Tottenham were, yet again, rubbish, well ok maybe not anger-inducingly rubbish, but definitely distinctly average. How I yearn for a really good performance. I crave flowing moves, intelligent running, clever interplay. I'd currently settle for more than half a dozen passes in a row, a few more decent attempts on goal and the immediate cessation of long balls out of defence. Watching Tottenham is getting more and more like watching Championship football, we just don't knock it around like we used to.
Why our players struggle to find the kind of time and space on the ball that the opposition so frequently have against us is a conundrum. Unfortunately Harry hasn't got a clue either. I can only hope that he gets as frustrated as me by all the terrible decision making and hopeless passing. The players have been conditioned to believe they are in a fight, but fighting and playing intelligent football don't have to be mutually exclusive do they?
Whilst I am obviously delighted that we managed 3 points against a newly promoted team, I refuse to paper over the cracks of yet another disjointed performance. I personally am failing to see any significant progress from any of the other dross we have been served up over the last couple of months. Ask yourself this, on 80 minutes who did you think was going to win? The only difference this time is we managed to grab a late winner rather than the more traditional late loser.
My verdict...
Cudicini - 5Are this team capable of playing better football than this? I think they are, but how much longer do we have to wait before they gel? 45 minutes against Stoke is all we've had to be proud of for way too long. Next Wednesday we host Boro' in what is another 'must win' game. Tricky away ties follow against Sunderland and Villa before a home tie with resurgent Chelsea - I don't fancy too many points from that lot.
Failed to inspire confidence and seems to have been taking cross handling advice from Gomes.
Corluka - 5
Mistake for their goal, but I still like him
Woody - 8
Blood, guts and the winner
Ledders - 6
Was he playing?
Assou-Akkoto - 4
He finally put a cross on someones head, well done it only took 20 odd games. Gives the ball away far too often and always tries to go long when a short pass inside is the better ball. Drives me crazy.
Lennon - 7
One of his better days, but still loves a dead end. Passing is poor/unimaginative/not quick enough. Taarabt has more skill in his little finger, unfortunately his passing and decision making is even worse. Nice goal.
Jenas - 6
Also one of his better days, which isn't really a massive compliment. Tiring of his exasperated arms out gesturing when he gets the ball in the centre circle. Gained one bonus point for not making me shout.
Modders - 5
Should have been pulling the strings, but wasn't.
Palacios - 7
Not quite the all action display we saw against the goons, but still ticked the right boxes. Rapidly becoming a personal favourite.
Bent - 5
I have been a long time supporter of Benty. Running out of patience.
Keane - 4
Was he playing? Missing Berba (aren't we all).
There's the welcome distraction of a cup final this weekend (welcome for me anyway, Harry doesn't seem so keen). If on Sunday we give the ball away as cheaply and as frequently as we did last night then we're going to get battered. However, perhaps a good result and/or performance against unstoppable United will be the catalyst that brings these lot together and gives them a bit of belief.
It might not be very realistic, but I need some small ray of sunshine to believe in...
27 comments:
"best spurs site on the web"...hmmmm
Personally I think there were signs of the combinations Spurs need to be threatening enough to keep lesser opponents from getting forward anytime they want.
I saw some nice fast passing Lennon/Modric who are beginning to gel in midfield.
I agree to being nervous when the clock was ticking past the 80 minute mark, but it must have been a hairdryer HEADS UP! from Harry to avoid the late losers goal were used to.
I dont agree on that it was an awful display. Hull is a hard team to play due to the agressive approach and mistimed headless tackles from their midfielders...
Palacios is already one of my personal favorites. The man puts a smile on my face with his "all over the place coming to get you" attitude.
If you actually want this to be "Best Spurs site on the web" ill look forward to a bit more debatable articles instead of the usual "why the hell.....spurs suck" kinda thing
Cheers
Our record against the top four this year is with the exception of the cup game against Man Ure unbeaten so actually thats better with the exception of Aston Villa who are the only "top" team to beat us in the league so far. last night wasn't pretty but at least they dug in and fought, something we keeping told isn't what we are about. This year now its about making sure we get out of the hole which given the crap start is what we have to do. Then take stock re group and come back next year. The UEFA cup is not a priority but give it a good shot at the Carling cup and see what happens.
