Open bus parade dream still alive

Spurs 3 Stevenage 1

Well that wasn't exactly the swashbuckle smash'em display I had in mind. We asserted ourselves in the end but it felt like a walk through marshlands in a downpour, losing both boots in the mud, because we left the keys in the car and forgot about having a spare set in our back pocket all along.

The team we put out was easily strong enough to beat Stevenage. Didn't quite work out 'easily'. They defended deep, we had plenty of possession but not much in the way of sustained pressure. No injection of pace and tempo. No authority. Very little spark in offensive positions. But never really in trouble even if they happened to trouble us with pockets of effort. Subdued in part.

All this compounded after the visitors took the lead in the 2nd minute through a penalty. Nelsen slow with the tackle. He's better with his head than he is with his feet. They almost went 2-0 up after some poor defending (mark your man damn it) from a free kick which ironically lead to Bale and a 50 yarder finding Defoe who finished superbly for the equaliser. Joy! It's alive!

Then it went dead again.

Dawson went off (Walker on) injured and is out long term (ruptured ankle ligaments and he's done his knee in as well). Absolutely no luck that lad and I'm gutted for him. Lennon (hamstring) also lost to a first half brace of injuries (replaced by Adebayor). Brilliant preparation for Goodison Park.

Second half was an improvement. Which was always on the cards thanks to the low standards set in the first. Walker and van der Vaart working the right wing with intent. Bale was effective and at times befriended his old mate the left wing. JD had a goal disallowed (right decision) which was a shame because it was lovely. Other highlights included Bale smashing the ball onto the crossbar and van der Vaart taking a class corner (that might end up with its own DVD it's that rare) which was flicked on by Bale (no one on the end of it - no DVD then). In amongst all this glamour football was a penalty, for us this time. Gareth fouled in the box, Adebayor making it 2-1. I was getting excited now. Not because of this match (watched via an internet stream) but because Messi was on his way to a 5 goal haul in the Champions League. Multi-tasking with the viewing.

We made it 3-1 (that rubbish Welsh winger-come-Ronaldo-come-Stoke) with his third assist. This one via his hands to Defoe who scored a brilliant second finishing with some pomp to finally settle the game. If anyone had any lingering doubts we'd balls it up, a sigh of relief stated 'Calm down and support your team'. Defoe proving he's full of confidence but the arguments that he still struggles to fulfil other team duties will rage on and into the weekend when we wait to see if we go 442 or bench JD and start with Adebayor.

We need to make sure our set pieces (taking and defending) improves vastly for the remaining games.

Stevenage, to their credit, still gave it a go. At 1-1 Cudicini saved point-blank from Roberts who also had another chance cleared off the line. Cudicini was kept busy once or twice, mainly thanks to some shabby back four defending. They had one or two other efforts on goal.  Didn't make for comfortable viewing.

We got the job done, but Christ it was hard work. Hindsight is yelling something about how we wouldn't have required this replay had we played our strongest possible side in the first game.

Although all this might read quite harshly, I do appreciate the fact that the players probably knew and believed they would win the game without exerting themselves at full pelt and were not that bothered with wasting fuel on this game what with the desire to end our two-game Prem crisis in a few days time. No Luka and a make shift defence doesn't bode well for momentum but we'll be fair more structured and balanced next time round. A win is a win and the squad rotation worked even if we went round the houses to see it unfold positively. Perhaps the want for something special pre-match masked that a little.

I know it's three unconvincing performances. The NLD was woeful. Utd at home was a mugging (aided by incompetence from us). This game, does it really count because of the line-up? Or do we bunch it in with the other two and start to show concern for morale? Because regardless of the line-up we should have been far more convincing and despatched them with that missing relative ease. The real test is the Everton game. There's got to be hunger and there's got to be guile and above all some intensity.

Guess we should remind ourselves that the standard we've set this season is very high. Anything below that standard almost feels like we've lost our mojo. Look behind the sofa Harry, guaranteed to be there.

