Smash 'em up
Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 10:52PM Battle for fourth? Unlike say in the season when we actually captured that position, this year its pretty much a certainty that anyone who dares to show some consistency and hunger for it will romp home. Utd, City and Chelsea will finish in the top three placements. Us, Arsenal and Liverpool will be fighting it out for fourth. Hardly rocket science but what remains a mystery is just how much of a fight it will turn out to be.
Take our neighbours up the Seven Sisters road. Still with the pretty football but with plenty of Keystone defending making them a red and white version of a variety of Spurs sides from recent seasons that flattered to deceive and always made sure they heaped misery on their fans. State of flux, wobble, crisis - whatever you wish to tag that particular mess with, they are very much vulnerable and weak in key areas although still pack a punch but one that is unlikely to knock you out.
Liverpool are in the midst of rejuvenation and are thus being re-built. Okay so its all a little excitable and exaggerated because it's Liverpool and its Dalglish and the media seem to be sacrificing credibility to beckon the Phoenix from the flames. There's no doubt, as much of the ordinary and average soundbites you wish to chuck their way, they are better for it since the summer. Hardly perfect but they retain a busy work ethic and have players that can produce effectively. They also have a player up front that many still believe could have worked a treat in Lilywhite but somebody apparently didn't fancy taking the chance.
The question is not so much 'how good are Liverpool?' or 'how good can Liverpool be?'. It's more the case of 'how good to you need to be to claim that fourth spot?'. Looking around, with so many unanswered questions you'd probably agree that you don't need to be all that special. So its a dangerous game to discount this Liverpool side just because they are hardly fitting of older variants in comparison. Same with with Arsenal.
Apart from the near spectacular starts to the season the two Manc sides have displayed you could argue that not even Chelsea have impressed (but let's not get carried away here, they should still comfortably find enough of what's required to compete for 2nd spot with City).
So what of THFC? How much fight do we have in us? We'll find out when we face up to the scousers. It's still very early in the season but its pretty vital we start to rock and roll over opponents because the form of our competitors is completely out of our control other than when we play them. Defeating Liverpool then Arsenal (Wigan in-between) would create momentum and with that comes confidence and renewed belief and all the other hype that manager and players seem to feed off. Adds focus to their deficiencies also. Defeat, and the emphasis is back on us.
If anything should be taken from last season is that every regrettable dropped point will come back to haunt you.
At the moment, we don't seem to have any urgency and appear comfortably numb in posture. We showed some authority away at Wolves and plenty of industry thanks to our new signings. Need a little more from other quarters.
This season. It's simply too much of a good opportunity to pass by. Champions League qualification is a tangible target. We need to crow. We need to fight. We need to use our spur and leave the competition bloody on the floor.
It's going to be a tough game if Liverpool play as good as they can. If they don't then that's their problem and our prerogative to take advantage. Failing to turn up tomorrow will just leave that culture of underachievement festering in the psyche of the players meaning we then move onto the next game seeking redemption. Beating Wolves was a start. Beating Liverpool needs to be a necessity.
Release the Kraken Tottenham.
I've checked and Perseus doesn't play for Liverpool and the next best thing to the Medusa is Karren Brady and she will most definitely not be present.
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Reader Comments (27)
I definite agree with every word of this post. Esp the part on lacking urgency. It's Harry's job to make the players hungry. Take it to them Scousers and get the 3 points! COYS
If we play intelligent and with a real will to win then I think we'll get the three points against Liverpool.
If we buy another proper striker and a proper CB in January, then we can finish third this season.
Come on tottenham let's get the season really started! 3pts please let's plat too our potential for a change and with some belief. COYS
Liverpool has seen its better days. Today, with bonehead Dalglish as the manager, they are no longer competitor to Spurs for the forth place. Arse may be but not Reds. Dalglish might have been good footballer but he's a lousy coach/manager. Except for Suarez, they are an average team, and upcoming games will prove it. Similar to Spurs, they may get pumped up for games against us and the rest of bigs, but they will be steamrolled away by teams at the middle of table and the ones below. They also lost flair they had under the Spaniard. All that remained is huff and puff, and they are no better than Newcastles or WBAs out there. Spurs will beat them at home and away. Fuck ‘em.
@beetleblues, It seems you want the swagger and confidence back, but I don't believe that dismissing the opposition with a few insults will do the trick. the newly assembled side, however much you wish to believe is simply far from a one-man team. I think we'll do buthem as is tradition but to write anyone of last years top six off the top four spots is ridiculous but then thats clearly your own prerogative.
buthem = them
beetleblues, had you been drinking heavily last night?
Dalglish is one of the true greats of the game, try comparing his and Redknapp's records as both player and manager. That doesn't mean we won't win, but I wouldn't like to bet on it.
If anything, I'd say that Liverpool pose more of a threat to us than the scum for a CL place.
well put spooks, been reading your blog for a while this is definitely your where your strength lies, rallying the troops. bravo
What Liverpool have done is recruited the best of mid-table/relegated teams (Henderson, Carrol, Enrique, Adam). Other than Suarez they haven't brought in anyone close to a star. Adebayor and Parker (best of relegated team, I know) are higher quality signings.