Its not what this club is about i know and not what i would like to see but i'm being realistic about where we are and then where we need to get to. Next season is next season.
Agree it wasn't vintage stuff last night but when we're in a better position then we can play pretty football. Until then it's just a case of grinding out results regardless of performance.
How can you give Bent a better mark than Assou-Ekotto. BAE has been one of our successes this season. Very steady. You must have impaired vision! Would you rather have Bale?!?!
As for Bent he couldn't trap a bag of sand. Absolutely useless!
And our record against top 4 sides this year is actually very good. They'll also have Champions League games to hopefully distract them.
Bit of a flawed article mate. Better luck next time.
Dross . . .you expect a new manager and half a new team to gel instantly and all is glory-glory Tottenham again. We need stability over at least two seasons, then we can start moving forward. I understand this is not what Spurs fans want to hear but it's reality . . .proven by Aston Villa, Everton, Arsenal, ManU, Liverpool. Chelsea join the manager/player churntable and you see what happens.
If you have nothing positive to say at all from 3 points on a Monday night away at Hull (many teams would get less) then go write for another team.
what a knob
Sh!t veiw. Why do you support Spurs if all you can do is slate them. I bet if we win the cup you will still have issues...liven up you mug.
i agree completely ! we have spent over 300 million over the past few years and where are we? still bottom half of the table. Players like Jenas and Bent are not good enough.. and while we continue to play long ball to bent who couldnt even out jump Modric we wont achieve anything. The fact remains that whatever our form is against the top 4 is irrelevant, as you have to beat the team below them to win leagues.. id rather lose to the gooners every year and win the league, however some fans appear to be rather more interested in beating top 4 teams than winning leagues...
You twat, if you cant see the result is more important than style you know nothing about football. Name me one side that has ever played beatiful football whilst fighting religation? YOU MUST BE A GOONER
I find it incredible that every spurs site i go on has OUR supporters slagging off OUR team!Yes last night wasn't the most inspiring of games and we do not look like world beaters but why are we always so quick to look at the negatives and put OUR team down?! If a utd or chelski went there and ground out a hard fought win then people would say that is the sign of a good team! The 3 points was vital so why not be over the moon with that and hope the confidence brought to the team by the win grows and the performances pick up in terms of quality. Before people start to abuse me with what i have written take a minute to think about what they did and the importance of getting those points! COYS
Three points is three points you berk. We're in a relegation battle and you want fancy football? If you were manager you'd have them lined on the penalty spot practicing over-head kicks! Imagine if we'd started showboating on 80 mins and actually conceeded a late winner like so many times recently? Where would our morale be going into the cup final on Sunday having lost to Hull on Monday and then watched our kids get wiped off the pitch on Thursday? At least now, due to dogged determination, blood and guts, we can go to Wembley with a pinch of self belief. You really don't know what you're talking about and should get back to selling dodgy replica Arsenal shirts down the Holloway Road.
My,My, there are some sensitive little souls commenting here, mind you don't offer an honest critique of our beloved team or you could be accused of being a gooner!!!
Even Sir Les at half time last night wasn't pulling his punches and agreed they needed a f*cking good kick up the arse, is he a gooner?
The good news? Harry's half time talk must have been magical, it definitely got 'em motivated for the second half.
So although you didn't mark him in your piece, I'm going to award him a big fat man-of-the-match 8.
Don't agree with the mark for BAE, the cross for the winner was worth a seven on it's own.
A word for the delicate, if you can't cope with a bit of honesty, go read Tribalfootball, they deal exclusively with the bleedin' obvious.
What a bunch of close minded little boys and girls I seem to have attracted today.
Post 1: You make a good point, "best spurs site on the net" may be ambitious. I have renamed accordingly
Mattspur, my article is not flawed as it is my blog and therefore my opinion. And yes, I would rather have Bale.
I think my point has been lost. We were lucky to get that win last night,we played shit against a shit team who have been on a shit run. This is not a turning point because we were shit.
As the one enlightened poster mentions above, for the amount of money spent on this team I DO expect more than a succession of battles over inferior opposition - most of which we have been losing.
