A brief history
In the sixties, while Spurs were off winning doubles, breeding legendary coaches and whatnot, FC Twente were busy forming themselves as a merger of two pre-existing, Enschede based clubs. They spent the next decade hanging around the top positions in the Dutch league but never quite managed to bag themselves a league title. A few more years of to-ing and fro-ing followed. They survived the hanging threat of bankruptcy in 2003, got themselves a shrewd new owner and went on to make it back into Europe a couple of years ago.
Appointing Steve McClaren as manager brought them much more success than it ever did for the FA - he steered them into the Champions League and though they were twice beaten in qualifying rounds (once by Arsenal), last year he took them to their first ever Eredivisie title and sealed their passage, finally, to the group stages, where they were handed a tasty draw against champions Inter Milan, Werder Bremen and ourselves.
McClaren has gone, lured by the higher reaches of Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, but Twente have marched on regardless. A solid start to the league campaign sees them entrenched in fourth spot, having not lost a game, and they fought out an excellent 2-2 draw with Inter in their first group game. Spurs, on home soil, may be favourites but this will be no easy fixture.
What do their fans think?
A brief look at their forums brought these sample quotes - with a little help from Google Translate. The English is broken but you get the general idea of what they’re saying:
‘One of the clubs that I had on my favourites list to counter location. WHL am much before, but this will be great!’
‘Tottenham has a good team, a victory is not so obvious.’
‘I have a few years back to see Tottenham play at home against Wigan and it is an old and charming, typical English stadium in a working class area, with plenty of decent pubs. In terms of opportunities, I am pretty optimistic. Tottenham is the last year or get better, do not play for nothing in the CL, but it's really no wonder team.’
‘I am also a very large of Gareth Bale, what this guy is good.’
‘MASSIVE play the champions league at Spurs, just like us. Of course they look especially forward to the match against Inter and Bremen to a lesser extent. Underestimation of Twente will be little question, and I think the bin is full.’
‘Spurs are still the Jews of England?’
‘The Jews of England’. Now there’s a nickname worth trying out. Long story short: they’re aware of our talent but they think they’ve got a good chance of winning. Which is true of most teams who play against Spurs. They know who our best players are: Bale, Crouch and van der Vaart are heavily mentioned and one poster was claiming how much of a relief it was for them that Defoe and Dawson are injured. They are aware of the fact that we may underestimate them - no doubt inspired by that first half against Young Boys.
The bottom line
All to play for. It’s the first time that White Hart Lane will host real Champions League football so there’s no need to worry about the atmosphere being anything short of electric. Back in 2006, when Spurs made it back into the UEFA Cup for the first time in ages, there was stuttering league form alongside some stirring European performances. We could well be encountering deja vu this season. Poor at times in the league, Spurs have played some thrilling football in Europeans games so far, with the first half against Werder Bremen being described by Redknapp as ‘the best he had seen us play’.
The reality is, however, that we couldn’t sustain it and ended up fighting for dear life to hold on to a point. But, backed by a vociferous home crowd, motivation shouldn’t be a problem for this Spurs team and they’ll be confident that their free-flowing, silky passing approach can reap rich rewards.
A win will do all manner of positive things - with all four teams in the group deadlocked, there’s a spot at the top of the table up for grabs. Inter vs Werder Bremen is difficult to call and if Spurs are able to overcome their guests, it could set them up nicely in the group. Out of the six fixtures, one suspects that this one is the most winnable - on paper if nothing else.
Brace yourselves Europe. There ain't no party like a White Hart Lane European, erm, party.
28 September 2010
27 September 2010
Sandro's battle to adjust
Ever wondered just how a player acclimatises himself to plying his trade in a new continent? There's a fantastic little article over at BBC Sport this evening on that very subject and it focuses mainly on our newly acquired Brazilian import Sandro. Written by Tim Vickery, a Rio-based expert on all things South American football, it looks into the methods that Sandro has used in order to in order to bridge the transition and adapt to his new surroundings a quick as possible.
An interesting line:
An interesting line:
"There's a really good group here," he says, "and they've received me really well." When he was replaced in extra time of the recent Carling Cup game with Arsenal, the entire Tottenham bench - the subs and the injured players - all came across to congratulate him.
Check out the entire article here.
26 September 2010
Old Tottenham rearing their ugly head
Something strange has happened. Remember last year when we were happy and winning and dancing on the streets of N17 every Saturday afternoon? Dancing may be going a step too far. Frankly, so is N17 (this blog resides in South London). But you get the point. We were confident, we had a settled team, we had cast off the shadows of Old Tottenham and come out all shiny and brand new. A New Tottenham, you could say. And, despite hardly any drastic alterations to the squad over the summer, that glorious team has vanished and has been replaced with the bog standard, look-good-on-occasions-but-ultimately-screw-up-the-games-we-should-be-winning side that we're all too familiar with.
To crown this rather annoying fall from grace, we've gone and sacrificed our four year unbeaten run against West Ham and given their hordes of fans plenty to gloat about in the coming months. Let's be fair: they deserved their win. They played as if a defeat meant relegation and they turned it on when it mattered. We had a smattering of chances but were second best. We didn't want it as much as they did and that's perhaps the most concerning thing about it.
In summary, it's just a thoroughly poor result against a team we ought to be beating. One hopes that Redknapp or, more likely, Joe Jordan delivered a forthright dressing down in the changing rooms afterwards. Something angry to really give them a kick up the backside. Something so expletive-laden that Gordon Ramsay came in halfway and said 'Look guys, there's just too much swearing going on in here.'
The writing was on the wall as soon as the Corluka-Bassong partnership was announced. Charlie's taken a lot of stick recently from fans and yesterday's display will only encourage said critics. The problem yesterday is that he's just not really a centre back. His lack of pace is plain for all to see but it's not as much of a problem when he's in his customary right back slot. Yesterday, he was regularly exposed and Bassong, who needs to play alongside a seasoned, authoritative defender if he is to perform, was hardly any better. What happened to Gallas? Frankly, we might have had more joy sticking Steven Caulker in - at least he's a natural centre half and wasn't that terrible against Arsenal.
Selection-wise, we appear to have gone backwards. Not that this is a personal attack on the man at all but last year we joyously proclaimed the end to the Jermaine Jenas problem and revelled in the fact that we finally had a midfield combination that worked. Now, Jenas is back in the side again and we're back to playing mediocre football. It's not his fault at all and he's merited the chance to play - his displays against Bremen and Wolves were top notch. But him and Huddlestone in the middle just doesn't click and the longer we persevere, we'll struggle. Admittedly, Palacios is hardly a good bet to replace him at present (talk about regression) but what's wrong with playing what we know? A midfield of Lennon, Hudds, Modric and Bale. It worked against Chelsea and Man City at the back end of last year. Put van der Vaart in front of them, supporting Crouch, and let's see what happens.
The problems around the team are pretty transparent. No Defoe means we've no natural goalscorer. It makes the inability to bring in a new striker over the summer even more galling. We're currently bereft of our number one goalkeeper, although Cudicini was sublime for the most part yesterday. Our defence has a new look to it every week. Some fans are blaming this on the Ledley King situation, which admittedly is an annoyance. But it's not the root cause. And his problem is the same now as it was when we were winning in style back in April and there weren't too many complaints then.
There's no point going into the ins and outs of the game - we were second best, let's just leave it painfully at that. And though this is a generally downbeat blog, the sudden turning on Redknapp, highlighted last week, is still something of a surprise. It's as if some fans have either completely forgotten that not too many games ago we were on top of the world or that they've suddenly developed over-heightened expectations and are unwilling to forgive a few early season teething problems. Yes, it's an indifferent start to the season. But it's no 2 points 8 games fiasco. And it's pretty important that we remember that the next time we disappoint - one suspects it may happen once or twice again before (and if) we return to the heights of last season.
Let's put things into perspective. Liverpool have had a poor start. Aston Villa have had as mixed a start to the season as we have. Man City are only three points ahead of us, though they've admittedly beaten Chelsea. We're still only three points off 2nd place. Whilst it's annoying to have been so inconsistent so far this campaign, it's nowhere near the end of the world.
This blog will go on in full support of Redknapp and the players. We've seen more than enough dark days over the last few years and this is extremely far away from our darkest day. Let's keep the faith. They've earned at least that much.
With that, the floor is open: what needs to be done to arrest the slide? Comments, as ever, are encouraged.
To crown this rather annoying fall from grace, we've gone and sacrificed our four year unbeaten run against West Ham and given their hordes of fans plenty to gloat about in the coming months. Let's be fair: they deserved their win. They played as if a defeat meant relegation and they turned it on when it mattered. We had a smattering of chances but were second best. We didn't want it as much as they did and that's perhaps the most concerning thing about it.
In summary, it's just a thoroughly poor result against a team we ought to be beating. One hopes that Redknapp or, more likely, Joe Jordan delivered a forthright dressing down in the changing rooms afterwards. Something angry to really give them a kick up the backside. Something so expletive-laden that Gordon Ramsay came in halfway and said 'Look guys, there's just too much swearing going on in here.'
The writing was on the wall as soon as the Corluka-Bassong partnership was announced. Charlie's taken a lot of stick recently from fans and yesterday's display will only encourage said critics. The problem yesterday is that he's just not really a centre back. His lack of pace is plain for all to see but it's not as much of a problem when he's in his customary right back slot. Yesterday, he was regularly exposed and Bassong, who needs to play alongside a seasoned, authoritative defender if he is to perform, was hardly any better. What happened to Gallas? Frankly, we might have had more joy sticking Steven Caulker in - at least he's a natural centre half and wasn't that terrible against Arsenal.
Selection-wise, we appear to have gone backwards. Not that this is a personal attack on the man at all but last year we joyously proclaimed the end to the Jermaine Jenas problem and revelled in the fact that we finally had a midfield combination that worked. Now, Jenas is back in the side again and we're back to playing mediocre football. It's not his fault at all and he's merited the chance to play - his displays against Bremen and Wolves were top notch. But him and Huddlestone in the middle just doesn't click and the longer we persevere, we'll struggle. Admittedly, Palacios is hardly a good bet to replace him at present (talk about regression) but what's wrong with playing what we know? A midfield of Lennon, Hudds, Modric and Bale. It worked against Chelsea and Man City at the back end of last year. Put van der Vaart in front of them, supporting Crouch, and let's see what happens.
The problems around the team are pretty transparent. No Defoe means we've no natural goalscorer. It makes the inability to bring in a new striker over the summer even more galling. We're currently bereft of our number one goalkeeper, although Cudicini was sublime for the most part yesterday. Our defence has a new look to it every week. Some fans are blaming this on the Ledley King situation, which admittedly is an annoyance. But it's not the root cause. And his problem is the same now as it was when we were winning in style back in April and there weren't too many complaints then.
There's no point going into the ins and outs of the game - we were second best, let's just leave it painfully at that. And though this is a generally downbeat blog, the sudden turning on Redknapp, highlighted last week, is still something of a surprise. It's as if some fans have either completely forgotten that not too many games ago we were on top of the world or that they've suddenly developed over-heightened expectations and are unwilling to forgive a few early season teething problems. Yes, it's an indifferent start to the season. But it's no 2 points 8 games fiasco. And it's pretty important that we remember that the next time we disappoint - one suspects it may happen once or twice again before (and if) we return to the heights of last season.
Let's put things into perspective. Liverpool have had a poor start. Aston Villa have had as mixed a start to the season as we have. Man City are only three points ahead of us, though they've admittedly beaten Chelsea. We're still only three points off 2nd place. Whilst it's annoying to have been so inconsistent so far this campaign, it's nowhere near the end of the world.
