Massive game. Please don't bottle it.
Monday, November 21, 2011 at 3:17PM Considering how the results went over the weekend, plenty of people are suggesting this evenings game at home to Villa is a 'big one'. It's imperative we win, they say. It's the ilk of game that transcends the football played physically and reaches out to the psychological aspect that can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing when you're expected to get the points or if what's going on around you beckons it. Sometimes we can choke a little or find ourselves the victims of a 'shock result'. Football blips don't need a written invitation. They tend to gate-crash if you leave the front door unattended.
Regardless of who is beating who at the moment, I think everyone can agree that the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal are not anywhere near the standard they played at during the dominant Sky Sports Top Four era. They sat (along with Utd) in a league of their own. When looking back to those seasons, you can more or less nod (grudgingly) that they were a class above which makes that bitter pill easier to swallow. You can't compete with seasoned CL clubs. At least you couldn't back then. As much as you would have hoped and wished for.
It's all degraded over the past few seasons for them and the rest (some, one in particular) of the chasing pack have caught up (level pegging?) and to be honest, there is no apparent hierarchy of who is better than who at this moment in time. Blagging rights firmly placed aside. Arguably last season, this season and the next will go quite some way to defining a new potential 'top four' (either that, or 2/3 clubs will take it in turns to share CL with the Manc sides).
Don't mock me or abuse me, but I'm glad Arsenal have remained plucky (be it dependent on a certain forward) and continue to look back up towards the upper tier of the Prem. Even if the reality is they are not a patch on the past, sometimes that belief factor can aid you in the right direction even if you're punching above your weight. Chelsea have the look of a side that needs to be stripped of the legacy left behind by Jose and start afresh (more likely to sack and replace their coach rather than giving him an opportunity to rebuild). Liverpool are hardly spectacular. They resemble some of the hard working Everton sides of recent years that attempted to puncture the Top Four.
If everyone around us is in transition, we're the ones that have continued to progress, retaining our good looks with no need for re-constructive surgery. The pressure is on us. But expectancy should not be feared. It should be the fuel that rockets us into the heavens. Smile please Tottenham, let's see those brilliant white teeth.
All the aforementioned clubs can stake a claim for 3rd spot as their target for this season. Opposition fans can still go about pretending time has stood still and it's the mid-00s, but best left to leave them alone with their delusions. They will work through their stages of denial in time. But that doesn't mean they can't turn it all upside down by reclaiming some of that supposedly dead status quo ante.
Whether you believe we have the best squad or not, it wont matter much on paper if the results on the pitch are failing to match our aspirations. When you look back at 2010, we had to dig deep as underdogs. It's different today. We are contenders. Perhaps we need to still find that authoritative cutting edge to boss games and see games out without drama in our pen area. Just to make the ride that little bit more comfortable and thus ease the pressure. The Tottenham way is always the hard way. But if we are genuine contenders, then it shouldn't be half as difficult as we are capable of making it.
I think most would agree any which way this evening will do as long as we win. I still want us to lay down that marker we continue to grip in our hand. A lucky win or one that requires grit is the same three points as one that is fluid and controlled...but I much prefer the latter.
COYS.
Love the shirt.
Reader Comments (46)
its disco time!!!
2-0 to go third!
Pretender to the crown, or a clown that's pretending? Ade to score and with the rest of the team hitched up to the Royal Scott, the king isn't dead, long live the King!
3-1, enough!
every game we play at the moment seems to be critical that we get a result, I think this will continue for every "winnable" game until the top 4 places have been sealed. of the next 12 games we've got chelski (h) and citeh (a) and 10 games against teams who are unlikely to finish in the top 6, and therefore are games we must be targeting a good points haul from. a run of good results in these matches could put us in a fantastic position.
Any other year we would be challenging for the title given the state of the opposition. This year 2nd has to be our aim (or higher) - City are actually that dominant. I understand this is probably wishful thinking on my part, but you need to at least aim there, as a famous man once said.
I 'expect us to win', but I'm not sure if I actually expect us to win tonight!
very good points, the liverpool/everton comparison is spot on, without gerrard 'pool seem bereft of pace and class. agree about arsenal too, although if (when?) VP gets injured it could all come crashing down. city and spurs are the only teams that look stronger from last season, and we haven't got european matches to hinder us (until we reach the knock out stages when some first teamers might be required.)
any win will do as btr goals scored record then the barcode filth
Any win will do to go 3rd, if we maintain our form up until the Chelsea game on the 22nd Dec (as we have some very winnable games in that period) we should have at least a 3 point start on Chelsea going into that match. But loving the fact that everyone has played 12 around us and we've plated 10 yet we're still in 5th.
Do you think people are starting to take us seriously yet?
Semi -comfortable night, Prediction 3-1
Can't help remembering that game on our 125th anniversary when we were 4-1 down and the Villa fans were singing "Happy Birthday to You". Amazing comeback that night to draw 4-4. Hoping for (but not expecting) something a lot easier on the heart tonight...
