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Good morning.
We wake to a new dawn. The mighty Arsenal vanquished by a new…
Look let’s get a few things straight. I have a sore throat from screaming yesterday. I got so wrapped up in proceedings I didn’t even get around to drinking the house dry. But we just beat one of the worst Arsenal teams to play us in maybe over a decade.
Yes I am delighted, but we need to look at what happened yesterday. Enjoy some pomp, but not entirely forget the circumstance.
The team sheet managed to pit Modders and PNB against four and occasionally five of their lot in midfield. I would suggest that Arry actually fielded a side that would appeal to a Lane baying for a wrought rather than one that would be more suited to doing the job. He needed Sandro on from the start and he bottled it.
His line up’s success hinged upon ‘things going our way’ and with some particularly crap passing and a good few insane hoofs at Adebayor that didn’t transpire.
6 An illegal card game was broken up in the Park Lane and it was discovered that Friedel was the dealer. ‘Just wanted some action, man’ the big man told stewards.
8 His goal was ‘spiffing.’ Not my words, but those of What Goal? Magazine. A good shift all around. Brain working much much faster than ever before. More please.
8 Bar that Vin Repast moment he as predicted his teaming up with Ledley King made him a solid as you could want. That’s what she said.
8 I shudder to imagine what we would be like without him after games like that. I guess the real question is who is lined up to replace him? He’s tip top.
6 Mmn. Needs to rapidly turn around recent form. He’s going backwards and Assured and Elegant has become plain old A&E again. Whassssup geeze?
7 Played out of position. So what is he supposed to do, write to his MP? Great finish but we could have had more had he been – played in position. Geddit?
6 Outnumbered and having an off day. What a cracking combination.
9 MOTM faced with a huge burden he got stuck in. Really impressed with his commitment and his seamless transition into the squad. Top charlie banana.
6 Some good runs but fluffed numerous chances this combined with being a defensive passenger made for a pretty lame performance. Must do better.
6 An A for effort but as low as a C+ for achievement. He needs more space and time than Doctor Who. That said a goal, and we’d be all over him, eh?
6 Not at the races. Not at all. Spent all of last week apologizing to Arsenal fans and should spend all of this week apologizing to Tottenham fans.
BaE just turned his body enough to launch lasagna off the pitch unfortunately for spaghetti head his leg came down on top of the hoarding ,no malicious intent from benny just showing whos boss thats all as the goon likes to put it about a bit.
bae does do a bit of enforcing,
he hasn’t given a pen away for a while,i was sure it was going to happen in the last 20m yesterday for some reason
nice moniker THE ENFORCER
Could hardly belileve all the negativity on here earlier, but it seems that some perspective has managed to sneak on here in the meantime (you know who you are).
Defoe has his detractors, and after last season I can understand that. But I thought he was pretty damned good yesterday. Especially in the first half he was great at pressuring their defenders and midfield in posession, and I feel he deserves credit for several of their (numerous) misplaced passes. Also tracked back well and helped mitigate VdV’s defensive weaknesses on our right. Didn’t get many looks at goal, but he had definitely been told to play behind Adeboy rather than beside him.
Adeboy was less blantantly excellent than usual, but was tightly marked throughout. Created space for his teammates and a huge plus deserved for the sexy chip on the first goal. Top class save by Sczeczcezcze to deny him a goal he no doubt would have loved to score.
Playing both VdV and Defoe was risky and adventurous, but on the whole I think it paid off, giving the Scum defenders a lot to think about. IMO ‘Arry picked just about the right time to stiffen up our midfield as the dutchman tired. VdV’s vision and creativity make him invaluable at unlocking defensive sides (and Arse tried to be that for long stretches), but his touch and knack for getting open also make him very useful in playing it out of defence (rather than hoofing it long to the forwards)and holding posession, as evidenced by several quick and neat exchanges between him, Modders and PNB.
Away from home I definitely agree with those that have said Parker & Sandro look a mouth-watering prospect in the middle. A lot of people mention that they wanted him to start, but keep in mind that he’s only just back from a long injury. Probably some wisdom in not forcing him straight back into 90 minutes of NLD madness. We need him fit if we’re truly going to fulfill the admittedly enormous potential in this squad.
Bale was stifled for a long time, but Sagna (as usual) deserves a whole lot of credit for that. My Les Arse schandenfreude stops short of taking pleasure in broken bones, but it was immensely pleasurable to see Bale unleashed on Carl Jenkinson (or was that Carl Jigginson?). Fresh legs vs. 70 minutes of sprints up and down the line and still the Beast made the boy look like he was standing still. Sagna was by far their best defender and their already shambolic defense will struggle even more in his absence.
Their goal was entirely avoidable. Absolutely, a faster RM would have put on more pressure before the cross, but the whole defensive unit fell asleep for a moment there (3 unmarked red shirts at the near post).
King continues to live up to his name. Laughed out lound when I saw him hoofing up the middle on that counter. A&E not at his best, but they really didn’t get through successfully our left too often, and decent going forward (especially after Sagna left). Walker was more assured than we’ve seen him, doing a more difficult job. What a silly shot to take, and what a time to take it! Full credit to the lad, who must now be bursting with confidence. Raging ‘Boul with a few shaky moments in the first half (in fairness Van Rapist tried hard and is a very, very good player, and would have given anyone trouble). An obelisk in the second.
I could have done Friedel’s job as it turned out, but no doubt helps breed confidence.
I really don’t see how Lennon and Thudd are going to get back into this team, barring injuries.
I give Mr. Redknapp and the coaching staff quite a bit of credit for balancing risk and security on the day. Seems like they did just the right amount of psyching up as well. Looking at the chances created by each side the winning margin could have easily been a lot bigger.
Please god let the international break be kind to us.
haha. Got a bit carried away there. :whistle:
Top top commentary. Still love to watch us with 2 wide players who are on song, but we’ve got enough skill players who can play through the opposition with great movement now. As long as they sort out defensive responsibilities, it doesn’t matter how they line up.
LosLorenzo… Sponsored by Lavazza & Illy Espresso :dizzy2:
Good stuff all round & heartily agree with all points.
Observant as always Astro, but to be honest I think it’s more like Tesco store brand in the machine at the office.
Great job manning the barricades of reason until I could get out of there and toss in my two cents :daumen:
Splendid post!
spot on!
Extended highlights: http://www.footytube.com/video/tottenham-hotspur-arsenal-oct02-92486?ref=hp_ozeit_mem
:daumen:
sandro is coming back from injury,thats why he is being eased back,adeboy set up vdv for the goal,did you see vdv arm in the air,over here son,no goon anywhere near,lovely stuff
sir ledleys run was my favourite thing from yesterday,priceless you could see him lumbering up trying to go through the gears and his knee thinking hang on WTF are we doing,
the arse out passed us easily yeasterday but as has been said what did friedel have to do apart from the ramsey goal
modric,parker,sandro,bale,vdv,adeboy that sounds like it will give anyone problems to me but i don’t undestand harrys love of defoe must play yesterday to unbalance the team,whats wrong with charlie and walker up the right and vdv with adeboy
where is all this doom and gloom you are going on about astro,i don’t see it
the arse still think they are title contenders,bless them,when rvp has gone there will be nothing left gervinho and chamack(whatever he is called),i can’t stop laughing
To all you”don’t be negative” merchants,I say bollocks.We are all delighted and overjoyed with the win,but as Cloughie would have said,we could have won better.
Quite right. The time to look to improve is when things are going well. They were there for the taking yesterday and we made harder work of it than was necessary. Top level sport is all about small percentages – stop looking for the extra 1-2% and you go backwards.