This blog will go on in full support of Redknapp and the players. We've seen more than enough dark days over the last few years and this is extremely far away from our darkest day. Let's keep the faith. They've earned at least that much.
With that, the floor is open: what needs to be done to arrest the slide? Comments, as ever, are encouraged.
24 September 2010
West Ham and wounded animals
Cup final time. Well, for Russell Brand and his merry band of West Ham followers, at least. So read his Twitter account earlier:
"IRONS!!!!!! We're taking our first 3 points off Spurs on Saturday."
It's their biggest game of the season, remember. Needless digs at West Ham aside, this is quite an important game for us as we strive to follow up on last weekend's late Wolves turnaround. Conspirators take note: if you take out the midweek Arsenal game (and one suspects most would be happy to), Saturday's match is the fifth in a row against a team beginning with the letter W. Suspect everyone.
Over the last few years, our trips to Upton Park and theirs to our place have resulted in nowt but wins for the Hotspur. Case in point, last season's 2-1 triumph - on that occasion we were indebted to Carlton Cole, who wasn't content with scoring a wonder goal and was feeling generous enough to pass the ball straight to Jermain Defoe on the edge of their box. Defoe duly beasted the ball home and Lennon gleefully sealed the points late on.
But that was in the past. Our opponents tomorrow in a bit of strife, having not won a league game all season and all that. Beware a wounded animal, however, and tomorrow will be no cakewalk. The last time we came up against a team in such poor shape was Wigan and we all know how badly that ended. At least this time there's no danger of a European hangover. A Carling Cup hangover might be possible but that would be like comparing a night of tequila slammers with a night of Cherry WKDs . The mornings after both aren't even in the same postcode.
Defeat to the Gooners may serve as inspiration for Spurs, however, even if most of tomorrow's team will have played zero part whatsoever on Tuesday night. And if that's not motivation, then maintaining our tremendous record against the Spammers and keeping their mouthy fans quiet will surely do as well. This weekend marks the end of our allegedly cosy run of fixtures to begin the league season with - with bigger fish to come soon, three points tomorrow are fairly important.
Team-wise and there's finally some positive news on the injury front. Modric is over his niggles and should play alongside van der Vaart, meaning Harry will get the chance to deploy his twin playmakers together. Alan Hutton's Pele-like display last weekend may earn him only a place on the bench again as Charlie Corluka is fit to start. Gomes is still out, unfortunately - Cudicini and Pletikosa aren't the worst deputies in the world, not by a long stretch. But we'd all feel more confident with big Heurelho between the sticks, wincing in pain every time someone goes anywhere near him and jumping about like a madman every time we go close to scoring. Hurry back soon, big guy.
Prediction o'clock: 2-1 to Tottenham. But don't expect it to be easy.
Thoughts?
"IRONS!!!!!! We're taking our first 3 points off Spurs on Saturday."
It's their biggest game of the season, remember. Needless digs at West Ham aside, this is quite an important game for us as we strive to follow up on last weekend's late Wolves turnaround. Conspirators take note: if you take out the midweek Arsenal game (and one suspects most would be happy to), Saturday's match is the fifth in a row against a team beginning with the letter W. Suspect everyone.
Over the last few years, our trips to Upton Park and theirs to our place have resulted in nowt but wins for the Hotspur. Case in point, last season's 2-1 triumph - on that occasion we were indebted to Carlton Cole, who wasn't content with scoring a wonder goal and was feeling generous enough to pass the ball straight to Jermain Defoe on the edge of their box. Defoe duly beasted the ball home and Lennon gleefully sealed the points late on.
But that was in the past. Our opponents tomorrow in a bit of strife, having not won a league game all season and all that. Beware a wounded animal, however, and tomorrow will be no cakewalk. The last time we came up against a team in such poor shape was Wigan and we all know how badly that ended. At least this time there's no danger of a European hangover. A Carling Cup hangover might be possible but that would be like comparing a night of tequila slammers with a night of Cherry WKDs . The mornings after both aren't even in the same postcode.
Defeat to the Gooners may serve as inspiration for Spurs, however, even if most of tomorrow's team will have played zero part whatsoever on Tuesday night. And if that's not motivation, then maintaining our tremendous record against the Spammers and keeping their mouthy fans quiet will surely do as well. This weekend marks the end of our allegedly cosy run of fixtures to begin the league season with - with bigger fish to come soon, three points tomorrow are fairly important.
Team-wise and there's finally some positive news on the injury front. Modric is over his niggles and should play alongside van der Vaart, meaning Harry will get the chance to deploy his twin playmakers together. Alan Hutton's Pele-like display last weekend may earn him only a place on the bench again as Charlie Corluka is fit to start. Gomes is still out, unfortunately - Cudicini and Pletikosa aren't the worst deputies in the world, not by a long stretch. But we'd all feel more confident with big Heurelho between the sticks, wincing in pain every time someone goes anywhere near him and jumping about like a madman every time we go close to scoring. Hurry back soon, big guy.
Prediction o'clock: 2-1 to Tottenham. But don't expect it to be easy.
Thoughts?
22 September 2010
In defence of Redknapp
From the sounds of things, you'd have thought we'd just been relegated. The anger emanating across the Tottenham community last night and spilling over into this morning was palpable. A 4-1 defeat to our bitterest rivals, a generally limp display and a White Hart Lane crowd forced into an early exit. The old ground will have hosted happier occasions than the one last night, that's for sure.
A lot of things didn't go to plan: Arsenal put out a much stronger team than we, or even they, expected, our band of fringe players and first-timers had a mixed bag and we displayed that time-old Tottenham tradition of defensive implosion. Yet, for ninety minutes, we were actually still in the game. And, although it hurts to lose in such a manner, what we mustn't forget is that this was the Carling Cup – a tournament that we've admittedly excelled in lately but one that shouldn't be too high on our list of priorities for this campaign. For the first time in eons, the argument could be plausibly made that it was more important for Arsenal than it was for us, an argument that is reflected in their team selection. And fair play to them, they deserved their win and their away support gamely joined in the minute's applause before the game for Spurs legend Bobby Smith, who passed away recently.
This blog unfortunately wasn't able to be at White Hart Lane in person, or indeed in blog form – work commitments saw to that. And so it's understandable that the fans who paid good money to support their side would have expected a performance, and a team sheet, that reflected their investment in both the club and the derby itself.
The general consensus is that Harry got it wrong last night but on closer inspection that might not be the watertight theory many are claiming it to be. Fatigue has started to rear its ugly head and we're only into September. We've a schedule like few too many before this season – the Champions League brings with it extra games and extra commitments. And even if we're to depart at the group stages, there's still the possibility of Europa League qualification and another stack of energy-sapping fixtures. Throw into the mix the FA Cup, a competition everyone treats with at least some semblance of seriousness, and our efforts to hang around near the top of the Premier League and we're left with a lot of matches to play over the course of the season. If players are getting tired, and getting injured, as regularly as they are now then squad rotation will be an incomprehensively vital part of any success we have designs on this season.
North London derbies are important, of course. They're the basic fabric of the intense rivalry we share with our neighbours and provide an opportunity for the fans to throw their weight behind their team in the most vociferous fashion possible. But the Carling Cup 3rd round pales in comparison to a league meeting or a cup semi final. It's not even in the same fraction. Redknapp, ever the thinker, saw an opportunity to rest his key players, players who had been showing signs of tiredness and injury, and he took it. The side he fielded wasn't a reserve side, nor was a composition of youth players. It was a seasoned team, with experience (Palacios, Bentley), fringe players (dos Santos, Naughton) and debutants (Caulker, Sandro) - players that deserved an opportunity to impress or needed match time to re-establish their credentials. It was a team Redknapp believed could win the game. And, lest we forget, we were a post's width away from doing just that.
Harry may have failed to recognise the perceived importance of the occasion. But the only crime committed last night was the lapse of defensive concentration that allowed Arsenal not only to force the door ajar but to burst through it. Players might have been playing in slighty alien positions and the formation may not have been the one to achieve success on this occasion. But if the long term gains of his decisions benefit the club in the shape of, say, Champions League progression or another top four spot, then the pain felt in the immediate aftermath of the defeat will be wiped away forever and last night's game will be consigned to nothingness. Let Arsenal have their moment in the North London sun – if they choose to gloat with an early season League Cup win over a weakened Spurs side then that's entirely their decision.
Bottom line: Harry knows what he's doing. This is the man who not only rescued us from relegation but who propelled us to our highest Premier League finish last season. He has a bigger plan and, though he'll be disappointed by the manner of defeat, he'll learn from it and move on. It would be best if we, as fans, did the same.
A lot of things didn't go to plan: Arsenal put out a much stronger team than we, or even they, expected, our band of fringe players and first-timers had a mixed bag and we displayed that time-old Tottenham tradition of defensive implosion. Yet, for ninety minutes, we were actually still in the game. And, although it hurts to lose in such a manner, what we mustn't forget is that this was the Carling Cup – a tournament that we've admittedly excelled in lately but one that shouldn't be too high on our list of priorities for this campaign. For the first time in eons, the argument could be plausibly made that it was more important for Arsenal than it was for us, an argument that is reflected in their team selection. And fair play to them, they deserved their win and their away support gamely joined in the minute's applause before the game for Spurs legend Bobby Smith, who passed away recently.
This blog unfortunately wasn't able to be at White Hart Lane in person, or indeed in blog form – work commitments saw to that. And so it's understandable that the fans who paid good money to support their side would have expected a performance, and a team sheet, that reflected their investment in both the club and the derby itself.
The general consensus is that Harry got it wrong last night but on closer inspection that might not be the watertight theory many are claiming it to be. Fatigue has started to rear its ugly head and we're only into September. We've a schedule like few too many before this season – the Champions League brings with it extra games and extra commitments. And even if we're to depart at the group stages, there's still the possibility of Europa League qualification and another stack of energy-sapping fixtures. Throw into the mix the FA Cup, a competition everyone treats with at least some semblance of seriousness, and our efforts to hang around near the top of the Premier League and we're left with a lot of matches to play over the course of the season. If players are getting tired, and getting injured, as regularly as they are now then squad rotation will be an incomprehensively vital part of any success we have designs on this season.
North London derbies are important, of course. They're the basic fabric of the intense rivalry we share with our neighbours and provide an opportunity for the fans to throw their weight behind their team in the most vociferous fashion possible. But the Carling Cup 3rd round pales in comparison to a league meeting or a cup semi final. It's not even in the same fraction. Redknapp, ever the thinker, saw an opportunity to rest his key players, players who had been showing signs of tiredness and injury, and he took it. The side he fielded wasn't a reserve side, nor was a composition of youth players. It was a seasoned team, with experience (Palacios, Bentley), fringe players (dos Santos, Naughton) and debutants (Caulker, Sandro) - players that deserved an opportunity to impress or needed match time to re-establish their credentials. It was a team Redknapp believed could win the game. And, lest we forget, we were a post's width away from doing just that.
Harry may have failed to recognise the perceived importance of the occasion. But the only crime committed last night was the lapse of defensive concentration that allowed Arsenal not only to force the door ajar but to burst through it. Players might have been playing in slighty alien positions and the formation may not have been the one to achieve success on this occasion. But if the long term gains of his decisions benefit the club in the shape of, say, Champions League progression or another top four spot, then the pain felt in the immediate aftermath of the defeat will be wiped away forever and last night's game will be consigned to nothingness. Let Arsenal have their moment in the North London sun – if they choose to gloat with an early season League Cup win over a weakened Spurs side then that's entirely their decision.
