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Hull City (H): Stoof's Shout

Stoof

THERE IS A PIGEON IN MY BANK ACCOUNT
Staff
Jun 5, 2004
32,219
64,273
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banner by the terrifyingly good chrissivad

You know you make me wanna (Shout!)
Kick my heels up and (Shout!)
Yell at Ramos and (Shout!)
Take my tickets back and (Shout!)

I have managed to go 4 days now without seeing any evidence of our display on Sunday. I was away for the weekend, attacking Sherwood Forest Center Parcs with 7 of my lad-iest lads, and I am now going to attempt to do something quite odd … and that's give you a Stoof Shout Match Report without having seen the game.

Obviously I know that we hit the bar a couple of times, and I know it was a rocket of a free-kick – no images and no other match reports have graced me, except the odd smidgen of information from player interviews and Spurs Mobile's ever-generous line-up and substitution texts.

So, here we go. Let's see how well I do, feel free to mark me out of 10 for your general enjoyment of this read.

Duel Of The Fates sounded as the players walked out (you see, I thought I'd go safe with that) and yet again Mr. King was not involved after his mid-week Faces … I mean … mid-week footballing endeavours in Europe. The crowd rose, hoping that they could finally get their shouty moment to relieve themselves of their Armageddon-like visions of Spurs in the Championship, amid a world of but one Super Nationalised World Bank where unemployment was in 10s of millions and people stock-piled cash high under their mattresses. Worryingly enough, as they cheered each player as his name was read out, all of those things could be less than 9 months away.

Spurs started brightly in the opening 5 minutes, Zokora was passing sideways and backwards as is his way and Pavlyuchenko and Campbell were making some nice runs although without much avail. All of a sudden,a foul by Zokora/Jenas/Gunter/Woodgate (or a combination of the four) caused the referee (Rob Styles wasn't it?) to make a horrific decision and award Hull a free-kick.

Geovanni then closed his eyes and ran up to the ball in hope and luckily made a perfect connection and it only just beat Gomes by a few 10s of metres and Hull were luckily in front with luck.

The crowd moaned in frustration, a faint strain of Martin Jol songs could be heard dotted around the ground and we had it all to do.

From then on I expect we created a handful of chances – not a hatful – but some. Didn't we? Please? I mean, it's Hull after all. Yes, they beat Arsenal but their keeper was in inspired form and the Woolwich Wanderers were wasteful – so we must have had chances aside from Bale's effort (was it a freekick?) that hit the bar and Woodgate's effort (header from a corner?) that also rattled woodwork. So I would have thought Fraizer Campbell hit a couple of shots a couple of yards wide? Bent having one guilt-edge chance but just missing? Pavlyuchenko with a header. That's what I'm thinking, a Pav header that goes straight at the keeper? Jenas making a run through everyone and then either misplacing his shot or his pass? Zokora running through 4 men and then tumbling by the 5th and getting a dubious free-kick?

My whole point in this, if you were struggling to see one, (and frankly I don't blame you), is that I'm pretty sure I've got a lot of that right. And that's because going to Tottenham for the last year or so (as I have done, missing maybe 6 games) became ever so predictable, almost to the point of being able to write the headlines before a ball has been kicked in anger with even some of the detail. I bet we should have had a penalty too?

That fact (if true) is a worrying sign. Maybe we're not just getting that slice of luck – at Portsmouth, our penalty (which was a penalty) would have been a potential equaliser and who knows what it would have done for our confidence? Whether Ramos has suddenly become a clueless Spanish muddle of a man is debatable, a debate which I expect is raging on across messageboards of all types (mainly, having the heading "Sack Ramos?!?!" I would have thought). I don't think he has become clueless, but more worryingly I'm not sure the players have been in this position before: rock bottom; 2 points (one of those amazingly gained away at Chelsea!) after 7 games. I'm not suggesting we need Nigel "I'll take 'em down" Quashie just yet – but where optimism and positivity once flowed ever so easily with our new players/new coaching set-up/new sexy black kit, it's rapidly being replaced with "what if" fears of relegation and work colleague mockery.

