Monkey claims to fall off back. Wasn't on it in the first place.
Monday, September 17, 2012 at 7:56PM Thrown some thoughts on the game together. It's been a long tiring day, hassled through out it. So excuse the lack of craft. But who cares when Tottenham displayed so much of it on Sunday. Badum tish.
Reading 1 Tottenham 3
Well that was nice. Fluid, effective football with some ample finishing to see off opposition that we probably should have blown away in the first half. This game wasn't just about picking up the three points but doing so with a bit of style and structure. Which we did. Can’t really sit here and complain about not scoring enough goals or not making it look even easier than it was when the reality is, the side is still adjusting under Andre Villas-Boas. Monkey off back. Then again, there wasn't a monkey on it in the first place. Onwards we go with two successive games at the Lane. That momentum is fluttering her eyelids at us, it would be rude to ignore her advances.
There was no Livermore or Benny, both injured, the latter out for a month and replaced by Naughton. Dembele started alongside Sandro – the combo we all wanted to see and although it was up against a weak side, it was very reassuring to witness some life after Luka Modric. Dembele was progressive with movement, looking for the ball from Sandro. Both playing in tangent and protecting each other’s space and making sure availability to receive the ball was always evident as we looked to move higher up the pitch. Dembele, effortless when attacking space. Sandro dominant pressuring opposing players, intercepting and tackling with supreme belief that he owns that patch of grass in the middle.
Did Dembele start because Livermore was injured? He probably would have started regardless, especially as VB stated he wanted us to be more offensive against Reading. Sigurdsson, the third part of the midfield trio, and responsible for a killer ball splitting the defence for Lennon to cut back for Defoe to score for the 1-0. So much to like about this. The fact it almost seem to play out in slow motion even though it was over in seconds. The vision from Sig. Lennon’s awareness to receive the ball. Defoe’s scuffed effort perfectly beating the defenders and keeper. Striker’s scuff the ball on purpose, right?
Defoe starting ahead of Adebayor might have raised some eyebrows. I guess he's in form now, so you can’t drop him out of the side although as per usual we have to weigh the good with the bad and if JD can repeat this type of bullish performance against a better class of opposition then we still have good options up front (or at the minute, from the bench). Isolated, this was a cracking performance. His second goal (for the 3-1) was very well taken. Although given the freedom of the park he still had to retain composure which he did. He had other chances including a majestic take down and outside of the foot shot that deserved to go in.
Because of the comparative ease of playing against Reading, having the midfield trio behind him, the team was able to play to Defoe’s strengths. They supported him, he delivered (he had several shots at goal). Against sterner teams that make the midfield congested and turn it into a battlefield, he won’t be able to lead the line in the manner he did on Sunday. Which is why Adebayor will always be the better fit because he can drop back and work the channels effectively. However, this is a side coached by someone with Powerpoint slides. It’s quite possible that Defoe will improve his game, his awareness and positioning under Villas-Boas. You can’t change a player that is driven on by pure instinctive play but you can attempt to control the areas of the pitch he attacks though far more ticky to improve his link up play. Can’t fault his effort though. And he's scoring goals so I expect the same against QPR.
gifs by Eperones
An improved Defoe is better than one that just runs around a bit and waits for a chance to fall at his feet. However, not sure he can bring the midfielders into the game as effectively as Adebayor. This is going to be very interesting. How VB handles the two players in rotation and how effective each player is against lesser sides and the stronger ones.
Naughton did well. Gave away a couple of needless free kicks but seemed to be quite disciplined and solid in possession. Vertonghen was brilliant at the back, might well be one of our best signings in recent years and makes the retirement of Ledley King a little easier to deal with (best to avoid dreaming about the fantasy line-up of Vert and King at the back though if you want to sleep tonight). Sigurdsson wasn’t as influential as I’d have liked him to be, but can hardly complain what with the ball played for the first goal. Once Sig slots into his role he'll have more impact on the game.