Bottom line: Harry knows what he's doing. This is the man who not only rescued us from relegation but who propelled us to our highest Premier League finish last season. He has a bigger plan and, though he'll be disappointed by the manner of defeat, he'll learn from it and move on. It would be best if we, as fans, did the same.
21 September 2010
All time favourite players: Michael Carrick
Danny Blanchflower once iconically said "The game is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish". Spurs players since then have played with this quote hanging over them like a burden and some have played the game true to this prophecy. Hoddle, Ardiles, Gascoigne, Ginola - flair players all and men capable of single-handedly raising the spirits of the crowd or drawing a collective gasp at a monstrously good piece of skill. Some players weren’t able to earn themselves the heavenly status that the aforementioned players are afforded to this day but, boy, did they play some beautiful stuff at times. These players were only able to display their talents over a short amount of time but they certainly left an impression. They left fans awe-inspired and bitterly disappointed when their potential for the club was never reached.
Though he only spent a relatively short period of time at the club, Michael Carrick was certainly one of these players. He was a fairly muted signing, slipping in quietly under the ill-fated Jacques Santini reign, and was a more high-profile departure, leaving the club in a slightly contentious fashion to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-conquering Manchester United. But during his two seasons at the Lane, Carrick transformed himself from relegated also-ran (he went down with previous club West Ham) to England international and European-recognised midfielder. Spurs fans may still have a bone of contention with the method of Carrick’s departure but what cannot be brought into question is the style and panache he brought into Tottenham’s midfield during his stay.
It can be argued that Carrick was one of the many reasons Spurs are in the position they are in now. His arrival coincided with the beginning of the Martin Jol era, a time in which Spurs elevated their status from lower-mid-table no-hopers to potential European contenders. In Carrick’s second and final season, he was the focal point of a team which held onto fourth place for the entire season, only to throw it away on the final day. Carrick left that summer, lured by the trophies on offer up north, and Spurs spent a few years consolidating their position as one of the Premier League’s nearly clubs - hovering around the UEFA Cup/Europa League places before last season’s successful assault on the top four. Before Carrick came, Spurs were a team in constant transition, never settling on a proper side and relying on ageing talents such as Darren Anderton and Gus Poyet. By the time he had left, the whole shape of the club had a new, younger, more vibrant feel to it and by the end of the decade, fourth place was, this time, ours.
When he joined, both his own and his new team’s fortunes were reasonably low. Carrick had suffered the ignominy of relegation with West Ham, the club he had been with since he was a youth player. He decided to stay at Upton Park for a season in, what was called then, the First Division but his talent was recognised by those in the Premier League and Spurs captured his signature for a reasonable £3 million, beating off, apparently, the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool. Spurs themselves had endured a miserable season prior. Almost a whole year without a proper manager, a relegation scrap and eventual 14th place finish, they also suffered the pain of seeing rivals Arsenal win the title with a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane. They had, however, made a promising start under new manager Santini and Carrick was one of a raft of new signings.
Things didn’t really start off to rosily. Carrick was marginalised by Santini and omitted in favour of the likes of Pedro Mendes and Sean Davis. Rumours abounded that Santini didn’t want to sign the Geordie midfielder and had his hand forced by Director of Football Frank Arnesen. But Carrick’s frustration was soon to turn to hope. Santini’s bizarrely quit his post after just a couple of months and the board acted swiftly to bring in then-assistant Jol. One of the first acts of the new boss was to install Carrick in the centre of the midfield and both men never looked back.
Carrick was instrumental in halting a slide of six successive defeats that had left Spurs hanging around the lower reaches of the league table. The losing streak quickly turned into a winning one. Carrick and Spurs won their next five games, including a awe-inspiring 5-1 demolition of Southampton (coached, ironically, at the time by Harry Redknapp). If ever a midfielder was lauded for pulling the proverbial strings, Carrick deserved such accolades on this particular afternoon. He set up numerous goals for Jermain Defoe and Fredi Kanoute and spent the entire 90 minutes roaming the middle of the park as if it were his dominion. The wins and the performances alerted the watching nation to the resurgence of both club and player. Carrick, from being the forgotten man with West Ham, was once again playing to a good standard in the top league.
Spurs ended the season surprisingly pushing for a European slot, having not tasted continental football for several years while Carrick, as a result, ended the season surprisingly pushing for an England place, having himself not tasted international football for several years. He’d been called into the squad back in 2001 and made two substitute appearances but this represented a far better chance to pull on the Three Lions. Carrick was back where he belonged, plying his trade in the Premier League, and he was fast becoming one of the finest English midfielders going around. His passing was what drew most praise - able to whip the ball to any place he commanded using either side of either foot. If you got yourself into a good position, Carrick would pick you out. If you got yourself into an average position, Carrick would pick you out. He was content to sit back in midfield, spraying glorious passes around and letting the more attacking players do the running and scoring. He was also strong in the tackle and he’d do a fine job in protecting his back four - Carrick was perhaps the first genuine holding midfielder Spurs had had in years.
That summer, England recognition came. He played on England’s tour of the United States and instantly looked at home in a midfield that was usually dominated by Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Carrick’s ease on the ball was a quality that few players had and he stood out because of it. He was able to work his way into space when in tight positions by using supreme ball control and technique. His quick feet, allied with a top notch football brain, allowed him to move around the pitch, with or without the ball, with great comfort and confidence. And at 6ft, he was no mug when it came to physical strength.
Carrick’s first full season with Spurs was also Martin Jol’s and the side immediately got into the groove. He was part of a midfield including the young and pacy Aaron Lennon, the combative Jermaine Jenas and the wise old head of Edgar Davids, signed to give the wisdom of his years both on and off the pitch. Carrick thrived in the company of Davids and prospered as a player - the gorgeous passing range was still there and added was a further desire to get forward. The midfield players forged a great understanding with each other; if one player went forward then someone should always be covering. It allowed Carrick, Jenas and Davids to interchange with each other brilliantly and before everyone knew it, Spurs were hovering around the upper echelons of the league. Though he hardly needed to do it, Carrick had endeared himself even more to the fans with a scintillating derby display against Arsenal, dictating terms for almost the entire match and making a mockery of the theory that the opposition’s midfield would outplay Tottenham’s. It was his sumptuous free-kick that Ledley King headed in for the opening goal and, though Spurs were denied the win due to a late equaliser, the performance was an indictment of both their own and Carrick’s improvement.
The one thing still missing was goals. But he soon put that to right with a virtuoso display against Sunderland. With the score at 2-2 and time running down, Carrick’s corner was worked back out towards him. Cutting in from the right, the whole ground expected him to lift the ball into the area to set up a team-mate but he fooled everyone, calmly rolling the ball into the far corner with his left foot and setting Spurs up for a 3-2 win. For a player who had set up so many victories with assists, it was a refreshing blast to finally see him stick one away himself.
As Tottenham raced through the season in fourth place, Carrick’s star shone ever brighter. The race for that final Champions League place grew ever tighter and Spurs had much to rely upon him for. Another spell-binding display was brought upon Manchester City in April, as was another goal - an almost carbon copy of his strike earlier that season. At Highbury, in the last ever North London Derby to be played between the sides at the venue, Carrick produced arguably one of his finest performances in a Spurs shirt. In a game that carried high significance - fourth place was at stake for both sides - he was able to completely dominate the middle of the park and went on one absolutely breath-taking run, cutting through almost the entire Arsenal side like a hot knife through butter. He was denied by the side-netting on that occasion and Spurs were denied by another late equaliser. But, once again, Carrick and Spurs had risen to the fore and delivered a critic-confounding performance, just when all hope appeared to be lost.
He was to suffer a mixed end to the season. His club ended it in acrimony, the final day fiasco at West Ham is well documented and seared painfully into the memory of Tottenham fans all across the globe. Carrick was one of the players that did manage to overcome the lethal bout of food poisoning and he made it onto the pitch that afternoon, fittingly providing the killer pass for Defoe’s goal. But Spurs were to end up beaten, in more ways than one, and it was an inglorious end to what had been a largely successful campaign. The disappointment was immediately tempered for Carrick; he was named in the England squad to go to the World Cup finals in Germany and was part of a squad that had high hopes. His reputation was as high as it ever had been and there were quiet whispers of interest from Old Trafford. But as he headed off to Germany and Spurs licked their wounds, no-one could have foretold that he would soon be on his way.
Carrick actually managed to make a start at the World Cup, despite only being in the squad as a backup. He began the edgy 1-0 win over Ecuador in the second round and produced an eye-catching display, full of the intelligent passing that those at White Hart Lane had come to enjoy.
He and England were to return home much sooner than anticipated but Carrick came home as one of the few players with his reputation intact, if not slightly enhanced. Tottenham had had time to come to terms with the bitter disappointment of the last season and were planning ahead, seemingly with him in mind. But the Man Utd rumours picked up pace. There were quotes from Sir Alex Ferguson himself, lavishing the player with praise. And things were to get worse, when it transpired that Carrick had requested to Daniel Levy that he be allowed to leave.
It was all highly confusing for the fans. From the outside, he appeared happy and enjoying his time at the club. He had rebuilt his career under the tutelage of Martin Jol and looked set to etch his name into Tottenham folklore. He certainly had the skills and the character to do it. But suddenly, he wanted out. His eyes had lit up at the prospect of trophies up north. Perhaps the failure to secure fourth place convinced him that he was never going to achieve what he really wanted at Spurs. Whatever it was, he was a man on the move. After initial rejection of United’s bids. Spurs kicked and screamed but eventually they had to give in. It was clear Carrick wanted to go and there was to be no stopping him.
The fee was eventually priced at £18 million - a hefty sum and one that represented just how highly thought of he was at United. Spurs certainly got their moneys worth, considering the low price he was brought for. But the club as a whole seemed shell-shocked and unable to deal with his sudden loss. New signings and current players were tried in his position - Zokora, Murphy, Davids, Tainio, etc - but none had the desired effect. It’s taken Spurs until just last year to effectively replace him, with Tom Huddlestone’s progression from overweight also-ran to pass master now filling the playmaking void. Carrick’s departure was a body blow and one that the club took a while to recover from.
Both parties went on polarising paths after his departure: Carrick has only really shone sporadically in his time at Old Trafford, despite being given the hallowed number 16 shirt. His England career has stagnated and he remains a peripheral figure. When one considers the potential he showed at Tottenham, it’s a crying shame that he never progressed into one of Europe’s top midfielders. He was certainly capable of it and he had all the tools to do it at United. He’s certainly won his fair share of medals, though. Three league titles, a Champions League (in which he scored in the penalty shoot out) and a couple of League Cups represent a prolific career trophy haul. And he has at least added goals to his repertoire. The Italian press even dubbed him ‘un Magnifico Carrick’ after he helped Man Utd to a Champions League win in Milan. He’s certainly had his moments.
Spurs, on the other hand, have finally delivered on the potential they displayed in 2006. After a few years of messing around with managers and an extremely brief flirtation with the bottom of the table, they avenged the painful memories of that day at Upton Park by finishing in fourth last season and securing the Champions League birth that could have been four years earlier. It remains to be seen whether they will stay there but Spurs are a club with a seemingly bright future.
It remains an injustice to this blog that Carrick did not flourish at Tottenham for longer. In those brief two years, he made such an impression. His ease of play and ability to pick out his team-mates whenever and wherever he chose set him apart from the rest. This was no mediocre English midfielder, destined for a season or two of brightness and nothing else. This was a genuine, bona fide gem of a player - a real diamond in the rough. He could do things that others could only dream of. It remains a massive frustration to see players such as Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard take their places in the England side today - one paced, single-faceted players with little more than the basics to offer when it comes to the international stage. Admittedly, Carrick doesn’t deserve to overtake these players based on current ability. But if he had just progressed from the player he was at the Lane, we could have the English equivalent of Xavi or Andrea Pirlo on our hands. That may sound over the mark to those who never really appreciated him at Spurs but, watching him play back then, there could be no limit on his potential.
The circumstances surrounding his departure from Tottenham remain a frustrating point. In some ways it’s as if he didn’t give a toss that we took a chance on him and helped him re-launch his career when it appeared on the verge of stagnation - a perfect example of the disloyalty of modern footballers. It later transpired that he had asked Levy for a better and a longer contract but had been roughly turned down. When the United bid came in, he weighed up all the circumstances and factored in the proximity he would have to his family and decided to leave. Whether the contract request is true or not is another matter but the whole affair certainly leaves fans with a bitter taste in their mouths. Carrick can either be viewed as a glory hunting traitor or just a player who wanted to get better, win trophies and be closer to his family. It really is down to the interpretation of the fans.
To this blog, Carrick will remain one of the finest and most aesthetically pleasing midfielders to wear the shirt. For the ease in which he did things or for the grace in which he carried himself across the field every weekend. If he had stayed at Spurs instead of jumping ship, who’s to say we wouldn’t have made it into the Champions League earlier? His legacy at the club is far more muted than it could have been but watching Huddlestone’s incredible passing range today certainly brings back fond memories. As with most of our promising players over the last decade, it sadly remains a case of ‘what if’.
Carrick will perhaps never be afforded a generous welcome at the Lane. But he remains forever in the affections of this blog. If only that Ginola-esque run and shot against Arsenal at Highbury had crept in, it might have all been so different.
Though he only spent a relatively short period of time at the club, Michael Carrick was certainly one of these players. He was a fairly muted signing, slipping in quietly under the ill-fated Jacques Santini reign, and was a more high-profile departure, leaving the club in a slightly contentious fashion to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-conquering Manchester United. But during his two seasons at the Lane, Carrick transformed himself from relegated also-ran (he went down with previous club West Ham) to England international and European-recognised midfielder. Spurs fans may still have a bone of contention with the method of Carrick’s departure but what cannot be brought into question is the style and panache he brought into Tottenham’s midfield during his stay.
It can be argued that Carrick was one of the many reasons Spurs are in the position they are in now. His arrival coincided with the beginning of the Martin Jol era, a time in which Spurs elevated their status from lower-mid-table no-hopers to potential European contenders. In Carrick’s second and final season, he was the focal point of a team which held onto fourth place for the entire season, only to throw it away on the final day. Carrick left that summer, lured by the trophies on offer up north, and Spurs spent a few years consolidating their position as one of the Premier League’s nearly clubs - hovering around the UEFA Cup/Europa League places before last season’s successful assault on the top four. Before Carrick came, Spurs were a team in constant transition, never settling on a proper side and relying on ageing talents such as Darren Anderton and Gus Poyet. By the time he had left, the whole shape of the club had a new, younger, more vibrant feel to it and by the end of the decade, fourth place was, this time, ours.
When he joined, both his own and his new team’s fortunes were reasonably low. Carrick had suffered the ignominy of relegation with West Ham, the club he had been with since he was a youth player. He decided to stay at Upton Park for a season in, what was called then, the First Division but his talent was recognised by those in the Premier League and Spurs captured his signature for a reasonable £3 million, beating off, apparently, the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool. Spurs themselves had endured a miserable season prior. Almost a whole year without a proper manager, a relegation scrap and eventual 14th place finish, they also suffered the pain of seeing rivals Arsenal win the title with a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane. They had, however, made a promising start under new manager Santini and Carrick was one of a raft of new signings.
Things didn’t really start off to rosily. Carrick was marginalised by Santini and omitted in favour of the likes of Pedro Mendes and Sean Davis. Rumours abounded that Santini didn’t want to sign the Geordie midfielder and had his hand forced by Director of Football Frank Arnesen. But Carrick’s frustration was soon to turn to hope. Santini’s bizarrely quit his post after just a couple of months and the board acted swiftly to bring in then-assistant Jol. One of the first acts of the new boss was to install Carrick in the centre of the midfield and both men never looked back.
Carrick was instrumental in halting a slide of six successive defeats that had left Spurs hanging around the lower reaches of the league table. The losing streak quickly turned into a winning one. Carrick and Spurs won their next five games, including a awe-inspiring 5-1 demolition of Southampton (coached, ironically, at the time by Harry Redknapp). If ever a midfielder was lauded for pulling the proverbial strings, Carrick deserved such accolades on this particular afternoon. He set up numerous goals for Jermain Defoe and Fredi Kanoute and spent the entire 90 minutes roaming the middle of the park as if it were his dominion. The wins and the performances alerted the watching nation to the resurgence of both club and player. Carrick, from being the forgotten man with West Ham, was once again playing to a good standard in the top league.
Spurs ended the season surprisingly pushing for a European slot, having not tasted continental football for several years while Carrick, as a result, ended the season surprisingly pushing for an England place, having himself not tasted international football for several years. He’d been called into the squad back in 2001 and made two substitute appearances but this represented a far better chance to pull on the Three Lions. Carrick was back where he belonged, plying his trade in the Premier League, and he was fast becoming one of the finest English midfielders going around. His passing was what drew most praise - able to whip the ball to any place he commanded using either side of either foot. If you got yourself into a good position, Carrick would pick you out. If you got yourself into an average position, Carrick would pick you out. He was content to sit back in midfield, spraying glorious passes around and letting the more attacking players do the running and scoring. He was also strong in the tackle and he’d do a fine job in protecting his back four - Carrick was perhaps the first genuine holding midfielder Spurs had had in years.
That summer, England recognition came. He played on England’s tour of the United States and instantly looked at home in a midfield that was usually dominated by Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Carrick’s ease on the ball was a quality that few players had and he stood out because of it. He was able to work his way into space when in tight positions by using supreme ball control and technique. His quick feet, allied with a top notch football brain, allowed him to move around the pitch, with or without the ball, with great comfort and confidence. And at 6ft, he was no mug when it came to physical strength.
Carrick’s first full season with Spurs was also Martin Jol’s and the side immediately got into the groove. He was part of a midfield including the young and pacy Aaron Lennon, the combative Jermaine Jenas and the wise old head of Edgar Davids, signed to give the wisdom of his years both on and off the pitch. Carrick thrived in the company of Davids and prospered as a player - the gorgeous passing range was still there and added was a further desire to get forward. The midfield players forged a great understanding with each other; if one player went forward then someone should always be covering. It allowed Carrick, Jenas and Davids to interchange with each other brilliantly and before everyone knew it, Spurs were hovering around the upper echelons of the league. Though he hardly needed to do it, Carrick had endeared himself even more to the fans with a scintillating derby display against Arsenal, dictating terms for almost the entire match and making a mockery of the theory that the opposition’s midfield would outplay Tottenham’s. It was his sumptuous free-kick that Ledley King headed in for the opening goal and, though Spurs were denied the win due to a late equaliser, the performance was an indictment of both their own and Carrick’s improvement.
The one thing still missing was goals. But he soon put that to right with a virtuoso display against Sunderland. With the score at 2-2 and time running down, Carrick’s corner was worked back out towards him. Cutting in from the right, the whole ground expected him to lift the ball into the area to set up a team-mate but he fooled everyone, calmly rolling the ball into the far corner with his left foot and setting Spurs up for a 3-2 win. For a player who had set up so many victories with assists, it was a refreshing blast to finally see him stick one away himself.
As Tottenham raced through the season in fourth place, Carrick’s star shone ever brighter. The race for that final Champions League place grew ever tighter and Spurs had much to rely upon him for. Another spell-binding display was brought upon Manchester City in April, as was another goal - an almost carbon copy of his strike earlier that season. At Highbury, in the last ever North London Derby to be played between the sides at the venue, Carrick produced arguably one of his finest performances in a Spurs shirt. In a game that carried high significance - fourth place was at stake for both sides - he was able to completely dominate the middle of the park and went on one absolutely breath-taking run, cutting through almost the entire Arsenal side like a hot knife through butter. He was denied by the side-netting on that occasion and Spurs were denied by another late equaliser. But, once again, Carrick and Spurs had risen to the fore and delivered a critic-confounding performance, just when all hope appeared to be lost.
He was to suffer a mixed end to the season. His club ended it in acrimony, the final day fiasco at West Ham is well documented and seared painfully into the memory of Tottenham fans all across the globe. Carrick was one of the players that did manage to overcome the lethal bout of food poisoning and he made it onto the pitch that afternoon, fittingly providing the killer pass for Defoe’s goal. But Spurs were to end up beaten, in more ways than one, and it was an inglorious end to what had been a largely successful campaign. The disappointment was immediately tempered for Carrick; he was named in the England squad to go to the World Cup finals in Germany and was part of a squad that had high hopes. His reputation was as high as it ever had been and there were quiet whispers of interest from Old Trafford. But as he headed off to Germany and Spurs licked their wounds, no-one could have foretold that he would soon be on his way.
Carrick actually managed to make a start at the World Cup, despite only being in the squad as a backup. He began the edgy 1-0 win over Ecuador in the second round and produced an eye-catching display, full of the intelligent passing that those at White Hart Lane had come to enjoy.
He and England were to return home much sooner than anticipated but Carrick came home as one of the few players with his reputation intact, if not slightly enhanced. Tottenham had had time to come to terms with the bitter disappointment of the last season and were planning ahead, seemingly with him in mind. But the Man Utd rumours picked up pace. There were quotes from Sir Alex Ferguson himself, lavishing the player with praise. And things were to get worse, when it transpired that Carrick had requested to Daniel Levy that he be allowed to leave.
It was all highly confusing for the fans. From the outside, he appeared happy and enjoying his time at the club. He had rebuilt his career under the tutelage of Martin Jol and looked set to etch his name into Tottenham folklore. He certainly had the skills and the character to do it. But suddenly, he wanted out. His eyes had lit up at the prospect of trophies up north. Perhaps the failure to secure fourth place convinced him that he was never going to achieve what he really wanted at Spurs. Whatever it was, he was a man on the move. After initial rejection of United’s bids. Spurs kicked and screamed but eventually they had to give in. It was clear Carrick wanted to go and there was to be no stopping him.
The fee was eventually priced at £18 million - a hefty sum and one that represented just how highly thought of he was at United. Spurs certainly got their moneys worth, considering the low price he was brought for. But the club as a whole seemed shell-shocked and unable to deal with his sudden loss. New signings and current players were tried in his position - Zokora, Murphy, Davids, Tainio, etc - but none had the desired effect. It’s taken Spurs until just last year to effectively replace him, with Tom Huddlestone’s progression from overweight also-ran to pass master now filling the playmaking void. Carrick’s departure was a body blow and one that the club took a while to recover from.
Both parties went on polarising paths after his departure: Carrick has only really shone sporadically in his time at Old Trafford, despite being given the hallowed number 16 shirt. His England career has stagnated and he remains a peripheral figure. When one considers the potential he showed at Tottenham, it’s a crying shame that he never progressed into one of Europe’s top midfielders. He was certainly capable of it and he had all the tools to do it at United. He’s certainly won his fair share of medals, though. Three league titles, a Champions League (in which he scored in the penalty shoot out) and a couple of League Cups represent a prolific career trophy haul. And he has at least added goals to his repertoire. The Italian press even dubbed him ‘un Magnifico Carrick’ after he helped Man Utd to a Champions League win in Milan. He’s certainly had his moments.
