It's time the cockerel sharpened its spur

Everton 1 Tottenham 0

If the Woolwich game was a choke and the Utd game a clinical mugging, Saturday evenings defeat at Goodison Park was...a disappointment. Three successive defeats, a taste we've not acquired since the hedonistic days of Juande Ramos. I'm not about to knee-jerk. Not yet. Even if the three defeats are the result of our form degrading since the new year. That gap of points we had? That's proved to be a safety net. A buffer. Once its gone there is no margin for error. Fall and it won't be pretty. Unless we end up falling on top of others who aspire to get ahead of us.

The science is simple. Stoke in our next league match where we truly find out whether our balls are the size of grape-fruits or nothing more than shrivelled grapes. If the slide persists it will fuel the belief in others whilst distinguishing our own. An exceptional season turns to disaster. From humble beginnings ("we'll do well to battle hard for 4th") to giddy heights ("we're contending at the top") this was all our own doing. Much like the unravelling is our undoing at this present moment.

For the sake of positivity (I'll hazard a guess this is one commodity that is currently lost in in the depths of our thoughts consumed by its arch nemesis) we are still masters of our own destiny. We have not been punching above our weight. Other rival clubs have not suddenly reclaimed past form. We haven't had a blip all season long whereas others have had several. We've had all of ours in three successive league games. That gap was an illusion of circumstance.

The panic button is present in the same room that we stand in but our finger is not hovering above it even though we are staring directly at it. It's crossed our mind to run across to it and thump it with anger. That's the easy way out. We all know, Tottenham never takes the easy way. It's always, unequivocally the hard way. We're apologetic at the moment. From manager to players, there is no mental strength and assured focus. No responsibility. There has to be more than hollow excuses about it being one of those days. Sure, one of those days one week but three times in succession?

It wouldn't be entertaining if we navigated our most crucial period of the season with skilled professionalism, digging deep to retain some reminisce of momentum. Using the same pragmatism that our rivals are proclaiming, from inconsistent under achievement to tenacious spirit, there is nothing to suggest we can't turn this around. The same way its been turned around by those that have spent the season chasing and falling. We've spent the majority of the season looking forwards not back. As perplexing as it all is at the moment, this is not a self-fulfilling prophecy tinged with expected failure. It's not a throwback to that side we once knew, lacking spine, bones brittle like crisps. What we are is dangerously close to reflecting that persona. The difference is we all know what we are capable of when we fire on all cylinders. That's our real persona. Even if its not one that is seasoned in close season pressure chasing a top spot (whereas both Woolwich and Chelsea have experience in doing so). It's still one capable of achievement.

Confidence can be drained out of you but it can also be won back. Just takes one game. How can I as a supporter give up on that one game when that game has yet to be played? That game has to be the next one (Stoke) by virtue of losing this one (Everton) and the one before. After that, if we're in the same predicament, I'll start walking slowly towards the panic button expecting the inevitable self-destruct.

We are out of form. Individually and as a collective. Tactically a mess. The irony? The game looked like a 0-0. Could have so easily been a 0-0. Could have also seen us win it (based on 2nd half). Moyes men, unattractive and defensive. Spurs misfiring all of the pitch. A mistake leading to the goal that would give the points to the hosts. Could have been, wasn't, was 1-0 to them.

How? Why?

"How to lose games and influence people to start calling you limited now that we're not winning" by Harry Redknapp.

• Don't play the best formation based on the players available
• Don't start players in their strongest positions, including your two best players
• Stick Bale on the right (lose the chance for genuine width and dynamism)
• Stick Modric on the left (lose creativity and guile)
• Start a striker based on recent form, but add him to the line-up to accompany your other striker instead of dropping him to have just the one up front. Probably because deep down you know that having Defoe up front on his own will be detrimental to that particular system, but you start him anyway
• 442 doesn't work so persist with it
• This in turn will leave the midfield outfought due to being pressed/out numbered by the oppositions midfield with lack of drop-back by forwards to support

It was a bit like that island out of Lost. Strange happenings all the time with no explanation and you never quite work out what's going on. If you took a step back from it all, as bad (in comparison to good) as we appear to be playing - it's still not catastrophic. No big explosion. We just need a slice of time travel and a chorus of a grand old team to put this right.

The goal was a gift (more so than a mistake), Kaboul completely falling asleep after leaving his position to then lapse again and allowing Osman to square the ball to Jelavic to score. We continued to struggle with retaining the ball, our passing lacked fluidity. No inspiration, no perspiration. No mojo. No luck.

Why does the simple ethos of playing your best players in their best positions and not accommodating anyone who doesn't fit in not cry out for the attention it deserves?

Modric was heavily marked and unproductive out on the left. A position that is not unlike imprisonment. Bale equally ineffectual until he shifted across to the left for the last 10 minutes. Our set pieces personified our performance. Erratic and without intelligence and direction.

If we were not so limp up front we could have still carved something out of the game. In the second half, we almost did.

No immediate changes to the side but the tempo was more driven and there was urgency. Nothing special and most definitely deflated in comparison to our more bullish performances from our sparklingly back catalogue before the implosion (although arguably we have actually degraded away from home over a longer period of time if you wish to recategorise certain below par wins away from home from 'dogged' to fit into our current demoralised state of mind).

Saha replaced Adebayor. For all of the time Defoe spent in offside positions he was far more alert and more likely to craft a chance than his team mate although he remains completely selfish and suffers from lack of spacial awareness when it comes to understanding his team mates and their movement. Our set pieces continued to degrade further (so many levels of bad are conquered here). Chances presented themselves but were dismissed with disguised disdain like a heavily knitted cardigan given to you by granny at Christmas.

The flanks remained broken. If Karl Marx played for us, he'd be stuck out on the right. The gaffer would probably tell us nobody would expect him to be there, he'd say its "a bit left field" to do that and that's why it might work but it's not really left field, is it? It's right. But not actually the right thing to do because he's left.

Confused?

Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur tactics 101.

Was Bale on the right because of what Everton had achieved against us and more specifically him,  nullifying Gareth forcing him onto the right to escape their attention in a prior encounter? Why not simply play to our strengths than concern ourselves with what Everton might be able to do? Square pegs, round holes. 

