against the top four.
After all the loss to Villa happened under the new Real Madrid boss.
Again it wasn’t the greatest display by Spurs to get the nil nil draw with ManUre on Saturday, but is point with some pluses.
Again there was a lack of link up with the lone front guy who couldn’t be more alone if he was Mike Carlson at a Sadie Frost appreciation society.
Bentley apart from his attempt to recreate his goal against the Woolwich Pikeys and a free kick did very little good. Jenas was on the pitch for 62 minutes. Then there was Ledley missing, after failing a late fitness test which was compounded by Woodgate going off with back spasms after 10 minutes.
The thing is those last two being missing allowed for not only one maligned player to shine but two. Dawson and Zokora both were excellent. Dawson looked like the player he was a couple of seasons back, winning everything and not doing anything stupid, a revelation as ManURe didn’t get many chances. In that type of form he’s an ideal third centreback who is going to get plenty of games with the two injury prone first choice players. Also that exceptionally clean and well timed tackle on the spotty Ronaldo was good enough to get a petulant kick from the Portuguese that should see him done by the F.A.
Then there was Zokora at right back, as Corluka moved into the centre. The thing is Zokora has probably played his best for Spurs when he’s had to fill in at the back. I seem to remember a European game when it was a mass charge forward meant the Ivorian being the flat back one defensive formation and he was outstanding. Maybe that’s the solution play Zokora at the back and use Corluka in the defensive midfield role that he claims is his preferred position.
Another major plus was Gomes, OK he was really tested that much with crosses but he made some more outstanding saves from shots that kept us in the game and like Dawson didn’t do anything stupid. Getting Tony Parks in looks like another winning move by ‘Arry. Just goes to show you don’t have to be called Hans to be a ‘keeper coach, indeed probably better if you’re not after the last two Spurs have had.
And the final plus well there was three, firstly Jenas coming off after 62 minutes and being injured, then all the ManUre fans whinging about Berbatov upsetting the balance of their team – no doubt Judas Campbell would claim that booing was racist and homophobic – and finally something that didn’t happen in the game at all – Robbie Keane’s trudge back to the bench when he realised that even though ‘Pool needed a goal his manger would prefer to put some more midfielders on instead of the 20 million quid striker.
The aftermath of the game though does leave Spurs light for the UEFA Cup game against Spartak Moscow midweek. What with injuries, players being cup tied it would have been ideal to have certain individuals to fall back on except Junade Ramos decided he didn’t want them registered for the competition, so they are ineligible. Maybe he wanted to make sure they were cup tied so he could swoop in during January and take them all to Madrid, after all if he wants Lennon – a player he didn’t start and seemed to want rid off during the summer – and Bentley – a player who slagged off the manager, which probably hastened his departure – then why wouldn’t he want Taarabt, Rocha, Ghaly, Stalteri and KP Boateng.