Spurs, on the other hand, have finally delivered on the potential they displayed in 2006. After a few years of messing around with managers and an extremely brief flirtation with the bottom of the table, they avenged the painful memories of that day at Upton Park by finishing in fourth last season and securing the Champions League birth that could have been four years earlier. It remains to be seen whether they will stay there but Spurs are a club with a seemingly bright future.
It remains an injustice to this blog that Carrick did not flourish at Tottenham for longer. In those brief two years, he made such an impression. His ease of play and ability to pick out his team-mates whenever and wherever he chose set him apart from the rest. This was no mediocre English midfielder, destined for a season or two of brightness and nothing else. This was a genuine, bona fide gem of a player - a real diamond in the rough. He could do things that others could only dream of. It remains a massive frustration to see players such as Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard take their places in the England side today - one paced, single-faceted players with little more than the basics to offer when it comes to the international stage. Admittedly, Carrick doesn’t deserve to overtake these players based on current ability. But if he had just progressed from the player he was at the Lane, we could have the English equivalent of Xavi or Andrea Pirlo on our hands. That may sound over the mark to those who never really appreciated him at Spurs but, watching him play back then, there could be no limit on his potential.
The circumstances surrounding his departure from Tottenham remain a frustrating point. In some ways it’s as if he didn’t give a toss that we took a chance on him and helped him re-launch his career when it appeared on the verge of stagnation - a perfect example of the disloyalty of modern footballers. It later transpired that he had asked Levy for a better and a longer contract but had been roughly turned down. When the United bid came in, he weighed up all the circumstances and factored in the proximity he would have to his family and decided to leave. Whether the contract request is true or not is another matter but the whole affair certainly leaves fans with a bitter taste in their mouths. Carrick can either be viewed as a glory hunting traitor or just a player who wanted to get better, win trophies and be closer to his family. It really is down to the interpretation of the fans.
To this blog, Carrick will remain one of the finest and most aesthetically pleasing midfielders to wear the shirt. For the ease in which he did things or for the grace in which he carried himself across the field every weekend. If he had stayed at Spurs instead of jumping ship, who’s to say we wouldn’t have made it into the Champions League earlier? His legacy at the club is far more muted than it could have been but watching Huddlestone’s incredible passing range today certainly brings back fond memories. As with most of our promising players over the last decade, it sadly remains a case of ‘what if’.
Carrick will perhaps never be afforded a generous welcome at the Lane. But he remains forever in the affections of this blog. If only that Ginola-esque run and shot against Arsenal at Highbury had crept in, it might have all been so different.
19 September 2010
What a difference a win makes
Tottenham 3 Wolves 1
Now that's more like it. For 77 minutes of yesterday's contest, it looked as if history was cruelly repeating itself, only this time in slow motion just to really rub in the pain. A raft of missed chances, a goal down since the stroke of half time and an increasingly desperate performance ensued as we laboured our way towards an equaliser. One down at home to Wolves just wasn't on the script in any lifetime and it simply couldn't end that way. The Wigan defeat needed to be proved to be an anomaly and not the start of a trend.
And so it proved. Yesterday was a day of reconfirming reputations. Robbie Keane reconfirmed just how listless he is at present and how badly an able striker is needed in his place. Alan Hutton reconfirmed that the £9 million spent on him in 2008 wasn't a complete waste and that there's still a decent player in there somewhere. And Tottenham reconfirmed that they're not just going to lay back and hand over all the progress they made last season.
On the face of it, a win was just what we needed and it's performed immediate wonders for the state of our season. From languishing in mid table, we've rocketed straight back up into fourth, like a child finally finding his way home after a troublesome journey. Early season tables can be deceptive but at least we're in the right place. It's ours to throw away again which is much more preferable.
Though Wolves were ahead with not much time to go and proving, once again, to be a giant thorn in our side, we bossed the majority of the game. Statistics don't always tell the full story but a tally of 11 shots on target to their 2 certainly does. We fashioned plenty of chances: Bale was at his sublime best down the left wing and had the beating of his marker so many times it was almost unfair. He laid on chances for almost everyone - Keane should have done better with the pinpoint cross he was given and Crouch's back post header was brilliantly saved by the impressive but time-wasting Hahnemann.
Van der Vaart had yet another fine game, pulling the strings and dictating proceedings from his free role in the middle of the park. His left foot is a source of many great things to come, watch this space. Jenas, shockingly, had a second impressive game in a row - the fanfares won't come out just yet but credit where credit is due and he is earning his place at the moment.
Hutton's introduction in place of Kaboul might have led to a few groans but he confounded all that with a really good shift, the early, left-footed, curling effort being a sign of things to come. His brilliant, length-of-the-pitch run brought the stonewall penalty that van der Vaart dispatched with ridiculous comfort. In a game where we were struggling to take our chances, a penalty was just the tonic and it was fantastic to see van der Vaart grab the chance to open his account and drag us back into the game.
Due to the nerves of the entire game, a lot of fans probably would have settled for a point there and then. But the momentum was fully behind Spurs, at last, and they pushed on. Lennon, not started due to a sluggish last few games, came on and instantly made amends, teasing the Wolves left back as he has done to so many others before whipping in a dangerous cross. Huddlestone's snap shot was deflected kindly in to the path of Pavlyuchenko, another inspired substitute, and the Russian kept his cool and produced an excellent finish to fire us ahead, finally. The celebration was bizarre but Pavlyuchenko himself is a source of constant confusion. In a game where he'll barely touch the ball, he can be the match winner.
Hutton's general display had earned him a plaudit or two and when the Wolves defence imploded and aimed a clearance straight into Hutton's leg, the karmic gods were smiling all over N17 and the ball looped into the net. The Scotsman is very much the peripheral figure these days. He lost his first team place to Corluka and then his back-up role was taken by Kaboul. A transfer away appeared imminent and it may still prove to be come January but at least he has regained some of the pride of his early performances for Spurs back in 2008. His future is unclear.
3-1 may have flattered Spurs but, frankly speaking, they deserved the win. Credit to Wolves for getting their goal and trying to defend it but the constant time-wasting antics of Hahnemann were tiresome and when they came out in the second half and insisted on defending a few metres from their own goal, it wasn't all that surprising when Spurs piled on the pressure. It's a win that will hopefully achieve the goal of kick-starting our domestic season and it also goes a long way to dispelling the idea that we'll always suffer from a European hangover. A Wigan-esque shambles this was not to be. Tougher tests will come but for now, we're finally moving in the right direction again.
There are, however, more questions marks over the team selection than ever before. But after a relatively disappointing start to the season, it's a problem that 'Arry won't mind having.
Now that's more like it. For 77 minutes of yesterday's contest, it looked as if history was cruelly repeating itself, only this time in slow motion just to really rub in the pain. A raft of missed chances, a goal down since the stroke of half time and an increasingly desperate performance ensued as we laboured our way towards an equaliser. One down at home to Wolves just wasn't on the script in any lifetime and it simply couldn't end that way. The Wigan defeat needed to be proved to be an anomaly and not the start of a trend.
And so it proved. Yesterday was a day of reconfirming reputations. Robbie Keane reconfirmed just how listless he is at present and how badly an able striker is needed in his place. Alan Hutton reconfirmed that the £9 million spent on him in 2008 wasn't a complete waste and that there's still a decent player in there somewhere. And Tottenham reconfirmed that they're not just going to lay back and hand over all the progress they made last season.
On the face of it, a win was just what we needed and it's performed immediate wonders for the state of our season. From languishing in mid table, we've rocketed straight back up into fourth, like a child finally finding his way home after a troublesome journey. Early season tables can be deceptive but at least we're in the right place. It's ours to throw away again which is much more preferable.
Though Wolves were ahead with not much time to go and proving, once again, to be a giant thorn in our side, we bossed the majority of the game. Statistics don't always tell the full story but a tally of 11 shots on target to their 2 certainly does. We fashioned plenty of chances: Bale was at his sublime best down the left wing and had the beating of his marker so many times it was almost unfair. He laid on chances for almost everyone - Keane should have done better with the pinpoint cross he was given and Crouch's back post header was brilliantly saved by the impressive but time-wasting Hahnemann.
Van der Vaart had yet another fine game, pulling the strings and dictating proceedings from his free role in the middle of the park. His left foot is a source of many great things to come, watch this space. Jenas, shockingly, had a second impressive game in a row - the fanfares won't come out just yet but credit where credit is due and he is earning his place at the moment.
Hutton's introduction in place of Kaboul might have led to a few groans but he confounded all that with a really good shift, the early, left-footed, curling effort being a sign of things to come. His brilliant, length-of-the-pitch run brought the stonewall penalty that van der Vaart dispatched with ridiculous comfort. In a game where we were struggling to take our chances, a penalty was just the tonic and it was fantastic to see van der Vaart grab the chance to open his account and drag us back into the game.
Due to the nerves of the entire game, a lot of fans probably would have settled for a point there and then. But the momentum was fully behind Spurs, at last, and they pushed on. Lennon, not started due to a sluggish last few games, came on and instantly made amends, teasing the Wolves left back as he has done to so many others before whipping in a dangerous cross. Huddlestone's snap shot was deflected kindly in to the path of Pavlyuchenko, another inspired substitute, and the Russian kept his cool and produced an excellent finish to fire us ahead, finally. The celebration was bizarre but Pavlyuchenko himself is a source of constant confusion. In a game where he'll barely touch the ball, he can be the match winner.
Hutton's general display had earned him a plaudit or two and when the Wolves defence imploded and aimed a clearance straight into Hutton's leg, the karmic gods were smiling all over N17 and the ball looped into the net. The Scotsman is very much the peripheral figure these days. He lost his first team place to Corluka and then his back-up role was taken by Kaboul. A transfer away appeared imminent and it may still prove to be come January but at least he has regained some of the pride of his early performances for Spurs back in 2008. His future is unclear.
3-1 may have flattered Spurs but, frankly speaking, they deserved the win. Credit to Wolves for getting their goal and trying to defend it but the constant time-wasting antics of Hahnemann were tiresome and when they came out in the second half and insisted on defending a few metres from their own goal, it wasn't all that surprising when Spurs piled on the pressure. It's a win that will hopefully achieve the goal of kick-starting our domestic season and it also goes a long way to dispelling the idea that we'll always suffer from a European hangover. A Wigan-esque shambles this was not to be. Tougher tests will come but for now, we're finally moving in the right direction again.
There are, however, more questions marks over the team selection than ever before. But after a relatively disappointing start to the season, it's a problem that 'Arry won't mind having.
17 September 2010
REVEALED: The real reason behind Tottenham's penalty woes
Ever wondered just why Defoe and Huddlestone were so terrible from the spot last season? All is revealed here. Bet the Germans don't practise like this.
Dances with Wolves
Right, enough of that Champions League mumbo jumbo. Time for the real slog to begin again. We don't want a repeat of the Wigan debacle so players will need to get their heads out of the sky as soon as possible. Literally, in Peter Crouch's case.
Whilst it was all fun and games on Tuesday night, playing in a different country, playing with a different ball, being on TV (look at us go, Mum!), the grim reality that is our stuttering start to the league season is right before us once again. Wolves come to the Lane on Saturday invigorated by the knowledge that not only did they beat us twice (!) last season but that we're vulnerable to complacency directly after a Champions League fixture. They'll be confident snatching something from the game, the plucky beggars.
