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Trailer Trash Analysis

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Good afternoon.

Even the most ardent ‘I told you so’ merchants are struggling to find fault with a 3-1 win indoors over the great unwashed from the East End. That said I’m slightly surprised that more hasn’t been made out of how miserable West Ham were. Noble, Nolan and Diame had a bit of a go and when t hey eventually did press there was nobody for the second ball from Carroll’s headers.

Spurs were quite cagey in the opening exchanges and it took Defoe’s first goal before we appeared genuinely comfortable on the ball. Long range ‘shots’ and runs that petered out seemed the order of the day.West Ham were pretty awful. As toothless and witless as their support.

Caulker’s assist aside, Hugo had an decent game. He’s a spritely little fella and I feel a lot more comfortable with him in goal than Brad. He’s not better than Brad, they simply offer different things and I prefer what this guy has. He must however get a settled back four in front of him. Where for art thou, Benny?

Defensively he never really came under much fire. Offensively he made one memorable run during which he sneezed and his frontal lobe shot out of his nose and being the size of an ant’s arse it was lost in the grass. He won’t miss it. Then run ended with him also losing possession.

A remarkably measured game. Clearly he was instructed repeatedly not to hoof and it had sunk in. He was clearly brought on to diffusive the threat of Andy Carroll. The truth is he didn’t succeed and from memory Carroll won every ball. Mmmn.

He was having a steady enough game until the howler. One ‘new’ thing that our lads need to grasp is that punting the thing mindlessly is not on. It invariably hands possession to the other lot.

Commanding and thoughtful. Did anyone else spot him pleading for movement when trying to pass and take throw ins? Oh that must have been Tommy then…

Sam old same old. Some breathtaking passing that at once gave our play a lift. To counter this his movement was abysmal. More life in a tramp’s vest, And this shooting thing needs to be knocked on the head now. He hasn’t scored since forever and needs to stop shooting. I want Carroll given a go.

If all our players were as dedicated as he is, we’d win the Champions League. Left the pitch after vomiting. Word is he ate someone that disagreed with him.

Given how bloody awful they were he should have run rings around them, but he didn’t. I seriously get the impression he joins in when he’s in the mood. The assist was good, but that was an example of simply doing the right thing. Looking up and thinking quickly. He needs to employ this tactic every time he gets the ball.

At last. A proper performance. We now know what it was he was doing in training that kept getting him picked. If he can play like this and build from this, we could be on to something. Again, the opposition was pants, but you can’t help but feel slightly cheered by that showing.

Another improved effort but you have to ask why we aren’t getting this every week. We’ve enough on our plate without supposedly ‘world class’ players going missing or joining in when in the mood. He went through West Ham like he went through Norwich. We need to see him at it every week. No excuses. That Maicon business was a long time ago now. 

What a goal. When wasn’t scoring he was of course serving up the usual. Selfish and wasteful. That’s what you get.

He looked pensive and rightly so. The fast food, Persian bazaar culture of the Premier League would have had him listed as having 2 games to save his job or some such gibberish had we lost. Hopefully he has faith in Hugo now. The sooner he can field a steady back four the better. Moussa clearly and understandably isn’t quite match fit. So it’s another week of sticking his head round the physio room door asking for updates. 

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200 comments

  • Essexian76 says:

    Totally disagree with your assessment of Huddlestone, as he had a stand out game and played it like a footballing quarterback-we all know he’s got the mobility of an oil tanker turning in a stream-but-he can ping it-and Boy, he pinged it good.
    Perhaps Wessss-Taymmmm were made to look poor, by us having more fluidity and verve than we’ve shown of late?
    That said I hope Siggy get’s an opportunity via the Europless League to bed in and prove himself to be the player we all hope he’ll be.
    Carroll by the way-wins nost headers against most defenders-what we did was ‘mop up’ the threat better than when Gallas has played-again another for the Europless League team, I hope

    • half_baked_spuds says:

      totally disagreed with most of his assesments actually. I think hh is watching a differant game sometimes, witty though, i’ll give him that, factual? er no.

    • mattspurs says:

      Can’t really think that many of Hudd’s passes led to anything particularly productive, far too much sideways and too static. Without Sandro next to him he’d be terrible. I really want to like him there’s something just slightly too complacent about him – he needs to learn how to want to win.

      • Essexian76 says:

        Huddlestone at his best played in tandem with Modric-and yes,yesterday TH moved the ball side to side-by doing that it allows players to gain space and cause the opponents to re-think both their positions and where the threat’s coming from. Sandro’s job is exactly what we had Parker doing, but more dynamically and with better movement-it’s called team work-and it worked!

      • UnkleKev says:

        Pretty sure it was Huddlestone’s through ball for Dempsey which led to our second and it was definitely Huddlestone who broke up the play resulting in our third. How much more productive do you want, for crying out loud?