Bale was quiet first half. Better in the second. Scored (another scuffed shot, there’s got to be skill in this) and looks to be slowly improving. Just a case of him finding his groove. Better he slow starts than fades away later on. He needs a pulsating home display. Can’t help feel that his responsibility and effectiveness will start to take shape in the next few games. Has to be used more as an outlet and he has to run that flank with authority. With so much more reliance on tactics these days, I’m still struggling to see a definitive change in what he’s meant to be doing. With Lennon it’s clearer that he’s beating opposing full-backs by finding space rather than ball at feet attempting to beat them time and time again. But sometimes people expect explosions from Bale when it’s the subtle stuff he does that needs a nod of approval, like the dummy run he made that allowed Defoe to do the damage for his second.
Huddlestone, Dempsey and Townsend all on as subs. Add Scott Parker, Michael Dawson and Hugo Lloris to the fold and our squad depth doesn’t look too shabby. All those players likely to be used in the coming weeks as opposed to simply warming the bench. Lazio on Thursday, QPR on Sunday – there has to be a little rotation.
Conceding late on was disappointing. It keeps happening. There was a batch of pressure in the second half where we struggled to clear the ball convincingly and it looked more like panic than tactical instructions. Leadership is something else that needs to stranglehold the latter stages of games. We have to retain the ball, take the sting out of it and boss it rather than sit back and invite. In addition, if you go back to the early stages – we can really put games to bed if we are clinical. That cut-throat side of our game has to be worked on. Not just up to the striker – the midfielder need to get in the mix more. I’m confident this will happen with Sig and can pretty much guarantee Dempsey will relish the opportunity. We could be one more goal to the good each game.
As for the host? Reading are not very good. At least on this display they allowed us far too much time on the ball and let us dictate practically from start to finish. But that is really not relevant. Cliché: beat the teams you face. We did that and there's still so much room for improvement. Improvement that will come by virtue of this side understanding the new system more with each passing week. Confidence will see to it. Application was spot on, as was pace and tempo. Players all looked like they had an understanding of what they were required to do and when in possession players seeking the ball made themselves available either in support or by attacking space with intent. Less pressure away from home? Do we feel the pressure back in N17? We'll find out soon enough.
Feet firmly on ground. We had a job to do, we did it.
Other footnotes.
The kit. It's not terrible but it's not really Spurs. Aside from the fact that it is Spurs because we were wearing it. Just not very traditional.
AVB on the touchline. Adore the way he celebrates goals. Looks no different to a supporter in the stands. Looks better in fact, what with that beard and that suit.
Reader Comments (60)
Ginger or not AVB is a very sexy man. Really like Dembele, i cant recall the last cm we had who could beat players so easily. He will be key for us. I wonder when teams will wise up to our cut back crosses?
well we have all noticed it so im sure it wont take long.
I remember a few years ago we scored a lot of goals from cut back crosses put in by lennon when he used to run into space like he was on sunday, the last few seasons he has not been using space well and hasn't been getting into posistions to put in that type of cross, also townsend did the same when he got on so hopefully there being told to do more then 'run around abit'
"However, this is a side coached by someone with Powerpoint slides."
Brilliant!
Thought we played great, Verts was sexy as was Dembele, Sandro a monster and when JD is playing like that he's unplayable.
That'll shut the media up for a week at least!
Love the PASSION showed by AVB when we scored. Did not see much of that over the last 2-3 seasons. Players notice
these things......
Just watching Baines in the Everton game and I feel Bale could operate in the same way. Baines is no slouch and the way he took his goal was superb. Bale could move back to LB and bring in Dempsey on the left. Vertonghen has so much class he would cover Bale if he takes off on a charge down the wing. The only downside, perhaps Bale has forgotten how to tackle.
We was awsume great display from them all................pls more of the same or better woohoo CoYs
The only way to halt the media hatchet job is to keep picking up wins. No one will be talking about the sack race in the same breath as our "Burnley reject" if we're mixing it Top 4 style again. But it was only Reading. Got Manu U coming up. That all important Top 4 hoodoo had better stay away, so we'll need a Powerpoint with animations and everything.
