a game of two halves?
Need to get that little red faced fat fella over from Chelsea who used to “translate” for Claudio Ranieri to find out.
But what ever it is that game last night as Spurs came back from 2-0 down at half time to win 3-2 showed why it’s become the cliche it is. Bet Aalborg manager Erik Hamren was as sick as a parrot last night.
First half was typical Spurs this year, which has made the UEFA Cup games so hard to watch compared to last year. Last year the games were fun to watch as they played like a team and went for the opposition creating chance after chance this year there’s just been nothing there in terms of any cohesion.
Usual slow start giving the opponents the upper hand from the off, standing back and watching players run to the box with the ball, knowing they’re going to shoot and knowing chances are they’ll score as the defence is all at sea, even Bale wasn’t having his best game at left back. I was happy to see Lee given a start at right back, he looks to be a decent player defending and going forward it’s just the problem of being a right footed left back that’s causing problems but he didn’t look that great on the right, very strange.
The front pair of Berbatov and Keane couldn’t link that whole first half, load of flicks but nothing coming off, it looked like they weren’t particularly happy with each other and they weren’t getting much help from midfield, Malbranque and Lennon not being at it and the big problem the central midfield pairing or Jenas and Zokora. Neither support the strikers enough or give sufficient cover for the defence they just minced about and gave the ball away to a comfortable Aalborg side.
Two nil down at half time things could surely only get better or it was basically the end of the UEFA Cup for this season.
And they did as the news that Jenas was being subbed came out on came the Hudd and Bent for Lee, a significant shift in formation and an immediate shift in the football played as 40 seconds in Huddlestone put a magnificent ball through for Berbatov to prod home.
A totally different side had come out for that second half and it should be the final nail in the coffin of Jenas’ Spurs career. Huddlestone who has lost a bit of weight under the new regime, though not as much as Robinson, started to spray the ball about with the type of accuracy and ability Jenas couldn’t even dream off and Zokora knew his role in the side. Without the ponce there to inhibit the side with his ponderous slack play Zokora could play a sweeper role in front of the flat back one of Dawson and he put in one of his best shifts in a Spurs shirt, as he was mopping up on the left, on the right and through the middle.
Malbranque and Lennon kept possession better, supported the front players more, just wish Lennon’s delivery would improve, he had the beating of his man, got to the byline on a number of occasions but just couldn’t get that killer cross in.
Something also happened to Berbatov, he really looked up for it now as he fought to cross the ball from the right for the second goal. Would say it was a mistake to take him off with 15 minutes to go with just a one goal lead, right idea by Ramos to bring on another midfielder, Prince Boateng, but feel it should have been for Keane who didn’t have his best game last night.
Aalborg still had chances that second half and it was a nervy ending – aren’t they all? – with some shaky defending but that’s the type of football Spurs played last year in Europe and the type of thing we were promised with the attack minded Ramos.
Ramos made his choices at half time and they worked, they really worked, that probably is one of the main difference between him and Jol, BMJ wouldn’t change things so dramatically and would leave things a bit late you felt the game needed it last night was this the moment that will define Juande Ramos days at Spurs?
Don’t know what’s worse the state of the picture of the video or the Yank commentator.
Oh and according to Babel Fish – Un juego de dos mitades