FA Cup Obituary
Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 8:23PM No massive analysis required. You'll have seen it for yourself. The way we worked the ball into the box wasn't crisp or decisive enough. Never truly with acute intent to find that killer ball or touch to lead to a certain chance on goal. I mean there were moments, but that’s all they were. And there were chances, plenty of chances, but untidy ones. Pinball football. Almost there but nowhere near. Clunky.
To compound things further, we were taken to extra time and over at the City of Manchester stadium, the blues spanked the blues 5-1 to take the lead in the goal difference stakes as well as remain 4 points clear in 5th.
An extra 30 minutes of football. And the potential of penalties. Oh dreary me. Always the hard way, the Tottenham way. In the dying seconds of the 90 it was almost avoided but alas of course it wasn’t.
Why would Spurs possibly conceive about winning the game in normal time when they're so close to dragging their tormented fans through more mire? Let's not buck the trend.
From the noise inside Wembley you'd think we were the ones going broke and relegated. Pompey lapping it all up. Brave and effective on the break. Always looking a little bit more likely to score, but when you think we'd be the ones with the superior quality in front of goal - it was more or less equal. In fact, they had far better clear cut chances that were mostly scoffed. We preferred to befriend the woodwork. Sure, we had more of the ball. But this was far from ever being a masterclass. It felt more like a chemistry lesson. Er...without the chemistry.
Then extra-time. And they score. Obviously. Thanks to the Wembley grass and slip by Dawson. It’s a gift. And it’s cheap. And then we score but not according to the ref who disallows it for a foul (Niko on James) when there was no foul to be given. Cheap. I’ve seen the image of James laughing. I’d have laughed. It's enough to make you cry.
Still cluncky in front of goal. Pompey break, and then Wilson breaks our hearts. Toe to ball, but enough for the ref to still award a penalty. Clumsy. 100% a penalty? Perhaps not. Who cares. It's given, it's given. Nothing anyone can do. And yes, that's a two match ban. So no Wilson for the Scum and Scummer games. All that hard work avoiding the yellows in prior games, imploding on the wet cutting Wembley pitch. KPB makes it two from the spot and our knees are no longer trembling. Instead they're making their way to the exits.
Cue: This was not meant to happen 'shrugs of despondency’.
Bale was great. Really really outstanding great. Everything else was just blah. And the ghosts of yesteryear heartbreaks from those other semi-final defeats swagger in to say hello. No smile for the Lilywhites from the footballing Gods who prefer (today at least) that the meek inherit the earth.
Congratulations to Portsmouth. Can't say many expected this, but as far as footballing stories are concerned, this one can only be applauded. I wish you the best of luck in the final. Jamie will be happy. And their fans a tad too. I expect. Irony irony...Harry won’t be sleeping well tonight. Couple of hours on the Wii to perhaps aid in tiring the eyes.
Grant outsmarted Redknapp – in parts I guess, or maybe I'm being kind on Pompey - because neither our manager or our players found a way through their congested midfield and at times struggled with their speed on the break. There was no spark. Just wasn't happening.
We might have been the better team, if you really want to delve into the technical aspects of the game but the better team doesn't lose 2-0. No club shop DVD. We botched it. But then you can't botch up a game of football you were simply never destined to win.
We sort of did what I was hoping we wouldn't do, and that's get all messy (not Messi) with our football. Half arsed urgency that turns to desperation when all that's required is a cool head at the end of a cool cool move. Clunky. The word of the day. We had what, thirty odd chances? Gomes was still busier. The ref was no Howard Web, but still equally poor. But that's the standard, so no complaints. No point.
Onwards then. No honestly, I mean it. The mongs are visiting next week and it's under the floodlights so there is no time to despair.
How many hours before the Wednesday kick-off?