I jokingly said to one of the lads, "here, well, at least if we go down the tickets will be cheaper". A West Ham fan replied, "yeah, not with Levy in charge mate". His point was well taken. Unlike ours should have been (at the very least) against Hull, at home.

***

One member of this forum posted lines from the immortal AllyGold's book "Ode to Jol" and it sent tingles down my spine. This book (if you haven't read it) was written after gloriously failing to beat West Ham on the last day of the season – LasagnaGate - and reflected on our entire season, and dared to dream that our corner had been turned and that the shackles were lifted from our underachieving necks. It was all in place, and everyone was pulling in the right direction.

I try to be positive, I really do. And I can see us being OK. But it's not the being OK that I want, maybe I just want a cuddly manager who made me laugh, who I spent hours trying to impersonate, who dared me to dream of a Tottenham Hotspur who could challenge. It's a pointless position to put yourself in really, and we'd do well to realise that Martin Jol is but Tottenham past. We stand in Tottenham present with Juande Ramos, looking to Tottenham future. But at the moment, even with the rosiest of rosies on, it's just a bit mleh.

***

Apologies for the detour away from the Match Report – but as words were typed, it became evident I couldn't successfully replicate an entire 90 minutes or even a highlights package that would be entertaining enough. So I gave you some miserableness to get your teeth in to.

Until next time, Shouters.
 

Jakes

Lurking with intent
Dec 21, 2004
836
215
One member of this forum posted lines from the immortal AllyGold's book "Ode to Jol" and it sent tingles down my spine. This book (if you haven't read it) was written after gloriously failing to beat West Ham on the last day of the season – LasagnaGate - and reflected on our entire season, and dared to dream that our corner had been turned and that the shackles were lifted from our underachieving necks. It was all in place, and everyone was pulling in the right direction.

I try to be positive, I really do. And I can see us being OK. But it's not the being OK that I want, maybe I just want a cuddly manager who made me laugh, who I spent hours trying to impersonate, who dared me to dream of a Tottenham Hotspur who could challenge. It's a pointless position to put yourself in really, and we'd do well to realise that Martin Jol is but Tottenham past. We stand in Tottenham present with Juande Ramos, looking to Tottenham future. But at the moment, even with the rosiest of rosies on, it's just a bit mleh.


Spot on, exactly how I've been feeling. I thought that maybe I'm just getting older and that, with a baby on the way (any day now!), I've got other things taking my mind off things.

If I'm honest with myself, I don't think I'll ever feel the emotion for Spurs I did under Jol again. Just one-too-many tattered dreams? We were so close, and in that we had an echo of glory that a great man once spoke about. We played the right way, were infuriatingly unlucky, and I loved us.
 

spurdownunder

Well-Known Member
Mar 20, 2007
1,772
74
We stand in Tottenham present with Juande Ramos, looking to Tottenham future.

:clap::clap::bowdown::bowdown:

I think the majority realise this, which is good.
The sooner the players start banging in some goals and stitching up 3 points here and there, the better.
 

mawspurs

Staff
Jun 29, 2003
35,066
17,740
One member of this forum posted lines from the immortal AllyGold's book "Ode to Jol" and it sent tingles down my spine. This book (if you haven't read it) was written after gloriously failing to beat West Ham on the last day of the season – LasagnaGate - and reflected on our entire season, and dared to dream that our corner had been turned and that the shackles were lifted from our underachieving necks. It was all in place, and everyone was pulling in the right direction.

I try to be positive, I really do. And I can see us being OK. But it's not the being OK that I want, maybe I just want a cuddly manager who made me laugh, who I spent hours trying to impersonate, who dared me to dream of a Tottenham Hotspur who could challenge. It's a pointless position to put yourself in really, and we'd do well to realise that Martin Jol is but Tottenham past. We stand in Tottenham present with Juande Ramos, looking to Tottenham future. But at the moment, even with the rosiest of rosies on, it's just a bit mleh.


Spot on, exactly how I've been feeling. I thought that maybe I'm just getting older and that, with a baby on the way (any day now!), I've got other things taking my mind off things.

