So apparently Wolves 'deserved' their result despite the fact that we would have won 2-0 if the officials had done their job properly. Getting first place is going to be pretty tricky if we have to score three in each game to allow for the one wrongly ruled out and the one given to the opposition. I know we've had some errors in our favour too - but none were as clear cut as the three Adebayor 'offside' goals which would have given us five more points. Also no mention of Frimpong - who should have got a yellow card for the foul on Bale and a second yellow straight away for dissent, as well as a third for his other fouls! I'm still at a loss at the over-rating of Friedel by the way. He is far too static - we've conceded five or six goals from balls crossed into the six-yard area. Surely the goalkeeper should be getting to at least some of those: yesterday's was a prime example - he must go and punch or even catch a far post corner that close in, surely.
MOTD is outdated and ****, I always record it so i can skip the 'expert' analysis because I can't stand watch the tired format with the ex pro's who have even failed at management (Shearer) or never given it a go (Dixon, Lawro, Hansen).
Power- I have no argument about most of that, but Friedel at the moment is the best we have. Can you imagine if that statement were attributed to Gomes, keepers are dammned if they do dammned if they don't. From what I recall it was fairly chaotic in the penalty area because of the confusion over whether it was a corner or not and Wolves piled players forward and ours weren't set, so I guess Friedel didn't have much choice but to stay where he was. I have seen most of our games this season(fairly lucky in that area) and Friedel does often come for corners or crosses, but because the defence has been so solid he doesn't always need to come out so far.
I understand why people think he is better than Gomes - but that doesn't make him good enough for a title-challenging team
Saw today that Levy is apparently watching the contract negotiations of Krul with Newcastle with close interest- he looks the goods.
I find it all highly amusing. Did any of us truly believe that we would win the title this season? How could we? We've never been title challengers. The most that any of us hoped for is a top 4 place, perhaps a small minority of us expected that, given our performances over the previous two seasons. All the talk of us being genuine title challengers is a media invention, created so that it has a stick to beat us with when we fail. It's even more hilarious when wums have a pop at us on this board, pointing out to us, with imbecilic glee, that we are beginning to "totter" in our title challenge. These are the same juveniles who were wumming us for daring to mount a top 4 challenge, last season. They are the same half-wits who, if we actually won the title, would be wumming us next season by deriding our chances of retaining the title. If we finish in the top 4 above the Chavs, Gooners and Mickey Mousers, I will be more than happy, as I would certainly have taken that, at the start of the season. And I will be content with the added bonus that, at long last, we are beginning to look like a side that has the ability to challenge, even if we currently lack the experience to maintain that challenge throughout a whole season.
For the life of me I don't know how, but I find myself agreeing with you again HIAG. I think third represents real progress for us. As much as I would love to win the whole shooting match, we are handicapped by lack of a.experience in the run-in and b.a ****load of money to spend on players and wages. Losing against Wolves maybe shows that we are not quite ready. We can make all the excuses we want about decisions (to tell you the truth it makes us sound like the whinging "sky4.") We had chances to put them away yesterday, but we didn't take them. More clinical finishing is key. Our conversion rate is the thing that will do for our challenge this year, not dodgy decisions. As for Friedel. He is, as far as I can see, the only reason that our ever-changing back four is a solid unit. He brings confidence and a degree of discipline that we have never had with Gomes between the sticks. His "static" style may be a bone of contention with some, but at least the defenders know where he is and can adjust their game accordingly. I, for one, would rather have Friedel on his line and the CBs attacking the ball, than him flapping at balls in the 18 yard box and leaving himself stranded, like Gomes.
Always get the feeling that pundits in general are all waiting for us to start dropping regular points. I thought wolves deserved **** all, they created hardly any chances, scored from a wrongly awarded corner, got lucky with blind officials and surrendered the majority of possession. They defended well overall but does parking the bus justify a point when the other team at least trys to score and entertain.
Well said PS Clichéd nonsense from Shearer. We deserved to win, end of, not even close. 2-0 would have been fair and 'deserved'.
It's not just Hanson & co, the papers are just as bad. "spurs lose their way" etc. it seems these journos hate to be wrong. So, whenever we don't win a game, it's a disaster for Spurs. However, whenever Utd do something like lose at home to Blackbum, it's a mere hiccup on their way to another title. I suppose the only way we're gonna shut the ****ers up is to win the damn thing!
i think the wolves blip came at the perfect time for us. it was going to happen wasnt it..we were not going to win every match we are expected to. at least now i think this will refocus the players..they will realise that they need to step it up if they do belive in the dream...which i think they do...its perfect to get refocused for when we play city...now we know we cant afford to lose against city...the players will be giving it more than their all from now on in...every cloud and all that...
City won't sit either, it'll be a different ball game...excuse pun!, they're desire to get forward will suit our counter. We'll see how they do tomorrow, but atm without Kompany, it seems Lescott couldn't organise a piss up.
Me neither...oh yes, I remember now, he was playing for England then, but only because all other usual options were long term injured...(agent: add 10m to value, 'kerching!')
"His "static" style may be a bone of contention with some, but at least the defenders know where he is and can adjust their game accordingly." I agree. His style is good for a team with good defenders. I also think he's been an important part of Spurs' improvement this year. They're giving up many fewer goals, at any rate, so either he's a major improvement, or else he's damn lucky. I'd still be happy with fourth, and really happy with third. I think the bigger challenge than lack of experience is lack of expectation. It's unlikely a team that's happy to be contending for first will end up ahead of one that feels that less than first will be a failure. But I really think the team could win the title, if they can continue to play as they've been. Put it another way: I wouldn't trade our first 11 for anyone's.
what really is annoying me is rubbish refs.we have been denied 5 points so far by refs and officals who've got important decisions wrong.Another perfectly good goal ruled offside,the laughable bit being the player playing him onside appealed for offside.And a corner awarded when Walker let the ball run out as he did'nt touch it,the ref was the only one who thought it was a corner.those five points would put us 1st
Pundits in general just p*ss me off. Hate the fact that after each of the highlights you get these kn*bheads talk about the game as if the viewer is interested. We like watching football, not has-beens giving their unwanted and usually poorly thought out review.