The Questions Tottenham Fans Really Need Answered…ASAP
September 19th, 2006 by Alan HylandsI saw this comment from an anonymous reader on Harry Hotspur’s Tottenham Blog and thought they pretty much summed up the very questions that a great lot of us Spurs fans are asking ourselves, and would like to ask Martin Jol and cohorts, this season.
Why are we going downhill again?
Why can’t we score?
Why are our key players hurt again?
Why is Robbo suddenly making blunders?
Why is Defoe so disinterested?
Where has Keano’s enthusiam gone?
What happened to Mido since he lost 20 pounds, and cut his hair (Samson and Delia?)
Why can’t Davids run anymore?
Why can’t Jenas string two decent games together?
Why can’t Tainio remain fit for at least two or three games?
Why are our fans so fickle?
Why did the scum get in three class defenders for peanuts when we spend millions on our fullbacks?
Why do the two best teams in the premier League play in London?
Why is it never our turn to be good?
Why did we sell Carrick?
Why didn’t we sell Defoe?
Why do I bother?
So many questions, so little time to make things right. While some may say it’s counter-productive to go calling for the manager’s (or head coach’s) head this early in the season, let me present some of my reasons for having serious doubts about the management’s ability to truly make us more than a one season wonder in the vein of Everton the year before us.
Tactics or the Lack Thereof
I don’t see any semblance of tactical nous or ideas about any of the coaching staff. Chris Hughton is a Spurs legend as a player but you have to question his ability and why a succession of Spurs managers from the mid-90s on have employed him at the club. Carrying a full notebook while standing in the technical area does not a clued up assistant coach make.
Jol doesn’t inspire my confidence either. Last season we achieved the limited success of finishing 5th place. I’m loathe to say it was a success as finishing fifth is nothing in terms of what Tottenham Hotspur is about. To those who say they’d rather finish 4th than win any trophy I condemn you for helping to further the rot within our game, football is about winning trophies, not accumulating more and more money, if that’s the game you want then buy Monopoly and stick a hotel up on Park Lane and Mayfair, don’t tell me that finishing dozens of points between the champions is success because it isn’t. It may be a step in the right direction if there is a cause and a direction behind it, with Spurs last year there wasn’t and we rode Lady Luck until she broke down far too many times.
Lumping it long from Robinson or Michael Dawson to Mido to the opposition is not tactics, it’s old school long ball and we can’t even do an effective job at that.
Back to the drawing board MJ or better yet, buy a bloody drawing board in the first place.
Lack of Man-management
We’re continually told how it brought down Hoddle when his man-management skills were shown up to be lacking particularly in regard to Sergei Rebrov but because Jol has a funny fat face and makes some jokes to the TV cameras in his Dutch accent his own frailties in this area are overlooked. In my opinion we should have sold Jermain Defoe in the transfer window for the simple fact that Martin Jol has absolutely no idea how to utilise either him or Robbie Keane whatsoever and the player is so demoralised that he will NEVER regain his form under Jol’s command or his so-called “tactics”.
Defoe when used properly is as deadly a striker as England has seen since Robbie Fowler burst onto the scene. Under Jol he is withdrawn, lifeless, under supported and under utilised and to be rather blunt, complete cack. City fans used to say “feed the Goat and he will score”, Defoe is so underfed in terms of attacking support and chances that he is the footballing equivalent of a famine victim. For the lad’s own sake he should go.
The Squad and the Transfer Window
I’ll make this one quick, whoever decided that we needed a “thanks but no thanks” letter from Julio Baptista more than a left sided midfielder this summer needs taken out of White Hart Lane and never allowed back in. If it was Levy or Commolli then so be it, if it was the triumvarate of them including Jol then they all need to go. Add in the signing of an injured Steed Malbranque and the loan of Wayne Routledge, our only potential backup winger, and I fail to see how this is a thought out strategy. The cruel twist of fate which has seen Aaron Lennon injured now the window is closed just shows up the summer’s decision making for what it was - ill conceived and lacking in foresight.
I’ve had a look back over the questions at the top of this page and I still can’t answer them, we expected this summer to be the time to build on last season’s advances, why have we been allowed to slip so far back? Four points from five games, two goals and away to Anfield next Saturday. Has Martin Jol been punching above his weight and been found out or are the Tottenham knives being sharpened too soon?
Answers to the above questions are much needed.
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September 19th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
Baptista would have come but wanted 70000 a week and we would not break our wage cap.
The club were confident of getting Downing right up to the end of the window.
Reyes going to Real Madrid scuppered our chances of Petrov from Athletico.
September 19th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
Hell, why don’t we just sack all of the management team and first team playing staff and send out our reserves for the rest of the season. They did pretty well last term didn’t they????
Get behind the team instead or go and support someone else. So bored of all of you who turn on Jol et al as soon as everything isn’t quite rosy. We’re only 5 games in. Plenty of time to go. Deal with it…
September 19th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
How things change eh? We have a great season (even-though I believe we benefitted from others having a poor one) and suddenly expectations go through the roof!
Are we now suppossed to sack Martin because of 3 poor games out of 6 so far this season? For crying out loud we have had a poor start to the season, why is everyone suddenly panicking?
I’ve been supporting spurs at the lane for almost 30 years now and sometimes I am embarrassed by my fellow fans. I hate our ‘fickle’ tag but its hardly surprising we have it is it?