I've mentioned that the second half was far superior to the first half showing. It was. Everton continued to be reactive to us pushing forward, the home crowd no doubt saving their voice for the derby rather than waste it on the cockneys. Bale dived (because it's what he has to do from time to time - I'll blog about this separately but some of you really have to start supporting the player and stop constantly hating on him). Saha hit the woodwork. Another (genuine) highlight of the second half was the introduction of van der Vaart. Even though at times I couldn't quite work out where he was meant to be playing. Still, next time you (some of you, not all of you) complain about the luxury of the Dutchman, try changing your straitjacket to something a little tighter. Extra padding to your cell might also help you out with the banging of head on wall. In our blatant hour of need, we need our talisman out there because someone has to take the responsibility to drag us up from the floor.

Did we 'batter them' in that half? Yeah, sort of. Like I said earlier, we could have carved something out. Alas, there was no structure or style to our endeavours. Throwing everything at the Everton goal with no patient build up or plan. Don't pretend you didn't see it playing out like this when the line-up was announced. We appear to be accepting defeat rather than utterly despising it. It's all very much fragmented.

So what now?

Another cup game punctures the fixture list before we face Stoke. Two successive home games before we go to Chelsea which will allow players and supporters to unite as one again. Two games which need to be used as a catalyst. As a club we need to embrace the challenge ahead without the anxiety we've displayed in recent games and to do that we have to be at full strength. One hymn sheet, countless choruses of Glory.

If we believed the hype when we played and won games consistently then we can so easily believe the hype that tells us we've bottled it. That's the danger. This is where we need to grow a pair. At some point soon there wont be enough games left on the calender for us to rally the troops and spit out battle cries with myself thumping the keyboard manically demanding swashbuckle. Winning ways need to be reclaimed. I'd say any which way possible but I know this side is capable of winning with swagger. Whilst said swagger is MIA, any which way possible is a good place to start.

As bad as things seem at the moment, it will only take a couple of results to change everyone's perspective again. Next two are pivotal. The ones that follow might be a blessing.

So grape-fruit or grape? Get a grip of it Spurs. That includes you Harry. That includes every single one of you wearing the shirt. Every single one of you singing for the shirt. Do or die or dare. Shouldn't that be inspiration enough?

Stand up, be brave.

It's time the cockerel sharpened its spur.

Please tell me you didn't say that?

Match report to follow this Sunday evening.

For now, be entertained by some delightful gems from the match preview. Enjoy.

Another game live on the box. The potential for more televised heartache and heartbreak. A trilogy of defeats would turn a blip into a psychological mess. A good team doesn't turn to mush over night. But a good team can suffer if they begin to believe that the Gods are turning against them.

Moyes men are a unit that are fully aware of their strengths and weakness and play to contain and frustrate.

Don't let them dictate the games pace, look to take advantage of it. Whether that's a defence splitting pass or disguised ball or a counter-attack. We've got so much creativity and vision, it's enough to make you blush. Blush when we put it to good use, blush when we fail to use it at all.

We've let ourselves down by losing some of that cohesiveness that played such a pivotal role in our long standing run of good form. We must defend set pieces better. Play our possession football. Just keep it simple Tottenham, embrace the back to basics mantra. It doesn't have to be over complicated. Strongest players in their strongest positions. Player instructions are key and it's an area where most (watching and micro-analysing) start screaming for Bale to remain wide and why hasn't he been instructed to do so and so on. Vital that we look the team and play like a unit. That starts with the gaffer. It leads with the captain. An executed by the players.

Personally, I'd have Adebayor upfront (he might not be as sharp as Defoe at the moment but he's a far superior team player) with a trio consisting of Bale, Modric and van der Vaart with Sandro and Parker holding behind them. Parker fetches and carries. Modric recycles. If van der Vaart journeys inwards then Sandro builds a wall behind him. Same with Bale. Ideally our left winger will stretch Everton by dragging players out to the flank meaning more opportunities to dink the ball through the middle, something Luka will relish. Player instructions simply need to outline player responsibilities, covering and protecting each other. I'm the king of the obvious.

I'll be content with us playing rubbish and winning 1-0 with a deflected goal in our only attack in the game.

Mental strength.

Should have just posted the match preview in full, so much comedy to be had.

Chin up.

Dear everyone. Zip it up. Don't mention 'you know what'.

Morning.

Some bits I missed yesterday.

The FA Letter

The Football Association have sent out letters to all of its managers asking them not to talk about the vacant England job meaning the journalists will have to ask relevant questions regarding team selections instead of citing Harry Redknapp every five seconds. Considering how its only ever Harry Redknapp's name that gets mentioned when the England job is spoken about, I get the distinctive feeling that a certain bald headed spectacled chairman has had a quiet word on the side with the big wigs at Soho Square and asked them to do him (and us) a favour. What with the inevitable on the cards in the summer. So on that bombshell, it's time for all of us to shut up shop and ignore it all until the season ends when it can restart with fireworks and hefty soundbites.

Redknapp and Levy

As if bloggers can be gagged (unless its a Thursday evening and I've paid Madam Majestic a grand to tie me up). Let's chat England job. Redknapp telling us that the chairman wants him to stay but no offer has been made yet (Harry not received a letter? No? Lost in the post?). No summer transfer war chest has been confirmed either. No bombshell here. Would be far easier to retain the manager, not rock the boat. At the same time, an upgrade will hardly be scoffed up if Harry forces our hand. A nice comfortable handover of a side that's taken 3rd place and the FA Cup would smooth things over nicely for the next man in charge.

Saha and the Gentleman's agreement

I love this one. Apparently Harry (he gets everywhere) and David Moyes agreed that when we played Everton, Saha would not make an appearance, not unless we were down to the bare bones.

"Harry told me if he is short of players he will play but if he is not he might not use him." - Moyes

Probably something that should not have been shared in public considering there is no legally binding contract (it's a gentleman's agreement, right?) and isn't permitted. This was upped and then removed from the Everton website when cited there.  If we start with two up front, expect him (Saha) to come off the bench. If we start with one up front, then Moyes will wont be nodding his head disparagingly with rolled up fist shaking towards Redknapp about something that wasn't even scribbled down and signed on a napkin.

Everton v Spurs match preview here.

