Spurs fans want Gung-ho football
Over 250 people took part in this week's post-match survey, and I have to admit I am taken aback by the degree of angst, negativity and criticism of our manager; his playing style; certain team members, and the way things are going generally at Tottenham at this time.
Perhaps fired by the only too willing-to-get-on-AVB's back press, many of our fans tend to see the worst in our situation after 11 games.
In my preview, I did not predict a score-line, but I did write that I did not see us getting anything out of Sunday's game at The Etihad. Privately, I did correctly predict a 2-1 score to City. I am not proud of being right, and hoped for better of course. I am of course disappointed that we let slip a lead, but ultimately not surprised.
Many fans want a 4-4-2, which they did get at home last Thursday against Maribor, but who successfully plays 4-4-2 in Premier League football these days? Not even Man City at home, who played Aguero as the out and out striker, with Silva, Tevez and Kolarov a very effective attacking force behind him. Balotelli wasn't even in the squad. Alright, we know Mancini is having issues with the controversial Italian, but think also of the number of other top-line players that rich boys Manchester City have at their disposal.
Spurs were crucially missing the injured Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Dembele, and Parker, but did you know, our team had no less than seven changes from that which ran City so close in our last game there in January. Players not available for us were three of the back four (King, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto); two midfielders (Parker, Modric); and Van der Vaart.
Of course, Spurs fans are entitled to moan at the loss of two class players like Modric and Van der Vaart, but what's done is done, and cannot be reversed. Ledley King has retired of course, but we can look forward to the return of Dembele, Assou-Ekotto, Parker and Kaboul in that order, with Dembele hopefully imminent next Saturday against Arsenal.
Many of the voters hate Clint Dempsey, who was so loved and so successful at Fulham, and yet who has scored less than 4 out of 10 in two of the last three games, and averages only 4.325 over his last four games. Yet, Michael Dawson is so loved, despite arguably being caught out by Dzeko for the winning goal. Look, I love Dawson's spirit, but he only has to blow his nose to get a point more than others sometimes!
It's getting to the point where that first away win at Old Trafford in 23 years has been forgotten, and AVB is also being hated for his rigidity regarding the system; for not playing Defoe AND Adebayor; for playing Adebayor instead of Defoe on Sunday, and finally for not beng the gung-ho Harry Redknapp. Redknapp's strategy did not do us much good after that defeat in January, did it?
I can understand the negativity after losing at home to Wigan, but let's get real folks. City ARE a good side, even if they have been "bought". Our one remaining marquee player, Gareth Bale did not truly produce the goods on Sunday. Let's hope that he, and his team-mates can do it on Saturday, but look, I'm not over-optimistic about that game either.
Let's leave it a while longer before we judge AVB. When we get those key players back, I am hopeful we'll see the true Tottenham again.
Your Spurs man of the match on Sunday was the "Beast" that is Sandro - by quite a margin. He's missed two of our last five games, and been man of the match in two of the three he has played in that period. Let's hope he has Dembele by his side at The Emirates!
· See this week's Spursometer in full
Results 10-11.11.12
Arsenal 3-3 Fulham
Everton 2-1 S'derland
Reading 0-0 Norwich
S'hampton 1-1 Swansea
Stoke 1-0 QPR
Wigan 1-2 West Brom
A. Villa 2-3 Man Utd
Man City 2-1 Spurs
Newcastle 0-1 West Ham
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Man Utd 11 9 0 2 29-16 13 27
2. Man City 11 7 4 0 20-10 10 25
3. Chelsea 11 7 3 1 23-11 12 24
4. Everton 11 5 5 1 21-14 7 20
5. West Brom 11 6 2 3 17-12 5 20
6. West Ham 11 5 3 3 14-11 3 18
7. Spurs 11 5 2 4 18-16 2 17
8. Arsenal 11 4 4 3 18-11 7 16
9. Fulham 11 4 4 3 24-19 5 16
10. Newcastle 11 3 5 3 12-15 -3 14
11. Swansea 11 3 4 4 16-15 1 13
12. Stoke 11 2 6 3 9-10 -1 12
13. Liverpool 11 2 6 3 14-16 -2 12
14. Wigan 11 3 2 6 12-18 -6 11
15. Norwich 11 2 5 4 8-18 -10 11
16. S'derland 10 1 6 3 7-11 -4 9
17. A. Villa 11 2 3 6 10-17 -7 9
18. Reading 10 0 6 4 12-18 -6 6
19. S'hampton 11 1 2 8 15-29 -14 5
20. QPR 11 0 4 7 8-20 -12 4
