An echo of glory
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 12:06PM W.B.A 1 Spurs 3
Twenty eight out of a possible thirty points. Five away wins this season already (seven in total last time out). Is this the thing they call consistency? Of course it is. We've been accustomed to it for a while now. Don't pretend otherwise. Spurs have gradually gained said consistency across a season since Martin Jol almost lead us to the promised land. Since then, its been consolidated under Harry Redknapp (we'll ignore the blip that was Ramos). We continue to build up the defences at Fortress Lane. We've only been ransacked on rare occasions by canny thieves and barbarian armies. Away from home we conquer territory, sometimes with sheer perseverance and stubbornness, knowing we have the ability to attack and kill and leave the battlefield victorious.
The uncertainty, it no longer troubles us. It's now a routine. Sometimes expertly choreographed. Sometimes with a smile from the Gods.
A winning mentality, is not possessed over night. We've got one. It's fledgling and its in our hands (and heads and feet) just how well we nurture it.
This is not false hope. This isn't Spurs of old. Win a few games, then resort back to mediocrity. You have to be foolish to think that based on the fact we have some irresistibly slick players in our squad and the team, as a unit, has an organic progression to it. Last season was considered a failure because we finished 5th. That speaks volumes to how far we've come from those dark perpetually transitional periods in the 90s and early 00s.
When we have a full strength team arguably we have one of the best midfield's in the land. Robust, intelligent and exhilarating. Players like Luka, Rafa and Gareth...dream targets for the competition.
When I found out Luka Modric was also out of the game against W.B.A. (along with Rafa van der Vaart) I found myself scratching head contemplating this would go a long way to displaying the fortitude of manager + players. We don't get much at the Hawthorns so to turn up there with two key players missing means you're going to instantly knee-jerk and resort to questioning the depth in squad, or lack of. Then you might start to panic about what would happen if say Adebayor picked up a knock. It's all valid concern and I'd like to see us consolidate in January by signing two more top class players to really push this home and retain a top three placement.
So two players out, Defoe and Sandro in. Further maturity gained for club. What we got was yet another piece of striking evidence that this Spurs side is strong, physically and mentally.
First half, we struggled to adjust and our defending was neither tidy/organised. But at no point did I think here we go again because we've not actually gone there for an absolute age. Even if the side lacked a cohesive flow to it we have such an abundance of quality (see move that led to Lennon being fouled and awarded the penalty) that we can soak up pressure but always retain that potential to hit back. Regarding the penalty, scuffed shot for the kick, but Adebayor followed up to knock it in for the equaliser. Redemption for the team for the manner in which we conceded the easy opening goal W.B.A scored.
Second half was a bit more like it. Parker more aggressive in forward positions, team possession and passing improved (still the odd lapse and loose ball). Was nowhere the perfection we witnessed against Villa but again our quality gives us an edge that clubs like our hosts will always struggle to defend against. The flick to JD and his subsequent run and shot...brilliant. Adebayor scuffed again (Christ only knows what he'll be capable of once he finds himself in sharp form) for a third. Could have had more. Seven goal, six assists for our loan star so far.
W.B.A might argue they created a chance or two. Chances don't equate to points.
No nerves. Plenty of patience. Some luck.
Kaboul might have had the shakes, but there were more positives from the game than negatives. Adebayor continues to prove the virtues of having a complete forward who works relentlessly for his team mates. Lennon's renaissance continues. Even on the left-hand side. Defoe made an impact you can hardly ignore. Sandro, beastly as per usual, even if dangerously close to seeing red.
There's an air of confidence that allows the team to play without finger hovering above the panic button. In fact, where is the panic button? Once upon a time it was big enough for one of our players to simply head butt it to signal a capitulation. It's been a long time coming but it's nice to know that these days its more likely to be pressed by the opposing side.
When we play well, we are unplayable. Sometimes we can do just about enough to get through ninety minutes and secure the three points, almost like it was never in doubt even if there were moments when it was.
That, ladies and gentlemen is the mark of a proper team.
Well done. Again.
Still, early days. Not even Christmas yet. Long may the run continue, but all we've done thus far is set the foundations for what might be a superb season.
We are still growing and adapting to obstacles (of a selection type) that challenge us. If we're still involved at the top come 2012, which I'm sure we will be, then the transfer window will be imperative for us because to make this side even stronger by adding two or three players into the fold could be the difference between Top four or Top two.
Oh look at me getting all giddy and excitable. What do I care, heart on sleeve, I'm enjoying this as much as you. I refuse to be nervous and I refuse to hide behind negative what ifs. As improbable as a title challenge might appear to be, you'll never know just how good you are or just how good you can be if you don't aim high.
So aim high Spurs. Aim high. What will be will be.
Spurs facts. Click here.
Reader Comments (31)
Like to see us sign up Leandro. With him and Ade together, we could carve up anyone. Need to get Ade on a permanent. Just hope they can sort out the wages.
The future's bright and it's lillywhite!!
