Lasagna
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 12:04PM I've been without the pleasures of the internet since last Friday. I did manage a couple of Tweets over the weekend, but avoided delving into the depths of despair that appear to have destabilised everyone's emotions once more. I guess I can't put this off any longer, so head first in I go...
The Villa Game
Shades of 2006 with a reverse twist and the added spice of Martin Jol once more being involved on a last day heart stopper. You couldn't make it up. Because it's such the bleeding obvious. At the start of the season I'm sure plenty of you cited the fixture list and laughed about the potentiality of us having to beat Fulham to qualify for the Champions League. We shouldn't laugh, we should take it for granted that this beautiful beloved club we support will never do things the easy way. Once more our chest is sliced open and our heart pulled out and kicked around because pain is Tottenham and Tottenham is pain and pain is love masquerading as pain.
First of all the logistics of processing the Villa game. I've already been told had Arsenal beaten Norwich we'd have beaten Villa comfortably and the fact we didn't constitutes a choke. Well, no, it doesn't. Firstly Arsenal have been choking all season. They've been choking for several seasons now. Their choking (this season) simply creates an illusion that we keep losing the initiative or surrendering the chance to recapture it. It's an illusion because no matter the form of Arsenal or anyone else for that matter we will continue to produce erratic displays within the constraints of 90 minutes and across several games that illustrate key missing ingredients to the pot as we stew.
The issues are ones discussed more times than I care to mention. You know them well. Rotation (lack of), tactical ineptitude, squad depth and management of players. When we're good, we are good, when we're not we don't usually have a way of working out how to be good again. It's partly to do with the lack of decisiveness in the manager amongst other long standing transfer market issues. See? More times than I care to mention.
This latest spike in 'form' is thanks to Hodgson and the FA (science of football proclaims this). We're playing like a team again, be it one that is still making for heart out of chest dramatics. I can only be philosophical about the 1-1 draw with Villa. Deflected goal aside and perhaps one or two other moments, the hosts didn't really have any aspirations to win the game. That deflected goal against the run of play was almost a gentle slap in our faces from the footballing Gods.
'This is what you get if you're going to make hard work of it you lowly mortals you'
Danny Rose getting sent off, yet with ten men, after regrouping, we looked the most likely to win it. But then that's far too obvious a story arc. It doesn't fit into the Tottenham mantra. We have no necessity for the easy way. Not a chance that we would make it comfortable for ourselves. Then again, last time we had it in our hands we puked it out of our mouths all over the Upton Park pitch. The eternal underdogs we shall remain. Always seeking to 'get there'. The chase is better than the catch.
Redknapp dithered with the substitution. Does he go for broke and risk a 2-1 loss? Was a 2-1 loss even conceivable against a Villa side content with surviving the draw? Would Defoe have made a difference? Bill Nicholson would have gone for glory but then Redknapp isn't Nicholson and Nicholson had Jimmy Greaves along with one or two other not so shabby players. But we're hardly weak either in selection. Harry however preferring to protect what he's got even if what we've got might allow us to take 4th spot and then lose it thanks to the final Chelsea have to play in Munich. No echo of glory here. The Rose red card will be key in how we plan to line-up against Fulham. Does he go with Bale back in the back four? Wing-back system? Is King fit to play allowing Gallas to slot into left-back? Please don't be sticking Luka anywhere near that flank. Can we risk changing the balance of the side now that we are at least picking up points?
To aid with recovering from this (1-1) disappointment its best to not dwell on the game as a singularity. We've had plenty of lost moments that offered consolidation. Many of them are practically repeat showings. A ton of possession, crossing, corners but imbalance with player positioning and offensiveness. Defending set pieces, attacking set pieces. Tweaks in coaching that could have been made prior to the game in preparation or during it failed to materialise. Across the entirety of the season there are a number of disapproving shakes of head and shrugs.
Had we managed a second goal at Villa Park, all of this would probably be of no consequence as we drown ourselves with superlatives about spirit and guile and lose sight of some of the serious deficiencies we have in our set-up. Make no mistake, we have high end calibre and we're easily one of the best sides in the country. But cutting edge and that killer instinct in the dugout still teases us from afar.
