Europa League

One Touch Too Many

/ Alan / 14 Comments

One touch too many, a phrase that sums up Spurs’ performance last night. A radically altered team seldom captured the flowing passing style that’s been a feature of our season and we couldn’t score against 10 men despite having all the possession and territory in the second half.

This was like a trip back in time, all the way back to, oh, last spring at least. Players wanting three or four touches on the ball when one or two would do. Turning back into their man when a simple lay-off would keep the ball moving and stretch our already beleaguered opponents. Haven’t they learned anything from playing alongside Parker the master?

As a result we were continually caught in possession and allowed PAOK time to regroup after half a break had been made. Their massed ranks meant our one-twos in and around the box bounced off knees and ankles as well as feet but they didn’t mind as long as it stayed far from their goal. Many like Defoe and Pienaar tried too hard, setting the ball up for the perfect effort rather than catching them unawares with the early shot. Pienaar in particular failed to exert any authority – let’s be kind, he was finding his way back to match fitness and leave it at that.

The fact that it looked so dire is a tribute to how far we have come since last season. We play at pace, in set patterns that rely on Walker and Bale as well as Lennon to be quick and direct out wide and for Modric and Parker to shift it swiftly and accurately in the middle. On three occasions in the second half, we played a ball wide right from about 30 yards out and there was no one running on to it. Not making excuses for shoddy passing (there was plenty of that), but this sort of move is rehearsed in training and encouraged on the night, barely look up because that’s what has been coached. Yet Walker wasn’t there, not until later. We’ve grown into comfortable patterns and couldn’t readjust in time.

It’s not so much the individual, it’s the blend. Quality players in an unfamiliar line-up are just that, individuals and by the time the worst of the shambles was over, we were two down and beaten, despite the penalty and sending off that brought us unexpectedly back into things. We couldn’t finish them off, that old familiar Tottenham. Balls into the box, no one to finish it off. Their keeper was excellent but seldom tested. Ah, the good old days.

I say it’s not so much the individual, that doesn’t excuse some of the desultory efforts on show. Rose showed why he has so much to learn about the art of the full-back, especially positional play. Corluka, a defender I have a lot of time for, was appalling. Looking to him for basics of good positioning and solidity, he failed with the basics of passing and covering all night. I realise he wants out but we looked to him for leadership by example and there was none. However, twice it was the defensive line up that left acres of space between the four of them, twice the Greeks scored. The guy with the first goal seemed almost apologetic that such a gentle header should count. Where was Livermore and the midfield cover? Where was the tracking back?

Sadly I wasn’t at the Lane last night. I say sadly – this is my foolishness, I would rather have been there to witness a defeat than stuck on my sofa. Anyway, Graham Taylor rightly picked out the ‘one touch too many’ refrain several times. He wasn’t so sure about what to do about it. When asked he chortled, ‘That’s up to Harry!” It’s a cracking gig, being a pundit. They get £2 or £3k a match, I think. I’m available. It’s true that I haven’t actually been England manager or played football at a level higher than the Oaklands Road Primary 1st XI but at least I have an opinion.

I would have played an almost full-strength team from the start. I’m old-fashioned enough to think that a European competition is worth winning and that winning something is better than coming 4th in something else. I’m also calculating enough to say that on the balance of probability, it was worth the risk, despite Liverpool’s example from earlier this week where Lucus was crocked for 6 months. I’ve praised Harry for easing us on to the outside with the minimum of effort, two furlongs to go and a clear run ahead without breaking sweat. Win this one, effectively play one match at anywhere near full tilt, and we were through to the stage where over 2 legs we could beat anyone. Get there, then take a view depending on how we doing in the league and the FA Cup. Stamina is not a problem for this team and we could have coped with this game.

Credit to PAOK. Unlike the away match, they were organised and determined, refusing to be shifted from their Alamo positions behind the barricades.

So I’m disappointed today, but onwards and upwards. Harry’s heart was never in it and in the end that was the attitude of several players. If we had been 5th or 6th in the league, maybe he would have taken a different view, but we’re third and deserve to be so Bolton it is and three points.

