and I’ll show you a black chiropodist with a sense of humour.
Well ‘Arry wasn’t quite laughing when he described Spurs fist game in Europe’s top competition for 48 years as a “great defeat“.
No his face betrayed emotions other than happy and jovial, no laughing, just acceptance that what could have a complete disaster – would it have been wrist slitting bad? – as Spurs found themselves 3-0 down inside half an hour, turned out not to eb as bad as it could have been with two away goals and the home leg to come.
Typical Spurs ain’t it. Do all the hard work to finally after all these years get that league position to get into the competition to then go and do their best to bugger it up before it’s even really started.
Some of the players seemed to be getting their excuses in early as ‘Arry made changes from the side that battered Citeh nil-nil at the weekend. They didn’t like the surface, bringing out a few twinges in their joints. Hmm don’t they have artificial pitches at the training ground? Some made sense, Pav for Crouch, the latter having much more experience on the surface from his time in his native Russia, also less chance of long ball humps to Crouchy. Dos Santos, well Lennon wasn’t at his best on Saturday and Gio did have a pretty good World Cup.
Palacios for Huddlestone, now was this down to the big lad not liking the plastic grass or did ‘Arry have worries about the opposition and feel the back four needed better protection. One of those decisions you can kind of understand but are left thinking that possession is everything in Europe and keeping the ball isn’t Wilson’s strong suit. That added to the fact Huddlestone was immense at the weekend and Palacios isn’t the same player we bought at the beginning of last season. It’s just not there anymore and it showed as he didn’t give much cover as Young Boys cut through the centre of Spurs for the second and third goals. It’s almost like having Jenas in there, he just doesn’t hide as much.
But then it just wasn’t Palacios who was off last night. Easier to list those that were on. Where against Citeh it was out of the blocks all guns blazing it was everyone at their worst in their biggest game for the club. Life as a Spurs fan.
Assou-Ekotto good against Citeh, woeful here. Dawson looked a few weeks short of full fitness as he was skinned. Corluka, first half you’re wishing for someone with at least some pace. Modric, was he playing, as for the strikers well they played up to Saturday’s lack of finishing.
Changes made and here comes the saviour. The Hudd. He’s looking like the heart of the team now, the one who makes them tick and his introduction certainly turned this around. Just feel he’s a player for Europe, had good games in the previous UEFA Cup games.
So all things saved by Young Boys not taking their chances, it really could have been a lot worse, four or five. Nice finish by Bassong, not the easiest of headers. And then with only 7 minutes left and not long after Spurs should have been dead and buried Pav dummied a nice ball by Corluka, who finally managed to get forward in the second half, Keane slid it back into teh Russian’s path and he hammered it home from a tight angle. Great goal and a game changer?
So it’s just one goal difference and the home tie, should be a great game at The Lane. Spurs need to start as they did against Citeh as the Swiss side look like they could crumble under an onslaught but they also really do look like they can nick something on the counter, as last night showed a real danger but Ledley should make a difference. Though of course not known now if Modric or Defoe will be fit after they both went off last night with injuries.
So ‘Arry steaming at half-time, I figure the talk he gave the team during the break might have contained some strongish Anglo-Saxon, maybe along the lines of Peter Reid in that infamous documentary following his time at Sunderland. He didn’t look much happier at full-time even if it was a “great defeat”…
…it just wouldn’t be Spurs without this type of thing.