Kyle Walker caught napping for the Reading goal, but overall a good start, nothing more. Let's see us beat someone good.
AVB not feeling any pressure? That celebration is a sock to the guts of the collective media. Stitch that.
A good display overall but at 0-1, why bring on Hudd? Looks like AVB wanted to protect the 0-1. Not a great idea. Or have I got it totally wrong?!
The desperation/relief in AVB's celebrations were frankly embarrassing. This was Reading and he was celebrating the goals like we'd won a cup final. Maybe just me, but he showed that he's a little man there. Needs more class and more persona of being a Top man.
@wakeuplevy.... So a manager celebrating a goal scored by a team he has coached all week to get that particular goal isn't classy eh? I suppose Redknapp did not celebrate goals bcoz he did not mean for his team to score that way ? A manager is as entitled to celebrate as the fans and players... probably the one who needs it the most too !
Modric who. Love the fluidity in MF. Jan is looking like an even better player than I thought, settled in nicely. Really looking forward to lazio now, give daws and caulker a game, maybe andros as well as I thought he looked decent when he came on in the last 5 mins. Let's get the lane buzzing on Sunday (I'm sure we will), me thinks another good result is on the cards but even if we lose, let's sing for 90. COYS
Wake Up Levy....why shouldn't VB celebrate the goals with passion? This is the job he loves and wants to get right. You've made a completely ridiculous comment.
"The desperation/relief in AVB's celebrations were frankly embarrassing. This was Reading and he was celebrating the goals like we'd won a cup final. Maybe just me, but he showed that he's a little man there. Needs more class and more persona of being a Top man."
Funny... I watched the same thing as you, but I saw something completely different.
I think he showed that he's human. Showed that he has feelings and cares. Showed genuine happiness in the post match interview grinning like a school kid. Showed good praise for the team. Showed class when asked about Harry Redknapps recent jibes.
Desperation? Relief? After the pressure he's been put under by the fickle boo boys and the gutter press over the last few weeks, I think he's entitled to do whatever he wants.
Wakeuplevy. WTF are you talking about. I love the passion VB shows. Personally, I do not see the logic in your assessment? Even if I agreed with you at the end of the day it comes down how he feels and how he chooses to express themselves. I'm not in the business of telling people how they should feel and think
Considering his job was on the line and we had a terrible shocking scandalous start to the season.(according to the press).....things don't look bad do they ?
AVB has always celebrated his teams' goals like that during games, stretching all the way back to his playing days on 'FM 2005'.
Thudd's dummy was the highlight of the game. A midfield three of Thudd, Sandro & Dembele has got the lot.
Agree about the kit, but at least it gives us something else to moan about.
Great blog as always, Spooky.
Gordon Bennett! This and virtually every other Spurs blog has spent the last two weeks sneering at the justified doubts people like me have been raising over our prospects under AVB, and now the same sneerers are wetting their pants with excitement over ONE win, over the mighty Reading. Another couple of straight wins, and the AVB doubters and AVB lovers will be all square, and we can start a realistic appraisal of what kind of season we're in for.
"The desperation/relief in AVB's celebrations were frankly embarrassing. This was Reading and he was celebrating the goals like we'd won a cup final." _ WakeupLevy.
What's wrong with the manager celebrating a deserved goals from the team!? He didn't celebrate on the first goal if that makes you feel any better you self righteous jerk. I enjoyed seeing passion from the manager. The post match interview showed that this win meant something to him and not about the media. We know that we should be undefeated right now if not for stupid defensive errors in the previous games. I'm sure if we hadn't won this game, you'd be the first one that slates Villas Boas for not getting 3pts.
"Really like Dembele, i cant recall the last cm we had who could beat players so easily." - Norfuck Yid.
Erm... Modric?
@ cheshunt boy: no one's wetting their pants, it's just that you have nothing to whinge about.
Norfuck yid, I guess you've never seen Modric play then. He not only beat people easily, he made it LOOK so easy as well.
