Panic on the streets of London

[seneca]

Perspective is a wonderful thing and something that is all too easy to lose when in the middle of a storm. I have to admit that after witnessing a quite shocking second half performance on Tuesday I joined the general panic.

Things have started badly and we do need to sort things out quickly, but as fans we need to be realistic and certainly not be booing our side off after a not appalling (despite the score line) first half performance.

Now I’ve just read another site with Gooners mocking us: laughing at how we got above ourselves and that they are still way above us. Maybe it’s true but let’s look at the evidence:
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We have played two league games, Gooners one. We lost with the final kick away to <st1:place w:st="on">Sunderland</st1:place>, lost badly at home to Everton. Gooners laboured to a home win against Fulham.
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Wenger is already reduced to talking about the resilience of his team. This seems to me the attitude of a manager with little faith in his team’s ability. I can’t remember him saying how resilient they were when they were good.
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Man U have played two games and managed two draws. They spent a lot of money in the summer and have few injuries (Hargreaves and Rooney as far as I know.)
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We have a ridiculous number of injuries, a freakilshy depleted defence. We will get stronger in defence and midfield (KPB, Lennon).
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The start to the season has been annoying and frustrating, but can we please step back and realise that two games have gone, we’ve played badly and got two poor results, but we are not a bad team, we do not have a weak squad and we will get better.

We are good enough to break the top four and we will not just be battling the Gooners for this spot; certainly Everton and <st1:place w:st="on">Blackburn</st1:place> will also be there or there about. Our mental strength will be key to where we finish in the league, it is a marathon not a sprint (sorry for the cliché!) Last season a number of players mentioned how important the crowd was in raising the team.
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A good team is judged on how well they do when things are going against them. And so are the fans.
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COME ON YOU SPURS

[shelfsider]

Let's All Keep The Faith

[JamesTheYiddo]

Coys!!!

[ShelfSide18]

Amen to that. Also liking the title of the article (i love the smiths).

'Heaven knows i'm miserable now' but 'this charming man' Martin Jol is the man to take us places.

Sorry! I'll get my coat.

COYS

[Yidatron]

Nice post mate. Where's the fun in supporting a football team if you only back them when they're winning? As another poster pointed out: If we expect the boys to show some stones on the pitch, the least we can do as supporters is show some stones ourselves.

[JonnySpurs]

FINALLY some sense! Well said that man......echoes exactly what I have been thinking and feeling!

COYS!

[spurdownunder]

The tough times make the glory days so much sweeter.

2 things from the Everton game - fans turning on Gardner, then chanting for JJ to be sent off - were very ordinary.

Lets get behind the boys! COYS!

[worcestersauce]

Well said,


Here's a thought; perhaps the booing took some of the heart out of our team and built up the Everton players which blew our chances for the second half, that means that every fan that booed is responsible.

[Crabby]

Yes you have some points but for me, who thinks Jol is great, I still have a large question mark over his tactical abilities. Tues we were 2 goals behind and when we failed to score and looked poor after 10/15 he should have changed the shape so we were not overrun in midfield. Perhaps take Bent off and put Hudd in the middle and move Jenas to the right with Steed on the left, not sure but the point is swapping a striker for a striker was not the answer. It's not with the benefit of hindsight we were all saying it at the game. We can't try and keep 4 strikers happy and if they're not getting the service it's no use swapping them, swap them when they're missing chances...need to create them though and that's what we have failed to do in 2 games. Hope to see Taarabt on the bench at least, Jenas needs a blinder on Saturday and hope Zzakora continues to play well as he's the only one who has so far.

I'm not panicking just frustrated

[Disconosebleed]

The reactionary idiots who have gone mad over the last two games need to wise up. If we win at home to Derby (which is now essential - but we really should beat them regardless of injuries) then we're in pretty much the exact same position as we were last year after three games:

-Losing our opening game against a competitive side who were always going to be tough to get anything out of. Bolton of 06/07 were undoubtably better than the Sunderland of 07/08 are, but then again Sunderland are riding the crest of a wave - playing away to a newly-promoted side is always tough, let alone one in Sunderland's position where the buzz has been mad for various reasons.

-Losing at home to Everton.

-Beating one of the unfancied promoted sides at home.

Now of course it's all ifs and buts - for one thing, we don't have those three points at Derby yet. And of course the performances have been as worrying as the results so far. But if we win at home to Derby, we are in no different a position than we were at the same time last season. With that in mind, remember how the rest of last season went. We weren't just poor at the start of the season, we were routinely mediocre until February. So who's to say we don't find ourselves in the same position as last season after Saturday's game, but with about twenty games between then and February to put ourselves in a much better position than last season?

