Spurs v Stoke. Should Have, Could Have, Didn’t.

October 25, 2009 / Alan / 2 Comments

Tottenham Hotspur did not play particularly well against Stoke City, but we played well enough to win. Whilst readily acknowledging our opponents’ sterling defensive qualities and admirable teamwork, we dominated for long periods and should have put this one to bed long before Whelan’s late winner.

A bright start showcased Huddlestone’s long range passing, spreading the ball from side to side, stretching the defence and bringing Assou Ekotto and Lennon into the play. As the half wore on, Hud faded but Kranjcar took his place in the spotlight. In this period he showed for the first time what he can bring to the team, brilliant and intelligent passing, shrewd movement and a constant threat. It wasn’t easy but we found a way round Stoke’s pressing game. Crouch’s header looked certain to go in and Niko struck the post.

Lennon was outstanding and one of the few who maintained a high standard throughout the match, until his injury. His runs were mesmerising: I lost count of in one run not only how many players he beat but also the number of different tricks that he used. Pace, drag-back, feints, he has them all now and at the same time keeps the ball under control. His crossing is much improved, he went both to the byline and cut inside, and with the latter he has a consistently decent shot to back it up. Full credit to the little man for working so hard on his game, and to whichever of our many coaches who has helped him.

Woody came and went, his sole contribution a reminder of his quality, especially as it was just about his first touch back after so long. At the time I thought it was a serious alice band displacement problem, but it soon became clear that he could not continue. I assume it was because of a head injury, a new problem. If he started without being fully fit, then that was poor selection.

In the absence of our centre half, Stoke sensed blood at the resulting corner but Gomes moved decisively off his line to catch assuredly at the far post and move it on. A fleeting but significant moment, Gomes is now prepared to take on that level of responsibility at crucial moments to infuse teammates with confidence. It augers well for the future. Goodness knows he didn’t have much else to do. The stats show that Stoke had two shots on target but I confess I don’t remember the second one.

The first half rather faded away but after the break we upped the tempo and pressed Stoke back for much of this period. JJ’s timely arrival kept up the levels. City cover, press and get back behind the ball but for the most part are not a negative team, looking to get the ball forward quickly and support the front men from midfield. However as the second half wore on their ambitions became severely limited. Even when we had ten men for the last 15 minutes or so they did not come out of their shell until just before the goal. Dawson and Bassong looked solid, untroubled by the set pieces. Unlike previous games, we conceded few unnecessary free kicks or throws in danger areas.

We had sufficient opportunities to secure victory but lacked a cutting edge. Defoe enhanced his reputation still further by sitting in the stands. This match was crying out for his pace and sharpness. One such moment would have tipped the balance in our favour. Crouch was always a potential threat but far from forming a partnership as I had hoped in my preview, Keano became more detached and the game passed him by. Again. His flawed technique was evident at times. On two or three occasions he was in pole position for a long ball but took his eye off it in mid-air to check what options were around. Fine, but it gave the defender that extra fraction to get ahead of him and take it away, or meant that Keane lost sight of the trajectory and lost control when the ball finally arrived at his feet.

Also, Hud and Niko both disappeared from view and their second half performances were woefully inadequate. Big Tom missed a real opportunity here. His passing and crossing could have unlocked the packed defence but he failed to take advantage. He looked keen to come off, knowing he had let us down. Kranjcar meanwhile did not last the pace; effectively we had 9 men on the pitch for the final quarter of an hour. Wilson tackled hard but passed the ball poorly. That left JJ; we didn’t have a lot going on in midfield at that point. Stats also show that we had 22 shots, 12 of which were on target, but we created few proper chances.

Without the passing or guile, our play became narrow. Even the excellent Lennon was funnelled across field, rather than hitting the byline, and we seldom got behind the defence. Benny and Charlie should have got into the game more at this point. As a result, Stoke could pile bodies in the way and reduced us to ineffective long shots or weak one-twos, trying to thread the ball through gaps that weren’t there. Be patient, spread the ball around, keep possession and a high tempo, and the chances will come. Tom?

Even so, I was not expecting Stoke to score. Daws and Bassong were left exposed by a weak tackle from BAE, and that was that. Tuncay’s miss a few minutes before should have given me a hint of the impending disaster, or more to the point, given Harry the message to drop a couple of people back and secure at least a point. However, as I’ve said, despite it all we were on top and Stoke had not gone to attacking mode. I’m glad we kept pushing forward.

On the journey home the mood was glum but I was not overcome with the bitter and twisted feelings that usually accompany an injustice. Some of this was our fault. Not one to tell the grandchildren about. But, hey, I was there when Spurs had three captains in one game. I suspect even that isn’t a first.

