There are very few things in football upset a Spurs fan more than a gloating Gooner, but on Sunday millions of Liverpool fans celebrating like it was the 1980’s came very close. A game which had been slipping out of their control from the moment Luis Suarez toe poked them in front, was handed to […]
Liverpool Delighted to Accept Tottenham’s Gifts
There are very few things in football upset a Spurs fan more than a gloating Gooner, but on Sunday millions of Liverpool fans celebrating like it was the 1980’s came very close. A game which had been slipping out of their control from the moment Luis Suarez toe poked them in front, was handed to them on a silver platter as Spurs self-destructed to lose 3-2.
A defeat at Anfield, despite being a habit we had grown out of, is not the end of the world. Our destiny remains in our own hands and thanks to victories against West Ham and Arsenal, we could afford a blip. Liverpool who now has finally beaten one of the Premier League’s big teams just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Liverpool’s historic ground with its famous song, the Kop, the gate and the red nets is without doubt one of the symbols of English football. However unbeknown to most, it is also home to certain unwritten rules of football. I am not blaming the referee for Tottenham’s self inflicted defeat, but it became clear over the 93 minutes that certain football rules only exist at Anfield.
You don’t book a home player for diving in front of the Kop, Steven Gerrard is invulnerable to yellow cards and dissent isn’t dissent if it comes out of the mouth of a Uruguayan.
When Daniel Sturridge entered into the Spurs area shoulder to shoulder with Jan Vertonghen, there was only one thought on his mind, (other than get it on my left foot), if he touches me I going down.
Rules of physics being what they are, eventually Vertonghen and Sturridge did attempt to occupy the same space, this resulted in one of the worst dives I have seen, well since his last attempt away to Man City a few weeks ago. How he escaped a yellow card is a mystery up there alongside Lord Lucan and Loch Ness.
You didn’t need to be Mystic Meg to divine how this game would be decided.
Regardless though of how many times Gerrard left his boot/elbow in, or Suarez managed to wave his arms, scream and keep a bit of spittle perfectly balanced on his left cheek, Tottenham’s downfall can be attributed solely to their own mistakes. Liverpool did nothing other than collect the gifts so graciously offered up to them.
The two factors that ultimately decided this game were the two individual mistakes from Kyle Walker and Jermain Defoe. They were wonderfully supported by Hugo Lloris and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, but these two were just collateral damage from the England duo’s unforgivable rickets.
On Thursday I along with many others witnessed a return to form from Walker. The right back seemed to be back to his pre-PFA Young Player of the Year Award, but at Anfield the moment he hit that wayward back pass he visibly regressed. Hopefully he can emerge from this a stronger player, as he possesses all the physical attributes to be a class right-back.
Full back is a highly specialised position and players need time to learn, adapt and become accustomed to their role. Look across some of the greatest players in that position over the last few years and you will notice a trait. Very few reach the height of their powers until much later in their career (Fabio Grosso, Cafu, Phillipe Lahm, Roberto Carlos, Ashley Cole etc) and usually after making a few mistakes along the way. Paolo Maldini apart very few 22 year-old full-backs are the finished article.
Walker will learn from that error, just as he did from his mistake at Chelsea. It is his ability to do the unexpected that makes him a great right back. If we want a robotic, never beaten in the air defender, then why don’t we “do a Stoke” and play Michael Dawson there?
Jermain Defoe meanwhile, will avoid castigation due to the fact that he isn’t Emmanuel Adebayor. Had that been the Togolese man slipping Suarez through past Benni, then I would have feared for his safety. Defoe however will escape most of the criticism, not that it would affect him anyway, the striker has self-belief by the Neapolitan ice-cream tub loads.
As the game petered out on Sunday, there was one thought I couldn’t shake, especially having seen Andros Townsend’s Man of the Match performance for QPR on Saturday. Although he is gaining valuable experience on loan at Loftus Road, I can’t help but feel that with Glyfi Sigurdsson legs disappearing in the last 20 minutes, perhaps Townsends speed and directness would have been a useful asset?
Regardless though of who we should have kept or signed, the issue remains that Spurs suffered a first Premier League defeat of 2013. We can take some solace from the fact that it was out of character for this Spurs team and hopefully, with better concentration in the future avoid a repeat.
In the long run this may actually benefit Spurs; if Liverpool believe they are in the hunt for a Champions League place perhaps this will encourage them to take points off Chelsea and Everton in the next few weeks. Although the likelihood they will have such accommodating opponents again is unlikely.
Spurs meanwhile need to focus on Inter, Fulham and 3rd place, perhaps therefore its fitting for Big Brendan to have the last words:
“We lost the battle, but the war going forward will very much be won if we keep performing.”
All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.
19 Comments
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11/03/2013 @ 1:20 pm
Just as Tottenhoof were delighted to take accept Liverpool’s gifts of slack marking for the first goal and a lucky gift of a bounce for the second goal.
Your over achieving little club lost, end of, move on.