COYFS
Reader Comments (114)
Like all Yids, I'm sick to the pit of my stomach with yesterdays events. We didnt deserve it cause we didnt turn up. Is that down to Redknapp? Probably. It's all IF's and BUT's. I'd just like to mention that smarmy little pox Jamie O' Hara. I don't give a sh*t how a player feels about playing in a cup final. He is paid by my club to play for them. Yes he's out on loan but to see him punditing about portsmouth, "The lads are playing well", "We can win this". F*ck off. If Redknapp does one thing in the summer, It should be too sell the little runt. Let's get behind the team. we've enjoyed a great season and we've still a chance of fourth. We've to give a pompeylike performance (100% commitment) against the scum wednesday and ruski's on saturday. It's not all doom and gloom.
Suttree - thank heavens for logical clear thinking. Im with you. Everyone else who is moaning about lack of creativity, lack of passion and all the usual gubbins you dredge up when we lose is just plain bollocks. Not one single player can feel ashamed of their performance. Everyone gave 100%. Defoe was clearly not fit btw. Pompey never had less than 8 players in the box and trying to get through that is virtually an impossibility. I lost count of the amount of blocks, delfections and god knows what else. We were UNLUCKY! We weren't outplayed, out thought or out shone. Roll on Weds. And suck it up. You're grown men (and women). COYS
Wilson definitely suspended for both games......if the incompetant Wiley had actually sent him off we could have contested the red card and got it rescinded (as it clearly wasn't a foul) but you can't contest a yellow card, such it the wonderful world of FA rules......
Who are we gonna play in the middle??? Hudd is clearly not match fit, Niko is broken, Wilson suspended, Azza still out, Jenas.......Jenas.....I fear the worst for the next 3 games I'm afraid...
adtheyid said "Pompey never had less than 8 players in the box and trying to get through that is virtually an impossibility."
So that's why Porstmouth are bottom of the League then is it? No-one can score against them? Wait a minute, don't Stoke and Hull and Wolves play the same way?
Anyway, that's clarified things...whenever we play a team that puts 8 people in the box we know we can't score so we may as well have the lads congregate around our penalty area to try and stop them scoring on a break-away and let Hudd hit his magnificient chest-high 60-yard passes that take 20 minutes to control straight at their defence. No need for a creative mid-field....just as well as we don't have one.
With the exception of Bale, Gomes and Bassong they should all hang their heads in shame...ok Dawson and Pav tried a bit.
Sir Bill will be turning in his grave with enough force to generate an electricity supply for the whole of London.
We miss Lennon. Bale is doing a great job on the left but the searing pace of Lennon meant WE were lethal on the counter attack. I haven't seen us counter attack for months. Pompey were doing it for fun yesterday. Does anybody know if he's got a chance of appearing on Wednesday?
it just was a classic spurs moment and funnily enough is one of the reasons why i love this club so much. you never really know what´s going on, what´s going to happen, and whenever a big goal is in sight, there is this slight tendency to f#ck it up...it is that certain je ne sais quoi quality, the difference between aspirations and reality, all the hope that is constantly being aroused and the fall from grace that majorly turns me on.
hats off to pompey and good luck in the finals
yes we dint play well but ref made some shockers we had advantage a number of times and he pulled the play back as for the goal and penalty both wrong decisions.
when decisions like this go against you it does affect the players makes them feel everything is against them.
as for playing team that are potless and relegated they are still players who had dreams of plying at wembley and want to win the game.
i dont believe pompey did enough to win the game first goal was a slip by dawson who would have got rid of the ball easily and the pen well everyone can see it wasnt one.
half of our players were not match fit and for a game on that massive pitch is one game to soon
DaveK - You seem to be comparing Pompey in the league with Pompey in a one off semi final after just having their relegation confirmed. Who had the most to lose? Us or Pompey? As disappointed as I am in the result, football is not played on paper, and if it was, it would be no where near as popular. Things like this happen. It's no coincidence that our losses to Stoke and Wolves at home and the draw against Hull were mainly due to our inability to score against a brick wall defence but that doesn't make us a shit team, or disgrace our players. You know full well that had luck gone our way we would have won every single one of those games including yesterday. The quite outrageous negativity on these blog sites makes me ashamed to be associated with you. 2 weeks ago we were kings, now we're nothing. Get it right. Nothing has changed over night.