With this squad of players, second should be a realistic possibility, but with this squad managed by Redknapp, third. Top four is a must.
Narrow win for us tonight.
I will be the devil's mailman today.
I'm starting to think that VDV is a hindrance to our strikers. Watching our last two games, particularly the one against Fulham, I feel that he regularly declines the quick pass to strikers and passes sideways or holds on to the ball instead. Yes sometimes, he makes assists but something is just not right in his linkup paly with strikers.
Is he the reason that our strikers did so poorly last season? I think so. Look at our team this season - Ade and Defoe up front were producing goals with VDV on the wing. All of a sudden VDV gets his #10 position, and since then Ade's goals have dried up like a carcass in the desert.
Am I crazy to think this? I dont know, i just see it more and more when I watch the team play, very few strikers in the world will score double digit goals with VDV behind them. There is a partnership in Ade and Defoe just BEGGING to be allowed to blossom. Let VDV play somewhere on the wing, he'll still get his goals but our strikers will play proper ball.
Alex Ferguson would always go for the partnership. The slightest sign of a good strike partnership and he's jumping for it, damn the consequnces (see strange case of Dimitar Berbatov - dumped even after leading the league with goals)!
They aren't a good team this year, we are getting results even when playing badly.
On that basis, i reckon we'll go down 0-1, hitting the bar/post at least 3 times.
It's the Spurs way
The reason Abebayor is not scoring is because when he gets a simple chance he misses.
When VDV gets a difficult chance he puts it away. Not sure you can blame Rafa for Ade's lack of composure and accuracy in front of goal.
Same last season, saw our strikers miss from 6 yards out when VDV is popping them in from outside the box. Defoe and Adebayor stopped passing to each other at SJP as they both wanted to score so much. At some point Ade will come good, Rafa will get injured and JD will come on and shoot a lot. Guaranteed.
Still find it unbelievable we can be in the league position we are in and people want to change it. And I'm going with Ade for 2 goals tonight, whoever he plays with.
Another 4-4 with Younes to grab a late, late equaliser.........
On a more serious note, I go with 3-1 win.
@Big Fish - the Villa lot didn't particularly like it when we starting singing "4-1 and you f'd it up".
Amazing night at the Lane........ still got my flat somewhere in my wardrobe
Nochman, Adebayor has had a lot of chances to score when playing with VdV. Do you think by just having Defoe on the pitch those chances would have gone in?
VdV is a big game player.
Defoe is a big game player, but only in his tiny little brain.
Defoe will get his chance when VdV has run out of steam or when his hamstring goes again.
Thanks Spooky
juices now flowing nicly.
@paulhasissues on that twitter
Every game we play is a must win according ro the average fan. Tonight is no more important than any other match. We play 38 matches same as eveyone else. I cdnt care less whether we are third, 5th or 10th right now, the only time league position means anything at all is at the end if the season. Can someone who thinks tonight is a must win tell me when the lastmatch we had that wasn't a must win was?
3-1 is the consensus tonight but I'm going to go out on a limb and say 4-2. Bent and esp agbon will cause bother, while our old for Mr setpiece will trouble us, with dunne and Collins dominating. However Vdv, bale and lennon will run their backline ragged
I think recent trends will continue, 2-1 spurs with nailbiting
"Massive game. Please don't bottle it."
Nah, that was the old Tottenham...
...aaaand I'm an idiot.
Spurs 2 - Villa 0.
Ade on for the hat-trick now...
(spooky pls delete my post??) LOLOL
(secretly still thinking VDV doesn't support strikers well enuf)
I think that performance was pretty much the definition of 'authoritative'.
Thanks Spurs.
x
Nov 21, 2011 at 3:39 PM | billiospur
2-0 to go third!
billiospur, you scared me, mate :)
Nov 21, 2011 at 3:39 PM | billiospur
2-0 to go third!
billiospur, you scared me, mate :)
Nochman,
Regarding your earlier post, there's nothing you should be ashamed for. It's just an observation to possibly make Spurs more efficient. I have few on my own that could make me feel as you do, but luckily didn't air them LOL
When 'Arry was gone we played 2 forgettable matches, 1 of which we lost. 'Arry back and we played almost as good as Barca would have. Spooky, you still think 'Arry is bad for Spurs?
Right chaps I now think it is about time we put our heads together and created a Arry song, I think he deserves it dont you:
(to the tune of my old mans a dustman)
Ooooh he's got a dogey ticker,
He talks like Dick van Dyke,
Buut when it come to Tottenham
something something something
(to the tune of Daisy Daisy)
Arry Arry give us your answer do
Just sign a five year contract, and Adebayor to
.....
As you can see my song writing skills are somewhat limited, over to you chaps
This is the best Spurs team in a very long time. Not just Villa being useless, they were humilated time and again and just caved in. I think we would have beaten anyone in the Premiership last evening. They just have to get it right in front of goal.