Finally, I’m also disappointed with how many people on the boards and on twitter have written off a few of our young players. I know we all get grumpy after a result like this but to dismiss Harry Kane’s chances totally as many have done, or Livermore’s for that matter, is ridiculous. Kane is just 18 years old, our central striker in a key European game, he worked hard and could have scored on two occasions, would have if it were not for a handball on the line.  It’s hard enough as it is for young players to make it, never mind a reaction like this.

Kazan Away – Forget It

/ Alan / 4 Comments

I’m pathetic at cards. I pick up the rules easily enough but then it’s pretty much all a blur. So few numbers and colours, frankly it’s not that complex, but if you waited for me to work out what to do, you’d be there all night. And people round the table, staring…Whatever the opposite of a poker face is, I’ve got it. A fishface? Derren Brown could read me in a second, then use his spare time learning how to spell his name properly. Bluff and I’d be quivering like an electrocuted jellyfish. Might as well hang a neon sign round my neck with my hand showing.

But even I know there’s a variant of poker where you have the opportunity to keep the cards that you believe to be the strongest and discard the rest in the hope of replacing them with better ones later on. Luckily for Spurs, Harry’s obviously better at poker than I am. Kazan away was his throwaway. Defeat still leaves us in a strong position as the chips hit the table and the brave hold their nerve.

This stage of the Europa league is all about getting out of the group with the minimum of effort. Playing a weakened team is not a sign of a lack of priority for this competition – on the contrary, we should be aiming to win it. It’s about doing just enough to get through without wrecking the rest of the long season to come. I detest writing about football in this manner. As anyone who’s read this blog before knows, or indeed has read my report of the QPR match, football is something far more entertaining, profound and beautiful, whichever team you support. However, that’s the way it is. Not Harry’s fault: point the finger at UEFA’s wretched money-grabbing blazered accountants who understand balance sheets but not the power and glory of the sport, thus creating tournaments with matches that have no meaning and where failure in the Champions League is rewarded with a place in the final stages of another cup.

Redknapp has to play the game and he’s done so superbly. Not only was this our first defeat, he’s successfully bloodied young men like Carroll and Livermore, kept Gomes and Cudicini on their toes and generally made the whole squad feel involved. Yesterday we had the added bonus of Pienaar and Gallas playing their way back to fitness.

When Harry announced at the start of the season that he was going to play the kids in Europe, I thought he meant men like Townsend and Livermore, Kane too, who are young but have played in the Championship and I still suspect Redknapp didn’t wish to go as deep as Fredericks. However, we’ve managed just fine.

As soon as the draw was announced, this was the discard. A long trip into the unknown versus the team with the best pedigree in the group was never a priority. Win the home games and pick up a couple of away points, that’s it.

At this stage, he always wanted to be right where we are, our destiny in our own hands. This may sound like limited ambitions but not only are they totally realistic, they are not easy to achieve as Villa and Manchester City have found out to their cost over the last couple of seasons. I would play a full team at home against PAOK, a Wednesday game sandwiched by Saturday fixtures against West Brom and Bolton, to make certain of 3 points, then see what needs to be done in Ireland.

Last night we put in a reasonable effort but did not deserve to win. Having said that, it’s a shame the goal came in the manner in which it did, a fine free-kick but needlessly conceded by Bassong, who had one of his concentration lapses again.

Carroll and Livermore impressed me again. Not perfect by any means but they both have an exemplary attitude and appetite even when things don’t always go the right way. They take responsibility, which can’t be said for players like Pav, who could have done more. Cudicini is a veteran but has same enthusiasm even after all these years. He was the pick, several fine saves to keep us in the game. Otherwise, we should have kept possession much better but that’s the problem with a scratch team in Europe.

We ended the game with a side so young, it’s a good job they’re aren’t being sponsored for Movember, they wouldn’t earn a penny. As I’ve said before, this isn’t a reserve team. Our best ‘age group’ youngsters are on on loan so we’re on the brink of qualification with our 10th choice midfielders. Given this stupidly structured competition, Harry’s played his hand to perfection.

 

I know you’ve had sleepless nights worrying about the Gazza competition. To put you out of your misery, when he signed for Spurs, Irving Scholar threw in a house for his parents, a BMW for his dad, a sunbed for his sister and fishing gear for the great man himself. Allegedly the sunbed and fishing rod came from Scholar’s own pocket.

Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to Dave Spurr, who won. That appears to be his real surname – impressive.

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.