Week 2 - A Spurs Perspective

By Deep Blue
August 24 2005

Its week 2 now and games are coming thick and fast and it really feels like we are in the thick of things, even though we are only 2 games in with another clutch coming midweek.

Its week 2 now and games are coming thick and fast and it really feels like we are in the thick of things, even though we are only 2 games in with another clutch coming midweek. I suppose it would be best to start with the top of the table (bet you saw this coming) and as it stands that would be....um.....Tottenham Hotspurs!!! Obviously I am not going to get carried away just yet (I'll start queuing for my spot for the victory parade next week), but make no mistake this 2-0 defeat of dour Boro was an important step in this campaign.

"It is your duty as a fan to gloat a work, or wherever you may be about this. Print it out stick on the well, whatever, just enjoy.."

As I stated last week, winning away from home in the first game of the season was good for moral and has carried on the momentum of preseason (a fixture that had draw all over it in years gone by). This first win in front of the home crowd was equally important, accentuated by the fact that it could be (cliche alert) a 6 pointer against arguably our biggest rivals this year. Ill make no bones about it Boro came to draw and if they could sneak a win then so be it, but God forbid they weren going to chase the game (sadly when they went a goal down, they showed what they could do if they weren so negative because they then had to chase the game and TBH they looked really dangerous). This was a tough test for this embryonic Spurs, can they break down a team content to stifle play?

In a word, Yes. We had the majority of possession (expected as they sat back and let us have the ball), but unlike recent years this was not squandered. Gone are the one dimensional punt it up field to the big man for the knock down, so easily gobbled up by Southgate and co. No in this game something else happened, we prodded and probed (easy lads..), we tried taking it wide, that didn't work. Ok then this time we will play it thought the middle, no? Ok let's play ball behind the defence?It was, for me a joy to watch the industry the team displayed in searching for the goal (the first goal came from another avenue, the counter attack, along with some individual skill). Being able to try different ways to break down a team is a real sign of good tactics, training and most importantly familiarity between the players. We are a squad with options now, individually the players are beginning to realise this and get used to chances coming for all over now (even Carrick having shots teed up for him! And he almost scored one of them!!)

Boro had their chances yes, but they were always going to, they are well drilled and have good players (sadly underused imo in the formation they have to play), but those chances were kept few and far between. The chances they had were always under pressure and snap shots at goal. The only two saves Robison had to make (and they were spectacular) were from set plays. Gardner and Dawson, deserve, for the second game running, special mention here. They dealt with the long balls punted their way (yes Gardner has learnt to head the ball) and kept what is a dangerous strike-pairing of Yakubu and Hasslebank very quiet (Yakubu only real chance was when he counter attacked from a Spurs corner and ran at, not Gardner or Dawson, but Stalteri and Edman)?the only real threat imposed from a striker was with the arrival of Viduka, this was due to where he played-deeper, away from the centre backs and this caused a large degree of menace although without any final product.

"can we have our world class player back please?.."

Plaudits also have to go to our industrious midfield, marshalled, finally, by the effervescent Dutchman Davids (how we ever got this world class talent drunk enough to sign a contract Il never know..), he showed not only his class in his intelligent use of the ball, but his steel in his crunching snappy tackles all over the pack and Duracell bunny-like energy in running all game. His most telling contribution however, was his presence. He marchelled the midfield, arranged the defence (he also looked like he wanted to arrange the refs face after every decision against him) and encourage young Defoe, to push further up the pitch. When Davids was not doing this he was busy receiving and relaying the orders of Jol to the players on the pitch. He was the archetypal Captain-voice of the manager on the pitch.

This midfield dominated that of Middlesbrough. Carrick was freed up by Davids' tireless work to stick to what he is good at, spreading the play, long and short. This is not to say his tackling (not in the crunching Davids way, more nick off your toe or intercept way) wasn't appreciated, but he wasn't relied on as much to break up play and he thrived on that freedom. It is a sad thought, that Davids will not be a regular on the team sheet this year, in fact in any year, but if we get 20-25 games from him we will have reaped the benefits in that time. Tainio deserves credit for providing tenacity further up the pitch, although he will never be a right winger he is an asset to the side wherever you put him on the pitch. This was one of Reids best performances, but his sometimes poor delivery and tendency to drift in an not provide width out on the left does infuriate, but no doubt about it that boy has talent, of which we have yet to see the full potential.