On our part, Ledley King has already come out and warned the side they can't afford to take the game lightly. And you have to feel that failure to secure three points tomorrow would be something of a crime, especially considering prior results. After floundering against Wigan and, less so, against West Brom, Spurs owe a big performance and a confident would hopefully be something of a kick-start to the domestic season. Let's get this vehicle in gear, Harry will be saying to his players, probably.
It wouldn't be the weekend without a Spurs player injury fiasco so let's deal with this one. Van der Vaart is likely to miss out as a result of the niggle he picked up in Germany but Modric may be fit again so one can imagine a straight swap between the two. Seeing as we're back on home soil, it's not unrealistic to imagine reverting to 4-4-2 and getting Pavlyuchenko in up front alongside the Crouch machine.
The last time this blog suggested Robbie Keane, there were howls of derision all over this fair country so that mistake won't be made again. Besides, Keano's shockingly lacklustre Bremen display has probably put paid to his immediate chances of a start.
Will Jenas remain, after impressing on Tuesday? Where will Gareth Bale be played this time? And it's round five of the Tottenham centre back merry-go-round - stay tuned to see who's chosen this time.
Spurs fans: YOU'RE in charge. Who do you want to see playing tomorrow?
16 September 2010
Tottenham and their half full glass
Werder Bremen 2 Tottenham 2
The first (real) foray into Europe's premier competition and what did we learn?
The first (real) foray into Europe's premier competition and what did we learn?
1) That Bale really isn't fazed by the occasion of the match. He'll just play and play and be brilliant. Tearing up the wing like a roadrunner. Worth his weight in gold.
2) That Crouch isn't a bad bet to be our top scorer in Europe. He's got the know-how. He's got the height. And, boy, has he got the goals to back it up. Plenty for Liverpool way back when, a hat-trick against Young Boys and a salmon-like leap in Germany on Tuesday. And were it not for a pesky defender nabbing an OG to prevent St Peter (the cheek of it!), he could have had more.
3) If things get a bit nervy, we're not really that able to cope. But we knew that already, didn't we.
4) A 2-2 draw away in Europe is nothing to moan about, despite being 2 goals to the good. Spurs' glass should be half full, not empty as some would have it.
Forget the proclamations in the morning's papers about Spurs being 'taught a lesson' or about us giving it away. Alright, yes, we did give it away a bit. But every single being connected to the club would have taken a point pre-game. Champions League debut, away from home, against one of the best teams in Germany with an established Champions League record. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who were favourites. 2-2 will do very nicely, thank you very much.
But, though the press may have come down harshly with their opinion of our performance, there's an ounce of truth resonating in those column inches. To lose a two goal lead is galling at the worst of times but to do if after a first half performance of such majesty really takes the cake. For Spurs were bossing the contest with the authority befitting a team with much more experience and pedigree. The passing was slick and organised. Bale made the left flank his own and put in a performance beyond superlatives, showing to the rest of Europe what he's all about.
Van der Vaart was equally as dazzling, putting fibre behind his promising debut at the weekend. The aesthetic touches and turns were on display for all to see and it was he who delivered the left-footed piece of sex of a cross for Crouch's goal. He adds a pedigree to our side that, frankly, no other player can, simply because of his name. Whilst players like Modric, Bale and Lennon may be his equal, they don't yet have his reputation. His presence in the team ensures Spurs are taken seriously and not seen as fodder.
Individual performance aside, this was a seriously classy display from a Spurs side that has been desperately waiting to show the continent what it's capable of. For much of the opening 45, there was only one team out there who looked like winning it. It was as if that eleven was born to perform on that night and had no intentions of delivering anything other than the business.
But, alas, it was not to be. Assou Ekotto's sloppy hack of a pass ended up gifting them a throw-in and before you could say 'defensive ineptitude', Bremen had pulled a goal back. Right on the stroke of half time. In all of the football coaching manuals, there's a sentence, underlined and written in bold, that reads 'the worst time to let the opposition score is just before half time, especially in a tight game'. Harry's planned team talk was utterly bitch-slapped out of contention and the jitters were creeping all over the away dressing room. Poor Kaboul had to be read a story by Kevin Bond, just to calm him down (probably).
Minutes into the second half, Marin, who had been teasingly knocking on Corluka's door all evening, finally found a way through and lashed home the equaliser to commence 40 odd minutes of tense, next-goal-wins football. It could have been us - notably through Crouch. It could have been them. In the end, both teams will probably have been relieved to take at least a point from a game that ebbed and flowed and had periods of utter domination from both sides.
The majority of the team can be darn well chuffed with their performances. Even Jenas, ridiculed by this blog last week and plucked from obscurity to be given a starting spot. Jenas Mk II (see Tuesday night and Tottenham 5 Arsenal 1, 2008) played with the assurance rarely seen from Jenas Mk I (see every other game he's played in) and was up and down the field like a jack-rabbit, with no thoughts of goldfish bowls or bench warming to drag him down. Needless to say, he'll be found out by that notoriously formidable Wolves midfield on Saturday.
Lennon wasn't exactly stellar - he still seems to be shaking off the hangover of his lengthy injury last season and hasn't hit the obscene heights we all know he should be. We'll give him time though. And if we don't, it's likely that Charlie Corluka will give him plenty of time, as he does to most wingers. Perhaps his name should be added to the dictionary as a word that describes someone who's slower than slow. Tortoise-like would be considered a compliment.
And Keane... well, it's tough to see what he offers at present. Below-par, below the pace, below the standard of the night, to be honest. He was pretty lifeless and a poor replacement to van der Vaart. If he doesn't find that spark within him soon, it could curtains for his Spurs career - for good this time.
So one down, five to go. And with Twente claiming a highly credible 2-2 draw with reigning champs Inter, the group is wide open. It means we could plausibly get a result against Inter at our gaff. It also means we could get dicked on by the Dutch champions. But no time to worry. We set off to Germany like a child on the first day of big boys school and we came back having learned some hard lessons and ultimately richer for the experience.
Bring on the rest.
12 September 2010
Slowly but not too surely
West Brom 1 Tottenham 1
And the Spurs go coughing and spluttering on. Though it may prove far too early to be dusting off the bells of negativity, yesterday’s laborious 1-1 draw with West Brom is proof enough that Tottenham’s domestic season is yet to really get off the ground. Whilst the injuries can offer a partial excuse, the simple truth is that we’ve haven’t got this ship moving with anywhere close to full steam yet.
The shock defeat to Wigan was a jolt to the system – an anomalous result explained away by players and staff as a glitch. But the listless second half performance offered up yesterday was not the kind of in-your-face display fans had become accustomed to during last season’s highs. Perhaps any disappointment felt so far this year can be attributed to this reason. Whatever we do in the early stages of this campaign will undoubtedly be measured up against the accomplishments of last year. But, reminiscing aside, Spurs need to get their lives sorted and fast.
Redknapp deployed a new look side as a result of the key injuries to Dawson and Defoe and, for a while, it appeared as if gold had been struck. Though Pavlyuchenko up front by himself possessed all the threat and menace of a teacup pig, we relied on the creative juices of our new Dutch import and van dar Vaart did not disappoint. He was given free reign in the West Brom half and utilised his exemplary touch and vision to good use.
Crucially, he was able to link with his midfield colleagues. The back-heeled lay off for Lennon, who blazed over, was to die for. And it was his high ball into the area that caused so much confusion to the home defence. Pavlyuchenko rose high, the ball dropped down into a ridiculous amount of space and Modric was given the freedom of Birmingham to pick his spot and drill the ball home for a deserved opener.
But fate is a cruel mistress and Modric’s reward for scoring was to suffer a blow to the same part of his leg that he broke last August. He was immediately withdrawn from action and replaced by compatriot Kranjcar. But the loss of the Croatian Hoddle seemed to have a team-wide effect and from then on Spurs were a shadow of the team they could and should have been.
If there was a hint of doubt over their goal (it could be argued that Cudicini was impeded), it matters little as they were extremely good value for a goal in the second half. We were indebted to our soon-to-be reserve reserve keeper – it was a surprise that Cudicini started the game in the first place with new arrival Pletikosa hovering on the bench. That said, he was fantastic. The full length diving save to deny Tamas was of the highest quality.
A Bale one-on-one, set up once again by van der Vaart, and a Kaboul thunderbolt aside, we offered close to nothing in the second half and were lucky to get away with a point. The back four, led ably for the first time by Gallas, were remarkably lacklustre and showed a worrying lack of ability to deal with the threat posed by West Brom. If they’re overawed by those from the Black Country, it’s not worth thinking what will be going through their heads when facing Bremen or Inter.
Though the Champions League has brought us much to smile about, as well as some serious frowns, our league season is not going to plan. When the fixtures came out, most looked at the opening four fixtures and foresaw something approaching nine points, at the very least. The next few fixtures are certainly winnable, though there’s a chilling reminder of the way things can go wrong in our next game – Wolves at home. As the league season gets into full swing, Spurs need to work out what kind of team they want to be: strong and unyielding, like last year? Or submissive and easily outdone, like so many painful years before?
At least van der Vaart looked alright. And, don't worry, Modric hasn't broken his leg. He might even play on Tuesday night. Joy of all joys.
10 September 2010
Injuries provide van der Vaart with platform to shine
Sod’s law. According to thefreedictionary.com, it’s defined as ‘a humorous axiom stating that anything that can go wrong will go wrong’. Well, judging by the last seven days, it’s something to perhaps take more seriously. But, erm, only in a jokey way, of course.
Dawson slips and falls horribly on Friday night and is ruled out for around two months. Frustrating. Dawson and Wembley have a hate/hate relationship at the moment (Cup semi final). It’s no Ross and Rachel but who really knows if they’ll make it in the end? And, as if that wasn't bad enough, Defoe, fresh from a sexual hat-trick against Berbatov-less Bulgaria, goes and does his ankle out in Switzerland. Bloody Switzerland - the root cause of all our evils so far this campaign. What was initially brushed off as a minor niggle was today turned into a full blown 3 month injury period. Optimism sunk all around the land.
It leaves us in a bit of a predicament. With no Dawson, no Woodgate and precious little King, our back four has a sudden un-gelled look to it. But Gallas, unpopular though he may be now, could be just the man to step in and calm everyone down. Bassong has made it clear that he needs a strong, authoritative presence beside him and, with Gallas, you can be assured of authority.
At the other end of the field, there’s a striking dilemma. 4-2-3-1 with Crouch up front by himself? 4-4-2 with Crouch and Pav/Keane? No Crouch altogether?! It’s something Harry will have been thinking about already but it does, at least, present a glaringly obvious opportunity for Keane to get himself back into the affections of the Spurs faithful. If his sole complaint was a lack of playing time, he’ll certainly have his chances in the coming weeks. With respect to Crouch and Pav, Keane is the most natural goal-scorer of the trio and if he can hit his straps, Defoe’s absence won’t be felt so strongly.
It’s a blow to lose two of our best players, for sure, and them missing the Champions League group games is no Christmas present. But, before we retreat into our shells of negativity and pessimism, let us remember that last season we were bereft of the services of first Modric and later Lennon. We managed to cope back then and then some. We’ll tick along fine if we replicate the same spirit and application of yesteryear.
So, West Brom away at the weekend and the first test of our newly-weakened squad. But wait! We did just sign Rafael van der Vaart last week and that makes everything seem a lot less rubbish. It remains to be seen how well the Dutch playmaker will perform in the Premier League but he has his first opportunity to make a good impression this weekend. Wherever he’s deployed, it’s quite crucial, in the wake of the injuries, that he settles quickly.
