Stoof
19-08-2008, 12:35 AM
Rob's asked the Staff to get involved a bit more content-wise. And since I have no original ideas whatsoever, I thought I'd talk at you all. Mr talkshowhost has kindly agreed (by me not telling him, and him probably not finding out until he reads this) to alternately write an alternative Match Report with me, focussing on a few things of interest, generally digressing and being a bit pompous along the way. So here's a Stoof Shout as opposed to a Dan Dialogue or Dan Diarrhea or a better name for his ones. Christ, I've digressed already.
Soooo .... the dust has settled on our forgettable opening day flirtation with the 2008/09 Premier League and our assault on the Top Four/Big Four/Sky's Favourite Four.
As I have posted in a couple of other places, after shamelessly stealing third hand from Spurs Odyssey (credit to marcspurs) from a total of 100 Premiership opening games in the last 10 years, 75 of those (and thus a convenient 75% :wink:) have been won by the home team, 15 have ended all square leaving a measley 10 fixtures in the away side taking the points.
"So what" you cry, "this was Middlesbrough away - we should be winning these games!" Maybe.
It's not that clear cut for me. I hate starting away from home, it never seems the season has started for real until the you have the roar of the home crowd behind you. And I think it's criminal that in the history of the Premier League we've only had 7 at home (out of 18). What I would have given to be in Bolton's shoes - trust me, I hope you won't be hearing me say that for again for a while!
I digress. Were we really that awful as some damning press articles and depressing website forum posters have made us out to be? Well from the perch on my bed, stream pouring out of the telly, this Saturday gone we weren't that bad - and had that Jenas chance gone in from the slick one-two with our maligned Bulgarian we'd have been crowing a different tune.
As the rather predictable, un-cleared corner cross came back across and the effort tipped on to the bar was rattled home by an on-rushing right-back in the form of Wheater, the pit of my stomach gurgled. A gurgle that hadn't surfaced for many a month. It had been happy during the European Championships, during the sitting down sports in the Olympics, but as soon as something mattered and it wasn't going my stomach's way, it had to have it's say and we were 1-0 down just at a time it looked like we were going to take the lead.
Bowels aside and focussing on our new lads, I thought Bentley was bright if not in a state of flux, in and out of the game. Gomes relatively untroubled if not a bit fortunate on a long-barrieredly stopped shot which bounced back off him and also fortunate that Alves wanted 18 touches before passing the ball into what was an empty net before Assou-Ekotto lunged in to deflect his goalbound shot over.
Dos Santos very much OneToWatch+ on our SpursKing rate-o-meter, a lovely jinking run from the right mid-way through the first half as he cut in left and fed Bentley to curl just wide. I hate to say he reminds me of Ginola, I hate it so very much. But he just does. He's got that "oooh he's got the ball" excitement about him. The opposite of when good ol' Tony Gardner used to have the ball for more than 5 seonds which consisted slightly more of "OH LORD JESUS CHRIST ABOVE HE'S STILL GOT THE BALL ARGHHH!" Hopefully we're going to see a different prospect at the Lane, where I don't doubt he'll have more involvement, more touches and more chances to show his Mexican Magic.
Luka Modric. Being debated to the very bone now in the forums - (Spurs Chat plug, apologies) - a lot of expectation on his diminutive shoulders. Quite rightly so. Scored one of the first goals of Euro 2008 (albeit from the spot) and introduced as "Tottenham's new big money signing" virtually every time he touched the ball.
The boy reminds me a lot of Carrick. Some may struggle to see why I say that - but a point I've seen written today (apologies for lack of credit, but there's been a lot of Modric stuff on all the forums) is that maybe people just don't get Modric and what he can and could do. There was a lot of opposition to Carrick when he first got into the team under Jol. People couldn't see what he brought to the team. I hope for their sakes that they can on reflection see what he did bring, and I hope that (given the fact it's only been 1 game) the dissenters will give Modric the time to settle and show us all why we've paid the money we have for him.
I thought he showed an air of calmness, if not a little bit light on the ball sometimes, but then your first game Up Norf, against a typically British Brutish team with some hefty centre-halves isn't anything to get knickers in twists - well it shouldn't be. There were a couple of switches of play (Huddlestone style) that raised the odd eyebrow in appreciation but he was mopping up on Saturday, something we may need to address if we're to bring the best out of him.
Before this 'Shout' drags on too long, and before you're all bored of my sentence structure, I will just add that formation-wise, I thought we were too separated. And by that I mean you could tell defence, from midfield from forward line. There was no glue linking all three. No willingness to drop, nor willingness to venture forward. The couple of occasions we did seem to gel as a unit we looked dangerous. Our second half opening for 10 minutes looked like a goal was coming, we had the ball on the deck and everyone was running off the ball. But alas it was not to come and the only salvo was a late own goal which I didn't even flinch over.
