Newcastle took the spoils in last night's Premiership clash at St. James' Park, where Tottenham Hotspur looked like a shadow of last season's team.
In Spurs' starting XI, only Bale, Bent, and Kaboul were new arrivals—meaning most of the Tottenham lineup had been together a year or more.
Watching them play, though, you'd have been forgiven for thinking the club had met up for the first time half an hour before kickoff.
Jenas and Zokora in midfield were the main culprits in the conceding posession, but Dawson and Kaboul contributed their fair share of aimless long balls. All told, it was a far cry from last season—when the attacking trio of Keane, Berbatov, and Lennon played scintillating football on a regular basis.
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Two of those three started on the bench last night. Berbatov has yet to find his old form in '07-'08, while Lennon hasn't performed to his potential.
Malbranque was the most effective midfielder for Spurs in the first half, but was the first player to be withdrawn after the break. Much has been made of Martin Jol's substitution decisions this season—especially after the capitulation against Fulham, in which he switched to a five-defender lineup with 15 minutes to go and Tottenham leading 3-1.
The game finished 3-3.
In defence, a lot has been written about Paul Robinson's howlers this season—but it was slack marking on a set piece early in the second half that accounted for Newcastle's second goal.
That collapse was evidence of something much more problematic than just individual mistakes.
Spurs' defensive record is abysmal. Not only have they conceded 21 goals in 10 league games—they've kept only three clean sheets in a run of almost 40 games.
I'm assuming the club is working on this on the training ground—but you wouldn't know it from their recent performances.
Last season Spurs were close to making the UEFA Cup Final, and clinched their second consecutive fifth-place finish on the strength of a brilliant run after Christmas. This season they've won one game in their opening 10.
I, for one, am at a loss to explain it.
Jol is obviously on his way out—it's just a matter of when. Until then, if Tottenham are to have anything to play for in the remainder of the campaign, they have a LOT of work to do.
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10 months ago
well after much thought and concentration...ive come up with the answer 2 spurs' problem
y have they only won 1 game?
y have they scored so little goals?
y r they fighting relegation?
and y is their manager on the spot?
well the answer is.........
THEY'RE ABSOLOUTE SHITE!!!!
perhaps my thoughts will help
from 10 months ago
Somehow I doubt that very much...
It could be something to do with how depressing life is in football when your manager is publicly back-stabbed after the first three games of a season. That, and certain injuries to key players, and the frustration at having to keep more than three strikers happy.
from 10 months ago
Yes..the manager is making some absolute blunders in his team selections and formations. He knows that Berbatov is goal hugry..but why the heck was he told to warm the bench? Also there are loads of other reasons to point out against Jol, and i think it's time that Spurs see him off and start their season afresh as soon as possible. Where's Graeme Sounesse and Kevin Keagan?
Spurs have drawn inspirations from their impressive displays against Liverpool and Villa, but all blew away with their misfortunes. i think Jol is their jinx.
10 months ago
Your problems started when the board began publicly undermining the manager, once that happens it's only a matter of time before the teams suffers badly. Tottenham to me are reminiscient of Newcastle a few years ago under the 'stewardship' of Freddy Shepherd. Decent manager finishing top five and then the chairman opens his mouth - you just want to hope they don't get Souness to replace him or you really will have problems!
10 months ago
thanks for the help Kyle, there are 500 other sites for crap talk on football... I am a spurs fan and just find it so strange, this is nothing new.. they always start badly and then seem to get it together in the second half of the season...either in great fashion like last year or like most of the 90's solidly in the middle of the table. I must admit it gets boring... money seems to come in and the we go and do something stupid like spend 16mil on Bent. I would be prefer the wow factor of spurs to be in their winning scores rather than lack of. Kyle you are not wrong there are shite right now...but they have all the ingredients to make a great cake but lacking a recipe book and cook for that matter. cheers
10 months ago
In my opinion Tottenham are going to be sold to an American consortium in the the Spring. Nothing much will happen until then except perhaps Jol being sacked, though I can't imagine anyone else wanting to take over the job with a sale looming. In other words Spurs fans, including me, will just have to sit tight and wait.
10 months ago
just to clarify, spurs' problems are not "my" anything :) im just writing about them, i dont support them.
i dont think jol is a bad manager, he did after all take them to two 5th place finishes in a row which is no mean feat, and hes a very highly respected coach on the continent.
a spurs fan of mine believes part of the problem lies with comolli buying the players supposedly without jol's go ahead - including the purchase of bent - but he also doesnt think jol is good enough anyway.
i think in this instance jol has certainly lost any chance of regrouping the players and starting from scratch as it were, obviously the farce with the board has made a complete hash of things for spurs but what goes on in the boardroom really shouldnt affect performances on the pitch THIS much should it?
10 months ago
Jol is gone!
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