Spurs Online

Author: coys91

  • Hoffenheim huge for Spurs

    Hoffenheim huge for Spurs

    Fixture…

    Thursday 23rd January, 17.45

    Hoffenheim Vs Tottenham Hotspur

    UEFA Europa League – League Stage

    Available On…

    UK TV – TNT Sports 2

    IRE – Premier Sports 1

    Bein Sports English 1

    More Info…

    connect@spursonline.net

    Result: 2-3 (Tottenham Win)

    J. Maddison (3′)

    Son Heung-Min (22′, 77′)

    A. Stach (68′)

    D. Mokwa (88′)

    Match Report…

    With 14 players missing either through injury or being unavailable for selection it meant more changes to the Spurs lineup. In came Richarlison but out went injured Solanke and Johnson. In came Bentancur but out went injured Bissouma and Sarr. In came Davies to help strengthen the back (in theory) but out was injured Spence and our fourth choice goalkeeper Austin was also to get another rare start. 

    It was clearly going to be another big test for this Spurs team and so when Pedro Porro pinpointed a direct ball forward to Maddison after just 3 minutes it was just what the doctor ordered. Maddison did exceptionally well to bring the ball down with a single touch and with his second touch he smashes the ball past the stationary goalie. It was a clinical finish and helped settle those early nerves.

    Just 20 minutes later Maddison became the provider after a break on the counter Mads released Son to go clear on goal with just the goalie to beat. Lacking in confidence Sonny looked to have scuffed his shot wide only for a deflection off a defenders lunge that saw the ball loop over the goalies head. We were 2 nil up and coasting, what could go wrong? The football was smooth and Spurs were playing with real confidence by this point but of course we know a third may always be vital. A wonderful piece of football saw Richarlison get through and just a simple pass across to Maddison was required and we would be looking at a 3 nil lead by half time. It wasn’t to be however with Richi taking far too long to make the pass and 2 nil it remained for half time.

    The second half kicked off and Spurs now find themselves under constant pressure, unable to get hold of the ball for more than a second. However Spurs kept their line and Hoffenheim were resigned to long crosses into the box. Whilst I wouldn’t say Spurs were handling all of these crosses well, for the most part it was better than what we have seen in the past when Spurs throw themselves unnecessarily forward, leaving gaping wide holes at the back. At least in this moment Hoffenheim were going to have to break us down if they wanted to get back into this game.

    Looking at the lineup you would have expected the likes of Mads, Sonny and Bentancur to show their maturity and get hold of the ball and just calm everyone’s nerves. But of course this wasn’t the case with both Mads and Sonny guilty of losing possession needlessly and putting us directly under pressure again. Another cross came in and this time Austin was forced into action, leaping in the air and attempting to punch the ball clear. It was a 50-50 challenge against Hoffenheims forward and in normal time it wasn’t clear from where I was sitting, but the referee had no doubt and pointed to the spot for a penalty. 

    Austin pleaded his innocence to the referee but only VAR could help him now. Looking at the replay in slow motion maybe Austin had a case. The goalie only needed to get a fingertip on that ball before colliding with the forward (with his fist) and we were saved. He did! Hoffenheims player is already stepping up to take the penalty but the referee is going to the TV screen. After seeing the replay in slow motion it was clear for all of us, most importantly the ref, no penalty!

    Maybe this was what we needed, a bit of luck, a bit of a breather and time for the leaders on the pitch to get the team reorganised. Spurs get the ball and go on the attack and despite my screams at the TV for them to just hold onto the ball, we lose possession again and this time there’s a counter on for Hoffenheim. But it’s all fine I tell myself as I count the number of white shirts, surely we have this covered? Hoffenheim break down the left flank, getting to the line with ease and putting in a cross unchallenged. At least 3 white shirts in the box yet Hoffenheims Jurásek slots it home from just a couple of yards out. Incredible, had we learnt nothing?

    At 2-1 we all know it’s going to get very nervy here on. But Hoffenheim fail to apply further pressure when to be honest, they probably have us on the ropes. Instead, Moore who has replaced Richi brings it forward and with a simple pass to Sonny he uses his trademark sidestep before hooking it into the far bottom corner leaving no chance for the goalie. It was a much needed third goal and maybe a sigh of relief for us all.

    Lankshear comes on for Sonny up front who needs to be rested for the weekend’s action. With just 2 minutes of normal time remaining Spurs fall asleep again and Kramarić heads in to make it 3-2. Now we have to just hang on, why do we always do this to ourselves? Thankfully Hoffenheim had little more to give and a vital 3 points in Europe means we now sit in 6th place in the qualification spots. 

