How to almost throw away an easy 3 points by Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 1:13PM 1) Boss the best part of the opening 45 minutes
2) Go 2-0 up in time for half-time
3) Concede with around 30 minutes to go
4) Get a player sent off for a completely unnecessary stamp on an opposition player a minute or so later
5) Hang on for dear life and hope lady luck smiles our way
6) Win
You might notice the above edition doesn't quite follow the same conclusion as yesteryear performances which no doubt would have resulted in a 3-2 victory for the home side. Sure, we did our very best to self-implode. Defoe, the idiot, is set to face a 3 match ban which means he will be unavailable for the NLD. All thanks to a moment of silly madness which didn't make an awful amount of sense at the time. I don't quite get it. Was the crowd on his back and if so, who cares? Shrug it off. Get on with it. Be professional. The only person Pompey fans should be angry at is Harry Redknapp, although technically it's the board of directors and the financial mess that caused the mass exodus. If anything they should be grateful to us for giving them a life-line in Kevin Prince-Boateng along with a far more healthy bank balance. Average for us, decent for them (mainly because the players around him are only half as good as he is - i.e. Dindane and that sitter).
Even 5 minutes of injury-time couldn't aid in the throwing away of all three points. Harry making substitutions at the right time, including Wilson Palacios who apparently had only arrived at the ground 15 minutes before the teams were announced and Gomes (at fault for their goal) pulled off some wonder-saves including one from a deflected free-kick which was outstanding.
This is the exact type of game/situation where we have a history of collapse (remember Blackburn away when Wilson got his marching orders). We didn't play particularly well as a unit, but did enough. And enough is enough, as long as it doesn't become a habit. You can't argue against going 2-0 up in what was a hostile environment against a side fighting for their lives.
Blame international duty if you want, either way, we need some general improving which I think we might just manage to achieve in our next league game. A little more fluidity and end-product. A little more authoritative in the centre. Whisper it gently, but this season is going to be even more open than the last with one major difference. Last term we sat at the bottom and had to spend most of it climbing our way back up and rebuilding confidence. This time out we sit 3rd with 19 points and the likes of Liverpool are losing games to balloons.
Aim for 4th spot? Even though over the course of the season (we need another player or two in Jan to really push on) we might end up 5th or 6th because of other ambitious sides around us, we should at least play like we want to achieve something more this season. Because things at the top are changing. They've been changing for the past 5 years, ever so subtly and its now more possible than ever to play catch-up. I'm not coming to this conclusion just because of this away day victory. Everyone can see that the gap - which is still evident - is not as monstrous as it once was. And we've been here before already. I've sort of changed my tune about this. I'm not saying we are a Top 4 side. But from the looks of it, you don't need to be one for a cheeky challenge. Let's re-visit this in late December.
Back to the match.
Gomes. First proper game back. Generally thought he was bloody brilliant. Match-winning saves. Should have save the KPB shot to be fair. But let's not dwell too much on that.
King and BAE competent and assured but not as comfortable as they would have wished to be against a more than plucky Pompey. Great headed goal from Ledley to stick us 1-0 up.
Bassong, rough round the edges, continues to prove he was worth the money spent on him. It wasn't an easy afternoon for the lad. Thought (after all the concerns) that Jenas and Huddlestone performed admirable. JJ with an assist, crossing in for Defoe who made it 2-0.
Tommy on the other hand found himself a little bit more under pressure as the game progressed (after the sending off) with too much too handle in the middle. Defoe, sharp and on-form before seeing red. Lennon was off his game and Keane did his usual thing. Worked hard, but didn't do anything memorable or game changing. All three subs did a job when coming on and it was a shame Niko had to go off as we appear to have a player who can actually hit a dead ball from the corner flag.
All in all - team wise - disjointed, poor in possession and not dealing with Portsmouth's direct approach. But we did enough up front to win it and we rode our luck wonderfully well. As for the opposition? Will they survive? I don't actually care. Personally, would love to see them go down just so that git with the cowbell is far away in the marshlands of the Championship. But tbh, they are showing spirit and considering the other clubs around them, they might pull off the great escape. Early days.
Final word.
'How to take all three points when you shoot yourself in the foot by Tottenham Hotspur'.
Lovely.