        Huddlestone was excellent yesterday and a little bit of recognition wouldn’t go amiss. We’re beginning to see the makings of a very useful partnership with him and Sandro. Add Dembele and the promising Carroll into the mix and the future’s looking very bright for our midfield prospects.

        • Essexian76 says:

          Cheers Unc, for a while I thought I was watching an entirely different game yesterday

        • UnkleKev says:

          This Huddlestone (and Defoe) bashing is getting beyond a joke. I get the impression that the pair of them have to play twice as well as anyone else just to break even. Defoe’s goal yesterday was as good as you could wish to see anywhere; imagine the sensation it would be if Messi had scored it.

          But no. He’s a flat-track bully and Huddlestone’s too fat. It’s really quite pathetic.

        • LLL says:

          I love Thudd and Defoe. They both have glaring strengths and almost equally glaring weaknesses. That’s probably why they fit so well at Spurs! :daumen:

        • Essexian76 says:

          Strangely enough I wouldn’t argue about that (Really), but Defoe is what is and I’m prepared to allow TH match time over a period to regain his form and adapt to AVB’s idea’s-same as I’m prepared to wait and see how we develop under AVB in general-yesterday I saw a chick of light, nothing more nothing less, but it was a spark that had missing before-the afterglow is wearing off now and I’m fuckussing (damned that Benitez) on Weds and wouldn’t ‘arf mind more of the same

        • SpurredoninDubblin says:

          I am a great admirer of the Thud, and my only regret is that he can’t shoot as well as he can pass. The number of times I’ve seen that 70 yd cross field pass straight to the feet of Lennon, I’ve lost count of. A real joy to behold.

          What worries me is that sooner or later,we are going to have Parker, Sandro, Dembele, Siggy and the Thud all competing for two or possibly three central midfield places depending on what formation we use, and I just don’t see any of that talent list being happy in the long term as bench warmers, and I have yet to mention that the Carrol lad, looks like he might be the real deal in the very near future.

        • Hartley says:

          Tommy Hudd was born to play for Tottenham……Jermain Defoe has the finest right footed shot I have seen……

        • LLL says:

          Let’s not worry about having too many options in midfield just yet. Last I checked we were still somewhat short.

  • onedavemackay says:

    “He’s not better than Brad” At what doing an American accent?

    Brad is a very good keeper and a top guy who’ll never let you down but Hugo is better than him in almost every department.

    Early signs are that Hugo is the best since Clemence. I could be wrong there he may turn out to be the best since big Pat

    • the man from room five says:

      wow!

      • the man from room five says:

        actually- that deserves another wow!

      • Essexian76 says:

        Not having seen Jennings in his early days-but going by the comments by some of the old codgers at the time-I know they all thought big Pat was a huge dud-I witnessed an England international in Clemence have a torrid time when he first arrived, but he battled through it to become almost legendary-just wondering if the same would happen today if players like those would’ve been the same amount of time to become as iconic as though mentioned became?

        • david says:

          When Pat first arrived he was very prone to flapping at crosses but that did not last too long and in the end, he used to come off his line and occasionally catch them one-handed.

        • Essexian76 says:

          Now that I do recall but my point was simply-players, even the great, need time to adapt as do managers-but we live in a pot noodle world I guess, but I’d sooner have a decent meal that takes to prepare and has good ingredients in it

        • david says:

          I see where you are coming from and think we are all too quick to judge, Pienaar was one who springs to mind, Boateng another and there was a time before the Milan games when Bale was getting stick from some who thought he was not up to it.

          Prior to Sunday, Dempsey looked clueless to me when playing for us and I never really followed what he did at Fulham so had serious doubts but he looked a whole lot better on Sunday so lets hope it continues.

        • Essexian76 says:

          In regards to Bale, it’s pretty easy to see why he’d never make a decent defensive full-back that’s for sure, it’s no wonder playing him there we never won a game.I was impressed by Rose’s attitude though, and would think he’s still a better full back than Naughton is, but hopefully he’ll learn…in time..maybe not

        • Essexian76 says:

          Maybe this is how Clint got that eye

          AVB..I want you to do this Clint
          CD….What this boss?
          AVB….No Clint…like this
          AVB….. No!, FFS You feckin’ idiot
          WHACK
          CD………That freakin’ hurt boss
          AVB……….There, there, but you’re getting now I see?

        • SpurredoninDubblin says:

          In case there are any doubters, Big Pat is the best GK that Spurs ever had, and at his peak, was considered the best in the world.

  • Spurls says:

    Agree with every single bit of this. You’ll have the usual Redknapp-ites saying that Defoe is worldclass and this is why we should play him, without realising that it probably could’ve been 20-0 if he’d actually do something other than stop, shift and lash. Bale and Lennon have been so hit and miss. It’s not a drop in form, he was never good, I don’t know where this rumour has come from. I honestly have no idea how he won the award last year. He is just fast, that is it. Huddlestone will always be too fat. In fact, is there anyway we could get Thudd and Walker to have a baby? Good to see Dempsey play well. Please, please, please tell me that’s the start of something…

    • Essexian76 says:

      We played Defoe because we don’t have another striker as the other idiot couldn’t contain his own pride for the teams cause-20-0?, you’re going a little overboard there, like anyone suggesting any of our players are World Class. Hudd’s too fat-Defoes crap-Lennon’s more miss than hit and Bales a sprinter-Mmmm…What did you like?

