Full-time: Utd 2 Spurs 0
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:36PM What a wasted evening. Devoid of any urgency and lacking in the willingness department. First half, played well, for what felt like a reserve game with first team cameos who would have preferred to have stayed home. For all the passing and movement, no end product going forward and very little structure at the back which saw Gibson lap up the time to score two superbly taken goals. You would, wouldn't you? It would be rude not to. So in fact, we didn't actually play that well to go in at the break 2-0 goals down.
I hate these types of games. They bore me. I end up showing the same type of commitment to the game as the players out there are giving. Am I being overly harsh? Perhaps, but if Harry was truly dis-interested in winning this game, then play (genuine) kids rather than fringe players who are more lost than a polar bear on a tropical island.
Talking of which...
Bentley is a lost cause. But then when you're playing cameo football every now and again for sides made up of other half-players, you'll unlikely to have oomph to your game. You should, theoretically, play out of your skin. But the lad is beyond saving. I'm not basing it on tonight. Its an assessment based on his time at Spurs. If he could play in any other position other than right-wing he might have stood half a chance. Not his fault tonight though. He did provide us with some entertainment with his wayward free-kicks.
Palacios was very poor. Hardly noticed Keane. Crouch should have started. Bale had mad skillz top end of the field but his positioning is not exactly worthy of a Julie Andrews sing-a-long. Lennon was under-used. Seriously under-used IMO. Best moment of the game was the final whistle. This was a game made for radio.
There's not that much more to say tbh. Feel for Spurs fans who travelled up there to watch what was a complete snoozefest. Three points away to Everton, otherwise this defeat will actually hurt a little come the end of the weekend.
Levy will be gutted. No cheap-to-make merchandise that the joys of a Wembley final would have given us.
Straight to Betamax.
Reader Comments (29)
Seems they don't give a fuck about the Carling Cup. Welcome to the brave new world.
Hopefully that's the last time we will see Bentley & Hutton in a Spurs shirt - can't decide who was poorer. We should get as much as we can for them in January.
Summed up the match perfectly, but you say Bentley is a lost caused, what about Robbie Keane? Keane could still be playing now and he wouldn't get a goal. We need a TOP QUALITY forward to come in come January rather than buying another 19 year old "wonderkid" who ultimately won't get played.
Harry is bemoaning that the game/stadium lacked any type of atmosphere and 'nobody got going'. Good assessment, but the cynic in my still says he doesn't care that much.
All eyes on the Everton away day.
Harry looking surprised, but then what did he expect with the players and the team fielded?
Reminded me of the cup game at OT when Pav scored at the start of the game, they scored 2 before half time and both teams seemed to agree a truce and trotted about aimlessly in the second half, with no interest in exerting either keeper.
The depth of our squad looks fantastic on paper; not quite so impressive on grass.
Is there no-one who can instill some belief, backbone and guts into this team when we visit the Sky 4 ?
Acupuncture, hypnosis, there must be someone out there.
I'm concerned that we can can score for fun against poor or average defences but as soon as we run into a well organised defence, the goals dry up, our defence comes under pressure we concede goals and the confidence vanishes. Thought we had sorted it against Villa but not so sure now.
Flat track bullies anyone ?
Not impressed to see our midfield chasing shadows once Carrick came on.
How about a straight swap for Bentley ? Perhaps give them Keane as well.
Never mind, 3 points at Everton and tonight will almost be forgotten
I'm afraid what I expected to happen, did. Bale looked good and made a case for staying beyond the summer, there is still hope for that boy yet I feel. At least he played like he wants to be at spurs. Bentley, Hutton...... what can I say? hmmmm....... bye bye please! I have never rated hutton and bentley I had high hopes for when he signed but it appears its time for him to make move me thinks. I fear they have made a similar mistake as MON made at villa last season with Europe. All the papers are saying we are strong contenders but there are 3 teams less than 3 points behind us. Nervous times ahead boys, heart monitors at the ready!