Can we have some realism please?
September 19th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
I keep asking many of the same questions. Add where has all the passion and flair gone? We have to be honest, we have an average team, an average manager and an average coach. Last year was a fluke because we did not play that well most of the season. We buy poor players, then tell the fans how good they may be - Rasiak, Murphy, Lee, Stalteri etc etc. We are linked with endless top quality players but always ‘just miss out’. But we may get a good quality player as long as they have a broken leg and a few other injuries. So, where will we be in five years - well Nottingham Forest played better football than we are playing and where are they now? Come on, lets start playing proper football and smashing a few in.
September 19th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
I think we are jumping on jol’s back too soon! we demand alot yes.. but we played some very good football last year and though we haven’t replicated that yet I am sure we will. iT IS UNFORTUANTE WHAT HAPPENDED TO LENNON BUT JOL HAD TO MAKE A DECISION ON ROUTLEDGE.. Things will get better and some of the players look real class that we have signed.. and you have to ask yoursl;ef who is better out there that is available than Jol?? moyes had a poor start after everton finished 4th a couple of year back.. now they are flying again!
September 19th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Jesus Alan! With the response to Gareth’ s earlier article as any gauge you’re gonna create a storm in a tea cup with that.
From what I see any fan who has any love for their club always take the pessimist outlook upon their teams chances. They know what the weaknesses are inside out and they know how well the star players can actually play when on form. So when they are not then worry sets in.
Fortunes change quickly in football and you knew it would be tough to score the points you did last season. Your expectations have been dramitcally raised by last year. I can see it’s frustrating but chopping and changing the management will certainly not improve matters.
September 19th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
well said skins.. people to quick to jump on the band wagon.. we’ve conceeded 1 goal since Ledley has returned and in my eyes our defense is one of the best in premiership.. once the goals start gelliung we will do well.. top 6 will be our best again.. others will slip up.. berbatov looks a class act and once he is fit and running i think we will improve.. lennon is a loss.. hhuddlestone looks like being a great player along with zokora and tanio.. yes we lack natural wide players but we have some great ball players..
September 19th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Had to be done Kieran, I\’ve been biting my tongue a lot so far this season when it comes to Spurs but I\’ve had enough.
Last season is over and for anyone harking back to it, you need to wake up and see that we are five games into a new season, have four points, two goals and no ideas about how to remedy the situation. I don\’t see that as pessimism, I see that as realism.
We have no invention, no cohesion and no ideas going forward whatsoever, the head coach seems totally incapable of making the best of the few quality players he does have and still the white tinted spectacle wearers say that if we don\’t like it to go and support someone else. Just the way Danny Levy likes it with the punters too afraid to speak out and still handing over their hard earned for sub-standard fare.
Not good enough for my club.
September 19th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
If you don’t like it - go and support another club: eh yes, quite a bizzare and slightly frustrating example of extremism. I’ve not exactly liked the way Forest has been run over the past decade but that doesn’t stop me from being a supporter. I will not turn to another club because of David Platt.
What would you suggest. I’m not sure sacking the manager will remedy the situation as it would be a bit of a knee-jerk reaction from Tottenham’s point of view.
September 19th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Idea: Play Stalteri as a right-winger - it was really only mistakes made in defence that pissed everybody off, he’s not bad on attack
September 19th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
OMG, have you gone insane?? Sack big MJ and the management?? You dont deserve to call yourself a Spurs fan!! I bet you wont be challenging their tactical knowledge and prowess if we beat (or draw) Liverpool on Sunday, get past Prague into group stages of Uefa Cup and then beat Portsmouth the week after will you!! We didnt deserve to lose at Utd, and purely on possession and several chances we should have beat Fulham who were never really a threat apart from one shot in the last 5 mins. Did you expect to beat Bolton away?? Everton was bad yes, but other than that, i’ve seen enough to know it will get better. Although if there are more doubters like you it will take alot longer. They need support nothing else!! COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!!
September 19th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
another wank article from another so called yid. I can’t take much more of this balls from my fellow fans. WE HAVE BEEN SHIT FOR YEARS. This is the best squad and best coach we have had in my 20 or so years following the mighty spurs. Stop moaning and get behind the team and the manager. it’s people like this who will get Jol sacked and we’ll be back where we started. Do you not remember Gross and Francis and Ardiles. Forgotten the squads that included Calderwood, Sinton and Dean fuckin Austin??
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh PLEASE LETS END THIS COMPLAINING AND START SUPPORTING.
COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 19th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Glad the majority of these posts in defence of Jol. It is WAY too early to turn on the man. Methinks we sometimes deserve our reputation, perbutrated as much as possible by the rest of London, as fickle. 33 games and 3 cups ahead. Believe - and it will happen. On an equelly important note, can he park Lane come up with a few new songs, someone in the top tier must be made responsible for this. COYS.
September 19th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Sorry to break into the pain like that: my head is so full of THFC at the moment I just can’t help it
September 19th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
I don’t see two years into his tenure as being way too early at all to question him. I have a lot more fear about the happy clappers who can’t see a difference between one season where we rode our luck into 5th place and the next where luck has deserted us and the coach’s lack of tactical knowhow is being laid bare.
If this isn’t a time of crisis in many of your opinions then when would you press the panic button? No goals in the next three? 3 points from 9? Where do you draw the line and start to question those in charge?
