Article by Lee MasonClick here to listen to this week's e-Spurs Podcast
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You know that moment when you are building some flat-pack furniture and you realise the instructions aren't there? At first you may attempt to just have a go at fitting all the pieces together. All the pieces are there, so it should be straightforward. Except half way through you realise you missed something glaringly obvious and that the flat-pack desk resembles a broken deckchair. Well that was us last season under the two managers, AVB and Sherwood.
This season we look like we are dismantling the deckchair and trying to build the desk after all, post ordering the instructions. Saturdays result against Sunderland was a disappointment, but more so in the sense of Murphy's Law. The game was a strange one, it was probably the best Lamela has played for us since his arrival. It was probably the most imperious Dembele has looked for a long while. Capoue broke up the play in the centre, Adebayor was getting involved with Lamela, Eriksen and Chadli, with more triangulation (in passing terms) than a box set of CSI Miami. Throughout large parts of the game we had 70% possession where we basically set up camp in their half. There were some particularly great moments, for example, Lamela killing a ball from a height with a deft touch and turn. Dembele striking the woodwork, Lamela hitting the bar and Eriksen's delicately lifted pass over the Sunderland defence to Adebayor.
But this has to be tempered with the fact that Adam Johnson waltzed around our defence like he was auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing. Adam Johnson. Adam. Johnson. A slightly annoying deflection as well which deviated enough to fool Lloris. Adam Johnson. The second goal we conceded came as we failed to clear the cross at the front post and the ball ended up flicking off Kane's thigh/stomach/groin and bobbled over the line. 2-2, Sunderland having one shot on target and coming away with a point. Yes it was unlucky. On another day in a parallel universe where lady luck decides to visit Tottenham players it could have been 4-2.
It was probably for the best that we didn't get the three points, it means we can focus on killing games off against Belgrade on Thursday and West Bromwich at the weekend. It means we wont be as complacent. We are not going to be finishing 2nd or 3rd this season, but we could, with the wind in the right direction and with our players at full capacity finish 4th. It's possible, not likely at all, but possible. But this season is about making sure we do all the basics, we have the style and flair, it is just about finishing off teams like Sunderland. It's also about doing what Sunderland did to us, but to the top teams in the league as well. That aggressive side to us has yet to be formed. As we enter winter our fitness levels will increase and we can be assured that moments like this will not happen, not when we are playing so well that our fans are cheering our every pass such was our control of the game.
We have the instructions for the flat-pack and we are starting one item at a time.
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Mostly you get what you deserve and despite their overwhelming superiority of possession, Spurs could not stop Sunderland from scoring two goals
ReplyDeleteNo, mostly you DON'T get what you deserve. Anyway, great article - both accurate and entertaining.
ReplyDelete