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News
January 2004
Spurs by Matthew Gaynor
Was this the day most of the crowd realised that going down
is a probability not a possibility. A game we had to win, at home to a
relegation rival and we never even made their keeper make a decent save.
At present we are a dreadful football team, with no impetus or spark, the
spell of good form following the change of manager is now a distant memory
and it's more likely that we'll lose rather than gain players in the next
couple of weeks. We may have better players than some other teams in this
division but they're (Leicester etc) better organised and motivated than
us. Unless something radical changes quick, we're going down.
A surprising selection with Barmby coming from nowhere to be preferred to
Sakho, Milner or Bridges to play behind Viduka. Olembe back in midfield
with Bakke, to partner Matteo and Pennant. The first half never really
happened, although Olembe was lively to begin with, the lack of options
soon led him to hit over ambitious passes to no-one. Barmby also appeared
eager to impress and made some intelligent runs which his team-mates
didn't see or opted instead to lump it forward in the general vicinity of
Viduka. Those three created our only real chance of the half when Viduka
played Olembe into space down the left and Barmby just failed to connect
with the driven cross at the near post.
Apart from that the only actual save Keller had to make was from a Pennant
free-kick that would have hit him on the head if he hadn't have moved.
Still that was an improvement on Harte's attempts to decapitate the South
Stand upper. Tottenham were little better, a couple of routine saves from
Robbo and the first half inevitably finished 0-0 as you'd expect with 2
poor teams low on confidence.
Viduka, who in truth had done OK, didn't reappear for the 2nd half, to be
replaced by Bridges. It made no difference. Slowly Spurs realised we were
there for the taking and Dalmat (the best player on the pitch) began to
exert an influence. It wasn't too much of a surprise when they scored, a
free-kick lobbed over Duberry's head for Keane to run onto, and Keane
managed to hold off Duberry and rifle past Robbo into the net. Keane, as
ever when he scores against us, didn't celebrate. In hindsight it may have
been better for Duberry to let Robbie have a clear run on goal, he was
always better finishing instinctively than when given time one on one.
Eddie brought on Milner and Sakho in an attempt to change it around,
though Barmby didn't deserve the big cheer from the Kop that greeted his
departure and Olembe didn't deserve to be taken off. It was so obvious
that Harte should have gone to be replaced by Olembe overlapping Milner
from full-back that you can't really believe Eddie missed it. These
substitutions made little difference and apart from Bridges mis-kicking
from a corner, I can't really remember a proper attempt on goal. Spurs
might have scored another when Dalmat put Kanoute away, but luckily he
chose to shoot from a narrow angle rather than pass to the unmarked Keane.
Near the end Duberry limped off injured and we had to play with ten. We
wouldn't have scored anyway and even Robbo couldn't be bothered to come up
for a couple of corners near the end, as the fans lured to ER by European
football a few years ago, headed for the exits. Spurs were average but
deserved to win, the difference today was that they had a couple of
players that could make something happen and score a goal, and Keane did.
We just don't have the pace and invention to do that. I can't see us
scoring another 10 goals this season - let alone getting another 25 points
Scores
| Robinson |
7 |
No chance with the goal,
made a couple of other decent saves. |
| Kelly |
6 |
Can't accuse him of lack
of effort |
| Harte |
5 |
Poor very poor |
| Kilgallon |
6.5 |
Steady, even had a (crap)
shot. |
| Duberry |
6 |
At fault for the goal but
generally solid |
| Matteo |
5 |
Can't pass, needs to be in
defence in a team that wants to score goals. |
| Bakke |
5 |
Bad game. |
| Pennant |
7.5 |
Kept running at (and
beating players) little end product, but then little to aim for. |
| Olembe |
6.5 |
Only midfielder who looked
like he knew how to hold onto ball at times, should not have been
subbed |
| Barmby |
6 |
Tried hard, made a few
tackles but not the player we need in the current predicament |
| Viduka |
6 |
Credit him for wanting to
play given other problems, made some effort but little service. |
| Subs |
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| Bridges |
5 |
It's sad but he looks no
fitter than 3 months ago and you have to wonder if he'll ever be back
to what he was. |
| Sakho / Milner |
6 |
Both ran around without
ever looking like they were going to produce a goal |
Next week we are likely to be without
Duberry, Sakho, Olembe, Viduka and Matteo from today's squad, with only
Smith likely to return - it doesn't look good.
Is there an answer, well if he wasn't about to head off to the African
Nations I'd use Sakho upfront (I don't think he's a Premiership quality
striker and he is more use as a sub, but we desperately need some pace.)
I'd bring Camara back as well, other than that we're pretty much stuck
with the players who were so disappointing today, unless Seth suddenly
decides to earn his money and Batts gets fit quick. Much more of this
and I'll be getting nostalgic for Paul Okon and Roque Jr.
Yes it is that bad.
Matt
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