If I'm honest with myself, I don't think I'll ever feel the emotion for Spurs I did under Jol again. Just one-too-many tattered dreams? We were so close, and in that we had an echo of glory that a great man once spoke about. We played the right way, were infuriatingly unlucky, and I loved us.

Stop it. I'm welling up now. :cry:
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Nice writing and a good idea,I wished I'd thought of it.I listened to it on Radio London which is nearly as good as missing it entirely.
To be fair its a bit like the gypsy fortune teller at the fairground, close observation of the subject and reasonably vague predictions but not too far out.Every team has a penalty decision turned down and most teams hit the woodwork at least once.
We dominated the whole match and won every statistic but one.It was our best game in terms of effort and chances.Jenas was our best player and could form a partnership with Modric who needs people to play with,he can't do it on his own.
Move on from Martin Jol whose sacking was an indelible stain on our history.Ramos is probably a better tactician but obviously not as good a motivator.I liked him and regret his going but Ramos can and probably will succeed.Maybe not this season.I hope he's given the time.
 

Lucky22

Active Member
Dec 11, 2006
710
160
Top notch and right on the money. We ARE too predictable. Before the Chelsea game I was mocked that that was another game we'd lose. I laughed back and said 'We're Spurs. We can't meet Middlesborough or Sunderland, so we're bound to get something from Chelsea.
That still staggers me. The Romans are well ahead of everyone else at the moment, despite some injury problems and we not only held them to a draw but played some decent football too. This wasn't put the team bus in front of the goal - this was Spurs being positive, Ramos at his tactical best and us playing how we all expected us to this season.
But, as ever, we flatter to deceive. As you say, Stoof, you can right how the game will go before a ball is even kicked - that's how poor we are.
I hate to keep going back to Chelsea but that FA Cup game when we played Lennon in the hole was a work of art, simply because no-one expected us to do it. Yes, we didn't win the game and it was another case of what ifs, but it felt good.
I miss Jol, I really do. But you are right when you say we are in the present looking to the future. The international break usually comes at a bad time for us but, I hope, for a change, this time it will give everyone at the club the chance to take stock, take a deep breath and start again. And bloody well get it right this time...
 

pistolP

Well-Known Member
Aug 1, 2003
2,993
696
Nice writing and a good idea,I wished I'd thought of it.I listened to it on Radio London which is nearly as good as missing it entirely.
To be fair its a bit like the gypsy fortune teller at the fairground, close observation of the subject and reasonably vague predictions but not too far out.Every team has a penalty decision turned down and most teams hit the woodwork at least once.
We dominated the whole match and won every statistic but one.It was our best game in terms of effort and chances.Jenas was our best player and could form a partnership with Modric who needs people to play with,he can't do it on his own.
Move on from Martin Jol whose sacking was an indelible stain on our history.Ramos is probably a better tactician but obviously not as good a motivator.I liked him and regret his going but Ramos can and probably will succeed.Maybe not this season.I hope he's given the time.

Jenas , our best player ? against Hull. I do not think so. I am not Jenas basher.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Jenas , our best player ? against Hull. I do not think so. I am not Jenas basher.

Everything is opinion.I wasn't there so can only go by commentary and highlights. I would be interested in who you think was.
 

Glenn_Purvey

Well-Known Member
Apr 25, 2006
1,320
451
Jenas was shocking our best player and has been our best player by far this season is lennon.
 

Stoof

THERE IS A PIGEON IN MY BANK ACCOUNT
Staff
Jun 5, 2004
32,219
64,273
Not wishing to detract from the responses given, but lads, seriously - does it matter who was our best player in what I can only describe as a humiliating home defeat?

At the end of the day when it comes to dishing out the points for that game, we were the worse of the two teams. That's what worries me - not if Jenas was better than Lennon or Lennon better than Jenas - the fact is that Tottenham Hotspur were not better than Hull.
 

StanSpur

Ronny Rosenthal
Jul 15, 2004
2,436
2,042
Jenus was energetic and saved a certain goal in my opinion. His forward play wasn't great but defensively he played very well - at least he looks like he cares about the result!!

