There’s No Need For Spurs Fans To Panic… Not Yet, Anyway

August 17, 2007

76096348.jpgBelieve it or not, Mr. C is calling for calm amongst the (more) rabid Spurs fans.

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I don’t need a weatherman to tell me when it’s raining so I don’t need to pick up a newspaper to know that certain quarters of the media will be over reacting to the Everton result as a sign that the wheels have fallen of the Tottenham Top Four bandwagon - kind of ironic since they were the ones that created it.

They say a week is a long time in football and although it seems all the early season enthusiasm has been shattered for many fans, we have to ask ourselves if we’re really that surprised.

In all the years I have been following Tottenham; we have constantly had a poor start to the season which, in my opinion, has stemmed from having such an uncompetitive pre-season which always leaves us looking flat and completely off the pace once the Premier League season begins.

If anyone thinks a tour of South Africa and playing the likes of Stevenage and Leyton Orient is great preparation then fine; I believe beating poor opposition makes players complacent and believing their own hype, resulting the display against Sunderland where the side looked like they thought they just had to turn up to win.

I’ve made my views on Jol clear. So while it would be easy for me to jump on his back and produce a dossier of the tactical failings I have chosen to lay off the man for now, its unfair to judge him now especially with all the injuries that have decimated our squad. Of course, the team we put out against Sunderland and Everton was good enough to win on paper but history shows we always have a tough time against organised, tough sides who just out-muscle and out-work us.

Jermain Jenas and Anthony Gardner have become the early season scapegoats for our poor start while I can’t disagree about Gardner; I find it hard to see why Jenas gets so much stick. He has to play alongside a headless chicken like Zokora - who certainly cant defend and offers nothing once a mazy run has led him into the final third.

You didn’t have to be a brain surgeon last year to work out that these two cannot play together and you don’t need to be Anne Robinson to work out the weak link of the two, but Jol persisted in playing them at the cost of providing any quality protection for our defense. Is it any coincidence that we were a lot more solid when Huddlestone played alongside Jenas in the centre? Maybe Jol should wake up to the fact that the lack of balance in midfield could be the reason we are conceding far too many goals as our backline, a makeshift backline, is horribly exposed…it needs addressing and fast.

Anyway I’m not going to get too upset with this week results; didn’t we only win 2 of our first half dozen or so games last year and we still managed a top 5 finish in relative cruise control. Our squad when fit is vastly superior to anyone other than the top 4 and I fully expect it us to be there or thereabout at the end of the season.

Losing to teams like Everton is embarrassing but time to panic… not just yet.

Comments

29 Responses to “There’s No Need For Spurs Fans To Panic… Not Yet, Anyway”

  1. Rob
    on August 17th, 2007 2:18 pm

    If you honestly think that our squad is stronger than any of the top four I suggest you look for another way of life. Co’s your only living a dream. GET REAL YOU JERK

  2. Betis
    on August 17th, 2007 2:19 pm

    [quote comment=”55548″]If you honestly think that our squad is stronger than any of the top four I suggest you look for another way of life. Co’s your only living a dream. GET REAL YOU JERK[/quote]

    What is wrong with you?

    Where does it say he thinks your squad is stronger than any of the the top four?

    it’s pretty clear who the Jerk is

  3. Steve
    on August 17th, 2007 2:20 pm

    [quote comment=”55548″]If you honestly think that our squad is stronger than any of the top four I suggest you look for another way of life. Co’s your only living a dream. GET REAL YOU JERK[/quote]

    He said anyone other than the top 4.

  4. andy
    on August 17th, 2007 2:29 pm

    i think we made need to qoute from the above comments once again just for the people that have no reading skills!!!!

    he said “anyone OTHER than the top for”

    you bunch of jerks!!!!

  5. matt
    on August 17th, 2007 2:41 pm

    rob you retard can you not read or are you just a knob

  6. matt
    on August 17th, 2007 2:46 pm

    i agree we have some very important players crocked and we are only 2 points behind the favorites to win the prem so lets give bmj a break and criticise when our backbone is fully fit and playing bad.

  7. Martin
    on August 17th, 2007 2:51 pm

    So in all your years of watching Spurs we have constantly had poor starts? How old are you, three? I remember a Sheringham penalty putting hu top of the league in early September under Hoddle, while under Jol two years back we had a good start after beating Pompey and going on a half decent run until Chelsea. You speak some sense, but you can’t blame Jol with all these injuries and anyone who does is a fool. Judge him when King,Daws, Lennon, Bale etc are in the team. Also he may not have bought a left midfielder yet but it’s not through lack of trying.

