Things I wanted to see (did they happen?)
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 12:39PM A look back at the Norwich away match preview. I hoped for many things.
Three points. Absolutely no room for complacency and excuses. Look at the table. A win (and another against Swansea) going into the WBA home game sets up January to be the pivotal month of the season before the hard slog kicks in. Psychologically, this is big. Not Godzilla big. Dinosaur big. We simply cannot freeze, extinction is out of the question. Resilience please.
We won. 2-0. Resilience? Sure, yeah, why not. But you might have struggled to spot it what with all the oozing class getting right up in your face. My word.
Ruthlessly clinical up front. None of this Andy Cole ‘its takes five chances to score one’ teaser football. Either pass the ball into the back of the net or smash it in. There’s no room left for pretenders now, only contenders. Otherwise, we'll left anchored, cannonball away from sinking.
Okay, so hardly ruthless in the first half. But there was something ominous about the possession % stats through-out the game. We'd make it count, you believed that when watching. Nice feeling not to be biting the nails and swearing. Second half, we did just that (made it count - no biting or bad language). Finding that next level might will be the difference between winning 2-0 and winning 5-0 in future. If greed is your vice. Or if you simply prefer to have stronger goal difference.
Luka Modric. In the middle.
What a middle it was. If Modric was a waist he'd be Kate Upton's waist. I'm going to be biased here. Best midfielder in the country. Absolutely essential to the way we play and completely irreplaceable so the Daily Mail and friends...jog on. The irony of how things have turned out has not been lost on me. Although cue 'Luka to Utd' rumours doing the rounds in the next few weeks regardless of what Luka (via agent) tells us in the Croatian press. If you prefer to stay clear of all the ITK...just Google Kate Upton. Should keep you busy for a month.
Unequivocal focus and professionalism. We have stunning quality. On paper we should be trouncing the likes of Norwich. Paper won’t fly unless you make an aeroplane out of it. So fly Tottenham, fly. The last thing I want is an origami canary, smug smile, staring at my despairing face.
No nervous moments and dodgy displays. Spurs turned up, turned it on and turned away with all three points in back pocket. It's something we should sit back and lap up. We don't half win games these days. Our away form might be the difference between 4th and 3rd as long as we continue to retain the consistency at the Lane.
Rafa van der Vaart to be effective for at least 80 minutes. What? It's still sort of Christmas, so let me wish for a miracle.
Quality display. Such is the man's vision and ability he seems wasted when stuck out on the flank (not that he ever seems to stay there). Worked for the team as part of the 'forward three' against Norwich with effect. Perhaps he slept on the sofa rather than his wife leading up to this game. No apparent hamstring concerns. When he plays with such freedom, you can see why we are better suited to having him rather than a more out and out striker. Although against more stern opposition, he might need to work twice as hard. But then, that's a given.
Defending. Good old fashion defending without any lapses of concentration. Strength down the spin and at the heart of the back line. Unity. No Ledley today doesn’t mean we have to revert to displays with odd moments of calamity – i.e. losing spatial awareness. We're not kids, we're men. So get a grip and smack down any bullish behaviour from the hosts.
Thought pre-match Norwich might bully our centre-backs, but don't remember too many heart in mouth moments. No Ledley, but almost felt like he was playing as we appeared assured at the back. Swansea might be a little more tricky coming forward in the next game.
Benny's afro. Just because.
Braided has the better statistical record. BAE got a little rest with Rose replacing him. Still think he looks a touch jaded compared to the standard he generally plays at.
Width. Work the flank. Even if it means Bale swapping sides and having Sandro covering and full backs holding back to protect when he’s rampant in forward positions. Pace will destroy Norwich. Patience and possession the probable fuel to make it happen in pockets of play.
Not just with the width, Bale was devastating through the middle. We've heard so much in the past about how Gareth has been worked out and his league form has never matched his CL form, but the kid is developing and progressing with freighting pace (literally). The right wing experiement which then led to swapping flanks with Lennon (in prior games) has now shifted from left to right to the middle. Bale coming at you from all angles...scary stuff. He's scoring more goals and is making the type of impact we know he's capable of. We'll see how other sides manage to cope with him when he's allowed to free roam.
That bloody stupid dance.
We got a dance with added shouty stuff and the traditional heart celebration for good measure. I refuse to complain based on the more important thing that happens moments before said celebration(s).