    It was a mixed performance but they did what they had to do and as they say, a win is a win! It’s Leicester City next, another relegation fight, lets just hope no more injuries before now and Sunday.

    COYS!

  • Ange Postecoglou Exit?

    Ange Postecoglou Exit?

    I’m a big believer that any manager needs to be given time in a job and I would say 2 years would be the minimum time a manager needs when he is rebuilding a squad to the degree we have been doing this last 2 seasons. But at the same time there has to be a moment when you say enough is enough. Is that moment now? Or is the prospect of a cup final and mitigating excuses of injuries and inexperienced youngsters enough to warrant him a little more time.

    I like the fact our youngsters are getting a good run out this year, even if it’s mostly down to injuries. I hope these youngsters will progress and we can benefit from this in future years. If we have to watch poor performances every week, I want it to be at least for the sake of these youngsters finding their feet in the Premier league, that I can accept.

    But if Ange Postecoglou is still with us come the end of the season, will Tottenham Hotspur or these young players benefit from continuing this philosophy of football. After all, if we want these young players to progress, we need them to be led by coaches who have a little bit of a clue about tactics and understanding of Premier league football. 

    How much can these youngsters learn from Ange ball, or as the rest of the world knows it, Predictable ball. This constant insistence of short passing with virtually no direct balls out from the back not only make it predictable and easy for the opposition to apply pressure, but it is making it much harder work for themselves. Without mixing up their play they are forever finding themselves under pressure and it is inevitable that a bad pass will occur sooner or later. Has anyone actually worked out just how many goals we have conceded under Ange that have been self inflicted ? I am quite sure that percentage will be well above the average for any team. 

    If you look at Arsenal’s distribution for example, they are known for playing a progressive and attractive style of football but they are willing to go long with their goal-kicks as they are short. Stats show roughly half of Arsenal’s goal kicks end in the opposition half. If you compare this to Spurs, incredibly we have gone long with just four of the last 145 goal-kicks so far this season. I would be interested to know out of those 141 short passes out, how many times were we able to get out of our own half before we lost possession? 

    It’s not just this playing out from the back that is the problem. These so-called inverted full backs seem to create chaos for ourselves and leave more gaps at the back than it is really worth. If you are going to play this way you need to see a lot more discipline from a defensive midfielder to provide cover, but instead the Spurs setup looks like a complete melee. When we do manage to form an attack the threat of a counter attack is imminent because our midfield is wide open. If you are going to insist on pushing these full backs so far forward then you need a holding midfielder who can be relied on, or even implement the system with three centre halfs.    

    To be honest, I didn’t see the point of bringing in another manager until the end of the season but the situation in the league table is becoming a concern. The last time our league position was this dire was under Juande Ramos. Interestingly this was also the last manager we picked up silverware with. Is it an omen?

    However, had we not brought in Harry Redknapp when we did that season there was a strong possibility we were heading for relegation. We should never underestimate the threat of relegation, a club is never too big to go down! As far as I am concerned we are now in a relegation fight and something may have to change, especially if we lose to Everton tomorrow.

    Unfortunately we know from last time around that top managers are not interested in the Spurs job and it has become rather a poisoned chalice. That’s hard to even comprehend isn’t it. Enic have spent the last 20 years rebuilding this club from the ground up, training facilities and stadium that compete with the best and revenues that make it one of the richest clubs in the world. But neither world class players or managers want to be part of this club. 

    That is the sad fact of things at Spurs but even with a subpar team and a coach whose football methods are more consistent with Aussie rules football, this club is making some serious money. So do Levy and the shareholders even care? I would argue that winning trophies certainly hasn’t been made a priority at this club and all these promises of bigger and better things to come when the new stadium is completed is now wavering very thin. I think it’s time some of us accepted we have had the wool pulled over our eyes!

  • Relegation Battle Confirmed

    Relegation Battle Confirmed

    Fixture…

    Sunday 19th January, 14.00

    Everton Vs Tottenham Hotspur

    Premier League

    Available On…

    UK TV – Sky Sports Main Event

    UK TV – Sky Sports Premier League

    Optus Sport

    SuperSport MaXimo 1

    More Info…

    connect@spursonline.net

    Result: 3-2 (Everton Win)

    D. Calvert-Lewin (13′)

    I. Ndiaye (30′)

    A. Gray (45’+7 og)

    D. Kulusevski (77′)

    Richarlison (90’+2)

    Match Report…

    I’m not saying Ange read my last blog but possibly for the first time this season Spurs utilised a back three with Ben Davies joining Gray and Dragusin. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut because it didn’t help a bit. Without a single holding midfielder on the pitch we were still wide open and so easy to break on the counter. Dragusin and Davies lack the pace required and the jury is still out on new goalkeeper Kinsky. I’m not sure if Kinsky is a good signing but I do find him entertaining and so I guess that fits the Ange way.