Sandro & Dembele showed us great promise in the engine room, - with Parker on the mend, - we are looking solid in C-Midfield!
There was a nice flow and energy to our play, - the whole team infact, showed determination and gritt. Also there is NO,... it was only Reading; every game in The Premier Leaque, - will be difficult !
Work in progress !
Keep The Faith/ COYS!
I think AVB's intent in bringing THudd on was offensive rather than defensive. THudd is (or was) a creative midfielder who could disembowel a defense with long accurate passes. He's no more than average in defense and is a liability for pace. So give AVB some credit. He saw that we were stalling-out on the attack and Siggy had gone flat, so he did something about it! If we can get the Thudd back as he once was, we'll have more options in the midfield. And if he scores...maybe he'll get rid of the Huddfro...
COYS
A win is a win. But the standard of the opposition has to be taken into account. Reading, just promoted, hadn't played for a month but were still able to have us hanging on in the first 10 - 15 mins of the second half. Then for the third game in a row we conceded late on. Reading was not a true test, that will come later on when we start against the bigger clubs. After the home draws against WBA & Norwich I still see the glass as half empty rather than half full.
beat lazio and the press will build high expectations for the europa league only to smack us on the head the minute we falter...
I love it that AVB celebrates the way I feel when we score. But watch Ivan Lendl - impassive whether Andy Murray is winning or losing. He is impassive for a reason - I'm guessing he doesn't want to add to the pressure on Andy when it's going badly, nor have him lose focus when it's going well. I can't do that myself. No hope. Too nakedly emotional. But sometimes I wish I could - especially at work! And this is AVB's work. So while I don't want to go back to Harry's shoulder shrug, I hope AVB's expressiveness works for the 11 on the pitch and not just the One in the dugout.
Just got around to reading the blog///
Spooky, spot on as usual, and not having won much since March, I too were celebrating like AVB.
Vert/King I know where you're coming from....two players that when on the ball, your heart does a Ctrl-Alt-Del
back to relaxation. Masters of the game.
Just one thing, I'd like to cheer Kyle Naughton for easing my shock of not seeing Benny starting.
Well done my son.......
Should VB be showing so much overt passion against such lowly opposition? Hell yeah! Something truly amazin happened on Sunday; I smiled.
Say it ain't so, Wiskers!
@4Mullery
Re. an alleged lack of passion in the last 2-3 years.. I'm sorry, but that's just a bunch of revisionist BS!
Players who don't feel loved or appreciated don't finish 4th-5th-4th, nor would they make it to the Champions League QF.
People can say whatever they want about Redknapp's tactical acumen, or (alleged) lack thereof, but to assert that he lacked simple man-management and motivational skills is ludicrous. What is the 'run around a bit' HR caricature based on, if not the simple (some might say unsophisticated) prioritisation of enthusiasm and enjoyment over tactics?
Comparing goal-celebrations, and basing one's summation of a one manager's apparent ability and another's inability on those celebrations, is just silly. The shaman of yesteryear, forecasting the future based on animal entrails, is the comparison that immediately comes to mind.
Knee-jerk and jumping at shadows goes both ways- the past few seasons were a very successful period in the history of THFC. To seek to mislabel this recent history as some kind of perpetually chaotic crisis is ultimately self-defeating- these were good times, and they were ours. Please don't seek to steal them away from our collective memory.
@SonofSkeletor..............'the past few seasons were a very successful period in the history of THFC'..............
Pardon me, what did we actually WIN?
I think I saw 'the system' at work. I'm sure I saw it. I think I liked it. Or was it 'the project'? Doesn't matter. I liked that too!
What a relief! I'd forgotten what it felt like to read one of Spooky's reports on a match we'd actually won. I'd forgotten how much brighter Monday morning is with the glow of 3 points. I'd forgotten what it felt like to go into work wanting to talk about football, and wanting to stare at the league table for a while, thinking about catching the bastards . . . a win on Sunday, and with Arse away at . . . OK, let's not get carried away just yet.
ps @fillar, "Ctrl-Alt-Del back to relaxation". Help me out here. What the hell does that mean?
