The biggest game in our history. Ever.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 10:16AM Spurs v Fulham Match Preview.
It's been a while since I've brushed off that tagline and thrown it into a blog. It's usually saved when we are in dire trouble and need to dig deep and rediscover form and belief. No different today other than the fact that rather than us struggling down below, we are still sitting in 4th spot. And the objective is simply to reignite our push to remain there.
We've swayed a little. Team hasn't flowed well, not since Lennon's injury. The Hull game was disappointing, the Liverpool game shocking and Leeds in the cup complacent. It's not all doom and gloom. Not if you bundle in the 4-0 win against Posh in there too. Last eight games, we've won four of them and only lost the one. If this is us in crisis, then we can afford a smile. But as pointed out in an earlier blog, we've allowed ourselves to degrade just a touch. And although things are not quite suicidal just yet - they might be if we continue to subtly slump. Drop down to 6th/7th and you'll be able to surf on the waves of tears down Tottenham High Rd.
How do we put it right? Team selection. Has to be tight. Has to be the best line-up we can muster up, injuries permitting. And I'd leave King on the bench if he's considered to be available. No need to risk him in this game, although the fact that we have to avoid risking our best player says just about everything that needs to be said about his predicament and the position we - as a club - continue to find ourselves in.
Corluka back in the right-back position - because Hutton is all glam going forward and second rate at the back. Dawson, anchored down to the ground concentration wise. Cool and calm and in control. He's lost his head once or twice in recent games. Needs a slap and a cuddle to re-jig his brain into position.
Wilson in the middle with Huddlestone. Yes, I said Huddlestone - whacha you gonna do about it? Would you prefer Jenas sitting there?
Bale, left back. BAE might be available - but I'd retain young Gareth. Harry still needs to have a word about his defensive duties and when to display professionalism. The issue of balance across the midfield remains thanks to Lennon's injury.
Modric cutting in from the left, Niko on the right. I guess emphasis on these two to craft and create. Because Wilson and Hudd are unlikely to inject pace into the game from centre midfield. Depends - of course - whether Hudd does play, and if he does it's also dependent on if he's going to do his quarterback routine, pinging balls from deep and releasing the forwards. Then injection of pace is more of a tempo issue and as Moddle and Niko are the 'player makers' of the side, without Lennon's outlet we need to play with width rather than squash it all with narrow football. Dink in all you like, but we can't allow the game to get congested and hamper any swagger we aim to display.
These two players are imperative and the rest of the side will lift their game to their setting. Just hope the setting is pointing at 'sizzling' rather than 'snoozing'. Modric is still finding his feet since returning. Niko is only in a lull because his performances haven't been as sublime, but that's not to say he hasn't been performing well.
Balance restored to the Facere IMO. Well, as much as we can expect.
Up front, Defoe - just because. Hopefully some part of him is hurting. No, I'm not talking about the part that Katie Price has been jumping up and down on. I'm talking about his head, which, I guess has also been potentially sat on by…anyways what I'm actually referring to is the penalty miss and the fact that he hasn't quite destroyed anyone since Wigan at home. Has to be more determined and has to move around with a lot more oomph otherwise the Fulham defence will sit back and soak him up.
Alongside him - I have a feeling it's going to be Keane. Not sure why. I've got a gut feeling, a sense of nausea. Ideally, I'd go with Pav. Might as well give him a farewell home game. He looked sharp, alert and confident against Leeds. Granted it was against League One opposition, but he was far more composed than some of the other players. Harry should ask him to just run around a lot and kick it in the net and we'll be sorted. Crouch has to be selfish if he does play. He does plenty for us by winning headers but doesn't stab it towards goal half has often as he should. It's a sigh and a half that we've got 4 'on paper' top class strikers and they've all got issues to over-come. Some more serious than others.
We are owed a performance. Three points and two goals or more. Fulham won't make it easy and I don't think this game is going to be comfortable, unless we start rampantly. Otherwise, hard evenings work in store especially if we start to miss chances in front of goal like we've done in recent games. You saw how Leeds grew in confidence. Fulham are in a far better position to hurt us if we are wasteful.