Could all of those saying support the manager and Harry is as good as it gets, cast their minds back about 2 1/2 years ago, when the Ramos meeting had been made public and it was evident that Jol was being replaced, but the Ramos deal had looked to have fallen through. Remember the names that were being thrown around? Was Redknapp one of them? No, he was not. Why? Because he is not, never was, never likely to be a top manager.
The only reason he got within sniffing distance of our great club was that we were adrift at the bottom of the table and he is a lower part of the league, relegation specialist. Sexy football? When Bolton can, with some truth, call us a long ball side? Please.
If I was playing CM2, it would have been one of the games when I would have reset and played it again (i.e. cheated) having felt hard done by looking at the facts/stats.
Thought we didn't do too much wrong really, but if you cant put one chance away from +30 shots then you are never going to win a game.
For the love of all that is holy, please SELL CROUCH!
Spooky, I thoroughly enjoy reading your blogs and do so on a daily basis. The responses from the fans on this site are usually very funny and good natured. HOWEVER - where on earth has everyone crawled out from since 7pm yesterday evening?
Yes we got knocked out of the cup, and yes it hurts - i was at Wembley yesterday and I was devestated pigeon stepping down Wembley way on the way back to the station, i went home and went straight to bed, absolutely devastated. But i would never slag of our club or manager the way some of the MUGS have been doing on this site the last few hours, this really pisses me off. I guess these are the same idiots who have started introducing the boing at WHL or the idiot sat in front of my yesterday who decided all the way through the game that every single spurs player was (in his words)......................"a total Caaauuunnnnttt.........."
Get behind your team, scream your head off in support of our club, please lets not become those fans who boo when things dont go according to plan.
COYS.......................we can do them on wednesday!
It wasn't meant to be. Congrats to Pompey for their effort.
CEJ: Totally agree with you!
Disappointing exit from the competition at such a late stage.
However, I'd been fearing/expecting it all week long - I was never confident that we would do what was "expected".
Pompey had a game play which resulted in playing 5 in midfield against our set-up of Wilson "daren't tackle" Palacios, Hudd, Bentley & Modric. It was somewhat inevitible that any creativity would disappear from our midfield.
Bale was top-notch again and it's such a shame we didn't have Lennon doing likewise on the right flank.
The pitch was a shambles, but both teams had to put up with the conditions.
Howard Webb & Alan Wiley are supposed to be the best referees we have. One won't give anything against a top 4 side, the other favored the under-dog yesterday. Even my missus was screaming at the TV when Crouch's goal was disallowed.
It's been a bad 8 days and I'm just hoping that Harry sorts the heads out before Wednesday night.
Right now I think we could do with Keane doing some pointing and shouting!!! Then again, he suffered a worse defeat at the weekend.
Do we know if Lennon is likely to appear on Wednesday?
I'm thinking the following starters:
Gomes, Corluka (how slow did he look!?), Dawson, King, BAE
Modric, Hudd (if fit), Eidur, Bale
Pav, Defoe (if fit)
Let's just hope the idiots don't boo the team off if we're behind at half-time.
These next 10 days are crucial to our season, though with City's thumping win, I'm not sure it will make a difference.
Knee straps for sale. Straps one knee to the other, prevents jerking.
Also available, carrots on sticks.
Massive amounts of knee-jerks going on today. Best say out of all the message board forums tbh.
Just be philosophical and laugh at the post (season ticket renewal has arrived, lol)
Didn't surprise me in the slightest. If it can be fucked up, we'll fuck it up.
Played like a bunch of muppets against a pub team.
Deserved nothing.Got nothing.
Bring on the MONGS!
LemonadeMoney - very good!! I enjoyed that, cheered me up a bit. However, the boo boys i wanted to do other things to their knees!
