The afternoon after the Sunday that followed Saturdays defeat...
Monday, October 26, 2009 at 3:38PM The weekend defeat is hurting more than it should today, having re-watched highlights (I gave into the evil that is Match of the Day) and found myself shaking my head in disappointment as I witnessed our one dimensional attempt at breaking down the defensive force that is Stoke City. Pedestrian is the best description for it. What makes it even more painful is that Arsenal failed to win despite leading by two goals. Man City also found themselves pegged back. Villa dropped two points. Everton dropped all three. Sunderland lost. And so did Man Utd. We are not alone in our suffering. And it would have been beautiful to have claimed victory as others around as faltered. Somewhere, in another parallel dimension, we are sitting 2nd in the table.
What had me laughing was dear old Alan Hansen stating that Stoke were simply magnificent and cited the result as their 'best performance of the season'. Claiming three points away to Spurs, probably does constitute it as their best 'result'. But performance wise? No chance. It wasn't exactly a calculated tactical mastermind from Pulis. Parking the bus is what desperate teams do.
< tumble weed >
And no mention of the penalty shout. Fact is we had around 20 attempts on goal. They had one. The only one that hit the back of the net. The bastards. Add to it 63% possession to us. Am I sounding bitter yet? I guess I am because although you can claim we were unlucky and they rode their luck I find myself regretful (much like Harry must be feeling) that we failed to turn up the heat, even by a single notch. Perhaps with some cutting edge from Modric and a buzzing Defoe in the side, we could have. But that's a lame excuse. Moddle has been out for a while. And JD must be wishing he could take back that moment of silliness. The players out there on the day all had the ability to do far more than what they managed in the end. Keane was not at his best (understatement - cue questions asking when is he ever at his best?) and Crouch did everything but score thanks to some miracle work on the line.
Stoke took advantage and punished us for it simply by being patient and hoping for a break. Granted, they did so by consistently fouling and time wasting. I said it in my match report yesterday - they wont be able to do this week in week out away from home because other sides wont be so easily mugged off like we were. And I doubt we will allow ourselves to be found wanting in this manner again.
Instead, its time to prepare for next weekend and the little matter of that insignificant game over at the stench otherwise known as the Emirates. I've yet to browse the message boards or forums or look at the news sites so the following questions may already have an answer:
Will Lennon be fit?
Is Woodgate ok to start?
Is King available for selection?
We know that Modric is still 2 weeks away from a much required return thanks to the all clear from the specialists. Defoe is still suspended. So we are not quite at full strength for the NLD. Although judging by Arsenal's defending at West Ham I'm not about to run and hide behind the sofa.
Harry has to pick a side wisely for tomorrows Carling Cup game (although Moyes might be selecting a reserve side to face us, so fingers crossed we don't need to risk too many of our first teamers - although I don't want to see us knocked out at this stage of the competition). We need to be far more assertive tomorrow.
Elsewhere, Juande Ramos has left his post as manager of CSKA. I guess his Russian is about as non-existent as his English. And about as welcomed as his football managerial abilities. He goes through clubs faster than Craig Bellamy on a golf course. Hope he got a nice pay-off for his troubles over there in sunny Moscow.
Reader Comments (16)
Hansen and co are just as bad as Richard Keyes and Jamie Redknapp. Could be worse we could have ITV doing the Prem.
Ramos. Comolli's best ever signing.
Hmm,
Spooky, I'm normally a huge fan of yours and agree with almost everything you say, just think maybe today you're having a bad one... :) Have to admit I didnt see the live game but did watch highlights on MOTD. I wouldn't say out play was one dimentional at all, Kranjar looked good, and FINALLY we're delivering the ball into the box! If it was last season we wouldnt have controlled the game as we did, sure, it was "one of those days" but they happen to all clubs. I, for one, take great confidence going into the Arse game, we passed it well, Crouch looks a handful and despite some newspapers saying we're lakcing in midfield creativity, we created a lot of chances. might be time to drop Keano and give Crouch and Pav a go up front - lets rattle some bones up there...
I'm sure you'll be better tomorrow Spooky :)
well at least we have a mid-week to give some of the perifoal players a run out to see if they have a chance of making the bench for the NLD. Recent history would suggest a draw (even if it requires an initial capitulation on our part followed by the goons failure to 'walk dogs for a living') and I for one would not discount it.