So, in conclusion, yet another re-hashed demand from the stands for the players: Stand up, be counted, and believe. Drops of points from here onwards will ruin our challenge for that 4th spot. Simply no room for powder-puff football.
Cometh the Spurs!
Reader Comments (58)
I'd put O'hara ahead of Jenas in the middle if Hudd's not fully fit.
I hate to say, but I fear another 0-0, both teams defend well, but are not clinical enough up front! Once again, hope I'm wrong.
Yeah id go for Jamie too, hes a fiery lad always gives 100% and i think he'd relish his chance back in the side after his spell at 1st team football for portsmouth.
Also id play a 4 - 3 - 1 - 2 with Modric sitting behind Keane/Defoe, Huddlestone in the center, Kranjcar and Jamie either side, Corluka, Dawson, Bassong, Bale. :)
/2p :)
Nice blog sir, really get to the honest truth of the current situation :)
Don't be too shocked with this prediction, but we'll be dishing out a thrashing this evening.
Pav's out injured apprently, so no 'farewell gift' from him.
Would love a thrashing, but get the feeling that if we don't score in first half hour, we'll be heading for a draw. Can feel the anxiousness from the home crowd already. Those mumuring's as once a gain the oppo's keeper has 'the game of his life'!
nice blog mr spooky...i noticed u didnt use the words"meander"or"fizzle"or"hiatus" never mind...i liked the way u said"subtle slump"...slump is a good expression..not to harsh not to sudden...not to unexpected...slump,just kinda rolls of the toungue..slump....me english aint so good but its not even a harsh sounding word..slump..it could even be used to describe someone lying down doing nothing"oi whats e doing?" "oh im, es slumping"...so r we in a slump?yawn..come..zzzz..on..zzzz.you...zzz yawn.....spurszzzzz....zzzzzz....
IM A MASSIVE BADGER!
Harry will use his tactical know-how to out smart Hodgson and lead us to three points.
What? What did I say?
Crouch + Defoe up front. Harry has managed to carefully and cleverly drop Keane and not allow for his return to first team guaranteed duties. We'll make hard work of this one, but win.
2-1 Spurs.
I wasnt really impressed with krank on the right with corluka behind him, both seemed to try and fill the same spaces going forward, hutton actually looked a better option, however against fulham we cant be quite so cavalier so wouldnt feel safe without corluka. Width on the right without hutton or lennon really leaves us few options, naughton possibly, but not a very nice match to throw a youngster into in this situation, and i have only ever seen the possibly galatasary bound dos santos played on the left or more preferably in a keane role centrally, that only leaves us with bentley, perhaps after seeing pav get and take a chance the oppurtunity to score an amazing goal against a london club will prove a turning point in his career, or at least add a couple hundred k to his market value. a toughie, get well soon aaron
So Gio is off to warmer places ,thats another talent Arry has discarded while the likes of Jenas and O'Hara and Bentley are still with us.The game against Fulham will follow the same path as the previuos games with our great leader picking the two croats on either wing even though he knows they don't give width and crouch and defoe up front with the same plan hit it long to crouch and hope we win the knock down,what crap we play.Agreat manager is one who can keep the team winning even when players are missing.I am starting to wonder how great Arry is.He was going to loan O'hara out only he can't under the too many teams in one season thing now he has let Gio go without a chance to shine.Will we bring anyone in-i don't think so because Arry says we don't need to as the squad is strong enough yet more and more people are starting to see our squad is not as strong as Arry would have you think.If we loose a player or two we end up with Jenas,Bentley and O'hara and lets face it they all had a chance to shine and were sh*t.So why no chance for Gio and what will Arry's excuse be after Fulham beat us tonight which sorry lads but they will and that comes from a forty year spurs man.Getting fed up with Arry and his sh*t teams.