11/03/2013 @ 1:36 pm
Over achieving little club at? That’s funny, I always thought anyone who know’s the game regarded spurs as massive underachievers over the last 20 years… So how can we be over achieving just by performing TK the level that is expected? Or are you too young to remember spurs (& therefore Liverpool also) being a top level club?
11/03/2013 @ 1:38 pm
We threw the game away end of, after being the better team and going ahead.. That is our problem and you get the 3 points… But we handed it to you on a plate…
11/03/2013 @ 1:26 pm
Oh how blinkered you ‘Tottingham Cocker-neys’ really are. In retort to diving, I will see your attempt at besmirching the Liverpool team with the ape like one, Mr G Bale.
Ooh, his poor boo boo he suffered when bad old Lucas tried to poke his eye out prior to your second goal. and at no point did he go to ground with minimum or zero contact.
Get a grip you biased git. The better team on the day won.
11/03/2013 @ 1:39 pm
this overachieving team played you off the park ,and only a self destruct button by 2 idiots ,how many shots on target was it you had how many saves did lloris have to make and as the writer said what does gerrard have to do to get booked ,break a leg perhaps he might of done ,if he could of got the ball of Dembele or Yan or got near them ,instead tried roughing us up that didnt work either
This was a team devoid of lennon.Sandro,Kaboul remember that for next season ,u have won 1 in last six games ,and a manager delusional ,we will get better ,in the mean time will U?????????????
coys!!
11/03/2013 @ 1:53 pm
thought you lot suppose to be witty ! with comments from our scum land
however did find your Managers comments after very witty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11/03/2013 @ 1:54 pm
You don’t book a home player for diving in front of the Kop, Steven Gerrard is invulnerable to yellow cards and dissent isn’t dissent if it comes out of the mouth of a Uruguayan.
Absolutely spot on, couldn’t believe what Suarez got away with, and how Gerrard didn’t get a card for serious foul play, he could have broken Bales neck. However in the Bale v Surez contest for player of the year, it has to go to the Liverpool man, his diving ability is second to none.
If we don’t finish in the top 4, then Walkers unbelievable error will be seen as the defining moment in the season. Under no pressure and with options to pass to both Dembele or Vertongon, his negative back pass was unforgivable. If your going to be a regular top four team, then he has tube replaced. Defoe was also culpable, playing no better than Adebayor, he is not a technical footballer, and his control at times is woeful. A one trick pony, but then we always new that our strikers were not good enough, we just hope that Levy’s gamble in the January transfer window pays off
15/03/2013 @ 8:09 pm
Madjeff, are you SAF in disguise, “he could have broken Bales neck”, it was a clash of heads pure and simple, there was nothing to book him for, unless having the temerity to actually challenge Bale is now an offence. Have you not noticed the distint lack of condemnation for this alleged assault, same goes for the Suarez “dive” when Assou-Ekotto makes no attempt to play the ball but plenty to play the man, the fact he doesn’t even try to argue shows he knew exactly what he was doing. This bitching about the referee didn’t do his job, does that apply to when the spurs defender stopped coutinho from slotting home a goal that should have put Liverpool 2 – 0 up and not giving a penalty either. What about Bale pretending that he had been struck in the face when replays clearly show he had’nt and the ref gave you a free kick that you scored from. Or does this not fit in with your delusional beliefs, the whole article is purile childish nonsense, it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if the writer was 8 years old, no attempt at all has been made to even try to be slightly objective, maybe you should think about changing the name of the site to the writing cocks, thats about the level of the writing.
11/03/2013 @ 1:55 pm
love the scousers, one win and they think they’re back. The better team didn’t win on the day. The better team made the mistakes that allowed you to take the game.
without them it was a Spurs victory all day long
11/03/2013 @ 2:06 pm
Although it was disappointing to lose in the manner that we did, I would say we were a touch fortunate to get awarded the free kick for our 2nd goal. See, I love Bale but his play acting winds me up something chronic. That holding of his face when he wasn’t even touched there is embarrassing and what you would expect of Suarez rather than one of our players. He’s a magnificent player but if he doesn’t watch out, his reputation will be tarnished for good.
I think we should also count ourselves lucky that Liverpool weren’t awarded at least one more penalty when their Brazilian up front was dragged down in the box in the 1st half, and that lunge on Johnson in the 2nd half could’ve been given as well. We defended way too rashly at times and although we were in control of the game for periods in the 1st and 2nd half we weren’t able to make that control count.
Onwards and upwards
COYS
11/03/2013 @ 2:16 pm
First piece of unbiased sense I’ve seen from a Spurs fan.
I’m a Liverpool fan and believe me, Suarez winds us up too. We don’t all rush to his aide when we see him act like an idiot. There were times yesterday when he was embarrassing. However for al his winding up, he did receive some rough treatment from the likes of Dembele, Parker & Vertonghen without them being reprimanded.
Bale seems to everyone else be protected and in this little bubble where her can do no wrong.
