Premier League, Tottenham
Tottenham display soft underbelly
3-1 up at Craven Cottage with 15 minutes to go, it appeared as if Tottenham were finally about to reverse their tumultuous start to the season. Their performance had been superb; full of cutting edge, Spurs dominated as an away side very seldom does in the Premier League – and, in truth, they should probably [...]
3-1 up at Craven Cottage with 15 minutes to go, it appeared as if Tottenham were finally about to reverse their tumultuous start to the season. Their performance had been superb; full of cutting edge, Spurs dominated as an away side very seldom does in the Premier League – and, in truth, they should probably have scored even more. Yet football is not always a meritocratic sport, as evidenced by Fulham’s dramatic comeback.
There are two ways Tottenham could look back on the 90 minutes. On the one hand, they dominated an away game almost from start to finish; their squandering of two Premier League points could be written off as an aberration, for the simple fact they will win many games playing far worse. But, conversely, if a side cannot win when enjoying such dominance, when can they? Does their inability to finish Fulham off hint at a wider malaise within the club?
Of course, there is truth in both arguments. Spurs have had a poor start to the season, so their performance should be off great encouragement. Yet, equally, the side are bereft of confidence, and were rather fragile in the face of an onslaught from an average top flight team. If they are to make the progress fans will expect after a summer of considerable outlay, Tottenham’s players will need much greater powers of resilience.
What the game proved, once more, is that, in Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, Spurs have a pair of top quality, versatile strikers who complement each other superbly. Yet it was telling that, when Keane was taken off for Jermaine Defoe, the side’s rhythm was fatally disrupted; Defoe, it seems, is increasingly out-of-place at White Hart Lane. With Darren Bent’s signing, he is clearly the fourth choice forward but is doing little to press his claims when he is presented the opportunity.
Tottenham suffered from nervousness and timidity when the victory was in sight, perhaps not helped by Martin Jol’s substitutions
In a superb team performance, Gareth Bale’s penetration from the left wing, including a maiden Spurs goal, was a huge plus. Pacey and indefatigable, he may have solved the perennial left-sided delight. With Aaron Lennon likely to be fit after the international break, the team will have genuine wing threats from both flanks, offering their attack a new dimension, although, initially, it will not always be easy to accommodate both in the same eleven.
However, as befitting a side who have endured a poor start to the season, Tottenham suffered from nervousness and timidity when the victory was in sight, perhaps not helped by Martin Jol’s substitutions. The manager’s aim was simple: to close out the game but, in attempting to do so, he seriously compromised their attacking threat and left them attempting to withstand a barrage of attacks. In hindsight, he was guilty of trying to be too clever.
To concede once from a corner kick, and once from a throw-in, is very disappointing, perhaps indicative of a lack of collective belief and cohesion in the side and, amongst certain players - perhaps Jermaine Jenas - a tendency to shirk responsibility at crucial moments. Clearly, they are missing the leadership and defensive qualities of skipper Ledley King, as important for Tottenham as John Terry is for Chelsea. But Paul Robinson’s continued crisis of confidence is a problem their beleaguered manager could do without.
Dimonsay Kamara’s spectacular equaliser is especially costly as Tottenham to wait two weeks for a chance to make amends. Their tally of four points from five games is less than it should be, for sure, though the twin absences of King and Lennon surely constitute mitigating circumstances. When both return, the side will have an altogether stronger look.
It has certainly been a chastening start of the season for Martin Jol; to Alan Hansen, for one, his job has now become “untenable”. Yet, while their start has been disappointing in the extreme, Jol remains their most successful manager for a long period of time and deserves more time to rectify things. Given they have played generally well of late, but for an inexplicable penchant for defensive mishaps, one feels one significant victory – and Arsenal, who they play next, would be a great start – could prove the catalyst for a Tottenham revival.
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There is nothing wrong with Jol as manager even thought the bad luck is starting to wear him down.
I think the blame is else where, you look slightly to Jol’s right and you will see the dimulative figure of Chris Hougton the tatically inept figure full of caution and terrible tatatic’s e.g Darren Bent comes on against sunderland with instuctions of “I want you in the box” great Chris I hope for 16.5 Million he knows thats wear he needs to be. What he needs to know is the centre back on the left has no pace get at him get behind where is your research. He is the only person that is still there after board changes, after player, after manager we still look like we have no back bone and gift things away tatically someone take him away.
In the absence of an effective playmaker Robbie was the linkman; he laid on two goals. To remove him and let JD run around á la headless chicken was just about careless until compounding it by subbing Steed with a defender, further depriving the strikers of ball and ceding midfield to gthe hoem team; Christ I’m amazed we didn’t lose!
Ecellent article-summarising the nervous sentiment that reverberates right through the dressing room, board room and even the white hart lane faithful-perhaps we are all suffering from our own expectations. This is a young squad with undoubted potential and with time will develop into serious top flight contenders-all that is required now is patience from all concerned.
BIG MJ IS TE MAN FOR US BUT WHY BRING ON JD FOR ROBBIE I DONT NO BUT PLEASE LEAVE THE MAN BE GIVE THE MAN TIME IT WILL COME GOOD FOR US THFC 4 EVER
Sense is something that we all have in varying degrees - and when I say sense, I mean the common variety of course. The Houghton comments are bang on, surely it is only his size that has seen him avoid the axeman over the years. He stands in BMJ’s shadow, drawing God only knows on his little clipboard, yet defensively he was a great servent to the club and knows what it takes !
Comment after comment on various sites are all pointing fingers in many directions, which they are entitled to do. The fact remains, we have 4 points from 5 games - ask any typical fan before the season what our tally would have been at this point and even the most pesermistic would have said ‘8, maybe 9′….
We maybe one of those clubs that flatter to decieve, but I want what we all want - a stable club, well managed and most importantly to be making news for the right reasons. BMJ isn’t a miracle worker, but then neither is Ferguson or Lippi
WE ALL KNOW JOL IS CLUELESS WHEN IT COMES TO TACTICS BUT IF JOL IS REPLACED THEN HOUGHTON MUST GO ASWELL FOR BETWEEN THEM THEY ARE A COUPLE OF LAUREL AND HARDYS .
I love Tottenham. I like to see Tottenham winning.
Sadly, I do not see this happening with the current coaching team. The manager, his assistant, and everyone whose job is to coach, to motivate, or to train, must be replaced.
Removing the current coaching team is not treachery. Leaving them where they are is treacherous to the fans of the Spurs.
Martin Jol does make some bewildering decisions, but nobody can argue with the fact he has made Spurs a better team. We have some really good players who want to play for the club. His substitutions at Fulham were crap, but we must get behind him for the whole of this season, and if it doesnt work out, then is the time to review the situation. I still think we can get up amongst the top teams. Only Liverpool have really impressed me this season. We should have won comfortably on Saturday, and I have watched the equalising goal twenty times, and that bloke wont score another one like that if he plays until he is fifty. It was one of those days. What concerned me was the attitude of Berbatov when he scored. No smile, just a look that said,”I am too good for this lot”. Robbie Keane also spoke volumes when he was taken off. I think there is unrest in the camp. I really dont give a toss how good a player is or thinks he is, the team should always come first. Gareth Bale was a big plus, and Kaboul looks very good. Get behind the boys, we will be ok if Jol can sort out the dressing room, and the poxy substitutions! Oh yes, and I think Chris Hughton is taking stick because he is an easy target. Come on lads, he does what BMJ tells him.
[...] too often, has made perplexing selections, substitutions or tactical switches, contributing to the general nervousness apparent on the pitch, while falling out with Berbatov. The result has been just one win – [...]