Gio is another player in a long line of players who flatter to deceive. He had neither the temperament nor the application to make it in the EPL. Much like Barcelona knew he was too much trouble to retain over in La Liga. No great loss.
if hudd dont make it i,d put niko in the middle with palacios modric on the left and jj on the right ( i know that last selection will no doubt cause uproar from the following comments as you all hate jenas but he has real pace and without lennon we have no pace in the midfield apart from gio who has been treated disgracefully by harry. anything other than a win tonight and we can 4get top 4
Here we are sitting in 4th with a home match against weaker opposition coming up. However, davy41 still finds it in his black heart to have a whinge. Some call us the most fickle fans in the Premiership; I can't think why.
Imagine what we would be like if we had success, much like the Utd fans have experienced over the past decade. We've been playing well, could play better, had a couple of average performances and yet we are critical.
So we should be. The level of expectation is higher and the standard should therefore be also. Average isn't good enough. Spooky keeps asking to see a performance from the players. If they can't perform tonight then they should all collectively get their coats.
Success is over-rated and leads to inevitable dissappointment given a sufficiently long period of time. Mediocrity allows for both optimism and cynicism is equal measure, making us spurs fans the most well-rounded and least fickle of them all ( although this may be mainly because we have such widely differing opions all the time, that fickleness does not apply.)
Some United fans have never experienced mediocrity and a bad season for them is to finish second. A terrible season is to not win anything, but that's okay because the season after they're win 3 bits of silverware. Amazing when you hear them boo their own players because of one poor performance. But that's the level they play at. We are seeing it at Spurs, with the booing. We expect them to play and win at home. I'm all for it as long as the players learn to hate losing as much as we hate it.
Keane up front. If he can't put in a performance against Fulham at the Lane, then transfer list him.
Who's with me?
I'll go along tonight and sit in my usual seat. It will be slightly cold. I don't want to feel cold. I want to jump up and down and sing the praises of the team, whoop, holler and feel warm. I won't boo or shout abuse though. "I don't want to come out of the Lane feeling cold".
My black heart is filled with sadness that Arry will again get it wrong against Fulham as he has against all the top "4" this season.We sit 4th but yet we missed a chance against the pool to move on and against Hull but why did this happen.A goapkeeper having a good night or day -i don't think so more like a team not right prepared .We don't look anywhere near as fit as we were a year ago.We need more fire why were the pool more up for that game just like Stoke and Wolves.We should have won all three of these games and why is Arry saying that Keane is so great what is this old crook on is all his money dealings clouding his judgement.Why did Pava score the other night when he came on and why has Arry not gave him a go instead of the great keane.Arry has too many questions to answer and not just to the tax people.This was our season whenwe had a real chance to get in the top 4 but Arry has made a cock of it by letting little teams beat us and sorry but i fear it will be a long run in without Lennon to get us there.Remember Arry said we have a strong squad and don't need to add so why are we having problems if the squad is so good because the squad is not as good as Arry is saying or did Arry not see this and if not why not.This season has for the most been a very good season so far but it could have been so much better with a few players moved on a few better players brought in Arry.
I sincerely hope there has been some aggression building within that dressing room over the past few games, Spurs are due a solid victory & a few goals so for the love of all things SPURS - please let them do it tonight when it matters, we can then travel away to Birmingham on saturday not shitting ourselves and worrying about landing in 7/8th spot come saturday evening!
Come on you Lillywhites!
PS: Ohara on the bench to replace Jenas when Arry realises JJ has wasted yet another appearance for Spurs (However, if Hudd is fit then Ohara on the bench and JJ outside directing traffic or selling hot dogs)
For me for the Fulham game...
Gomes
Bale left, dawson, Bassong, corluka
Kranjcar left, Huddlestone, Palacios, Bentley
Play Modric, just behind Defoe upfront
If Bentley looked crap I'd give O'Hara a run there. Plus he has more pace.
