Norwich?
As ‘Arry serenely Keggie Keegle’s the season is it the the two games against Norwich that are going to be the major factors in what should have been a cruise turning into a battle?
Forget all the England talk, it didn’t seem to bother the players that ‘Arry wouldn’t be around because he might be banged up so why should it bother them that he won’t be about because he’s England manager. Nah it was that away game at Norwich after struggling to create chances for about an hour until Bale scored a brace coming through the middle.
From that point someone has become obsessed with Bale playing where he wants and not sticking to his best position on the left wing. As I said in one of the last posts I don’t know if this ‘Arry or the player himself either way this has cost the side more than confusion over ‘Arry’s future.
There’s been 16 league games since that second last one of 2011 most of them have been struggles, with only the games against Newcastle, maybe Swansea at home and at home to Everton standing out as the Spurs we’d seen before the turn of the New Year.
All matched by ‘Arry’s downgrading of SpursCon. It was at SpursCon 1 after the Everton game when ‘Arry was talking titles It’s not impossible for us to win the league – we have a chance
, this was slowly downgraded to SpursCon 3 as third became the goal That’s what we’re capable of doing and that’s where I want us to b
, it’s been further revised to SpursCon 4 We’d settle for finishing fourth
. When will ‘Arry hit SpursCon Europa as Newcastle increase the pressure?
And there’s a notable comparison of two teams now fighting for that final Champions League spot, while Newcastle have been outplayed in their last couple of games over Easter they picked up two wins, 6 points, whereas Spurs walked away with 1 point.
Norwich at home, banker wasn’t it? All those that would be happy with 4 points over Easter with the draw at Sunderland. That went well didn’t it? Shame no one told the visitors.
Well I said at the time bar Adebayor for Defoe I was quite happy with the team. Others and now ‘Arry slagged off the 4-4-2 formation problem being with the wandering Bale in what sense was it 4-4-2. Now if Bale had stuck to the left wing it would have been and it would have had a better chance of working. Because the best we’ve seen from Spurs during this bad trot has been when Bale plays most of the game on the left, it even helps him when he switches centrally or to the right – though that on the right cross with the outside of the left boot is really pissing me off every time it hits a defender.
It may also have worked if the striking pair could work together. Where was Team Defoe yesterday. Yes he scored but he did bugger all else and he just doesn’t fit with any other striker at the club, especially not Saha, who amazingly was even worse than Defoe.
Others blamed it on the lack of Parker. Livermore wasn’t at fault for the shambles at the back, Ledley just had a horrible day. Unfortunately it’s one of a few he’s had recently but the reaction was imbecilic. Calling for his retirement, saying he shouldn’t be playing. All seem to forget his early season performances where he hardly put a foot wrong. Remember after the initial shambles of the season it was when Ledley came back into defence, not the arrival of Parker, that things started going well.
He and Kaboul were all over the place for Norwich’s opener. Ledley should have penalised for the haul down of Holt before Defoe’s equaliser – great through ball by Livermore, far better than any pass Parker has mustered all season. They were all a shambles at various other times and let the player have a bang for the winner but in reality it wasn’t just the defence it was the whole team in a lackadaisical malaise.
One exception as against Sunderland was Assou-Ekotto. Benny gave it all again, which puts pay to any talk of tiredness as he’s hardly missed any game time in the league – should have scored with the best bit of play of the day. Bale showed some moments, one cross – where from the left? Yes of course that’s why it was dangerous – that should have been finished off and then hitting the bar with a shot. Modric was totally off the pace and Lennon well a week after showing exactly what he should be doing week in week out – beat the fullback, get to the byline, stand a cross up for the strikers – did exactly what he shouldn’t do time and time again. Cut inside.
So with Bale in there and Lennon cutting in there how exactly was this 4-4-2 and how exactly were they overrun in the middle? It was more they expected to just roll over Norwich so they approached it in the same casual manner and are now paying the price. If they’d have actually played well then formations don’t matter, they didn’t it was Norwich that came to play and so deserved to walk away with their win.
So ‘Arry said it required 5 wins from the remaining fixtures. Well there’s only 5 left… really think they’ll go unbeaten? Let’s be ‘aving you…
Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 2 Norwich City