Oh well, lads and lasses, there's always next year eh? :wink:
Soooo .... the dust has settled on our forgettable opening day flirtation with the 2008/09 Premier League and our assault on the Top Four/Big Four/Sky's Favourite Four.
As I have posted in a couple of other places, after shamelessly stealing third hand from Spurs Odyssey (credit to marcspurs) from a total of 100 Premiership opening games in the last 10 years, 75 of those (and thus a convenient 75% :wink:) have been won by the home team, 15 have ended all square leaving a measley 10 fixtures in the away side taking the points.
"So what" you cry, "this was Middlesbrough away - we should be winning these games!" Maybe.
It's not that clear cut for me. I hate starting away from home, it never seems the season has started for real until the you have the roar of the home crowd behind you. And I think it's criminal that in the history of the Premier League we've only had 7 at home (out of 18). What I would have given to be in Bolton's shoes - trust me, I hope you won't be hearing me say that for again for a while!
I digress. Were we really that awful as some damning press articles and depressing website forum posters have made us out to be? Well from the perch on my bed, stream pouring out of the telly, this Saturday gone we weren't that bad - and had that Jenas chance gone in from the slick one-two with our maligned Bulgarian we'd have been crowing a different tune.
As the rather predictable, un-cleared corner cross came back across and the effort tipped on to the bar was rattled home by an on-rushing right-back in the form of Wheater, the pit of my stomach gurgled. A gurgle that hadn't surfaced for many a month. It had been happy during the European Championships, during the sitting down sports in the Olympics, but as soon as something mattered and it wasn't going my stomach's way, it had to have it's say and we were 1-0 down just at a time it looked like we were going to take the lead.
Bowels aside and focussing on our new lads, I thought Bentley was bright if not in a state of flux, in and out of the game. Gomes relatively untroubled if not a bit fortunate on a long-barrieredly stopped shot which bounced back off him and also fortunate that Alves wanted 18 touches before passing the ball into what was an empty net before Assou-Ekotto lunged in to deflect his goalbound shot over.
Dos Santos very much OneToWatch+ on our SpursKing rate-o-meter, a lovely jinking run from the right mid-way through the first half as he cut in left and fed Bentley to curl just wide. I hate to say he reminds me of Ginola, I hate it so very much. But he just does. He's got that "oooh he's got the ball" excitement about him. The opposite of when good ol' Tony Gardner used to have the ball for more than 5 seonds which consisted slightly more of "OH LORD JESUS CHRIST ABOVE HE'S STILL GOT THE BALL ARGHHH!" Hopefully we're going to see a different prospect at the Lane, where I don't doubt he'll have more involvement, more touches and more chances to show his Mexican Magic.
Luka Modric. Being debated to the very bone now in the forums - (Spurs Chat plug, apologies) - a lot of expectation on his diminutive shoulders. Quite rightly so. Scored one of the first goals of Euro 2008 (albeit from the spot) and introduced as "Tottenham's new big money signing" virtually every time he touched the ball.
The boy reminds me a lot of Carrick. Some may struggle to see why I say that - but a point I've seen written today (apologies for lack of credit, but there's been a lot of Modric stuff on all the forums) is that maybe people just don't get Modric and what he can and could do. There was a lot of opposition to Carrick when he first got into the team under Jol. People couldn't see what he brought to the team. I hope for their sakes that they can on reflection see what he did bring, and I hope that (given the fact it's only been 1 game) the dissenters will give Modric the time to settle and show us all why we've paid the money we have for him.
I thought he showed an air of calmness, if not a little bit light on the ball sometimes, but then your first game Up Norf, against a typically British Brutish team with some hefty centre-halves isn't anything to get knickers in twists - well it shouldn't be. There were a couple of switches of play (Huddlestone style) that raised the odd eyebrow in appreciation but he was mopping up on Saturday, something we may need to address if we're to bring the best out of him.
Before this 'Shout' drags on too long, and before you're all bored of my sentence structure, I will just add that formation-wise, I thought we were too separated. And by that I mean you could tell defence, from midfield from forward line. There was no glue linking all three. No willingness to drop, nor willingness to venture forward. The couple of occasions we did seem to gel as a unit we looked dangerous. Our second half opening for 10 minutes looked like a goal was coming, we had the ball on the deck and everyone was running off the ball. But alas it was not to come and the only salvo was a late own goal which I didn't even flinch over.
Oh well, lads and lasses, there's always next year eh? :wink: