Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough

[redwhiteandermblue]

Big win, for a few reasons.
The door was open to pick up three points on Arsenal and Pool and (for once) Spurs walked right through it, if after banging every part of the frame.
Spurs won even though they're in a bit of a slump. They didn't used to do that. It could be a sign the team has taken another step forward.
Interestingly, in this four game slump, we've won two, drawn two and won all our points thanks to Son. Even today, when he couldn't have hit an open goal from two inches away, he kept working until he won the pen. He's changed. When he got here after the first mistake his head would drop. He led Leverkusen in WMOM (Worst Man of the Match) for that reason. I think Pochettino got his ear .
Decent performance overall except for the finishing and the decision to stop playing at 75 minutes. I have no idea why after keeping the ball for 4/5 of the game while facing the least threatening team in the league, you start kicking it to them.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Still, it was nice to have a proper referee in charge today, even when I have gripes with Clattenburg he's still well above most of the referees in the league.

He's ****. "He lets games flow"? He lets teams foul the **** out of the opposition.
He loses control of games all the time, as people get sick of being fouled and take things into their own hands.
Even his positioning's crap. He gets in the way of moves far too often.
Can't stand the twat.

 

[remembercolinlee]

He clearly saw what their keeper did...and then talked to him and Dele like it was 6 of one and half a dozen of the other.
He did nothing about the constant bear hugging at corners and insisted on playing pointless advantages which didn't exist.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

He's ****. "He lets games flow"? He lets teams foul the **** out of the opposition.
He loses control of games all the time, as people get sick of being fouled and take things into their own hands.
Even his positioning's crap. He gets in the way of moves far too often.
Can't stand the twat.

And to think, today a story is running about a rugby ref asking to be chemically castrated. I can't think why this story sprang to mind when discussing Clattenberg...

 

[Dier Hard]

A well needed and hard earned win.

Boro made it tough, according to the BBC they've been a real nuisance when away from home - "And it should not be forgotten that Middlesbrough's campaign to date has been built on frustrating the opposition, with their 12 away games so far producing just 21 goals in total.
Aitor Karanka's men have drawn six times on the road this term..." - so the victory actually feels a lot more sweeter knowing that Boro have basically played to bore the opposition to death when not at the Riverside.

We should've scored 3 or 4 asides from the penalty, it was near total domination barring the last minute where Boro created a chance that they shot wide from.

Dembele and Wanyama were immense, they completely dominated that midfield, Son was also excellent although should've scored from his first chance when Alli played him through but nonetheless his constant running was a real nuisance for Boro and he won us the penalty due to his quick movement, I felt when he got taken off (which I thought was a bad call, would've subbed Eriksen) we lost a bit of impetus in our attack and it allowed Boro to creep back into the game for the final 10 minutes.

Solid 3 points, gives us a tiny bit of breathing space over Pool and Woolwich and keeps us within distance of giving Chelsea something to think about.

Well done lads, COYS!

 

[Spurs61]

Hard fought 3 points but that is what it is about when a team is as defensive as Middlesbrough. They do not lose by more than a goal away. They drew 0-0 at the Emirates. A good win - especially after Sunderland.
We can only keep on picking up wins and hope Chelsea slip up. Realistically though we are now playing for second place - and with others slipping up we did not.
I am a happy bunny.

 

[Dier Hard]

Just seen a clip of Valdes pushing Alli in the face twice, It may not have been overly malicious to the point where Alli would be hurt from it but that's clearly a player trying to insight a reaction, credit to Alli for not reacting, if that were him last season he'd have probably lashed out. I don't think anyone saw it down The Lane as there wasn't a reaction in the crowd at any point but I'm astonished that yet again, something that happens to a Spurs player doesn't get shown on the media and likely won't get punished.

When Dembele clawed Costa, it was shown and he got done. When Alli punched Yacob, it was shown and he got done.

When Taylor studded Walker in the face, not shown. When Rodwell hacked Dembele, not shown. Now Valdes pushing Alli's head, not shown.

What a joke.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Does anyone know what Valdes issue was with Alli? Seemed to blow up over nothing.

 

[NSIS]

Does anyone know what Valdes issue was with Alli? Seemed to blow up over nothing.

Dunno, but if Twattenburg had seen it Valdes would surely have had to go..

 

[The RDBD]

Had not been aware of the incident until now :

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As always, omnipotent observation from Lord Hoddle.

 

[Dier Hard]

Does anyone know what Valdes issue was with Alli? Seemed to blow up over nothing.

Probably just a wily old pro trying to use any trick in the book to get an advantage, knows that Alli is a hot head so may have hoped Alli would've shoved him or something in which he'd have fallen to the ground as if he'd been shot - typical of a Barca-type player.