Mental

Another game live on the box. The potential for more televised heartache and heartbreak. A trilogy of defeats would turn a blip into a psychological mess. A good team doesn't turn to mush over night. But a good team can suffer if they begin to believe that the Gods are turning against them. The first defeat was a capitulation and deserved. The second we played well but naivety and incompetence buried us under a three goal mugging. Everton away is hardly the best place to go to seeking redemption but is probably the best game for redemption to be found. What better way to brush off the negatives and reboot the faith required to get us up off the floor and fighting again.

Moyes men are a unit that are fully aware of their strengths and weakness and play to contain and frustrate. They will be physical and tactically astute (our fullbacks have been made to suffer in the past). There is no disputing that any weakness we plan to mistakenly flaunt because we're too busy losing discipline or lacking in patience will be jumped on and duly punished.

That's not to say we can't give them something to worry about. Everton are hardly made of the sexy stuff. And if we compare quality, flair and trickery pound for pound we have it in abundance so we need to be ruthless when applying it. If they defend deep then we must hold onto the ball. Don't let them dictate the games pace, look to take advantage of it. Whether that's a defence splitting pass or disguised ball or a counter-attack. We've got so much creativity and vision, it's enough to make you blush. Blush when we put it to good use, blush when we fail to use it at all.

We've let ourselves down by losing some of that cohesiveness that played such a pivotal role in our long standing run of good form. We must defend set pieces better. Play our possession football. Just keep it simple Tottenham, embrace the back to basics mantra. It doesn't have to be over complicated. Strongest players in their strongest positions. Player instructions are key and it's an area where most (watching and micro-analysing) start screaming for Bale to remain wide and why hasn't he been instructed to do so and so on. Vital that we look the team and play like a unit. That starts with the gaffer. It leads with the captain. An executed by the players.

Personally, I'd have Adebayor upfront (he might not be as sharp as Defoe at the moment but he's a far superior team player) with a trio consisting of Bale, Modric and van der Vaart with Sandro and Parker holding behind them. Parker fetches and carries. Modric recycles. If van der Vaart journeys inwards then Sandro builds a wall behind him. Same with Bale. Ideally our left winger will stretch Everton by dragging players out to the flank meaning more opportunities to dink the ball through the middle, something Luka will relish. Player instructions simply need to outline player responsibilities, covering and protecting each other. I'm the king of the obvious. Harry will probably go with 442, we'll win 3-0 and I won't post tactical musings again.

I've always gone with some wild prediction in recent weeks with my preview that we'll re-invent push and run and demolish our opponents because we have to reclaim authority and grasp destiny back from the clutches of evil and other colourful metaphors concerning war and pride and desire. I'll be content with us playing rubbish and winning 1-0 with a deflected goal in our only attack in the game. I'd prefer the former to the latter but a win this Saturday, that's the most important thing and I'm happy to contradict my usual necessity to play the Tottenham Way. There's no doubt every time we run out onto the pitch we attempt to play the Tottenham Way. It just doesn't always happen. And if it doesn't happen then nick it, steal it, mug it off. Just like Utd did to us. It's what the big teams do, right? We've had our fair share of average performances this season, games where we've come away with all the points (Fulham away anyone?) so we have more than just the one dimension to our play.

We need to prove it.

We asked for a good reaction to the NLD loss and in some cruel twisted way got it (in part) but had nothing to show for it. Forget style for the moment, let's take the substance of three meaty points on the table. Then that blip doesn't turn into a crisis of confidence which can spread like the plague. It stalls the pressure. The pressure from others but more importantly the pressure from within. That pressure then turns back into belief and onwards we march.

Not taking enough points off the other big sides will only prove costly if we don't wake the **** up and take them off the remaining teams.

Mental strength.

COYS

Pinch yourself

Spurs 2 Everton 0

This is getting ridiculous now. Another win. Another clean sheet. Third in the table, level on points with second. Might even go ‘level top’ momentarily over the weekend if we beat Wolves. It’s all very giddy and nosebleedy. Should I pinch myself? Should we pinch ourselves? Have you pinched yourself? No? Neither have I. Because I know I’m not dreaming. We deserve this. We have to keep believing there’s more. What I might have to do at some point (soon) is take a step back and try to take it all in. Really appreciate what we have and what we are aspiring to do. Because in a sort of funny kinda ironic way, most of us are remaining quite grounded over our form. No delusions. No set in stone ambitions either. Let’s face it, start of season we’d have taken fourth spot. Most pundits/media folk would have had us pinned down as outsiders, 5^th at best. After the opening two games there were plenty writing off our chances. Concerned that the loss of form from the back end of the previous season was going to continue into this one.

It didn’t. We signed the players we needed to shape ourselves up in order to compete. Since the Manc nightmares we’ve lost only once. We’ve accumulated a points tally that would easily have us challenging for the title in previous years and one that has us in there at the moment, sticking around, just to see what happens. You know, just in case one of the more fancied sides balls it up. When we’ve had players out injured, we’ve dug deep and found a way to adapt. Proving that although key injuries would unsettle us and perhaps cause us long term difficulties – we have still found a way through the fixtures. We did exactly what we had to do through Christmas and the New Year and it’s looking good to finish Jan in similar high spirits as we enter Feb and the ‘doom and gloom’ of the away games we’ll be contesting. A period which is where most expect us to fall away. Mostly based on the fact we shouldn’t be sitting in 3^rd spot. We’re far more robust for these fixtures than some give us credit for.

The guile and grit is ever present. Tactically, we’re sound. Players are impressing. Jake Livermore (sure, it was only Everton but he still has to go out there and perform) played with maturity and composure and looked the part in centre-midfield, tidying up and not scared to get involved and carry the ball forward. Had a pass completion rate of just under 99%. 

Rafa van de Vaart continues to excel, work rate and sublime cross-field passing – he can do both. Michael Dawson returned, action-packed, willing to hurt his body to win the ball, the big huggable lump. Our full backs are pulsating. The unbridled joy of Benny’s goal and celebration testament to team unity. What a peach of a goal. Not forgetting Lennon, back in the side giving us complete width and thus comfort in playing the way we know best. Even though we didn’t defeat the visitors with flair on the night. More so tenacity and focus. We controlled it. This fabled game in hand that we’ve been embracing for so long as the one that can edge us further ahead from the chasing pack and ever closer to the top. We didn’t trip over. We skipped, with smiles.

