The final word on Spurs vs Chelsea (promise)
The Turning Point
I doubt there’s a Spurs fan out there today who hasn’t got an extra spring in their step, an excessively wide grin on their face or a cockerel on their shoulder whistling something about a zip-a-dee-doo-dah day.
It was like the perfect meal at a swanky restaurant. Yes to start, I’ll have the Gutted Goons with a side order of Wenger losing it, please. For the main course, I’d like a sumptuous Spurs beating the league champions. Wine? Yes, I’ll have the Lane 1990 vintage please. For desert, the turning point please.
Almost two years to the day since Martin Jol took on the Tottenham hotseat, he has finally broken the ‘big four’s’ stranglehold over his time at White Hart Lane. After the night when Pedro did what Pele couldn’t, Henry and Pires’ late equalisers and numerous missed chances, the Jolly Oranje Giant has proved that on their day Spurs can beat anyone.
Whether Jose Mourinho was being congratulatory or patronising, he was right when he said: “I can say to Tottenham people to carry on their celebrations because this is a big moment for them.” The weight of not being able to compete with the top four has been lifted and “here we go again” can’t apply anymore.
The Special One also said his side dominated large spells of the game. I’d say they dominated the first and last 20 minutes. Had it not been for some wasteful passing by the otherwise excellent Ghaly in a number of three-on-two situations in the second half, the game could have been placed beyond doubt by the time Robben had heart-stoppingly hit the post.
There was controversy aplenty. Terry was aching for collecting a pair of yellow cards all game with his constant moaning and haranguing of Graham Poll. He was warned earlier about clinging onto a defender’s shirt for the disallowed Drogba header. He might have got away with only a foul for the telling one against Ledley King had he not shoulder barged Assou-Ekotto in full view of Poll. That was the last straw and there were no complaints from Terry as he knowingly trudged off to sit quietly and illegally on the Chelsea bench.
As Jose also said, Ghaly could have been sent off for an elbow on Essien. That’s true, but the Portugeezer failed to mention that Frank Lampard could have also been dismissed for his scissors tackle from behind on Pascal Chimbonda, which it later turned out had damaged medial ligaments in the Frenchman’s knee. Anyone who doubted the former Wigan rebel’s devotion to the Spurs cause need only watch his performance from then on. With nobody on the bench to replace him, he completed the 90 minutes and pushed a couple of others for man of the match.
There were footballing heroes all over the place. Dawson finally got his goal at the 80th attempt and was a rock at the back, tackling the in-form, man-mountain Drogba. King led by example and pulled off yet another of his growing collection of lung-busting last minute tackles against the dithering Robben. Ekotto proved he can compete with the best wingers around, often marshalling Robben and Wright-Phillips expertly, forcing them inside.
The energetic Jenas and Zokora complimented each other's games, with the latter dominating a lot of the midfield play. Ghaly proved his versatility again, while Lennon provided us with a picture perfect moment of Ashley Cole and John Terry sliding into each other as he lifted the ball past Hilario into the net.
The switching of Lennon to the left flank has provided one benefit even if it doesn’t quite click on the pitch. While he becomes predictable on the left and barely beats his man on the outside, he does seem to have been working on his weaker foot. Both his goal and a sublime cross to Robbie Keane in the first half came from the aforementioned subtle yellow boot.
Berbatov was less effective than he was against Brugge but his hold-up play was as good as ever and he was often playing as the lone striker which must have been knackering after his mid-week exertions.
For the first time this season, the last word on the players must go to Robbie Keane. While his recent performances have been a pale shadow of his displays last year, there’s no doubting that especially in the second half yesterday, he was absolutely superb. Playing in an unfamiliar left side midfield role for most of the game, one minute he was tackling back in his own area, the next he was making Boulahrouz look a complete mug with the old “look at my legs, not around my legs, look at my legs” routine.
The players had their say in the game’s fortunes, but the giant with the toothy grin shaped their destiny. Changing the formation from 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3/4-5-1 completely changed the game. Lampard, Ballack and Makelele were overrun for long periods and couldn’t retain possession. Ghaly became more influential and Lennon had more space to roam behind Berbatov and down the right. For his goal, Cole was a million miles away. Jol took on a tactician and beat him at his own game - the perfect rebuke for those who label him merely a motivator.
It’s a new day with a new dawn today. The stuttering start has gone and the side is beginning to look like the tough, solid unit that was so unbreakable last term. The form guide says it all with nine games, seven wins and two draws. With such an important win under their belt and the experience that comes with it, the young side now know that whoever they come up against in the Premiership or Europe, they’re capable of turning them over, however many Russian billions they have in the bank.
Hopefully Chimbonda isn’t out for too long and with the news today that Steed Malbranque is likely to make his debut against Port Vale, Spurs are starting to resemble a talent-stockpiled force again. We’re only four points off that fourth place which once had our name on it and with a strong squad, momentum behind us and a distinct lack of lasagne, who’s to say that the age of Jol hasn’t just clicked into the next gear?
