The people have spoken
......... and for the second consecutive game, Aaron Lennon has won the Spurs man of the match award. Aaron edged out Jermain Defoe, scoring 7.2 over 7.1 out of 10, so the margin was very slim.
Once again, over 200 people took the time to offer their grades and some comments about the game. Kyle Walker was forced to close his Twitter account after taking too much personal abuse. Personal abuse is not justified, but such is the temperament of some football fans, who are unable to deal with defeat as well as they should.
Walker did get the lowest mark in this week's poll, and it is already safe to assume he will not be winning the Spurs Odyssey player of the season vote in which he is already 1.4 points behind Jan Vertonghen (averaging 6.05 against 7.45). That is a massive shortfall to make up, even over the majority of the season that is to come. There is however plenty of time for Kyle Walker to regain his defensive skills and abilities, that had been noticeably improved over the last year.
Walker is one of four players who have been asked to play more than any other squad member so far this season (the others are Vertonghen, Lennon and Defoe), so maybe he would benefit from a rest on Thursday. After all, if Kyle Naughton was fit enough for Saturday's bench, he can start against Maribor.
Spurs Odyssey voters did not offer abuse, but reasonable criticism of Walker, and William Gallas, who was only 0.1 points above the right back, and was more culpable in terms of direct responsibility for goals scored by Chelsea.
Emmanuel Adebayor has yet to start a Spurs game this season, and surely needs a run-out in Slovenia.
To conclude, the best comment I have received this week comes from regular correspondent John Hayes, who wrote me the following astute observations:-
"Some harsh scoring here.
Torres, Hazard, Oscar and MOTM Mata cost about £130 million+++ against Huddlestone, Lennon, Dempsey, Defoe, Sigurdsson costing??????????????about £25-£30 million.
It's a bit like a 1982 Chateau Lynch Bages against a Jacobs Creek, maybe a bit overpriced but there is no getting away from the ultimate quality.
I am not too downcast as there are one or two encouraging signs, even Gylfi had a decent(ish) second half on Saturday and any team would miss Dembele and in particular Bale. Add this to adjusting to life without Modric, VDV, Parker, BAE, Kaboul who were all regulars last season (sold or missing) then we are (points wise) about where we ought to be."
I can't disagree with any of that. Thanks John!
· This week's "Spursometer" in full
Results 20-21.10.12
Spurs 2-4 Chelsea
Fulham 1-0 A. Villa
Liverpool 1-0 Reading
Man Utd 4-2 Stoke
Swansea 2-1 Wigan
West Brom 1-2 Man City
West Ham 4-1 S'hampton
Norwich 1-0 Arsenal
S'derland 1-1 Newcastle
QPR 1-1 Everton
Barclays Premier League
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Chelsea 8 7 1 0 19-6 13 22
2. Man Utd 8 6 0 2 21-11 10 18
3. Man City 8 5 3 0 17-9 8 18
4. Everton 8 4 3 1 15-9 6 15
5. Spurs 8 4 2 2 15-12 3 14
6. West Brom 8 4 2 2 12-9 3 14
7. West Ham 8 4 2 2 12-9 3 14
8. Fulham 8 4 1 3 16-11 5 13
9. Arsenal 8 3 3 2 13-6 7 12
10. Swansea 8 3 2 3 14-12 2 11
11. Newcastle 8 2 4 2 9-12 -3 10
12. Liverpool 8 2 3 3 10-12 -2 9
13. Stoke 8 1 5 2 8-9 -1 8
14. S'derland 7 1 5 1 6-8 -2 8
15. Norwich 8 1 3 4 6-17 -11 6
16. Wigan 8 1 2 5 8-15 -7 5
17. A. Villa 8 1 2 5 6-13 -7 5
18. S'hampton 8 1 1 6 13-24 -11 4
19. Reading 7 0 3 4 8-14 -6 3
20. QPR 8 0 3 5 7-17 -10 3