I think Poch has told some of our hot heads to calm it a bit this season, that's not the first time Alli's had a player try winding him up in which thankfully he's not reacted, while Costa tugged on Dier's ear in our match at The Lane and Dier just looked at him and shrugged his arms out wide, considering last season Dier went on a one-man mission to completely butcher the whole Chelsea team, he done considerably well to keep his cool.

 

[Spur of the Moment]

Dunno, but if Twattenburg had seen it Valdes would surely have had to go..

He did see it - there was a TV angle of him looking directly at it and deciding to ignore it.....

 

[Spurs61]

So how about post match punishment for something the referee "failed to see"?

 

[Blue and White]

Just seen a clip of Valdes pushing Alli in the face twice, It may not have been overly malicious to the point where Alli would be hurt from it but that's clearly a player trying to insight a reaction, credit to Alli for not reacting, if that were him last season he'd have probably lashed out. I don't think anyone saw it down The Lane as there wasn't a reaction in the crowd at any point but I'm astonished that yet again, something that happens to a Spurs player doesn't get shown on the media and likely won't get punished.

When Dembele clawed Costa, it was shown and he got done. When Alli punched Yacob, it was shown and he got done.

When Taylor studded Walker in the face, not shown. When Rodwell hacked Dembele, not shown. Now Valdes pushing Alli's head, not shown.

What a joke.

first off: the Rodwell hack was actually highlighted on MOTD.

Last season Dembele and Dele incidents were highlighted as the media along with everyone else wanted to weaken us because they had an agenda: help Leicester over the line.

You might have thought that this season someone would want to help us in a similar fashion but no, we are the team that people hate and ignore ( are we just paranoid?). News last night were saying that Chelsea have extended their lead... er no, it is still 9 points as it was.

 

[The RDBD]

You might have thought that this season someone would want to help us in a similar fashion but no, we are the team that people hate and ignore ( are we just paranoid?)

No, you are not.
As I repeatedly say, Spurs are the club that the "Sky 4" former player "pundits"
fear will permanently cast one of their darlings into the PL wilderness.

Leicester now seems to be case of :

Wow. Well done. We all love you.
Pat you on the head, and now get back in your "place" while "normal business"
is resumed.

But Spurs are exactly where they are 12 months ago : looking like the last club
who are still capable of catching the eventual champions while comfortably finishing
in a CL slot. This is NOT the "normal business" they ever have in mind.

 

[No Kane No Gain]

He's ****. "He lets games flow"? He lets teams foul the **** out of the opposition.
He loses control of games all the time, as people get sick of being fouled and take things into their own hands.
Even his positioning's crap. He gets in the way of moves far too often.
Can't stand the twat.

Top referees have always been a bit hands off and lenient in big games and derbies and I think they do benefit from it, however it seems like Riley has made this the priority of refs in all games. The less decisions they make the less they can get wrong in their eyes. However, Clattenburg's always been one of the few that's not afraid to give a big decision against any team and even if he does get some wrong, I think he deserves respect for that. Refs like Webb routinely screwed us over in big games by only giving calls that benefitted the opposition.

I'd really be surprised if he did see the Alli thing yesterday, if he did have a word it would probably have been because the linesman said he needed to, or because he could see Alli and the Boro defender tussling near the 'keeper as the corner was coming in.

That reminds me of something else I was going to mention. Dembele seems to be going short a lot for corners whilst Alli is on the 'keeper. With Alli's ability in the air I really think we need to have him attacking the ball, whilst Dembele's size and strength would make him the ideal man to be taking a position near the 'keeper.

 

[totsfan]

He game was all about getting points,not the performance.Borough are set up to frustrate the home team,but we kept at it and got our reward in the end

 

[Billy The Spur]

Just seen a clip of Valdes pushing Alli in the face twice, It may not have been overly malicious to the point where Alli would be hurt from it but that's clearly a player trying to insight a reaction, credit to Alli for not reacting, if that were him last season he'd have probably lashed out. I don't think anyone saw it down The Lane as there wasn't a reaction in the crowd at any point but I'm astonished that yet again, something that happens to a Spurs player doesn't get shown on the media and likely won't get punished.

When Dembele clawed Costa, it was shown and he got done. When Alli punched Yacob, it was shown and he got done.

When Taylor studded Walker in the face, not shown. When Rodwell hacked Dembele, not shown. Now Valdes pushing Alli's head, not shown.

What a joke.

Sane`s studs over the top on Walker also, I`m sure there are many more as well. There must be a fan of a rival club editing the MOTD footage.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

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[littleDinosaurLuke]

Boro have only lost 3 games by more than 1 goal - 2 by 2 goals, 1 by 3. They have conceded only 27 goals. They have a minus 8 goal difference despite obtaining only 21 points in 24 games. Most of their games are very tight.

A 1-0 win is a very acceptable result.