This squad may have some of the best players we’ve had in a long time but if Jol hasn’t got a scooby about how to use them properly then we might as well get Andy Booth back on loan and lump long balls up to him. Better delete that actually before Jol reads it and thinks it’s tactical advice.
September 19th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
COME ON YOUR SPURS!! GOT TO GET BEHIND THE TEAM!!
September 19th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
The ball was played on the ground last season for many games… we certainly palyed it on the ground for long periods in the uefa cup against prague! 15 games in.. make a judgement but now ! when other teams are equally not doing so well then I think you are being harsh..
September 19th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
A left winger is wat we need all great teems have thrust down the wings ! with lennon out we have no one ! we cannot rely on him as he is so young. why did we let routledge go on loan, why not play him on the left ?
September 19th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
This is the funniest thing I’ve ever read…. We should actually not sack them… let’s line them up and shoot them for what they’ve done to our club!! Hopw dare they get us in to Europe again, how dare they give us out highest prem finish EVER… and most of all how dare they not then make us the best team in the world in a year!! They’ve had a whole season in charge now and we’re still not as good as Barca.. that is a joke! I for one won’t stand for it… and then to top it all off, 6 games into the seaon, we haven’t run aweay with the league yet… this is unaccaptable! I will be marchinng banner in hand tomorrow! JOL OUT JOL OUT JOL OUT!! EUROPE!! what a p*&%^ I can’t take anymore of this having the best team we’ve had in prem history… I will refuse to look at how Manchester Utd took 5 yrs to win anything after (the now) knighted Alex Ferguson took over… I will not wait that long for success, if we don’t win our next 368 games in a row the managament will have some questions to answer I tell you that for nothing… and why don’t our players settle in 5 mins after arriving??? They want games to settle in… well the whole thing’s a digrace… and the fact that we lack creativity was noticed by Jol who then bought Malbranque (although out for another 7 weeks) one of the most creative players in the league, is ridiculous… I’m not having anymore of this, we’re 6 games in now, that’s too far into the season, I mean, can you believe we’ve only got 32 games left to go… that’s not enough time to do anything… we should write to the FA, ask them if we can pull out of the league this year, and start again next year in the prem… (obviously with different management)… Then I will fully expect us to become world beaters over night…
OFF WITH THERE HEADS!!
(please note the sarcasm, I think it’s pretty obvious, but you never know, there might be an Ars*nal fan reading this).
September 19th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
You know, when i think what the worst thing is about being a Spurs fan, i wonder if it’s the many false dawns, the fact we haven’t won anything of significance for ages or getting beaten by teams we are supposedly better than, on a regular basis (last season aside).
But my genuine answer is… the Spurs fans. What a bunch of fickle idiots we are. I hate saying ‘we’ when talking about people with such a low IQ, but we do all support the same team and want the same thing.
The post at the top is just rubbish. The fact that someone has bothered to rehash it to voice their own opinion is pathetic. And the fact that people are agreeing with this is well, just disappointing, but not surprising.
To answer the questions….
Why are we going downhill again? A blip is not going downhill. See Arsenal and Liverpool for poor starts.
Why can?t we score? Because that’s what happens when players suffer loss of form. It does happen you know. I’ll bet good money you’ll soon be loving the strikers again soon.
Why are our key players hurt again? Berbie has a groin strain and Lennon’s knee’s shagged. 2 injuries. Wow. Other key players include Robbo, King, Dawson, Zokora, Keane etc. They’re not injured.
Why is Robbo suddenly making blunders? Because he’s not. He had an average WC but has generally been fine for us, bar the surprising long shot v Bolton. Yes he could’ve handled the Ronaldo shot better but hey, you’d be forgetting all the times he’s saved us too. The latest incident being the end of the Fulham game and the double save against Prague.
Why is Defoe so disinterested? Because Jol isn’t playing him, constantly.
Where has Keano?s enthusiam gone? Has it? You mean why hasn’t he scored. 2 different things.
What happened to Mido since he lost 20 pounds, and cut his hair (Samson and Delia?) Agree he hasn’t performed yet this season but he’s played 3 in 7 days after just a couple of pre season matches. I’m sure he’ll get better when he’s left on the bench when Berbie’s fit.
Why can?t Davids run anymore? I think you’ll find he still runs more than any other player on the pitch at Spurs currently.
Why can?t Jenas string two decent games together? Being that he’s just had 3 very good games in a row, i’m not sure why this question exists.
Why can?t Tainio remain fit for at least two or three games? Agree, but because he’s the kind of player that puts himself about and will unfortunately receive more injuries than others. Anyway, if he played constantly, i’m sure he’ll be on this question list under ‘why doesn’t Tainio do much’
Why are our fans so fickle? Very good question. Maybe you could answer that better than i can as i’m sure you were praising the team and loving everyone this time last year.
Why did the scum get in three class defenders for peanuts when we spend millions on our fullbacks? Assou Ekkoto was 2m. Not exactly big money nowadays is it. Chimbonda was voted best right back in the Prem last season, that’s why he was 5m.
Why do the two best teams in the premier League play in London? Because Chelsea have spent around 850 billion and Arsenal are a great team who *cringe* play the best football in the league under Wenger.
Why is it never our turn to be good? Our day may still come, maybe even this season..
