those games.
But that didn’t factor in Fulham not really being bothered last night at The Lane, so handing Spurs their first league win of the year 2-0, cruising most of the game without having to get out of second gear.
Woy’s boys have weally gone of the boil of late but I expected more from them than that. Yes I figured they’d be under the cosh for the first 20 minutes as that’s the way one of those games goes. But when they finally went one down it normally means a fightback where Spurs rue all those missed chances. But no, on a subdued night there was nothing from the opposition. Thankfully, it’s just what Spurs needed. Sorry Roy you weren’t “unlucky” and you didn’t “deal” with us.
What team would ‘Arry pick, well some choices made for him with Kranjcar being ill, thankfully this didn’t mean the Jenasite getting another start but rather Bently. Now this probably got a few groans around the land, because well he hasn’t been seen much of late and hasn’t exactly performed much in a Spurs shirt but then thoughts of “it could be Jenas” dispelled those doubts immediately.
Huddlestone was back in the middle alongside Palacios, King Ledley at the back and with Assou-Ekotto still not fit Bale kept the left fullback spot. And so he should really, he’s performed well during the little French Cameroonian’s absence and he didn’t disappoint last night as he finally got that “haven’t won a league game when he’s started” monkey of his back. He linked up well with Modric, in a way that has me rethinking things, now I figured give BAE the fullback role and play Bale as the winger, give Spurs real width on both sides when Lennon returns. But is it better with Modric there cutting inside, as when he does that it opens space for Bale to get into, pulls the opposition fullback out and drags the centre back out of position. Two out and out left footers could just get in each others way more.
Anyway it worked well last night, with Bale providing the width and Modric showing he’s getting back to the form before his broken leg. Also showing the fight and desire missing in certain others when keeping the ball in play, from Bentley’s cross, and laying on Crouch’s opener. The little maestro is back looking every bit the Spurs player.
As for Bentley well he played his part, set up the first, kinda scored the second and did what was asked off him by the fans especially. That is put in a shift, put in the crosses, no fannying about with step overs and dumb flicks and Hollywood glory balls. The crowd should their appreciation when he did the simple things because they came off, though he could help himself with a flick here and there, which didn’t work and led to him knowing it from the stands. No you won’t keep Lennon out but play like that and you’ll be seen on the pitch more.
Can’t say he was given the greatest help by Corluka, with the pair of them not exactly being speed merchants there was a lack of pace down that right hand side. Maybe Hutton would have been a better partner on the night, yeah the Croat is a better defender but in the end was that really required, when Hutton could have raided down the wing, opening up more space for Bentley to get his crosses in closer to the byline. Also Corluka seemed to not want the ball most of the night, getting rid as soon as possible. Not wanting the responsibility?
Another thing that impressed was Gomes, after he picked up a shoulder injury stopping Zamora and had to have an injection at half time to carry on, he did his job. Now before when he was injured we’d all know about it as the prima donna kicked in and real howlers would follow, as with away to Fulham last season when he threw the ball into the back of the net. Just have to hope he’s fit and keeps it up for the weekend.
Another quiet night for Defoe, trial of the man accused of killing his brother has just started, so maybe understandable he just didn’t get in the game. Shame Pavlyuchenko was injured he could have got a sniff.
All in all a good night, Spurs win and Scousers only drawing with Wolves, it pissed on the media’s chips with all their talk of the points Spurs have lost costing them in the end and that Spurs were fourth at the beginning of the night, obviously expecting them not to be at the end of the night. Well guess what…