Regards to the whole Dos Santos saga,
At the beginning of the season when the team went and played some friendly in some country,
A Mexican interviewer asked if Dos Santos would be playing in the game and Harry replied
"If he can be bothered to turn up"
That suggests to me Harry has an issue with him. Maybe he has a bad attitude or is lazy or something.
Lets stick Bostock in if Hudd isn't fit. Smething along the lines of, "So you think you are Billy Big Balls?, here's the big time go out there and prove it!". He could be a revelation at best and certainly no worse than Jenas at worst. Could be the making of him and gain us another option at CM.
Ok, it's a bit of an out-there idea but sometimes you goota try these things.
If Harry plays Jenas tonight he needs locking up on the 11th. We have the squad but they dissapear after the first 20 mins. That's down to Harry and the 5 coaches. he has to get rid of the dross and that starts with Gio going today. Then he needs to get rid of Pav and Bentley. Keep O'Hara, for his attitude. David motes cot rid of Lucas Neill once he saw the attitude and Harry's going to do the same. I would much prefer a team that works for a full 95 mins than a bunch of fancy dans strutting their stuff and when it doesn't happen for them in the first 20 mins they go hiding.
Against Fulham the full 95mins workrate will be a must.
--------------Gomes----------
Hutton---Dawson---Bassong---Bale
Naughton--- O'hara---Palacios---Modric
Nikoooo---Gioooo Dos Not Get Chance Santos
if our first team players are shockingly poor, swap em.
harry seems to think that we think jenas is our god or something - if i went to a spurs game id be shouting out "get jenas out"
corluka is dreadful, you will all hate him just like me soon
I can honestly see us losing this 2-1. Teams have worked out how to nullify defoe by getting the biggest defender to just sit on him all game and mark tightly, even if he drops off a bit. Is Hangeland playing??
I hope I'm wrong. I hope Robbie Keane has a blinder and modric rediscovers his form and that bale FINALLY wins a league game he starts. But I'm a Spurs fan and I know better than to expect anything other than bitter disappontment.
That said, I'm ready to take my place on the park lane stand and sing myself hoarse. I'm not one to sit there booing and moaning during a match. I reserve that for after the games. I just hope the players respond to our support.
Gio off to warmer places? Have you seen the forecast in Istanbul? They are deep in snow right now! Istanbul is the second coldest place I have been (NYC top). Obviously in summer it has also been one of the hottest! I am really tired about people calling for Gio and Bostock etc to play. Yes, they should get a chance, but their lack of games mean that they are not suitable for a game like this - we REALLY need to get back to winning ways tonight. Harry played Rose the other day - for good reason - without Lennon we have no width. It was also a cup tie against a lower division side at home, against Rose's former club. As for the other guy suggesting Bentley - didn't you see his last performance? Fulham are well oiled - we need an athletic, experienced team out there.
Are we cursed?
So what will it take to have Harry dropped? Finishing 8th again? How many chances does he get? Or does he get to stay and toment eternally for having an English passport like his favourite joker Jenas (Man! what agony that Jenas has caused many a Spurs fan!) Because, Honestly...his treatment of some players has me in complete doubt. What are we doing with Pav? and Why? Fans hate Robert Keane and can't beg enough to have him shipped to Liverpool or Charlton or somewhere...we all cheer when Pav gets a chance. Why doesn't he get the message? Plus I'm starting to believe his tall import from Pompey is a bit rubbish. Sorry Crouch but honestly....maybe at west ham. Tottenham strikers dont play like that. Just ask Jurgen Klinsmann.
That said...I'll take a point from Fulham. The best Tottenham 11 would smash them into pieces. Redknapp's favourites will most likely lose in embarrassment. Too bad!
Some interesting comments, but I really think that it comes down to Arry getting us to where we are with the players hes got. I disagree often on selection - the usual culprits of jj, keane, crouch, what about pav?, etc. - but I have to believe that Arry has some idea what he is doing with the squad even when it looks like he's lost the plot. It is also true that we are f...ing useless at finishing a game when we are winning and need to protect a lead, and this MUST be down to both ineffective coaching and ineffective brains inside the players´ heads. Dawson giving away a penalty in the 95th minute - for Gods sake, and I fear that the nº of points dropped this season in the last 15 minutes of games will cost us dearly. I have a regular nightmare about finishing 3 or 4 points shy of 4th, but on the other hand I try to be positive and believe that we can not only beat Fulham tonight but also beat both Chelsea and Man u and the other lot.
