Author: Alan

The Pav Parallax Is Killing Football

/ Alan / 6 Comments

It’s not the indecent amounts of cash swilling around the game, or that we’re all now at Sky’s beck and call. Not obscene ticket prices, not even the player’s loyalty to the one thing that truly matters, their bank account. No, I’ve discovered what’s crucifying football – 5-0 victories. Absolutely fatal. The modern curse. Join me comrades on TOMM’s grand crusade to rid our great game of the evil within. Ban them from all football! NOW!

I’m certain that I could never be bored watching Spurs play football. That would be going too far. Suffice to say this may well have been the closest I’ve ever come. The disjointed nature of our play plus Hearts’ inability to score even if they played for another week gave the evening the feel of a testimonial, although it’s a puzzle who benefited. The stars were indisputably the Hearts fans, determined to have a good time. They sung for the whole time, loud and long, and I sincerely hope for their sakes that their chairman isn’t as bonkers as he appears to be and gives them a decent team for the season to come.

Regular readers and I have an unspoken bond. Although I like to think the 40 plus years I’ve been a Spurs fan brings a certain perspective to my observations, if I ever begin a sentence with the phrase, ‘In my day’, feel free to shoot me. All I’d say, though, is that we’ve taken big leads back to the Lane before in European competition and, well, made them bigger. Keflavik we added 9 to a five goal first leg lead, off the top of my head.

Times have changed. Organisation and fitness levels go a long way to even out the disparities. Also, whilst it’s ‘good to see the kids’ the boys on show were just that, boys, and we shouldn’t either expect too much or read anything significant into their performances last night. A team is just that, a team, and this lot had never played together before. On the field, Livermore played the old hand, encouraging those around him, and Corluka did likewise for Fredericks, consigned to a wide role and looking increasingly forlorn and detached as the evening passed him by. He’s quick mind, faster even than Lennon over 5 yards.

Carroll had the best debut, even though he looked like his mum had bought him a kit the next size up so he could  get another season’s wear out of it. Never mind, he’ll grow into it. I liked the way he wanted to be involved, probably risking the ire of the coaches by coming inside to search for the ball. Lovely pass for the Kane penalty chance.

Kane on the other hand has been eating girders since he could take solids, washed down with iron filings in his bottle. He’s quick as well as powerful with an eye for the half chance and good movement and control. Not his fault he experienced the same problems as his elders, the lack of good chances. The two he had, he moved onto them with purpose and poise. Never mind the miss – he had to wait a while, too long to think – he had the gumption to take it, on his debut, and that’s what’s important in the long term.

They chased back when the ball was lost and want to play the game the right way, all of them. Remember these are one level removed from the group who are next in line, young men like Caulker and Mason who are learning their trade in the league.

As the game wore on, it became dominated by the Pavyluchenko Parallax, an occasional but potentially dire phenomenon that at its worst can, like last night, empty a ground in a few short moments. Normally strikers get a sighter, then find their range. Pav is the opposite – a sizzling early left footer followed by shooting increasingly wayward, to the point where fans took evasive action when he moved onto the ball, not just those behind the goals but in the wings of the East and West. A final effort signalled a deafening banging of upturned seats as the ground emptied, or perhaps fans feared for their safety. For both he and Hudd, best said that they were playing their way back to fitness and leave it at that.

I welcome the arrival of Adebayor. More about him in the next couple of days, but provided he is motivated, he’s just the alert, powerful and mobile striker we crave. Strong in the air, Lennon and Bale at last have a target vaguely interested in what they have to offer, while Rafa and Luka will look to his movement. If Luka stays. No more about that. Wait until the deadline passes, we might have a respite of at least ten minutes before they start going on about January.

It’s good to be back at the Lane once more, easing gently into the new season. A warm welcome for those of us who got there early: pie and a drink, £5, pie and lager £6.50, bottle of water £2. The east stand bagels have shrunk in inverse proportion to their increased price. At what point does a smoked salmon bagel become just a bagel? They came close last night, whilst in front of me Janice’s seat, £900 or so for the season, encrusted in bird’s dollop. Baked on, by the look of it. They really don’t care, do they.

