Now that it's sunk in...

[tttcowan]

I've had a while to let yesterdays result sink in now, I've tried to be all zen about the goings on that led to us losing at Man City. I've tried to be positive, I've tried to remove emotion from my views on the matter but there is an unbelievably bitter feeling about what's happened to little old spurs this season.

Since November I've thought we had a team good enough to win the league, the way we played, the mental strength we showed, the team spirit, the quality we have in abundance all over the park. We had/have enough quality in this team to win the league, we are the best in the country along side Manchester City, yesterday proved is there is very little between the teams. We're better than Manchester United and on another level beyond Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and the rest… So what's gone wrong?

We've been royally Fd in the A by officials and it's cost us somewhere in the region of 10 points… That's the long and short of it, I feel bad for the team as they've been outstanding this season and definitely don't deserve this… It almost reminds me of Lasagne gate… I'm absolutely gutted, incredibly proud and incredibly pissed off with the bloody officials. I'm not saying we can't still win the title, given the adversity it would be such an amazing achievement… But if we don't, give Modric all the cash he wants, keep Bale and VDV, get a new striker in and lets go again next year… This team has a title in it if we can keep it together.

 

[GoldstarYid]

Agree.

People claim others get wrong decisions, it all evens out etc but it doesn't. Others claim we have had decisions go our way like Walker at Fulham.

Sorry but we have BLATANTLY stupid decisions go against us, not Walker falling on a ball in a crowded area. Blatant goals ruled out and blatantly wrong corners given leading to goals.

It's a joke and it's whats wrong with football. FIFA need to sort themselves out and introduce technology it's taking the piss now.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I don't agree. I think we have had the breaks as much as we have had them against us this year. We didn't loose to Stoke and ManC because of refs, we lost because we didn't create enough quality chances or make the most of the one's we did, and we defended badly. The decisions ref's made could have made a difference but some we had go for us have made a difference.

Overall, though you can clearly grumble about certain decisions - Stoke, Wolves, ManC - we have also had several breaks ourselves and I've got no grumbles about our luck with ref's overall so far this season.

 

[kaz Hirai]

yep we'll bounce back, i fancy us to beat arsenal, liverpool and united or at least get 5 points minimum from that, and will probably do chelsea for the 1st time at there place

 

[tototoner]

I have said all I have to say about yesterday in the Positivity Thread already

 

[vicbob]

Agree to a point BC (dodgy i know) but have to disagree with the Stoke game. Yes we were pants in the first half, but we did more than enough in the second half to comfortably win that game. Never have i seen so many blatant decisions go against one team in one half of football as in that game, it was laughable.
Yesterday was similar, in that we went 2 down and came back well. If we had finished them off when we had the chance the Balotelli penalty wouldn't have been so controversial
We dont finish teams off when we are on top, and that what makes some of these decisions so important.
Having said that, onward and upward, i am proud of the team and how far they have come, but we have to take some of the blame ourselves.

 

[m*****73]

I don't agree. I think we have had the breaks as much as we have had them against us this year. We didn't loose to Stoke and ManC because of refs, we lost because we didn't create enough quality chances or make the most of the one's we did, and we defended badly. The decisions ref's made could have made a difference but some we had go for us have made a difference.

Overall, though you can clearly grumble about certain decisions - Stoke, Wolves, ManC - we have also had several breaks ourselves and I've got no grumbles about our luck with ref's overall so far this season.

True.

The last week has shown that we're not a title winning team. That's hard for some people to admit, but it's true. We have some fantastic players - namely, Bale, Modric, Parker & Van der Vaart - but we don't have enough quality in a number of other areas. We're third 'cause we've got a good (not great) team, and some of our main competitors - Chelsea, Arsenal & Liverpool - have been poorer than in previous seasons.

I wonder what Daniel Levy thought when he's watched the last two games... I've been at both and to me it's bloody obvious that we still need a proper top-notch striker. Levy has not adequately invested in this club over the past 3 or 4 transfer windows - he's either tried to do things on the cheap or else he's managed to f*ck up deals for numerous targets. At the beginning of the year, he should have demonstrated his commitment to have this club challenging for the title by going about his business and landing Loic Remy. If so then maybe, just maybe, we'd have 6pts instead of 1pt against both Wolves & City.