Harry Redknapp is a decent 'manager' but you can't win all your games in the hope that your best players in their best positions (or roaming around) will be able to do enough. That's where the most telling guile is missing. If we fail to finish 3rd or 4th it's because we still can't be b*stards when it matters most.
We, the manager and the chairman, have to aspire to always be better to always want for more. If you prefer to take it one game at a time and wish to review it as a singularity then perhaps what we got at Villa is as good as it gets. Twenty or so chances and one goal, from a penalty. You could say we were unlucky or failed to create our own luck. Doesn't matter, that singularity ceases to be one if it keeps repeating itself.
I don't want the season to end on a soundbite. To dare is to do, daring is achieving...this is not being embraced enough. I'll be shot down by some for the romantic notions and dancing emotively again, but traditions are there for a reason.
I'd rather this club is glorious in defeat rather than whimpering out like a soft sneeze.
Reader Comments (49)
It's all going to come down to Chelsea winning the CL isn't it? Cue all the complaints to UEFA over such a ridiculous policy.
Good read as always Spooky. Fingers crossed. Come on the Baggies (and Liverpool, Everton and especially Bayern while we're at it)!
Blimey! Guess I agree with a lot of what you've (almost) said spooky, and generally speaking Harry seems to pick the team I would, so I usually blame my self for a poor result or performance. As we've seen with Barca possesion doesn't always mean prizes, and there have been games where we could have used two defensive midfielders, but actually we've only conceded two goals in three games playing expansive attacking football, so as far as I'm concerned the only thing missing from lots of games this season has been an early goal which would force teams to attack us more leaving holes at the back.
Great post Spook's... yes i would much rather be glorious in defeat too.... but HR that's another story. I'm still really pissed off from the weekend's game... Villa offered absolutely no threat what so ever, even when we went down to 10 men, we dominated possession had 300 corners, that's a gripe for another time, the point is Villa parked the bus and played for the draw which in all honesty i don't blame them for as premiership survival means everything and 1 point is all they needed. The thing is with all our possession, corners and attempts we could not find a way through, what would any manager with any tactical nous do bring on Jermain Defoe, he would have given us another option and would have offered a different type of threat.... he was about to come on just before we scored, then HR totally bottled it and was happy to settle for the draw... he brings on PNB with 5 mins to go. Villa were there for the taking we failed to take our chance of edging ahead of the Arse. So here we go again last day of the season drama again, lets just pray we have a better outcome than last time. COYS !!!
I literally couldn't believe what I was seeing when Redknapp finally made a substitution and brought Parker on for van der Vaart. Seriously, we looked on top even with 10-men, we needed a sub (i.e. Defoe) who could help us in the final third as it was there for the taking. Instead we put on a defensive midfielder and our who dynamic changes and we actually see Villa make a few ventures into our half! Defoe should have come on around the 80th minute, in my opinion, to help clinch a much needed win, and instead we draw to possibly the worst Villa side I have ever seen. I admit that I've not been Redknapp's biggest fan as I find his tactics and substitutions are a shambles most of the time (aside from the Newcastle game when has 4-4-2 worked this season? In his defence he has admitted that it didn't work for us... then proceeded to us it anyway and we throw away what I felt was a winnable cup semi-final and a home game against Norwich. Then he comes out to remind us that 4-4-2 doesn't work. Muppet.) but following this second half of the season Levy seriously has to have a look and wonder if there isn't a manager with greater tactical ability out there who can also motivate the players to perform. Maybe it's just me, I don't know.
Hodgson needs to do us a favour. Jol needs to do us a favour and Bayern, well, I can't remember a time we've needed them before to do us a favour but let's ask them too. Oh and Harry needs to sort out a plan B and somewhere in that plan needs to be a Defoe.
I love you all. Spurs forever.
and make sure lasagne isnt anywhere near the menu on the 12th!?
COYS
what steve said...
Also, if anyone should know the wehereabouts of Arsenal's pre match dinner before the WBA match let me know and I will personally serve up the lasagne. Full of my love spit.
