Liverpool v Spurs: End it
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 10:42AM 16 years. 65 games, 21 draws, 44 defeats.
Our staggeringly limp and pathetic away record to the 'top four' sides. Unlike other clubs who achieve moderate success on their travels, sometimes providing a shock - we seem to suffer from a self-inflicted psychological problem that stops us from ever getting further than a shared point. We choke and disappoint. I've never been certain of the exact cause. Is it over-confidence? Is it mis-placed belief? Do we perceive ourselves us equals when we should play like underdogs? Should we be more bullish perhaps, more tactically astute? Or should we go for the kill, with no room for respect? Maybe it's simply a curse that relates to fan expectation that somehow causes fragility of the players akin to a big egg falling off a wall, beyond repair. On top of the underlying issue, year upon year of disappointment in these games is going to have a continuing detrimental effect that compounds it further. Although the same could be said of the 16 years of hurt in games against Chelsea until we found the testicular fortitude to turn it around and have since vastly improved our standard against them. As it should be.
One thing is for certain. There must never be fear. Or uncertainty. Big ask that, knowing how powder-puff we can be. A winners mentality is of course birthed from winning.
You know what, I'm sick to death with all the defeatism (i.e. the above paragraph and the fact it had to be mentioned) and also the unnecessary war cry or two that we tend to hear pre-match (remember Robbie Keane's before the game at the Emirates?) I know they're just sound-bites, the type that all players dish out, but it always seems to work against us. A clue perhaps that our players are trying to talk themselves into believing they can.
Liverpool are wounded. Not quite dead and more than able to sit up in a position where a sudden jolt forward and jump up is not beyond the realms of possibility as they land a surprise punch square in our face. But they are still wounded and any crafty movement can be telegraphed if we know what to look for. Their performances lack their usual combination of guile and quality. Instead, they remain fragmented thanks mostly to the gradual drain of confidence and the pressures on their manager. But they've proved more than capable in the past when playing without Gerrard or Torres. Granted, they had Alonso too back then. The fact is, who cares? Sod 'em. Kick 'em when they're down.
This still shouldn't be perceived as 'easy' and we must earn the right from kick-off to own the field, ignoring the predictions of others. Considering the various sub-plots at play it will be (hopefully) highly entertaining.
So simply this; from our perspective we must get at them. Pressure and chase the ball when not in possession and bloody well be ruthless when presented with an opportunity in front of goal (you hear that JJ?). Their fans will no doubt be making ear-bleeding noise. Lap it up. Play like the home side, make them worry about us. Attack them. Destroy them. I want to see Rafa cry.
No Huddlestone this evening, which means Jenas has to use his pace. If there's a game that is crying out for one of his rare uber-performances, this is it. Box to box devastation please (stop laughing).
Still no Lennon (could be out a little longer than expected) and we'll have to wait whether its Crouch up front with Defoe or if Robbie gets his chance against his boyhood team. The defence need to keep an eye on Kuyt and the flanks.
We are 4th. We have dropped important points at home. Points that might have had us comfortably in 3rd. We are now at that point in the season where we must be making strides forwards, the type that aids the mentality of the team in a positive manner and turns hope into something quantifiable. No more talk, plenty of action.
I want to believe.
But I wont be able to personally influence the outcome of the game. Not unless someone emails me the hotel Howard Webb is staying in. It's up to the players. The faith they have in themselves. Either they prove to us they're good enough or they can settle for the status quo. I'm not suggesting this is the be all and end all of our season. Rather it being an opportunity, a stage, to make a statement. One that screams 'we don't give a fucking shit about anything other than the three points'.
90 minutes and a bit of injury time and we'll all know.
COYS.
Reader Comments (34)
Love it.
Nervous has hell! Got to do it!
Nice piece as always Spooky.
I can't believe the amount of Spurs fans the genuinely think we'll turn them over relatively easily in their own backyard. It borders on stupidity. These are the same fans that believe if we don't beat teams like Hull at White Hart Lane by more than 4 games we've played badly.
Redknapp will set the team up NOT to lose. As you say, we need to watch Kuyt on the wing. If I'm Benitez I'm telling all their players to give it to him and test Niko and Bale defensively. Two players known for defensive frailties. On the other ring I would put Rodriguez and tell him to just run past Mr slower than slow Corluka. Our problems are fairly obvious and they're all tactical issues that Redknapp won't fix in tonights game.
I would love to see us go there and hassle and harry their players off the ball and the compose ourselves on the game. I fear it will be another Man City game, which sounds a little stupid given we won 3-0 but lets not forget how that game started. We sat off them and let them play. If we do the same to Liverpool I fear we'll either concede or resort to long balls which away from home is exactly what the opposition want and exactly what their defenders will want.
We need to get Niko and Moddle in the game more than we did against Hull and watch out for a clattering challenge from Mascapone in the first 5 minutes on either if not both of them to try and unsettle them.
Fingers crossed we'll win this one but if I think if you offered both managers a draw now they'd take it and as a result I think that might be what we get.
Massive game, no two ways about it. Bale has to be defensively on his game tonight. If we keep it tight at the back and strong in midfield and get the ball to Modric we'll have success. Up to the forwards to bang in the goals. 2-0 Spurs.
No Hudd is a blessing. We need Jenas and his bundle of energy.
No, I can't see it either.
I'm worried about Kuyt vs. Bale. Mis-timed tackle on the edge of the box, goal against the run of play. Liverpool are down but far from out. The expectation is we have a good chance of 3 points which means it almost certainly won't happen. 0-0 I'd say.
The Bale/Kuyt position is where it will be won and lost.
Intent, intent, intent. We'll know in the opening 10 minutes whether the game is there to be won. Harry has to instruct them and instruct them well. A game for leaders. Step up step up.