WBA is one of those annoying games that we always seem to lose away. We suspect that we should beat them comfortably but we always seem to go there at a bad time or when they’ve got their backs up. Tomorrow should be no different. We’ll need a lot to go for us if we’re to succeed and it’s probably a good thing that few members of this team bear the scars of previous Hawthorns defeats. We’ve a lot to prove after the dreadful defeat to Wigan last week and, though it’ll be a hard game on the road, there could be a lot worse.
Prediction time and this blog is running scared after calling for a comfortable win against Wigan. No more unbridled optimism from here on in. It’s doom and gloom and that’s the way we like it. 2-2 draw. Crouch and Bale to grab the goals. A scrappy defensive display. Would like a win, obviously, but wouldn’t like to predict one.
Your own assessments? Is it right to be as worried as this blog is? Who starts up front? As ever, all comments are welcomed and encouraged.
7 September 2010
Jermaine Jenas: The forgotten man
A warm welcome once again to Tom Tainton, who has generously taken time out of his obscenely busy schedule to pen his excellent thoughts on one of the more marginalised members of the Spurs family. Those of a sensitive disposition should look away now - Tom pulls no punches.
Ever suffered from boredom? Ever felt as if you're stranded in a colourless wasteland, your body heavy and sluggish, your creativity dissipating fast amid a tide of monotony? Thirty-five thousand Spurs fans feel have felt that pain every other weekend over the last few years at the Lane. The medical term for it is 'Alyosis' but it's more commonly known as 'watchingJenasplayforspursitis'.
Jermaine Jenas is a footballer who does little to inspire even the most ardent of Lilywhites. Officially regarded as a 'box-to-box midfielder' with the ability to score regularly (no laughing at the back), JJ is better known as an unadventurous enforcer. A younger, slimmer David Batty. Equally painful on the eyes, however.
A little harsh? This is a man with a PFA Young Player award. Over twenty international caps. Over twenty goals in Spurs colours. A former vice-captain. Hell, he was even the only player to hit the woodwork during Soccer AM's 'Crossbar Challenge' (thanks Wikipedia).
Jenas is a vivid indictment of the progress that Spurs have made. In 2005, he was the big cheese, sauntering about the park alongside Andy Reid, Dean Marney and Michael Brown. Today he faces slightly stiffer competition. JJ finds himself at the back of an ever-increasing queue. A raft of talented youngsters, a handful of English internationals, a smattering of World Cup stars. And a jug-eared Welshman.
There's a number of people to blame, the most obvious being the man himself:
Jermaine Jenas
What do you do when your position at a club is no longer safe? Do you a) fight for it by improving performances, b) engineer a loan move away from the club in a dignified bid to earn consistent football, or c) do fuck all. JJ opted for the latter. Good choice, Jermaine. Since it became obvious to Spurs fans that he wasn't fit to shine Luka Moddle's shoes, he's done little to convert opinion. Rejecting a move to Stoke this summer didn't help one jot. While Huddlestone has ascended from bit-part player to integral first-teamer, Jenas has slipped further down the rankings. From hero (ish) to zero. He now finds himself in an unenviable group, destined for sporadic outings and co-commentary responsibilities on Spurs TV: another member of the group of forgotten men at the Lane. The others? Keano, Hutton and Pav. It's got all the makings of a tragic joke. There's an Englishman, an Irishman, a Scotsman... and a useless Russian wanker (see here for prior evidence of Tom's ardent anti-Pavlyuchenko stance - Mark).
Above JJ, the gaffer must also take a portion of the blame for his player's dramatic fall from grace.
Harry Redknapp
'Arry's bid to outdo Britain's immigration quota single-handedly does Jenas no favours. In signing forty thousand extra midfielders during the close season, Redknapp has served to force JJ into obscurity. Redknapp just doesn't do boring. He likes Champions League battles, relegation scraps, midnight police raids and lots of Croatians. Alas, first team appearances will be limited to the bench. JJ was only given 19 league opportunities last season and this year he has to contend with the considerable might of van der Vaart as well. Oh, and Sandra. Sandro. Whoever he/she is. It's either an unknown Brazilian or Harry's wife. Either way, they're probably better than Jenas.
Finally, the board. Admittedly it's difficult to argue that they are responsible for JJ being shit but if you can't point the finger at a group of rich Jewish businessman then who can you blame?
Daniel Levy
It's hard to can't slag off Levy too much. The business mogul has transformed Spurs' fortunes by hurling bags of money at anybody in the vicinity of N17 who has a fully functioning pulse. However, when he sanctioned a move for the former Newcastle midfielder in 2005 there were more than a few mutters. When he served up 7 million quid to fund the deal, eyebrows were raised. And when he slammed down a five year contract (with the possibility of a year extension) on the table, jaws dropped. (Jenas' agent, on the other hand, was no doubt trying to conceal an erection).
Jenas' time at Newcastle ended in acrimony. Two goals in 48 games and a series of inexplicably bland performances. JJ moaned about goldfish bowls and life at St. James Park, which led manager Graeme Souness to auction off the player to the highest (and most foolish) bidder. It's not that Jenas didn't have potential. At 15 years of age, he was touted as a future shining star. Then again, at 15 years old Britney Spears was tipped for stardom, now she's a manic-depressive lunatic. Things can change very quickly.
In summary, JJ will find it nigh on impossible to resurrect his floundering career this season. If he wants football, he'll have to look elsewhere. If he wants redemption from the fans, he'll have to look elsewhere. Jenas represents the mediocrity of Tottenham's past, and the sooner we all forget about that, the better.
Ever suffered from boredom? Ever felt as if you're stranded in a colourless wasteland, your body heavy and sluggish, your creativity dissipating fast amid a tide of monotony? Thirty-five thousand Spurs fans feel have felt that pain every other weekend over the last few years at the Lane. The medical term for it is 'Alyosis' but it's more commonly known as 'watchingJenasplayforspursitis'.
Jermaine Jenas is a footballer who does little to inspire even the most ardent of Lilywhites. Officially regarded as a 'box-to-box midfielder' with the ability to score regularly (no laughing at the back), JJ is better known as an unadventurous enforcer. A younger, slimmer David Batty. Equally painful on the eyes, however.
A little harsh? This is a man with a PFA Young Player award. Over twenty international caps. Over twenty goals in Spurs colours. A former vice-captain. Hell, he was even the only player to hit the woodwork during Soccer AM's 'Crossbar Challenge' (thanks Wikipedia).
Jenas is a vivid indictment of the progress that Spurs have made. In 2005, he was the big cheese, sauntering about the park alongside Andy Reid, Dean Marney and Michael Brown. Today he faces slightly stiffer competition. JJ finds himself at the back of an ever-increasing queue. A raft of talented youngsters, a handful of English internationals, a smattering of World Cup stars. And a jug-eared Welshman.
There's a number of people to blame, the most obvious being the man himself:
Jermaine Jenas
What do you do when your position at a club is no longer safe? Do you a) fight for it by improving performances, b) engineer a loan move away from the club in a dignified bid to earn consistent football, or c) do fuck all. JJ opted for the latter. Good choice, Jermaine. Since it became obvious to Spurs fans that he wasn't fit to shine Luka Moddle's shoes, he's done little to convert opinion. Rejecting a move to Stoke this summer didn't help one jot. While Huddlestone has ascended from bit-part player to integral first-teamer, Jenas has slipped further down the rankings. From hero (ish) to zero. He now finds himself in an unenviable group, destined for sporadic outings and co-commentary responsibilities on Spurs TV: another member of the group of forgotten men at the Lane. The others? Keano, Hutton and Pav. It's got all the makings of a tragic joke. There's an Englishman, an Irishman, a Scotsman... and a useless Russian wanker (see here for prior evidence of Tom's ardent anti-Pavlyuchenko stance - Mark).
Above JJ, the gaffer must also take a portion of the blame for his player's dramatic fall from grace.
Harry Redknapp
'Arry's bid to outdo Britain's immigration quota single-handedly does Jenas no favours. In signing forty thousand extra midfielders during the close season, Redknapp has served to force JJ into obscurity. Redknapp just doesn't do boring. He likes Champions League battles, relegation scraps, midnight police raids and lots of Croatians. Alas, first team appearances will be limited to the bench. JJ was only given 19 league opportunities last season and this year he has to contend with the considerable might of van der Vaart as well. Oh, and Sandra. Sandro. Whoever he/she is. It's either an unknown Brazilian or Harry's wife. Either way, they're probably better than Jenas.
Finally, the board. Admittedly it's difficult to argue that they are responsible for JJ being shit but if you can't point the finger at a group of rich Jewish businessman then who can you blame?
Daniel Levy
It's hard to can't slag off Levy too much. The business mogul has transformed Spurs' fortunes by hurling bags of money at anybody in the vicinity of N17 who has a fully functioning pulse. However, when he sanctioned a move for the former Newcastle midfielder in 2005 there were more than a few mutters. When he served up 7 million quid to fund the deal, eyebrows were raised. And when he slammed down a five year contract (with the possibility of a year extension) on the table, jaws dropped. (Jenas' agent, on the other hand, was no doubt trying to conceal an erection).
Jenas' time at Newcastle ended in acrimony. Two goals in 48 games and a series of inexplicably bland performances. JJ moaned about goldfish bowls and life at St. James Park, which led manager Graeme Souness to auction off the player to the highest (and most foolish) bidder. It's not that Jenas didn't have potential. At 15 years of age, he was touted as a future shining star. Then again, at 15 years old Britney Spears was tipped for stardom, now she's a manic-depressive lunatic. Things can change very quickly.
In summary, JJ will find it nigh on impossible to resurrect his floundering career this season. If he wants football, he'll have to look elsewhere. If he wants redemption from the fans, he'll have to look elsewhere. Jenas represents the mediocrity of Tottenham's past, and the sooner we all forget about that, the better.
5 September 2010
How do you solve a problem like Tottenham's midfield?
The problem: loads of extremely talented midfielders all vying for a limited amount of positions.
There's not too many ways available to keep all of them happy, let's be frank. During a single game, at most, there'll be five midfield positions available and just four on some occasions. It's hard to squeeze so many good players into that formation, especially when there's some that you simply shouldn't be leaving out.
Perhaps the best way to do it is to bracket each players into quality, grade A being the better players and so on:
Grade A players - Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart
VDV and Modric are obvious inclusions here. Modric has the ability to control a game and has proved himself in the Premier League over the last two years. His passing and creativity make him one of the finest midfielders in the league. Van der Vaart has experience all over Europe - Ajax, Hamburg, Real Madrid and now Tottenham. He's been there and he's most certainly done that. He can dictate terms through the middle like few others and wouldn't be out of place at any top Premier League side.
Bale gets into this bracket because there's few that can play like him. He remains Tottenham's only genuine left winger and even then, there's no guarantee that's his best position. There are no others, however, who can match his pace down the left or who can mesmerise to such an effect. His left-footedness is also an essential commodity.
These three players, you'd feel, are pretty vital and should be deployed in as many games as possible, if not all three at a time then at least two. Bale's bonus is that, if needs be, he can drop in at left back and free up an extra midfield place. Modric can play either wide left or, preferably, through the middle. Van der Vaart has a little bit to prove, to show he can make it in England but should he succeed, he'll be lethal.