What is this new feeling I get at Spurs matches, this unexpected feeling of calm confidence? After years of feeling like a long tailed cat in a rocking chair factory, I am actually relaxing, watching and expecting us to pull off a result even when we go behind.
Having said that, we do have real class in the team and we are now delivering the results based on our quality, with a winners attitude that has been missing for years.
I'm relaxed about 4th, with a little, hidden part of me excited anything above. COYS!!
What a weekend - what an incredible run of form. Let's keep the winning going
Not sure it if because my office or not but some hairs were standing up there at the end.
The way we're playing, it looks like anything is possible. I just keep staring at the table in amazement. I couldn't have imagined we'd be where we are after the first two games.
COYS!
Absolutely. Not to mention totally.
A proper team. Proper quality.
Reality overcomes the what ifs. What if we have to play a tough pressing team without Modric and VDV, two of the best players in the league? Oh look, we win 3-1. Brackets - please deity who doesn't exist, don't let Manu be injured close brackets.
Be giddy and excitable with me.
Regards, Al
@danielbolden, I know what you mean - I keep starring at the league table knowing nothing has changed since the last time I checked (5 mins before) but still enjoying it...
on another note, how good is it having Ledley playing week in week out?
You expresed the feelings of most if not all Spurs fans. It is hard to believe but we are good enough for this to continue. The only real threat is the Man U/Chelsea/media axis during the transfer window.
Great to see every player playing well in our team. Oh to be looking once again on the huttons, bentleys and jenas's of this world. Its been said a thousand times but harry's three signings have been masterstrokes and have really galvanised things. The confidence a defence has in a sound and capable goalkeeper is obvious. A midfield bolstered by the complete capabilities of parker and a strikeforce transformed by eh addition of adebayor a striker who can "play" with other strikers no matter their inside leg measurement. Kings consistent appearances are not without effect either. My most exciting time as a spurs fan.
"here we go again"..... that's it. That's what I've been scratching my head about. Something's beeen missing from my normal repertoire these last one or ten games that I've watched... the age-old chestnut "here we go again" has gone !!!!
I share the current euphoria together with all Spurs fans.
I think the player who makes the difference this season is Parker.
He is the type of player we were missing for years now.
Also the quality of Ade as well the stability of Friedel gives confidence to all other players and now we can see that there is the right chemistry in the squad.
But it would be a mistake not to look for worthy replacements for Scott and Ade in case that they get injured or banned for a number of games.
Sandro is a good player but at the moment he isn't so reliable as Parker.
The main differences between the two are:
a) Parker reads the game better than Sandro and
b) he can tackle without risking in most cases a yellow card.
A friend of mine in Spain said that for the first time he can remember, Spurs' run has made the sports papers over there (so obsessed they were with the "big 4" before). It's nice to know that we are being appreciated around the world not just in England and mostly for how we win not just because we win. COYS!
@David "the Man U/Chelsea/media axis"...... love it.
I love what I've been seeing of late. Redknapp has been a good lad. Adebayor is scuffling all these chances which would be an issue if he wasn't scoring 4 goals in two games. Crouch score rate was what again? Speaking of which, the bastard put one in on the weekend, shocking stuff. It's far too early for this, but I'm wondering if Defoe could be a bit like Scotty P. Like a late bloomer of sorts. I dare not jinx it but he seems to have learned offside a lot better now.
Our wingers are doing the business!....ahhhh I'm high as a kite! Still buzzing since Saturday, watching the motd highlights over a few times and that.
Watch the second half of the arse v fulham game, hoping that the goners would concede defeat. Here's to hoping they drop more points and get left out of the Top 4. That'll give the idiot jack wilshere something to tweet about. COYS!!!!
When West Brom scored it kind of opened up a strange new scenario, at least in my mind. It got me trying to think back to the last time we went behind and then came back to win. I genuinely struggled to recall such an occasion. Then it occurred me that since the Manchester games, we hadn't yet gone behind in the league this season.
Without wanting to trot out the old cliche for yet another airing, this was doubtless a game we would have lost in seasons gone.
My quiet optimism continues to grow. Onward Spurs Army. God Save the King.
It is so good to see the players battling it out for the team. Everyone is ready to back each other up. I have honestly never seen that in a Spurs team. I would give full credit to Harry and his masterstroke that is Scott Parker.
but hr says no new signings in jan?
prob cos hes off to the england job in 2012 and so he cant spend resorces needed for the new manager?
COYS
Sometimes there's nothing extra to say after everything that's been said before, but I just wanted to feel the love. By the way Spooky, those stats are wonderful to read.
COYS
I was interested in the comment about Spurs making the Spanish newspapers. Watching the Liverpool v Man City game in Canada I was struck how little Spurs were mentioned in the discussion by the match commntators about the context of the game. Chelsea and Man U were clearly seen to be the other challengers for the top four. Does the media have a bias against Spurs? Are we taken lightly? I guess I am just tired of the love in with Man U etc. it does p##**! me off, but maybe it is better to be underneath the radar.