A fine literate piece.
As to the game it showed Harry's falibilities over his lack of decisiveness, but also the team's lack of a quality striker. Abe is not a striker, he links play well but probably pots only one of four chances. Neither is VDV who again is a wonderful linkman but lacks that killer thrust. The closest we have is Defoe and the stage was there for him in the last 30 minutes of the Villa game but to no avail. There is hope however in that in the future Sandro and I think Liverrmore can become the platform of a strong midfield on which Modric can play the role he should.
some last minute nightmare at the Lane or the hawthawns or Goodison or Munich will conspire to screw us. Or maybe it's our time?? pleeeeeezzzzzzzzze let it be.
I think that we will have to be happy with 4th. WBA lose a lot at home (half their home games in fact), hardly score at home (only 19) and Arsenal score a lot away. With RVP at their disposal, I am not confident about WBA keeping them out OR out-scoring them. We need hope that Arsenal do not turn up or for some freak Woy's-final-game-influenced performance....
We seem to have a problem breaking down teams that are going for the draw.
Same problem as the sunderland game.
As someone who posted earlier mentioned, Arry heard that Newcastle lost and decided to hold out for a draw. To dare is to do - someone please tell this to our manager.
If anything, not having Rose on the pitch should benefit us. But why does Bale continue to wander into the middle. There were countless breaks which we could have scored from had he just hugged the left side of the pitch.
Vs Fulham (4-1-2-2-1):
Friedel
Walker - Kaboul - Gallas - Bale
Parker
Modric - Sandro
Van der Vaart - Adebayor
Defoe
Bench: Cudicini, King, Nelson, Livermore, Lennon (+ others)
I don't think we should be worrying about what other teams do, we are not good enough to presume we will win. Harry has to be sent to the job centre at the end of the season, we have never had it so good? he has never had it so good and we will never take the next step with this imbecile in charge! How many times have we had the opportunity to seize control over the last couple of years only for Harry and the team to totally choke? On another point, I will keep saying this until he actually strings 2 decent games together (hell 2 decent passes will do!) but what is the point of Gareth Bale?
listen you fukkin pussies!!! WE SHOULD HAVE HAD 3RD PLACE IN THE LEAGUE SEWN UP 8 FUKKIN WEEKS AGO!!! Redcrapp is a fukkin cabbage or else the cuzt has been paid off by Woolwich Wanderers to phuk up our season!! I luvved Arry too for last 2 seasons but this year everything good he has done he fukked up with his total lack of tactical nous followed by his press conferences full of soundbite bullsh!t and lame fukkin excuses!!! And dont even start to get me going on his inept and pointless fukkin substitutions!!!! Complete cuzt since the possibility of becoming Engloid manager took over his befuddled brain, the team fell to pieces for 8-9 weeks and he still insists the speculation didnt affect them!!? I think looking back its pretty fukkin obvious now that it did Arry!!!! Taxi for Arry!
mispent youth - Harry only settled for a point once we were a goal down and a man down. We dominated the game once we equalised. We could not have done much more. We brought on Parker - which (with 10 men) is preferable to bringing on a striker of Saha/Defoe limited capability when starved of opportunities - they need service and clear sight on goal - which wasn't happening. Parker coming on was to allow Bale, Vdv and perhaps even Sandro attack more. I'll tell you what - we have never had a more attack-minded manager, and never will. Harry NEVER lines up for a draw before kick-off, however when a game progresses your objective may change. Imagine Moyes at WHL - HE definitely lines up for draws before kick off. I do criticise Harry for nearly taking Ade off. At one stage it looked like Ade off and Defoe one - which with a man sent off - is suicide. Even with 11 men, playing Defoe seems like 10 men.
Tonyrich
Parker came on to allow VDV to get forward more????? Parker came on for VDV!
Think guys should actually watch the game before commenting.