Not all LFC fans are blinkered and to be honest I think a draw would have been a fair result. We were also ones who self destructed for both your goals with poor marking. Yes you had more shots, but they were either blocked or our piss poor keeper managed to get something on to it and keep them out.
We aren’t back with the big boys and until we can produce big wins week in week out, we will remain not even nearly men.
11/03/2013 @ 4:33 pm
In case you haven’t noticed… It’s the Press that have decided to make BALE the new Messiah, not us Spurs fans.. yes of course we love him, for what he’s doing for the team, and if you actually hear him speak, he is a genuine, nice humble lad… If you think Spurs fans want Bale hyped all over the place, resulting in one of the Galactico Clubs coming in for him, you are all deluded… Lay off the lad, he’s a good kidie with talent a plenty and at the moment one of the most exciting players in the premier league.. He may just make the difference in pushing us up to where we deserve.. If you want to go hate, go hate Chelsea or City, not a properly run, traditional, passing football team like us..
11/03/2013 @ 2:09 pm
Spurs were nothing special yesterday, nor were Liverpool, in truth apart from the opener there no fortunate goals in this game, just shocking defending all round, there isn’t much between these two clubs and the only discernible difference is one is 17 points behind United and the other 26, embarrassing bragging rights won I suppose lol . Neither will be a threat now or in foreseeable future. Just another pair of those wannabe clubs that will alternate their positions with others over the coming years while occasionally competing for the trifles and leftovers honours and never offering a true challenge in the league.
Fergie’s Boot
11/03/2013 @ 4:02 pm
I feared a disappointing result against Liverpool ..as they’re on the up again. But at 2-1, and until the silly errors, I thought we were in solid control. It’s great to see the way Spurs play these days, and older supporters like me know the club has been a sleeping giant for years ..with just two League Cup victories since our last FA Cup victory in 1991. So we are not an OVER-achieving club ..we’re just a club with a great history which has just awoken from the longest of our slumbers. From the early 1960s to the late 1990s, the 5 biggest clubs (ie most money and influence) in the League were Man U, Liverpool, Everton, Spurs and Arsenal. Now there are 8 ..with Chelsea, Newcastle and City. Liverpool may have won 5 European Cups but the first English team to win it was Man U, while we were the first English team to reach the semis of that competition, in 1962. However, a year later, Spurs were the first English team to win ANY European trophy …the old European Cup Winner’s Cup in 1963 ..the ‘FA Cup’ winners from each European country taking part. Spurs then became, in 1972, the first English team to win TWO different European trophies ..winning the the old EUFA Cup. Of course, Liverpool from 1977 onwards, then strode out as the leading English team of all time by winning 4 European Cups by the time of Heysel. Spurs too, by 1991, had won the FA Cup more than any other club, and had added a third European trophy ..so we were still a dominant force. So OK, the last 22 years have not been great for us ..just two League Cup wins and two League Cup losses in 4 finals, lots of FA Cup Semi finals but no final ..but in the past 8 years we’ve had five or six top 4 or 5 finishes and a run to the quarters of the CL, losing only to Real Madrid. So PLEASE don’t insult us, Mr Liverpool fan, by saying we’re currently OVER-achieving. If you know or understand anything about football or its history (and not just Liverpool history ..which you’re probably oblivious to also) you’ll know that maybe it’s both our clubs’ time again!
11/03/2013 @ 5:18 pm
Hear hear Chris – anyone who knows ANYTHING about English football since the abolition of the minimum wage in 1961 (the first cataclysmic change before the formation of the Premier League) knows that Spurs are an under-performing BIG club, not the over-ambitious SMALL club that teenage fans of the likes of Chelsea or City (and even some Spurs supporters!) seem to believe. I’m just about able to remember Liverpool coming out of the old Second Division in 1962, but Chelsea and City were lower division regulars not that long ago, and Man U were gracing Division Two with players like Jim Holton in the ’70s – only Arsenal have avoided the drop in that time, but Spurs have almost always been better-supported, at least until the advent of the Emirates. Yes – our record since the days of Gascoigne and Lineker has been woeful, but even at our lowest ebb we’ve had players like Ginola and Klinsmann, Sheringham and Anderton etc., so how we can be ‘over-achievers’ with so many stars and so little to show for it in terms of trophies is beyond me.
11/03/2013 @ 5:49 pm
Sorry – ‘maximum’ not ‘minimum’!
15/03/2013 @ 8:14 pm
Quite agree Mr Boyd Waters, with a record like that your up with the likes of Leeds, Villa and Forrest, don’t bow down to these uppity scousers.
15/03/2013 @ 8:19 pm
Cheshuntboy “so how we can be ‘over-achievers’ with so many stars and so little to show for it in terms of trophies is beyond me” Read what he says “current overacheivers” hope it’s not beyond you anymore.
15/03/2013 @ 8:23 pm
Also from reading your post, do you not feel that by making the point of a distinct lack of sucess you completely undermine the point of being sleeping giants made by Mr Boyd Waters and his list of your accomplishments.