Knee-jerk

Spurs 1 City 5

Absolute rubbish. All of them a disgrace to the shirt for basically allowing City to tip tap the ball around White Hart Lane like we'd agree to submit to them before the start like a slick choreographed wrestling match between a contender for the belt and a jobber.

You want proof that Harry Redknapp's tenure has entered the fatal end game? Here it is. Look up at the score again. We've been poor for 15+ games now in the league. Harry struggled to manage the squad last season, never quite working out a consistent game plan domestically with fitting the epically over-rated Rafa van der Vaart into the side and thus causing unmitigated damage in the forward positions resulting with a lack of cutting edge.

But that's just part of the problem. Levy and ENIC quite obviously self-absorbed by the NDP and Olympic Stadium because they need to make sure they don't miss their roadmap objectives in terms of building a new stadium for the club so that they can then look to sell it and make all the shareholders gleeful. Leaving the footballing issues to the next set of mugs to buy in.

We have shown no decisive nature in the transfer window since it opened. If...and it's a big if we actually bid for the players we were heavily linked with in the past window or two then surely the chairman and manager would be wise to the fact that they would need to discuss realistic targets BEFORE the current window opened up.

Target. Bid. Sign.

Instead of constant dithering and inquires and conflicting messages being sent out leading to scatter-gun desperation on the last day.

Crouch to Stoke apparently. But there he is starting against City. Two questions. Why? He's set to be sold. Second question. Why? He's simply not good enough to lead the front-line. It's obvious Levy wants shot of him because Harry more or less stated this in his post-match interview, blaming our form on our lack of direction in the window and the fact Peter is heavily linked with a move away. Another suggestion made being the classic 'we need to sell before we sign'. It's groundhog day with zombies stuck in a room with no doors with nothing to eat except for each other.

Manager and chairman are not bestest friends. Which means either Levy can't control Harry or Harry believes he has lost all control and simply wants to make sure his position has been made unattainable because of the chairman so that he has ample blame to fire at when he leaves/gets the sack.

Utter mess.

Losing isn't that big of a shock, is it? Defeats against two teams managed better than us on and off the pitch. No shocker. The true shock is the fact that we qualified for the CL and then failed to consolidate, Levy preferring to fall back onto one of his own soundbites about how qualifying for the elite competition every season is not possible due to the nature of modern football. Great fighting talk there. More or less set the foundations for us to get dicked today two years ago.

Our best player has been a forty year old in goal and he's still managed to concede a whole heap of beautys and uglys. Sums it up. To dare is to do, so we do nothing.

Dawson, Kaboul - not good enough. The latter is a better midfielder than he is a defender. Bale hasn't been decent for nine months. With any luck he'll give birth to a bouncing baby Bale. More chance of it looking dangerous than Gareth has at the moment. Niko only good enough for mid to lower table opposition. Rafa is more trouble than he's worth. Injury prone and creates imbalance to the side when playing and sulks like a b*tch. He's the Dutch Robbie Keane without the cartwheel. Lennon, too comfortable and without competition. Defoe showed glimpses when he came on, I'll give him that.  Probably his lot for the season now. Peaked.

As for Modric, get rid of him now. If only so that we can be left with £40M in our pockets and no time to spend it, just to rub further salt into our wounds. Considering what happened with Berbatov, did our esteemed chairman not have the foresight that this would play out to yet another gut-wrenching conclusion?

But alas our chairman doesn't want to sell him and by the very nature of our reluctance to compete and sign players we are more or less stating with transparency we are a selling club because why the heck would Modric want to stay when we're signing third rate players? At some point, we wont be able to hold onto someone who does not want to wear the shirt. Not selling him to prove a point to everyone that we cant be bullied is detrimental to the club when it causes so much aggravation.

But we've hold onto him long enough to now have a player that will spend the months leading up to Christmas crying his eyes out about how unfair his six year contract is before being sold for £22M in January.

How to fix all this mess before we get ourselves into a relegation battle?

Levy - sack Redknapp or at the very least start looking for a replacement. He'll be fine. He's more interested in brokering a deal for little Luka Modric to Chelsea than he is with sorting out our first eleven so perhaps he can spend the rest of the season as a football agent. Sell Bale while you're at it before his valuation plummets so low that we'll be paying Nottingham Forest to take him on loan.

But it's too late for any of that. We are truly shafted.

We have missed the boat because we have the blessing of ENIC that owns the club that possesses no balls to push this us forward with the same aggression and fortitude others are doing. What statement do we make signing damaged youth players and an ex-gooner striker on loan and from the looks of it an over-rated work-horse from a relegated club? Could have been worse, hey Harry? We could have signed that waste of space Suarez.

