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Good morning.
Despite having an IQ likened by me to ‘the size of a planet’ when the game finished and the league table popped up on the TV screen I said out loud, ‘Wow, look at that’. Do you think it’s helpful we retain some modesty and indeed some small degree of awe while things are progressing so excellently?
In the opening minutes of the game there was a lovely move that broke down on the left when I think Sandro misplaced a pass and the ball was stroked out of play. This drew a significant groans from a section of the home support. I think it was Dave Basset commentating on my coverage and he wryly remarked that ‘some Tottenham fans have been spoiled recently.’
I’m beginning to feel spoiled. We’re sitting 3rd in the Barclays Premiership with a game in hand and respectable goal difference. Our schedule of games has been balanced unlike it might be argued Newcastle’s who’s good run was underpinned by some results from soft opposition. Including us.
The ratings then…
7.001 Granite face, metal heart. The Colonel oozes confidence, he pongs of experience. Go on, get close, fill your nostrils. The scent of defiance.
5.678 A little too exciting to watch at times. Benny clearly has class and talent in equal measure but if we’re serious about this business now, he needs to row in the same direction.
6. 467 A much improved showing here. But that is obviously down to getting back into the swing of things. Notably good in the air and far more composed all round.
6. 467 Consistent as hell. Sunderland lacked bite up front but the pests that did get through had bad luck or no luck at all. Fingers crossed he doesn’t sneeze and dislocate an ankle before Cheatski.
6. 467 Bundles of desire going forward, a menace on occasion. But I really want to see him get his defence game nailed. If he can do that, then he can start to really own his shirt.
7.004 Unconvincing first half. His showing in the second was a key element in us not collapsing, not giving quarter and not failing. The trio of him, Modric and PNB is some unit right there.
7.003 Let’s hope fans aren’t becoming complacent with his routinely tidy displays. Solid as a rock defensively and displaying wit and understading in spades going forwards.
7.003 Looked a little out the mix in the early stages and there’s a nasty rumour going around about missing sitter. I don’t buy a word of it. Cheatski will be back in for him in January offering first born children. And that sort of thing.
7.209 Most of his work was excellent. The rest was sublime. His passing was on occasion extraordinary. We must have all been very, very good in a previous life to have landed him, eh Glenn?
6. 399 We just couldn’t seem to feed him and when we did he struggled like hell to make much of it. Manu improved in the second half and his constant redeeming feature is his intelligence.
7 Watching him come on you could clearly see how non existent his relationship is with Arry, Bondy waving his fingers, the boy himself was patting his hair down and looking into the distance. Sweet, sweet goal.
It was a game of two halves guv, and thank goodness for the second half! In first half we had no width, little pace and insufficient imagination but fortunately Arry said something magical at half time and suddenly we looked like a proper top three team again. I thought Benny had a slightly below par game, taking too long on the ball for comfort but there were also some sublime crosses and passes and he doesn’t deserve the low score you’ve given him. Rafa had one of his best games, especially when he stopped pretending that he was playing on the wing. His ball to Benny in the second half nearly made me self-combust.
We are third and we deserve to be – let’s enjoy it!
That was one of the best passes I have ever seen in my life, but it didn’t even get a mention on MotD2. Staggering.
It was always going to be a difficult game when your two main assets aren’t playing. Our pace with them in tandem is frightening, so obviously readjusting to a different system took a little time. In reality the fact it only took 45 mins is a minor miracle. 2nd half we were far more cohesive, considering we were a totally different system and should have won by more. Putting Pav on left me a little bemused, but he took his goal well and did OK. Worried about our lack of pace come Thursday, as I felt that’s where Chelsea can be taken apart, and also if King can play twice in four days? I’m not nearly as confident of beating them as I was on Saturday, but it’s interesting who’ll fill in the gaps if the injuries take their toll?
Mata is the main supply line to Sturridge and the Drog; suffocate him and i think we’ll be o.k.
As for our injuries, it’s looks like we’re gonna find out how good our squad really is.
Sure will,think attrition rather than gung-ho would be better served if our troops are decimated
Agree. If we take the Yankee approach and carpet-bomb the f*ck out of ’em it could seriously come back and bite us on the arse……..a bit like in real life i suppose! :ninja:
If only Robert Duvall had echoed those exact sentiments in Apocalypse Now!……..
……..would have made me laugh (not sure about Brando though- the moody sod!)
Bloody time-travelling again.
I love the smell of chestnuts in the morning!
Thought Sandro or Parker should have come off to allow Modric to play in the middle. 2 defensive midfielders against a team that came for a draw didn’t seem the best of tactics to me – not sure Parker (who has many great qualities) has the right qualities to play that high up the pitch.
BAE just needed a bit of end product (or better movement in the box) – maybe it’s just a confidence thing and he needs to just cut in on his right and twat it sometimes?
We have waited a long time, so let’s applaud, be smug and enjoy it.
Sandro is a powerhouse and could be the next Ya Ya Toure. I hope we can hold on to him whilst Parker’s star is so high.
The immediate concern is the width for Thursday. Maybe Kaboul at r/b and Walker in Lennon’s slot (always assuming King is not crocked). Not sure about the left though. Maybe Rose?
Think Harry might be tempted to play his 5-3-2 system he tried at Stoke, Benny and Walker as wing backs, Parker and Mod in the middle, VDV behind Ade and Defoe. Seems like it might be the best use of the current squad.
Useful option this! Bale will likely make it tho..
Sandro signed an extention to his contract only a few months ago. Given the kerfuffle that Modric caused in August I seriously doubt Sandro would have taken that action if he weren’t serious about wanting to stay. I suspect the reason Sandro hasn’t had that much playing time recently is because he’s not fully match fit. Once he is I expect him to be pretty much a starter every time.
Sandro, Modric, Parker. Wow.
But with those three in the team who do you leave out? Lennon? VDV? Nice to have such tough choices though!
That’s why Harry gets paid the big wonga.
Think it’s evident that Lennon gave us a better balance. Earlier in the season when he was injured, we played well, but were nowhere near as dynamic. We looked lop-sided and exposed when Defoe and VDV played together, and our best performance was when Krancie played v Liverpool and VDV started on the bench. which was why I was a little surprised (cleaned up version) when he bought on Pav. It’s Bale’s injury and Kings captaincy that are the major downers for me right now, but obstacles are only problems that need solutions.
Any time in the last decade and we would have lost that. If Benny had as much composure in his last ball as he does with his back to his man with the ball at his feet on the edge of our box he would be world class. Still one of the best LB in england. And praise be to that 75 yard instapass by VDV to benny across the pitch, finest pass at the lane since glenda was the only player we had. Champions league next year is all that matters. coys.