Spurs: We Will Score One More Than You

October 22, 2009 / Alan / 2 Comments

Sitting pretty in third without playing consistently well, the accepted view is that Spurs have developed the precious asset of being able to play below our ability and win, or at least not lose. Our last two games perfectly illustrate this. The emotional cocktail at the final whistle was a double shot of pleasure mixed with a dash of relief. Four points, yet we could have easily come away with none. Make that – last season, we would definitely have come away with none.

Play badly and win. Win ugly. Hard to beat. These are the off the shelf clichés that the lazy TV pundits habitually trot out to fill time but my question is, how do we know? Have Tottenham changed their ways or, dare I say it, have we been lucky? How can we tell?

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m enjoying this as much as any of you. We’re doing just fine, thank you. I’ve been banging on about our defensive frailties in, I hope, a constructive manner, and because I care. I want us to do better but right now we’re making good progress. I said top six at the start of the season, not top four and I’m certainly not a whinging Spur.

Maybe it’s me. Just sit back and enjoy it. But I have an inquisitive, questioning nature. I don’t necessarily accept things, things that matter I mean, at face value. And this everlasting passion matters more to me than anything except my family. So I dig a little deeper. I’m only reflecting on my own perceptions here because I’ve agreed with the received wisdom. Although people often brand me a cynic, I prefer to believe that I know what is truly meaningful. Passion is no ordinary word.

Let’s examine the evidence. In the last two games we have withstood sustained late pressure. Last season we surely would have caved in, the best example being the Blackburn game when, protecting a one-nil lead, Palacios was sent off, albeit harshly and we conceded twice. On Saturday we held out for 30 minutes with ten men. We also resisted well against Liverpool at the start of the season. Against Birmingham we picked ourselves up for Lennon to score the winner at the death in a match where arguably Birmingham deserved a point.

Or – against Birmingham we failed to convert our superiority into goals, let them back into the game, conceded a stupid goal through weak defending and won only because Carr fell over. Bolton had us on the ropes and we couldn’t cope with crosses. Pompey? Couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo, and that’s being harsh on banjos. Lucky lucky Tottenham.

Same events but different interpretations, many of which have been aired in the comments on this blog. There’s truth in both. One thing that strikes me is that we don’t look like other teams that ‘win ugly’. Off the top of my head, the old Liverpool team of the 80s or, dare I say it, the Arse in the ‘one-nil’ days, differed in the crucial aspect of limiting the chances that the opponents had to score. Playing them, it felt like you could hardly get near their goal, let alone score. Both these teams had great players but they were supremely well organised, set up to protect the goal at all costs.

Whatever you say about our Spurs, that description doesn’t fit. We defend better than we used to but we simply cannot shut up shop once we are ahead. Our asset is that we look more likely to score, therefore we are in a position where we have a lead to defend more often – we’ve scored in every game this season bar one. Also, we can add to that lead, scoring twice or more in all but two matches. Moreover we counter attack superbly at times, not only able therefore to score again but also teams cannot throw all of their resources into attack for fear of the gaps being exploited. We defended poorly at times against Pompey and Bolton but in both games we missed chances to score even more.

So the new model Spurs is different from the old, and that is a welcome and permanent development. It’s based less on improved defending, although as I say we are better, and more on goalscoring prowess. We make so many more chances than I can recall for years now, and we do so consistently. We lack the bloody-minded resilience of other teams that are typically called ‘hard to beat’ and ‘win ugly’, well, this team may be many things but ugly is not one of them.

I’m happy with where we are and my expectations are grounded, but here’s a thought to finish with. If we could develop that mental and physical resilience, how good might we be? Exciting, isn’t it.

Spurs v Preston. And Championship Manager

September 23, 2009September 24, 2009 / Alan / 3 Comments

Tempting though it may be to treat the League Cup as light relief after successive matches against top four teams, Preston away is serious business.

The contempt with which this competition is viewed within the game is evidenced by the number of ‘resting’ players this midweek. In the last round, even Doncaster fielded a weakened team, for goodness sake. However, this trophy is a major target for us, never mind the need to reassert our confidence after two substantial defeats, and I advocate a near first choice selection.

I confess I know very little about today’s Preston, although time was when I had a profound insight into the club. Preston were the choice of my son and I in Championship Manager 01. Our success gave the lie to the maxim that you cannot have joint managers. It may not have worked for Curbishley and Gritt at Charlton, but not so many miles from the Valley, two minds were as one.

Why we chose Preston, I’m not entirely clear. Can’t be Spurs, there’s too much of an emotional attachment. It’s bad enough kicking every ball and agonising over every miss every match, let alone putting yourself through that most evenings. Any other Prem team was out of the question, but we were attracted by the challenge of building a team on scant resources, using our football nouse, football people.