Reader Comments (29)
Frustrated with Defoe. 11 v 11 I fancied us to make it 3-1. Still, enter the Crouch. Might even see Pav get his chance against Stoke. Might not be all too bad.
We rode our luck in a major way. Some of the sitters they missed. But its all subjective analysis because had Defoe not got sent off we would have won the match far more comfortable. Pompey pushing up, made for counter attacks. Huddlestone struggled to do the job that Palacios would have done had he been fit and available to start.
Still third. I'm smiling wide.
We rode our luck in a major way. Some of the sitters they missed. But its all subjective analysis because had Defoe not got sent off we would have won the match far more comfortable. Pompey pushing up, made for counter attacks. Huddlestone struggled to do the job that Palacios would have done had he been fit and available to start.
Still third. I'm smiling wide.
Trust Boateng to score against us. Even Kaboul got involved in the build up to their goal. Talking of which what the heck is that man doing to his eybrows. Stop plucking them! You look a fool!
Might be a blessing losing Defoe. Pav might actually rise to the challenge. Not sure how a Keane/Crouch combo would work.
Gomes was fucking ace. School boy error with the Boateng goal but some of the other saves he made were out of this world. Brilliant keeper. If Carlo was playing we would have lost the game. Simple as that.
The good teams grind out results even when they get hammered and that is what we seem to be doing, winning even when we are getting outplayed, Defoe is a cock especially after bining told by Harry but i am very sure that this lesson will mean he will be even more hungry upon his return, i can actually taste 3 points against the scum ....
We are winning away from home. I think that's a major sign of progress. What we need to avoid is the kneejerk from the board room which killed off Martin Jol. Let Harry get on with it. We haven't moved anywhere other than upwards since he joined the club. January is imperative. We need to consolidate the good form.
The author of this piece has writen a headline that stops me even reading past the first 3 sentences. This game and the Bolton games are 2 matches that we would of lost last season....
Stop looking at the negatives, this premier league season is wide open, all the top teams are constanly throwing away chances to open up a gap.and we are showing we are up for the fight. Talk us up and look for the positive spin. 10 men and getting battered and collecting 3 points.. mmm shows character to me.
If you have to talk negatively then critisize Jermaine Defoe, I love him but he was stpid to react, not to mention the 3 games he will miss for the straight Red card !
Dave E, let me get this straight you didn't bother reading the full piece yet took time out to post about it? Read it. Read the last sentence of it and you'll find yourself agreeing with the author. Spooky does irony.
Still a work in progress, but Liverpool, West Ham, now Pompey - we're winning games we'd have drawn/lost not so long ago. Liverpool, Chelski, and earlier in the season Man Utd and l'Arse - all have lost games against "weaker" teams, something we've yet to do. We're actually quite consistent these days. I think I need a lie-down.
Nice read Spooks. Not far off Christmas where traditional we are meant to collapse so one more hurdle to go before we get giddy.
Another three points next week I hope and then we can go into the derby game with a bit of confidence and swagger. Really thinking the top 6 sides wont be too far apart from each other points wise by the time we get to Christmas.
Thought Gomes was absolutley brilliant (except for the goal), Keane - what did he do?, Defoe - Stupid sending off, was even warned at half time by Harry, JJ & the Thudd had good games, back four coped Ok - but thought the usual Spurs antics was going to happen and we would throw away the three points.
Must say Pompey played well and deserved something from the game - if only Dindane knew where the goal was!!! :-)
Still third - COYS!!
Keep up the good work Spooky!
spooky... pleased with his title?
dave found a way to write more than he read, well done lad
Spooky rarely includes a title that appeases Newsnow readers. Good read and agree with the whole challenge for the top 4 situation. People keep expecting the top 4 (Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal) to pull away. I know its early doors and a lot can change but at the moment you've got to think (if you're a Spurs, City, Villa and Everton fan) that there's an outside chance of an upset. It's shaping up to be a good one this.
Add Sunderland to the mix.
Pav and Crouch up front? What a horrific thought. Screams "long ball' to me and very much playing to Stoke's strengths. I'd rather we played Crouch and a bag of sand. At least the sand would have a decent first touch.
Besides, you never know, Keane might score four goals again.
Other than prophesying the future, a good result yesterday despite the omens being against us. Can't wait until Woody and Modric are fit again, Wilson free from being forced to enjoy his country's WC qualification and Defoe allowed down from the naughty step. Then we can really start tearing up the league. In the meantime three points off top after nine games will just have to do.