    It didn’t take long for a team sitting close to the bottom of the league who’s struggling to score goals, to find themselves 2 nil up against Spurs. At the other end of the pitch Son missed an absolute sitter and after only half an hour Spurs looked in real trouble. By half time we were 3 nil down and the writing was on the wall in more ways than one.

    With very few options on the bench optimism was low for any remarkable second half turnarounds. Youngsters including Lankshear and Moore were sitting patiently as was Richarlison, returning from another long term injury. It was Richy who got the nod and the back 3 was scrapped with Dragusin being replaced.

    Spurs started the second half brighter but with such open play, the risk of conceding more was probably greater than us ever getting on the scoresheet. After 70 minutes Sarr was sacrificed for young Mikey Moore and that was about all we could hope for by this point. Another training exercise for our young players to gain experience.

    However, on 76 minutes Tottenham were offered a slim lifeline when Kulusevski scored a wonderful little chip with the goalie off his line, but there were few celebrations from a much deflated Spurs side. A short corner and a beautiful ball in to the far post from young Moore in the 93rd minute allowed Richarlison to score on his return from injury and against his former club. With the scoreline now 3-2 there was a frantic last few moments around the Everton goal area but it was too little too late for Tottenham Hotspur.

    With so many injuries it can be understood why we are struggling but questions still need to be asked of Ange’s system and Levy’s lack of activity in a time of crisis. If you don’t have the players to make the system work you have to adapt, it’s as simple as that. If you don’t know how to adapt then go back to your school boy league, because this is the Premier league and quite frankly you’re not only embarrassing yourself, you’re making a mockery of this club, which takes some doing after the last 20 years under Levy’s Spurs.

    But what can we expect from a manager who refuses to change his high line defence when going down to only nine men against Chelsea, or from a chairman who refuses to buy a single player for more than 16 months.

    We are now more than half way through the January transfer window and all we have added is a goalkeeper. What is this club doing?  Get in Toney, get in Eze, get someone in who can make an instant impact. We have an abundance of players for the ‘future’ and we don’t need any more average players, we need a top class player who can come into this team and make an actual difference.

    With regards to the injuries It’s no coincidence most of our injuries are hamstring problems and I don’t accept it’s just bad luck. If players are constantly overstretching or over trying these sorts of injuries can occur. For me this suggests the players are just not relaxed in their play and this over trying results from acts of desperation. A poor run of results and this set of players are looking both physically and mentally drained. Ange cannot get these long term absentees back quick enough I’m sure.

    However I’m just not convinced that if we had a full squad available our performances would be any more consistent but we cannot ignore the fact that the injury crisis has gone from bad to worse and the results have followed suit.

    If you were in any doubt before the Everton game about the threat of relegation, take a look at the league table, we are now sitting 15th in the league. Just 19 wins from 49 Premier league games now for Ange. Time is running out.

  • London Derby Awaits

    London Derby Awaits

    Fixture…

    Wednesday 15th January, 20:00

    Arsenal Vs Tottenham Hotspur

    Premier League

    Available On…

    UK TV – TNT Sports 1

    More Info…

    connect@spursonline.net

    Result: 2-1 (Arsenal Win)

    Son Heung-Min (25′)

    D. Solanke (40′ og)

    L. Trossard (44′)

    Match Report…

    The less said about this result the better but seriously, what can we say. Losing to Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates stadium is no shock and by the scoreline you might even say it was a close one. But unfortunately the reality is this scoreline flatters us to say the least. If I was to sum it up in one word, it would be ‘embarrassing’.

    Rio Ferdinand compared Spurs’ performance to an under-18 game and if you ask me, I think he was being generous there. It was an absolute shambles from start to finish. With the exceptions of Gray and Bergvall no Spurs player can really hold their head up and say they performed on this evening.  Gray is benefiting hugely from this run of games showing grit and composure whilst Bergvall tried to make things happen although nothing to get over excited about.

