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Thursday
Jan212010

Observations after Anfield...

Some observations after Anfield and beyond...(reposted, as the original article had comments disabled)

 

Did we learn anything from the 2-0 loss? We learnt that we always, without fail, choke when expectations are high. In fact we choke even when expectations are not high. Without fail. Ha! All we had to do was show some assertive swagger at Anfield and instead we failed miserably. Between now and April - if we stand any chance, any chance at all of finishing 4th - we have to remain unbeaten. Because April could well be a shower of pain. Take a look at the fixture list, then go sit in the corner of a room and slowly rock your body forwards and backwards until the men in white coats help you up.

Howard Webb is a mong. How many times has he directly influenced a game against our favour now?

Aston Villa 6 Blackburn 4. Did I really miss this game? Nine different goal-scorers? I even removed the recording from Sky+ just after it began because the other half wanted me to record American Idol. Which I happen to watch with her. Well, she doesn't actually watch it. I watch it on my own. With popcorn.

Did Jenas have a good game? Once more he divides opinion. Some people think he's shit others think he's crap. So, what do you think? Did he work hard or was he ineffectual out there? Flattered to deceive or under-rated? Who knows. Fact is he never does anything that can be perceived as completely comprehensive one way or the other.

The men holding the flags and the mong with the whistle are utterly incapable of understanding the offside rule and how it works in a passage of play where the player comes back into an onside position before the ball is played forwards again. Which is what happened with Defoe. I think.

Was I the only person who thought that was Pav on the touchline coming on only to then see Hutton? I think it's safe to say that our 'squad depth' is vastly over-rated.

Arsenal continue to exist within a bubble where the laws of the footballverse are ignored without question. It seems that brutal tackles are acceptable when dished out by one of the untouchables. The irony is invisible as witnessed with the cowardly foul Gallas committed on Mark Davies, with led to a goal for the home side from the resulting break away. Wenger, obviously, didn't see it yet feels it wasn't too bad. Didn't see it, but concludes it wasn't too bad. The logic. It's unparalleled. Dismissive. Anyone care to remember the Eduardo Crusade? There were rocks on the moon that knew about the heinous assault on the player thanks to Wenger's relentless ranting. Davies appears to have got lucky (not quite the right way to describe it). Brilliant stuff at the end of the game with Gallas and his Haiti awareness drive. Faux morality at it's finest.

Also worth mentioning how Wenger doesn't think his team did anything wrong by not kicking the ball into touch with a player down injured. How times have changed since 2006. Someone let BMJ know. WengerVision is in full effect.

Peter Crouch will never be awarded a free-kick in his favour, even if sexually assaulted in the penalty area. It would seem it's fair to hang onto the lank, pulling and tugging his shirt, kissing his neck and doing your utmost to drag him down to the ground so you can have your wicked way with him. Next tall person you see on the street, jump on his back and spank his bottom. No one cares. They're freaks. It's what they're meant for.

Bale. I feel for this lad. He isn't a bad player. In fact, going forward he is more than useful. Doesn't defend as brightly so development wise we need to work out where his future should be. Left back or left wing. Wing-back it is then. Regardless of the position the result is always the same. No win. It's not a monkey on his back. It's his monkey face. Resolution? Plastic surgery. Pin back those ears, shave his head and sort out some re-constructive work on his cheek bones and we're set to go!

When's Azza back? We're a one man team.

Reader Comments (75)

'goonerz fanz iz lix arse and elbows ha ha an is rubbish team with frog manger no time for spk to scumz so go aways fromhere arsenalss'

The above message was translated by 'For a Gooner (technical translation services) Ltd' as part of the wider care in the community programme provided by Woolwich Borough Council. The service would like to apologise for the security lapse that allowed a few of our charity cases to access the web. We hope the message will sink in at their own special level of intellect and that they will not bother you again. Their siblings are visiting for their weekly 'private time' soon so they should be otherwise occupied for a while, at least.

Jan 22, 2010 at 9:45 AM | Unregistered CommenterDarbinho

On MonkeyBoyBale,
Regardless of the position the result is always the same. No win. It's not a monkey on his back. It's his monkey face. Resolution? Plastic surgery. Pin back those ears, shave his head and sort out some re-constructive work on his cheek bones and we're set to go!

