It's very rare that winners dictate the Narrative, when you consider that Wenger, Ancelotti and Conte never managed to do it, it's the people who dictate who the winners are that do. Case in point, think how many times we've seen the press try and paint another England capitulation as anything other than either England facing the first half-decent team they faced in that particular tournament since 1990? There's been the occasion where the manager has been called out for their tactical ineptitude, but the reason for that is less because the press are doing their job and more because they had the knives out for Graham Taylor and Steve McClaren from the outset and their failure to qualify for a tournament fit that Narrative. Every other time the losers have written the story be it coming oh-so-close only to lose on penalties (Euro '96, 1998 World Cup), some cock and bull story about fluke goals (2002 World Cup), or mad conspiracy theories that somebody winked (2006 World Cup) In the most roundabout way that's the issue Spurs have: every success is either a fluke or us taking advantage of somebody else's failures, while every failure is proof that we're not as good as we say/think we are. After all, back in 2006 certain sections of the press (if memory serves it was the Mail, try to feign surprise...) saying that we made up the food poisoning that cost us on the final day by citing that because Jermain Defoe was seen out later that evening that means the entire squad were fine...rather than the fact that Defoe was one of the players who wasn't affected. If the same thing happened to one of the press' favourites - or, for that matter, a team who was relegated as a result - far more would have been made of it, but with us it became a punchline. We're hardly the only club affected by this, after all so many newly promoted teams are patted on the head with the phrase "battling performance" when they get an early season win that implies Pulisball even though the team played their opponents off the park (Huddersfield and Bournemouth have certainly been given this treatment in recent seasons), it's this bizarre idea that credit is only reserved for a select few teams in a league of twenty, and that makes no sense.
But at the same time he booked Rashford for diving when Sanchez went to ground nearly scything him down and left his leg high to intentionally stop him in his tracks. I’m sure united fans would have seen other incidents that didn’t go their way too. It was a poor, inconsistent refereeing performance, but we only have ourselves to blame for not turning up for most of the game. Again.
Why the laughter Sky? Valencia's first yellow was borderline red; his foul just before he was substituted was definitely a yellow and he should have also got a yellow for timewasting while leaving the pitch. If the Laws were actually enforced most games would end with fewer than 20 players but the way cheating is considered acceptable real riles me.
I agree and said the same myself, but the timing of those ‘mistakes’ is significant though. Valencia and Herrera were let off early on and as a result had a significant impact - particularly Herrera.
I agree but that depends on humans so It's always going to be hard. It's the Laws themselves that need changing to avoid deliberate cheating being profitable. In all sports I think breaking the rules should not be considered as part of the game. E.g. taking a yellow card for the team. If you stop a promising attack by a deliberate foul then the sanction should be that the attacking side get a more promising attack, not a yellow card and all the time in the world to organise their defence.
Sorry, but no. Every team cheats to some extent. We commit fouls to prevent breakaway goal. We have players that dive or exaggerate contact. Occasionally, one of our players will go in to hurt someone. Everyone claims free kicks and throw-ins that they know aren't theirs. It's all cheating. I won't have someone like Kevin Muscat at our club. I didn't like Michael Brown. I wouldn't have Vinnie Jones or that **** Fashanu. These players are dangerous. However, Graham Roberts or Terry Yorath dishing some out, even if it's very close to the line is okay and they get a fair few yellows and the odd red. Nobody plays entirely within the rules and I'll accept some cynicism to start winning again.
Yep, and Son also gets booked for a first time offense when he tripped someone for breaking up the play. If that’s the case, what you’ve pointed out with Herrera/Valencia challenges, or even the Sanchez and pogba shirt pulls that went unnoticed/unpunished are also true. Odd decisions and no consistency, but definitely shouts for both sides. We just need to get better at being ****s, like Brian says.
I certainly don't mind players like Roberts. Football is supposed to be a contact sport. But the current interpretation of the Laws means that hard honest players get penalised a lot and players who deliberately cheat get away with it. Herrera didn't deserve to be sent off today. But look at Valencia: he deliberately fouls someone, goes down injured, deliberately stands two yards inside the spray paint for the free kick and then wastes time leaving the pitch when substituted. No sanction at all.
Honest question... based on performances in critical PL, CL and cup games over the past few seasons (you all know the ones I mean), do you think Poch can take us any further forward than where we are now or is this the best we can expect?
Unfortunately, that treatment is consistent with current interpretation of the laws of professional football... Law 1 - Keep all 11 players on the pitch if possible. That's just the way it is. Whether I or anyone else thinks it right just doesn't matter. United exploit it. We get exploited. I don't see it changing any time soon. We have our choice.
good points... 1) the first 25 mins 2) the spurs fans support throughout 3) we can't lose to Chelsea in the final 4) banter and behaviour of United and spurs waiting to get into tube bad points 1) the last 65 mins 2) Dembele ... should've been off at ht 3) Kane starting...HE IS NOT FIT FFS 4) 8 fa semi final losses in a row 5) no game changers on the bench No idea why there are complaints about the ref...couldn't give a ****e about 2nd yellows. I give a **** that after we scored they changed things and we failed to respond. I give a **** that effectively gave up when they went ahead. I give a **** that in the second half we were out fought and out thought. I give a **** about players demanding hefty wages, demanding they need to leave to win things and producing ****e like that when we pay to support them. But most off all I give a **** that we do not seem capable of learning lessons. I am glad I went, gutted we lost but am going to give my all when I go to our last 3 home games as I have tickets...my fear is the players will not do the same.I do not expect players to love our club but I expect their all on the pitch...physically and mentally...that did not happen today, or v Brighton (with hindsight were the changes right?) or v city
I'm laughing because blaming the ref when your team were utterly spineless for 45 minutes is embarrassing. I thought he had a good game, like 99% of other people.
Without a take over and millions to spend, we’re always going to be up against it. So yeah, it probably is the best we can expect. He has his faults, but I doubt there’s many managers in world football that could do any better with the constraints.
Hear, hear. In that second half our players gave up en masse with 2 exceptions. I'm going to the remaining 3 at Wembley and will ruin my voice at every single one. Let's hope enough of the players can be bothered.
Well said, RCL I disagree with the ref comments as the issue underlines a deeper wrong in the game, but the rest is spot on.