Let's all wait for the season's end before dismissing Harry. Beating the Gooners on Wednesday is all that matters now. Four points from the next two games and beating Citeh at Eastlands could still give us 4th spot. Whether or not we make it to Champions League, Mr Levy should give Harry a big hug, put his hand in his pocket, and bring over Marcello Lippi after the World Cup in time for next season. COYS.
I think the majority of people are just venting. I doubt these guys would boo the team, I never have and never will. Just still a bit touchy from yesterday (Understandably). I'm sure from tomorrow morning it'll be put to the back of people's minds and everyone will be firmly focused on "that game" on Wednesday. God I love NLDs on a week night.
I'm not liking the fact that the "Harry Out Brigade" are rearing their heads again though, there is no perfect manager and considering the short time he has been at spurs I don't think anyone can drum up a respectable argument against the fact that he has done a brilliant job since he came in. Even if they brought in Jose, people would moan he doesn't play "the tottenham way". You can't please everyone, so deal with it.
Sheff , Jose and his antics + anti football at the lane , that would be dynamite stuff for bloggers and message boards all around:p
Let's face facts. Portsmouth deserve whatever amount of luck they get, given the year they have.
The Ref made the wrong calls during key moments. Too many that I wonder whether there were "instructions" to give P the benefit of every doubt, out of sheer pity. I feel the same happened in 1999 after we won the League Cup, and were playing Newcastle in the FA Semi. It was almost gifted to them out of pity.
I also feel that some, like H. Webb, are predisposed to favour the Sky4 when in doubt. It's happened so often that I cannot believe there is no "conspiracy" in their favour. I know Everton, Villa, us, regularly get screwed over by dubious decisions, unless it's too blatant.
Anyway, we got a triple whammy. An extra exhausting 30 minutes. Wilson out for the next two games, and of course losing the game. All this of course does not matter now. We now have the target of reaching 4th. Liverpool are out of it, and we can safely rule out Villa. That leaves (only) City.
We need to forget this game, draw strength and courage, treat every game like a cup final, and play all out. We need to prove to all the doomsayers that we have the bottle to finish with a flourish.
I cannot think of better satisfaction than to beat L'Arse and Chelski at home. We have been waiting far too long for this opportunity. It's time. So many this year have broken decades-old records to beat us, we must simply do the same to L'Arse and to Chelski.
Some observations:-
1. L'Arse dont like to be hustled. We need to close them down all the time. We cannot play to feet. They will outpass us. What we do need is to bombard them. Hit them fast and hard.
2. Almunia cannot handle high shots. Shoot high or headers. Ironically Crouch's heading abilities may be required here.
It's not over yet. COYS.
ha ha ha ha ha !!!!!!!!!!!!!! , not a long time ago these spuddy pussies were debating what they want more 4th place or fa cup and most of deluded said they already had both of those in their bag as they were going to plunder pompey 6-0 ha ha ha!!!!! but now look at these pussies moaning , whining making excuses already for the thrasing they will get from depleted arsenal on wednesday, what a bunch of clownies !!!!!!!!!
Harry out is insanity. Like it or not he's the best we can get now. And let's get through the rest of the season before we start the analysis. Sadly I believe the same is somewhat true of players like Crouch. Until we get CL it will be nigh impossible to get top-level players. We have to be wily about how we use second-rater, England B-teamers. And so far Harry has done that.
We ARE improving and while the immediate future doesn't look all that bright it's too early to give up on the season.
I think if you're honest with yourself you'll see that we never had what it takes to be a top 4 team. But then again no one else did either for much of this season. At least not until, imo City established its current form--they are playing like a team that actually deserves CL as much as it pains me to say.
Chin up lads. We are Spurs. We dust ourselves off and move onward.
I know that 99.9% of the venters here will do exactly that.
Goonertango, what like you spawny twats were busy discussing how your plucky team would rule Europe? See you on Wednesday night. I'll look out for you. You'll be the one holding your dads hand, right?
But as formidable as City look right now. I don't think I'd rest easily if I were a Citeh fan. They are well capable of implosion as they have demonstrated at different points in the season.
