Was at the game today, here are thoughts. BAE was the only decent player in the first half. Modric got a mixed reception when his name was called at the beginning but a pretty good one when he came on - we improved so much once he got on the pitch. Lennon looked up for it and got behind their full-back a few times. It pains me to say that Kranjcar wasn't great today - missed a decent chance in the first half, missed a pen and didn't really create much. Most around me were pretty disappointed with Jenas' performance. Friedel didn't have much to do but his distribution was much better than Gomes in the first half. Bassong was very poor. Walker was superb. Also didn't see a huge amount from Llorente although others have said he looked decent.
I'm not convinced that they actually remembered to include a trophy room at the Emirates, Ensil. It would explain why they seem so desperate to avoid putting anything in it! Seriously though, pre-season results don't mean anything, in my opinion. They may help to highlight certain problems in the squad, but the scorelines are less important than the fitness boost. I've only seen very small amounts of the Goons' pre-season, but I think that they've faced an even greater disruption that we have and I'm not sure that they've sufficiently strengthened. Is Gibbs good enough to replace Clichy and will he stay fit? Are Fabregas and Nasri staying and if they do, will they be focused?
I know what you mean Ensil and I do agree to some extent, but I feel that Redknapp was trying to achieve two distinct things today and may have failed to do either. He wanted to prepare as well as he could for the Everton game, but he also had one eye on the international fixtures, as they mentioned in the commentary. A good result may have helped the confidence of some players, but he didn't want to risk fatiguing others. Tricky. Mourinho has the right approach to winning trophies, though. It's a habit. Get one and then kick on from there, as a lot of the pressure and fear will fall away with the first one.
Becoming a winner, starts with thinking like a winner. If you go out there expecting to win, and behaving accordingly, with confidence, as Man Utd frequently do; then many times the right result follows. So, yes, winning is a habit. It gives you confidence to believe that you can go out and win every time. That doesn't mean being arrogant, just with self belief. The reverse is also true, of course.
We were close to beating Man U last season as I recall. It just might be we beat them at last this season and if we do that will be a huge boost to a winning mentality.
Well, the Park Lane end Lower was the worst place to be today...everything was down the other end! Nothin much to add to whats said, couldn;t get the ball first half...Sandro!...and couldn't pass it when we did. Pav offered nothing up front with the poorest movement possible, preferring to stay tight to their defenders! Second half was much much better, and the players playing for a place should have done more, from where I was, one or two look resigned to the exit door. Contrary to others based on what I saw, Llorente doesn't look like 30m worth to me.
I thought the same notso from Park Lane, as you said all the action was down the Paxton end so perhaps we just didn't see as much as others did of him today, being at the wrong end of the pitch - it was pretty difficult to tell which Bilbao players were which and I could only really be certain which one Llorente was on the few occasions they were down our end.
Im only repeating myself Ensil. I won't be happy with just a win against Everton but a solid win against a team which usually starts badly. I think if we do that then we will beat Man U. I don't know about my fellow Spurs supporters but I'm totally hacked off now about reading which midfielders we are being linked with. Gossip column every day and especially today links us with a host of players and that's my lot with it. I'm finished reading it.