Yet we could still strengthen further, preferably with young hungry players rather than looking to bring back a memory. But then we’re not in need for such a thing to anchor onto the past in the attempt to get some ilk of stranglehold on the present. Mainly because we don’t have anyone to call back (can’t seem to track down Andy Booth). And more so because we don’t have to look back, just forward. Nothing can be done about what’s happened, what’s gone before. It’s not relevant.

Spurs are still evolving. Which probably explains why I’m not gloating/dancing naked in the street at our lofty position. I’m simply enjoying our football and the players we have. We’re always told we won’t do this and we won’t do that, and whilst they waste their energy on attempting to box us back up...we’ve just kept on going. Football cycles always come to an end, so the death of the immaculate untouchable Sky Sports Top Four has given hope where there was no hope before. Where as you could argue we were punching above our weight in 2006 (because others faltered a little), you can’t say so with the class of 2012.

I’m not even thinking about the title. I refuse to look into her sultry eyes and be seduced. Not until she flashes her panties at me and invites me into her hotel bedroom. I just want us to keep on winning, to keep on believing. The buzz I get from this seasons form is more than enough to very gently alter the way I support Spurs. I’m far less stressed now. I don’t fear defeat, I hate the very mention of it. I don’t expect us to lose games. I don’t expect us to choke or bottle it. I know we can muddle our way through a sticky situation or ride our luck and even brush aside opposing sides and win comfortably. We grind it, we style it. Old school Tottenham, the one we’ve grown up with...the one that can be majestic and beautiful one day and absolutely abject the next. It doesn’t exist anymore. We’re just haunted by a memory, the memory of a fading knee—jerk. An expectancy of failure from the days when our form guide was populated with ‘D’ and ‘L’, punctured by the odd ‘W’. When we do come unstuck, it’s because...it happens. It happens to the best of teams. I know we’ll react positively to it. Because the club’s mentality has been fine tuned to start resembling one that can be synonymous with those of winners.

Momentum, a consequence of wanting more than a win in isolation but the necessity to make every win part of something far bigger.

It’s not happened overnight either. Started with Jol. We learnt lessons with how Ramos came to be and came to leave. Redknapp got us back to a respectable position that the squad of players should have been achieving based on their abilities. Then we took it up a notch. We finished 4^th. We had our adventure. It wasn’t enough, it’s not enough to be remembered for a cameo. We came unstuck last season, we added to our squad this term...and whilst we continue to push on, others stagnate.

I don’t pinch myself because we’ve taken a step at a time to get where we are. It’s been a process, a progression. But it still remains just a platform, a foundation. We’ve got such a good solid chance to make it so much more than that. But if I did take a step back and try to take it all in, I probably would turn melter and go loopy over the fact that we’re contending. I have to go back to ’87 for the last time we looked ‘the part’.

Maybe I’ve got it all wrong, being reserved and holding back. I always cite ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’ because that’s what we do. In the past, when perpetually mid-table we still supported our club like it was the best club on the planet. Why? Because it is the best. Even during some of the most depressive periods with some God awful players lining up for us, we still sang our hearts out. Should not be any different now. Especially with what we’ve got wearing our Lilywhite colours.

There should be no pressure on us. We shouldn’t spend our time in the stands biting our nails. Which should dare to achieve because there’s no glory in simply aiming for something that isn’t first place. Because anything that isn’t first place can’t be the most glorious of things to aim for.

Go on then, pinch yourself.

So believe. Believe until it’s mathematically impossible. Otherwise, you’re only living your life at half-pelt.

COYS.

Toffees make toast of Tottenham...burnt toast with Marmite on it

Everton 2 Spurs 1

Losing. Don't much like it.

So, I guess that’s what you call a blip, right? At least I’m hoping it’s a blip. We look tired out there, right? Or is that not a valid enough excuse? Having said that, I did say in my match preview that I hoped we didn’t tinker too much with selection. You sort of half wished we did in hindsight, but then again looking at the way Niko Kranjčar performed when he came on for Bale you just have to accept that the tank was empty and playing 'the reserves' might not have made much difference.

Credit to Everton for having a go. Although don't whisper that to Bale who was kicked all over the shop. If they had a decent forward they’d have been comfortable. Then again had Crouch timed his run (by basically turning around and walking into an onside position, then turning around to face the goal, then walking forwards) he’d have latched on and scored a legitimate goal just before the break. And had the ball not got stuck under vdV's foot he might have also smashed it home. And if my auntie had...blah.

The opener for the Toffees, decent shot, but just seemed a cheap and easy way to go one – nil down. Hadn't even finished making my cup of tea and we're 1-0 down. Ominous start, broken up with some wonderful Modric play and Crouch yet again assisting for vdV (6 assists for 11 of his goals apparently, but let's not shout about it because it's not really enough). Second half was a mess of nothingness. Everton going all Catalan, Seamus Coleman (quality little player) with a headed goal for the points. Bale off with an injury prior to that. Ah, what can I say? It was frustrating.

Its ironic how all my pre-match comments have come back to bite and mock me as I sit in the corner shaking uncontrollably, slowly moving back and forth.

"You can't always play well. Secret is to still win when you don't"

"We are still susceptible to those blips thanks mainly to some inconsistency to the back-line and the lack of obvious stone cold conviction up front"

"Because statistics aside, pound for pound, we should be containing and beating them"

"Although it's not an imperative end of days must win, it's most defiantly an opportunity to continue with the momentum, when you consider that other clubs might drop points this evening"

"I'll take another three points. Swagger or no swagger. If it's good enough for United, it's good enough for me"

Ho hum. Could have done with some swagger afterall.

Yes, we are a snarling elegant beast, but on Wednesday night, one with a thorn in our paw. I know Harry will get some stick for not changing it. Perhaps Wilson on to break up play, aid with possessions percentages to allow more time on the ball for Luka. Midfield was weak in mind and heart. Went pear-shaped at the end with the non-existent width. Even Keane came on for probably his last ever game. Can we just forget everything that happened after his Liverpool move and just remember all that happened before? A nod, in his direction, for the goals he scored for the club. Good luck Keano. He'll probably score against us but not celebrate. The rascal.