    • half_baked_spuds says:

      doggy poo; chelski and arse would love an in-form striker like defoe right now. Still, once an anti-defoe bigot always one I guess? What’s the poor little sod gotta do to please some numpties? Dribble skilfully into non-threatening areas of the pitch without scoring many (aside from tap-ins) like ade!
      When will some people realise that GOALS win matches, I don’t care if defoe spends 90% of each match swinging from the crossbar as long as he keeps getting goals (9 so far – late Nov).
      So for gawd’s sake change the record and stop whining like some spoilt toddler.
      HH doesn’t help with his warped view of matches; AVB has the sun shining out of his arse regardless whilst certain spurs players are one step removed from the devil incarnate regardless of what they do on the pitch. This is the plonker who says spurs fans shouldn’t boo their own team. lol; hypocrite.

      • Essexian76 says:

        Could it be the simple fact that there just aren’t strikers available right now, as it’s not only us who are light in that deportment?

      • Essexian76 says:

        Spud-I-like

        • SpurredoninDubblin says:

          Just my opinion, but Defoe looked so much better when Ade was taking the pressure off him.

          PLaying 4-5-1 with Defoe as the lone gunman, is a miniscule improvement on 4-5-1 with 3mp.

        • Essexian76 says:

          No, you’re spot on Dub, but he played well yesterday-and I’m really pleased for him-and that goal will do him a power of good..I hope, because we’ve another 2 games without Ade regardless…but yesterday we had far better movement off the ball, mainly IMO because Hudd was spraying around and they’d set up to hurt us down the middle…my heart was in my mouth when JD went in for that tackle mind?…I thought he was a gonner to be honest

  • mattspurs says:

    Best Performance of the season so far. Analysis pretty spot on from where I was sitting

    Lloris is pretty athletic and comes bravely – love the way he hugs the ball like a baby! Distribution good too, puts the ball where players can move onto it. Did he call for the ball?

    Walker had a pretty decent game, one little moment where he just needed to clear at left back and nearly got caught again.

    Caulker mad a hash for the goal but is increasingly impressive.

    Jan – he’s a class act but sometimes his runs can leave us exposed especially with Bale deciding he doesn’t track back these days.

    Sandro – what a player, he’s carrying Huddleston at the moment.

    Hudd – I desperately want him to be good but he’s just not got the mental side right. too much sidewards and backwards.

    Lennon – didn’t see enough of the ball, almost due to bale wanting to dictate every attack more than anything else.

    Bale – he’s a player who has it all, he has however lost all interest in tracking back or defending – Defoe covered a few times as Bale loitered on the halfway line. maybe we should just buy another winger and play him up front?

    Deuce – had a great 20 minutes, need more of that. Best game (after a load of shit ones) for Spurs.

    Defoe – glad to say I moaned that he hadn’t touched the ball for 25 minutes, 20 seconds later he scored his best ever Spurs goal. Clearly my moan worked, well done for proving me wrong!

    Dembele – good to see him back, that ability to beat a man is what we’ve been missing in the middle.

    LIvermore – Actually did OK.

    Dawson a huge improvement on Gallas – a calm head organising well could be really good for Walker.

  • LLL says:

    If I had to think of any ‘told you so’ stuff, then I’d plumb for the fact that yesterday proved we can indeed beat poor quality teams at home without players such as Adebayor, Kaboul, Benny, Parker and Dembele.

    Overall, it was just good to see a solid and convincing 90 minutes of football, and was good that AVB himself admitted we hadn’t seen one until yesterday. At least he’s aware. Sometimes managers seem to lose connection with reality and then you are f***ed with a Kenny Daglish / Captain Ahab style madman at the mast. I worried that his post-Arsenal comments were hinters that this might be the case, but he was sensible here.

    I’d agree with Essex, thought Tom had a good day. He does need a bit more time than most to get around the pitch but in games like yesterday his quick and accurate passing compensates. He is also at least trying to tackle and block and it’s coming off sometimes too. As for the shooting, sooner or later he’ll welly one in from 30-40 yards and he’ll be able to get that haircut.

    Lennon is an enigma. I don’t think it’s that he joins in when he feels like it, I think he is a player that still plays with a lot of fear at times. Part of this is good, he’s much more defensively responsible than Bale. But he often chooses the safe option rather than ripping into his full back and his confidence in front of goal is literally non-existent. Worked out alright yesterday when he had Defoe to square to, but how often have we seen him get into goal scoring positions and then panic and not take the shot because he’s looking around to lay it off for someone?

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