  8. JJ
    on August 17th, 2007 2:55 pm

    I have to disagree. Of the 2 midfielders it’s Jenas that causes the most problems because he simply doesn’t know what he should be doing. Zokora provides infinately more defensively, and Jenas appears to provide next to nothing offensively, despite this supposedly being his role. Having noone offensive in the centre mid ends up meaning that the strikers have no support and are trying to work off table scraps. All Jenas needs to do is move up the pitch and start pulling players around to create the space, yet he barely moves and if he does pass it, its sideways or backwards. He needs a stint on the bench, stick one of the youngsters on who feel they have a point to prove. Jenas clearly doesn’t.

  9. true_cock
    on August 17th, 2007 3:00 pm

    i agree with most of article - but Zakora is a far better player than Jenas. Jenas needs to realise he is not good enough for centre mid and should move to the wing or preferably the bench.

    i seem to remember tottenham haveing an awsome run of form when hudd and ZAk were centre mid (Citeh away to name one), and yes Jenas did have a major role in the team at the end of the season. but this was when we were secure at the back and we could afford to be a little light weight in the middle.

    Basically start Hudd - he does not work as a sub, everytime he comes on he looks lost and we conceed, play him from the start an he will orchastrate the midfield. his range of passing is outrageous. We will come good!!

  10. matt
    on August 17th, 2007 3:01 pm

    well said jj give hudds the chance i say and then when boateng is fit move him to left side and malbranqe to right until lennon is fit,leaving keane and berbs up front

  11. true_cock
    on August 17th, 2007 3:05 pm

    we can discuss this all day i bet 100 punds sterling Jol will stick by Jenas through thick and thin - even let him play till he hits form! i dont think i have ever seem him drop anyone?? i could be wrong but nothin springs to mind!

    Defoe and Bent for me tomorrow. just put the ball over the top - i dont care if it looks nice i just want 3 points!!

  12. DZ
    on August 17th, 2007 3:08 pm

    So would that be the same Zokora who has been the only midfielder who actually looks interested so far? The only midfielder who’s actually putting in a tackle and winning the ball for us, or at least trying. Cos it certainly aint JJ. If Jenas did his job properly Zokora wouldn’t have to run around all over the place trying to impersonate the “headless chicken”. I support Spurs and every player that takes to the field in our shirt. I’ve never been a big Jenas fan. But there is no doubt about it when he’s in form he can be a very good player, trouble is its not consistently and he goes missing in games thus creating more work for other plyers. Fact is mate if Zokora scored you’d be jumping up with the rest of us and saying how good he is.

  13. Martin
    on August 17th, 2007 3:09 pm

    Did anyone see the Daily Mail ratings for the Everton game? Everyone got 4 or 5 except Jenas who got a 7. That a rating from a neutral, not a demented fan looking to blame him for everything. We missed him when he was out last year and when he scores tomorrow the fickle twats will love him again.

  14. JJ
    on August 17th, 2007 3:10 pm

    We just need more width. Even if it’s players that don’t play out there we need to stretch the play to open teams up. Having Tainio and Malbranque on the wings just clutters up the midfield more and means there are more men in there, making it harder to get through.

    Against Everton we had 4 across the middle and then the 2 full backs pushing up made it 6 as the “wingers” ended up inside the pitch and not out wide. We’re never going to get through teams if we encourage everyone to come into the middle. Leave someone out on the wing, just to pull some a defender out with him.

  15. true_cock
    on August 17th, 2007 3:11 pm

    i backed Zak to be our best player this season he drives the midfield, we fell apart last season when he came off against Saville, we looked awful when he played LEFT BACK on tues - he came off against sunderland despite putting in a lot of running - i love Martin but question such decisions!! leave him on and take of Jenas or simple play him right mid and play the Hudd!!

  16. JJ
    on August 17th, 2007 3:13 pm

    [quote comment=”55563″]Did anyone see the Daily Mail ratings for the Everton game? Everyone got 4 or 5 except Jenas who got a 7. That a rating from a neutral, not a demented fan looking to blame him for everything. We missed him when he was out last year and when he scores tomorrow the fickle twats will love him again.[/quote]

    Doesn’t mean they’re right. He gave the ball away so many times, and killed the momentum even more than that by refusing to go forward. He’s quicker than anyone in the Everton midfield, yet he only actually beat someone for pace while out wide. I don’t doubt he’s capable but without actually doing it he’s dead weight.

  17. true_cock
    on August 17th, 2007 3:18 pm

    plus which prick buys the daily mail? or cares what a neutural thinks - they dont go home and away spending thousands a season. he didnt play badly but didnt play well either. i just think he is weak or a luxury player - we aint got space for them at the mo.