As for all the Arsenal fans mouthing off - I think there's every possibility we'll be above them in the table by 5pm on Sunday. A comfortable win at home to Derby, which is what we should really aim for, and would anyone bet against Blackburn beating Arsenal? There's every reason to believe we could be above them on goal difference. They would have a game in hand, of course, but it would be a handy little way of keeping them quiet for a while.

What I will say is this - it is absolutely essential that we win, and win well, on Saturday. Frankly, Derby at home should be the easiest game of the season on paper, and our next game will be United away - the easiest game of the season followed by the hardest. If we were to drop points against Derby then we'd be looking at no more than 1 point from our opening four games. Nothing from two games is disappointing but not panic-worthy, one point from twelve would be worrying.

So basically...no reason to panic, every reason to be optimistic as the season has only just begun - but also recognising the fact that even at this stage of the season, being six points back on sides like Everton is not ideal, and we must kick on as soon as possible. A handsome win against Derby alongside an invigorating performance, and I think people will start to realise that the pre-season outlook for Spurs wasn't false.

[Vegas]

I think MJ will go for it on Saturday - one less striker to think about, a couple players maybe coming back, and hopefully some lessons learnt. I have a feeling we'll see Taarabt & KPB on the bench - both to get some playing time.

[SjoerdHoveSpur]

United without Rooney and ronaldo...why can't we win that one after a good game against the rams....If we can get 4 out of two... everyone is positive again...(until the next lose...wich will come)

[coatescombover]

Hand in Glove (Chimbonda), Handsome Devil (Berbatov)
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish (BMJ?),
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want,
How Soon Is Now...The Smiths obviously knew a thing or two about supporting Spurs.

[seneca]

Yes you have some points but for me, who thinks Jol is great, I still have a large question mark over his tactical abilities.

i think this is the key point for most of us regarding jol. his man management seems excellent but his ability to change a game when things aren't working is questionable. as has been said he is a relatively inexperienced manager but this is the season where he needs to show that he has learnt and is developing his game. we have a squad which should be able to offer the options a manager needs to probe the opposition and expose their weaknesses.

[Meds]

A pleasure to read a sensible and balanced post, not surprising perhaps from someone who goes by the name of Seneca.

Following on the point about realism and looking at the facts, and in response to the risible 'Jol Out' brigade, I think we need to reassess what we can expect from the season and what progress might look like.

Jol's first season took us to 5th in the league, but the whole season was over in 40 games, the lowest number ever played by a team in the top flight. So whilst the league position was excellent, it was skewed by the lack of any focus elsewhere.

The second season repeated the league placing (albeit late in the day), but added in some good cup runs which had been missing the year before, and our first crack at the UEFA Cup in many a year.

So what should we expect now?

For me, the natural progression would be to maintain improvement in the league (still finishing in 5th maybe but closer to the top 4), and actually winning some silverware, UEFA looking most promising. That is far more realistic than assuming that we must be in the top 4 this year.

Jol should not be judged 2 games in, however dire they were. Only when it looks like things are seriously stalling should we contemplate throwing the club into turmoil by changing the management, and we are nowhere near there yet.

[StokeSpur]

The reactionary idiots who have gone mad over the last two games need to wise up. If we win at home to Derby (which is now essential - but we really should beat them regardless of injuries) then we're in pretty much the exact same position as we were last year after three games:

So your saying that Jol has not taken us forward, even with better players.

-Losing our opening game against a competitive side who were always going to be tough to get anything out of. Bolton of 06/07 were undoubtably better than the Sunderland of 07/08 are, but then again Sunderland are riding the crest of a wave - playing away to a newly-promoted side is always tough, let alone one in Sunderland's position where the buzz has been mad for various reasons..

So we're not only in the same possition as last season but were getting beat away by a weaker team.
Sunderland are hardly on the crest of a wave, it was their first prem game, they were good in the championship no doubt but their players have changed, they have a new team and we're, if the truth be told, very poor, we made them look good because of the negative side we put out.

-Losing at home to Everton.

-Beating one of the unfancied promoted sides at home.

Now of course it's all ifs and buts - for one thing, we don't have those three points at Derby yet. And of course the performances have been as worrying as the results so far. But if we win at home to Derby, we are in no different a position than we were at the same time last season. With that in mind, remember how the rest of last season went. We weren't just poor at the start of the season, we were routinely mediocre until February. So who's to say we don't find ourselves in the same position as last season after Saturday's game, but with about twenty games between then and February to put ourselves in a much better position than last season?

Exactly, all ifs and buts and your missing the points of the last two games completly, your making this on the asumption we beat Derby, if we dont where does your argument stand then?

