mediocrity.
A result that should come as a surprise to no one… hell Stevie Wonder say this one coming… Spurs lost to previously winless Ipswich Town, with another embarrassing display, especially from the manager.
After his first 10 games in charge, opposition managers had figured out Ange and his “tactics”, after that all they really managed to do was beat newly promoted relegation fodder or those circling around the relegation plughole. Bar the strange victory over Villa. Well, last week they managed to do Villa again but now can’t even beat newly promoted relegation fodder.
A victory for Spurs against a team that hadn’t registered a win in the first 10 games back in the top flight, managing just five points from five draws and other results going there way and Ange could have been riding high in third. So we know how this is gonna pan out. The way it always does, Dr. Tottenham the only doctor in the land that’s actually seeing patients.
This might work in Scotchland but this is the Premier League son. And that’s why Ange finds himself 10th in the league, midtable mediocrity, it’s where they deserve to be.
It was the same old story, for half an hour Spurs had all the ball yet they only had two more attempts than Ipswich, shots on target was only 2-1. Very early on they could have opened the scoring from Son’s cross, which Johnson messed up. That goes in and you don’t know how it pans out. But there was that general laziness that you saw in the palace match. Lads, it’s only Ipswich.
It was no surprise then that visitors opened the scoring. No surprise it came from a cross just watched go in by Spurs. People pointing out that they’d actually cut down the number of goals conceded from corners, well yes they don’t need corners anymore, this is where they come from. Crosses. Crosses not stopped at source and someone all on their lonesome on the end of ’em to score. Romero goes for the cross leaving his guy between Porro and Johnson, who just “after you Claude” it and let him take his overhead kick to open the scoring.
Are we going to get a reaction? Well, no. By the time Ipswich had doubled their lead Spurs hadn’t managed another shot on target. It was less than a quarter of an hour later. Dragusin was getting the blame. Pooro just watching the ball played through the channel. Romero not cutting out the cross, getting no where near with his “attempt”. Vicario not holding the cross but palming it onto Dragusin before Delap puts it in. But it’s all the Romanian’s fault apparently.
Remember when all the happy clappers were praising Ange for changing it up at half-time when it wasn’t working against West Ham. It wasn’t working here. He did nothing at half-time. He did nothing for 20 minutes after half-time, during which period it wasn’t working. They’d managed one whole shot on target in this time.
You have in the Ipswich goal a clown. A keeper who is good with shots, but crumbles under pressure. No pressure was applied.
When Spurs finally got the ball in the net you could tell it wasn’t going to count. Soloanke’s shot came off his hand, he knew it you could see on his face as he ran back to the centre-circle without any real celebration.
Ange’s first change came after the hour. It was a forced change, with Sarr’s injury. Of course with some creativity needed he brought on Werner. Tactical Ange. Werner. He thinks he can play this shitshow into some sort of form. Minutes will make him better. That’s why at every opportunity it’s Werner.. His first touch gave the ball away The German ran around, put in a cross and generally stank the place out again.
Meanwhile Maddison sat on the bench. He did so for another 20 minutes. By then Spurs had got one back. Bentancur’s excellent header from a corner. But they really didn’t look like getting that equaliser, never mind that and a winner. Solanke had a chance but he dithered and in dithering he had to think about it and at that moment he’s lost.
It was tactically clueless display from the players but more so the manager. And that’s him. Defence is let Micky get ’em out of trouble – doesn’t work well when Micky is injured – and in attack, just fackin’ run around a bit. It’s all so cluelessly hit and miss. And when the misses are against the likes of Ipswich.
Pep will be happy though, on a four game losing streak, after the international break they play Spurs first…