Adebayor has done OK, nothing more, since he's been here. It's not like he's anywhere near the same class as Aguero, Rooney or Van Persie. He's not gonna get us 20+ goals. There's a reason why City don't want him...

Defoe took his goal well yesterday - and the 'miss' at the end wasn't really his fault - but his general play was poor. We couldn't get the ball to stick upfront and his overall contribution for most of the game was minimal.

We've been saying for a few seasons that we need a striker.... it's obvious now that Levy isn't going to deliver one. Third place will be nice, but can this team maintain that form & consistency in the future without futher investment?

 

[nidge]

All teams get decisions given against them.

Think how Bolton must have felt about Cahill being sent off against us.
Everton had Rodwell wrongly sent of against Liverpool.
Man Utd had penalty given against them which meant Newcastle got a draw.
Sunderland goal against Man City was clearly offside.

They are just 4 of the top of my head that I can remember.

As fans we always remember decision that go against us as opposed to the decision that go our way. It happens get over it.

 

[AngerManagement]

I don't agree. I think we have had the breaks as much as we have had them against us this year. We didn't loose to Stoke and ManC because of refs, we lost because we didn't create enough quality chances or make the most of the one's we did, and we defended badly. The decisions ref's made could have made a difference but some we had go for us have made a difference.

Overall, though you can clearly grumble about certain decisions - Stoke, Wolves, ManC - we have also had several breaks ourselves and I've got no grumbles about our luck with ref's overall so far this season.

That is simple not true though

Because in spite of us defending badly against stoke and in spite of us not taking or creating enough chances we STILL scored more legal goals than they did so if the refs had got all the decisions surrounding those incidents correctly we would have won regardless of our sloppy defending and missed chances (Crouch Hand ball rules out their first goal, Adebayor is 2 yards on side for goal ruled out for offside)

As for MAn City, well had MArio B been sent off he would have found it a little difficult to make and score their winner wouldn't he and had Lescott been sent off for elbowing Kaboul he might not have been able to defend as well as he did against Bale or the flood gates might just have opened.

I know what you are saying, if we had played to our abilities we still could and should have won those games....but the fact is there have been key goals either ruled out or given against us when they should have been ruled out that have clearly cost us points.

I certainly think its futile to dwell too much on them though, my dad is the worst with his Tottenham glasses on you'd think we are the only team ever to have decisions go against us.

Remembering those that go against you, ignoring those that go for you and not even registering those that happen to other teams in other games...yea its easy to blow things out of proportion.

My point is though, to me anyway, football would be a better game with some of this factor removed with the addition of video technology ala Rugby and cricket.

 

[Mr Pink]

I think we have been unlucky to be fair....I hate all this it evens itself out as well, just a lazy cliche for people who couldn't be bothered to examine the evidence.

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

Perhaps if decisions had gone our way vs Stoke and Wolves then yesterday wouldn't have been as hard to take.

We would have beat stoke and wolves had 'obvious' decisions been correctly made. 5 points lost because of decisions that were clear.

Yesterday watching in slow mo you can def tell that Balotelli stamped, but to be honest I think in real speed I would give Webb the benefit of the doubt.

Onwards and upwards though lads. Still a lot to play for. I fancy a cup run!

 

[vegassd]

I think we have been unlucky to be fair....I hate all this it evens itself out as well, just a lazy cliche for people who couldn't be bothered to examine the evidence.

Or a polite way of telling people to stop whining like girls.

Of course, it doesn't even itself out exactly. That would be such a statistical improbability that we can write it off. But it means that things will go for you and things will go against, and you can either cry about it or sack up and get on with it.

 

[tttcowan]

It's naive to think we haven't been screwed over, the stoke game can be considered a one off... The rest cannot be. You need to be lucky to win the title which we haven't been... And I'd disagree with anyone who thinks we don't have the quality to win the league. Jesus, if Manchester United do, who've just had to throw a load of midfielders on at centre-back and who are looking forward to the return of the as yet unproven Cleverly, then we bloody do as well.

 

[AngerManagement]

Or a polite way of telling people to stop whining like girls.

Of course, it doesn't even itself out exactly. That would be such a statistical improbability that we can write it off. But it means that things will go for you and things will go against, and you can either cry about it or sack up and get on with it.

If things go against certain teams and for other teams in a disproportion fashion consistently over the course of a season (and seasons) though should the teams who are on the wrong end of these decisions just shut up and accept it for fear of being labelled whiny girls or should they make noise and demand the use of video evidence to remove this factor from football and level the playing field???

Its famous that big teams like Man U and Liverpool consistently got dodgy decisions in their favour over the years, they're already the best teams and they get assistance from refs to scared to give decisions against them.

It may not be as common place as it once was because of the video evidence now, but still it is a factor and one that could easily be removed by the use of video technology and the fourth ref. It works perfectly well in rugby so why shouldn't the fourth ref be allowed to review footage and communicate wirelessly to the ref in the same way the linesman's do?

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

I would say we've had more decisions go against us than for us this season especially the off side goals we've had chalked off which have been poor but that's the way it goes. We probably don't have a strong enough side to win the league anyway.

 

[nightgoat]

That is simple not true though

Because in spite of us defending badly against stoke and in spite of us not taking or creating enough chances we STILL scored more legal goals than they did so if the refs had got all the decisions surrounding those incidents correctly we would have won regardless of our sloppy defending and missed chances (Crouch Hand ball rules out their first goal, Adebayor is 2 yards on side for goal ruled out for offside)

Same with Chelsea.

Also, in regard to your sig, Mancini. Definitely.

 

[Marty]

Perhaps if decisions had gone our way vs Stoke and Wolves then yesterday wouldn't have been as hard to take.

We would have beat stoke and wolves had 'obvious' decisions been correctly made. 5 points lost because of decisions that were clear.

Yesterday watching in slow mo you can def tell that Balotelli stamped, but to be honest I think in real speed I would give Webb the benefit of the doubt.

Onwards and upwards though lads. Still a lot to play for. I fancy a cup run!

Very much agree with you here, in real time I didn't think Balotelli had done anything wrong so at the time I didn't have a problem with the decision. Same with Lescott, actually. Of course that all changed when Balotelli was hacked down by King.

We were completely robbed against Stoke, no doubt about that, and Ade should've had goals against Chelsea and Wolves (ntm that Wolves' goal shouldn't have been a corner), so I would say that before yesterday we'd lost 7 points to bad refereeing, and gained 2 from Walker not being penalised for handball against Fulham. So we were 5 points down on our deserved tally before yesterday. As I've said above, in real time I didn't have a problem with those two not being sent off yesterday so I won't be hypocritical and add that to the list. At least the penalty was as clear-cut as you're going to get.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I think we have been unlucky to be fair....I hate all this it evens itself out as well, just a lazy cliche for people who couldn't be bothered to examine the evidence.

I don't think it evens itself out, and can remember some seasons where teams (including us) just get continually shafted. But this season I think it's been pretty balanced. Some for some against.

There was a game recently fore-instance when Both Ekotto and Kaboul gave away what looked like penalties. Not given. Think it was Everton ?

Everyone's conveniently forgotten this for example.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I don't think it evens itself out, and can remember some seasons where teams (including us) just get continually shafted. But this season I think it's been pretty balanced. Some for some against.

There was a game recently fore-instance when Both Ekotto and Kaboul gave away what looked like penalties. Not given. Think it was Everton ?

Everyone's conveniently forgotten this for example.

Kaboul was in the Everton game, dont remember the Ekotto one though.

 

[nightgoat]

There was a game recently fore-instance when Both Ekotto and Kaboul gave away what looked like penalties. Not given. Think it was Everton ?

Everyone's conveniently forgotten this for example.

At least one of those (the only one I saw a replay of) had the most minimal amount of contact you're ever likely to see, and as he'd been doing ever since coming on, Drenthe threw himself to the floor. Lucky not to get booked if you ask me.