Lennon was good in spurts but vanishes from the game too often. Zokora was good but cannot pass the ball forwards, Bale was excellent considering there was nobody else on the left so he played two positions for the entire game, Gomes had nothing to do, Corluka looked Ok, Woodgate looked unusually uncomfortable and made one or two stupid mistakes, Gunter did ok, Modric was all energy and no result - useless in this game, Campbell had one or two very tame shots and did little else, Bent had a couple of chances and should have done better but was generally more than useless in his positioning, Bently did a good job in the RB/RM position, Santos did nothing and Pav didn't get a chance to do anything. Overall we played ok but our complete lack of balance across the park and rubbish strikers (form if not class) meant we wouldn't have scored in 900 minutes of this game. That's my opinion anyway!
 

ShelfSide18

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2006
8,386
3,122
If I'm honest with myself, I don't think I'll ever feel the emotion for Spurs I did under Jol again. Just one-too-many tattered dreams? We were so close, and in that we had an echo of glory that a great man once spoke about. We played the right way, were infuriatingly unlucky, and I loved us.

Nail on head.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Not wishing to detract from the responses given, but lads, seriously - does it matter who was our best player in what I can only describe as a humiliating home defeat?

At the end of the day when it comes to dishing out the points for that game, we were the worse of the two teams. That's what worries me - not if Jenas was better than Lennon or Lennon better than Jenas - the fact is that Tottenham Hotspur were not better than Hull.
But Stoof they were.On another day they could have won by three or four.If we were not so desperate for points we would have been more content with the performance. We lost but we were the better team and played better and should have won but didn't score.
I'm trying to extract as much positivity as I can. People are giving up on here and having a go with the team for doing exactly that. As it happens against Hull they didn't.
 

Stoof

THERE IS A PIGEON IN MY BANK ACCOUNT
Staff
Jun 5, 2004
32,219
64,273
But Stoof they were.On another day they could have won by three or four.If we were not so desperate for points we would have been more content with the performance. We lost but we were the better team and played better and should have won but didn't score.
I'm trying to extract as much positivity as I can. People are giving up on here and having a go with the team for doing exactly that. As it happens against Hull they didn't.

If that's the case, then fair enough. It's commendable that the positive crusade is continuing. I will be part of it again, I just need time to face facts that it's actually not going to be enjoyable supporting us for a couple of months. In real life terms, how many activities do you pay for that ultimately make you terribly unhappy? I came home from work, and placed my Everton tickets next to my Blackburn, Liverpool and Bolton ones and thought that we honestly could not get any points out of that £120. How depressing is that?!

We'll be alreet.
 

ollie_spurs

Member
Dec 5, 2006
201
0
Not wishing to detract from the responses given, but lads, seriously - does it matter who was our best player in what I can only describe as a humiliating home defeat?

At the end of the day when it comes to dishing out the points for that game, we were the worse of the two teams. That's what worries me - not if Jenas was better than Lennon or Lennon better than Jenas - the fact is that Tottenham Hotspur were not better than Hull.

We were better than Hull. And both Jenas and Lennon played well.
 

BringBack_leGin

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2004
27,719
54,929
I have tried to be positive but it is getting harder all the time. Even with the Keane and Berbatov situations, I was more enthusiastic about this coming season than any other in any summer, and I have been let down by the club more than ever before.
 

Stoof

THERE IS A PIGEON IN MY BANK ACCOUNT
Staff
Jun 5, 2004
32,219
64,273
We were better than Hull. And both Jenas and Lennon played well.

I take the point, but we don't get points for performances. At the end of the day, Hull played the better game of football against us than we did because the score finished up Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 1 Hull City. You can't really dispute that. Even if they only had one chance, and they scored it, they've done a better job of trying to win the game than we did. That's the angle I was on about.

[Considering I saw nothing of the game; that's surely the only conclusion one can make]
 

strader

Well-Known Member
Apr 29, 2005
1,819
2,169
why do people feel is the end, it just believe this is the start of something
Special.

We have played 7games, with 31 to go. All it takes is just a moment of magic and it all clicks.

To Dare is to ........
 
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