Why did we sell Carrick? Because he wanted to go to Utd and shoving him in the reserves here would never ever work. Ever.
Why didn?t we sell Defoe? Fair question. If Jol doesn’t really rate him, he should sell him. I want him to stay though. Maybe we couldn’t get a replacement. And possibly becasue he’s the best striker of his kind in the league.
Why do I bother? With posts like this? No idea.
There you go, now how about concentrating on getting behind the team and focusing on the positive points and the promising points. We’ve got a fantastic back 4 now, backed by England’s number one. And potentially an excellent front 4. If we can sort out our best midfield from our 868 midfielders, we’ll get it right and someone will be on the end of a hammering. Jol has made mistakes, remember he’s only been manager for a couple of seasons from out of nowhere (ish). He has respect of players, managers and fans alike (and fans of other teams - every gooner i know likes him).
We will get it right. We’ve had a bad start like Arse and ‘Pool but there are still 33 games left. That’s quite a lot.
Oh, and we’re all going on a European Tour….
September 19th, 2006 at 4:57 pm
While I don’t think Spurs should do anything so drastic as sacking the manager (come on, it’s only September!) as an outsider I am often puzzled by Spurs, specifically their transfer policy.
What exactly is the point of buying an injured Steed Malbranque and allowing Wayne Routledge - one of your few natural wingers - to go out on loan? You don’t need Malbranque, what with Zokora, Jenas, Davids, Huddlestone, Ghali and Murphy all battling for spots in central midfield. But you do need wingers. It makes no sense to me. I don’t know whether it’s the fault of Jol, Comolli or Levy (or all 3) but you guys really need to sort it out. The stockpiling on central midfielders (a few of them quite average) is not going to get you anywhere, in my opinion.
September 19th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
you lot are all pricks and should shut up…youre the type who boo at white hart lane…you should all be ashamed of yourselfs because you arent real fans
September 19th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
my name is actually michael
September 19th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
In answer to some of your questions:
we didnt sell defoe because he is class and we need him as well as cover(refer to your own words about routledge)
We sold carrick as he made it clear he wanted to leave to play for man u so the the club got the best they could at of a situation they didnt want to be in.
Mido has only played 2 or 3 games too quick to judge.
we are ”going downhill” as our new players have not gelled and are still getting to know each other. not gonna last forever.
our full backs hardly cost the earth Essou ekotto 2m chimbonda 4.5-5.5m a bit more expensive but has played well in all games he has played in so may justify that tag. Stalteri free Lee Young Po 2m see my point?
robbo will save us far more times than drop us in it. all keepers occassionly have a dip in form no time to get on his back still englands no. 1 (englands, englands no 1)
davids is getting old (in football terms) simple.
our forwards are not dis-interested however not getting enough good service, thefore they unlikely to score
injuries happen at ecery club part of any sport. (probably bar tiddlywinks)
why do you bother most fans will wonder why you bothered writing such shite i will put it down to frustration.
No time to question the big man or his staff . we all know Jol is a good coach/manager
get behind the team for F***s sake
dont know why we are so fickle we are breed of our own COYS! COYS!
September 19th, 2006 at 5:17 pm
>Why do I bother?
Because you are a closet Les Arse fan?
September 19th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
Its a slump, liverpool are having one, arsenal are having one and so are we. i think that they will be top 5 and so will we. we do look a little lost for ideas but i hav faith in jolly jol. YIDS
September 19th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
I think we should sack all of the fans that are anti Jol. Makes me ashamed.
September 19th, 2006 at 5:49 pm
The simple fact is :
We were no better last season than we are this.
Our start is showing us for what we are. A fairly ordinary team with an ordinary manager.
I lost count of the number of times last season when we lost or drew and then felt relieved when all the teams chasing us lost too.
Go through the fixtures if you dont believe me.
What we need :
Someone to tell Robbo, the defence and midfield to pass (thats pass) to our forwards.
There is no point humping the ball forward in the vain hope that it will land at Defoes feet.
Someone to tell the whole team they will not have time to do their hair and wave to the crowd when (if) the ball is passed to them.
This is especially important as some nasty person has told all the opposing teams not to give Spurs time on the ball.
What will happen :
We will play superbly against Liverpool, Arsenal, Manu and Chelsea, unfortunately only getting 1 point from the 8 games then disappoint in the following games aginst so called weaker opposition.
However, our fickle fans will fill WHL and away sections every week.
This may seem like a moan but after 35 years of same old same old it would be nice for someone at THFC to read things like this and see what truly magnificent support they have and realise how they treat us.
September 19th, 2006 at 5:52 pm
Lads take it easy,god is good and wont be long before the points come in.I run a spurs pub in Lanzorote and i have supporters from every premier team drinking in here so can u imagine the shit i get.
Big one sat…we can do the pool and bring on the pompey….can only get better
September 19th, 2006 at 5:57 pm
When did I ever say I wasn’t behind the team? Some of you are so blinkered it’s not real. I appreciate we had our best league finish in years but we are not looking like doing anything like matching it, never mid improving on it this season.
It is plain to see that the coach has no idea what his best line up is and has no idea how to get the best out of the quality players he does have. Defoe and Keane would walk into most other Premiership teams, how come Jol hasn’t got a single clue about how to play football to serve these two great strikers?
The transfer policy is a joke. Opportunistic purchases matched with a few upgrades, there’s no denying our fullback purchases look very good although people said the same about Stalteri this time last year and Edman and Atouba the year before.