  18. SOLIHULL YID
    on August 17th, 2007 3:25 pm

    Jol must not go. We need that left mid sorted quick. Almost anyone will do as long as they are truly left footed and stay on the flak to give space to our cm and strikers. Once that is sorted and lennon back watch the super spurs run riot. Also please don’t buy another defender.

  19. true_cock
    on August 17th, 2007 3:29 pm

    esp not curtis davies for 10 mill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  20. JJ
    on August 17th, 2007 3:33 pm

    We need some grit in the midfield. Zokora provides it defensively, but you want someone with attacking drive, like a Nolan type player. I think Boateng could be this player, but who knows when he’ll get some action.

  21. SOLIHULL YID
    on August 17th, 2007 3:36 pm

    Is it only me or does anyone else think robbo should be dropped for a few games. Just to shake him up a little.

  22. ChicagoSpur
    on August 17th, 2007 3:46 pm

    Nice article. I personally think Taarabt is the solution to all problems, including global warming.

  23. kljji
    on August 17th, 2007 4:14 pm

    Robbo is useless! in a nut shell he is a poor keeper! I dint know how he gets in the England first 11, must be favouritism or something cos i’ll be very surprised if that bloke keeps a clean sheet all season, ledley is always injured and when he comes back he’ll pick up another one right away! There’s alot of players in the spurs team who wouldn’t get a sniff if they we’re part of one of the ‘Big Four’ squads, and thats the difference! the quality of consistent world class players who can stay fit for season long 40 - 50 match runs is what is needed and until that comes in abundence i cant see spurs moving up the table! As for Jol, he aint gonna attract the kind of quality players needed to fill these gaps! its looking bleak to be honest!

  24. SIR GEOFF HURST
    on August 17th, 2007 10:12 pm

    JOL OUT! JOL OUT! SHAKE IT ALL FECKING ABOUT!

  25. LI Matt
    on August 17th, 2007 11:08 pm

    [quote]Robbo is useless! in a nut shell he is a poor keeper! I dint know how he gets in the England first 11, must be favouritism or something cos i’ll be very surprised if that bloke keeps a clean sheet all season,….[/quote]

    First off, Robbo is *not* the problem here. Second, who would you rather have for England? Calamity James?

    Jenas … as long has he’s been here, it’s been the same thing: he’ll play like shit for three games, then score a goal at a critical moment (equalizer at Old Trafford, equalizer at Stamford Bridge, winner at Goodison, equalizer vs Arse).

  26. lee
    on August 20th, 2007 6:17 am

    [quote comment=”55548″]If you honestly think that our squad is stronger than any of the top four I suggest you look for another way of life. Co’s your only living a dream. GET REAL YOU JERK[/quote]
    Reaqd the effin post numb nuts!! any team outside the top four!

  27. lee
    on August 20th, 2007 6:18 am

    [quote comment=”55558″]I have to disagree. Of the 2 midfielders it’s Jenas that causes the most problems because he simply doesn’t know what he should be doing. Zokora provides infinately more defensively, and Jenas appears to provide next to nothing offensively, despite this supposedly being his role. Having noone offensive in the centre mid ends up meaning that the strikers have no support and are trying to work off table scraps. All Jenas needs to do is move up the pitch and start pulling players around to create the space, yet he barely moves and if he does pass it, its sideways or backwards. He needs a stint on the bench, stick one of the youngsters on who feel they have a point to prove. Jenas clearly doesn’t.[/quote]

    Does humble pie taste good on a monday morning???

  28. lee
    on August 20th, 2007 6:24 am

    [quote comment=”55583″]Robbo is useless! in a nut shell he is a poor keeper! I dint know how he gets in the England first 11, must be favouritism or something cos i’ll be very surprised if that bloke keeps a clean sheet all season, ledley is always injured and when he comes back he’ll pick up another one right away! There’s alot of players in the spurs team who wouldn’t get a sniff if they we’re part of one of the ‘Big Four’ squads, and thats the difference! the quality of consistent world class players who can stay fit for season long 40 - 50 match runs is what is needed and until that comes in abundence i cant see spurs moving up the table! As for Jol, he aint gonna attract the kind of quality players needed to fill these gaps! its looking bleak to be honest![/quote]
    you realy are a twat! name me one world class player, even decent player that doesnt get injured? would you say rooney is rubbish becase hes always injured, micheal owen, david beckham?? get a grip you freak. Try supporting your team instead of slatting it all the time

  29. korodon
    on October 21st, 2007 11:51 am

    are u panicking now?

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