Being a Spurs fan is quite confusing, isnt it?
I an currently on my routine journey from sheffield to london to watch the game. Im hoping the fans listen to happy in the press today, cos the guy is making a lot of sense. Guys please, if we aren't winning dnt get on the players backs! We need patience, otherwise we are falling into the opposition's trap. It'd be nice to have some atmosphere tonite, like the good olde days wen paxton actually generated noise!
Tony tott who would you say is the guys to take us to winning ways Jenas,Bentley ,Modric,Keane who because all these have let us down of late some since they came here.Modric slows the game down to much and gives us no width when played on either wing and since he came to us every manager has been at there whits end to know where to play him.I fear tonight Fulham who are organised (why are we not) and play with their hearts(why do we not) will take the points there is still a lot of work to do at our wee team but with the right additions now we could have had so much more this season but i fear 6-7th is all we will end up with i hope i am wrong.
"if i went to a spurs game" hmm. I have never been one to slate Jenas, but I didn't know he was on the pitch against Leeds. Anonymous for most of the game. If Hudd is not fit, we should give O'Hara a run, you know he will fight for the whole 90 minutes. I also think that Keane should play. Redknapp was right in tha if certain players had his professionalism they would get the chance. Obviously this is aimed at Gio, Bentley, Pav and maybe even Bostock. What we cant afford to do is play a midfield who dont know how to tackle, a poor decsion to not start with either Palacios or O'Hara on Saturday giving Leeds control of midfield. Never again please.
whatever happens this season i hope this is our line up 4 next season. gomes , corluka, BAE, daws, bassong, lennon ,modric ,wilson niko in the middle huntelaar defoe
Hey Mazzatron, the Paxtion was singing on Saturday, quite suprising really. By the way was it you spoke to after the game on the high road?
Davy 41 - If Lennon were fit, I would have rested Modric and gone back to formation that was doing quite well when Modders was injured (Kranj, Wilson, Hudd, Lennon). However, Lennon IS out, and Hudd just coming back. So, whilst Jenas is having a terrible season, (and I want him to go), I would try him on the right. At least he is a willing runner and will have discipline there to create enough of a diversion which Kranj and Modric fail to do when on the right. Jenas HAS played there before, and whilst it is a makeshift move, I think it could allow the others to get more room in the middle. The last time Bentley played on right he did not get in any advanced position - and didn't even try to do so. That is my problem with Bentley.
Enough depression, leave work early, get boozed up, have a dodgy pre match burger a cheeky bottle and then sing your hearts out for the lads ! C O Y S
So with three injured players who still thinks like Arry that we have a good squad now .
My problem with the gio thing is if we are going to loan out these players can we not get a player in to replace them as we will not get a chance as good as this year to brake into the big 4.How long will Lennon wait for Champions league before going like berbs to better things.If Lennon were to leave it would be the fault of the club for not getting the players to finish the squad.We had a great chance this year,next year city will be a lot stronger ,the scum will be even better and chelski and manure well we can't live with them as it is .
Can not believe we've yet to sign anyone. Its borderline scandelous.
Every match is THE BIG ONE!. I say that to the missis every time. Cue rolling of eyes, little smile, pursed mouth, sigh, and thats just me.
First game of the season: got to get off to a good start; second game got to build on first game, or recover from it, and so it goes on.
But your right this IS the big one. Not got a good feeling about is so we will probably win. What do I know?
Fulham don't have a good record at WHL. We are due to thrash someone soon so it might as well be Fulham.
Pity about Roman, he makes Crouch look like the very average player he is.
