***TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Vs MAN UNITED -OMT***

[Park Lane James]

Onwards and upwards - I said after the Arsenal game that it would be forgiven for a win against United. Now that hasn't gone to plan - I'll be more than happy to end the voodoo at Stamford Bridge! Up the Spurs.

 

[indianspur]

So key players being out make no difference?

against Arse we were full strength, yesterday we missed Bale, Parker out/Sandro in was fine. Its hardly "down to the bare bones" time

no, i think all the England talk has had an effect, footballers are a fickle bunch and it doesnt take much to distract them, and its all at the wrong end of the season. Now is when the focus needs to be at its maximum.

tough times ahead till May

 

[Spurs7891]

It is the same old story. Spurs always lose to ManU, regardless of how we play. We must be the only team in the world not to beat ManU for the last 10 years or so. The annoying thing is we always we play well against ManU but always end up losing. We just don't have the mental strenght to beat them. And I am convinced Redknapp doesn't either. I just cannot see us beating ManU as long as Redknapp is the manager.

Our defence have to take the large part of the blame. The entire defence, including King, looked panicky everytime they attacked. Despite being our first choice defence, they were not mentally prepared to play ManU. Maybe Parker would have helped the defence more than Sandro. But that is not an excuse to the way we let in all the 3 goals. Our defending for all the 3 goals were shyte. It was annoying the way Rooney had all the time in the world to head in their first. Walker should have done better with the clearance for their third. Kaboul should have prevented Young from shooting for their third goal.

I think Redknapp did a big mistake in midfield. He should have kept Modric and Sandro in centre midfield and play Lennon and Rose on the wings. It is a common fact Modric plays better when he plays in the centre. Just don't understand why Redknapp chose to ignore that. We badly missed Bale's trickey but Rose would have contributed somewhat. Without Modric's creativity in the middle, our attack lacked the killer instinct.

We did create a few chances but our strikers didn't take them. Adebayor is the biggest culprit. He should have done better with the chance in the first half instead of shooting tamely at the goalie. Then, he handled Saha's goal-bound ball by standing on the goal line. Just don't understand why our players always choose to stand on the goal line during attack. Parker did so against Stevenage. Saha's shot would have gone into goal had Adebayor not standing there. Apart from that, Saha did nothing of note. I was annoyed Redknapp didn't bring on Defoe until the last 10 mins of the match. Defoe showed he can score goals if given the chance. He should have come on after they scored the second goal.

I have said before, if we ever want to win the league title, we have to beat ManU first. Annoyingly, we have failed once again. Well, with that defeat, we are not only out of the title chase, we have also let Arsenal close the gap on us. Unless we go on another winning run, we might finish out of top 4 as well.

 

[Dorothy]

It was a shocker. Don't think there was anything at all wrong with the goal. He in no way controlled the ball it was just an easy one to disallow when you have half the Utd team in your ear and old Red face virtually on the pitch. We created some reasonable chances but you just have to take them. Sandro did not need to even give away a foul a minute before half term in that sort of position. Considering Rooney's prowess in the air you would have thought we could have marked him better. What Modric was doing at the short corner only he knows ?? Maybe he is Man U bound which might go some way to explain how a pro turns his back at corner. Young's great strike was so predictable and why the space wasn't closed down again is a bit of a mystery. We were always going to struggle without Parker and the threat of Bale. Kudos to Lennon who stepped up and showed what a threat he can be against the best. I wish Harry would have changed things up front quicker. I just thought the game needed Defoe much earlier if not from the start. Obviously the ref was a turd but that is to be expected.

 

[Howard Webb]

I disagree with the doom and gloom analysis. The defence didnt look shaky at all, not by any stretch and were solid and organised until let down by shoddy set peice marking for Uniteds first attack of the half on 45mins. Until that point we had 70%+ posession and a number of strikes on target. This was the best weve played against Manchester United in my 20 years of following spurs and the closest we have come without actually scoring a hatload of goals. If you wernt confident of that coming into halftime, just as Friedel palmed a tame lofted ball over the bar for a corner, you cant have been watching the same match. Saha and Ade totally confounded Jones and Evans for much of the game. I havnt been the biggest fan of Bale this last few months as hes not doing what hes best at - skinning full backs - but imagine a booked Jones against Bale in the second half.

Coming back out, much the same thing happened. Livermore had his best game for Spurs, replacing player of the year Parker and him and Modric are forming the kind of partership that comes along very rarely. You can see them talking to each other, they know each other and can communicate properly where others dont. Adding that to sandro who didnt let Rooney have a kick in the first half until the goal, we totally controlled and found space all over the midfield. Nani wasnt in the game, Young was efficient but without the support his contribution is limited.

