Modric in the midfield general role, which he does as well as or better than , say, Fabregas.

  13. dean says:

    CHARLIE DAWSON BASSONG BENOIT
    PALASIOS
    LENNON MODRIC KRANCJAR
    CROUCH
    DEFOE

    Drop Hudd. He gives the ball away to often with stray passes.

  14. EngNor says:

    I`v been saying since the arrival of Kranky that Modric should drop in between the middle and a lone Defoe, it worked for us when Allen was the lone man up front. And is proven fact that it works very well for the Croats.

    Gomes

    Corluka Dawson(cpt) Bassong Ekotto

    Lennon Hudds Palacios Kranky
    ……….Modric

    ……….Defoe

  15. K Hrovat says:

    Modric and Kranjcar are best pair from center to front in whole Europe by redding each other,in any position left right,or front and because both of them are,master of footbal,it is in their blod.

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