Sky's Tottenham review

[mawspurs]

Source: Sky Sports

TOTTENHAM

What Went Right?
Pretty much everything. They signalled their intent with an opening-day win over Liverpool and rarely took their foot off the gas until back-to-back home wins over Arsenal and Chelsea that confirmed they were deserving of a Champions League place. Harry Redknapp was rewarded for sticking to a 4-4-2 formation even in away games against the best in the country and the attacking freedom brought the best out of Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric, the bargainous Niko Kranjcar and Jermain Defoe. Roman Pavlyuchenko and Gareth Bale came in from the cold to make massive contributions, while the decision to send Robbie Keane out on loan proved astute.

What Went Wrong?
There was the threat of a minor derailment in January, while defeats to Wolves either side of that month showed they still have the capacity to make an absolute cock-up of a seemingly easy task. The biggest disappointment of the season was undoubtedly the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Portsmouth when Tottenham's players clearly underestimated the opposition.

Are They Happy?
Absolutely ecstatic.

Signing of the season
Niko Kranjcar - an absolute steal from Portsmouth at around £3.5million. The Croatian slotted in expertly when Luka Modric was injured earlier in the campaign while he also bagged some vital goals.

Flop of the season
Robbie Keane - managed six goals before being loaned out to SPL side Celtic. David Bentley also endured a tough time of things during the winter but managed to turn things around in the second half of the campaign.

Star man
Heurelho Gomes - the unsung hero. The Brazilian's turnaround in England has been dramatic: from chastised walking disaster to world-class shot-stopper. Honourable mentions too for Michael Dawson and Ledley King for their performances at the back.

Breakthrough player
Gareth Bale. The Welshman was simply unstoppable in the second half of the season. Moved higher up the field into left midfield, Bale's pace and superb delivery from crosses became a colossal weapon.

High point
Beating Manchester City and sealing fourth spot. The jubilation was there for all to see. Furthermore, the club's scalps of bitter rivals Arsenal followed by success over Chelsea were undoubted high points.

Low point:
Their defeat to Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-final. The outcome of said game was considered a certainty, with Pompey a wounded animal. But Harry Redknapp's old side denied his current team a chance to make their season a truly remarkable one rather than a 'mere' terrific one.

[spanishspur]

Not a bad article, I feel its somewhat harsh having Bentley mentioned in flop of the season. He improved on the previous season (which doe not say much I know)and I will be happy if he stays with us next season.

[dickieven]

I agree spanishspur, I thought Bentley was invaluable this year. The 20 odd games that Lennon missed would have been a lot more tricky if we hadn't have had Bentley on the right mid. He created a number of chances and even started taking players on as well which was a first in a Spurs shirt! However I think it was his defensive performances as well that were key. He would keep great shape and track back and help put the RB. This I think was crucial our good defensive record. Dont get me wrong I'd take Lennon in that position every game but as someone to step in he was great.

[BringBack_leGin]

I may be alone in this, but I for one think, with hindsight, that the semi final loss is the best thing that could have happened to us and it saved our season by giving our players not only fourth to focus on, but the anger of a wounded animal.

[fatspur]

I may be alone in this, but I for one think, with hindsight, that the semi final loss is the best thing that could have happened to us and it saved our season by giving our players not only fourth to focus on, but the anger of a wounded animal.
while I like to think that they would have focussed anyway, I suspect you are absolutely right

[KenilworthSpur]

Does coming 4th mean that Andy Gray will have to love us now?

I hate him with a passion.....

[mawspurs]

Does coming 4th mean that Andy Gray will have to love us now?

I doubt it.

I hate him with a passion.....

Yeah I'm getting that way too.

[Legacy]

Gomes is not an unsung hero. He's very much a sung hero. We sing songs about him. It goes to show just how stupid a lot of people are that it has taken up until the last few weeks of the season for media and the general footballing public to realise that Gomes is world class.

[DeanoD]

It's funny how in the lead-up to the FA Cup semi final, we were all contenplating whether we would rather win the cup or finish forth in the league. And personally, I couldn't make up my mind at the time, as I had such a burning passion to see us lift that trophy.

But, in hindsight, it is crystal clear that we have managed to capture the bigger and more important prize.

Okay, so we have only qualified for Champions League qualifiers, but winning the FA Cup does not generate the same kind of money, does not particularly help attract players to join our club rather than others, and most importantly does not persuade our current players to stay with the club (Bale, Modric etc....).

Could not be happier with the way last season went, BIG season ahead of us now though.... COYS!!

[DeanoD]

Gomes is not an unsung hero. He's very much a sung hero. We sing songs about him. It goes to show just how stupid a lot of people are that it has taken up until the last few weeks of the season for media and the general footballing public to realise that Gomes is world class.

Watched the Man City game down the pub with two mates (an Arsenal fan and a West Ham fan). They spent the whole game telling me that Gomes was still 'crap' and taunting me that he was still likely to make a mistake at any minute. It did wind me up but just goes to show how much these buffoons know about football.

And please don't ask why I chose these people to watch the game with 'cause I have no idea myself...but lets just say I was the only one who had a rather good night!