But I am putting any thought or notion of a win out of my head, this is a one point game for us. Too much stuff going on for it to be even a sniff of a win (absence of defoe, ineffective of plan b, lack of modric when needed, other midfield off form - even by own standards - with the obvious excepetion of Lennon - who is of course possibly injured.) Add to that the fact that it is not allowed (as per the TV rights contract section 13 subsection 14.4(a) under "requirements of games verses the 'SKY TOP4'." and for me a draw is a good day at the office.
Tragic, but tinged with an element of truth!
ps. I knew we would lose, as that moustashioed twat 'lawro' predicted an easy win for us, and he's about as likely to get it right as Ramos has in getting a long term contract in any of the remaining European State countries.
About time Harry took some blame for again picking the wrong team. To play the very fragile Woodgate against the most psyical team in the league was an accident waiting to happen. Also, i think it is about time Pav is given a decent run out, how long can we carry Keane. The Hud seems to have come back down to earth with a err....Thudd! No pace, urgency desire etc, exactly the type of Spurs we are trying to get away from. Bring on Arsenal next week and lets see some of the boys with points to prove instead of the undroppable wasters.
knowing redknapp he will be annoyed at the lost ground we could have made.....
everton will show the alternatives probably........
in our attempt at the top four we have to get the mental ability to turn on the pressure consistently when we have to....
we,ll turn up at arsenal....but this is again a testing week ......we always do it the hard way......
we did need a bit of luck though on sat and i wonder sometimes as the players lose focus.....
where the captain is as an armband is one thing but rallying the team on the park is another....
Ossie - Blaming Redknapp for Woody's injury is just a liitle harsh isn't it? Being headbutted in the face isn't quite the same as perpetually pulling a hamstring, no matter how poor your previous injury record is.............
We look light in options for the NLD - no Moddle, Defoe, Taraabt, Gio etc. Everyone is going to have to raise their game. With the possibility of Lennon missing, the interesting prospect of David "The Goal" Bentley making his one cameo appearance of the season is looming large.
Everton game will be perfect for the non-regulars to show what they can do.
I don't see what more we could have done on Saturday. We created enough chances to win three games, they scored with their only shot on target against 10 men. Burnley beat Man U, Wigan beat Chelsea. It's disappointing but these things happen.
Sure, we might not win the league now but at the start of the season you would have eaten your own face to be fourth after 10 games. Let's get a bit of perspective here.
Spooky and irony....go hand in hand.
Why do our player persist in hoofing the ball up to Crouch when he can play as well as anyone on the deck?
ur right mr spoooky the replay was very dire...we did everything but get the ball in the net...without defoe n modders we r stuffed....we r solid(?) but predictable...we need a couple of signings in january we need another creative playmaker (understudy)like modders,left winger with pace,1 gritty def mid and 1 gritty attacking mid...its funny coz without modders we aint got any flair in our squad except lennon and hes speciality is running with the ball not passing the ball.mind you kranjcar is not a bad player but he needs to play in the middle of the park to dominate a game...need i remind anyone we lost 1-0 at HOME 2 STOKE......
I think spooky, simon and many other commentators have nailed it. predictable. and dodgy defense if you ask me. But I have faith we'll soldier on. I am as pessimistic as they come but I have a feeling the NLD will be ours. Harry needs to get creative and pick a better side as well. BIOYC!
I don't think we should be too downhearted about this defeat. Let's face it, one of the great characteristics of this fabulous sport, is how a team can win as Stoke did on Saturday. And look at us when we played Liverpoool at home last season. I mean, obviously I wanted us to win but as Harry said in his post-match comments, the longer it went on, the more obvious it became that if anyone was going tio win, it was Stoke.
Personally, my major concern about last week's game, is the question or issue of Keane. I just so wish we hadn't bought him back from Liverpool and making him captain is easily for me Harry's greatest mistake. He just doesn't warrant a place in the starting line-up or the captaincy, and come January, let's hope talk of Celtic is based on cast-iron fact.
i m not the greatest Thudd fan but was very pleased with the way he started this season , he wasn't great last weekend and i found him to behave like the old Thudd this weekend , no movement , no real effort and not even sharp in his passing
He was not the weakest on the pitch because BAE looked awful
But we still created enough chances to win it a couple of times
Can anybody explain the Lennon situation to me ?
ps please no ITV coverage of the Prem ... ITV is not on the cable over here and following spurs on a dodgy and blurry livestream with spanish commentary is not always the most entertaining way of following a game
Still very bitter aren't we. Build a bridge people...