Half time from Tottenham’s own Smashie (or is he Nicey?) was for once worth a glance. Tom White, John’s brother, returned to the Lane for the first time since he played for Spurs in his brother’s testimonial in 1965 or ‘66. He looked genuinely touched, a reminder that football means something. Surely he is the subject of the all-time football trivia question: which player has spent the shortest time at a club? To comply with the regulations and play for Spurs in that game, he signed for us for the duration of the match and then Hearts signed him back when it was over.

Finally, a touching moment or two in the company of greatness. Frail and grey, unable to say even a couple of words, Dave Mackay walked out uncertainly but when he stood on the pitch where he and he alone once ruled, he stood  upright and proud as the ground rose. Age cannot diminish his achievements. The legs were unwilling but the glory days will never leave him, not when fans stand to honour the memory of a true master. Forever mighty.

Same Old

/ Alan / 14 Comments

New season, same old story. Good possession and passing wasted because there’s nothing going on up front. Unprotected defenders stretched out of shape, eventually reaching breaking point.  Free-kick routines that would be laughed off the pitch at an under 10s tournament. After coming back into the match before and just after half-time, by the end it’s relief that it wasn’t more.

Previews on the game focussed on the inexperience of the two sides in key areas. The game was won and lost because United exploited our weakness, centre midfield, whereas we put little pressure on their new back five.

Talking of previews, my pre-season effort implored Redknapp and his players to adopt a formation that gave the back four additional protection. Every other team in the Premier league does so. If it means a more cautious approach, so be it, especially away from home. It shouldn’t matter – we have the perfect players for a counter-attacking game.

So forgive me if regular readers have heard this before. I’m a fan of Bale, Lennon and Kranjcar in their different ways but their indolent approach to defending was inexcusable. Strolling back when United got past them high up the pitch, they left Livermore to do his best. Walker and then Corluka in the second half were more often than not left one on one with Young or Nani, two of the best wide men in the business, or else were outnumbered two against one as Evra raced past. Both did well, considering, Charlie turned this way and that but made four or five tackles to block Young. It was noticeable that our best period came in the second quarter when someone had obviously had a word. They worked back and we looked better prospects, the solidity at the back offering a platform for our best passage of play.

Up front, well, the preview said we need a striker or two. Revolutionary insight, huh. You know it. Defoe demonstrated why. Kind of him, not that any further evidence was required after last season. Maybe Harry put him up to it as another dig in Levy’s ribs to spend spend spend. I can’t think of another explanation as to why he was so lame. Even then, there was a might-have-been, unlucky with a volley against the post that could have given hope out of the blue.

I’m not too down on myself or the team. I can’t say I’m disappointed because I had low xpectations beforehand. We’ve learned nothing new – the only problem is the same old same old – but I’m happy to give them time and new players to sort that. It’s the first game of the season away to the best team in the land with our 6th and 7th choice central midfielders. At least we’ve got it out of the way.

Positives too. I realised Friedel was likely to be first choice not on pre-season displays but when Paddypower made him odds on to have more first team appearances than Gomes by the end of the season. Straight away there’s an air of assurance and command of the box, plus several excellent low saves that kept us in the game. I don’t know how Gomes communicated with his back four, or perhaps the question is whether he communicated in ways other than fear-laden grimaces, but the super new Sky effects mikes picked up Friedel’s stream of encouragement and authoritative instructions.

The back four did better than I expected. Kaboul had an especially good game. Every defender looks unsure at times against United and given how exposed he and Dawson were, I’ll give them the benefit. Daws might have come for the cross as Welbeck came in for the first but overall credit to United, there’s a limit to what a defender can do if a forward comes between two centre backs at pace and the cross is that good. Some goals are just good goals, this was one of those, although we gave the ball away needlessly further up the field in the build-up. The second was an example of what I’ve been saying about defending as a unit, centre half unprotected has to come out, they switch the ball one way then another, so quickly. Brilliant move. The third, Daws might have put in a better challenge there, on his heels as Rooney came in.

Rafa looks fit and eager, lasted 90 minutes and as the game progressed can be excused for all the long shots as he had nothing ahead of him. Livermore is a fine prospect with impressively quick feet, good control and enough poise to hold onto the ball when required, at Old Trafford, on his debut. Before he tired, his application was an example to more experienced team-mates around him.