    With complete disorganisation throughout the team you have to question the teams tactics and of course the Ange ball which clearly lacks to such a level that even 5th tier Tamworth had him sussed! I know there will be some loyal fans out there keen to defend Ange once again and blame the result on injuries, fatigue, or the players themselves. But as far as I am concerned the players can only perform to their potential if they are set up correctly in the first place and that’s down to the coach.

    Starting the game in midfield was Bissouma, Sarr and Bergvall which raised questions immediately. Why was Maddison dropped to the bench again? Does he have an injury? Is he no longer able to compete in two matches in a week? It seemed crazy to drop him for such a big game if there is not an issue with his fitness and whilst Bergvall does not lack confidence, he does lack experience. With other key players already unavailable it makes only sense to have your experienced players like Mads starting such a big game. You would think?

    At half time he made two changes to that midfield, acknowledging it clearly wasn’t working. Sarr was absent for the entire half so it was no surprise to see him benched but it was a surprise to see Bissouma taken off too. With Maddison and Johnson being the replacements it meant Ange had decided to play the entire second half without a single holding midfielder on the pitch.

    Correct me if I am wrong but I don’t know a single football formation that doesn’t require some sort of defensive midfielder, at least one to stop the midfield from being overrun. Well I didn’t at least before Ange ball came along. Now I am all for attacking football and we all wish we could play like the classic ‘Brazil’ teams of old but our players simply are not good enough for this way of football.

    The second half kicked off and immediately you knew it was going to be wide open. Sure it offered some end to end football but Arsenal never really looked in trouble and I am sure they are asking themselves how they failed to add to the scoreline, with 48 touches inside the Spurs box. Had it not been for some frantic defending I am sure we were looking at a real hammering.

    I was full of praise for new goalie Kinsky after the first couple of matches but his Premier League debut was one to forget. Kinsky should have done better with the second goal and he seems to have quickly embraced the Kamikaze way of football at Spurs with some crazy ball skills of his own.

    In defence Dragusin continues to unimpress, clearly out of his depth with the pace of the Premier League leaving 18 year old Gray to hold the fort once again. Our so-called inverted full backs were ineffective and even after the substitutions the midfield was in scatters, making it far too easy for Arsenal to run riot. Up front we had a struggling Son who got caught on the ball far too many times and Solanke failed to make any impact against the likes of ‘man of the match’ Gabriel. Kulu, like a lot of the players, was probably guilty of over trying and making mistakes with poor passes and over dribbling. The only positive from the game was the return of Richiarlison who at least offers us another option upfront if he can stay fit for more than one game.

    I don’t like to criticise players for lack of effort as I believe for the most part they are doing their best in what are very difficult conditions. You can see as the games progress the players are looking more desperate to make something happen but they are clearly lacking in confidence and you are wondering how many of them are now questioning Ange ball.

    For me the blame has to lie with the coaches who prepare these players. After another dismal performance Anges job is hanging in the balance more than ever and it is no longer an if, but just a when. The only thing that’s stopping the inevitable is that second leg in the semi final. Will Levy set a new record and sack a second coach before a cup final ? We may soon find out.

  • Son of a Gun

    Son of a Gun

    It was confirmed this month that Sonny’s contract has been extended for another season, as expected by most I am sure. Sonny joined Spurs back in 2015 and that £22 million seems like a real bargain now. He has scored well over a hundred goals in the Premier league alone and I think he is destined to go down as one of Spurs legends. 

    Since the departure of Hugo Lloris, Sonny has taken over the role of captaincy and it seemed like the obvious choice as he has always shown leadership, determination and true professionalism that I hope the younger players aspire to.

    At the age of 32 it is fair to say Sonny may be past his best and the number of goals per season are certainly drying up. Some also argued that his legs may have finally gone with the Premiership demands being unforgiving. It would be of no surprise to me considering just how many seasons Son and Kane carried this poor excuse of a team.

    We have seen some incredible goals from Sonny over the years and we will never forget that full length pitch run he made before slotting it home against Burnley. Nor will we forget him sailing it into the top corner in the North London derby and that incredible mazy dribble against Chelsea! 

    Honestly, there are far too many to list them all but unfortunately they do feel like distant memories now. When was the last time he made one of those runs ? When was the last time he scored from outside the box ? Like any veteran player, Son has had to learn to adapt his game if he wants to continue at this level and we just don’t see that side of him anymore.

    Some have even argued against the extension of Sonny’s contract and claimed it is merely a marketing strategy rather than a footballing decision. To those people I would say you are probably right, but so what! I cannot begin to even imagine what Son has been worth to Spurs in the Asian market. You only have to look at the stands on match day to see how popular he is with the Asian fan base. If his contract had been extended for that reason alone I would say it was a no brainer. The return on his global value I am sure far outweighs his contractual expenses. 