Top Tottys, Ossie - you need to look back at the season and review. I would say that we only had 2 disappointing results - Norwich at home, and Stoke at home. Yes - that would have been the difference between 3rd and 4th - BUT you have to understand that we are running at capacity. Harry is working wonders with what he has. Man U spent 50-60 on 3 player. Man C spent god knows. Arsenal spent 40-50m of a few players. newcastle spent 20m on Cabaye, Cisse, Santon. Chelsea spent 60m on various people. We spent 5m. Harry was told to improve on 5th with just that.... We HAVE done. This is our 2nd best Premiership season, and you somehow consider it a failure? Wake up and smell the coffee. Spurs are playing catch up. A few more seasons of finishing 3rd-5th and new stadium, and we will be up there. You guys need to acknowledge that whilst Harry DOES have his limitations, he has "something". That "something" got 5th with West Ham! Something that no one else can do. We Spurs are limited by wages and financial clout by 5-6 teams in the Premiership. Finishing 5th and above IS making the most of what we have. Our squad is not that good - the first XI is. Part of the quality of that squad IS due to Harry. Harry is the one who got the best out of Hudd, Daws, Lennon, Ekotto (especially), Kaboul (especially), Gomes, Modric - where previous managers struggled. Let's stop hearing this underestimation of how well Harry has done, accept that he will be here next season at least, and let's focus on progressing the team - with some money this time....
Ossie - yep, you got me there. But the point is still valid. Parker came on to let others attack.
Finally, a bit of sense spoken by TonyRich. I sometimes think that many Tottenham fans have very short or confused memories. Playing Defoe against a packed defense rarely works. He just loiters around near the six yard box, generally hiding behind much taller defenders. His only chance of scoring, under these circumstances, is if a ball happens to drop at his feet. So the odds aren't very good. Unless Ade was subbed for Defoe, this also has the effect of giving us one less man in midfield and therefore reducing our chances of supplying the strikers, particularly as we were down to 10 men. Did any of the people clamouring for Defoe's inclusion, catch his cameo against Blackburn? Need I say more.
Are we part of a massive soap opera engineered by bad Refs Sky TV the FA and Ukad. My observation is a big Yes bad refereeing has cost us 7 points bad Sky scheduling has cost us the Fa with Harry has cost us stating they never approached Woy because they dident want to upset West Broms season Oh fuck Spurs. And lastly Ukad the worse drug testers in the history of testers seconded only by there predecessors' Uk Sport who in nine years caught Paddy Kenny. The new testers had a budget of 8 million but it was cut by the government to 4 million and target testing cut from 30 to ten unarmed players. The light sentence dished out by ex City Chairman Bernstien to Toure meant shocks would be guaranteed to keep happening and Wigan finishing top of the form from bottom never shocked me. We need help from three of the above mentioned to beat Fulham the FA Ref and the presence of Ukad before and after our game to make sure if we get beat its not wok rate that beats us. Last season i called this work rate the North West Tempo tampering now we have had a player going of with rapid heart beat in the lower divisions and last night another scare from a Blackburn player which was later was downgraded to a hamstring . We are calling Harry about Villas draw but what about Wigan who would have said they would beat the drop playing Liverpool away Arsenal Utd Home Chelsea away should have won and Newcastle 4-0. Any other sport and these games would be investigate except football and the staggering observation is there work rate was very very high in all these shocks. The players looking gaunt and ill would shock any sport yet not one Football fan questions why this is happening even when Toure and Kenny gave a big hint both there drugs help you run run run and lose weight but the dangers are death strokes weight loss and illness the biggest two losers at the moment are Arsenal and Chelsea? our main rivals both of these teams have players from a team i no got reported four seasons ago and the players are scoring goals with gaunt ill looking faces? COYS BEAT THE CHEATS
Its frustrating that of the 20 or so corners we had, the only effective one was when we played it short. It's evident that where Arry falls short time and time again is when a plan B is required. Any other top 4 manager would have changed our formation and tried something different.
Did I have my Lilywhite Beergoggles on, or was Danny Rose charged into by N'Zogbia prior to his impact with Alan Hutton's shin. Do you think there's a case for an appeal (or is this something we should keep quiet about ?).
TonyRich, I don't normally challenge people on this website, however, I do feel it necessary to question your claim that we have only had 2 disappointing results.