Apparently Redknapp has done his nut, imagine the team coach going back to London! These are the games I would love to see Bostock and Dos Santos given a chance. Hope we get Bostock back from the Bee's.
We had a very strong team out there but most of them gave up after 30mins. Our record against the top four last season was very good. So far it's been poor this season but we are taking points off the teams around us which is what might count at the end of the season. I think Harry will listen to offers for Bentley and JJ, hopefully we can replace them. (Will it be that hard though? I think not). Big let down tonight lads, can't believe most of our team just gave up like that in the second half. Not acceptable.
Bentley: wasteful and slows the game down - happy to see him go but who would buy him? Hutton: good at running forward with no end product in a sort of scottish zokora way - but cant pass and makes awful mistakes - not ideal for a right back - if Everton still want him let him go . Bassong seemed well off the pace tonight - perhaps his hamstring is not yet right?? Jenas passed the ball backwards and sideways to colleagues expertly regardless of whether they were in a good position to receive it (I suppose that beats Palacios who though he was already playing for Manu). Keane - hardly our inspirational leader. Lennon and Bale are probably the only ones to emerge with any credit from a miserable night. Krank looked world class by not playing!
What kind of an excuse was that from HR? Did he get off his seat to gee them up at all? Every time the camera turned to him he was sitting down looking bewildered. For goodness sake, I thought he was the manager!
Has to be the worst performance along with the Arsenal game. Redknapp has got more work to do with the mental strength side of things. Strange as we showed it against Villa. It's that consistency problem again that haunts Spurs this evening.
Sorry all, but our first XI lost convincingly to united's reserves. Yes, we had shots blocked as we did against villa, but sometimes JD needs to place a shot rather than blast it goalwards! Both of their goals were against the run of play, but brilliantly taken by a guy who had nothing to lose. How many of ours would have taken the shot? Jenas would have laid it off to absolve responsibility for missing and we have others the same. Maybe it would have been different if Kranjcar had played, but no excuses from me. We were simply not good enough collectively. Agreed 3 points at everton will be the perfect anodyne, but that is a big ask now. COYS!!!!!
Every time I see Hutton play, I think wow, what a great player .. Corluka is.
Was a first eleven without actually being one. If that makes sense.
Mr LEVEY. I would like to say sorry for using your excellent blog for getting my message about energy abuse this was a stupid thing to do because my own Fans have called me all sorts of names and if you new me you would think different .after watching Everton and Liverpool i realise its a waste of time and watching Utd RUNNING Spurs in to the OLD Trafford wet pitch never surprised me one bit . But what surprised me was Defoe and Lennon looked like they where playing for there new owners and Carrick praising Lennon makes me more suspicious .Defoe has been like this since he scored five and the rumours said he will need to move from Spurs and Lennon has also gone done in his performances since the Wigan game and with Moderic dragging is broken leg to January things look bad . Harry should not be shocked at our performance because i have said this many times you cant buy players that are first choice and sit them on the bench for weeks and expect them to play like a 16 million pound players . this is the tale of waste Bentley Bale Naughton Dosantos Pavlyuchenko Tarrabt Dervite Hutton have all stagnated in to players in crisis and our good youth players are only playing because there on loan .where was Parrett and Rose and Naughton tonight .Lets hope my feelings our all wrong and Lennon and Defoe get us in the champions League.But looking at the Merseyside derby and tonight's game. ENERGY ABUSE IN MY PART OF THE WORLD IN THE NORTH WEST IS STILL RIFE AND GOES WITH THE FINANCIAL DEBT OF LIVERPOOL Man Utd Everton and the rest .Wake up i live in the north west and its rife in professional and amateur sport .
Jesus Christ...
This was more of a shop-window for January than anything else. Surely Bentley, JJ and Hutton will be on their way along with the Russian who never was, and who didn't even get a look in tonight. Palacios is blowing hot and cold this season, which is a worry. Tonight was all cold. The Arsenal game along with this one show that with a wind behind us and most or all of the 1st choice players available we are a threat, but take 2 or 3 out and we are distinctly average.