    Lets face it, it wouldn’t be the first time a player has been used for marketing value. It is part of global football now and clubs like Spurs are well aware of what the Asian market is worth! Do you think it is any coincidence we have just recruited another South Korean youngster Yang Min-hyeok. At the tender age of 18 and hardly any experience whatsoever at professional level, is he really going to improve this Spurs squad ? But as the youngest goalscorer in the history of K League 1, there is plenty of hype around him back in Asia and that only means one thing for Spurs, cha-ching!

    It would be unfair to say that is all Son has to offer at Spurs though, considering he is our captain. With so many youngsters in the Spurs squad it seems even more vital we keep some old heads like Sonny around the club. You cannot underestimate the importance of experienced heads! If you look at the amazing team Man Utd developed in the 90s with Giggs, Beckham, Scholes etc, it wasn’t without some experienced heads around them including Bruce, Pallister and Mark Hughes!

    Instead I would argue that Sonny needs to remain an important member of this Spurs squad and should be used more sparingly. There is no doubt Sonny has been overplayed over the years with his contribution to the team being his own downfall. He was simply too good to drop! It has perhaps also been unfortunate that in the last 2 seasons those who were meant to provide cover for Sonny have either been injured (Solomon and Odobert) or have been far too unreliable (Werner).

    Finally I will leave you with one conspiracy theory as to why Sonny appears to be starting week in week out regardless of his form and that is Mr. Levy. Does anyone believe he interferes with on field football decisions and team selections ? Is Ange under strict orders to make sure Sonny plays a certain number of games to appease his Asian fan base? I wonder!

  • Spurs FA Cup Begins

    Spurs FA Cup Begins

    Fixture…

    Sunday 12th January, 12:30

    Tamworth Vs Tottenham Hotspur

    FA Cup – 3rd Round

    Available On…

    UK TV – ITV1

    More Info…

    connect@spursonline.net

    Result: 0-3 (Tottenham Win)

    N. Tshikuna (101′ ET og)

    D. Kulusevski (107′ ET)

    B. Johnson (118′ ET)

    Match Report…

    Tottenham’s visit to Tamworth in the FA Cup was enjoyed by a full attendance of 3,720 and they got their moneys worth as the match finished 3 nil to Spurs after extra time. Yes Spurs were unable to break down this team from the 5th level tier in normal time and were forced to bring on the big guns to get over the line in extra time.

    If the score line doesn’t impress you much then the performance would have impressed you even less, with what was another subpar performance. In all honesty it was probably what most of us expected after the pleasing result against Liverpool prior, another inconsistent show.

    Gray was given another good lesson in this game but at times showed his lack of experience allowing the forward to turn him on more than one occasion. Dragusin struggled to cope with the physical battle he was given and it was a relief to see him replaced by Spence in extra time.

    Porro and Reguilon huffed and puffed down the wings and when chances were created for the likes of Werner, he scuffed his opportunities once again. It was another day Werner could easily have been on the score sheet, perhaps even a hat-trick.

    Sarr was largely ineffective and missing for large parts of the game with the main creativity coming from Maddison. Unfortunately Maddisons finishing was average at best, something he really needs to work on if he is to progress to the next level.

    Moore was back from his long term illness and it was good to see him get a run out but that’s about all we can say about it in truth. Johnson offered little for the most part of the game and was probably fortunate not to have been taken off. However Johnson was there to make the cross that led to the own goal for the opener that finally cracked this Tamworth resilience which had lasted 101 minutes!

    With Tamworth legs now tiring and the big guns on the pitch, Son setup Kulu for the 2nd goal before Johnson wrapped it up with the 3rd. A job well done? We are through to the next round, lets put it that way!

    Finally I will end this on one positive and a congratulations to Kinsky our new goalkeeper, who has not only looked confident in his opening two matches but actually achieved two consecutive clean sheets. Any Spurs goalie deserves a medal for that achievement, so well done Kinsky!

    COYS!

  • Spurs Semi-Final 1st Leg

    Spurs Semi-Final 1st Leg

    Fixture…

    Wednesday 8th January, 20:00

    Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool

    Carabao Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg

    Available On…

    Sky Sports Main Event

    Sky Sports Football

    More Info…

    connect@spursonline.net

    Result: 1-0 (Tottenham Win)

    L. Bergvall (86′)