United away & City home? Ok. First game of the season called off but 2 spineless performances with questionable line ups and we paid the price.
Wolves at home was pony - yet again unable to break down a team who came for a point. Same can be said for Stoke.
And what of being 2-0 up at the Emirates? It is unacceptable to lose a game from that position.
Man U at home - losing 3-1 at home having dominated for the first 44 mins. Not good enough.
Norwich at home you have already mentioned and QPR away was very poor and we never looked like winning.
I make that 8 games in which we could have genuinely expected better performances and potentially results. Note, I haven't included every game we have lost or drawn, just the ones where I feel that as fans we have been let down by the players' performance and/or the tactial decisions before and/or during these games.
We may be in transition but there is a case to be answered regarding the above.
I change my mind frequently regarding Harry Redknapp. Its just so grating to continually here his sound bites and it was unacceptable for him to talk about England while the season was going the way it was. If it wasn't for the fact that I think him going would also see other players go then I might prefer someone else (depending on who it is) but as it is I think were best off for another season with him.
I guess you have to listen to the sound bites from VDV, Kaboul etc about the club needing to keep him.
I do also respect what he has achieved, it's easy to say with this group of players we should be doing xyz but Harry earns the right to get us to these hights by getting the best out of a lot of players and also bringing in critical transfers when we were at the bottom of the table. Wilson and Keane were pivotal in turning around that start. The same also with Parker this season, I'm sure we would have recovered from that start but he was very much needed (although I want to see sandro starting more than parker).
We were jaw droppingly entertaining in the champions league and no doubt we can now attract better players. So I guess between levy and redknapp if he's backed this summer then we'll be happy enough next season.
We also have HR to thank for getting rid of the hoodoos we had with the goons and chelski.
Either way lets not turn into the goons who are very split because of wenger to the point where their fans now seem to hate everything about their club. It's hard work with him sometimes with his constant chat and sticking it to the fans but were not too far away.
COYS
We need a big, traditional centre forward - good with head and both feet. One who understands the value of getting in the box and arriving at the right time. Defoe is not that player - neither is Ade. If we converted just ten percent of the crosses that have fizzed across our opponent's six yard box this season we'd be challenging for the title.
We have our AKB's (Arsene Knows Best) you lot seem to have your own AKB's as well it seems 'Arry knows best when he brought on Parker for Van der Fart.
Now we've got BAE claiming he has a gentleman's agreement with Levy to leave in the summer if a bigger club makes an offer.......
Did Modric not also claim to have a gentleman's agreement????
With perhaps the exception of PSG, I very much doubt a big club would be interested in BAE. I love his honesty and the way he bombs forward but he can't defend for toffee. Is he expecting Barca or Real to come in for him? How many goals have been conceded because of his poor positional play?
Ignore the Benny comments/article. Mountain out of a mole hill.
This summer will be a cluster fuck of whorage and tabloid/Sky Sports/agent bullshit. Same as usual.
Spooky - your previous thread ran to page2. Ever thought of a career in football management?
I see some Defoe bashing starting up now.
A bit unfair as he has scored goals despite very few playing opportunities. This is where Redknapp is so infuriating - Wolves home, Villa away, Blackburn home - JD should have been played. When we are camped in the oppositions half Ade`s link up play isn`t so vital - we need a striker who plays off the shoulder and who converts when the ball drops to his feet.
Plus remember that Ade`s destiny is in City`s hands and Saha may retire - JD is OUR only striker and who would blame him for moving on at the end of the season?
Chiefy - I keep asking the question the other way round - look at our results and point out the one that you wouldn`t have expected us to acheive. I keep being answered 'we hammered Liverpool at home'
Yes, whilst that was a great performance against 9 men, we wouldn`t expect anything less than a home win against them.
Redknapp has turned us into a side with a goal diff of +23, which is an acheivement, but the whole waggon seems to be stuck in the mud and the same old lessons keep being dished out with nothing learned from them.