Get it now?
nope! :-)
yes same sh*t diffrent day i think your talking about this site if u think its so bad support spurs then fu*k off u must sit there all week hoping we lose so you can write some more sh*t about us where yids and surport the team if winning or losing so go down the road to the scum cos uyou sound like one of them you wan*er coys
i wish people like you would f*ckoff so what if we played shit other teams play shit but they dont have fans like you coming on here and slaging the team off #points is what we got and thats good lets get safe and look forward to next year with a few new signings i think you will see a diffrent team i bet your hoping we lose so you can write your sh*t blog hahaha coys
I know I'm at risk of being called a 'Knob' ( I think you mean nob, a knob is normally found on a door)a 'Mug' or the rather unimaginative 'Gooner' but we blew away our european dream to give this lot a rest and get them ready for last night.
The least they could have done is try and look like a hundred million pounds worth of talent. They were playing against a team who's bubble burst about two months ago and are drowning quicker than a guest at a Michael Barrymore house party.
again , i thing the point has been missed.. we have spent a lot of money and for what...? forget last nights result..that was only one game... look at the overall picture..! spurs are in a mess..
i bet if i spent the best part of 300 million i could produce better...
MY GOD THIS IS A SUPER-SHIT BLOG.. will not bother reading it again.
FRANK the WANK, I suggest you start every sentence with 'in my rather palsied opinion..'
FRANK
You should make it compulsory that people declare their age before they post on here.
It would put it into perspective.
Using pre-pubescent smut to insult someone is just immature.
Right.
What the fuck is wrong with Spurs fans on the web? This guy has made totaly valid points about the current situation and gets greeted with:
You cunt,
You are a cunt because you dare to question Spurs,
You don't write perfectly glowing reviews of what was clearly a shite game by a team that are lost after being coached by lost manager.
You are a cunt.
It's fans like this that destroy our club, blind loyalty match after match and anyone who offers a differing view is a cunt, which then descends into comments that could be left by a 7 year old.
Get over yourselves, accpet the principle of freedom of speech and if you have an issue with the article then argue your fucking point you fucking pricks.
Getting worse then fucking scousers.
There are two things that we do not do that would affect our game immensely: Hustle and Urgency.
I still cannot understand why we do not close down our opponents. There is no hustle and the only time you see it happen is when we play a "named" opposition or when we are a goal down.
Hustle, close down open spaces, get the opposition to make quick decisions. We just don't do it. You hustle anyone with the ball and you have a chance that they'll make a rash choice.
Urgency, there is no urgency from simple things like throw-ins. Players walking around. Are you tired?
There is no movement from throw-ins, no one making a move into open space or making their makers move with them.
We need to change the players mindset towards hustling all the time and showing urgency. The top sides hustle their opponents and show an unbelievable amount of urgency. We have the players and they train for their opposition. We put ourselves in dire situations by making the smallest things a chore.
Come on Tottenham, we are better than this. This needs to be drilled into the players heads, hustle your over-paid-fancy-arse-off.
You illiterate kiddies can keep your rose tinited glasses on if you like. The truth hurts, but that don't make it any less the truth.
Brilliant were we? Played them off the park did we? Put in a performance that proves we've turned (another) corner did we?
Or maybe we were shit but managed to mug them.
The point is that last night I saw all the same old issues that I've seen week in, week out for way too long now.
Do I expect miracles? No. Do I expect classy international standard professional footballers to be able to pass to each other successfully when they have been playing football together every day since August - yes!
"Name me one side that has ever played beatiful football whilst fighting religation?" says one idiot - well which came first, the lack of beautiful football or the relegation fight?
Thanks for the great post Enorme Nuez
I agree they were not great but where the hell did you get those ratings from? what a load of rubbish, Corluka is slow and clumsy and as for jenas...... well there are not enough vulgarities in my vocabulary to describe that waste of space. Modric was one of the better ones and King didn't put a foot wrong, yes woody scored but his main objective was to hoof the ball 100 yards every time he had it, tedious. Rubbish article.
Bit unfair on Modric. he did ok, and i think hes settling into our league nicely (just hope weve still got him next year) Lennon is improving with every game and Palacios is a bad mumma jumma. (Weve needed him for a long time)Theres a few players id ship out in the summer (BAE? Jenas Bent) Its not all doom and gloom. Chin up yids
Frank have you ever played football for a struggling team? Im pretty crap so i have. I dont care how much players cost, if your struggling for points it gets harder and harder to play slick passing. If we could just start a season well i think wed all be surprised what our squad could be capable of.
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