I think that's the problem. On the one hand we are meant to have strength in depth but the reality is the 'reserves' are not very good.
What the hell is Harry talking about on Sky TV about the atmosphere out there tonight. He says it was like a friendly and that there wasn't a tackle worth talking about in the first half and the crowd never got going.
I give up. What the F**k does he think gets the crowd going. Getting stuck in gets the crowd going and Spurs didn't get stuck in. They were like the Spurs of old, too nice, too flashy and too naive to make a match of it.
We need a Scott Parker or a Tim Cahill in the team who will roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. JJ and Bentley have to be dispatched along with Pav in January and some hot blood and fighters put in the MF and CD.
Harry takes the biscuit though with his excuses. If he wasn't so busy this week 'bigging Sir Alex up' and put some urgency into his team for tonight it would have been a different result.
Spurs have no reason to be afraid or respectful of Utd, Arse or Chelski. Until they start believing in themselves they will always be a mid table outfit.
And I am a Spurs supporter since 1977.
I think Crouchy is atrocious in the air. I just wanted to say that.
Overall it was boring and really an insult to the fans.
Why bother even making the trek up to Manc if you're gonna play like that?
Wins breed confidence. Surely these games are the type that should be important, if anything, for confidence? Anyways dont think it was a make-shift side but understand why that phrase is being banded about, much like suggesting that Utd fielded kids.
Harry is at fault. Playing fringe players and also post match ranting about how the game is of little importance is a sure fire way to send out the wrong vibe to the player who couldnt be arsed to step it up. Roll on sunday.
Guys
I think I've cracked it.
Harry would rather go out to Utd than Arsenal or Man City. Going out to either of those two would do much more harm to morale and the media would slaughter Spurs.
Maybe he's a wiley old fox after all.
I think he's just mortally afraid of injuries. But then so is everyone. And justifiably so. Maybe. Maybe not. Is it just me or does it seem serious month-plus long injuries are becoming more common than ever? International football has become a complete waste of time to watch. I guess the Carling Cup is right up there.
United didn't seem all that hot tonight either truth be told. But we were craptastic.
Harmer and alt ctrl deln have it right I fear.
So much for Keano's comment about "depth"
Speaking of which I must confess that I am starting to loathe Keane with a passion.
Palacios again sucked and again was subbed at halftime. His passing is so utterly poor right now. Maybe he needs a game off to clear his head.
i agree with the assesment made , if they don't want to play or win just field a team of youngsters ... because now we have just proven to the starting players that they do not have to worry about losing their place
there's nobody to replace them ...
@Ollie, I didn't see much of the game as my eyes was mainly focused on the bottom of my beer glass as I tried to drown my first half sorrows. Second half I was drunk and angry so I looked at the other dude's wife. Did Jesus Christ play?
"I think he's just mortally afraid of injuries. But then so is everyone. And justifiably so. Maybe. Maybe not. Is it just me or does it seem serious month-plus long injuries are becoming more common than ever?" Dec 2, 2009 at 2:08 AM | nycyid
So someone else has noticed.... I"m not gonna do a davespurs and hurl conspiracy theories around here but these "niggling" injuries and "serious" illnesses bringing down sportsmen and sportswomen on an all to regular basis nowadays are symptomatic of something much bigger than sport and the game we all love. And it's a something much more troubling to.
Sport, like Finance before it, is heading for a gigantic crash. And the people running Big Sports 'aven't a Danny La Rue. They 'aven't even sussed what "it" is, let alone plan for it... Just look at the World Cup play-offs for a taste of what's to come football-wise.
By the way, that "something" I write of is a society seriously over-heating/hyperventilating; a society consumed by fear. Fear, not of the unknown, but the half-known. A society running wild (and scared) in the *Hyper-real.
*Hyper-real.... see Jean Baudrillard, Albert Borgmann, Daniel Boorstin and Umberto Eco (he of The Name Of The Rose fame)
This rant is/was dedicated to themusicologist