Grade B players - Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone
Lennon is ever-so-close to being listed in the first category but a slight regression, as part of his injury earlier this year, has seen him just drop down a level. It's a touch harsh perhaps and he has, admittedly, showed signs of reaching the outstanding highs from the first half of last season. But, as a result of the injury, he was sluggish during the World Cup and it has probably knocked his confidence a bit. He'll get back to his best soon enough.
Huddlestone is another who will soon enough be grade A should he continue in the current vein. A player highly rated by those in the know (i.e. Redknapp and Capello), he has arguably been our best player so far this season. All he needs to do is add a touch of steel to his play but, for now, he's progressing splendidly. His central combination with Modric is to die for. There is the worry, however, sometimes that if he plays without a holding midfielder, we're exposed at the back.
Grade C players - Wilson Palacios, Niko Kranjcar, David Bentley, Sandro
Harsh on Kranjcar, who's done little wrong since joining last season. One just gets the feeling with him, however, that he's destined for a rotation role. He plays on either wing and has been known to go through the middle too. He's a fine player and one who fits in with our squad perfectly - a source of this blog has said that Spurs physios and coaches have nothing but the highest praise for the man. He's a player to bring off the bench to liven things up.
Palacios is in the middle of a bad, bad patch of form and has been since the back end of last season. He had formed a nice partnership with Huddlestone in the middle but was overshadowed when Modric moved inside and allowed Bale to roam. Early indications this campaign are not too favourable. He gives the ball away far too often and appears cumbersome in possession. He may still find his best form but for now he remains far from an automatic pick.
Bentley was apparently close to a move at the end of the transfer window. But, for reasons unknown, he stayed and remains a part of the impressively strong midfield legion. Bentley played nicely during Lennon's spell on the sidelines last season and contributed some impressive performances. The arrogance sometimes rears it's ugly head - the flicks and tricks should be stowed away until you're a first teamer, David. But buried within lies a good player and he could play a big role from the bench, should he be happy to.
New boy Sandro could be brilliant or he could be dross. The only way to find out is to give him a chance. For now, he remains at this level - capable of doing very good things. There's every chance that if Palacios continues failing then Sandro could take his place. But, as mentioned, the jury is well and truly out on this one.
Grade D players - Jermaine Jenas, Jamie O'Hara, Giovani dos Santos, Danny Rose
These guys are a long way from the first team and will probably only play should there be an injury crisis or mass player resting. Dos Santos shone during pre-season and had a fine World Cup. There's enough evidence there to suggest he could become an excellent player but, given the start against Young Boys away from home, he was poor. He remains a player with potential and nothing more. For now.
Jenas has all but the left the club, such is his unpopularity amongst the fans. It's telling that the season in which he lost his first team place, Spurs went on to have their best year in ages and finish fourth. He remains sporadically capable, as shown during the win against Stoke a few weeks ago. But he's very much a fringe player. Much like O'Hara, who lost a lot of fans as a result of his Portsmouth bleating during the FA Cup. Still young and still capable, he's been out of the first team for too long to say whether he'll be able to fit right back in.
Rose has a lot to look forward to and can be most hopeful of a place in the team out of these four players. His Arsenal superstrike has assured him of a place in the hearts of Spurs fans for a long while yet but he has work to do to ensure that his career is not just remembered for that moment.
Have we missed anyone out? No, it doesn't appear so. So, dear audience, what conclusions can we draw from that? Do we go continental and push a 4-3-2-1? Or stick to what we know best and keep it at 4-4-2? Who plays wide left, Bale or Modric? Who partners Huddlestone in the middle? Is Lennon's place 100% secure?
Answers and suggestions on a postcard please.
Caulker waiting in the wings
Ah, England games. Convenient when we're in a run of bad form, annoying when we're playing brilliantly. Either way, you can assume that someone somewhere will always have something to shout off about when it comes to international breaks and they generally revolve around player injuries. Never thought it would happen to us.
As soon as Dawson went down on Friday night, you could tell it was a bad one. The look on his face painted a thousand pictures - Daws is hardly one to throw himself around in mock agony. It was tinged in irony; Clive Tyldesly and Andy Townsend were in the process of questioning Dawson's performance after a mistimed tackle had resulted in a Bulgaria half chance and as soon as he had gone to ground, their tunes immediately changed. 'Such a shame', 'no-one deserves to be playing for England more than Dawson' were just a sample of the gushing eulogies being offered.
As Spurs fans feared the worst and initial projections estimated that his season might be over, all appeared to be bleak. But the revised prognosis is up to two months. Which, in hindsight, is nowhere near as bad as it could have been. It means he'll miss a few Champions League games, which is a real kick in the teeth. He'll also miss some big Premier League games. And just as his England career was starting to take shape, too.
It'll require awesome defensive management from Redknapp - that Gallas signing is starting to look just a little less unappealing. With King only able to play the odd game from time to time and Bassong still developing, Gallas just got elevated to the status of senior defender. Kaboul can play centre back and, at a stretch, so can Corluka. We can certainly manage without Dawson for a little while - but it may be an opportunity for one of our numerous young guns to step up and make a few squad appearances.
Steven Caulker has been earning rave reviews from those in the know. A season long loan spell at Yeovil last season saw him become an ever-present in their defence and he played a huge role in helping England under-19s to the semi final of the European Championships over the summer. Another loan was discussed for this season, this time a division higher at Leeds, though it failed to materialise. Redknapp has spoken positively of the young defender in the past and is thought to see a big future for him.
Caulker signed a professional deal with the club in 2009 and has captained the under-18 side on occasions. Fast, robust and strong in the tackle, he has the benefit of having played a full season at first team level, albeit for a League One club. He looks set to have a good future - the only hope that remains is that it's with us. It's been too long since a player came all the way up through the ranks at Tottenham. Dawson's absence may just give Caulker the opportunity to get a tiny, little bit closer to the team.
25 signals the end for Woodgate?
Poor old Jonathan Woodgate. From Wembley glory to the wilderness in two and a half years. The beleaguered defender's ongoing problems with injury have unfortunately cost him a place in our official 25 man roster for the current season. It's a crying shame for the man. At his peak with Spurs, he was an imperious, commanding defender and had the know-how and the ability to prevent a crisis. He weathered the Ramos debacle and came out of it as one of the players Redknapp knew he could rely on in a crisis.
It's tough to see him having a future at Tottenham or even anywhere else, unless he manages to recover from his current problem, get himself incredibly fit behind the scenes at Spurs and prove to the management that there's still an able defender in there. Otherwise, he may have to add his name to the honours board of defenders best by injury. He can always ask Ledley for advice on how to cope.
A 25 man squad was required by the Premier League, with players under 21 not needing to be registered. The squad had to have a certain number of home-grown players - those who had spent at least three seasons with a club in England before their 21st birthday. Here is Tottenham's official 25 man list, with home grown players in bold:
Benoit Assou Ekotto
Sebastien Bassong
David Bentley
Vedran Corluka,
Peter Crouch
Carlo Cudicini
Heurelho Gomes
Michael Dawson
Jermain Defoe
William Gallas
Tom Huddlestone
Alan Hutton
Jermain Jenas
Younes Kaboul
Robbie Keane
Ledley King
Niko Kranjcar
Aaron Lennon
Luka Modric
Kyle Naughton
Jamie O'Hara
Wilson Palacios
Roman Pavlyuchenko
Stipe Pletikosa
Rafael van der Vaart
And, we have an obscenely long list of under 21 players that we can call upon. Notable names from that particular list include Gareth Bale, new signing Sandro, Giovani dos Santos, Kyle Walker and Danny Rose, along with the talked about youth players like Obika, Townsend, Mason and Caulker.
Sorry Woody. Maybe next time?
Lessons not learned and the arrival of some Dutch courage
Admittedly, this Wigan lament is coming a little bit late but it's just as salient. What were we thinking? What were we playing at? What went wrong? An afternoon that packed more questions than the emphatic answers we were expecting. From the euphoric highs of the midweek Champions League win, Spurs were brought crashing emphatically down to earth with a bang as hard-hitting as Hugo Rodallega's late winner. Thoughts immediately went to similar 1-0 reverses at the Lane last season to Stoke and Wolves. But, perhaps most worryingly, Tottenham didn't deserve anything from this disappointment. They were toothless, listless and devoid of inspiration.
In the short term, it's three easy points tossed down the drain like we didn't even want them. You'll have to forgive this blog for harking on about the need for a strong, points-laden start but it'll be so helpful come the middle parts of the season when we're desperate for points. Why play catch up with the teams who are where we want to be? Why not just get there and fight like hell to stay there like, let's think, last season? Lessons have not been learned - Spurs had chances to score, glorious chances at that but were denied, not at all for the first time, by an impressive away keeper. We needed clinical, assured finishing. We provided nowt but frustration.
It's a defeat that also raised questions about our ability to come back down from the Champions League highs to the doldrums of the regular, every-man's Premier League - like coming back from a holiday at Disneyland to be faced with a trip to Chessington World of Adventures. Perhaps our heads were still stuck in clouds from Wednesday night. Defoe, recalling his tactical handball before his goal or Huddlestone, with his mind still on that left-footed little gem of a pass in the first half. Too many minds on Werder and not enough on Wigan. If we can't sort ourselves out after Champions League games so that we're not in the right frame of mind to win routine games in the Premier League, then we've a serious problem. This blog is ever so slightly concerned that with the fuss and glamour surround our involvement in Europe, the small matter of our league season will be forgotten about.
But enough negativity. Forgive and forget, that's the party line. We wrote off Redknapp's men too many times last season and they bounced back over and over again. Time for a little, good, old-fashioned support.
The transfer window. A muted affair if ever there's been one. Especially deadline day. Gone are the days of minute-to-minute drama, high stakes transfers and huge names coming to the England to secure last minute deals. Nope, the extent of the drama for much of the day was whether Stoke would sign Jermaine Pennant or not. Hardly Watergate.
But, in true Spurs and Redknapp style, we proceeded to dominate the news with a last minute, audacious attempt to sign Rafael van der Vaart from Real Madrid. Crazy scenes. Sky Sports News presenters frothing at the mouth. Probably - not that this blog would actually know, we're strictly Freeview, thank you very much. A move completely out of the blue but, as Harry would later explain, he was only notified of the possibility to sign him with about two hours to go in the window. In a frustrating summer where few big names have materialised, the capture of van der Vaart is a huge coup for the Redknapp transfer machine.
And, at just £8 million, it's a fucking steal. Milner cost three times that. If he's three times as good as VDV, there's something wrong with world. VDV brings obvious quality and bags of experience to our midfield. Not two months ago he was playing his part in the World Cup final itself, failing miserably to stop Andres Iniesta from scoring the winning goal deep into extra time. Good job, Raf. But at least he wasn't one of the Dutch players who spent the game launching rugby tackles upon the Spanish. Or was he? Who knows, it was a rubbish game.
It's tough to say where he'll fit exactly into our side but for a player of his class, it's a problem worth having. A European/away day formation of 4-2-3-1 with Modric, VDV and Lennon as the attacking three has been muted in message-boards and it has a thrilling sound to it, especially with Bale bombing forward from left back. But that's for Harry to sort. For now, let's just appreciate that we actually strengthened our squad. It looked for some time that we were getting ready to stick with what we had and, although the new striker didn't arrive, we've at least made positive strides. One suspects Harry will delve into the market come January should he need to.
So a week of ups and downs in the Spurs world, with dropped points and world European class arrivals. Oh, and Sandro finally arrived from Brazil. Even more midfielders. With England taking up everyone's attention for the time being, there's time for Harry and co. to plan the next stage of our season. Make it a good'un.
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