Pathetic.

Nine points adrift of the top already. Didn't show up for Everton. Went home early against Man Utd. Fell asleep against City. Don't expect us to get more than a point at Wolves and Liverpool of old are back so I make that zero points from four games.

Stick that on a t-shirt.

Played 2. Won 0. Drawn 0. Lost 2. GF 1. GA. 8 GD -7. Position: 20th. Bottom of the table and going down with the Arsenal.

There used to be a football club here.

Negative

Spurs 1 City 5

Two games, zero points, seven goals against. We are simply not good enough to compete for the top four this season because Levy will not spend big and from the looks of it is hardly seeing eye-to-eye with Harry Redknapp if you take note of Harry's constant whining to the media and anyone else who will listen. Moaning and complaining about everything and never taking responsibility.

We were shocking. Midfield was weak, Bale disappointing and Crouch completely redundant. van der Vaart's inclusion forces Redknapp to play the one man upfront and yet still manages to select the wrong man. Was he making a point playing Crouch there what with Stoke interested in the player? Was he hoping Peter would pick up a knock or score a brace - just to prove a point? Arrogance from the manager, especially with his weak centre-midfield pairing. Another point being made there? Levy holding back on Parker? Sort it out the pair of you, ffs.

Post-match Harry complained about it being the worst pre-season ever and that we've been distracted by the Modric transfer saga. Hey Harry, guess what...along with Sky Sports you're the one that's keeps that saga running, constantly talking up scenarios about what ifs and Luka's mindset and Chelsea. Every time you open your mouth, its another headline birthed and yet more unnecessary coverage of this protracted transfer. It's the worst pre-season ever. After two defeats. No trouble or complaints before. Just post 5-1 spanking. Nice work Harry, insightful.

Does Levy not talk to Redknapp? Does he not outline company policy and ask for his manager to echo the chairman's stance? Why are there so many contradictions? Why the constant commentary and soundbiting? Why the blame game?

If there are problems with transfer targets because we are aiming too high or do not have the money or simply because Levy does not want to spend big (for whatever reason) then there is clearly a relationship break-down if Redknapp continues to use the lack of activity as a reason for the troubles we've had on the pitch. Even though I question the fact that the set of players are the same set that gained us CL qualification. Lost your mojo Harry? Been found out? Everyone bored of you?

Saying that Modric came to him two hours before kick-off to state he did not want to play is completely leftfield of what we were told the other day that the player had cleared things up with the Levy and was available. What possible good will it do if the player remains at the club past the transfer window closing? Redknapp leaves you wondering if Levy is actually considering selling the player or wanted the player sold much earlier. Its the perfect advert for miscommunication.

Modric plays, he gets subbed...we have ourselves a scapegoat. It's all Luka's fault. If the players head is still not right, then wait until AFTER the window shuts, then stick him in the team. Or was this simply about him making sure he gets to go off on International break with his country?

Luka did not exactly look disinterested. He looked frustrated at times, which is usually someone playing with professionalism and pride. But no, the 5-1 is basically down to the fact that our really decent squad of players are suddenly playing like ketmaine induced rabbits because we've not brought in a crate of nice fresh carrots. Sure, we are missing players. But come on, at the very least show some tactical nous. Inspire the team. Same goes for the ones pulling on the shirt. Where is the love for the shirt?

Scott Parker can't sign quick enough. Hate myself for saying that. Joey Barton would have got us a grip today also. No leadership and a distinct lack of belief with the additional bonus (ha!) of a manager more interested in deflecting attention away from his misgivings and tagging our on field hiccups with off field story arcs.

If we don't sign a few more players to sort out the current issues we have then we're in trouble of finishing 5th or 6th. But that might be the position that equates to our standard. The standard being one that has been crafted out of mismanagement by chairman and manager.

The chairman, too stubborn to act quickly, accepting the consequences more easily and the paying punters. The manager far too interested in his own agenda and brand name to really care about 'them' Tottenham.

Best we accept ourselves to be good enough for Europa League and nothing more. Less chance of being dissatisfied then.

Positive

Spurs 1 City 5

Okay, so some perspective. We lined up with no defensive midfielders and started with Peter Crouch upfront and then found ourselves out numbered in the middle and final third quicker than you can say 'tactics'. Once again, there was an element of the disjointed and perhaps even a touch of the stubborn (what with Crouch supposedly on his way to Stoke City yet in the starting line-up - perhaps a message from gaffer to chairman forming yet another twist in their alleged damaged relationship).

