With only two games left this season and our absence from the Champions League next season confirmed, the inquisition now begins. The season began with high hopes of not only equalling last seasons fourth place but maybe even improving on it.
Our pre season form was good if not exciting and some of our youngsters were looking likely to break through, most notably Kyle Walker. We added Sandro, Gallas and in the eleventh hour Van Der Vaart so things were looking good.
The warning signs were there for all to see in September when we suffered at the hands of Wigan at home, to date our only league loss at home all season. Their tactics were much the same as most sides against us including Manchester City, flood the midfield, don't allow us space and get every player behind the ball.
With one match to play at home this season Spurs have drawn nine games, have only won two games by more than one goal and have failed to score twice. Sadly we have only scored more than two goals on three occasions at home and only once away.
It is clear that a lack of goals is the prime reason we have failed to qualify for the Champions League next season, but I fell that is too simplistic an explanation. The signing of Van Der Vaart has made for a complicated dynamic at Tottenham. When he plays on the right he drifts all over the pitch so we lose our natural width and also leads Spurs vulnerable to attacks down the flank and leaves our right back exposed.
When Van der Vaart plays as a support striker he lacks the pace to enable us to break quickly and often plays too deep. In my opinion as good as Van Der Vaart is, he is a luxury we can afford to be without unless he can slot into the central midfield in the same way Modric does.
I wont talk about our forwards too much but without a quality goal scorer up front there is too much pressure on our midfield to score.
Our defence has been good this season with the exception of one player. Our goal keeping position is one we have never filled comfortably. Gomes has at times been brilliant and other times been a complete joke. His gaffes have cost us points this season and if we are to make changes to our squad this summer his position must be one that will need to be addressed.
Despite our great Champions league run this season, our league form has been patchy mostly due to a lack of goals and having to cope with defensive tactics week in week out. We were knocked out early in the cups which was also a great disappointment. This was a season of great opportunity but we failed to take our chances on many occasions. If our home form had been better and I point to the games against Wigan, Sunderland, West Ham, West Brom and Blackpool where we failed to take all three points. Those 11 points dropped would have secured Champions League again next season and put the three points we should have won at Chelsea, three points lost to Blackpool and the two points lost at Wolves would have put Spurs just one point behind Manchester United.
So where it is usually lucky for Spurs when the year ends in 1, on this occasion not so. 2010/2011 is merely a year of missed opportunity.
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Monday, 2 May 2011
The anti-Tottenham conspiracy?
In the last thirty years there have been things I have had to endure as a Tottenham supporter. Many I have to say inflicted by those eleven men on the pitch in the lillywhite shirt. The League cup final loss to Liverpool in 1982, Cup final loss to Coventry in 1987, the cup semi final losses to Arsenal in 1993 and 2001 and to Portsmouth last year spring to mind amongst others as disappointments. Sol Campbells' defection to Arsenal also rates as a major disappointment.
Off the field we have suffered more than most: Irving Scholar nearly running us into the ground, Alan Sugar's lack of investment and foresight and a conveyor belt of managers coming in and out the door.
We have incurred the wrath of both the Premier League and UEFA. The Premier League for some transfer irregularities that initially gave us a points deduction and suspension form the FA cup and from UEFA initially barring us from Uefa competitions for fielding a youth team in the inaugural season of the inter toto cup.
But nothing here has compared to some ridiculous decisions in the most crucial games for us in recent years. Now I had the assumption there was just a Manchester Untied bias. We all remember the Pedro Mendes goal that never was and the penalty that shouldn't have been to get Manchester United back into the game when they were 2-0 down and this season's ridiculous decision to award a Nani goal after he had attempted to score a try across the Tottenham penalty area.
Then there was last season's game at Anfield when Defoe's goal was ruled out after he had challenged their goalkeeper fairly and Crouchb was not awarded a penalty for the most blatant of fouls.
So roll on Stamford Bridge, a game Spurs absolutely had to win. Sandro scored a stunning goal and half time is fast approaching when Gomes fumbles a shot by Lampard to allow the ball to trickle towards the line, before it is stopped prior to crossing the line, we all think play on however the linesman decides to award the goal.
Sometimes these things happen but late in the game Chelsea go in front when Kalou is clearly offside. Two goals which should not have been awarded may cause Spurs to fail to qualify for the Champions League next season and more importantly robbed Spurs of their first win at Stamford Bridge in 21 years.
The question is whether there is some sort of bias against Spurs. It just so happens we have suffered some bad decisions when playing away at three of the four most successful sides in recent years. But just look at the sort of disrespect Spurs get in the press on a week to week basis. Whether it be our best players about to be sold to so called bigger clubs, or inaccurate reporting of our financial position or our teams performance.
The fact is that while I wouldn't accuse the officials of being corrupt or purposely making decisions biased in one direction, I can't help but think on some sub conscious level there is an anti Tottenham conspiracy in the football world.
Off the field we have suffered more than most: Irving Scholar nearly running us into the ground, Alan Sugar's lack of investment and foresight and a conveyor belt of managers coming in and out the door.
We have incurred the wrath of both the Premier League and UEFA. The Premier League for some transfer irregularities that initially gave us a points deduction and suspension form the FA cup and from UEFA initially barring us from Uefa competitions for fielding a youth team in the inaugural season of the inter toto cup.
But nothing here has compared to some ridiculous decisions in the most crucial games for us in recent years. Now I had the assumption there was just a Manchester Untied bias. We all remember the Pedro Mendes goal that never was and the penalty that shouldn't have been to get Manchester United back into the game when they were 2-0 down and this season's ridiculous decision to award a Nani goal after he had attempted to score a try across the Tottenham penalty area.
Then there was last season's game at Anfield when Defoe's goal was ruled out after he had challenged their goalkeeper fairly and Crouchb was not awarded a penalty for the most blatant of fouls.
So roll on Stamford Bridge, a game Spurs absolutely had to win. Sandro scored a stunning goal and half time is fast approaching when Gomes fumbles a shot by Lampard to allow the ball to trickle towards the line, before it is stopped prior to crossing the line, we all think play on however the linesman decides to award the goal.
Sometimes these things happen but late in the game Chelsea go in front when Kalou is clearly offside. Two goals which should not have been awarded may cause Spurs to fail to qualify for the Champions League next season and more importantly robbed Spurs of their first win at Stamford Bridge in 21 years.
The question is whether there is some sort of bias against Spurs. It just so happens we have suffered some bad decisions when playing away at three of the four most successful sides in recent years. But just look at the sort of disrespect Spurs get in the press on a week to week basis. Whether it be our best players about to be sold to so called bigger clubs, or inaccurate reporting of our financial position or our teams performance.
The fact is that while I wouldn't accuse the officials of being corrupt or purposely making decisions biased in one direction, I can't help but think on some sub conscious level there is an anti Tottenham conspiracy in the football world.
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