Every match is the big one - so true. Big club, big games. Big love.
xx
Davy41 - well, I agree. I think we need to buy an out and out winger. Preferably someone who can play left, and with luck can play both. Just so that we have cover for when Lennon is injured, and/or an option to play on opposite flank from Lennon. Spurs play better when they can vary the play out to the wing - the lack of width in past games have shown. Not the only weakness, but a major one. I don't have faith in Gio making it any time soon.
If possible i want to make my point,thank you!
We've got 1st(Gomes)gear,2nd(Dawson)gear and 3th(Niko)gear at the moment...and that's it.So-we can't move to faster, it's have to be more rev's?We miss 4th(finishing line) and 5th(The Manager) gears.All season long i tough our best pair,from what we've got sld be Pav and Crouch.Honestly.Can't take any more bullys from Defoe going this time on the tele and tell's me 'If i don't get golden boot and we finish 4th that will be good season for me'-good to hear that,when can we see it?He score 14-how many he miss(84-it's easy to multiply time 6)?Golden boot-never mind,only if last 3 seasons and this one add up,or if we get 5 penalty's per game,or create him around 21.He's been shipped-out for same reason-our atack was RK and DB and he always came as a sub-not enought time to waste 3-4 and score.This boy never pass the ball to an open player,he never bother to get back and help ,hardly not off-side,miss penalty's and f*ck me he is on the tele telling me '..no brain..'-i knew it.If some people are self-fish what's the word for him?
Whatever-we got options in Luka and Wilson face's-a bit slow down now-but both world class,so that i guess will be the rev's.
As fo Arry-what a gentelman we have in his face-honestly i will jump and kill Coward on Webb with my hands if i was there,but apart from that we need a Manager-not god father,not sister in mercy,we need some one knowing how to do ugly wins instead of beautiful losses(they are not even close to b's)
Also my feeling go with 3:0 for us-dont ask me why.Some way i know that will be the final score.Harry not guilty.Freedom for Harry,kill the tax-man!!!Viva la Spurs.One day we will have all 5 gears-we dont need reverse-been so long back there
Apologies sir, I've indavertently replicated on AANP a lot of what you said re player selection. Apart from the Katie Price part, which elicited a hearty guffaw. No guffawing tonight I fear, just chewing of fingernails. Nervous round these parts.
Agree with the Dawson part specially, not enough about Defoe and Katie though,more insight please on that
epochery - Na it wasn't me i'm afraid. I used to have a season ticket in Paxton in the 2002/03 season. It was a bit better then. Although I just managed to get a season ticket in my own name this year ;-) but i'm in the east stand and as great as the seat is block E row 4 upper, its no where near as good as park lane and the shelf down that end. I will try to move there when I get an opportunity. Against leeds even we started making noise, but its a rarity now days. Which is unfortunate. I look to get in the Kop end of the new stadium. That'll be awesome (me hopes!).
For those suggesting Bostock should play, for the last 2 games of his loan at Brentford he kept the bench warm and THEY decided not to extend his loan. This would suggest he is nowhere near being ready for a game like tonights.
GDS has been unlucky with injury but also seems to have an attitude problem as far as Harry is concerned.
Why I think he should have been retained and given a chance is that he can provide pace and width and he has put in some outstanding performances for Mexico as the front right player in a 4-3-3.
He could be useless but we will not find out now and with Lennon out, where else do we get pace and width from ?
And what really worries me is that I suspect HR will try and sell him to Galatasary in the Summer and we may have missed out on a major talent.
One thing is for certain, crossing HR can really damage your chances of playing.
Fulham are sound defensivly and we will not go straight through the middle of them. Corluka, Krankie and Modders will not provide width so we rely on Bale and Hutton if he plays.
luka has bear skills!
"Gio is another player in a long line of players who flatter to deceive. He had neither the temperament nor the application to make it in the EPL. Much like Barcelona knew he was too much trouble to retain over in La Liga. No great loss."
Clueless post
I m so happy. The monkey is finally off Baler's back.. The hex is lifted.