isn’t it nice when the opposition takes the part.
Last night was one of those too close to call games. It all depended on which teams turned up. Would it be the Spurs of the beginning of the season, the one that could put nine past a team, or the lacklustre mob that can lose at home to Wolves.
And on the other side, would it be the Citeh that could run ManUre all the way, stuff the Woolwich Scum or the one that didn’t lose but didn’t win.
In the end it was the good Spurs and the Citeh that weren’t even good enough for a draw. It was the traveling players from the “Theatre Of Base Comedy” that.. well didn’t show up. Thankfully Sparky was in the full festive spirit as he not only picked that well know lover of away games Robinho to start but he left him on for knocking on an hour, even though it was blatantly obvious to all well before half time that the Brazilian really couldn’t be arsed.
So the 35 year old Sylvinho was left to deal with Lennon at his best. Thanks Mark, classic piece of management there, that’ll make sure you are kept in employment. On the other side it looks like ‘Arry spotted this bit of folly and the instructions seemed to be get it to the little winger as quickly as possible, though Corluka did probably over do it at times.
In a break from tradition the game and Spurs started slowly – not the usual bang, bang, bang start – and built up into the game, while never really appearing to be in any threat. Assou-Ekotto, took the brunt of it at the weekend in his little exchange with a fan, the thing being since Kranjcar likes to move inside so much the fullback is left exposed quite a bit of the time, last night he didn’t have so much to worry about as Ireland tucked inside. The piss take nutmeg on Adebayor, no one was having a go after that.
Dawson looks the player he did a couple of seasons back when he was along side Ledley game in game out, that confidence has returned with the armband and so Gomes had very little to do.
It was really all about the forward players and Citeh’s defence. Kranjcar coming inside works, he gets into the box and goal scoring positions better than the other central midfielders. Now when Modric is back could he play the nominal left side, he does more tackling back than Kranjcar and his fellow Croat slip into a central role, replacing Huddlestone? Would that give the side more attacking options?
Defoe and Crouch linked up far better up front than at the weekend, where going back to the start of the season formation of the two little ones, Keane and Defoe, didn’t work against Wolves and when Crouch entered the game it just didn’t click. You could see in the celebrations how much Defoe likes playing with the big fella, he knows when they are on together chances will come, nod down… bang. Now if only Crouch could get some respect from officials, yet again he’s hauled down in the area and nothing is given, yet he only has to stand next to a player and a foul is given.
And no Lescott absence had no adverse effect on Citeh’s defence.
Lennon was on it last night, he was skipping past the fullback at will and putting in the kind of deliveries that strikers thrive on. A little more subdued in the second half as Sparky had a brain wave and decided that getting someone who could be bothered – Barry – to help his defender might be a good idea. But by then it really was too late Spurs weren’t going to let this two goal lead slip. Kranjcar’s sublime second, Spurs 3rd, was just the cherry on top of a cracking performance.
Now I thought Gordon Brown was meant to have got rid of boom and bust…