All I know is that the past two seasons have been the scene of the most exciting football, possibly in Europe, played by Spurs. Oh yes it has fuelled my expectation to such a level that I bleed because we haven't got 3rd sown up and the gooners are crowing from dawn til dust BUT I just haven't forgotten where I have come from and the years (42 now) I have been supporting Spurs. Yes we have the right to moan (it's probably a genetic requirement for us) and yes we can question Harry's tactics and most certainly yes we can ask if our team really do have the balls to believe in the way we do BUT (another one) I wouldn't swop the past two years for anything and still think the best is yet to come. Let's keep our heads and not let our hearts' power our tongues!
Get well soon Steve P
Jack - I think we probably started on our agonising journey at about the same time.
I don`t think anyone`s questioning that we have progressed in recent years, the frustration lies in the knowledge that we have better players than the Arse and SHOULD finish above them. An increasing number of people are seeing that it is down to the manager`s deficiencies that we haven`t got 3rd place sewn up.
The strange thing is that in 40 odd years it`s always been the same regardless of manager or playing staff. Every Spurs fan has a particular memory that makes their jaw drop.
Mine is of standing in the shelf, a great Spurs side with a popular manager in front of me. This particular evening we did everything we possibly could to lose the UEFA cup final against Anderlecht - about the equivalent of modern day Sunderland.
Up stepped Tony Parkes to save a couple of pens in the shootout and spoil our usual party of despair!
So, the only constant in the past 40 years has been the supporters. Despite comings and goings of personel, the old traits are still there. In looking for some explaination - could it be that us supporters think `here we go again` and it transmits to the players?
@ JACK , its really hard to believe but no way we have got better players than le arse , even if their team at the moment is worst in decades and ours opposite..
Chelsea playing a dangerous game relying on the champs league final. Bayern's home record is pretty good. 1 loss and 1 draw all season.
Chelsea out of top 4 for definite then. For 4th then us and Newcastle and in our hands. Third maybe and in our hands to the extent that we need to win. Interesting isnt it that only two more goals for us over the season would have meant that a draw for us and a loss for Arsenal would be enough. Come on - we can do it.
Chelsea have gone tonight.The cup semi still rankles but a cup semi and Champions League is a good season.It is over 40 years since we had three consecutive top 6 finishes, so we are grateful to be supporters at a time like this.The Bolton goals suggest we can rehearse on the training ground.Bayern to win 2-0.
Three new players to come in plus a new coach, and a timetable for the new ground.And it stops raining.What's not to like?
Yes, Harry messed up by noT bringing JD on against Villa. But to say, we have better players than arsenal, really?
That is a poor joke.
First off, we need some world-class defenders. Do we even have ONE defender who is a starter for a good national team? The answer is no. God help us if we don't bring in Vertonghen.
Second, anybody notice what Liverpool spent to attain Champions league football? We shd have been doing similar, to consolidate our last CL run; and given the preseason rumblings from Modric and Bale.
The last time we gave Harry ~60 odd million to spend, he took us from around 19th place to 8th place in less than a season.
I'm fully confident that he would take us from 4th place to 3rd place with half of what Liverpool spent.
This is Harry third full season here, it took fergie 5 mediocre yrs to hit confirmed "top four" status with Man U, and there were no moneybag Chelseas or ManCitys to compete with in the transfer market too!
We are witnessing an attempt to rise, of a manager and of his team, there will be growing pains.
Somebody go take a look at Fergie first yrs with Man U, to compare and see how he was allowed to splash cash, with little results.
Van Pansie accepted - but how many other Arse players would stroll into our 1st 11? Don`t let`s have an inferiority complex just cos they`ve had it over on us for all these years. Look at where we are right now and we should have 3rd spot wrapped up long ago. If that`s not because we`ve got better players, why is it?
Like many mof the postings on here.As a fanatical Tottenham fan,and our recenty history,of falling short,through various reasons,some of our own making,and some of very dubious FA decisions,,let a lone,some very iffy refereeing,then again in fairness,poor refereeing has affected just about every club this season.Although Manu and Chelsea,always seem to get them at home,when its seems required.But we have only oursevles to blame,as to where we find ourselves.And although Harry has brought back some respectabilty to the club,I must admit that some of his tactical decisions,leave one wondering,he really is up to the job,of getting us to that next rung on the ladder,with some more consistency.