Now second goal, that was classic ruthless Utd. Despite the utter brilliance of the finish from a player on fire, we still didnt deserve to be 2-0 down. They had had two shots on goal and scored them both. We still were totally dominating them. But at 2-0 they were able to reshuffle and draw us in alot more, playing the clock down a bit - and you could see the Spurs playing the match waiting for a tactical answer to the midfield battle which was now being lost as we moved towards 65 minutes. We just didnt make that shift, despite Lennon again having Evra in his pocket for almost the whole match to that point. Why we didnt move things around is probably a result of the confidence we were playing with. Getting a goal at 0-2 would have set us up for a big finish, and for once De Gea made two utterly vital saves which will go down in history for them as defining moments of the season.

And slowly as the game got away from us, and the players got tired, Utd still have the mental capacity to absorb and counter teams. This is what we will strive to achieve and without Parker and VDV who have been there and done it we will struggle to do so. But what we achieved yesterday was admirable. This was not the side which capitulated to Arsenal last week, this was a coherant team playing almost to the peak of their ability in the circumstances.

Im not despondant in the slightest, I saw a wonderful Spurs side yesterday get undone by two lapses over a set peice. One, you dont give Utd cheap corners. Two, you get in front of the striker, who happened to be Rooney. You cant honestly fault anyone but Walker, for the lapse of less than 30 seconds over a full game - these are the margins which define winners from losers. And hes playing his first full season.

So I learned two things mainly yesterday - Utd are not the force of old, and we deserved alot more than the score suggests, but they still have the killer instinct and big attitidue to big games which we dont. And secondly, the team which folded against arsenal was not the same side which dominated yesterday. The defining moment for me was Walker's lapse. The best we have played against a Utd team since ive supported Spurs ( even the 4-1 wasnt this dominant ) will surely now be able to look at itself in the mirror.

 

[indianspur]

i thought we played better and against a far better United side in 1998 when we beat them 3-1 at home, Carr with the rasper from 25 yards

yesterday we had a good day in possession with the ball, but absolutely no invention to create proper chances, poor at set pieces again, and a team sent out to stop United playing and a hope of nicking a draw.

 

[Howard Webb]

i thought we played better and against a far better United side in 1998 when we beat them 3-1 at home, Carr with the rasper from 25 yards

yesterday we had a good day in possession with the ball, but absolutely no invention to create proper chances, poor at set pieces again, and a team sent out to stop United playing and a hope of nicking a draw.

dont agree with the lack of invention or playing for a draw but have to agree set peices are horrendous this season. attacking and defending, just not good enough

 

[paxtonwolf]

Nothing, absolutely nothing, went our way today.

I know you make your own luck, but honestly both opening goals had slices of luck to them.

Goal no.1 I'll admit its a foul by Sandro, not a yellow for me. Poor free-kick, but Kabouls header goes straight up, which could go anywhere, but our luck Friede,l is forced to tip it over the bar for the corner which they score from

Goal no.2 Again, i'll admit poor from us from the throw-in, but Walker gets a boot to the cross, once again, the ball could go anywhere, but our luck, falls to Young, who produces a wonder finish.

Add to that, Benny hits the bar with a super free-kick and De Gea also makes a wonder save. And I'm positive that goal doesnt get disallowed if its United at Old Trafford ](*,)

Sometimes you just cant make your own luck no matter what you do i'm afraid.

 

[paxtonwolf]

I disagree with the doom and gloom analysis. The defence didnt look shaky at all, not by any stretch and were solid and organised until let down by shoddy set peice marking for Uniteds first attack of the half on 45mins. Until that point we had 70%+ posession and a number of strikes on target. This was the best weve played against Manchester United in my 20 years of following spurs and the closest we have come without actually scoring a hatload of goals. If you wernt confident of that coming into halftime, just as Friedel palmed a tame lofted ball over the bar for a corner, you cant have been watching the same match. Saha and Ade totally confounded Jones and Evans for much of the game. I havnt been the biggest fan of Bale this last few months as hes not doing what hes best at - skinning full backs - but imagine a booked Jones against Bale in the second half.

Coming back out, much the same thing happened. Livermore had his best game for Spurs, replacing player of the year Parker and him and Modric are forming the kind of partership that comes along very rarely. You can see them talking to each other, they know each other and can communicate properly where others dont. Adding that to sandro who didnt let Rooney have a kick in the first half until the goal, we totally controlled and found space all over the midfield. Nani wasnt in the game, Young was efficient but without the support his contribution is limited.