Our problems lie in midfield and attack. Losing Carrick has meant that Jol’s whole gameplan is up the left, he barely had a Plan B last season, now we’ve lost the man who Plan A work. Selling him was unavoidable, not replacing him like-for-like if we were going to keep the same tactics is unforgivable. Saying that, if this “style” is Jol’s only plan then why was Pedro Mendes dispensed with? He’d be perfect in that Carrick-esque role as he was before Carrick came in. Not saying he’s the answer but neither is playing Jenas or Davids centrally or Davids at all in fact.
We have no idea how to get the ball from midfield in an appropriate fashion to best serve our strikers and this will be this season’s downfall. Clap Jol and hail the messiah all you like, I’m confident that the league table will show him up next May, that’s assuming the powers that be don’t get an itchy trigger finger and catch themselves on quicker than that.
All of the “sack the anti-Jol fans” - wise up. You are the pefect kind of fans for football in the new millenium, prepared to only see as far as the hand in front of their face, content to hand over their money week after week for no entertainment and no strategy from above that puts their football club’s interests above their owners bank balance.
September 19th, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Sick and tired of these so called Spurs fans whinging about this and that! Some are even saying get rid of Jol and replace him with Klinnsmann!
WTF!!? Get a grip you guys who are whinging - its only a matter of time before it all falls into place…
COYS!
September 19th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
Hi, gooner here in peace (hopefully not leaving in pieces). Just to give you a different perspective on your current situation. We’ve been in (ahem) “transition” now for the last couple of years (apparently). About mid way through last season there were a lot of our fans who were screaming for Wenger’s head; screaming for Dein’s head; asking exactly what Pat Rice does other than shout a lot (still not clear on that one). The summer before, we had lost some key performers and in most of our minds, we hadn’t replaced them adequately. However, all Wenger kept saying was how much confidence he had in the squad, how good a bunch of players they were and how they just needed a bit of time and faith. Now I’m not saying that everything’s rosy now (getting beat by Citeh’s testament to that, for a start) but, as the season went on, we started to see what he meant. Fabregas, Toure, Eboue, Hleb even Senderos and Flamini started to come good. This season, our start has been worse, if anything, but, because we have a little more faith in our squad this year (and whilst we’ve got some good players in, it’s little more than like for like replacement) most of us are fairly chilled and confident. Without meaning to patronise, Jol is a good coach, Spurs have a good squad and, as directors go, Levy and Commoli could be a heck of a lot worse. It’s probably not quite a marathon, but it’s a lot more than a sprint. 5 games in is no time to get concerned. Jol deserves a lot more faith and time to get it right (although I hope he doesn’t).
September 19th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
WTF!!? Get a grip you guys who are whinging - its only a matter of time before it all falls into place?
I thought that about Gary Megson. “The football is not pretty but its results that matter” kind of attitude. It never got the results and look where Forest ended up.
However, nobody in the Prem is playing consitantly well at the moment. Maybe that is down to the World Cup this summer and the insane International fixtures early on. The title race at this stage is about who can get into gear the quickest.
If Tottenham prove slow to do this then, and only then should there be a reassesment of the managerial staff if needed. Clubs who are quick on the chopper though have never faired well. Look at Newcastle United.
September 19th, 2006 at 7:22 pm
I’m sick and tired of so called Spurs fans going overboard about the start to the season. It was a miracle that over the last 2 years and the amount of players we’ve signed that we gelled so quickly, last season or the one before that. What we have done is slightly overacheived last season and all of a sudden we are destined to beat anyone who stands in our way! Wake up, Martin Jol and the board behind him have put us on the road to success again, slowly and surely should be the way, not like Everton last season.
At this point in time, we should be behind the Club, not disecting it and pulling in different directions.
September 19th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
Adding midfielders proper while losing wingers is a trend started at least 2 years ago in the Prem. It has been substantially adopted this year by teams trying to compete tactically, apparently.
I don’t know what to make of it, but it may just be the normal ebb and flow of tactics, particularly noticeable when power shifts.
September 19th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
This is clearly the best team Spurs has had in the last 15 years, if not more. We have too many players, and that is still being weeded out from previous management. Jol has produced wonders at Spurs, and once the players get their confidence back - we’ll be on fire. Also, why not play Reid on the wing?
September 19th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
Andy Reid moved to Charlton during the summer Jason, do try and keep up.
I’ve just deleted a misspelt, poorly worded and extremely moronic comment from someone called “no4skin” (I see what you did there, very clever, steal it from someone else did you?). It was along the same lines as the comments I had to delete from Gareth Johnson’s last article and will not be tolerated.
As is apparent above, I encourage lively debate and exchanges of views on SOTG, I won’t stand for personal insults, foul mouthed abuse and just plain rubbish in lieu of an intelligent reply. If you don’t have the brain cells to come up with a comment that adds to the debate one way or the other then don’t hit the Submit Comment button. End of story.