I for one am unashamedly wetting my pants following a win over the `mighty Reading`. That`s because I`m a Tottenham fanatic and my team won 3-1 away from home.
Second away win this year in case anyone missed that fact.
20 attempts on goal away in the prem, maybe some people missed that.
Or maybe they didn`t because the general absence of the boo boys on here is deafening. I know you`re reading, even if you`re not posting. Are you really goimg to hold your piece until we lose again?
At least last season the `arry `aters WANTED the team to win.
COYAVBS!!!!
@moe, tell it like it is.....COYS
Talking points of the week.
Champions League = Europa League. Its all Europe innit.
Forget the Premier LEague. Be gone with all this Redknapp talk of the title and the top 4.
Plus the Thursday night Smurf Cup is cheaper and winnable.
Do not mention that next round we play The Nolan Sisters then the Swedish Chefs from The Muppet Show as this may imply that Levy has gone for the lazy, easy, small guy option.
Just focus on Europe, that is all that counts, this time next year we could be defending the Smurf Cup against the mighty giants of part time EU football. Its what Bill Nick would have wanted.
@The Moussiah
On early versions of Windows (which locked up a lot) pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del simultaneously twice would reset the computer.
Sorry mate, showing my age....I'll keep it to English in future
Vertonghen on the ball reduces my pulse rate.......effortless decision making and movement, total command of mind and body..
COYS
@Paul - if redkrapp had not fcuked up then we`d be in CL and he would still be in a job.
The message coming out is this is the competition we`re in let`s try to win it.
Plus looking forward let`s get the players used to the European routine rather than being caught cold should we qualify for CL.
Alternatively, if you feel the be all and end all is really to qualify for the Champions League without the slightest aspiration of actually doing so as champions.......there`s this other mob down the road who wear sickly red.
AVB is right. Europa is something to get excited about. Look who's in it, this year: Us, Nazio, Napoli, Marseilles, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Newcastle, Atletico Madrid, Inter, and some crap team from the north west of England ... Gimme Thursday night!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2205543/Europa-League-preview-Is-really-bad.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
...........`and some crap team from the north west of England` HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Poetry.
Bang on though, it`s a strong comp this year and the players will benefit from the experience of playing some of those mentioned giants.
Winning made me smile not beleive....
Years ago my daughter sat me down in a coffee shop and broke the news that she'd met SOMEONE! Realising there was a situation developing I lent back into my chair, all nonchalant like, and took a large mouthful of coffee. 'His name's Charlie dad and he supports Arsenal'. Most humans have a gallbladder which contains 50ml of yellow bile, which is used by the body to reject poisons from the stomach. My body is different. It uses the word Arsenal. This my daughter knew, as tiny cylindrical balls of coffee burst onto the scene! After receiving intensive counselling (droning wife) the day finally arrived. The first time I met Charlie I was expecting him to be wearing an Arsenal shirt, and sporting a cannon tattoo on his neck and, for some reason, I pictured him with a cleft lip. He had neither. Nevertheless I mistrusted him as the distinct taste of bile popped into my mouth.
> 1st date - Charlie cancels (caught up at work) daughter becomes Jaffa Cake life form.
> 2nd date - Charlie cancels (breakdown/car) daughter gibbers her way through a bottle of Merlot.
> 3rd date - Charlie cancels (Norovirus) daughter shaves head and can be heard in her bedroom talking like Gollum to Samaritains.
> 4 date - Charlie steps out of a limo 20mins early carrying a bottle of champagne for yours truly and chocolates for the wife. daughter happier than a lunatic with machete. Champagne on ice. Order restored, but for how long?
More about Charlie later.
I suspect that those yids who have not posted since our oxygen mask was replaced on Sunday are of similar mindset to my own! No one wants their club to suffer just to be proved right and I'm sure all yids concerned - were smiling on Monday morning, but for how long? Our 5th date is upon us and I dont know about you but I'm pacing the fcuk up and down nervously staring at the phone.