Also, key to this game is undoubtedly us having our King back. With Ledley in our side I think our defence will hold even with Bassong (who is admittedly good, but not for some time).
Dream on Spurs fans!! The Reds are back and coming to teach you a lesson.
After watching Bassong in midweek I think the key to today (and the season in general) is King. If he plays he are so much better.
Liverpool have definitely improved their squad but I agree with the poster above who said Dalglish is a weak link (at least long term). Yes he was successful for a while at Liverpool, taking over a massively successful team and at Blackburn (the Man City of their day) but he left all three clubs (Pool, Blackburn and Newcastle) in a mess and is likely to quit if things dont go to plan.
We have an excellent spine to the team:
Friedel
King
Modric/Parker
Adebayor
I think that is enough to win today. It is a delicate balance though. Take King out and Liverpool will likely score at least one, Take Adebayor out and I think Liverpool will win.
But I expect a spine of that quality will be enough to carry us through today and do well in the next few games too injuries permitting.
Bale needs to fire, and fire soon. He cannot live off the glorious Inter moments for too much longer. Liverpool's defense at present show provide him with a good opportunity. Will be watching him more closely than I have for a while...
3-0 at 68 minutes, this is definitely going to help our goal difference!
Not going to read too much into a game against clearly off-color, then 10 men, now 9 men liverpool but this has been a very cheerful experience thus far. What lovely goals! Yay, Luca--that's the way to be a true pro. So glad to have you back (take that, harry, you senile media whoring moron).
Oh, and lads, there's 20 minutes left and our goal difference is still negative, so please stop with the passing in our own half a score a few more.
But don't get injured!
LOL at Stevie G
beetleblues - I support you, you were right.
"Liverpool - Fuck 'em."
I like our spine as laid out by coys. Only issue is that the most important part of our spine - KING - is crocked. I hope he didn't get injured again today.
We battered them really.
Like I said the spine of our side is excellent.
Friedel
King
Modric/Parker
Adebayor
But just as important was their hunger. They played like men possessed.
Once you have that everything else can fall into place.
So Kyle and Bale cause them nightmares on the wings, Kaboul looked dominant, Defoe looked of old, even Benny provided the pass for our fourth.
If we can play the same spine in the next few EPL games I am confident of similar results.
We can even tweak it.
Cudicini for Friedel is not the end of the world, Gallas is almost as influential as King, at a pinch Hudd or Sandro can deputise for one of the CMs, but without Ade the goals, the balance, the threat will all go badly south imo.
Wish I could say different but that is my football opinion. For now though bask in the glory and if you are considering a trip to Wigan or Newcastle I think it will be great fun.
Bring on the gooners !!
Great game, great team effort, great result! Also, we showed some class, unique at this level, by not trying to further humiliate mismatched (in numbers) and already overrun opposition. During the game I acted as the greediest bastard out there and shouted angrily (well, in my living room ) for more goals. But now, hours later, I totally approve the class showed by Spurs players on the pitch. For me, it was well worth to get to up at 5am and see Spurs rhapsody in white and blue. We are defectively moving up and we will go places this year.
Funny, but I can’t find a reason to complain about any one player. Heck, even twitchy did great. I’ll save venom for some other time .
Also, credit to the WHL crowd. They cheered tirelessly all game long. It was a wonderful background to this game, and I suppose many Spur fans around the world joined them in belching out our songs (at least I did :)).
Didn't watch the game but I am watching and re-watching the highlights on FSC right now!! Love it! Effin love it!
ADE BRINGS US SOME MAJOR SWAGG!!!
Look at Ade's second goal. For all my ball players out here, doesn't that remind you of that feeling of being on form/in the zone and knowing BEFORE you hit it, that the ball is going in??!!! So incredible to watch! Loove it!!!!
Fuck porn, give me this.
Almost a shame they had two men sent off, we were bright early on and I think we could have beaten them 11v11. Still, 4-0 builds our momentum...Stoke on Tuesday. Kids to play again? Gomes back for Carling Cup?
Nochman , it does man , the feeling that the ball just does what you want it to do , no stress , just pure enjoyment and above all that feeling it makes you go faster than you normally would. Confidence is the name of the game.
Its hard to explain to anyone who hasnt played but some days you just see and feel what you are going to do and it pans out exactly like that. And on other days , a deviation that doesnt go in , a pass that is just too short and your whole game is down the toilet.
Being in the zone is an incredible feeling and seeing Ade makes me think that he knows what it feels like.
Great performance. Whole team seemed to be in the zone from the beginning.
What's the score with Ledley, was he injured, or withdrawn as a precaution?
Precaution I would think (hope).
Hmm, do we give the chairman some credit for saying no to Chavs and not sanctioning Charlie Adam, or Harry for persisting with his pursuit of Parker and Ade whiulst offloarding poor peter crouch?
Let's just see where we are after NLD, that is the real measure for me, we're still in bottom half (albeit a warped view as game in hand at home vs Everton and played both manchester once already).
However, bin dippers got found out all over the park today, and 'King Kenny' can bitch like vietnamese prostitute all he wants about 'decisions not going his way', for once ref got most things right!
Sorry Kenny, 'No sucky, sucky' today sunshine, seems like your £100million squad doesn't hold it's value quite as well as you might have wanted.