September 19th, 2006 at 11:33 pm
Can I put in my tuppence worth here? Although all players in a team are obviously important, it seems to me that the midfield - what used to be called your half backs - are the real nub of any team. This is the engine room, as it were, and Tottenham’s at the moment is just spluttering along. Of course, our strikers can have poor games and miss chances, our goalkeeper can play poorly, as Robinson seems to have done in one or two games this season, but really, week in, week out, it is the midfield that sets your team’s agenda on the pitch. Our midfield is functioning so poorly that I can’t understand how management can’t see it. With Jenas, for example, instead of patting him on the back and getting him to go wide or whatever, what he really needs to be given is a kick up the proverbial and told to grab hold of the game by the scruff of its neck and show everybody what all this potential he’s supposed to have actually looks like in practice.
Someone above also made an interesting comment about Houghton. He so reminds me of Claudius in that excellent old BBC series where, irrespective of the coming and goings of Emperors and the murderous events that involved them, he remained, quietly upsetting no one and therefore survivng in place. I don’t wish to be rude to Houghton but surely he can’t really have rated all these players we’ve bought or been interested in buying?
Murphy? Downing?
September 20th, 2006 at 6:13 am
Look mates, what is different at Spurs in 2006-07? Carrick is gone and without him the chemistry of the side has changed for the worse. No gut-carving passes or mazey runs to draw out the defences. Lennon’s injury — and Berbatov’s — have made it just awful. The play is about as inept as it was at the end of the 2003 season under Hoddle. Remember Spurs v Man City that April? An 0-2 loss, no credible shots on goal, and the team booed off the pitch. And what do we see making it any better this year? It gives me no pleasure to say this, but unless Jol can get the players to stay wide, overlap, pass the ball on the ground, and feed JD and Robbie K so that they can work their magic — in short to play like Spurs are supposed to play — then the boring high balls into the box are not going to work, and we are in for a long and frustrating season that will shake the Club to it’s roots yet again. I’ve hung in with Spurs since 1967, but the constant underachieving of the last 15 years have taken their toll. I can’t support another club, so a completely different sport might be just the ticket. Tennis anyone? Maria Sharapova beckons — and rarely disappoints!
September 20th, 2006 at 6:46 am
The only things more depressing than they way we have been playing for the last 15 years are the ridiculous arguements for or against Jol that have spread like measles on the web in the last couple of weeks. Changing managers frequently does not bring long term success - it may remedy a short term problem - but if the underlying issues are not resolved, it would not make any difference who is in charge of the players and team selection.
IMO I think we have turned a corner with our background set-up, and Jol is a good ‘front of house’ coach for now. Longer term we may need a change in the playing/coaching staff, BUT NOT BASED ON FIVE LEAGUE GAMES. If that was the yardstick none of the managers in the Prem (except the Portugese Man O’War) would be in charge of the clubs they manage today. In particular AW and SAF (who unfortunately must be regarded as the most successful managers in the Prem with teams that play exciting attacking football -writing this bit with gritted teeth) would have long since been dismissed by their clubs. For me it’s a case of not having seen all the evidence yet - so the verdict cannot be made. While we wait and see, lets just keep supporting the ones that kick and head the ball; they are the most important assets we have and we should nurture and protect them. COYS
September 20th, 2006 at 7:56 am
We’re still only 5 games in and, yes, we’ve dropped points… but how many did we drop last season in the dying minutes of matches? What about our poor run after last Christmas? Did we all call for the management team to be sacked? No, we said “it’s a blip - wait and we’ll come good again”. We waited, and they did.
To all the boo boys and people calling for MJ’s head, etc. give these guys a chance! How are Schevchenko, Ballack, Tevez, Baptista doing so far? Zokora was class in the World Cup and class against Slavia Prague. He will come good in the PL, as will the rest. All our new signings and contract renewals are long term, 4+ years.
We’ve lost Carrick and that is hurting us but we will get over this recent poor run and will be back fighting for that CL place.
COYS!
Get behind the boys and the management.
September 20th, 2006 at 8:12 am
oh so hear we go again we cant score we cant defend we cant tackle what next we cant be as good as arsenal i have supported this club for forty years and it has always been the same every time things start to look up people knock us down for gods sake we finished fifth in the leauge last year when was the last time that happened we are in europe on merit not through some poxy cup compition when the first ball of last season was kicked jol said europe was the target we made europe ok champions leauge football was missed out on but really the uefa cup is a cup we can win the way we are playing at the minute the champions leauge would have been a big ask just think of the milage the scum down the road would have got from our plight the anti-spurs media would have a field day at the moment we are on course for the the uefa cup group stages and by the time that comes around we should be up and running in the premiership once we start scoring goals we will be alright berbatov keane defoe and mido will shoot us to glory again in chimbonda we have at last a right back who will attack a goalkeeper who is number one in the country and in zakora we have a player who will become better than carrick ever will be the answer to the midfield is tom huddleston a player who reminds me of the great glenn hoddle he needs a run of games to show what he is about get rid of davids he is well past it let the younger players develop at the club and i think we can go far
September 20th, 2006 at 9:45 am
well how long would ya give the bloke? i thought we were the luckiest team in the country last season to be honest and had worries then but hard to criticise when were sitting in 4th, seriously think mj’s beginners lucks run out and were gonna be average this season, with the best spurs squad in living memory….i sooo hope im wrong!