I had a good laugh, that was classic, spooks.. now to get those nip/tuck guys on board...

Jan 22, 2010 at 10:47 AM | Unregistered CommenterBaleisJinxed

YET AGAIN ANOTHER PLAYER SNUBBING SPURS IN FORM OF RUDD VAN ,I THINK SPURS WAS A MUCH SMALLER CLUB THAN HE WANTED TO PLAY FOR , WHAT A SHAME U GOT ALL THE MONEY BUT STILL PLAYERS WONT ATTRACT TO SIDEKICKS OF LONDON. HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jan 22, 2010 at 11:02 AM | Unregistered CommenterBLUE FLU

A lot of the problems are in the head. Was watching a football review last bight of when Ferguson was at Aberdeen, and what he said was that most of all, his centre backs (miller & Mcliesh) hated losing. They were winners through and through, and that same mentality is ingrained into Man U.

Liverpool have a "hate losing" mentality as well, they palyed as if their careers depended on it.

I think that we are still short on some quality, but basically they just don't want it enough.

Fianlly, Huton must surely get a run at RB now.

Jan 22, 2010 at 11:06 AM | Unregistered Commenterstrathaven spur

LOUIS AT 12.33.
Even I, a Spurs supporter of 48 years can mutter through gritted teeth that under Wenger, Arsenal play attractive football. Which must be nice for their supporters, bearing in mind the long ball dross they had to endure for years when Seaman was one of their main goal providers with his 90 yard downfield punts.
But as you so rightly point out, there is a level of hypocrisy and lies stemming directly from their manager which I find sickening.
The sad thing is that a lot of commentators think his "I did not see it routine" makes him appear intelligent.
No it doesn't, it makes him look dishonest and stupid for thinking the rest of us are stupid enough to believe his lies.
After the Gallas incident, he said his players could not play the ball out because they moved forward, the injured Bolton player was on the ground behind them and they could not see him lying there.
If you look at the incident, the ball went backwards and there were 2 Arsenal players looking at the prostrate player whilst standing a few yards from him. One of those players was Arshavin, who a few seconds later was heavily involved in the build up which led to the goal.
I am not suggesting for one moment that any of our managers have been Angels, but Wengers constant lies and hypocrisy do immense damage to himself and his club.
Perhaps I find this behaviour so annoying because I am an old fart, but I can remember players and managers who behaved with great integrity and honesty and who displayed real sportsmanship.
The current game is largely devoid of these attributes which is a great shame.
And don't get me started on the subject of players spitting which is both unnecessary and disgusting.

Jan 22, 2010 at 11:10 AM | Unregistered CommenterDAVID

Great manager, complete and utter shit of a man....

Jan 22, 2010 at 12:00 PM | Unregistered CommenterNayim

Webb screwing us over again. Some things, much like Spurs inability to win a game out right without an excuse, never change.

Jan 22, 2010 at 12:08 PM | Unregistered CommenterAuthor of Comment

JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!!!!! My fellow spurs fans, please get a grip. Yep, we fell at the hurdle again but it is not the end of the world. Harry is a good manager, we have good players are we are in a GREAT position in the league. We need to add players to the squad in the next week, I am sure we will...........but come on WE ARE 4TH for fucks sake!!

Jan 22, 2010 at 12:48 PM | Unregistered CommenterCEJ

CEJ , i understand where you are coming from but the frustration ventilated by our fellow spurs fans is reasonable. Watching your team going down without putting up a fight is all to familiar ...

I was nervous and full of hope and to see that we failed to show up combined with some strange decisions from harry is something i find hard to digest. Spurs have let us down in the past and still we stick by them , putting ourselves out there to be mocked by every one because , but still we keep our heads up high. The pride we have as spurs fans, the beatings we have taken should be aknowledged by the players and the manager. Show some bollocks and bring the fight to them ...

It's not the end of the world but falling at the hurdles is something we have seen far too often.

Jan 22, 2010 at 1:00 PM | Unregistered Commenterbelgian spur

I agree with ABE's comment about how we are so fragile and how just one player being out can affect us and completely throw us out of whack.
I hope this doesn't sound like sour grapes but because of this I wonder if CL might be our greatest curse. Unless we were to go on a buying spree we simply don't have the squad to support CL, Prem and cup play. We can barely handle the Prem as it is.