Bolton at the Lane in the 6th round. We'll have to be full strength for that one what with it being a game away from a semi-final. With Everton at the weekend, I appreciate that players had to be rested. I'm also not going to lose any sleep about the injuries (although as mentioned, really want to hug Dawson and tell him everything will be alright). Fact is, Tottenham are no strangers to doing it the hard way and if it's bare bones that the footballing Gods wish to bestow on us, then so be it.

COYS

Smash'em

Not much to share with you in preview for this evenings FA Cup 5th Round replay against Stevenage. Hoping for the following:

- Convincing confidence boosting win

- Plenty of width (unlikely as it's 'weaker' opposition so if Bale plays he'll most likely roam)

- Smiles on faces

Unlike the first game where the pitch looked like it was prepared by Godzilla, I'm hoping our groundsman lays down a field of silk grass, perfectly cut for fast paced tempo driven swashbuckle. Win and it's Bolton at the Lane and win that means everyone gets a semi.

Parker, Bale, van der Vaart all expected to be available. Defoe will most likely start (no Saha). No Ledley. Gallas to return? Curious to see how we handle the right-back position for this one. What with Everton on the weekend. We'll have to wait and see what defines a 'strong side' as predicted by Redknapp in the build up, what with his mix and match efforts sometimes unbalancing the output.

It almost feels like a forgone conclusion so I'm hoping the players don't see it as such (although it would take a monumental effort to balls this one up). Would still like to see us pressure them until they collapse early doors and have this wrapped up before half time so if Harry wishes to rest key players he can do just that.

Here's hoping we smash'em.

COYS.

We didn't beat Stevenage

What a wonderful afternoon of cup action on Sunday. Fluid sexy movement, push and run football from the visitors and gallant efforts from the lower tier hosts who battled bravely to defend their pride against the hot-shots from North London. It was a majestic occasion.

That's basically how I hoped this match report would start in an ideal post-game world, however what we got instead was abject hoofing, fragmented selection and quite possibly Tottenham's most below par performance of the season. Seriously, 0-0? You sure? Credit to Stevenage, but that was poor. This wasn't Spurs, it was bizarro Spurs trying to out-crap the previous cup game away day at Watford. It's like we're trying to be the anti-cup side this season and do as little as possible as we muddle through each round just to prove how nonchalantly we can be and still win in the end. Although the win is on ice until the replay. Compounding matters further was the ITV coverage that included in-game interviews. Pleasantly surprised they hadn't booked in Haye and Chisora to make an appearance to spice things up a little.

I could have written up a match report citing said hoofing of the ball and the general lack of botheredness and focus along with our initial formation (and the eventual shift to 442) and questioned why we took such an apparent risk in not playing a strong cohesive side. Be thankful I'm not going to make you re-live the match in blog format.

We've since been told one or two of our players are 'injured' and not match fit. Hence the selection. But in all honesty, the team we did field should have been more than capable of dismantling the hosts. If we want this FA Cup (Bolton at home once Stevenage are dispatched in the reply) we need to start treating the competition like it matters. But then what do I know. I'm a fan with an internet connection and Harry Redknapp is the one being touted as the next boss of England. Damage limitation on a dodgy pitch away from home, job done is probably the reasoning (excuse). Second half was better than the first, if only for the apparent discovery of shape the team managed to embrace.

The only positive I can draw from this experience is the fact that you can still count on one hand (a finger or two) how many below par performances we've had this season. And still not lost (I'm ignoring the pre-Parker defeats, they don't form part of our new history).

If (I'd state when but I've already cited dispatched, and trying to avoid a karma jinx) we get past Stevenage and play a stronger side at home to Bolton...we'll be in with a chance of making the semi-final.

Might as well book that open bus for the parade.

Hold up, you mean if we beat Stevenage then Bolton we have to play a semi-final? Can't we skip that  altogether? No?

Oh well. The dream is already practically over then.