COYS
September 20th, 2006 at 10:52 am
I’ve been a Spurs fan for the last 25 years and I think the fans are well within their rights to question the team. I never ‘boo’ the squad but feel we are allowed to be critical when we are in situations like this. For me Spurs have underperformed the last 10 years. We have had numerous false dawns, most notably The Santini era!!! Spurs were lucky last season and a lot of the time we won games because opposition was even worse than us. Weare still to win home or away against one of the ‘Top 4′ clubs…. On top of that the classic Spurs ‘Cup Run’ was our worst for years, going out early against Grimsby & Leicester really was a joke & I can’t see us getting any further in Europe than early knockouts and it is really frustrating watching them as on paper we have a good team. What other manager has as much trouble picking strikers as Jol, only problem is none are scoring. I think we should bit the bullet and attack more 4-3-3 with Keane behind the front two could work. I would rather let more goals in and score more and be like we were season before last playing exciting games (Man City comeback). I know its still losing but I would rather pay my ticket price to watch a 4-3 classic defeat than a woeful 0-0 against a very poor Fulham.
I personally like Jol, going for the managers head will be pointless as I can’t see a better manager available (unless anyone fancies Sven). Chris Hughton I do think some of his transfers were off kilter but Carrick had to go, no point having a Gallas type situation. I have a horrible feeling that Berbatov could be another Postiga or Rebrov and hope that he fulfills some of his ?11million price tag. Defoe should have gone, we should have streamlined the dead wood from Midfield (Davids & Murphy). The biggest transfer problem we have was that we didnt fill left midfield which to me is our weak spot. This was a fatal mistake by Jol, to me this was priority, Malbranque seemed to occupy his time & I feel it would have been a bigger gain to get a half decent left winger.
Hope we can take a Kop scalp at the weekend, a win there will definitely lift spirits and get out the rut!!!
Up the YIDS!!!
September 20th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Chris Hughton - sorry forgot to finish that… Ithink it may be time to consider his future as much as he is like part of the furniture I don’t know if he really inspires the players…Thoughts anyone…?
September 20th, 2006 at 12:15 pm
It’s not anyone’s fault, for gods sake lay off Jol. We support spurs, and al have different ways of supporting them. Getting behind them and staying with them through thick and think is what it’s all about. yeah we are all entitle to our opinions and we all think we can do better given a chance, but this isn’t a game, this isn’t football manager where you can buy whatever player you like, play 4 up front and win every game 5-0. This is real life, ups and downs, good days and bad days. It makes me sick when i hear those supposed fans jumping on his back and undermining the fine job him and his staff are doing. Look back 10 or even 5 years and you’ll see the club is in better state than ever. Course we’re all upset when we lose, or draw when we should win, but this is football and this is tottenham. We should be used ot it by now.
September 20th, 2006 at 12:55 pm
What has it come to when even an Arsenal fan (good post btw) talks more sense than several Spurs fans?
Champions League final 2005 - Liverpool driven-on by never-say-die supporters : the sort of support we so rarely see at WHL (Chelsea game when Mido got sent off was closest I can remember). How many times have you seen the deathly silence at WHl translate into anxiety on the pitch?
Moral : stop being mindless FANatics, and start becoming real SUPPORTers, encouraging our team to achieve their potential (and adding to the motivation they have been given by their manager).
Martin Jol - got us to our highest league finish in years in his first full season in charge, somehow managing to retain both Keane & Defoe when everyone thought one of them would go.
Daniel Levy - has restructured our club immeasurably from top-to-bottom (incl medical and playing staff).
Levy/Jol/Comolli - have attracted the likes of Berbatov and Zokora, as well as bringing in 2 very promising new fullbacks. Have brought in some solid youngsters (Dawson, Huddlestone, Lennon, maybe Peckhart etc etc).
Arse** Wingher - pointed out that his team’s slow start to the season may be due to World Cup and so many youngsters (sound familiar?)
Rafa Benitez - knows his best team even less than MJ currently does, but is similarly (like MJ) striving to find that winning “unstoppable” blend, and keep his players rested in a busy season. His team are level on points with Spurs (played 1 game less) yet strangely there are no lynch mobs roaming the streets of Liverpool AFAIK.
Spurs fans who were paying attention will have noticed that our World Cup stars only linked up with the squad during the last couple of pre-season games. Then there were international friendlies and Euro qualifiers, then a mid-week UEFA game. So how much time has MJ had to make Zokora and Jenas work as a midfield partnership, and to help Zok settle in to EPL?
King has just returned, Chimbonda just signed, so how much time to settle our back 4 in and get them used to playing together? How much time for Chimbonda & Lennon to establish a partnership down the right (oh yes, Lennon is injured, isn’t he?).
The Lennon injury? Yes, letting Routledge go on loan was unfortunate, but how many games would he have got if Lennon was fit? We sent him out to regain form and, at worst, increase his sell-on price. Have no doubts, Malbranque is a solid signing (better than Murphy who, I fear is not the player he once was - although I hope Murphy proves me wrong).
Selling Carrick - a body-blow, but we got a good price. Remember when the Arse lost Vieira? or Petit & Overmars? When Liverpool lost Owen? When Everton lost Rooney? We will re-build, and invest the money wisely on players who hopefully show us more loyalty.
Loyalty - speaking of which, anyone remember Jenas and Defoe’s comments when Carrick was rumoured to be going? Get off their backs and show them the loyalty they showed us. Robbie’s not as his best at the mo, but was awesome last season, Mido is not yet fully fit - again, show them some loyalty and SUPPORT.