Jan 22, 2010 at 1:03 PM | Unregistered Commenternycyid

Deep down, I know we blew it.

1. We changed a winning formula, killed the momentum for the Hull game, changed back (or tried to) for this game. Cannot understand this. Squad rotation cannot be at the expense of results.

2. Choice of team was strange.

No real issue with Gomes, Bale, Corluka, Dawson, Palacious, Crouch and Defoe. Perhaps not our day. Perhaps no more hunger. Perhaps complacent.

Modric, Kranjcar were used wrongly.

Why persist with clueless Jenas? (so sorry for the condemnation but the truth hurts) If Tom Hudd was not available, wny not try 4-3-3 with RK or Modric in the hole?

Still unsure about King. Aquilani and Kuyt cut through the middle of defence just as easily as Cesc Fab. did.

3. Tactics could have been better

At the crucial stage, why not use Rose or Naughton, even Giovani or Pavlyuchenko? Couldnt be worse than what happened.

The long balls being pumped in werent happening, so change!

4. We must regain the hunger and the determination to win. We must believe we can beat anyone. We must stop gifting "lesser" teams because of our fragility. Others have broken decades old losing streaks against us. Why cant we learn and do the same to others?

5. Some are fearful of the run of matches in April where we meet the top 3 together. We have nothing to fear if we believe we can beat them, and show a hunger and determination.

We have beaten Chelsea quite regularly in the recent past. So I will be disappointed if we dont beat them.

We can beat Man U. Just look and learn from City and Liverpool.

But the one that I want is L'Arse when they come visit. They are arrogant and a bunch of bad losers. When they win, they bask in the accolades by the fawning media. When they lose, its everyone else's fault. I cannot believe we always come unstuck when we meet them. We simply must crush them when they come.

6. Hey, we are still 4th. If City, Villa and Liverpool all screw up, we are still 4th. I wouldnt mind losing to Leeds if we destroy Fulham.

Jan 22, 2010 at 2:46 PM | Unregistered CommenterAngry from Singapore

The problem is this....Teams like playing against us. We have too many "nice" players. Who would you rather come up against, Vieira, Roy Keane, Mascherano, Gerrard or Jenas, Cuddlestone, Modric and Lennon....

The only player with a hint of Bastard in them is Palacios, which is all well and good if you can actually pass to a tem-mate once in a while.

Harry need to invest in a few 'orrible c*nts.

Oh and breaking up a defensive partnership on the verge of a club record of clean sheets is just plain ridiculous.

Especially when its King who is guaranteed to break down and use up one of our subs, just when we need to start chasing the game, leaving Rose, Gio and Pav all on the bench.....

Jan 22, 2010 at 4:11 PM | Unregistered CommenterPLN

I'm repeating myself here but it is interesting to note that I'm not alone in wanting to see Pav. FFS 'arry, give it a chance. You've been fannying about with everything else, could it hurt to put him in at the 70th minute? How much worse than Keane can he be?

Jan 22, 2010 at 4:45 PM | Unregistered Commenternycyid

I'd like to see him in the Leeds game. Why the hell not????

Jan 22, 2010 at 4:49 PM | Unregistered Commenternycyid

erm David ill think you find that Wenger said we played on as the ref was 4 yards away and had a good view, IT IS THE REFS RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THE BALL IN TOUCH and has been for two seasons... and FFS does anyone honestly belive Bolton would of held out anyway? they gave up at 2-1 the stupid nothern clodhoppers.

ps spurs top 4 LOL

Jan 23, 2010 at 11:33 AM | Unregistered CommenterSPURSRSH!T

POST AT 11.33.
Sorry mate but the interview I saw Wenger give after the game is exactly as stated in my previous post.
He would have course have given other interviews after the game so perhaps his story changed.
His story your players had no idea the Bolton player was lying injured on the ground is a lie. Look at the recording of the incident for confirmation.
Is it the refs responsibility to put the ball in touch ? Nobody seems to know these days but you still see numerous instances where a player will put the ball out when an opponent is lying injured. Perhaps your players decision was influnced by the fact you were losing and chasing the game. I suspect that had you been winning, the ball would have gone out.
Would Bolton have held on if Gallas had been sent off ? No-one knows because its another game influenced to a large extent by a poor referring decision rather than the play of the two teams.
And for what its worth, I do not think Gallas tried to injure the player. He went for the ball, was slightly late and caught the opponent.
But in the current climate, its a foul and yellow card at the very least.
Spurs for top 4 ? Who knows but the standard in the Premier league this year has dropped and they have as good a chance as anyone else.
If the Premier league is the best how come the Worlds top players are playing in Spain ?