Match report here.
Reader Comments (13)
Brilliant read - once again.... No matter what I think we should be prepared for heartaches this summer if we fail to qualify for CL....
It was bliss at Norwich - heard the shite from Micky Quinn / Andy Gray on Talksports ?
I love the dance / celebrations we now have. Great stuff!!! Keep on strutting your stuff Spurs !!!!
COYMS !!!!
What are Andy Gray / Mickey Quinn saying?
We haven't played anyone good yet - who are Norwich ? Flash in the pan and so on .....
Wouldn't take much notice of Quinny. He still maintains that Liverpool are shoe-ins for the title. Let the haters continue doing what they do and just sit back and admire the greatest Spurs side for many a generation. The ghosts of White Hart Lane are beginning to wake from their slumber. COYS
Well put - I do have a laugh - especially with Keys and Gray !!!
COYMS
You could smell the bull shit coming from the radio and Micky Quinn scouse voice, he said it was only Norwich they beat. The same team who drew 1-1 at Anfield and gave them a hard time. He later admitted Spurs are pleasing on the eye through gritted teeth after other experts Praised Spurs performances. You expect Quinny and Grey not too praise Spurs and we are there too be shot at , What we need too do is keep calm dont fall for talk sport baiting and upping the pressure by saying we can win the league we cant not while we have 36 thousand stadium. The reason i say this is Ady is borrowed from a rival and they will not allow him to win the league for us because they would just sell him and i believe Chelsea will come sniffing and other clubs . We will be open too loads of tapping in January and paper talk all designed too upset our players and ruin our chances Chelsea Liverpool and Arsenal will be mad because of the money they have spent hoping too secure top four status. We need too use our squad wisely keep them all ticking over and part of our fantastic and hopefully historic season and don't sell our better players too rivals. We lost 3 points through selling Crouch i bet he would have scored more than Pav has and sulked less. We still have Dawson Lennon Kranjcar looked good Corluker has gone missing and Huddlestone will be back too breakdown stubborn desperate energised defences in February fingers crossed fully fit.My buy would be Leandro or Just buy Ady and give him a two year mega deal with a zero sell on after two years has part of his wage structure and a winning trophy and top four bonuses it does not have too be all weekly wages . The new rules if they are applied will mean 170 grand will be a massive negative too City selling Ady even Psg and Malaga will be affected by the new rules. The biggest danger are the Chinese clubs with mental wages who could ruin football and are outside the Ufa rules. We need too treat every game like a cup final like Ady said be ruthless from the first whistle and don't allow another Stoke or Chelsea too develop. One slight moan stop passing too ourselves in our own half quick breaks like Bales goal and Ady against Chelsea is our style when we are winning by three or four then we can then play Ole passing
Even after such a great performance I approach match days with my eyes shut, holding my breath and my toes and fingers crossed. Surely this great form cannot go on, they have to blow up as in previous years and I will awake and find it was all just a nice dream. But lets keep dreaming!!!
TalkSport exists to incite people to call in. It's bullshit. The same type of BS you get in some forums when people start to explode with fury and argue over ridiculous remarks. Closey to having trolls appear on this blog and state something stupid.
Seen it on Twitter already. Bale apparently isn't that good of a player and hasn't played well at all this season.
David I thought we all did that - Spurs way ?!!!
COYMS!!!!!
That dance....it was like some strange neanderthal prance....glorious....and then it looked like Bale was stroking an imaginary beard on his chin like some Shire elder with a mad look on his face, like he just copped the ring off Bilbo Baggins......
Side observation, the celebrations demonstrate a team with good morale and cohesion. It's clear it isn't all business on the training ground. They are having fun as a team.
Sandro the Beast. He's just getting better and better. He's the one reason I am not worrying about the 'big' games in the second half of the season. He's going to be our ledgend and player of the season.
The most remarkable for me was to see our players’ attitude after going 1 up. There was not a slightest hint of relaxation and drop of the attacking minded footy. That was something many seasoned fans would be hard pressed to recall seeing on Spurs away games, regardless of the opponents’ strength.
On a side note….
“When to use “too” and when to use “to”, that is the question.”
Willy Hackspeare
Oh how I wish that attitude of Norwich was there for the Chelski game.... I thought we should've won.... COME ON YOU MIGHTY SPURS !!!!!!