In addition, at times, defending looked like we were up against Neo in The Matrix. And BAE needs to lose the afro. OptaJoe might be able to confirm - have we won any games when his hair has not been braided? Having said that, Hansen was still ridiculously harsh on Match of the Day, critical of Benoit to the point of the left-back getting his own footage of flatulence as we witnessed highlights of his below par performance. He played poorly. It happens. Do all the other games not count then? Or just the ones Hansen watches and deems him as being useless?

Moving on again...

The loss, this wasn’t down to complacency. Wasn’t even an awful performance, abject and deserving of rotten fruit. It was lacklustre. Don’t fret mind, this isn’t ‘typical Tottenham throwing away another chance’. This was tired Tottenham with perhaps a tad too much naivety in the way we shaped up tactically. On full pelt, going to Goodison and running at them with acres of space - I’d place a wager on us. On tired legs, bit silly. Everton had far more of the ball and more conviction. They zipped and zinged about the place and you sort of knew how it was all going to end.

Still, one thing we can take out of the game is that once more it illustrated that we can tie ourselves down to the one dimension when the man up top doesn’t tick all the necessary boxes for the ilk of forward we need. Although having said that, fans are split on what exactly that ilk is. Although I’m hoping the only two people that matter are more than aware of what they need to do between now and the closure of the transfer window to resolve the eternal conundrum.

Other thoughts on the game (already sort of touched upon) is the amount of hacking/fouling little Azza and beast Bale are subjected too. Which is to be expected, so no violins. Bale is already attempting to subtly hint to the officials it just ain't fair but remaining on the ground for a bit longer than necessary. Although in the end, he had to limp off. So, I refer you back to something I stated years back. We need to sometimes...oh God, I can't believe I'm going to say this again, but we need to be a bit Roy Keanesque. Not saying we should bark and complain all the time but we need to be smart and canny about how we go about our business - especially when we are jaded and getting battered. Just a thought.

Another thought is that having been complimentary on Jenas in recent weeks (I was not alone on this so shut up) he's only gone and done his usual disappearing man stint. Fit him with a sat nav so we can have some controlled and composed movement and direction in midfield. What's that? Ooh, you are twisting my arm there Mr Parker, stop it, stop it...okay...go on then.

So that's that.

Random facts and bits that were tweeted post match that might make you feel better or more likely ram home that gut wrenching disappointment (having seen City, Arsenal draw – Wolves beat Chelsea) are as follows:

First defeat/nil points since November
No one around us won
Still fourth

That’s basically it. Rest period coming up with the cup game against Charlton, so hopefully we re-energise in time for the small matter of Manchester United visiting us at the Lane. After that we play Newcastle, Blackburn, Bolton, Sunderland, Blackpool and then Arsenal (ignoring CL duties) then Wolves, West Ham, Wigan, Stoke and then Man City.

The dirty dozen. There’s another four games that follow our trip to Eastlands, but I reckon by the time we work through the above, it will be done and dusted.

In our favour. Obviously.

Spooky recommends...All-conquering Englishman spurs his way across Europe

Capital Punishment by Kris Mole - Ebook available here

extract:

Having blagged his way into a Barcelona FC press conference...

"My fantasy interview was cut short by someone entering the room talking on a mobile phone. I turned to see who it was and couldn’t believe my eyes. Xavi, all 5’7” of him (he’s a littl’un) was standing beside me having a chat to someone, probably his girlfriend, telling her he would be home for dinner soon and could she make sure there were a few San Miguels in the fridge. He glanced at me with a look that said,

“Who the **** are you?” and I nodded a greeting his way. He then looked down at the cockerel on my chest and sighed the kind of sigh that I knew meant, “If only they would put in a bid for me. I would love to play for Spurs one day.”

He finished his conversation and left me alone once again."

The snarling elegant beast in need of Carroll...or a ballerina

Being Spurs means you spend an awful lot of time preparing yourself for a fall. Whether it’s a game we are expected to win or the final nervous ten minutes with backs to wall, heroic and clumsy in defending. You bite your nails, chew through your hand and then munch up your arm until your mouth turns and starts eating through your face and head. You get the picture. It's brutal. I'm sure most fans of other clubs experience similar levels of impact that expectations can have on the heart, mind and soul. For us, it's been in our DNA for decades. But alas, no longer. The wonders of genetic engineering, breeding new Lilywhites with traditional flaws eliminated. Not quite perfect, research costs money and takes time. But this hybrid beast is one that does things it wasn't originally born to do in prior incarnations.

It's snarls. It bites. But can still move elegantly.

This is a new age and we are having to, every now and again, give ourselves a steady slap to our own half bitten face. A reminder that things are not quite what they use to be. And that when quirks, hiccups do occur - it's not a complete throw-back of past darkness but rather the type of blips most top tier teams and sides vying to be top tier suffer from by virtue of averages. You can't always play well. Secret is to still win when you don't. And that takes guts and focus, because you can find yourself having to do so often meaning it's easy to self-doubt and allow heads to drop despondently. But if you believe...

Belief is something that comes with winning and is the blood that pumps through the veins as you go from walking to sprinting to running. You can measure all this by how disappointed we are with our failure to beat Chelsea at home (not the best example due to the dramatics of the final ten minutes). But the point being, we win and draw far more than we lose so therefore, we fuel our progression onwards. We don't have the fear in us. And we don't drown in our own giddiness either, thanks to our focus shifting from one game onto the next.

We didn't play stupendously well over the Christmas period. Arguably you could say we've had pockets of pomp across the whole season, never outstanding one game after another. A case of one day we either play with swagger and win or we play with fragmented balance and still win. And on the odd occasion we lose. That extra bit of experience Manchester United (along with having whathisface Ferguson at the helm) sees them undefeated. Growing pains have had us on the receiving end of one or two nil points. As expected. We are still susceptible to those blips thanks mainly to some inconsistency to the backline and the lack of obvious stone cold conviction up front. But we are pushing to better ourselves. All the time. On the up, no argument there.

So having accumulated nine out of nine, what of our next trip?

Everton away, statistically, would have most predict this as a draw or less. Got to place hand on heart and say I will be gutted if we don’t win. Because statistics aside, pound for pound, we should be containing and beating them. With no disrespect meant to the Toffeemen. The way we've played in recent games has seen us display traits that personally say a lot more than a textbook Tottenham dvd performance.