Jan 23, 2010 at 12:14 PM | Unregistered CommenterDAVID

Who knows but the standard in the Premier league this year has dropped and they have as good a chance as anyone else.
If the Premier league is the best how come the Worlds top players are playing in Spain ?

Well said on both points David. You are absolutely right and have hit the nail squarely on its head.

Jan 23, 2010 at 2:10 PM | Unregistered Commenternycyid

Well at least they scored early so we didn't have to worry about the result for more than five minutes.
Poor tactics, ridiculous substitutions, refusal to us all of the options available. I think that this one is down partly to Harry.
Modric must have been very bemused to see the ball flying over the midfield most of the time. Dawson has cut down on this tactic lately so it must have been Harry's idea of a game plan.
Gareth Bale's appearance doesn't actually affect his ability and some people are obviously using the anonymity of the internet to take the opportunity to divert attention from themselves.. Two good performances and some effort and spirit shown.
I bet he has more success with girls than some of you.

Jan 23, 2010 at 4:28 PM | Unregistered CommenterJimmyG2

Still don't understand why fans of other teams post on rival sides fansites. Football is about the beautiful game, not trolling on message boards. Good luck to Arsenal, but I don't care how they do, I'm much more interested in how good we can be than the fortunes of our rivals. If we're good they don't matter, and we're pretty good at the moment. The Liverpool game was a blip. Our squad is much better than theirs and I expect we'll finish above them, whether that's 4th or 8th!

Jan 23, 2010 at 4:49 PM | Unregistered CommenterChris

The Liverpool game was a blip.

Hmmm

Jan 23, 2010 at 10:08 PM | Unregistered Commenternycyid

2-1 up with a few minutes to go and they are out on their feet.
So why not take the simple option, keep the ball and prevent them from having any chances ?
No, thats far too easy lets throw players forward to try and get another goal which we don't actually need to win the match, so when our attack breaks down and they launch the ball 60 yards to Beckford on the edge of our area, he has only Dawson for company with no other Spurs players in sight.
What do they do for brains ?
Please HR, no more penalties for Defoe and Jenas has to go. He made their first goal and just before that, played Beckford in for a one on one with Gomes.
And Modric and Jenas provided no protection for our central defenders, so please don't try this set-up again, because against a good team, we would get battered.
Last 3 games give real cause for concern.

Jan 23, 2010 at 10:24 PM | Unregistered CommenterDAVID

DAVID, couldn't agree more with the assessment. You knew we'd end up drawing (at best) as you saw us miss countless chances against them and they clawed back in. I was honestly shocked to be up 2-1 in the 80th minute. Can we have a penalty taker smash the fcking ball please? Between Keane and Defoe trying to fucking pass the ball into the net, its doing my fuking head in. As for the tactics, spot on, the space available in front of Dawson and Bassong was astounding, they could tie their shoes and still run 20yrd with no one in sight. Dawson had a poor game but given he got no help in front of him, I'd give him a pass. We made Beckford look like a superstar by playing the last shoulder of Dawson and Bassong and having them choose between stepping up or allowing a guy to run into the 18yrd box for a shot. If that is the best Jenas can do against a team in Div1 than best take anything you can get for him and send him on his way. O'Hara is the better player. I have no illusions of Ohara being a star but he's something and you can't beat something with nothing (Jenas=nothing). He costs less and to be honest, we need a guy like him more than we need a Jenas when your other midfielders are Lennon, Krancjar and Modric. Hutton and Bale were good to outstanding but Hutton's final ball is still lacking. Bale was excellent at the back and going forward. Perhaps he deserves a chance at LM when Assou Ekketo returns? Pav's finish was solid. He played with fire. After watching Crouch struggle, I wouldn't mind him getting another run out. Keane robbed as it wasn't offsides, guy could use a goal ffs. Rose was solid as well, put himself about but I don't see a first XI player when I watch him. How the hell can Bentley not even make the bench? Just sell the guy instead of giving him 55k a week until Sept. I can now say after years of patience and fence sitting, I never want to see Jenas in a spurs shirt again. Debate over for me....As for our finishing, "Aim where the goalie is NOT". Disgusting.