Spot on brian - and all those who think that the Arse have better players than us need to accept that 4th place is the best we could hope for and stop moaning about Redkrapp, the FA, refs, and blah blah blah.
I`m sure our first 11 is better than theirs and that`s why I remain frustrated by `Arry not getting the best out of them with crazy selections and tactics.
BBC.
He said: "I'll be glad when next week is over. It's been a long old season. I just want to get in the Champions League and have a break and get away for a few days.
"It has been a hard year for me personally. What I went through with the court case was the most difficult thing I've ever faced in my life.
"It definitely takes a strain on you. I do tend to get on with things but there's no doubt it has an effect."
Quote, unquote.
FFS put the old boy out to grass... he's had it!
After 40 years of watching Tottenham I'm still surprised by the excuses thought up to explain our many and varied failures. I am as disappointed and frustrated buy the lack of a win agaunst Villa as the next fan but the latest "what would any manager with any tactical nous do bring on Jermain Defoe" level of one dimensional knee-jerk type of analysis is unwarranted. The argument flows - If we're not doing well there must be a simple answer and when we've thought of the immediately apparent we find some way of legitimising the view ergo - "if we're attacking we need more strikers on the pitch and if we're defending we need more defenders; every clever manager knows that ". Very binary and, although life is sometimes that simple, it's only rarely as simple as an "on-off" switch. Every clever manager knows that, too!!!
At Villa we had been banging our heads against the side of the bus without really creating much and Defoe could be seen as "more of the same". Might have been the answer against a poor defence but Villa defenders are better than the poorest and, in my opinion (and that of HR and his staff?), they would have coped with Defoe just as they had coped with everything else we had thrown at them. We needed to draw Villa forward to create space in the final third, not throw another body in the box in the hope of a lucky bounce.
At our best this season we have been patient, varying the speed of play, drawing teams on, and countering with speed and precision - fabulous, fabulous Spurs playing the game the way it should be played, with intelligence and breathtaking changes of pace.
But even then we had trouble in the final third on occassions and Tony Pulis finally worked us out which has exposed our lack of a plan B - always a problem for teams that play with freedom but don't have strength in depth.
Harry has to work with the players he has and this has been a better quality squad year on year throughout his tenure as Manager. That players have been allowed to play with freedom and publically treated with respect (think VdV and his public dissappointment at being left out of the EC squad - some managers would have slapped his wrist, just as publically, as though he was a naught schoolboy, but not Harry). What happens next in the market will be key to whether Harry is seen as a "champ or a chump", I think it's too early to call time.
Whilst I can see that some progress has been made under HR, I have never felt this degree of contempt for any previous manager. It`s the whole package - media whoring, his Judas like behaviour on the south coast, his blatently using whatever job he`s in for his own means and sod everyone left in his wake, his tactical mistakes - anyone can make a mistake, but to repeat them over and over cannot be forgiven and.............yes...............I`ll be the first to admit this one - whenever I see his face whatever the result I see claret and blue and a liberal sprinkling of Hackney Marshes. Let`s all face it, the Pikey connection will always be there.
This is the epitome of Arry's season..........
Just like when Arry went to that bollocks 4-2-3-1 formation and began playing for ties.........
He could have went for the jugular w/ a feeble Villa squad just looking to survive w/ zero presence moving forward.................Bring in Defoe ..........Bring in Gio..........Get the 3 points, control our destiny vs Fulham and put Arsenal in their rightful place this year where they belong..........
Instead, he does nothing yet again to secure a tie which accomplishes what exactly ? The only positive here is avoiding the GD vs Arsenal if we beat Fulham and they tie West Brom..........I'd rather go down fighting..............playing attacking futbol..........its what this club does best and its what put us in the title hunt in late January.
PS
Exactly 46 crosses ended up in the box on Sunday............
Adebayor got on exactly 0.00% of them .
he needs to go.......quickly.