If you want to blame someone, blame Carrick for leaving after MJ had resurrected his career and built a team around him, and only a few months after we had finally let Mendes leave (an honourable release for an honourable player). Blame the FA & UEFA for meaningless friendlies and poorly-timed qualifiers. Blame the officials who didn’t see Robbie get pushed to the ground against Fulham - a game where an early goal would have helped our tired legs after a midweek game and flight that Fulham didn’t have.
Or you can free your hearts from bitternes and blame (you’ll live longer) and take a step back, take an objective look at how far our club has come in the last 26 months, at the depth and quality of our squad, at one of the best young managers in Europe, and feel that smile forming as the tension slowly drains out of you.
Give the team and manager time - they will gel, and when they do they will be a sight to behold and a force to be reckoned with. And they will get there A LOT quicker with their supporters behind them, than if they are forced to question every poor pass, every below-par performance. We all know how quickly a team can lose confidence when the fans turn on them, and how much the gutter press love to seize on an anti-Spurs story. So don’t fuel the destructive fire, light up the torch of success, and be torch-bearers and flag-wavers for the return of the glory glory days.
Ever played sport? Ever been knackered after giving your all, and being narrowly beaten, and then been lifted by your teammates, by your supporters, and given the strength for one final push? Or derided and jeered and booed and wondered why you bothered? Remember those feelings next time you go to a Spurs game, and ask yourself what feeling you want to give to our team.
Be the 12th man, both on and off the pitch. I know we are all cynical after so many false dawns, and wary of feeling foolish again. So ask the neutrals, like the Arsenal fan on this board. Ask any truly informed, honest, football fan, and they will all tell you that the future looks bright for THFC. Of course there will be setbacks, but the general trend is very much an upward one. If you don’t believe me, pull out an old program from the 2003/2004 season and take a look at our midfield options. Imagine where we would have been had Robbie suffered an injury that kept him out for a couple of months (answer : Championship football, and maybe still there). Then remember how long it took for us to find a chairman like DL, and how quickly he has put things right. Then remember how long it took to find a manager like MJ, and how well he has done in hid first season and a half. Then ask yourself if you want to risk a return to the decades of under-achievement after a few poor games.
In Jol We Trust - never blindly, but realistically. Trust, loyalty and belief - the qualities that will help make Tottenham great once more.
So please play your part, and ignore the fickle boo-boys and their goldfish-like memories.
September 20th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
I think that the huge number of posts saying that MJ and the team must not be criticised (ever) have point. If all of us who think that MJ has not shown any tactical ability, not just this season but also in many games last season, adopt a more positive approach then things will automatically improve.Why? well it will remove all the pressure from the man (or is that God) and the team and so they will naturally just gel together and start producing great results.
So, I suggest that when we lose a game (although difficult to see how this is going to happen according to all the pro-Jol experts) we just put it down to bad luck and accept that as Spur’s fans we shouldn’t expect anything better….hell, even relegation is Ok Mj so no need to worry at all….maybe even his hair will grow back.
I think we have some good players, not great ones, but good enough to challenge at the top-end of the Premiership. All I think we lack is organisation….does anyone think that Martin O’Neill would be having the same problems with this squad of players.
I am happy to give MJ a chance to prove that he can produce the goods, but only up to the point where we are slipping towards a relegation fight. This would be around Christmas by which time he will have had enough time to improve things enormously, not just a little bit.
So don’t worry lads, we never win at Liverpool anyway so let’s not get despondent, but Portsmouth, now that’s a different matter.
September 20th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
I think this trouble is of our own making (the fans). The difference between the start of last summer and this summer is fairly obvious. The weight of expectation, for one, was no where near as high. No team in the premiership (not even arsenal, manunited or liverpool) have the given right to a top four position.
Another difference was the signing of a world class signing (ala davids) who gave that much need lift to the WHL crowds and players. We don’t have that same lift that this season which someone like duff or baptista would undoubtably given us.
That aside i’ve noticed a change in the atitudes of the players, no longer are they saying ‘we have no excuses, we must perform’ …instead we’re getting comments like ‘the goals will come soon’ from the likes of Mido. Which doesn’t fill me with alot of confidence.
So what can we as fans do? make our displeasure known to the management staff, but come 3 o’clock on a saturday get behind our team and chant the names of our starting 11. There is still alot of games remaining to turn this around, but ultimately it’s down to us to help make it happen.
September 20th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Would everyone please calm down…yea we’ve started badly, yea we’re not playing well and yea we need lennon now more than ever. But how can some people question robbie keane or even martin jol. Look at what he has done for us. People now link us with the biggest names, you moan about baptista but without jol we wouldn’t even have been mentioned. And Keane, well he’s probably the most loyal player we have, apart from ledley.
And how can you say that we didn’t play well last year. There is no way we could have been in the top 4 from the 4th of december to the last week of the season without some cracking team performances.
Even at the beginning of last season we were playing well, i remember against boro at home. Defoe was brilliant and we walked it. And thats another thing. Defoe is a confidence striker and as the same type of footballer, I know how he feels. Instead of criticising his every move in a spurs shirt, lets get behind him. All it takes is a few goals and he’ll be back to normal.
There is one thing I do agree with…those bloody long balls. It reminds me of the past 5 years where we would just end up lobbing the ball up the field when our imaginations had gone. Spurs are known for their great passing football and last year we truly showed it. Lets hope that Jol finds this key ingrediant of our success and get us back to the top where we belong.