We grind, we fight. Down to ten men twice,  so what? Let's pass the ball like there's twenty of us running around the pitch. And then the pockets of pure scintillating counter-attacking football reminds us all that even at 60% Spurs can produce a 95% moment of devastation that results in three points.

I hope that there is not too much tinkering in terms of squad rotation tonight. Although it's not an imperative end of days must win, it's most defiantly an opportunity to continue with the momentum, when you consider that other clubs might drop points this evening. Also, complacency. We have to respect Everton and not take it all for granted. Obvious statements. Basics.

Which brings me to the conclusion of the article (almost). As we continue to push forwards, avoiding the blips, there is no need for a massive rock of the boat. We're sailing. Just need to fit it with a powerful motor to speed things along. A basic, simple and obvious addition(s) if we want to reach our destination before others.

Running theme this season: consolidation. We have the players to deliver the bullets (Lennon, Bale, vdV, Modric). All we need is the hit-man with the gun ready to pull the trigger. Doesn't have to be anything more than what's required. For the right amount, Carroll would do. What with Dzeko gone to City. But mugging off Newcastle with a bit of money and a couple of players in a swap would probably take some supreme hypnotising from Levy.

Carroll might not exactly be the White Drogba but if you forget about his age and his lack of Prem experience and the way he looks - and close your eyes and imagine him on the pitch running down the centre giving our players a genuine target who can head and smash it in, there is hardly need for over elaboration. Does he work hard? Yes. Does he work the channel with fire in his belly? Yes. Is he a ballerina? Well no. You can't have everything.

The counter argument will obviously be one that he lacks the intelligence of a Benzema or one of the many other continental forwards like Llorente we've been linked with (I wouldn't say no to either of them by the way) and that Modric and van der Vaart and all our intricate play just outside the box would be wasted on him. Although quite how a threaded ball will confuse the big lad, I don't know.

'He's just a tall Jermain Defoe' you might say. 'He's just a more weighty Peter Crouch' you laugh. Any foreign player could always turn out to be just another Pav or Rebrov. And our current batch of forwards are hardly masterminds of movement. We all know Harry likes to keep things…simple. Of course, we also know Spurs at one point wanted (supposedly wanted) Kenwyne Jones. Who is obviously the black Andy Carroll.

We'll see. As long as the chairman and Harry sign players they want or accept wonderful wonderful opportunist gifts like the one Madrid gave us last time round. And as long as we don’t splash money on a player who is not worth the splashing when the splashing soaks you in cold water (in other words, Bent wasn't worth £16M, neither was Bentley and a thank you to Sunderland for pricing us out of Jones at £20M). To spell it out, for the money Newcastle will want, it's probably a non-starter. But it's good to talk.

And regarding Beckham, like I mentioned in a previous blog, he will do well for us for what he can do on the training pitch.

And to finally conclude, regarding Everton away, I'll take another three points. Swagger or no swagger. If it's good enough for United, it's good enough for me.

Wanted: world class striker, abundance of swagger preferable

Spurs 1 Everton 1

We can sit here and debate many things. Had this game been played on Sunday for example, would we have had that extra zing to perhaps force the ball over the line a second time? Still don't quite grasp the reasoning for the 12:45pm Saturday kick-off after Wednesday nights drama in the San Siro. And although it's easy to knee-jerk and point the finger of blame at Sky, we obviously agreed to it and I can't remember reading any Harry complaints via tabloid sound-bites in the build-up to the game. Probably got drowned out in all the Rooney hullabaloo. You might have missed it but Pompey nearly went into liquidation. Just thought I'd share. In case you didn't read about it.

As for the game being played a couple of days after Bale sealed his £20M-£50M (cross out where applicable) via his superb solo display move to Old Trafford all I can say is; oh these gentle delicate modern days where footballers need to be constantly wrapped in cotton wool. In fairness, travelling back from Milan and then preparing for the Prem is never going to be easy, but then bully us for finishing fourth. Re: Bale. He needs a bit of a rest. Make sure he's nice and fresh for his meeting with Fergie in Jan. Because you know, United are now suddenly minted after Alex and Wayne merked the Glazers.

Harry did, if I remember correctly, cite that the players looked fine in training. So no pre-match ready made excuse. All that remained was to see if it translated onto the pitch.

Guess it depends on your own personal expectancy here, what with the need to avoid a Champions League hangover. Which we've managed to do fairly well so far, give or take a result. The game itself wasn't quite hair of the dog, more of hair ball of the cat. We purred a couple of times, but the game got scratchy the deeper it crawled towards full time. And in the end we coughed up just the one point.

Two points dropped, right?

We lined up like so: Gomes, Hutton, Kaboul, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart, Crouch.

vdV and Modric fresh and the latter wearing the captaincy. No Huddlestone and Crouch retained his place top end. Kaboul in at the back. Wilson in the starting line-up thanks to his mum.

We can sit here and debate many things (someone once said). Sure, there was a lack of zing but arguably we had enough about us first half to suggest we could win it. But Everton defended resolutely, scored a peach of an unsaveable free-kick and were good for their point. We are dropping points (when we drop them) thanks to our lack of intensity and top drawer forward. It's not just about getting the ball to the front-man. But more about the front-man creating space and chances. It's sometimes way too much effort but little to show for it in and around the box.

The lack of intensity has been a common issue so far this season. By intensity I'm talking about the way we took City apart in the opening 45 in the first game of the season. We were on it. The fact we didn't score (be it unlucky/be it no thanks to Hart) isn't so much evidence for that lack of a top drawer forward because I think Defoe will be a blessing when he returns. But JD wasn't exactly on fire prior to his injury and since he's been out, we've had to rely on our midfield. But a top drawer forward would change the game.

Nice irony that in the past our midfield hasn't chipped in, and now we have goals coming from that area - our forward(s) are not leading the line with great vengeance and furious anger. Crouch remains much maligned. 4-5-1 also raising eyebrows, but then how else do you fit in the players we have with world-class van der Vaart? Who was fairly quiet on Saturday. But scored regardless, because that's just his thing to do at White Hart Lane. Waiting-for-him-to-turn-world-class Luka who still needs to rediscover his dinking and deep play-making touch. Palacios subbed for Sandro upsetting mum in the stands. And the ref doing his best to kill the game with a rather average (below below average) display.