We actually can still do this and after sleeping on it, I don't think we were that terrible yesterday. We just couldn't finish. And that has been one of our greatest problems all season.
Dawson slipping, some dodgy calls and Pompey's undeniable desire didn't help matters of course.
bless the pissant goonertango with nothing else to do in his shitty little nomad life than read a SPURS blog.
The Voyeuristic cunts never let me down, ahh peering over the fence again are we?
I think you'll find that on most message boards the gooners were ASKING Spurs fan what they would prefer but you make it up my little pussyfart if it makes you feel better.
St Won Fuck All day is coming up again soon for you boys isn't it?
Have you EVER played a full strength team by the way? I mean it's kids, or reserves, or the fucking ladies team isn't it? Don't talk to us about excuses either you fuckmuppet!
What has Arsene Wenger got in common with your starting 11 ?
Apparently. they're all fucking kids!
I love how in these sad, confused little minds of Gooners we are somehow delusional for thinking we can accomplish anything and not recognizing the overwhelming superiority of their club while at the same time guilty of making excuses for thinking we might have a hard time against them in the NLD now that we have played 120+ mins of football and having sustained pretty significant injuries and a suspension.
Really what is wrong with this people?
The deluded should save themselves the heartache. We'll struggle to get 1 point from the next 3 games. Just put your feet up and chill. Harry has.
well the ref was shite all our players barring gomes bale and modric thought it was a sunday kickabout over the park so slow and leisurely...having said that we still should have won nothing wrong with crouch goal and never a penalty as andy gray says on fifa 10 "TOTTENHAM THE GREAT UNDERACHIVERS I CALL THEM" but there will be brighter days so all the same COYMFS!!!!!!!!
Cant wait till Wednesday night @ TheLane.
No Palacios??? Excellent.
And to all those wondering why i have claimed this unusual username
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06GBPZlmvjM
(commentator sums it up nicely @ around 21 secs)
/ "Absolute Thunderbolt" now resumes sucking his own cock.
Only 3% of us can do it.
i really believe spuds should seriously think about their club's future specially harry at the helm look what he has done to pompey , spurs for last 15 yrs with all that cash spashing ,new stadium on horizon but still with no improvement in squad and wining shit will soon result in huge debacle ,yes its true we won shit in last 5yrs but its better to loose in quest of premiere league title and champions league rather than fuking 4-5th spot and shitty mikey mouse cups.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSSlZd3nJqQ
Pwnd.
What stupid fucking logic there Bob. Do you even understand the financials? Obviously not. Spurs can spend because we generate the money. Sure we don't always spend it well but comparing us to Portsmouth and suggesting Harry will drag us down proves you know little so best be on your way back to arsemania.
Sshh, that was against their kids and they were not taking the game seriously...
If you get kicked in the stomach hard enough then whats wrong with a knee jerk reaction ,thats only natural.
We were by any real standard shit. the fact tha t rednapp started the team with his punch and judy act set the
tone ,the team and fans are not inspired by this (tactic)....we climbed out the grave a few weeks ago by bringing
pav (against Harrys wil)l in to the side. Result of this...well winning results insued ,5 of them i think ,he scored more goals in 4 then Crouchy in 11...crouch stormed off down the tunnel without walking round the stadium to celebrte with the team or fans but lets not talk about Harry cos some bods are offended at our insolent and disobedient behaviour. between eider and Pav after a prolonged spell of terrible football (Minus Defoe and lennon)We had discovered our feet with results to boot.
gudjonnsen turned in some of the best midfield individual performances ive seen all season...result? dropped for injured hudd So if you love Harry more than the club then fill your boots ....call us that see the wolf in sheeps clothing what u want. Had i not invited round a room full of mates (and arsenal distant cousins)after seeing the starting line up ...Id of drawn the blinds and turned off the blower ,so i can only imagine what affect this had on the team and the fans. Outcome....surprise surprise!!!! Couldnt give a monkeys about being a smart arse or being some know all c***, but Shit is shit and Harrys tried and serially failed bo****** has hailed us back time and time again.
