Tottenham On Fire
Friday, 24 October 08, 07:54 AM · Comments (97)
I recently saw a TV program that referenced self-immolation, which is what sprung to mind in last night's defeat at Udinese.
A crude and flippant comparison, but the Tottenham players are committing football suicide, and in the first group match of the UEFA Cup, in the most drastic way possible.
Heurelho Gomes botched attempt to deal with a regulation back-pass and Jamie O'Hara mindless sending-off were the epitomes of self-damage on a football pitch. The players are not quite setting themselves on fire (although Gomes wincing and balling at the slightest knock suggests he is), but our season is rapidly going up in flames. What can be drawn from the wreckage of another listless defeat?
Confidence is low. Obviously. We started well, passing the ball well and demanding it off each other in a manner that suggested the players were no longer hiding from it and failing to take responsibility.
We should have taken the lead when Jermaine Jenas surged into the box and teed up Darren Bent. His limp header went straight to the keeper.
A lack of confidence was Five commentator Ray Houghton's diagnosis.
The opening goal drained any purpose the players had Spurs didn't attack with any real threat again, apart from when Bent made the keeper work a little harder with another header in the closing stages.
We clearly didn'texpect to get back into the game and this lack of confidence was compounded by poor decision-making.
Gomes should have just hacked the ball clear after stumbling and perhaps would have done if he was surer of himself and clearer of thought, although it was worrying that he seemed to gesture to Ledley that he could do nothing else but dribble the ball clear. Our skipper pointed to row Z. Gomes is clearly a strange one but again displayed a shot-stopping ability that suggests he will come good.
That is what we hope of all the players, that they will start showing their potential. The current problems the lack of confidence, clear thinking, leadership and quality are all signs of under-achievement and the players have little idea of how to improve things.
They confuse the need to stand up and be counted with flying into challenges; they confuse the need to show composure with dawdling on the ball in defence; and they confuse the need to change things on the pitch with offering inane sound-bites to the press.
If we play like we did in the opening 20 minutes against Udinese in the league, things will turn round. If we play like we did for the rest of that match, they will not.
Harry is right in saying that we must show only support (a change in board or management structure would not immediately solve anything), but the players must take their responsibility and let Juande light the fire of recovery and not continue stoking their own funeral pyre.
Written by Philip Oliver, a professional sports writer and Tottenham fan who blogs about football betting.
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The players arent showing any commitment to the cause because most of them dont know what the cause is.
sooner of later we will go in front at home in a league game.
Bolton is Juande last chance I believe. Draw or lose, he will be sacked. Win is a must.
I want Rijkaard in.
lose to bolton on sunday and i'm sorry but ramos will have to go
I think need one game plan and one team for a few games.
Get a starting line-up picked (preferably using players in their preferred positions, and where possible ones who played together last year) and have two or three simple plans to get the ball into a dangerous position.
Also; make Darren Bent watch all the goals he scored for Charlton over and over and over again.
In fact; make the rest of the team watch them to see how they can get a ball to him in a way from which he can score!
OR JUST ANYTHING BUT WHATEVER IT IS WE ARE DOING NOW! 
Sorry about that, I'm starting to feel the strain a little. 
97 Comments · Add yours
Just a thought but why don't we try playing with two up front?
Ramos is doing my head in with some of his team selections!
Zokora is total toilet and should be benched!
Juande seems incapable of lighting his own stove.
He might be the most expensive "Guy" to be thrown on the Tottenham bonfire in early November.