Hungry for Success - Defoe's Good Food Guide

By Statto The Yid
October 23 2006

The loss of our Champions League place still leaving a bitter taste, this weekends game against West Ham United was not only about getting back to winning ways at home but also to revenge last seasons away result.

Going into this game Spurs had enjoyed a turn in fortune, having 4 games undefeated in all competitions under our belts and looking for 3 points to chalk on the board. This was a game that was always going to contain drama and some European hang over, something our taxi driving bingo loving counterparts didn’t have.

I think everyone was excited at seening Lennon come back to full fitness and played with the sort of gusto and speed we have come to enjoy over the last season or so. With Lennon coming back we still have Steed to return to bring us the sort of midfield options other prem managers would give their right arm for, well I can think of Pardew and Glen 'Roader' for starters.

The game will be remembered for different reasons though as shortly before Mido slotted home a sublime finish deep into injury time in the first half, a mass malee broke out after Mascherano brought down Defoe with a nasty tackle from behind, A fustrated Defoe crawled and 'nibbled' Mascherano on the left shoulder in retaliation, what was more disturbing is that the Argentine then decided to hit the floor like he had been hit by a Iraqi airborne granade. A mass brawl was sparked around the incident with Davids and Huddlestone getting involved, along with 7 other players from both sides. Calm was quickly installed and the game didn’t boil over in what was a bad tempered 10 mins or so. Whist the debate about the 'nibble' will rumble on until the FA slap Defoe with a fine, even though I would expect the yellow card to stand as the ref delt with it on the pitch. There is a darker issue(s) which needs to be addressed, first the 'simulation' Mascherano performed after the event and second the tackle which started the whole situation in the first place. Jol said "Mascherano kicked him from behind three times in 10 minutes and Jermain just wanted to show his frustration in a comical way." Which I don’t agree with, nothing comical about it in my view, however no harm done, I do wish some players would realize that these kind of actions are viewed by some impressionable kids and should not be tolerated in todays game. I view simulation in the same way.

Defoe was booked for the retaliation even though I don’t belive the ref saw the 'nibble' but shouldn’t of Mascherano been sent booked first for the tackle which a free kick was given and then the simulation. No question he shouldn’t of ramined on the pitch if the letter of the law was applied here. It seams that refs are being inconsistent as ever. You only have to look at the two Chelsea players booked for celebrating in the same way as Fabregas who got away scot free for jumping into the crowd.

Anyway West Ham havent scored in something like 700 minutes this season. Really cant see that changing anytime soon, unless they get some of their key players back but by this time it might be the wrong side of Xmas and the rot already set in. Spurs however have now turned the corner and started to play the kind of football this season has been lacking, a few have started to get a better underdstanding of each other too. Mido / Defoe both linking up with Lennon very well indeed, Green blocked a Defoes best chance from close range on 21mins and as the half went on the stronger Spurs became.

Mido latched onto a Davids cross who dispite being the slowest player on the pitch made some space down the left at the expence of John Pantsil, turnes Ferdinand and the hit the ball home at the tightest of angles from the left boot, under Green. Mido was booked for removing his shirt after the goal, but who cares !

In the second half Spurs had to work hard for space but did well with shots from Huddlestone who is growing in stature every game. But some drama late on saw West Hams goal bound headed shot from Dailly clearned from the line by match hero Mido.