| S |
|
64.2% |
| P |
|
68.2% |
| U |
|
56% |
| R |
|
57.4% |
| S |
|
59% |
| = |
|
60.96% |
Form Guide October 2010
P W D L F-A GD Pts
5 2 1 2 8-9 -1 7
Pos:- 5th
1 Cup Match
· September 2010 figures
· Last year's figures
October 2009
It's wasn't all about Mark Clattenburg!
Saturday 2nd October, 2010
Spurs 2 Aston Villa 1
Spurs Man of the Match - Rafael van der Vaart
Harry Redknapp rated 7.33/10 (Team Selection/Tactics/Substitutions)
Referee Mark Clattenburg rated 5.6/10
In a sense October started and finished with referee Mark Clattenburg, but of course it wasn't all about him! For over a year now, Spurs Odyssey has been inviting readers to assess the team, individual players, the manager and the referee and his officials after each game. I don't always comment about the referees' gradings, but Mr Clattenburg officiated in our first game of the month at home to Aston Villa. He was marked a middling 5.6 out of ten by over 200 contributors, which compares very favourably with what you said about him after the game at Old Trafford!
The outstanding individual performance in a tense game came from Rafael van der Vaart, who scored both Spurs goals after Villa had taken the lead in a crucial affair. I came up with the headline "The art of Van der Vaart", but regretted that I hadn't beaten Sky to "Work of Vaart"! I bet that one will surface in a year or two, provided Rafa is still with us!
Ledley King watch - Ledley sat this one out, and in the never ending saga of different centre back pairings this season, Tom Huddlestone was called upon to cover at the back.
Saturday 16th October, 2010
Fulham 1 Spurs 2
Spurs Man of the Match - Rafael van der Vaart
Harry Redknapp rated 7.3/10 (Team Selection/Tactics/Substitutions)
Referee Mike Dean rated 7.3/10
There was controversy in Spurs' favour in this game as the referee and linesman consulted over Tom Huddlestone's 63rd minute winner. Tom hit a low pile-driver a of a shot that seemed to pass through the melee of legs and beat Schwarzer just inside his right post. Spurs celebrated but the linesman had his flag raised. It would seem that he had seen Gallas in an offside position, but the referee over-ruled his assistant and signalled a goal, which meant the Spurs team and fans could resume their celebrations. The debate on Match of the Day later was very technical about "active" and "inactive", but even Alan Shearer came down on the side of the referee. No wonder Spurs fans graded referee Mike Dean generously!
Ledley King watch - Ledley started this one alongside Gallas, but didn't quite make it to half-time, being replaced by Bassong after 44 minutes.
Wednesday 20th October, 2010
Inter 4 Spurs 3
Spurs Man of the Match - Gareth Bale
Harry Redknapp rated 6/10 (Team Selection/Tactics/Substitutions)
Referee Damir Skomina rated 5/10
Those who saw this game will always remember this game for Gareth Bale's stupendous second-half hat-trick, which had the Inter fans desperately urging the referee to blow the final whistle, as the game ended with Bale apparently able to score at will against Brazilian International right back Maicon. That will be a mouth-watering duel in tomorrow's return match (2nd November 2010).
Once again, the referee featured prominently with regard to the award of a penalty to Inter after Gomes was adjudged to have illegally brought down Biabiany. After some confusion by the referee and assistance from his goal-line official, Gomes was shown the red card, and proceedings were considerably delayed before Eto'o fired home the spot-kick. Inter were 4-0 up before half-time, and things looked pretty desperate for the travelling army of fans before Bale's heroics. Considerable honour was gained in this defeat.
Ledley King watch - Having left the field through groin injury against Fulham, Ledley played no further part for Spurs in the remainder of October.
Niko Kranjcar watch - The Croatian International was mysteriously an unused substitute for the third time this month.
Saturday 23rd October, 2010
Spurs 1 Everton 1
Spurs Man of the Match - Younes Kaboul
Harry Redknapp rated 6.33/10 (Team Selection/Tactics/Substitutions)
Referee Mike Jones rated 3.3/10
On a frustrating day for Spurs, Peter Crouch fired blanks but provided the assist for Van der Vaart's fifth goal of the season. Both Wilson Palacios and his half-time replacement got bookings, which neither of them seem to be able to avoid on a match by match basis. Rumour had it that Palacios only played because his Mum had come to see him! Younes Kaboul won the man of the matrch plaudits. We had a one minute applause in memory of the recently deceased Eddie Baily and Mel Hopkins, and also to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the passing of Bill Nicholson. We didn't like this referee, who seemed to ignore a lot of Everton's misdemeanours. His was possibly the lowest grade of all, before the last game of the month!
Niko Kranjcar watch - The Croatian International was mysteriously an unused substitute for the fourth time this month.
Saturday 30th October, 2010
Man Utd 2 Spurs 0
Spurs Man of the Match - Rafael van der Vaart
Harry Redknapp rated 5.83/10 (Team Selection/Tactics/Substitutions)
Referee Mark Clattenburg rated 2.1/10 (!)
Well, I said in my report that the game was not all about the farcical events that led to the award of Nani's 84th minute goal by our very favourite referee Mark Clattenburg, who began and ended the month in charge of a Spurs game. Spurs fans are not biased about him, because he got a reasonable grade for the Villa game, and in April, when he officiated in our 2-1 over Arsenal, we loved him, because he got 7.6/10! Obviously a win helps in our thoughts about any referee, but whatever the technical rights and wrongs about the Nani goal, Spurs fans cannot forgive the way Mr. Clattenburg handled the situation. We will also never forget the Mendes "goal" in January 2005.
My view as expressed in the match report was that Spurs were second best, and that the game was lost despite the controversy towards the end.
Rafael van der Vaart won his third Spurs man of the match vote, and unsurprisingly pipped Gareth Bale for the Spurs Odyssey Player of the Month award. Both players scored 3 goals apiece out of Spurs relatively meagre total of 8. Pavlyuchenko was the only striker to score a goal this month. The absence of Defoe, and the need for another top quality front man to be signed in January is more and more obvious. Peter Crouch continues his record of playing a part in every Spurs Premier League game since his arrival, and has forged a decent partnership with Van der Vaart, but his inability to score consistently was all too evident against Everton
Niko Kranjcar watch - The Croatian International was mysteriously an unused substitute for the fifth time this month, and for the tenth time this season. Give him a chance Harry!
Don't forget to check out the cumulative appearances and grades for the players as the season progresses - below. The grades are based upon a mark out of ten.
...if you want to remind yourself of the matches played during this month, then See the Fixtures page here. By working your way back through the previous month's figures, you can review the performances over the last 10 years!
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