against a lower league side in the cup.
That’s the usual type of benchmark to figure out if a player can play in this country and has got what you need in a relegation scrap.
Shame that the only one around at Spurs hasn’t got his work permit yet, some were still questioning the signing of Palacios, surely last night’s “display” against Burnley answers any questions about why he is needed.
Well for all of the first half of the first leg, all of the 90 minutes of normal time in the second leg, all but the last couple minutes of extra time – when Burnley were basically out on their feet after running themselves into the ground over the previous 118 minutes – Spurs were third best in the two horse race that was this season’s League Cup semi-final.
You could hear chants of “one nil and you fucked it up” early on, but the reply pointing it was once four one were a little louder some time later. Got to feel sorry for Burnley they didn’t deserve that finish and whereas they probably looked on their team with pride have so many fans of the winning club been so disappointed by a team that just got to a Wembley final? And that is the only silver lining to the cloud of the performance is that they are through, where the likes of Chelsea, Fulham and the Woolwich Wanderers failed previously.
‘Arry’s getting a lot of stick as well as handing it out. I can see both sides, his team did look a little on the small side and maybe not one for that wet Wednesday in Lancashire, but he had a 4-1 lead, players were injured or maybe needed a rest after knocks. The ‘keeper looked a shambles on his first team debut, Alnwick maybe hasn’t been helped by ‘Arry’s comments of late so a number two that ‘Arry will actually play without a second thought is desperately required.
He’s the only goalkeeper I’ve got and this is a football club that has been put together by I don’t know who and I don’t know how ‘Arry Reknapp
I thought Huddlestone would try and take his chance of a first team game after being overlooked recently, but no this was a nothing, Jenas like performance. Bentley performed better than of late, less fancy Dan tricks thankfully, Bale looks better as a left winger than a fullback but is still short of confidence, Assou-Ekotto reverted back to his old ways rather than the improved player he was before his suspension.
Defoe didn’t get much delivery but he took his goal well, it was more placed than his usual trying to hammer it as hard as possible, wish he’d do that more often, think he’d up his conversion rate that way.
It’s a goal in every Carling Cup game now for Pavlyuchenko, I can see why he didn’t start after his knock against Pompey at the weekend.
So after what ‘Arry described as nearly being his worst moment in the game he was letting fly with all barrels, as some criticised him for saying he’ll go to Old Trafford for the F.A. Cup game with a weakened side…
We need stronger players in here because we’re not mentally or physically strong enough
It’s a challenge and it can’t get any worse. When I took over we had two points from eight games but Stoke is a massive game for us.It’s a mish-mash of players with people playing where they want to play. It’s scary – I have to go to Old Trafford with that group of players that we had tonight.
If Alex is listening, I’m really going to send a real mish-mash team up there. I hope it doesn’t upset the fans, but we played extra time and we’re out on our feet a little bit.
The lads who didn’t play tonight will play and I’m going to rest the key players who played tonight because I can’t afford to lose any more to injuriesI had to play a few lads who hadn’t played too much and they didn’t do themselves a lot of good really to be honest with you
The players should be fighting for their lives to stay at a great football club like this. Their future is on the line, they need to perform to stay at the club. ‘Arry Redknapp
He then had another little dig at his players when mentioning his new signing…
Palacios is suspended – he likes tackling you see, so I don’t know if he’ll be any good in our team. ‘Arry Redknapp
He’s winding a few people up is ‘Arry, is it doing the job required on his players though?