Spurs loving the away day pints...I mean points
Monday, December 21, 2009 at 9:17AM Morning.
Delightful weekend. Nothing more pleasant that the depressive yet heart warming sight of Sam Allardyce complaining in the aftermath of defeat. Okay, so we won ugly. It wasn't exactly a convincing victory for total football over anti-football but we managed (once more) to ride out the bumps and accept gleefully any slice of luck that presented itself with open arms. It was a hard working day at the office, no room for slacking. And unlike last season, no sleeping on the job.
We soaked up the tackles and the physicality, showed some strength - mental type too - and won the day. Huddlestone's superb disguised pass to Niko out on the wing (he meant it yeah?) who sent the ball back in for Crouch to climb all over the hapless defender and head the ball in for 1-0 just before the break. I loved this simply for the Blackburn fans behind the goal laughing at Tommy's shot almost (almost but not quite) going out for a goal kick. The second goal (Crouch again) was well taken, Peter beating any chance of an offside flag being raised and smacking it in to guarantee the three points. In between all that there was plenty of low key action. A day for defenders rather than offensive beauty. However, everyone put in a shift. For all the tabloid scandal about the unauthorised Dublin trip, it was great to see Spurs churn out the pints…points.
The game began to go in our favour when Harry made the substitutions. Yes, doubters, Harry made tactical subs that had a positive effect on the game for us. In our favour. Keane and Jenas both impressing when called into action. A Crouchie brace was also something to smile about. Add to it the stern and strong defensive display by the back four and the aforementioned slice of luck (McCarthy's effort hitting the post) and we can tag this one under the 'Spurs have backbone' category. We are not a bad team away from home these days.
Couple of things of note. First up, Gomes and that McCarthy shot. Unlucky? Er, no. Okay, so I keep banging on about slice of luck, but if you take a look at the incident again either the Rovers forward was guilty of a terrible miss or the victim of a more than decent save. The latter. It's the latter. Why can't it be the latter? Seems Gomes is immune to credit even thought he saved the shot (that then came back off the woodwork). So when does a ball hitting the keeper get to be considered a save? When the goalkeeper is English perhaps? Ooh racist.
I jest.
Also, Match of the Day 2. Gary Speed (talking about Wolves):
"They've had a couple of great results recently with wins against both Spurs and Tottenham...."
The anti-Tottenham agenda goes from strength to strength. If the indignity of losing the once to Wolverhampton was not bad enough, they've now been credited with defeating us twice. The propaganda is never ending.
Anyway, if I was to dish out marks out of ten (I don't own the copyrights for that) I'd split the team into 8's and 7s with perhaps a 6 for Defoe because he was fairly quiet. But no complaints, not really. These types of games are games that can prove to be more than tricky especially with historical expectations people have for us when we travel. We seem to be adapting and evolving. And as this ridiculous season continues to remain so, a Top 4 finish will simply come down to us finding that extra oomph from stepping up a gear. We just need to make sure we don't free-fall or drop too many silly points as we've done already. You can it see now, can't you? End of season, just one or two points in it. Best to avoid another such finale. Have it wrapped up weeks before.
So four points off Utd at Christmas? You'd have taken that at the start of the season. Don't torment yourself by adding the points lost (Stoke, Villa, Everton, Wolves) to our current tally. You'll shit bricks.
Conclusion for Saturday? Flying colours for me.
More blogs on the way (before I disappear for the Christmas weekend).
Reader Comments (26)
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to see Tottenham win away.
two great results this weekend:
Spurs win away in the northwest on a cold and winters morning, and
'Killing in the name' the UK's christmas number one, who says the english don't have a sense of humour (even if it is wrapped up in a sense of foreboding and with a 'bow of cynicism' plonked on top)?
Time for the usual 'christmas points dropped in easy games on paper' category spooks?
always a good read! :) 3 points on Saturday and we will be laughing. With Villa away at Arsenal we could do with a draw, we'd then go above Villa on goal difference. Then UTD away at Hull, on UTD's form, Hull must fancy getting something from the game!
Now, away from the football, I am quite happy to say, I spotted a certain Jermaine Jenas in MOVIDA nightclub on Saturday evening, NOT DRINKING! I had a nice little chat with him. Pretty decent bloke to be fair! :)
Shame he's shit at football.
But JJ is only a kid. He's still growing as a player. He'll find confidence and blossom soon. We just need to be patient.
etc x infinity
didnt see MOTD as i was out. But apparently he set up Crouchys 2nd?
We're on the march. Probably until Boxing Day where it's halted.
He was pretty decent during his cameo to be honest.
but then again that might have something to do with a dodgy livestream , slowing down the game and making Jenas look good had happended before on my livestream ...
HAHA! i dont think he deserves all the stick he gets!
Most, but not all!
Don't get seduced by the tattoos Aldo, he's next to useless.
Glad he did well on saturday though. Maybe watching from the sidelines has given him a kick up the arse and we could do with some competition for places in centre mid.
For fcuks sake give the lad Jenas, some credit when he deservers it. The lads sliding tackle made the goal.
So get off his back, even more get off the teams back, we out played Villa ,Everton, and Citeh, these are the main contenders for "top four" (maybe the scousers are now to late) But we are the best of the rest and it will not surprise me to see Cheatski, Manure, Vanilla, and SPURS there at the end.
Thanks Spooky. I just added up the points dropped and swiftly deposited an enormous breeze block in me undercrackers. WE'D BE TOP OF THE LEAGUE DAMMIT!
Adding up all the ifs and buts would make one hell of a dvd.
I think I've seen that DVD, TM.
Import from the netherlands isn't it? Arrives in a non-descript unmarked brown padded envelope with a free pack of kleenex?
Who watched match of the day on Sat? Anyone notice how they just bypassed any comment about the spurs after the Blackburn game.....................? How is that allowed, tossers.
Spooky - to be fair to Villa, Stoke & Wolves - we were never actually in front in any of those games (despite playing better) so i would say the only points dropped were the ones when we were 2 nil up against Everton.
CEJ, but in the stoke and wolves game we must have been at least on one point at kick off, so technically (and being a pedant) that's at least two points dropped! Plus two from the everton game.
Hypothetically speaking, had we managed at least an extra for points on our current position we'd only need three more points to be 'safe' from relegation.
If and buts. Don't spend too much time on them as other fans do the same and in that newly revised table we'd still be were we are because the others around us would have also claimed more points.
Live and learn, that's what we're having to do and quickly.
FYI, the Sky commentary on that Gomes save includes:
"It's good goalkeeping. Take nothing away from H. Gomes. He makes a nuisance of himself in the goal [...] brilliant goalkeeping"
Thought Jenas did really well when he came on - he may not know how to pass forwards, but if you're holding a lead and want to calm the game down, he's good for it.
Damn. Sky in pro-Spurs statement shock. It's nice when he (Gomes) gets the credit he deserves. Who did the commentating?
Commentator was Dean Sturridge.
not quite a cigar yet
I was thinking the exact same thing Spooky!
This match was won through managerial tactics. The substitutions were made at the right time... something we have all been praying for.
bale to fill in at l.back.something smells not right.wasnt arry quoted as saying bale cant defend.sandro to spurs,maybe.wouldnt he have had a medical by now.if he has a medical problem isnt it better to know before the window opens.scot parker another option.didnt he prefer newcastle? to spurs,before going to w .ham.boruc to spurs.one of the best goalies in scotland ,to be reserve at spurs ,not on.welcome to comedy month.media pulls the strings,we all jump.my feet firmly on the ground.