Good morning.
First up, good to see Gazza on the road to Wellville. He’s been there before, but I understand he’s making great progress and the more daft characters football has, the better.
The game itself was tough viewing at times as our formation creaked uneasily as many new players and an unedifying injury list took it’s toll. Add to this the Bar Codes aren’t where they are in the table by luck. They might not quite be ‘The Entertainers’ again, but Pardew has them organised and their desire was impressive enough.
6
Highlight of the game was his attempt to smuggle the ball back over the line after their equalizer. If I had to describe that move in word, that word would be ambitious.
5
It was all a bit of a struggle. In his defense Toon were at him and this is hardly a settled, cohesive back four, so no calls for his retirement just yet.
7
Many are called, some fail to turn up, a few say in a thick French accent, ‘let’s ave it my old son.’ He was well and truly put to the test and by golly I think he just about passed.
6
The poor old girl’s legs went and so back to the Guvnor’s swimming pool with our best wishes.
5
A hectic day at the office. Considering his last two run outs were worse I’m taking this as gradual improvement and again not calling for him to be chased out the borough by an angry mob with lit torches.
6
What I would do is play him in the middle and fit everyone else around him. This is on the basis that he’s apparently worth loads more than any of the others and is really good at playing football.
6
Looking every bit like a decent first team player. I particularly liked his show of grit when having a barney with one of their lot. We need more chaps like this who are ‘up for it’ and Jake certainly is that.
6
Probably his toughest shift with us yet. What I particularly like is watching him win a ball, tap it forward, look up, forward again and pass. A fantastic signing and without him we’d be in schtuck.
5
Another distinctly average performance. I’m bored with this whole crazy right wing business. It’s like the Amstrad vertical record player. I understand it, I just don’t want it.
7
So let me just check I have this right. Our most consistent goalscorer and one of our most talented players is a nuisance to accommodate when drawing up the team sheet. Arry, grow a brain and get back to me when you have.
7
He’s rock and roll. They were three up on him at stage. Whoever plays with him will score goals and whoever plays against him will have their hands full. Classy, smiley, destroyer.
7
A lethal strike followed by an infuriatingly selfish botch job.
Complete and utter drivel from you HH
Kaboul was our MOTM IMO, Livermore ran him close with a very good 2nd half performance but should have tracked Ba for their 1st goal (Modders let Guti go as well).
Parker probably let his standards drop a little, maybe trying too hard to impress against his old team.
If Gallas isn’t fit soon we are in big trouble.
No Bassong HH?
I didn’t think A&E performed that badly and although VdV is class and scores goals, etc, he had been relatively anonymous until called upon for the pen.
The major failing was collectively we didn’t close it out at 2-1 with 10-mins left, otherwise it would have been tea and medals all round.
There are two clear weaknesses of this current Spurs side IMHO that ‘Arry and the coaching staff really seriously need to work on if they want to achieve the coveted top 4 finish this season:
1. We fail to ‘put opponents to the sword’ when we take the lead and effectively kill the game off
2. We are unable to close games off/shut up shop/defend a lead effectively. How many times have we shipped late goals in games?
How would you go about doing this?
Play a regular fit back four (We will regret not buying Cahill)
Revert to one striker to bolster the midfield to close out games
Play the correct player in their correct position
Improved defensive coaching so that we actually defend as team so the ‘wobble’ does not happen when defending a fragile lead
So Defoe coming on was a bad choice? The back for has been chopped and changed loads this season? If Cahill was that good why ain’t no one else in for him? Think your Being bit harsh on team as we are still learning to adapt to different systems and we should be lucky that so many players can preform in different postions
Cahill’s been a mainstay of a Bolton defence that’s already managed to ship 22 league goals in eight games so far this season.
Not convinced he’s the answer to our perceived defensive problems.
How many goals have we scored in the last few minutes to win or draw games? Well, far more in the past few seasons that’s for certain. Sunderland, Liverpool, Newcastle, that’s for starters
fair point; we’ve had our share and a wonder-goal was needed to get them a draw
Defending well and keeping the ball intelligently can also win matches and negates the necessity to go chasing, especially if the clock is running down.
You don’t always need to chase a game you’re already winning.
Redknapp: ‘That’s not how we play’
As I posted yesterday, I didn’t think anyone played really well, probably Kaboul the exception, but no-one had a mare either. And as for their 2nd goal, it was Parker’s up and under, rather than a measured pass that gave possession back, but bloody hell, it’s football and hindsights a wonderful thing. Some of supporters expect teams to roll over because they’re playing Spurs, let’s see how Blackburn play at home and in desperate need of points. It’s sport not something designed on a drawing board where an exact science can be applied. We’re building a side and competing well after a shocking start, but you’d have thought we were in Arsenals position for heavens sake!
So your doub’e-barreled “solution” is 1) score more goals and 2) concede fewer goals.
Wow, you know… I think you might be on to something.
Yes – stupid ‘Arry for not just doing this. Let’s make you manager in stead and we’ll win the league. Finally someone articulated into plain English a simple, practical and actionable plan to overcome all the terrible set-backs Spurs have suffered under Troutchops.
But what if the other teams catch on and decide to score more and concede less as well? Wait! I’ve got it! We’ll just score EVEN more and concede EVEN less. Yes. That will do it.
Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit…….but great for a laugh.
More guidance from H on the touchline would help. Some of the lads – Walker, Livermore – for a start, are too young to be remembering stuff three-quarters through a tight, fast game. Walker charging forward… needed a word, that’s all. I’m not sure I saw Harry doing any of that yesterday.