Good morning.
Where to start? Well it was by and large a great game. And as the first coffee of the day works its magic the frustrations of last night are ebbing away…It was a well earned point against a side that any bookmaker will tell you are genuine title contenders. We aren’t genuine contenders.
There were essentially three phases to the game. The really good bit at the beginning, the collapse after that bit and then the desperate battle against evil …and Howard Webb.
8.042 If accusing a goal keeper of being lucky is a criticism then call me Brad and get me to a casino. One tip top save and another that saw Sturridge make a spectacular clearance.
6.000 Underwhelming. Pace to burn, blah blah blah but I’d really like to see him working on his defending. Moving forward he actually reminds me of a speedier version of Bentley. Less haircut, more football please.
7.081 A low key, intelligent enough performance. Arry clearly picked him and King for their collective experience, but there was something about this ‘on paper’ supremely solid pairing that didn’t quite transmit onto grass.
7.079 Looked sluggish. Play to the whistle is a tedious phrase to be hurling at a man of his stature but the sight of him waving at a linesman who wasn’t waving back at him was pitiful. At this level, there’s no room for that nonsense.
6.008 For their goal he was a postcode away from his man. Unacceptable. Elsewhere his passing on the floor was routinely outstanding, yet his passing in the air turned possession into a 50/50 ball we invariably failed to win. Must do better.
6.784 He appeared to not quite understand what his role was. I certainly didn’t quite understand what his role was. In possession we didn’t get enough of his stellar game changing passes. Without the ball he looked like J****.
8.909 A soldier. Out and out marine. It was his determination that sparked the move that made the goal. His will and application makes him more valuable than money. The energy levels were immense. Man Of The Match.
7.654 This wasn’t a game for him to be making any forays forward. Being in the thick of it is where he should be in games like this. The PNB/Sandro/Modric strategy looked scruffy and only Sandro managed to come out of it in a good light.
7. 832 Marauding forwards he’s a weapon. One of the finest players in the Premiership, in Europe even. Defensively though he was poor. It sounds like I’m being petty but we need to see these guys demonstrate they know that you build a team from the back forwards.
7.897 Fantastic poacher stylee goal but it is his complete unselfishness that routinely impresses me. The yellow wasn’t so much, but the endless attempts by Terry & Co to get him sent off obviously undermined him. Oh yes and his second goal was legit. That’s show business.
@theboyhotspur “Terry appears unaffected by off field troubles” You don’t need Brian Cox to explain that one away. Terry is a conscienceless piece of dog muck.
I am a little bored of the Pav slating. For any one person who wishes to point to his 75% Pass Accuracy last night as some justification for this, I will remind you all that Jermaine Jenas used to regularly find his name high in the “Pass Accuracy” Opta ratings. Yet anyone who watched Jenas with regularity would also recognise that the passes were low risk, side to side – offering no penetration and scant reward.
Pav did not play that badly. It was not his greatest game, but he did attempt to link up, bring wingers into play, create something.
And last night we spent most of the night running around like headless chickens. See Bale picking the ball up on the right, and running across the width of the pitch before laying off to no-one in particular. A lot of the dare and creativity was missing, Chelsea defended deep, and no-one in particular shone.
As for BAE’s cock up, highlighted at HT, it was hideous. But there seemed to be a unified tendency for all the Spurs players to stop playing, raise their arms and protest any decision – and it didn’t stop after HT, when Harry in theory should have been tearing strips from the lads for doing just that.
To dare is to do eh?
I too am tired of the pav bashing, he wasn’t great but he wasn’t that bad. He actually was involved in the build up of our 2 best chances in the 2nd half, what was a poor second half by all the team.
A one 2 with luka set up bale and he cotrolled the ball well on his chest under pressure from terry I think and played a lovely pass in front of Bale who set up ade in the last few minutes.
He also moved the ball around well at times.
We were poor last night because we had no balance, our most creative player was pushed out onto the right where he is totally ineffective.
Far better to push luka up in the vdv role and bring on niko or pienaar.
Spot on. modric has to be central whether it be centre mid or behind the striker. Anywhere else is wasting our best talent. Thought both full backs were poor, esp bae who last couple of games has turned back to the bae of a few seasons ago.
Actually thought Chelsea went long ball first half last night and our defence couldnt seem to handle it. Nice to see us not capitulate and even mount a late rally. Not the finished product by far but a good first 11 needs good replacements.
Guess that wont happen till we get increased revenue.
Happy to be top London club. Onwards and upwards.
Seasons greetings to one and all.
COYS.
Thanks for all the columns Harry and all the regulars (and irregulars !). I am happier to trundle into Christmas knowing we are 3rd by right and not by luck.
Wish you all well for the seasons festivities. Hope we stuff Norwich as well as my mum used to stuff the turkey.
COYS
3rd in the PL by Christmas, so at least in the current top 15 teams in the world ;-) I’ll take that!
Merry Christmas/Sinterklaas/Hanukkah everyone!
Tottenham “The spirit of Glory”
We are the blood coursing through your veins,
We are the air that fills your lungs,
We are the father telling sons of the legends,
We are the past, the present , the future,
We are the spirit of Glory
We are the sunshine, the brightness, the light,
We are the fans that,sing,scream and shout,
We are the blades of grass that covers our pitch,
We are the lights that lead to the Holy Grail,
We are the spirit of Glory
We are the Cockerel standing proud on the ball,
We are the shirt on the back of our heroes,
We are the Yids standing shoulder to shoulder,
We are the life and the heart of N17,
We are the spirit of Glory
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2078250/Terror-John-Terry-family-footballers-home-attacked-raiders-plays-Premier-League-game.html