I cannot recall a time when I have watched us spend so much time on the floor writhing in agony.
Admittedly since the word got out one or two of our lot were quite good at playing football, the fouls have been flying in thick and fast. But today’s game was a masterclass in wincing and clutching that even left Drogba looking on in awe.
Once the territory of ‘foreigners’ on the telly, then the domestic domain of Chelsea and Manchester United it seems to be a Top 4 affectation. And so if that’s the case, Spurs are good at impressions.
Hutton went down easier than a Leith brass. Defoe got a free kick when it was he who backed into a Chelsea player who was barely aware of him until the whistle went. And Sarge made a three course meal of a challenge late in the game that went on for so long that Arry just threw Sandro on in order that we could resume playing 11 vs 11.
One of the things that has always left me cold about players like Nani, Anderson, Drogba & Co was the ham acting. The aim, for anyone joining us late, is not simply to break up play, but to put into the referee’s feeble mind that there is pattern of ungentlemanly conduct emerging. It’s an element of ‘gamesmanship’ I’d be happy to see us distance ourselves from.
The Tottinghams came out flying and the opening half hour was exhausting just to watch. Come the second half, the tempo ebbed and Ancelotti unsurprisingly threw into the mix the two players that have been most noticeable by their absence.
We were missing Van derVaart’s intelligence and the inclusion of 3MP for the burnt out Pav pretty much heralded the end of the entertaining football. A stream of balls walloped up on to his head took us from being in possession to wrestling 50/50 balls.
In the final analysis it was difficult to work out if Spurs were lucky to get a point or if the luck had been with Chelsea. Spurs are almost there. But it does look a little bit like an impression at the moment.
Gomes? As Arry once remarked, ‘people want goalkeepers who don’t make mistakes. Unfortunately, they don’t exist.’
Excuse the ignorance. 3MP – what does that stand for?
3 metre peter (crouch)
2 worries – Pav just doesn’t give me the vibe he used to. Defoe looks clinical, Pav doesn’t.
And the more obvious one – Gomes was in my view to blame for us not picking up 3 points. Another mad day from the worlds second most famous octopus.
2 positives – Daws, great return of the man who is our leader. (Billy hand it over). And we’re dissapointed having dropped points against Chelsea.
I’l say that once more. We’re dissapointed we’ve dropped points against Chelsea.
:)
“2 worries – Pav just doesn’t give me the vibe he used to. Defoe looks clinical, Pav doesn’t.”
Well Pav scored an outstanding goal and Defoe wasted a couple of great opportunities, the first of which he couldn’t even get on target with plenty of time to set himself and the second was when he was one on one with Terry.
I assume your comment was not based on yesterday.
No …it was.
He just doesn’t give me that vibe he used to. That’s all.
Good goal but longer term I think he’s doomed to going and if that’s the case lets not drag it out another failed experiment not in the rebrov league but closer to shevchenko for me. Only opinion.
Harry I think you’ve got this one wrong……..
Palacios was MOTM and was not playacting at the end. His ankle was trodden on and twisted by the tackle.
Bale was butchered by Essien and should have seen red!
I agree with you about Hutton. Considering he projects a hardman image, he should be a little embarrassed at how easily he goes down.
Palacios was indeed back to something like his best yesterday. I hate to say it but I thought Terry was outstanding for them too. It just shows that at the very top level you need game time to adjust to the pace. Defoe and Daws will need time to get match sharp too. It makes the past performances of Ledknee even more amazing when he has been hampered for so long.What a player he is!!!
We need to get some of our top players back, especially VdV, Kaboooom and Gallas (Leds and Woody would be an added bonus), then it gives us the chance to rest a few. For the past few games the team and bench have essentially picked themselves. Cannot think of any other Prem squad which would have coped with the injuries we have already had this season.Just hope we have now had our share.
He does run like a bit of a fairy at times but that tackle was learned at school in the Gorbles.
Hutton is mutton dressed up as a pilchard
Baz Says: Excuse the ignorance. 3MP – what does that stand for?
Sid Trotter Reply: 3 metre peter (crouch)
……………………….
Hardly pedantic to point out that his height (Wiki) is 2.01m, so 3MP is 49.25% over-exaggerated.
‘Over-exaggerated’! :wassat: