Middlesbrough (A): Stoof's Shout

[Stoof]

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:

 

[jamesc0le]

i vote for goat.

 

[Houdini]

Fucking hell Stoof, i read all of that!

 

[ricardo_archibald]

I agree with most of your comments. I watched the game in full the next day and I felt that there was not much in it and we looked a lot better than some of the comments and reviews of the match.

I thought most of our team played well and mistakes were the difference between a win or loss. We definitely lacked a cutting edge in the last 3rd and Bent wasn't getting the service he received pre-season. However we did make chances but we did not finish them.

We did look good pre-season but we all most have learnt by now that playing in any premiership game is never 'easy'.

I still feel we need to be mentally stronger and clinical in dealing with both the oppositions attacks and our own chances.

But lets not get too pissed off about this game, I know it's hard, let's just hope we get it right for Sunderland !

 

[kicked]

I too agree with a lot of your comments. There was a lot of good to come out of the game, even if the result was poor for us.

Tottenhams problem, and it really is one, is their need to radically change the team every season.
Last season they didn't do too much to the strike force. Brought in Darren Bent and let Mido go. That was it, but that didn't matter as keano and Berba had a nice season of gelling. Result...last season we had no problem scoring goals.

The midfield i think was little change asit was mainly again Lennon, Jenas, Zokora and Steed. Again, it wasn't too bad as it had settled down ok and supported the attack well.
The defence....well, King was/is injury plagued, Bale was bought in for the left, then got injured,Kaboul was backup but had to cover King, Dawson had to be a leader, something that he is not, and various people were used on the right. Oh..Robbo who was having a midlife crisis was in goal! A completely inexperienced defence...and we conceded by the bucketload!
We again have made changes, big changes. This was their first competitive match. Forget preseason, this is what its about. Its faster and its harder. Dos Santos and Modric probably had their biggest lesson against Boro since arriving at Spurs. Bent had rarely been leading in attack. Zokora is rarely a right back and Dawson should be a sub! This was a big changing team with players who are learning to play with new people in a different system.

Look at the top 4 and their teams are still settled as they have added to their team rather than completely change the team. They know each other and the system that they play. (Actually, most of the teams in the premiership have done this.)

However, with saying this, it does look not bad for Spurs. A couple more players are needed, yes, but once this team settles and plays together more I can see it become a very good side. But it needs time to grow. Come next season, lets just buy 1 or 2 players to enhance the side rather than reshape the whole team.

 

[thetallaghttiger]

great article Stoof! You're lacking the pessimism of most though :wink: :rofl:

The mood will change after Sunderland me thinks though! (I hope!)

 

[riversmonkey]

Wow, a whole article and no mention of a certain Smoking Bulgarian

 

[kingofspurs]

Wow, a whole article and no mention of a certain Smoking Bulgarian

Kudos for that :up: ... as many other fans are I'm sure, I'm sick of DB dominating our coverage.

I thought that was a well-balanced article, and fairer than some of the knee-jerk fatalism going round the forum.

It's time to learn our last match, and get it right for Sunderland!

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Good article. I thought we played some nice football fitfully in a largely even game and that Modric did a pretty decent job for his first game in a new league, but the main issues for me (as I posted at length on another thread) were (1) that we were able (or chose) to field only one of our first choice back four (same as last year) and (2) that we showed, despite the manifold changes of personnel, exactly the same mental weaknesses under pressure as Jol's team did a year ago.

There was a sinking feeling of "normal service has been resumed" about the whole affair.

 

[markie]

Maybe for the SUnderland game we can 1) Play Huddlestone instead of Dawson - 2) Play Gunter instead of Zokora - 3) Play the best right winger in our squad on the right wing - 4) Stick Lennon on the bench - 5) Learn something from pre season - 5) Play Bale from the start - 6) Start Berbatov if he is still around!

Simple...

Juande?? :shrug:

 

[JPS]

I think old 'Arry Redknapp might have something to say about us having Kaboul on the bench. Although judging by his performance on Sunday against the Chels, perhaps he's flogged him back to us already!

 

[14/04/91]

great point re formation & separate areas of the team. I felt this was a big problem for us & hope to see this change (I know it was only a friendly but the Roma game gave me hope).
I guess it'll take time & I'm sure we'll be a bit more fluid at home on saturday. We've got the talent to do this.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

good read stoofington.

 

[Hugo]

stoof i agree with your comments. As said in pre-season you can not play games that replicate the speed and physical side of the premiership. It was always going to take a few games for the likes of modric, dos santos to get up to speed. As you say playing away from home is never easy and i think too many under estimate boro. Not many sides will go to the riverside and walk away with 3 points this season (you wait boro to go down now).

I have seen so many articles where us spurs fans go from one end of the spectrum to the other. I mean people saying bent should play ahead of berba because he is the in form striker, then after saturday questioning why berba was on the bench.. or pre game we are easily top four and now same old spurs this is wrong and that is wrong and we will struggle. I think we have made some good signings and i'm confident we will get top 6. i think top four is a stage to far but i wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with another cup.

With regard to santos i agree he is like ginola. I also wouldn't expect too much from him away from home this season, he will shine at the lane because he is one player where the fans really lift his game (a bit like ginola).

I think what is needed is a true lance-corporal jones "Don't panic!". Lets let the team bed down and i think we will see some quality football from our side this season.

 

[martinsjollyboys]

Agree with your comments whole-heartedly. Cant believe some of the muppets on other threads where whinging that we played so badly and almost to the fact that our season was over before it began. Questions on selection...Bale should start away over a left wing Lennon, King benched whilst Daws starts (is there more to King's injury?). Agreed with Dos Santos starting and Senor Moody sitting on the bench

 

[wildheart]

Liked it.

More please

 

[Treacle]

Agree with what you say.

I particulary feel we should have signed an out and and defesive midfielder by now. As much as modric may be able to do a "carrick" type job, he is in my opinion better further up the pitch where he can use his vision, passing and dribbling skills. Its a pity many fans have to keep re-iterating the dm point as most have been saying this for two or three seasons now and still the board/management dont come through.

My only other point is why didnt King start? It was well publicised that Hutton was our only injury so why did Ramos start with Dawson. Im all for one giving King a rest if its required but he had a fairly quiet preseason and this was the opening fixture. Therefore in my opinion King should have been the first name on the team sheet. Maybe as someone previously said theres more to his injury than has been announced. If this is the case, how much longer do we give the lad. Id hate to see him retire etc but surely its to the detirment of the squad that we are pumping £40k a week to someone who plays 10 times a year and is our captain.

 

[orkneyspur]

Cheers Stoofy ol' mate. :clap:
My streaming on Saturday resembled Max Headroom for most of the game and the commentary was in Spanish, so picking out the fine detail of the game was a bit dificile.

I like Dos Santos and his enthusiasm for the game, he will bring smiles to the normally sour faces of a lot of our fans I hope.

Two big tests coming up, Spurs reserves on Saturday will show if the new boys are any better than the old and then the Chavs away. Midfield battles ahead for the Modric led blue and white army. COYS

 

[Shirtfront]

Hutton is injured and Kaboul plays for a different club.

I agree with your formation but personally I would introduce Modric slowly by playing him on the left. I would play Jenas in front of Zokora for now; they are tried and tested with good physical presence and with the guile of Modric, Bentley's delivery and GDS' pace and trickery and think their combined inability to pass (last season's problem) is less accentuated.

If Ramos insists on preferring Zokora at RB to Gunter, then I would play Huddlestone as you suggest for all the same reasons. Again, Modric being allowed to be more peripheral and find his feet while still posing a threat from the left. Bale behind him to add width and strength.

 

[JuanRebelde]

I think old 'Arry Redknapp might have something to say about us having Kaboul on the bench. Although judging by his performance on Sunday against the Chels, perhaps he's flogged him back to us already!

Yes, and I couldn't help laugh when I saw the Everton free-kick fly in at the near psot with Robbo totally done - just like the good old days. If we didn't buy well this summer (as time will tell), I am sure we sold well.