United remain the benchmark in the Premier League and we could learn a thing or two from them. Much of what they do is comparatively simple. Our movement and passing was good when we could get on the ball. However, in advanced areas sometimes the easy ball is best. Cleverly had options, slipped it easily out wide for the ball before the cross that provided the goal. Time and again we held on to it in those situations, Defoe, Bale and Lennon jiggling around, waiting to be closed down.

Let’s leave it and move on. No time to bemoan our tough start. City on Sunday, let’s get on with it.

Hale and Hearty!! Tottenham. Hale. Hearts. Oh Never Mind…

/ Alan / 8 Comments

The pleasure of seeing Spurs play football. White shirts, navy blue shorts, a proper game. That’s all I ask. Not so much the victory, not even its emphatic nature, but just to know that our season is under way and a sense of how we are and what’s to come.

Monday’s cloud of Great Depression, created by an unhealthy combination of high quality mystery drama and an increasing sense of personal anxiety, has blown away. Yesterday’s concern about the media antics of our manager and the conflict at boardroom level won’t disappear so easily but last night we saw that Redknapp has been working hard with his players and prepared them impeccably. A potential disaster became a triumph. An early goal settled the nerves – of the fans I mean, the players seemed utterly focussed – leaving us to relish some breathtaking passing interplay and cracking goals.

Hearts fans must have been disappointed with their team. I don’t watch nearly enough Scottish football to make any sort of judgement on the quality of their league but they must have played  better than this in the recent past. I suspect they understandably haven’t settled under yet another new manager, and their fans deserve credit for their warmth towards both teams at the end.

Opponents don’t have to be on top form to deny us the room to play; we’ve seen that often enough in the last few years. Hearts packed the area 30 or 40 yards out and pressed hard, yet we passed our way around them as if they weren’t there. No big centre forward meant we had to keep it on the ground. Considering this was our first competitive match of the season, the movement and surefooted interchange was outstanding. Van der Vaart moved freely between midfield and their box yet we never looked short up front because there was plenty of support for Defoe. Bale and Lennon provided width without becoming detached and although Hearts lacked any penetration both worked hard defensively when required.

Kranjcar kept things moving in midfield, Benny did the same from the left while Walker’s pace and strength (he’s filled out a bit in the last two years!) kept the Scots busy. All the talk is about his attacking prowess but on two occasions he showed how valuable his speed will be in defensive situations, dashing back to rob attackers plus the timing of the challenge under pressure when he got there. Livermore impressed in the first half especially with a thoughtful, disciplined performance. He’d been well coached in his role; he stayed back when he needed to, always made himself available for a pass and timed his few runs forward perfectly, notably for his sumptuous goal. What a first touch and then quick feet for the shot.

Defoe consistently took up decent positions and let’s hope he’s learned something in the close season. For his goal he found space between the two centre halves and didn’t stray offside. It’s asking a lot to overcome the biggest problem of his entire career.  When they came on, Hudd and Townsend were on the pace and passing well. Lennon’s superb breakaway goal came when Hearts were down but they still had three men back when that move began. Townsend’s pass and Lennon’s run took them out of the equation.

We can enjoy last night without getting carried away. The serious business begins on Monday night, when defensive uncertainty similar to that shown at the start of the second half will be ruthlessly exposed. However, we can only play who we play, and last night they could not have done any more. Above all, the team were purposeful and focussed, organised and highly motivated. Whatever is going on behind the scenes has not affected the team in the slightest. That desire, teamwork and camaraderie, the genuine delight in the moves that led to the goals, that’s why the clouds have gone and sunlight streams.

 

Redknapp Should Keep Quiet But That Won’t Mask the Problems

/ Alan / 34 Comments

In the early days of Tottenham On My Mind I wrote a piece characterising the relationship between Harry Redknapp and his chairman. The title, Levy is Redknapp’s Poodle, summed up their dealings during their first summer transfer window together. At his previous clubs, Redknapp ensured large sums of cash were at his disposal, even when at West Ham and Portsmouth that money wasn’t really there to spend. His appointment signalled a potential sea change in attitude by the cautious and parsimonious Levy and the possibility of any policy clashes further receded after Redknapp’s success in averting disaster placed even greater power in his hands. What Harry wants, Harry gets.