I doubt there’s a Spurs fan out there today who hasn’t got an extra spring in their step, an excessively wide grin on their face or a cockerel on their shoulder whistling something about a zip-a-dee-doo-dah day.
It was like the perfect meal at a swanky restaurant. Yes to start, I’ll have the Gutted Goons with a side order of Wenger losing it, please. For the main course, I’d like a sumptuous Spurs beating the league champions. Wine? Yes, I’ll have the Lane 1990 vintage please. For desert, the turning point please.
Almost two years to the day since Martin Jol took on the Tottenham hotseat, he has finally broken the ‘big four’s’ stranglehold over his time at White Hart Lane. After the night when Pedro did what Pele couldn’t, Henry and Pires’ late equalisers and numerous missed chances, the Jolly Oranje Giant has proved that on their day Spurs can beat anyone.
Whether Jose Mourinho was being congratulatory or patronising, he was right when he said: “I can say to Tottenham people to carry on their celebrations because this is a big moment for them.” The weight of not being able to compete with the top four has been lifted and “here we go again” can’t apply anymore.
The Special One also said his side dominated large spells of the game. I’d say they dominated the first and last 20 minutes. Had it not been for some wasteful passing by the otherwise excellent Ghaly in a number of three-on-two situations in the second half, the game could have been placed beyond doubt by the time Robben had heart-stoppingly hit the post.
There was controversy aplenty. Terry was aching for collecting a pair of yellow cards all game with his constant moaning and haranguing of Graham Poll. He was warned earlier about clinging onto a defender’s shirt for the disallowed Drogba header. He might have got away with only a foul for the telling one against Ledley King had he not shoulder barged Assou-Ekotto in full view of Poll. That was the last straw and there were no complaints from Terry as he knowingly trudged off to sit quietly and illegally on the Chelsea bench.
As Jose also said, Ghaly could have been sent off for an elbow on Essien. That’s true, but the Portugeezer failed to mention that Frank Lampard could have also been dismissed for his scissors tackle from behind on Pascal Chimbonda, which it later turned out had damaged medial ligaments in the Frenchman’s knee. Anyone who doubted the former Wigan rebel’s devotion to the Spurs cause need only watch his performance from then on. With nobody on the bench to replace him, he completed the 90 minutes and pushed a couple of others for man of the match.
There were footballing heroes all over the place. Dawson finally got his goal at the 80th attempt and was a rock at the back, tackling the in-form, man-mountain Drogba. King led by example and pulled off yet another of his growing collection of lung-busting last minute tackles against the dithering Robben. Ekotto proved he can compete with the best wingers around, often marshalling Robben and Wright-Phillips expertly, forcing them inside.
The energetic Jenas and Zokora complimented each other's games, with the latter dominating a lot of the midfield play. Ghaly proved his versatility again, while Lennon provided us with a picture perfect moment of Ashley Cole and John Terry sliding into each other as he lifted the ball past Hilario into the net.
The switching of Lennon to the left flank has provided one benefit even if it doesn’t quite click on the pitch. While he becomes predictable on the left and barely beats his man on the outside, he does seem to have been working on his weaker foot. Both his goal and a sublime cross to Robbie Keane in the first half came from the aforementioned subtle yellow boot.
Berbatov was less effective than he was against Brugge but his hold-up play was as good as ever and he was often playing as the lone striker which must have been knackering after his mid-week exertions.
For the first time this season, the last word on the players must go to Robbie Keane. While his recent performances have been a pale shadow of his displays last year, there’s no doubting that especially in the second half yesterday, he was absolutely superb. Playing in an unfamiliar left side midfield role for most of the game, one minute he was tackling back in his own area, the next he was making Boulahrouz look a complete mug with the old “look at my legs, not around my legs, look at my legs” routine.
The players had their say in the game’s fortunes, but the giant with the toothy grin shaped their destiny. Changing the formation from 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3/4-5-1 completely changed the game. Lampard, Ballack and Makelele were overrun for long periods and couldn’t retain possession. Ghaly became more influential and Lennon had more space to roam behind Berbatov and down the right. For his goal, Cole was a million miles away. Jol took on a tactician and beat him at his own game - the perfect rebuke for those who label him merely a motivator.
It’s a new day with a new dawn today. The stuttering start has gone and the side is beginning to look like the tough, solid unit that was so unbreakable last term. The form guide says it all with nine games, seven wins and two draws. With such an important win under their belt and the experience that comes with it, the young side now know that whoever they come up against in the Premiership or Europe, they’re capable of turning them over, however many Russian billions they have in the bank.
Hopefully Chimbonda isn’t out for too long and with the news today that Steed Malbranque is likely to make his debut against Port Vale, Spurs are starting to resemble a talent-stockpiled force again. We’re only four points off that fourth place which once had our name on it and with a strong squad, momentum behind us and a distinct lack of lasagne, who’s to say that the age of Jol hasn’t just clicked into the next gear?
posted by Hector Ship-Grill at 12:08
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