And so Preston it was. The board had limited funds and ambition to match, but although the pressure was off, we aimed high. The play-off final was a nadir in my cyber football career. Keeper David Lucas, promoted by us in the latter stages of the season, failed to repay our faith by having a mare. Subbed at halftime, the battle was already lost and even the efforts of our mystery Icelandic striker Porhallsson could not turn the game around. By then of course we had long ditched the football nouse idea – hours scouring the internet found the cheap guys who no one had heard of in real life but who excelled in CM. Press delete and start again.

CM is both an escape from and a mirror of reality. The following season was a triumphant march to the Premiership but once there, we could not buy any decent players and remaining loyal to the existing squad led inexorably to ignominious relegation and the sack. But I forgave them. Over the years curiously I’ve kept up with some of the players who did not feature for us. Paul McKenna (not that one) was a dedicated squad player in CM but in reality stayed for about 10 years and over 400 games before moving on this season to Forest. Richard Cresswell had great stats but did nothing for us, yet he’s flirted with the Prem at several clubs. On the other hand, we brought back ageing full back Graham Alexander as a first team regular and in real life he went on to become an international and scored on Saturday for Burnley. I like to think we can claim a little credit.

Spurs should field a strong team tonight. There are a few positions that might be up for grabs in the long run, so the choice between Gomes and Cudicini could indicate how much Harry rates the Brazilian. This is the moment to bring him in, if that is the plan, but Carlo has done well enough for us. Similarly, with Corluka and Hud the only centre halves available (I’m assuming Bassong will be rested after his bash on Sunday eve though it’s not a serious injury), there’s an opportunity for Hutton to have a run in the team, but again there’s a pointer if Naughton plays.

In centre midfield JJ and WP must anchor the team and up front is Crouch and Defoe for me. This leaves the two wide midfield places. Niko in one and hold Lennon as an impact sub if necessary, so maybe a chance for Bentley (my preferred option) or Gio.

As a postscript, put your hands together for all the Pompey faithful who went to Carlisle last night. That’s being a football supporter. Or insane.

Spurs v Chelsea. Harry Didn’t Help This Time

September 21, 2009September 21, 2009 / Alan / 4 Comments

By the end, the game had become painful viewing, with Chelsea stampeding through our injury-ravaged central defence and insolently swatting our feeble attempts to score. However, such thoughts should not totally obliterate the might-have-beens. Earlier we had severely troubled their much vaunted defence, the best centre half in the league had departed and of course the penalty that was not to be.

Have you noticed that Andy Gray, for all his smug self-satisfied pontificating about refereeing decisions, never gives an opinion without seeing at least two replays? I called it a penalty first time and so it was. It was a crucial moment, as much for the timing as for the prospect of a goal, because frankly we did not look like scoring any other way. Our team does not yet have the inner strength and resilience to lift itself from the doldrums against the quality teams by sheer force. Rather, we need something external, like a penalty or a bit of luck, or maybe a spurt of individual brilliance. Resilience: a word that earlier this season I threatened to return to repeatedly. It’s key and we don’t have enough of it yet. Today, we found no way back.

Harry has to shoulder much of the blame for this one. In my preview I wondered if he may have something up his sleeve to cover the left side problem. When I heard the team, I thought Jenas would be told to do a job there, but it never occurred to me that Palacios was to take on that role. He failed to stop Bosingwa’s runs and left the centre exposed. He’s been the foundation of our teamwork since January, so there was little value in changing the very thing that has made us successful.

Also, it’s all very well Lennon having a roving role – Jol did something similar a couple of years ago away to Chelsea and we went two up before they cottoned on to the tactic. We lost 3-2. However, yesterday sustained width would have stretched our opponents and kept Cole occupied, limiting the freedom to attack that won the game.

In the centre, JJ did well enough but the game passed Hud by. It was all just a bit to quick for him after the first twenty minutes. Keane moved well but penalty apart he had one of his un-coordinated days on the ball. And King, great player though he is, how long can we carry the risk of another breakdown during the match.

In contrast, Chelsea move purposefully as a unit and are just so much more comfortable with each other. For them, walking onto the pitch feels like pulling on a thick jumper from the back of the drawer, well-worn and cosy, whereas we are itching from new wool straight out the packet. Ancelotti has experience at the highest level of world football and the Italian league is harsh and brutal. The way things are going, if the Scudetto is like swimming with piranhas, the Premier League is the dentist’s fishtank in Finding Nemo. Here’s an exclusive Ancelotti team talk: ‘OK, line up like you have over the last couple of years, Ash and Jose move up a bit.’ Top of the league.

Having played United and Chelsea in successive weeks, one glaring difference between them and us is the pace at which the game is played. More about this later in the week, when I have more time to write. In the meantime, I did not want to go the game but to those who did, we heard you loud and clear on TV, terrific support and huge kudos to each and every one of you.