Now second goal, that was classic ruthless Utd. Despite the utter brilliance of the finish from a player on fire, we still didnt deserve to be 2-0 down. They had had two shots on goal and scored them both. We still were totally dominating them. But at 2-0 they were able to reshuffle and draw us in alot more, playing the clock down a bit - and you could see the Spurs playing the match waiting for a tactical answer to the midfield battle which was now being lost as we moved towards 65 minutes. We just didnt make that shift, despite Lennon again having Evra in his pocket for almost the whole match to that point. Why we didnt move things around is probably a result of the confidence we were playing with. Getting a goal at 0-2 would have set us up for a big finish, and for once De Gea made two utterly vital saves which will go down in history for them as defining moments of the season.

And slowly as the game got away from us, and the players got tired, Utd still have the mental capacity to absorb and counter teams. This is what we will strive to achieve and without Parker and VDV who have been there and done it we will struggle to do so. But what we achieved yesterday was admirable. This was not the side which capitulated to Arsenal last week, this was a coherant team playing almost to the peak of their ability in the circumstances.

Im not despondant in the slightest, I saw a wonderful Spurs side yesterday get undone by two lapses over a set peice. One, you dont give Utd cheap corners. Two, you get in front of the striker, who happened to be Rooney. You cant honestly fault anyone but Walker, for the lapse of less than 30 seconds over a full game - these are the margins which define winners from losers. And hes playing his first full season.

So I learned two things mainly yesterday - Utd are not the force of old, and we deserved alot more than the score suggests, but they still have the killer instinct and big attitidue to big games which we dont. And secondly, the team which folded against arsenal was not the same side which dominated yesterday. The defining moment for me was Walker's lapse. The best we have played against a Utd team since ive supported Spurs ( even the 4-1 wasnt this dominant ) will surely now be able to look at itself in the mirror.

Excellent post

 

[ArnieArdiles]

Some good reads here and I have to go along with those that are not being to harsh on the team that lost yesterday to the Red Mancs..

Last week to the Goons it was fine to be critical , lambasting even , yesterday was different .. Yesterday I was proud again to be Spurs after last weeks cave-in ..I'm a long suffering Spurs fan but I find defeat acceptable if I see the players have given their all ...

Before anyone here labels me a loser , I want to say, I hate losing just as much as anyone but there is losing and then there is losing. For me , yesterday was a perfect example of maintaining my Spurs Pride, despite a defeat ..

There had been mistakes in the match , there always are , often by both teams, sometimes you get punished for them sometimes you don't .. Yesterday we got punished for ours, they didn't.

Some good points regarding the lack of usage, of the substitutions and I shared this frustration with all of you who have mentioned this ..

Another good point that a few of you have mentioned is the loaning out of Corluka .. I found this to be stupid at the time. Here we have a young right-back in Walker expected to play in all our premeirship games ? I just dont think its the correct way to go , more so when we have someone experienced like Charlie also in the squad and I feel , this is all down to the failings by Harry's lack of rotation policies.

Anyway its Stevanage next , then away to the Toffees. There is plenty to play for , we're third in the premeirship, still in the FA Cup and we're still a cracking good team/squad despite the recent reverses ... COYS!

 

[SteveAWOL]

Any coincidence that this was in the same season we last beat ManU :-k

Twitter / @OptaJoe: 2 - Tottenham haven't won a Premier League home game from two goals down since beating Everton 3-2 in Sept 2000. Unlikely.

 

[Hotshot-Tottenham]

Not singling you out mate but this type of comment tinkles me off personally. Everyone that's been around a bit knows this is the best season we've had in years. That's not in question but just cos of the season so far why should Harry be exempt from critiscm or trade on our past glories when he gets it wrong??? Just don't get it.

nah, that's fine mate, we're all big boys.

that post was in answer to this:

'Well done again mr redknapp, brick team selection'

to me, that's disrespectful. it makes it sound like Harry gets it wrong all the time.

and further to that, i don't think that poster thought about the team available - who else was Harry supposed to pick. add the fact that, arguably, it was Walker and Modric responsible for switching off, and they have been two of our best this year, so how their selection can be brick i don't know?

 

[Spaceman]

I know you make your own luck, but honestly both opening goals had slices of luck to them.

Goal no.1 I'll admit its a foul by Sandro, not a yellow for me. Poor free-kick, but Kabouls header goes straight up, which could go anywhere, but our luck Friede,l is forced to tip it over the bar for the corner which they score from

Goal no.2 Again, i'll admit poor from us from the throw-in, but Walker gets a boot to the cross, once again, the ball could go anywhere, but our luck, falls to Young, who produces a wonder finish.

Add to that, Benny hits the bar with a super free-kick and De Gea also makes a wonder save. And I'm positive that goal doesnt get disallowed if its United at Old Trafford ](*,)

Sometimes you just cant make your own luck no matter what you do i'm afraid.

great post mate