We were not fluid enough in the end to break Everton down. And it's the king of understatement to state that if we had a forward who had the same irrepressible determination and class of Rafael, we'd be laughing. Laughter of Cuban cigar smoking smugness rather than the type accompanied by the tears of a clown.

Simply put (IMO - feel free to disagree):

- We still haven't got into a cohesive run of swagger
- We are however, picking up the points
- We could regret the points dropped post-Christmas if we fail to change gear soon
- With the return of Defoe (soon) and the possibility of a new (much needed) forward in Jan, this could elevate us to the next level
- Nobody, other than Chelsea (thanks to their home form), look like storming it and even they don't look Mourinhoesque, which means the rest of the chasing pack (United/Arsenal) might not break away from the second chasing pack (Us/City)

Conclusion?

We need to step it up and quickly because using the tired excuse that it's all okay because nobody is currently firing on all cylinders might find us with much regret when we stop using it with a ten point difference from the team just above us.

At some point, someone will start to fire. Let that be us.

Follow-up article scheduled for later on with more thoughts (re: player performances) from Saturday.

Spurs v Everton, three word match preview

Smash 'em up.

Everton 2 Spurs 2 Autopsy: Cry me a river

Decided not to blog post-match on Sunday evening, mainly because I was waiting to see if I was about to be consumed by the knee-jerking that took place on various message boards. Specifically the knee-jerking on the Glory Glory board. Anyone browsing in would think the Mayans got their prediction about 2012 a couple of years off. Absolute melt-down of the highest order. Half the players were being slated, everyone was suddenly writing off any chance of a Top 4 challenge and Harry was the culprit responsible for our downfall. Bedlam. People should stay away from football forums during and just after a game as emotions tend to over-take sensibility.

Regardless of the fires and riots, I still found myself conflicted. I was struggling with the notion that perhaps the knee-jerking was the correct response to losing a two-nil lead and then missing the opportunity to take all three at the death. Perhaps not knee-jerking is nothing more than a delusion, a form of denial and that brushing off the reality of the two points lost was the easy way out. Brush it under the carpet, tag it under 'learning curve', place it in the bottom drawer and close it shut.

"One of those days"

Even though we tend to suffer one of those days every time we're meant to be witnessing the necessary move up to the next level. You sort of kind of can't blame some peoples reaction.

And that's the crux of it. The reason why everyone despondently frowned as they turned the pages of the 'How to throw away points by Tottenham Hotspur' manual and in unison sighed at the predictable outcome at the final whistle. This was textbook. But then why do people act so surprised when it happens?

Pre-match, I was confident. Teasing and (tongue in cheek) asking for a 4-0 away win. I wasn't alone, although being a Spurs fan, you almost know that in the type of games you're expected to win you usually falter. Everton, depleted, but perhaps not unconscious in a shallow grave as most assumed. I called for 'mental strength'. And once again, Miss Irony lashes out and slaps me across the face. How dare I insult her.

"This season is going to be tight, and these are the types of tests we need to pass with flying colours"

Famous last words from me.

Congratulations to Everton on their victory. However, had Defoe taken the penalty with any sort of ruthlessness then the aftermath wouldn't be half as dramatic as it is at the moment. We'd have won, and there would have been the same questions about certain areas of our play but I guarantee you there would also have been plenty of 'this is what Top 4 clubs do, they win games no matter the obstacles they face' types of bravado. And yet, the miss means that we are suddenly not good enough. The logic used with some of our fans is based on a game-to-game template. The expectations are complicated, rather than simplified. And everything that has come before is rendered redundant based on the 90 minutes of football just played.

We fucked up. There's no doubting it. 19 attempts on goal, we (again) looked like the home side in an away match. 4-0 would have been the outcome had we been a touch sharper. The match was lost not on the Everton comeback or the penalty miss but the lack of clinical finishing. Up until the final 20 minutes Everton were plucky and physical and bullish but had little to offer in the way of goal opportunities. That was until we gladly allowed them the time and space to score.

Rather than assert ourselves we let them progress forwards. Wave and wave of ugly snarling effective football. Ominous it was.

And this is where my conflict sat and why so many knee-jerked after the game. Why oh why do we always allow sides back in when we've bossed the game? Answer? No leadership. Imagine a Roy Keane in the middle of the park barking out orders. Harry has come in for some slack for not motivating from the touchline or making substitutions that make no sense. I'm waiting for the theory that he hypnotised Wilson Palacios and forced him to spread the ball out to Coleman (lovely player) who was left with space ahead of him and the next time we touched the ball was to take it to the centre of the pitch to kick-off.

Bale was slaughtered by most, but how many noticed Niko drifting into no man's land and leaving Gareth alone to face two Everton players? He stood little chance. Although that's not to say he looked comfortable at left-back (brought on because BAE was losing his head). Bale is probably more suited for the left-midfield position anyway, as it appears our coaches have done little to improve his defensive qualities.

It's amazing that from a position of complete authority and control, I was willing on the final whistle towards the end. Again, here festers my conflict. We've seen this so many times. But once more, I call lack of leadership on the pitch as the main reason for the inept surrendering of two points. Losing shape and concentration is proof that mental strength is still lagging desperately. As though we had switched off at 2-0 up and decided the game was done, rather than perhaps step up a gear and score a third.

Wilson, who had an indifferent game (very untidy at the start, but introduced a little bite later on) won us the penalty and was then carted off to hospital. I'm certain I was not alone in thinking JD would miss. But then most people would think that (regardless of the team/player) because it was one of those matches full of twists and turns. And it's Tottenham and making us suffer is what they do best.

Then the knee-jerking hellmouth explodes releasing all manners of over-reactions and ridiculous analysis, including a personal favourite where some people thought Harry should have got Keane on the pitch to take the penalty. The same Keane that most prefer to have sitting on the bench…forever. Another gem was the question that asked whether Defoe is over-rated. Yes he is. Because he missed a penalty. Send him back to Pompey the useless git. He only ever scores when it doesn't matter. Fabio should drop him from the England team.