On the plus side, no Gerrard to dive for a pen. Negatives: Mr H Webb. Still fancy us to break the hoodoo and turn them over.
Fantastic post
Just please god harry don't try to be clever with the tactics again like you have against all the other big 4 away from home!
No 451 or 433. Let's set up familiar, how the players like it.
JJ this is your chance to be a hero son.
5-0 to the Spurs. No issue.
Who am I kidding. There will be 5 minutes of Webb-inspired injury time and we'll conced to a last minute, first-goal-for-the-club, goal-of-the-season Maxi Rodriguez shot. Oh and Aquilani will suddenly show the world what a great player he is.
NERVOUS AS HELL!!!!!!!!!
Bale will be the all important figure tonight - he has to defend tightly, but i really think he has to get down that wing when Niko dinks into the middle. The guy has great pace, and a wonderful cross on him.
Glad that JJ is playing, please stand up! (Lets hope the Hudd is not out of action for too long)
COME ON YOU FUCKING SPURS!!! DO IT DO IT DO ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
C O Y S
The players have the ability, however they need to show the balls of steel required to win tonight.
Do they want it enough? And do they have the mental strength to get it?
There'll never be a better chance than tonight. This game could define the rest of our season.
COYS
And then of course is the impact of Mr. Webb...................
Has he the honesty to give a potentially result affecting decision against one of the "sky top 4"??
Do you guys honestly think we're going to win?
you know in cricket the batsmen wear a ball protector to protect the family jewels....and in boxing u wear a mouthguard so ur teeth dont get knocked out....in football u wear shinguards so yer can still walk even if ya get kicked....in american football u wear a helmet so yer noggin dont get split open...but 4 spurs players its puttin on the tottenham hotspur shirt that should make them feel invincible...as soon as they put on that shirt they should feel like they are giants and they should know they are the best team in the premier league...and they should know that one way or the other they is coming home with 3 points....and they should know its nothing personal with liverpool but better them(lose)than us.....coys
What's up with the badger?
0-0 I think
Robbie Keane. He starts...we lose. End of.
I actually think Keane can do a job for us in this one. We need his link up play. Liverpool will probably play five in the middle, so with Keane dropping deep he should be able to help out. Modic and Krank need to be disciplined on this one so we don't loose too much width.
Of course if this doesn't work Crouchie from the bench is always a good plan B.
Past performance is no guarantee of current success as they say in the investment world.
We can win this and I think we will.
Beak the hoodoo, get Rafa the sack, kill off Liverpools top four hopes, make ourselves the main contenders.
All in one game .Lets do it.
So thats a draw then.
1st booking for DM could well have as much influence on the tone of the game as anything else, if it's Mascherano, it gives our attack more of a reason to get at him. If it's wilson then vice versa.
Personally think this has 0-0 written all over it. Won't be an easy game, and suspect that 'home luck' may be on their side. But would dearly love to be proven wrong, I know their fans are genuinely worried about this evening as much as we are of shagging it up!
Nerves at the ready.............
this took me over 9000 hours on paint but hopefully the message shines through
http://i46.tinypic.com/33bjmll.jpg
COYS
we're already ahead on the mind games front. I posted a message on my pool supporting mates facebook saying 'were gonna FUCK you in the FACE you CUNTS'. Now this might not seem very witty....but i know he cant acces facebook from work, so i emailed him and said 'shit, you should check your facebook now'. he replied saying 'i cant fuckin check it from work, whats goin on?' All i said back was 'wait till u get home...then you'll know' He replied sayin 'ffs mate, tell me, i aint in the mood for jokes and im havin a shit day'. I haven't replied yet. wish i could see his face when he rushes home to log into facebook and sees that
Mind Games 1, Liverpool supporting mug 0
so its half time. what have spurs done wrong? not very much really, its been tight as anything out there. right at the end of the half not happy with bale and kranjcar messing about like a pair of twats. palacious has been great tho. shit awful mistake from dawson, but hey theyve keptt 5 clean sheets, time for the forwards to do some scoring. i see second half following same pattern, hopefully with 2 spurs goals.
Why oh why oh why does Redknapp make substitutions to appease players but ruin the balance of the whole team?? Keane can suck my balls.
Oh dear its not gone terribly well has it?
The longer it went on, the more unbalanced, clueless and useless we became.
Keanes introduction ended any chance we had. Not because it was Keane, but because no-one seemed to have any idea where he, or anyone else was playing.
King goes off and our defence goes with him. They could have had 5 goals in the last 15 minutes and we posed no threat whatsoever.
Bassongs entry was delayed because he forgot to put his shorts on! You could not write it.
We made an ordinary player like Kuyt look like a World beater.
Lets not cling to Defoes disallowed goal as an excuse. The truth is they wanted it more, were willing to fight for it and got what they deserved. And so did we.
You look at the statistic in the first line of this blog and think "No, that cannot be right".
And then you watch our spineless gutless performance tonight and realise it is and our showing was history repeating itself.
Same old, same old.
We were crying out for width and pace so why not bring Rose or Dos Santos on ?
I like Harry but his subs tonight made us weaker not stronger.
Better get Lennon back quick because Modric/ Krankie do not pose the same threat.
Rant over.
PLEASE CAN WE GET RID OF KEANE? HE IS F*CKING USELESS!!!!!
What can I say more... Bale IS a frigging JINX.. We will never win a Prem match with him in a game.. PERIOD
Also, we lack penetration without Azza.. All looked one dimensional without his runs behind the defence.. The team totally lacked conviction and deprived of ideas.. ('Arry looked like he ran out of ideas too..)
PS...Do us a favor 'Arry, pls sell/(give) Bale to the Scum... pls pls..
Miami - that made me smile.