Jan 24, 2010 at 4:14 AM | Unregistered Commentertim

Last 3 games give real cause for concern.
You can say that again. I agree completely with your observations David and Tim. We have some serious problems. Harry better have a long hard think about the squad and the tactics. We seem to have a morale problem as well. Maybe it really is just that we are a one player team and when Azza comes back all will be right with the world. If so that's pathetic and doesn't bode well for the rest of the season. I have long believed that we don't have what it takes to be a top 4 team. I still believe that. But this year is different because no one else seems to have what it takes to be a top 4 team either.
In a normal year we'd be 8th or so with the crap play we've been exhibiting on the pitch.
'Arry, it's up to you to turn the lads around.

Jan 24, 2010 at 1:31 PM | Unregistered Commenternycyid

ha funny post tim. to add i have to say that bale's play in the 94th min was one of the most dick headed plays ive seen in a long while. run the ball into the corner you idiot. that sort of shit will get you transfer listed. yeah everyone wants a 3rd goal, bit in the last fucking minute, you at least hammer the ball goalwards, you dont basically run into the middle and pass it to their cantre backs. totally stupid play, error componded by dawson panicking and making an equally horrible play. im not a great fan of dawson....i mean i do love his heart and his determination, but he has been and always will be prone to errors. i would be just about ok with him as 4th choice CB. done well recently but that has been down to the whole defence.

Bale is improving but still very young and inexperienced. need BAE back. as for hutton, well he got his chance instead of corluka, and he was ok. didnt set the place on fire but was decent. the jury is still out on him.

Harrys tactics showed a lack of respect to leeds i think cos in the end they overran us in midfield and we had to bring wilson on. Also shame for harry that pav scored now his blind loyalty to keane looks really stupid. we'll prob sell pav to sunderland and hell go on a scoring spree. also shame that im not sure modric and niko can play in the same 4 man midfield...the balance isnt right.....need to be able to adapt tactics and at least be able to play 4-5-1 which we dont seem to be able to. And jeez play defoe and pav up front next game. and sell jenas! his performance yesterday was a joke, ive never been a fan of him but yesterday i did feel really sorry for him cos he was just terrible and he knew it. please harry just accept that its over for him at spurs. i wish him every success in the future.

Basically this game and the liverpool game revealed, quite blatantly, 2 truths about our squad - we need another holding type midfield player, to add depth there, and we needed something else up front. happily for us, the second part of that equation may be solved by just playing pav (or chenksy). But yeah we really need this sandro type player now. and you could prob finance the deal by selling jj cos he really is not providing useful output. similarly, if he wants to bring another striker in, why not sell keane? so there is no need for a spending spree, just an organ replacement.

Jan 24, 2010 at 1:37 PM | Unregistered Commenterchrisman

To be fair to Bale, apart from his injury time marauding I thought he had a decent game. The last time we had someone going past defenders on that flank in that style was Ginola.
If Bale can stay fit and continue to improve he could be a real find for us, bearing in mind his age.
On the subject of our young left sided players, Andros Townsend got a lot of praise from Paul Ince, the manager of MK Dons following his performance yesterday.
I have only seen him, Caulker, Bostock, Parett and Mason a few times but would not be surprised if he turns out to be the gretest talent.
Despite the general despair over the last 3 games, cannot help feeling that if HR brings in a couple of top quality players and instills some backbone, we will still be there or therabouts come the end of the season.
Having said that the backbone operation could be tricky!
But we need to get Lennon back and HR needs to stop the drift and kick a few backsides.
Anyway, my weekend just got a whole lot better. Not too impressed by Arsenals new centre half. Think they said his name was Campbell ? The player he was marking scored 2 of the oppositions goals. Shame!

Jan 24, 2010 at 4:31 PM | Unregistered CommenterDAVID

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