So basically...no reason to panic, every reason to be optimistic as the season has only just begun - but also recognising the fact that even at this stage of the season, being six points back on sides like Everton is not ideal, and we must kick on as soon as possible. A handsome win against Derby alongside an invigorating performance, and I think people will start to realise that the pre-season outlook for Spurs wasn't false.

Its not a question of panicing, its a question of asking questions about the manager, do you really believe he put out the right team for our two games? do you really believ his bench had the personel to change a game? do you really believe his substitutions were the best he could have done tactically?
These are the questions some of the people are asking, not everyone whants Jol out but they can bloody well be pissed off with the things he's doing that make no sence at all.

People are asking for new players but he is not making the best of the players we have atm, why?.

People are using injurys as an excuse but even if we had King, Lee and Daws that wouldnt make up for how the midfield is, and dont say Lennon because if your telling me that our team revolves around Lennon then i give up.

The last two games the team has looked disjointed and lacking in ideas in the final third, some of the players look half hearted and disinterested even, that my friend is not down to injurys or crests of waves, has Moyes even bought anyone this summer? they played us off the park because they understand the system they work with and they play as a team.

Something is deffo wrong at the lane and it hurts like hell to watch it.

[will8587]

So your saying that Jol has not taken us forward, even with better players.....


Calm down and take a breath.

ManU has one of the best squads they've ever had right now, but they have drawn to two average teams, which they should have easily beaten by at least two goals. Should Fergie be fired? I'm honestly very curious to hear your answer.

Jol is in the same situation as Ferguson, except he's facing an injury crisis of monumental proportions.
Looking at this and last season's first three games is very narrow-minded and illogical. Who cares if we are comparably worse than last year through the first three or four games? As long as we start playing good football, and FINISH the season better than last, that's all that matters.

[TaoistMonkey]

Don't normally post on the front page but that was a good post. we lost more than two games last season so we're already doing better, lets not get to odisheartened.

"Always look on the bright side of life......."

[N10toN17]

Good post and realistic, it's not over yet, plenty of points to fight for, and to coin a phrase from keegan, "I'd love it if we finished above the scum", especially after the start we've had.

[liewser]

For every fan that believes we're gona get 4th theres a fan that believes we are very far off that mark, do we really need to have these "calm down" posts everytime theres disgruntlement amongst the fans? theyre kinda boring.

i would say that yes there has been a lot of over reaction to the first two games. However in the other extreme there is also too much hype in regards to our team. Last year we were at no stage competing for 4th and the hype based on preseason and transfers and been excessive to say the least.

Preseason is not competitive. I remember reading about how ekotto was gona be the new ashley cole (in his prime) based on preseason i mean cmon. And it doesnt matter how great our individual players are if they dnt click as a team (or stay fit long enough to do so!) in competitive games.

Personally i see us qualifying for uefa again but if arsenal keep van persie fit we will have to seriously improve to genuinely compete for 4th.

[BootneySpursWorth]

Okay... all the "Jol Out" brigade, please read this with your brain and not your heart.

I was extremley pi55ed of with the last two results. The first game Sunderland were lucky, not saying that we should have won, but a draw would have been a fair result. The Everton game, well for a better word was a Joke. Like probably every other Spurs supporter, I was aggreived not only by the result but the sorry arse performance, by the majority of players. However I do not blame Jol, becuase if Jol had players like King, Dawson, Bale, Ekkotto, Lennon fit, then they would have been playing. Jol was not to blame for the goals, it was our arse about face defending! I actually feel that Houghton has not evolved in the modern game and is stuck back in the 80s.

I am not a know it all in football, however having played at a decent standard and now in coaching youth football (only at level 2) I do benefit from some of the football theory/formulas. It is standard procedure at youth football to teach players their roles and duties when it comes to set plays (a lot goals are scored from these albeit in-directly). It appears that the Spurs defence go into 'headless chicken' mode whenever we are defending against a set peice. There are standard 'danger zones' which need to be covered by the defence and then the rest of the players have to mark the attacking players, this appears to be non-existent in the Spurs defence (at the moment). WE do need to address this soon otherwise this will be our bane like last season. I think once we get our first line of defence in we will be okay..

Whilst I am so upset about the current results I do not feel that changing our manager now will do any benefit at all. Surely even the most "Jol Out" brigade should see this...!!! What would we do, change players, systems, cause more uncertainty amongst players!!! We are currently missing a few players via injury and transfer market, however we do need to get behind the team AND manager in this time of need... you will feel a better supporter (note the word SUPPORT in supporter) when we turn things around TOGETHER. Remember last season when we would go behind and we sang for our team.... the way they would turn it around for us...!!! At Derby let sing louder then ever before to lift our team spirit, even if we go a goal behind.. lets just sing even louder....