We were dissected by more than a few crosses and whilst WBA were shocking in their ineptitude in front of goal (bar the first one) a better team would have seen us lose points that game.
I'm as happy as the next person that we won, but the wonderous winning ways are both an aphrodesiac to my hope for glory days, as it is a stark achtung baby warning to my inherent Spurs pessimism. So for every tentative thought about our title hopes, comes a sobering appraisal that defensively at times we were spliced open and could have ever so easily flirted with our ex Ms. Mediocrity.
Main gripes in previous seasons have been profligacy in front of goal, and swiss cheese defending. I'd also like one up front and one at the back brought in the Jan window - just to make sure we get used to the nose bleeds.
What struck me watching the game is that WBA tried to rough us up and to my delight the previously spineless Spurs got stuck in and where necessary gave as good as we got. We have skillful quality players but also a really good team ethic and the ability to get stuck in. It feels like we are creating our own luck....
I really hope we consolidate with another quality striker though as I feel an injury to Ade may hurt us more than losing VdV or Modric....
A variation on Dave in Canada's comment about the media attitude, butr closer to home. Earlier, I was reading on the BBC site Kuyt's dellirious joy at how brilliant L'pool have been against the "top" sides & how this means that they are bound to be right up there, afraid of noone, team spirit, bla-bla-bla. Not once did the thrashing they got at the Lane get mentioned, nor that Spurs have beaten them 3 times, home & away, in less than a year. What a total twat! I couldn't believe that the BBC journo just goes along with him, without taking him to task on Spurs. Where are we? 3rd. Where are they???? When are they gonna look up and learn?
Never mind, we are who WE are & we are right up there where we BELONG!!!
Oh, BTW, though they love Chelski in Portugal, because of the obvious (they love Real Madrid even more), they have noticed what we're doing too. WBA was our first game not live on Portuguese TV for ages-))))).
It all feels so good (except today trying to work out what in hell happened to Gary Speed, RIP).
COYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Big win--on the road, missing 2 of our top 3 or 4 players (arguably the best 2), a mere 5 days after the last match, and down a goal early. Top stuff. And if it takes Modric getting sick for Harry to rotate the squad, so be it.
Current form and on paper, we're a top-3 side. The real question will be what happens if we hit a rough patch, how will we respond? But it's a joy to behold right now.
(Ade and Bale are practicing their goal dance right now!)
Why buy a new forward? Take Pav's wages and add that to the 75k portion that we're giving Ade now. I can only hope that the big guys in the offices realize that ADE's deal MUST be made permanent -
PROS: Big, Strong, Quick Kanu, Intelligent, Skillful, Proven PL scorer, Combines beautifully with other attacking players, Great header, Great stamina, Low injury rate, NEver in trouble with the law, Honestly likes playing football a lot (unlike Pav and Berbatov) Dances well....
What more do you want?
CONS: Misses 3, scores two. Cannot curl the ball into goal properly, but I'm pretty sure Sandra CANNOT do that either.
Great to see the team hold firm when WBA tried to rough them up. The crowd must think there Man U, trying to influence the ref. All credit to the ref, he was pretty fair. But this is heaven on earth.
Watched Irish 'Match of the Day' in Dublin at the weekend. Johnny Giles was very biased about Tottenham's chances. Reckons they haven't played any decent teams yet. Kenny Cunningham was totally different. Was drolling over how good they are and tipped them for top three.
In all the euphoria about our current form it would do well to remember the season start so much influenced by the appalling behaviour of Chelsea, assisted and fermented by the media. I do hope someone is going to make a statement to the Levinson enquiry on media ethics with a plea for integrity in the media.
Boldly going where we haven't been for some time.
Beam us up Scotty.
Loving it at the moment... just got tickets for WBA at home in Jan. First game I've been able to make since the Seville friendly... Christmas can't get out of the way soon enough!
COOKIEBUN - a while back i worked in Dublin for about 15 months. Loved John Giles and Eamon Dunphy doing Champions League analysis. Ranting and raving about how Man Utd were not as good as they thought they were. Brilliant TV.
The table doesn't lie. 3rd with a game in hand. However the most relevant thing is that this team is at bit spesh!! She's a bit of a stunner actually and not in a slutty Manshitty fur coat and no knickers way. I had us down for 1-3 at WBA. No I didn't put money on it but you can see players want Champion league again. No mistakes , no excuses, no missing out. The only question is which Champions League spot??? :@
I can guarantee the league position's won't look like they do today come the end of May, so while the table doesn't lie it doesn't mind the odd half truth.
So the longer we can be under the radar of media and opposition the better, keeping my feet firmly on the ground for now. Best thing is we can have a dodgy period at the beginning of the year, because our run-in has "winning streak" written all over it.
1 cause for concern is that Ade with 7 goals and 6 assists is something close to irreplaceable right now.
It may be me, but it seemed our flow and attack changed dramatically when Lennon and Bale switched sides. That's the first time I've seen that tactic be effective and its been tried more than once.
I guess this is consistency, but it is a shame to see this regularly occur