#redknappwouldvebeensackedevenifhegot3rdspotsuprisedyoudidntknowthisfact
@4Mullery
What did we win?..
A Champions League spot. Respect. Fans.
You'll have to forgive my not wanting to trade that lot for Juande Ramos' League Cup.
@Wisky Tom. First and most importantly Charlie was clearly no proper gooner if he didn`t have a cleft lip or other obvious impediment.
I think most are realistic enough to see that a fine win against Reading isn`t the signal for mass celebrations, rather some of us prefer to bask in the warmth of a win until the game kicks off tonight at which point normal nail gnawing, forehead slapping, wife snapping order will be restored.
Regarding your bottom line - that remains hypothetical, no value in arguing the point, so I will amend my line to `if redkrapp hadn`t fcuked up we would be in CL`.
From posts and lack of them on here though, I do remain convinced that some fans are prepared to have their nose cut off to spite their face in order to be proved right about AVB.
And I don`t understand this trend of some fans slating the EL. It is the comp that we qualified for, therefore it`s the standard we are at (albeit for that cruel - but avoidable twist). Why do some fans presume we are a CL club and the EL is beneath us?
We have not earned the grounds to assume a god given right to anything.
I`m off for a pint of bile to acidify my tongue so that I can lash the missus with it if things go wrong tonight.
@Son Of Skeletor.........Not wishing to appear to want the last word, but I got genuinly excited listening
to Spurs deservedly beat Chelski in that final. It's a trophy and I would take that over reaching the Champions
League quarter final every time, though I accept that I may be in a minority here. When the list of achievements
of T.H.F.C. are listed in the history file, reaching the last 8 of the C.L. will not rate a mention.
@4Mullery - my thoughts exactly. For Tottenham and Chelski fans that final propelled the League cup to a different level, if for one year only.
And the fact that we hadn`t beaten them for a million years or so made it much sweeter than our boys being hammered in a quarter final by the men of Madrid.
Maybe SonofSkeletor hit the nail on the head in his earlier post. Maybe it`s the johnny come latleys who started following Spurs when we qualified for CL under redkrapp who are so deluded as to think that we have a natural right to qualify and are good enough to compete in it.
Fcuk history
History tells us Rome wasn't built in a day, that's because the Romans were more interested in killing everything in arms reach! The didn't give a fuck how long it took to build. They left that to us! Can you imagine a 'Dear Mr Caesar' blog, with centurions tapping furiously on their iscrools.....nah. They just got on with general murder, for murder sake! They even murdered animals. At one point running out of lions and so rounded up families of mice...
I don't care about the yids in the future, I care about the yids of now.....and I know this! Qualifying and playing in Champions Leauge was the best I feeling of my little-yid-life, so let's not pretend otherwise. It was the biggest achievement of recent years, apart from King playing without knees.
Fcuk it.
If we lose against OPR I'm rounding up mice.....
Yes it was a good feeling to qualify for CL.
But not the best of my life, no.
We are in danger of adopting the Arsenal ethos here. Win nothing, qualify for CL, get through group stages. Their board consider that consistant success, it keeps the ship afloat.
For my money they are the most stagnant club in the land. No obvious desire to win anything, moving neither up nor down the league table. Makes me wonder what is the point of Arsenal?
Don`t take my word for it, consider the list of talent that has left them citing lack of ambition despite regular CL football.
I`ll take CL qualification if it`s an obvious step towards real progression, but not to sneak in the back door year after year with no real hope of winning the thing.
But the thing is - we aint in it so let`s have a go at the EL.
MOE.
Stop already. God, your like my mum, always there, peering through the windows armed to the teeth warm soup, freashly baked apple pie, social workers and the odd police officer or two.... leaf me bee i aint hurting noomne....But before you go, what was the best, and have you got any pie?
Mate, first time I`ve stalked you in a long time.
Best was you burning your lips on the plasma kissing AVB as he celebrated the third goal.
Made some of that pork pie with egg in the middle that you love. I`ll leave some under the lavender bush.