Over the next two years, I came to revise that assessment. Like many before, I had underestimated the quiet man’s resolution. Redknapp was clearly given boundaries for the first time in his managerial career since he left Bournemouth. He operated within a strict salary structure and transfer fee budget. Given Harry’s garrulous nature and his cosy relationship with an adoring media, his frustrations occasionally surfaced but by and large he seemed happy enough. Success on the pitch helped. Now, with a watershed season already under way but a lack of new signings, Redknapp can’t contain himself any longer. Restlessness has become thinly disguised antagonism. The tail is trying to wag the dog.

His comments yesterday are all over the media. It’s classic Harry. He’s relaxed and reflective, understanding the situation facing his best player: “…if someone comes along and offers to treble your wages..” note the use of ‘wages’ not ‘salary’, old school is Harry….” and could win the Champions League, it’s not easy….he’s had his head turned.”

Yet he “wants to see him here at the start of the year…” Harry mate, we’ve started already…”I don’t see him going.” But hang on, there’s more: …”if he goes you get three or four players…They’re your options: get the money and get four players, and in all honesty have a better team, or keep Luka who is a fantastic player.”

Harry the pundit, taking a reasonable overview of the situation. Except he’s not a pundit commenting on the state of play, he’s our manager. He has a job to do, to get the best possible team for Tottenham Hotspur. At least he said ‘we’ and ‘our’ this time.

In fact, he doesn’t want to keep Luka at all. He wants the money to buy more players and ‘have a better team’. Thus he is in direct conflict with his chairman, who some time ago said unequivocally that Modric is not for sale, then kept a dignified silence.

Not only is our club riven with conflict at the very top precisely at the time when crucial decisions are being taken at the beginning of this watershed season, it’s revealed in the media for all to see. It’s bad enough our dirty washing gets an airing in public but Redknapp is blatantly using the publicity to gain leverage over his chairman.

In my limited dealings with the club and with people who have had dealings with the club, they are intensely controlling of things like access to the staff and information about behind the scenes activity.  Yet Redknapp can say what he likes. He’s so powerful, he kept his newspaper column as well as spewing out quotes about anything going on in the game. Journalists pick over the bones of the slightest incident or event in football, yet Redknapp is not criticised and is more  untouchable even than Alex Ferguson.  Call him a ‘wheeler-dealer’ and he’s at your throat, one win in 10 and Harry’s working hard to get it right.

Levy does not want to sell Modric or he’s playing hardball to make Chelsea sweat. Redknapp says ‘sell’. Either way, keep it quiet and sort it out behind closed doors. Redknapp’s instinct to deal via the media serves his own interests more than it does those of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. His employer. As it is, he’s openly blaming Levy for not coming up with the cash for new players, cash which in passing surely does not have to come solely from the sale of one player. We have some cash from Keane plus O’Hara and deals will be done for several fringe players in the frenzied last few days of the window. Then there’s £31m from the Champions League and a well-run club.

While I’m at it, sell Luka for even £30m to bring in ‘three or four’ quality players – the sums don’t add up. It smacks of Redknapp getting his excuses in early – fail and it’s not his fault because he didn’t have the players.

I’ve been clear on the blog about my attitude towards our manager. I will always be grateful for taking us from the foot of the table to the quarter finals of the Champions League, in the process serving up scintillating football played by superb players. To say there’s more he could have done and still can do is not to diminish that achievement. I’ve never accepted his media personna as a cuddly uncle figure who just has to drape his arm round a man’s shoulders to transform him into a worldbeater. He’s crafty and shrewd, knows the game inside out and is tough as old boots. Fine by me – I don’t want a shrinking violet as manager because it’s a hard old game out there – but don’t try to fool me. Don’t like it, never have.

However, I’m tired of this game-playing in the media. It seems no one is prepared to control him so he needs to exercise some self-control for the sake of our club. Our club, Harry, our club.

To finish with, let’s talk about the team. There are serious issues here. If Levy is reluctant to release cash for transfers, even if it means paying a little over the odds, at this point in our history it could have disastrous consequences. If on the other hand he hangs on to make one of his legendary (or infamous?) late deals, he could be our saviour. Right now, all we know is that relations between manager and chairman have plummeted to a new low. After the window is over, something has to give and history suggests it won’t be Levy. The prospect of Spurs caught up in these internal conflicts is the very last scenario I had in mind as our season kicks off in a few hours time.