16 long years of away-day hurt for the Lilywhites
Monday, April 27, 2009 at 9:37AM Played 62.
Won 0.
D 20.
L 42.
F 36.
A 114
Pts 20.
It’s been 16 years since we defeated Liverpool at Anfield in the league. That’s 16 years since the last three points collected away from home against one of the ‘Big Four’ (although Chelsea haven’t been a true top four club until recent years, but still, you get the jist of it). We are a soft touch away from the Lane.
This season (where we’ve struggled to beat the small clubs) we’ve had a good record against the top 4 at home (and away) beating Liverpool and Chelsea and taking two points from Arsenal. The 5-2 loss on Saturday was the first time this season we’ve ended with nothing against a Sky Sports elite side in the league. Why we never quite manage to battle towards a win is a curious mystery, when other (considered to be) lesser clubs are able to shock the big four on their home turf from time to time.
We saw both sides of Spurs at Old Trafford. The good (first half) and the bad (second half). The latter being a throw-back to the Spurs we thought we had left behind. It’s a mental block of sorts. A curious psychological problem that steems from a lack of belief and because this was Man Utd, we gave up after the shock of the penalty decision. We were overhauled by the occasion and the injustice. But make no mistake about it, even though Utd upped the tempo and got lucky with the Webb decision, we didn't exactly look like we were trying to continue where we left off after a smart opening 45 minutes.
Jenas cited that Webb was guilty of ‘crumbling under the pressure’. He saw the irony and made sure he mentioned the fact we conceded four further goals.These type of 'switch-off' performances happen often. At home too (Utd 3-5, City 3-4).
No matter the players, no matter the manager, we always have these lapses and negative reactions. I cited lack of leadership and composure in my match report. But there is no need to knee-jerk just yet. Dish out a spanking to WBA this weekend, and we are back on track to end the season on a high. Compared to the start of the season, I’d much rather be worrying about our development than looking over our shoulders at relegation.
Going forward, we (Harry) has to remove the mental block. How that's done exactly, I don't quite know. I guess the answer can be found in the following question: Why does it happen in the first place?
Reader Comments (20)
Plenty of draws in there. But can't disagree that we have been woeful. But then it's no surprise. In the past 16 years how often have we had a side worthy of defeating a 'Top 4' side? I'd wager not that often.
This sums us up. We make hard work of beating the big teams, excluding this season. The plucky lucky win against Liverpool at the Lane is the type of result we hardly ever get against top 4 sides. We usually either get out classed or we battle to the death and lose to the odd goal.
Saturday was shambolic no matter how you look at it. Penalty aside, why did we sit back in the second half?
Defence has been great in recent weeks. But this is the second time we've switched off and last time it was against smaller opposition (Blackburn).
I think we've come some way in removing the mental block but are still way too pleased with drawing against these teams for my liking. Woodgate himself said that our record against the top 4 sides this season has been "impeccable" - errr JW, surely impeccable would have been winning each game? That's a big part of the problem IYAM.
Agreed we are getting there. I think you've mentioned it before Spooky. We have no ruthless streak. We should try to be more disrespectful to the likes of United. Go for a third, swagger, take the piss, get in their faces. Rile the fuck out of them instead of allowing us to be engulfed by the moment.
Many of you may not agree with me, but personally i hate Man U above all other clubs its not just the fact that they are a bunch of cunts that seem to win all the time it's their fucking cockney red fans, I fucking hate them. I was in a pub in North London and there were more dicks in Man U shirts then i could count,next time anyone sees a Londoner wearing a Man U shirt punch them in the face till the only thing thats red is their fucked up nose.
Add another Palacios in the middle of the park, one with the same sense of urgency but with a more offensive stance (don't ask me who, I don't know) and someone who is not afraid to be a cunt. What Woodgate said sums us up. We take something that isn't that great but dress it up like it is.
100% home record against the top four and a couple of wins away would be almost impeccable.
i don't know how exactly you can beat man utd whan you're not aloud to win. what a disaster it would have been if they would have lost, eh? that club are cheats. they don't win fairly, and the referees give undue bias. when i read this morning about giggs winning player of the year trophy, it just confirmed my fears. am i bitter about yesterday? yes. am i the only one with this opinion?...
