a cup game.
It wasn’t long ago, it was just two cup defeats ago in fact. Back in the halcyon days when Spurs were in all four competitions they entered. Down to one now and you don’t give ’em any hope in that.
In all honesty I thought Spurs would win their third round proper tie away to the Woolwich Wanderers. Figured and Tweeted after the league victory away to ManUre that a glorious cup win would just prime them for a home defeat to the hands of Palace. It’s the Spurs way.
This F.A. Cup game was also the Spurs way. Clueless. From all involved.
Clueless from the manager. Clueless from the players. Clueless from the fans that think Sherwood is the new messiah.
Two league victories blinded them to the fact that at some point this was going to happen. Sooner rather than later. Chrimbo, New Year excess meant I hadn’t blogged about either of the games over the period, both victories. But victories that would have brought different responses had the previous manager been in charge. Firstly it was a piss-poor, Mark Hughes managed, Stoke side that didn’t bother to do anything until that scumbag Charlie Adam did for Paulinho. And then ManUre.
Years of losing at Old Trafford clouded the view of what actually happened in this the second successive league victory at that ground. You’d have thought it was the first the way some went on, a bit of Soviet style rewriting the history of the win last season. Remember, Dempsey, 3-2.
Well that united side wasn’t great, though they won the league it was gifted to them. But that side is better than this one, which is one of the weakest in recent memory. Fergie has gone and the intimidation has gone. This is a side that are competing to be in the Europa next season not for titles. Added to that when Howard Webb isn’t giving them game saving penalties then it’s curtains.
Two teams that rah-rah up and at ’em, fackin’ run around a bit, crap works on.
On Saturday they came up against an organised team that likes to keep the ball, even if they just fanny about with it. Timmy’s gung-ho game plays, played, right into their hands.
Timmy – yes I say it in the South Park voice – says it wasn’t 4-4-2 – which it isn’t in a way with Eriksen moving in and one of the strikers dropping off – but he also stated that they weren’t over run in the middle of the park. I don’t know if he believes himself, I suspect even his fanboys don’t but then I may be wrong because they’ve believed a number of things that they haven’t seen with their own eyes since he took over. See all previous post about shots on target stats.
Dembele and Bentaleb – the latter given his first start – were nowhere. Only mention of the former was when he had his altercation with the chief scum, cabbie spitter, Wilshere. Where they just mention Dembele’s head and not an elbow in the kidneys and a kick that instigated things from the gobby little shit.
Added to all this they all seem to expect the same performance from Adebayor that had gone before. Well the transfer window is now open and he’s in the team no matter what so doesn’t have to bother now. Either stays and plays or gets a nice pay day elsewhere. No effort required.
All said and done with the chances they created and Spurs giving them the ball and space time and time again the two goals were very avoidable.
Fullbacks. Why can we never have fullbacks with half a brain? Why do modern fullbacks always come inside and leave their winger open? Walker was at it with a needless excursion taking him right next to Dawson in the middle of the box while Cazorla was wide open on his tod.
This was followed up in the second half for the second goal with Walker’s other obsession. Playing the man rather than the ball. Grabby, grabby. It’s exceptionally annoying. It’s starts with Rose doing god knows what for god knows why. Know your limitations son, don’t play football with it. After he’s lost the ball to Rosicky on the halfway line, Walker sets off in pursuit. Fast enough to catch up he then runs behind Rosicky, almost to the opposite side from where he came and starts grabbing. Wouldn’t it have been far better to run alongside and try and play the ball? Walker had the pace to do it just not the brain.
Gifted a two goal lead. Gifted all the space they wanted. Gifted most the possession they wanted. Tactical genius Tim decided now was the time to pack the midfield as Chadli replaced Soldado. Now he states that the Spaniard was injured, believe that if you want. But there were a number of players who should have gone before the striker. Bentaleb and Adebayor being first choices. But then with goals required the bench was stacked with players not exactly gifted in attacking creativity. Is Lewis Holtby being frozen out.
So now the F.A. Cup has followed the League Cup out the window, along with the league there’s only a top four spot and the Europa to go for. Former is a long shot the latter even longer. Continentals will love facing 4-4-2 and that’s if Timmy is bovvered about it. He may take the attitude of his hero ‘Arry about the competition and it is a cup competition and his form in that regard…