What I liked about last night is that we still never really got out of 2nd/3rd gear. Villa posed so little a threat that it was almost casual for the lads.
It's important that we now pick up as many points from the next 8-10 games as we can to keep us up in 2nd/3rd.
City play Chelsea, Arsenal & Liverpool in the next few weeks, which could result in a bigger gap for us to capitalise on.
Ian - isn't a case of me thinking Harry isn't good enough for Spurs. His record speaks for itself. I think some Spurs fans have issues with how Harry conducts himself in particular scenarios. Myself included. Nobody (well apart from TMWNN) can really piss on the parade currently in terms of results. We look good. Our line-up last night, it oozed class. We look fantastic on paper and on the pitch. He might not be tactically astute to the point of being 'special' but he obviously has meaty influence to get us playing like that.
Shame it was only 2-0.
For me, stability with additional growth is all I want.
http://www.thefightingcock.co.uk/blog/guest-posts/redknapp-out.html
Ooooh he's got a dodgy ticker,
He talks like Dick van Dyke,
Buut when it come to Tottenham
All you idiots: ON YER BIKE!
:-) Sorry, couldn't resist.
COYS
Harry Redknapp's magic
He wears a magic hat
And we he saw the tax-free cash
He said "I'm having that"
arry redknapp's magic
e wears a magic 'at
he said to karen brady
you ******* ******* ******
*suggestions welcome*
He's got a dodgy ticker
He once was a Goon
But since he came Tottenham
We're reaching for the moon!
Bottle it? Like fuck!
what we really need is a song for Benny
'how Harry conducts himself in particular scenarios'...
A bit vague innit? Not really sure where you stand on that. I suppose that vagueness and wisdom after the event is the prerogative of the blogger. Spurs don't pay you millions to be consistently on the ball. That is Harry's job. So you can say what you like and change your mind and it don't cost anyone a penny. Good on Levy though for ignoring Harry's critics and counting the points and plaudits and CL income as a reward.
i was always kinda hoping the 'dontcha wish your girlfriend was BAE' tune would catch on.
but it hasn't :(
why has no one commented on his hair last night? surely deserves a mention! spectacular volume. what a legend - and i don't use that word lightly, the man is top class, read his interview... in a world full of arrogant airheads like ronaldo and balitelli he is a breath of fresh air.
i wish my girlfriend was bae.
COYS - feel free to read previous articles on Harry. I wasn't being ambiguous to protect my ego. I've actually stood up and defended Harry Redknapp on countless occasions but glad to admit that some of his contradictory statements don't do him any favours. But then I guess there are Spurs fans who can detach themselves from Sky Sports News and therefore only b concerned with the football and not the soundbites. The particular scenarios - personally, I was referring to the Modric/Levy stance re: Chelsea and Harry's insistence on talking through his car window every 5 minutes. Also, 'particular scenarios' covers off what the actual 'haters' like to pick on as there are many Spurs fans who still want him out because they dislike his character.
Good on Levy indeed, but the ones that persist with the standpoint that Harry is still replaceable believe Levy thinks the same too.
PS. My opinion is just that. I'm no different to any other yiddo out there just because I blog.
Nov 22, 2011 at 2:58 PM | koume2 I think you will find it is 'leftback' not 'girlfriend'! No wonder there weren't many takers, lol!
IaG my man! I was a bit scared to say it but you're right I was also thinking, we were.. BArcelonesque!!!
Barcelona would have been proud of the performance we put on yesterday, only we did it without Messi! Yaaah!!
"Nobody (well apart from TMWNN) can really piss on the parade currently in terms of results."
Even I can't complain about the results. These players like playing for Redknapp whether I or anyone else likes Redknapp or not. Being top 4 come season's end is what counts.
Spooky - to be fair I should have said that to someone else probably one of those who have been slating them all the time. I don't really notice names so much and sometimes a blog comments merge with the blog if you get what I mean.
It was more that the Harry and Levy over the past three years have got it massively right and done it without a safety net, playing for real, high stakes, no place to hide, with plenty of critics telling them they were doing it all wrong every day etc and deserve more credit for that because it was not easy.
I don't watch much SSN etc as too much of it is worthless but when I hear Harry he sounds ok to me. I am sure the board and Levy do think there is life beyond Harry because there is of course. But with what urgency are we pursuing the alternatives? The Spurs job is currently a wet dream for practically every manager on the planet. Looks to me that the guys who made the right call about Harry for the last three years still think they are on to a good thing despite what the critics say.
Nochman, BArcelonesque Indeed. I was purring a bit today when I was saying to a fellow Spurs man that, that game reminded me on how Barcelona played Man U last season. They killed them off early and then toyed with them like a cat with a 'half dead' mouse. Exactly what that Tottenham team did with Villa last night.