Placing aside in-house disagreements, we lined up not only with a team not shaped to contain City but a team that lacked the belief they could do that and anything more. But that's not to say it was a chaotic calamity filled 90 minutes of football. At 2-0, it flattered City some what. After that, they deserved to ruin our afternoon at will and with ease. We let them with no reply of our own. Once more, apologetic.

There is no excuse for losing 5-1 at home. But it was the most passive 5-1 defeat you're likely to witness. City simply picked us off with clinical football. Confident in themselves, each other and their formation and confident in front of goal. Even though they were not completely fluid (expected considering their new players - makes it even more bitter a pill to swallow for us).

They were enjoying their day and their football. How ironic considering at the start of last season it was them containing us whilst we swashbuckled down the flanks and through the middle, with only Hart stopping us from running away with it.

City have grown with the aid of several million pounds and no wage cap. We've stagnated if you take a look at the back end of last season and how we stopped performing. But preparation for this one has hardly been great considering we appear reluctant to compete at the top end of the transfer market. Perhaps because fiscally, we can't. Ambitious targets beyond our reach. Still, you would have hoped for decisive action by chairman and manager. Instead we have suggestions they don't quite see eye to eye and once more, transfers will need to take place in the final couple of days or so.

The visitors have found their groove. We've lost ours.

Again, injuries don't help but if we look weak in key areas pre-match then you'd want admittance from Redknapp that perhaps we need to be shrewd, cunning in our formation and our strategy. Not the Tottenham way. Not what I previewed yesterday. But it looked to me like the manager believed we could perhaps play them and match them pound for pound when the reality was they were far too polished whilst we simply did not work as a unit and had various degradations of form from individuals.

Modric played. But his productivity hardly outstanding because the players around him were distinctively average. But he played okay. Not sure why he was subbed. Didn't make a difference either way in the end. Player not looking at the manager or applauding the fans when walking off the field of play. Disgruntled.

The goals (most of them) we conceded were not defended well at all. Embarrassing stuff, lack of any apparent focus. We had chances, but how many times do we have to sigh in despondence when said chances are not taken? It was City playing with intent and us presenting them with the red carpet. Never red, indeed. Red with anger today.

Nasri, Aguero and Silva. Stick them in our team then watch how different the result would have been. Hard knock life. We still have quality in abundance. We need to shake off the rust from last season's disappointing finish and reclaim that grit and spine we had so famously in 2010. Think back, we had injuries then too. Perhaps not so many issues with central midfield as we do now.

We've played two games and lost two. Arguably against the two strongest sides in the country. Our problems have been illustrated in quite a humiliating manner with regards to the scoreline for all to analyse and discuss. It's obvious what we need in terms of signings. We've got us a striker. We need DM cover. We could do with a centre-back. We could still do with a right-sided forward to compete with Lennon and give us options when playing two up front.

Adebayor will bring us that much needed cutting edge. Rafa will have a far better forward to play off if Harry continues with the current formation. Only takes one moment, once slice of luck or inspiration to completely change the course of season and set us on our way.

Criss? The fact we are even discussing avoidance of a 'crisis' after two games...well, its over the top. It hurts, but we might have to admit that the likes of Utd and City are in a far more comfortable place than us. We've lost direction, perhaps because of the Modric saga and the in-house disagreements (assumptions). We have to show unity once more.

More importantly, we need the players and the manager to get a grip and to remind themselves they are capable of much much more. We got it very wrong today and were duly and deservedly spanked for it. If Harry is keen on self-preservation of his brand name, then he has work to do. Levy has to support him in doing so. And Harry has to respect the chairman at all times.

Losing to a good team is one thing. Losing to a good team and making them look great is another. Losing badly to a good team that don't even manage to shift into a more aggressive gear is simply shambolic.

Not a good day at all. But with both Manc games out of our system, we can just look forward now. Redknapp, the players - they have a lot to answer for and a lot to give back to the club in the next couple of games to avoid any dramatic twists that might well cause us to unravel further and crisis isn't the only 'c' word quoted by the fans.

This Modric stuff is beyond ridiculous now and Redknapp constantly citing him as the root of all evil when in the past he's actually called him a model professional is almost touching comedy, the ilk that few will laugh at.

Onwards with pride Tottenham. I want to hear the cockerel crow.

We'll improve. I still believe we'll compete for the top four. Arsenal are having their own problems and Liverpool still have to prove their longevity and how they react to loss of form.

Not defending our teams performance today (it was poor), just trying to anchor myself to something to avoid drowning in depression.