The result was not the only good news to come from the game, Sven (I suspect he may be a Yid based on how often he frequents our games) was on hand to watch young Jermain show his class and Robo show just why he is England number 1. I have no doubt he will also have notes, doubled underlined, about the imperious (again) display from Dawson as well as scribbled formations trying to fit Carrick into the England team. He was probably wondering who that short, young chap running around our midfield with the glasses was and if he was English, someone break him the bad news...

"whoever that fan who said I was rubbish was, I bet you don think that now after I miss controlled the ball in a complete fluke into the net..."

Looking down the table at the Arsenal-Chelsea fixture (feels so good to type that) it is also possible to take heart. Arsenal are clearly lacking some experience and strength in midfield and at the back. Without it they are struggling, although this has no real baring on our final placing in the league this year, it is just good to see them suffer. More relevant is the continued wobbling of Chelsea, again not convincing (and frankly lucky) in their win, it is possible that the glimmer of hope that we can break the hoodoo over them this Saturday is getting brighter. We will need every bit of winning momentum and confidence for that however and perhaps some of their luck.

To do that we first need to pick up points away at Blackburn and looking at how they played this weekend we can assume they have used up all their luck based on their two wonder goals (Gamst being my favourite). They did little else to impress against a very poor Fulham team. Blackburn will be no pushover but the 3 points are there for the taking and are a must if we are to truly consider this an evolved Spurs side as this is exactly the fixture we would normally drop points at.

This was another week in which 2 of our rivals played each other, being won by 1 goal. Everton and Bolton both conspired to bore each other to death, Bolton however looked by far the better side and battered Everton's defensive line (predictably with set pieces and long balls), their answer to this was typiacly to score 1 goal from 1 chance and sit on the result. Undeserved but the way in which both played is testament to the fact that they will continue to grind out wins all year by choosing not to play football and will certainly be a threat for our own ambitions of Europe. The Man City win over Birmingham, showed the grittiness in the side that Pearce has formed and if he can maintain Cole and Vassel in similar form all season, they too will have their fans pre-emptively renewing their passports come May. Indications are already pointing to a close run race.

"The fans enjoyed the "Bent" celebrations..."

A race also involving Charlton with an inform Bent. A win over Wigan tells us little other than they know how to pick up points against the lesser teams (a lesson Spurs could learn). Little can also be learnt from Villa's loss to Man U although they did look poor, it could have more to do with Man U's resurgence, time will tell, although warning signs for O'Leary are there. Bigger signs are reserved for Newcastle, playing 541 at home is not a way to endear yourself to the Toon Army. To then look so mediocre (aside from the sparkling Parker and battling Taylor) and fail to break down and draw against a poor 10 man (unjustly, but karma from last week) Westham side, is cause for serious unrest. They are no longer being carried by Shearer, especially in a team so poorly managed on and off the field. Talk of big name signings will not make this team a threat (they need at least 5 good players and if they didn't like the lazy Robert they are in for similar from Luque, a good player but not the answer). The biggest threat from them is if Souness gets the sack early on and a competent manager comes in and adds to the thin but talented squad.

In summary, a second, successive good week for Spurs. Illustrated by the league position. This needs to built upon midweek in preparation for the big date with the Russians on the weekend. In terms of the season the next game is much more important for us but far less enjoyable to win than the Chelsea game. Hopefully we will win both and it will be 3rd successive good week, but if truth be told I doubt it. It is also another week of rumour whoring and another transfer saga (that may never even exist) with Kuyt only time will tell on these rumours. What is sure however, is that whoever comes in will be joining a buoyant and happy squad, albeit with a lot of pressure to perform.