Clubs like West Ham punch above their weight now and again, but Spurs try to compete as equals against Utd etc and we always get done over because of it. We need to bully teams more when we find ourselves in a strong position. I honestly though we had done enough at half time until that penalty. Shame on me.
'Why does it happen in the first place?'
Lack of on-field leadership and a team of players that have won fuck all is your answer. We need one or two experienced winners in the side.
Oh, get Jenas out the first team too.
Thats the problem, we don't have footballers who have won things. Davids has, remember his impact? We need a player of his ilk but preferable one that is still on top of his game or only just on the wrong side but still able to do a good job.
David Beckham.
What?
Less of the that shite londoner there are loads of spurs fans down the north west iam one of them from widnes 46 years a spurs fan were ever i lay my hat thats my team.Lets look at this from utd point of view 2-0 down spurs looking good utd had played wednesday .The boss said to ferdinad i want you to play faster .Fergie goes of to have a word with seargent webb and ferdinand gets the lads and tells them that the boss wants us to play faster .Lets go and get some sweets of the physio to give us energy .After the game fergie screams i fuckin told you not to score 5 goals that quick now that bastard davspurs will be allover the net making accusations and you fuckin dwane chambers body what the fuck whas all that about throwing your shirt that fucking high and schreaming like maradona on coke have you been in tha t fuckin physios bag while i have been getting us a penalty i fucking told you to use them for asenal on wednesday now you will start looking like skelatons you have been caught once allredy you daft bastard fergie roared at ferdinand its okay boss we can say its because you brought teves on he runs allday anyway and uk sport are usless.Then fergie storms off to have a bottle or two with harry to calm him down and tell him he can have campbell and brown cheap thats the whole truth and nothing but the truth ? coys
The disgrace is that after the game our players didnt even bother coming over to clap us before our 230 mile journey home. Disgusting.
Friend of mine worked for Spurs up until 2 weeks ago on their corporate event side. Apparantly all the Directors and the staff call us (the fans) the plebs.
Plebs? Fuck you Levi. In fact fuck you Tottenham Hotspur. What is a football club anyway? A punch of overpaid pricks who are paid to kick a ball around while a bunch of blokes they can never relate to sing their names and worship their every move. Used to be a real sport, the Blanchflowers etc were the real footballers- the real men.
Now were left with a bunch of little pansies who roll around on the floor, or little wananbe fashion gurus like Defoe who CANT EVEN SHOW THE FUCKING RESPECT TO TURN UP IN A SUIT TO BE UNVEILED AT WHITE HART LANE.
The 61 double team are turning in their graves. What has Spurs (and football become).
"Friend of mine worked for Spurs up until 2 weeks ago on their corporate event side. Apparantly all the Directors and the staff call us (the fans) the plebs"
You know I can actually believe this. Spooky, time for a letter?
Very good article but afterwatching the weekend games I’m sure players felt that the referee wasn't going to give them the rub of green, Howard web will have to live with fact that he was bias towards -Manchester united- yes they were looking little more dangerous but as per cup finale last month we held are own – penalty made some difference but some spurs players need to have more than hard look at themselves they let themselves down and more importantly the fans-
i didnt see the game live and when i watched it on replay its hard to pick up the momentum of the game. it looked like we were coasting 2-0 then 2-1 then 2-2 and then bugger me we didnt do anything.we didnt defend or realy go forward. might ave been a good time to take of bent n keane 4 tom n bale n get modders n lennon up front... at least it might have messed up uniteds formation for a little while n changed the tempo of the game.even dz would ave been a handy sub to put on n chase the ball all over the park..
There's a very interesting article in this months FourFourTwo.
It talks about the idea of 'momentum' in football. How truely great teams have a tangible grasp of it. If they take the lead they are able to use the momentum to carry them through. Concurrently, if they're losing, they have the ability, probably through witchcraft, to change the momentum in their favour.
It's sadly something Spurs need a lesson in.
That said,
Howard Webb is a belongs on a ward.
ignore '*is a*
"Friend of mine worked for Spurs up until 2 weeks ago on their corporate event side. Apparantly all the Directors and the staff call us (the fans) the plebs"
To be fair to them that's a nicer label than what half the country call you.