Ques we finished as cup finalists winners and back to back 5th places ....if and when he does more ,then i too will
have found a new master.Till then his record in real terms (unfavourable)Whos he being compared with.....pleat
bukinshaw..Bill nic...Im not fooled by this guy. Slightly warmed to him maybe....but with this man in charge lets
not expect too much ehhh !!!!!????????
COYS
Adtheyid, You are right, Nothing has changed overnight....we still don't know how to beat very poor teams.
It is a mark of the true Spurs' supporter that even though the team lets us down 99% of the time we still recover to support them again in the next match, rather than say enough is enough and go off to support someone else.
We have a right to criticise that which needs criticising rather than sycophantically praising the team/manager when they do not deserve it, and yesterday they deserved criticism, not so much because they lost, but in the manner they lost. Slow, lacklustre, predictable, inept are just some of the words that could be used.
Another performance like that on Wednesday will reap even more criticism and it will be justified.
The spirit of Bill Nicholson and Danny Blanchflower lives on in any true Spurs fan and I can imagine exactly what they would say about yesterday's game.
Taking nothing away from Pompey who deserved their win for sheer guts and attitude, a few things are now a lil obvious to this Spurs fan anyway.
Harry has no idea how to break down a 5 man midfield who work their socks off and sit back. His plan seems to be ping it at Crouchies head and hope for the best. Not good enough really especially when the club has spent somewhere in the region of 250 million assembling a squad.
The players seemed to have a complacent frame of mind yesterday which can only come from the management. Again not good enough.
Harry took too long to change things and by the time he did it was too late. Again not good enough especially when we had Pav, Niko and Eidur on the bench. Pav should of started.
Defoe was absolute tosh and should of been substituted after 3o mins, max.
Corluka and Bents are about the slowest right wing combination on the planet which meant everything came down our left wing through Bale making us predictable. Bale had a great game one of only maybe 3 players who can hold their head up high.
Pompey wanted it more, that is what concerns me the most.
Spurs you owe us fans bigtime, get your shit together for the goons and give us a performance to be proud of.
COYS
spurs had a great chance to capture top 4 position this season but in coming years it would be impossible for you to do so bcoz city with all their filthy money and villa and everton becoming better and yes not to forget liverpool will be back with vengeance..so, wil spurs achieve something worthy in recent future ,i dont think so unless u r happy with carling cups and all.
Gooner84 - We're football fans. Just because a club isn't successful as another one doesn't deem them any less important.
You'd probably kill yourself had you been born in Northampton.
The reason we get grief is because we don't give up the chase. Other clubs are happy to admit eternal defeat. I think the way we live our lives is about 1000 times more exciting than theirs.
Just my opinion.
I fear you are right Gooner1984.
Of course I hope against all hope you are wrong.
Nevertheless amazing to read something somewhat sensible coming from a Gooner. Didn't think that was at all possible ... especially given the most recent string of rubbish we've had here.
@DaveK not one to buy friendships mate ,but i agree the blindness at times is shocking. You either know
what want in life or you dont. It makes me laugh and cry ,when Our fans dig out others for wantring a winning
spirit (once returned)....i believe that conditioning has left alot of our fans simply happy too feed of crumbs.
then have the tumerity to throw the first blow at their own accusing some of us for not really being Spurs.
Still ....different strokes and all that.
COYS
Spurssince82 - I wasn't claiming anyone on here of not being true Spurs fans. What grates me is the negativity and not seeing the big picture. We lost a game of football in unfortunate circumstances. Hardly the situation that reuqires root and branch analysis of the clubs failings. People need to appreciate that being better than a team on paper is never a guarantee of success. Perhaps 'top 4' clubs would have seen off Pompey yesterday with their siege tactics but that would be wrongly aligning ourselves with teams who have consistently made the grade for the past decade at least. We haven't and should not expect to. Last year we were rock bottom. Now we've moved on. As a group of fans we are called fickle but i think that's unfair. What we are guilty of is getting ahead of ourselves. There is so much to be optimistic about but expecting over night success (and by that i mean from one season to another) without a period of consolidation is precisely why we have failed to be where we feel we should be. We are at this time punching our weight but we have the infrastructure and ifnances to improve and that's what is so heartening. Im not being sycophantic i just think long term.