Dave said: Talk us up and look for the positive spin.
If you bothered to read it there was positive spin in the article. Ok, so its hidden in there but it's there. And let's not go to crazy with it. Better finishers for Pompey would have had us buried.
Positive spin? Give over. Go to tottenhamhotspur.com if you want to read a match report with bunny rabbits and unicorns in it.
Very decent three points. Glad to see Gomes back in the team and having Ledley there was very important. Not a great performance but did well with 10 men. Typical that the ex-Spurs player made impacts in the game. KPB looks useful. Kaboul could have been useful for us. Reckon we got rid of him too early. Laughed at Brown. The dirty slag.
8 goals for Bent so far {shaking head}...Disappointed that Defoe will miss the Arsenal game. Hoping Modric and Woodgate get some time on the pitch against Stoke. Modric needs some game play sharpness. 9 games 19pts. A pace that will see us in the mix for a top 4 spot but we'll need to be much better than yesterday and the game against Bolton. No doubt the dip in performance started with the absence of Modric. Liverpool are in deep poo.
man my poor heart , watching games like this takes years of my longevity ... Glad we took the points , gomes looked decent and what defoe did was so painfully thick. Saw a chunk of the sunderland game and wasn't impressed with Bent at all - he does good over there but he does not embody the style of football i love ...
KPB looked like the player he always said he was ...
Bents shot was going straight at the keeper if the balloon wasn't there.
I agree with your comment Spooky about that fat mug of Pompey supporter with the cowbell. Think a 'Lets Relegate Pompey' campaign should be started up just so we don't have to listen to him incessantly ring that f***ing thing anymore!
Most enjoyable Mr. Spooks. Mrs.JG2 says if you send your ironying over she will do it for you. But no underwear.
Perhaps we had better not go there again.
We need a reality check hear Bolton and Portsmouth should be well beaten by Spurs and when we have played better quality we have bean beaten by 6 goals to one .Every fan knows your defence is the secret to winning titles and cup games we have not played the same defence all season .GOMES needs to stay in goals and play with the same defence week in and week out Dawson or King or woodgate must play if Harry uses huddlestone or corluka at centre half playing Tom with a rookie at Bolton was a mistake throw in Cudicini and it must have bean the fact big Tom ha sent finished on the losing side playing centre half.Ledly is a great player but could cost us dearly if he is in and out of the side every couple of weeks .Harry should when and if woodgate is fit sparingly has a sub to close games down and slowly get the team to play without him .HI still stand by my stamen t of a few weeks ago that Tom Huddlestone will be a fantastic centre half and hopefully earn a place in the world cup has cover in two places.Its a remarkable achievement that Huddlestone has not lost a game filling in even with make shift partners .Harry needs to learn that if he has a weaken defence he must have a potent attack and go for goals with the old saying attack is the best form of defence use Bentley Bale Dosantos naughton more.
SPURS, good as they are, must learn to be more consistent. We did not play our best football against Bolton and Pompey and were lucky to get a draw and a win. It is our lack of concentration and consistency that made us lose to Blackburn last season conceding two stupid goals in the dying minutes of the game which cost us a seventh position grab in the Premiership and a UEFA ticket.. If we are aiming at finishing among the top four, we cannot afford losing to Stoke at home next Saturday even without Defoe who will be sorely missed.
just to put things into perspective, we are currently third. Shh don't tell anyone, nobodys sussed us out.
It's because some of those just below us have the soon to be trademarked 'Game in hand' that if they won we'd be down to 5th or 6th, it's our sneaky way or appearing in the top half withut really presenting what is reffered to as 'a genuine threat' to the ex-goon and ex-'pool and ex-united media (ie. MOTD as SS - btw has anyone else noted that the 'SS' team as in 'sky sports' is starting to bear more than a passing resemblence to the other more historiaclly famous SS with regards to superiority complexes, just me again? Might come down from the loft next weekend then).
Let me put it this way:
3rd Tottenham p9 w6 d1 l2 19 points - touted as 'possible finish in top 6 /european berth' in the weekend's media
4th Arsenal p8 w6 d0 l2 18points - touted as 'possible title contenders'
Someone's clearly been swallow spotting..............