[Jakes]

"What Went Right?
Pretty much everything. They signalled their intent with an opening-day win over Liverpool and rarely took their foot off the gas until back-to-back home wins over Arsenal and Chelsea that confirmed they were deserving of a Champions League place. Harry Redknapp was rewarded for sticking to a 4-4-2 formation even in away games against the best in the country and the attacking freedom brought the best out of Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric, the bargainous Niko Kranjcar and Jermain Defoe. Roman Pavlyuchenko and Gareth Bale came in from the cold to make massive contributions, while the decision to send Robbie Keane out on loan proved astute."


Bargainous?

:rofl:

[spencerkeegan]

:beer:

[spencerkeegan]

Breakthrough player
Gareth Bale. The Welshman was simply unstoppable in the second half of the season. Moved higher up the field into left midfield, Bale's pace and superb delivery from crosses became a colossal weapon.


I love that line!

[jenko]

absolutely loved every line of that article. Who would have predicted the season last year? If someone hadda told you that over the next 9 months Keane would be sent away on loan, Liverpool would finish 7th, King would play his way to the world cup and we'd be in the CL you would have soiled yourself. And here we are like eejits trying to predict next year (Bellamy - world player of the year) - ha ha, good luck.

Although disagreed about Bentley being a flop you do think what else we could have gotten for 17 million pound (Sorry David)....

[pezinhoTHFC]

Source: Sky Sports

Star man
Heurelho Gomes - the unsung hero. The Brazilian's turnaround in England has been dramatic: from chastised walking disaster to world-class shot-stopper. Honourable mentions too for Michael Dawson and Ledley King for their performances at the back.

I wouldn't necessarily refer to Gomes as the article has. Labelling him the unsung hero infers that there is another player who has 'wrongly' been placed in the limelight. The likes of Dawson, King, Lennon and Bale deserve to be mentioned for their efforts this season (albeit half season in Bale and Lennon's cases).

Im glad players like Dawson and King are getting mentions but these are players who consistently deliver anyway. Dawson's big season was last season when he finally stepped out from under King's shadow and showed what he is capable of. This season Ive expected nothing less from either of them than what they have delivered - they've been as brilliant and resolute as they normally are.

For Gomes to turn in the performances that he has done this season, given the poor start to his Tottenham career, shows exactly how much he has improved and has been relied upon. In fact, I think any Spurs fan, journalist or pundit worth their weight in gold will recognise that Gomes stands out high and above the rest of the squad.

He stands out as the star player for me simply because of the way he has turned his performances around so convincingly, and so consistently. He has clearly worked hard to overcome his personal demons that plagued the start of his first season here, as well as playing through injury to ensure he kept his place in the team. People may well expect him to make a blunder every now and then but show me a 'keeper that doesn't. He has been more commanding, more consistent, more reassuring and braver this season and I'd easily put him up there with Cech, van der Sar and Reina. He has kept us in games this season also - Arsenal at home and City away for a start.

Gomes isn't the unsung hero - he's the outright hero in my opinion.

[db1]

I may be alone in this, but I for one think, with hindsight, that the semi final loss is the best thing that could have happened to us and it saved our season by giving our players not only fourth to focus on, but the anger of a wounded animal.

Completely agree and that's slightly weird- at around 8.00 last night (when you posted this) I was discussing this very point with the italian lads who work at my local chippie. They wondered if I was gutted about the semi and I said we would probably have lost both to both Arsenal and Chelsea if we had won that game. The more I think about it, the more i'm convinced.

[minesadouble]

We fans should try and adjust our mentality like the players (hard, I know !).

I don't think there's any particular reason we should assume that winning the Semi Final would have caused us to lose the Arsenal and Chelsea games. I share your gut feeling but it's an example of how we all need to try to become more positive. A Man U or Chelsea fan would not assume they would do anything but win all those games and more.

I think the players are getting there (Burnley debacle shows there not quite there yet). Most of them now seem much more confident of winning any game, including long undefeated runs and clean sheets.

But I do agree we showed the anger of a wounded animal. We all felt it. The savage outpouring at Danny's goal against Arsenal and the taste of Bale's against Chelsea. Brutal stuff.

[minesadouble]

Sorry - reading my post again, I don't think I mean that we need to become more positive. What I should have said was that we can start to feel more positive. The Spurs of old slapped us down every time we began to get excited. But maybe this lot won't fail us. Maybe they'll win semi-finals and finals and league runs and we'll start taking things for granted.

Nah, that'd be a shame actually. That's not the Spurs way. Glory is by definition unpredictable.

[db1]

I'm glad you put that 2nd bit on minesadouble! I do feel more positive about things now. At the time though- I thought we would beat Portsmouth and then win one of the BIG three games. I thought that would be enough but Spurs are ANYTHING but predictable..

[JimmyG2]

The received wisdom is that winning is a habit which produces more wins.

Not sure I go with losing was the stimulus for the rest of the season, wounded animals and all that. They usually crawl away and die if they are not devoured first by bigger beasts.

What losing to Portsmouth made ius realise was that if we wanted something we had to go out and grab it not expect it to fall into our laps.

The difference between glory and failure is a very fine one. A loss against Arsenal or Chelsea or even two draws and this Sky review would read very differently, along the lines of 'Totternham always let you down in the end'.

We were very nearly a 'nearly' team but this season's experience will give us the confidence to repeat it or even better it next season.