So, am I still conflicted? No. Not really. I'm still gutted. More so than the home defeat to Stoke. Could have been worse, we could have been two-nil up to West Ham and let it slip. But it's Monday morning, and I'm still pissed that we failed to kill the game off. And in the past we'd have been happy with a point. But times have changed. The frustration is that times need to be changing further. It's in need of some tweaking.

Whether you blame Harry for this (killing a game off) inability is dependent on how patient you are and how long you believe a learning curve should last for. There's that old chestnut about how no matter the players no matter the staff no matter the manager - the same reoccurring problems exist. Years and years of devolution (with the occasional spike) can not be fixed over-night. When Harry took over we had a mixture of good and bad players who were all under-performing. He's got us up to where we should be based on the squad we have. The underlining problem still at large is that we are still lacking that little bit extra. That mental resolve comes with belief and if you don’t have players on the pitch who led by example and scream and shout orders to others then it's easy for the complacency to creep back into a performance.

Of course, you might deem my conclusion to be optimistic. Denial? No massive massive knee-jerk? Sorry to disappoint.

We're in good shape. And had that pen gone in, we'd be third. We are still top 4 and we've got Wolves at home next. And if we manage to beat City in the following game, watch how a single 90 minutes once more changes opinions from one side of the spectrum to the other. Because Villa and City have suddenly woke up, some of our fans are citing how this is not good news because we faltered and thus we have shown a weakness too great to overcome. Regardless of the fact City drew 7 on the trot and Villa have been a little inconsistent in places. The fact both won means their 90 minutes of football out-weighs our, and therefore they are in a stronger position because they are about to improve tenfold. It's wonderful logic.

This season hasn't even got started yet. Nothing has change from 4 weeks ago to now. We still need a new midfielder. Other clubs around us will drop points. At some point we will have to step up to that fabled next level, the level where we would have beaten Everton. Next time out, in a similar situation, if we lose our heads again in the same fashion - then rather than knee-jerk, we should just admit we don't quite have it in us and Harry/the players have failed to learn from prior lessons.

You might pose the question that there's no room for this type of complacency and that points dropped now are irreversible damaging our season. I guess opinions on this will remain divided.

My confliction is now resting deep in its own shallow grave. Don't compare the disappoint of this game to games of similar ilk from past seasons. We tend to react positively nowadays. We learn and move onwards. We're not about to implode.

The reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated.  

Get a grip and dry them.

Another massive massive game

Everton away. Considering how Villa and City got on yesterday and the fact that if we're serious about competing for a top 4 place - I can't see anything less than 3 points as being an acceptable result today. King of the understatements. Everton are depleted.

Heitinga (suspended).

Anichebe, Areta, Jagielka, Neville, Vaughan all injured.

Distin, Gosling, Yobo, Jo, Osman...all doubtful.

I'll be disappointed if we go there, under-perform and lose. I'll be disappointed if we go there and fail to capitalise on their plight. I'll be disappointed if we don't win convincingly. I'm not asking for the moon on a stick here. Show the same intent we had in the Villa (second half) game, and we'll be all smiles come the final whistle.

Big test of our mental strength this. Considering the lack of sustained effort against the Utd reserves in the cup. Take the game to them, boss possession and pick 'em off. There's no doubt Moyes will have his side giving it 100% so - if you abide by the Laws of Hope - you'd think we'd be able to tell our class show.

As for Harry, who's he gonna  pick? Huddlestone or Jenas? Keane or Crouch?

I'll start Huddlestone and let him quarter-back his way through the game, spraying balls to his hearts content. Niko has to be certainty. And personally, I'd stick Crouchie up front with JD and let the Everton defence worry about the tall man little man combo.

This season is going to be tight, and these are the types of tests we need to pass with flying colours.

COYS and all that jazz.

Penalty? Who cares?

Morning. Just some random thoughts on the weekend:

Everton's defending. Akin to blindfolding schoolboys and feeding them ketamine.

-

How about that Crystal Palace goal ruled out because the officials failed to see the ball fly into the back of the net? Here's a clue it was legit. The scorer wheeled off to celebrate followed by his team mates and the opposition looked down at the ground in despondency of conceding the goal. What exactly did the ref think was going on? Some kind of elaborate illusion? Let's pretend we scored and we might fool everyone we did. No surprise the officials have been suspended pending a little review.

-

According to Mark Hughes, re: their chase for Lescott and Moyes criticism of City:

"I'm not surprised David feels a bit aggrieved with the situation, you always are when a big club is trying to sign one of your best players."

I didn't know Spurs were interested in signing Lescott? Well in.

-

So was it a penalty or not? Rafa is balling his eyes out about it. BAE barging Voronin off the ball. On the basis of the game as a whole - we deserved to win. Statistically, they didn't get anywhere near us. And the fact that the first penalty (the one given) was an absolute gift should be a clear indication that the Spanish waiter should spend a little more time concentrating on his side fragmented play which lacked any sort of rhythm and decisiveness. The only other effort of note on goal was yet another penalty claim, again BAE involved, the ball hitting his chest (at least that's what it looked like to me) and even if it did hit his arm it would have been harsh to point to the spot. Ekotto enjoying his day.

As for us, feet firmly back on the ground. Right? The euphoria of claiming thee points in our opening game of the season is over. I was already high on the fact that we were given a home fixture to kick-off the season for the first time in 5 or so years. Perhaps the FA's IT guys have finally found and eliminated the Trojan virus left in the fixture list computer software that David Dein carefully planted many years ago. Regardless, having partied into the night with generous quantities of coke and hookers, I'm now having to be a little more philosophical about Sunday. Yes, we won. Several of our players battled well. Liverpool were fairly crap with little clout around the midfield area making it comfortable for Wilson and Tommy.

We are not exactly push-overs at home either (1 loss in 23), so perhaps the win wasn't as unexpected as it appeared to be to some. Not taking anything away from the result or the performance. Well I am I guess. Just placing it into perspective. It's Hull away where we find out if we have the right stuff for competing in the top-half of the table, the bit where 6th and 5th place sit. We've managed to compete against the Top 4 more and more over the past season or so. It's the pesky 'small teams' that need to be brushed aside.

Still, three points - one game. Opening day nose-bleeds are lush. I'll leave you with another gem from Studs-Up. Enjoy.