Not expecting much from this weeks fixtures as I suspect our players are physically and mentally done for after Sunday.
Seems 2 of our 3 Croatians are out long term inured with only Modders available. No Wilson, Lennon, King, Jenas. Are Hudd and Defoe really fit ?
The decision to loan out so many players is coming back to bite us on the arse.
We could be looking for a new manager but not through choice.
I thought that if HR was found guilty, he would get a slap on the wrist, but prison is an option.
If that happens, no way will Levy retain his services.
At least we seem to have lost yesterdays idiots who were posting on the previous topic.
Probably explained by the fact its half-term.
I like to read serious comments on here from other teams supporters as they look at our club from a different perspective and sometimes pick up on aspects that I miss.
Shame most of yesterdays visiting contributors were from the "my dads bigger than your dad" school of thought.
Yesterday was a disgrace, we played so poorly, but Pompey never looked a threat, not until the help from the ref and pitch. We used to be so proud of Wembley, the whole of the world wanted to play at the home of football, i doubt they do now. First goal came from a free kick that wasnt a free kick, even had it been it was an easy clearance from Dawson, had it not of been for a slip on a pitch not worthy of the 2nd league. Thankfully we scored a perfect goal, but what was the ref doing, disallowed, why??? Then to add another knife in the back he awards a penalty for a great piece of defending. If i was Chelsea i wouldnt turn up for the final, i believe everyone feels so sorry for Pompey the ref would do his best to make sure they won, just like yesterday, a low day for english football as a whole.
Redknapp deserves a couple of more years to see what he can get out of the squad. So what, he has never managed a top-four team, we have no hope of getting a CL manager without paying serious $$$$ for him and signings.
However, there are a few things I would like to see change:
(1) I hate to say it, but we still bunch of sunshine boys, we dominate possession without looking very dangerous. We rarely come back when we go a goal down, but if we get the first one we often coast to victory. Look at the amount of goals our neighbors have got in injury time recently, I think we definitely need to develop more belief and hunger.
(2) I wish we could do something else besides the 4-4-2, we have a nice but not perfect mix players, surely they have the capability of adapting when asked. I know Harry has tried briefly before, but rather than trying to figuring out why it didn't work, it seemed like he took the lack of success as an excuse to say it's not 4-4-2 so it won't work. If we do qualify for the CL next season and roll-up with same thing every game, the weaker teams will do as happened yesterday, and the bigger teams won't be long cutting through us.
(3) I think Harry needs to be a bit fairer on everyone. The good form that Pav, Gudjohnsen, Bentley, and Bale came as a result of injuries to other players, not outstanding management. Corluka has been found out on many occassions this year leading to goals conceded, we don't have many options in this position but he never gets punished.
(4) I hope harry can improve his substitutions, Huddlestone and defoe should have taken off at HT yesterday, neither looked match fit, shouldn't have been even made start the game in my opinion. As bad as things got with Ramos, the man was not afraid to make a substitutions and change things about when things weren't going well.
I think he deserves a couple more years, and if I saw improvement in these areas i think it would be great, however, if nothing changes I think we will have to make a decision, do we want stability and hopefully remain around 5/6 every year, or throw the dice again....
could wilsons yellow be overtturned, because it was a genuine challenge.
A day after our darkest day this season, and I'm still so angry I could take a golf club to Alan Wiley's fat fucking head.
If Harry and the players have any pride or passion left and want to redeem themselves, they must put in an absolute blood and guts spilling performance on Wed, win or lose. I'm not hopeful, given our wonderfully rich history of bottling it in big matches, but the opportunity is there for, as Harry calls it, the perfect match.
Stand up for yourselves, Tottenham, if not for the masses of fans you let down so, so badly yesterday.