The anomaly festers
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 9:58AM From March 2011 (Interim results and Chairman's statement):
The statistics will show how fiercely competitive the Premier League now is. We shall look back and be disappointed with our form against clubs in the bottom quarter of the table if we fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League at the end of this season. It has been in these fixtures where we have taken fewer points than any other team in the Premier League and this is the anomaly in what has otherwise been one of our greatest ever seasons.
How best to fix the anomaly?
Is the problem truly one that can be resolved by replacing our forwards with some of genuine world class ability? Or is there a general stagnation of coaching and ideas from Harry and his back room staff? Have we over-complicated formation and strategy? Not highlighted complacency quick enough? Are we perhaps going through the motions on the training pitch? Or are we allowing emotion to cloud our judgement? Victims of a lull of form or the result of degradation that has been festering for a while?
Redknapp got us into the Champions League. Whether this was an expectancy based on the players we possessed is something that's been discussed many times before (the thinking being it was hardly a miracle achieved). It's a fine line between success and what many would deem failure and this season, there is (even though 6 points separate us) not a lot between us and City. Even with the anomalies we could have made it back into the CL, still leaving us with questions unanswered whether Harry can once more reclaim an uncomplicated system, style and swagger next year without the odd anomaly holding us back.
With CL nigh impossible, it's now all assumptions around the fact that what we are seeing at the moment are issues that can not be resolved. Harry apparently distracted by the media game he plays, even though there hasn't been a season in his career where he hasn't taken part in it.
Next season is monumental. We took a risk on him in the first place and it worked. It's worth another gamble? Or not? As I mentioned in my last blog, it's a collective failure this season. But then such a failure always rests on the shoulders of the gaffer. Then again, it depends what you class as a failure. You might be content, much like Levy might be when remembering how he cited that CL would not be possible season in season out. Which would point towards another season of Harry at the very least.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
Reader Comments (59)
Which brings me back to this 'Tottenham blueprint' thing that I have running through my mind which I'll probably attempt to write up during the summer and let you lot amend accordingly.
A sort of 'what does this club need to do to attain a genuine long term foundation' akin to Utd or the scum.
re:spurredonindublin
The reason Jol got sacked was the board felt he couldnt take us to that next level which i feel Harry is of the same ilk..He's too busy hiding behind lame excuses ie can't compete with City and their zillions etc etc when its his shortcomings as a manager that are blatantly to blame..I've had enough of the lame performances our team are putting in week in week out and the finger points soley at Redknapp..He has his favourites which doesnt bode well for the fringe players ie Krancjar (who possibly cant do any worse the VDV at this present time) and he hasnt the tactical nous for a plan b other than hoof the ball up to that liability Crouch..Yeh this season has had its moments but so have many other seasons prior to this one.We had the chance to make a statement of intent to the rest of the premiership this year and we completely blew it..Not sure if i can deal with having Redknapp at the helm for another season next year and having to listen to his soundbites of sarcasm ie "well they(Spurs)have always challenged for the champions league places"and his favourite "they only had 2 points from 8 games before i got here"..Fair enough but thats near on over 2 years ago and consigned to history..Any other manager with Harrys recent results record would be well and truly worried about their job security..Hope Levy tells him in no uncertain terms that next year is do or die for him as our manager..
We all know by now that 'Arry's' a man manager. He gets the best out of players. Look at Hud, Bale, Modric etc. What he's not is a tactician. Remember VdV's comment about how they have a clipboard but never seem to use it? He puts the boys out there and trusts that they will perform. Problems occur when opposing coaches have one of two advantages. Either they are tactically superior(which, oddly, many of the managers in the bottom half are) or Spurs are tired (often from European endeavours complicated by lack of squad rotation).
Three biggest problems this season on the pitch were finishing, defensive cohesion, and fatigue.
Spurs need a stonecold striker who lives to score and plays with hatred of everything that prevents his constantly scoring goals, from defenders to poor service. A Drogba sort of player. So far as defense goes, there were a lot of injuries and that was hopefully the problem. At this point, seems like Dawson's leadership is the key. As for the fatigue, shouldn't be as big an issue next year, since it looks like there's a good chance we won't have European football.
Thing of it is, we're not gonna find a better manager than Redknapp and, as Spooky's noted, there were problems with both personnel and management.
Already can't wait for next season. What a great run in the CL! COYS!
I'm of the mindset now that next season is Harrys last. Levy has no options yet to replace him with (is Pleat available?) and until that merry-go-round kicks off we can only guess.
With ex players in mind I'd be very wary of Klinsmann returning. I don't really want to see the next up and coming manager at the lane either. Too risky.
Experience and winning mentality are a must. And that gained from being a manager, not a player...
Jose for me.
Looking back at this season provokes emotions from both the head and the heart.
The heart says we should have bought a striker in Jan and that Harry is past his best with us. The excuses really are sickening to me at this stage of the season.
The head says, that with the addition of Champions League Football to the three competitions we were in last year, it would always be difficult to attain those heights again. But the head also says we should look backward as well as forward. Yes we have wanted that striker or two to finish off teams, we all know that, but how many clean sheets have we had this season? Not fucking many!!
I am usually of the opinion these days that our defence is good enough but I think this season has proved otherwise. We may believe Gallas and Dawson are good enough but I'm thinking they probably aren't or we simply would have kept more clean sheets.
Our perceived premise of being able to "attack and score more than the opposition" may have come to pass in the Champs League, but in domestic form our strikers can't score for shit so we look ridiculous for not being able to keep clean sheets.
Please Please get the strikers we need in the Summer, but for gods sake shore up our defence too. We're fucked without it.
I'm not holding out a lot of hope for tonight, the first time in ages I've been so defeatist but with nearly a full team of injuries (if you include Modric and Crouch as doubts) it's going to be a friggin tough task. I'll still be watching and cheering though, as ever. COYS!!
This article is genius, and probably holds some truth in it about Harry's bullshit...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/10/the-fiver-harry-redknapp?
...Will be watching and cheering with you too Canada Yid.
People seem to think that less games due to our exit from the CL is going to help. Well....to achieve that, we will have to re-do our 4-1 loss against Arsenal in the CC and our 4-0 loss against Fulham in the prestigious FA cup. How about that, eh?
...what a wonderful season...
Why should we be the ones to suffer 4-0 humiliations against Fulham in "our" cup while the likes of Bolton manage to show up? I know that 4-0 losses usually come about due to a Jenas appearance in the starting 11...but its Harry who puts him in the team isn't it?
And now Modric is injured for tonight. Jenas might replace him.... Well, another 4-0 loss then....?
@Canada Yid
"'ARRY'S LAMENT: HOW CAN TOTTENHAM BE EXPECTED TO BEAT BLACKPOOL WHEN MANCHESTER CITY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY?"
Love it!
Let's face it, did we all expect to get fourth last year, no but we did it though a great run of results at the end of last season so i think a bit of realisation needs to kick in, we've dinning at the top table this season and alot of us are disappointed in this final part of the season, me included so let's just wait to see what happens tonight.. Maybe this team is at it's peak so hopefully with some investment in the team we can be back in there next year if we keep the nucleus together.
We all know the team needs some investment and should have had some in Jan when we should have gambled and got at least one decent striker, that's where i think it started to slow up and then we might have got closer to top 3 because the guys down the road aren't that far ahead of us.. The problem is that Liverpool will be back in there next year so it will make it that bit harder.
Hopefully we'll have some luck tonight, because we should have put 5 passed City on the opening day. All the pressure is on them so let's hope we go there and express ourselves and come away with the victory to at least take it to the last 2 games.