O Tottenham we love you....!!!

[tony0379]

Put it this way fellas if we lose on saturday i cant see the big man being around much longer

[puppa_toni]

Yes weve had a crap few games.... but who do the "jol out" brigade want as manager..?. If there way comes we will be back in the rut again... trying to rebuild!! I hate it when we boo our players...yes,even TG... It must be the most demoralising,uninspiring way of warped motivation i can imagine,,,,

Im not panicking but i am gutted with the first 2 results and play...What does make me panic is the constant threat of losing our top players if the team doesnt perform(bizarre logic in itself)..i.e. no champ lge=no berbatov etc... this is however a different issue...

Jol said we were the best fans in England when i was at the last game of the last season... That is in no way apparent when some of us react in the way that we do...

COYS

[StokeSpur]

Calm down and take a breath.

ManU has one of the best squads they've ever had right now, but they have drawn to two average teams, which they should have easily beaten by at least two goals. Should Fergie be fired? I'm honestly very curious to hear your answer.

I'm sorry, how come weve started comparing Jol with Fergie all of a sudden? Oh u mean coz they drew with reading, urm what did we do against reading last season? do you think Manyoo will come away from Sunderland with a defeat and the fans be saying 'ohh well you know, Sunderland are a good side etc lol yr fkn barking mate.

I for one do not think fergie has anything to prove to anyone and i dont think he should be remotely compaired to Jol.

errrm arnt we supposed to be getting 4th this yr? If i remember right aint manyoo are aiming for the title AGAIN this year?

How you can compair us to them or Jol to Fergie is plain and utter stoopid.

[StokeSpur]

Jol said we were the best fans in England when i was at the last game of the last season.

LOL... what dya think he's guna say? we're the worst?

Have you ever managed a team of any sort?

give me strength.

[PaulM]

Oh u mean coz they drew with reading, urm what did we do against reading last season?

Beat them 1-0. Keano penalty I think. And that was against 11 men.


errrm arnt we supposed to be getting 4th this yr? If i remember right aint manyoo are aiming for the title AGAIN this year?

Supposed to be getting 4th?? If you go into the season expecting that we are going to achieve our greatest ambition, and deeming anything else a failue, you will be disappointed most of the time. It's two games in, 36 to go, we are only 1/19th through the season. Lot's of time to go, Jol will get it right.

As Man U are aiming for the title, and we are aiming for fourth, shouldn't they be more pissed off than us with their start?

[spiderniall]

Beat them 1-0. Keano penalty I think. And that was against 11 men.




Supposed to be getting 4th?? If you go into the season expecting that we are going to achieve our greatest ambition, and deeming anything else a failue, you will be disappointed most of the time. It's two games in, 36 to go, we are only 1/19th through the season. Lot's of time to go, Jol will get it right.

As Man U are aiming for the title, and we are aiming for fourth, shouldn't they be more pissed off than us with their start?


if you do recall after our marvelous victory over chelski they beat us 3-1

[kc1669]

As much as I was disappointed with last Tuesday's game, I was even more disappointed with the booing fans. When your team wasn't playing well.....that's when we need to cheer them on and not booing them.

Just imagine..........you are facing a hard battle and are 2 goals down......you try not to give up and to fight on..........but the so called fans has already given up hope and start booing you!!!!!!!

Those lucky few who manage to get tickets for the game and boo the players when the chips are down should just give up their tickets and give to those who really want to cheer on their beloved team.

COYS!!!!!!!!!

[PaulM]

if you do recall after our marvelous victory over chelski they beat us 3-1

I surely do but if you recall, ManUre played them at home last week so I reckon last season's home game is a fairer comparison.

[littleAaronlennon]

With hindsight i was thinking about the other night's game and have to admit Jol got his tatics hopelessy wrong. As not did he play Keane out of postition which left us totally out ran in the middle of the park, with three against two Osman, Carsley and Nellive bearing this in mind is it any wonder why Jenas looked so woeful but to leave us without balance untill deep into the second half was quite baffling.

[philbanger]

United without Rooney and ronaldo...why can't we win that one after a good game against the rams....If we can get 4 out of two... everyone is positive again...(until the next lose...wich will come)

I remember last year Manc Utd were without Rooney and at least 1 other key player, they still turned us over easily. We just can't beat them and I cant' see that changing. Their players don't know what it is ti loose to us sadly.

Saying that I think we'll do Derby, but willn be a nervey game.

[DCSPUR]

I think that the Jol our brigade should F*** Off and head to Chelski.

PS - terrific post mate....on to the game with Derby!

[puppa_toni]

erm...no, but youre missing the point.