Spurs once again fell short when faced with the behemoth Man City, who even though they didn't need any help, had a two gentlemen in black throwing aid at them.
Spurs flattened by City and men in black
I am unsure whether it was morbid fascination, a reluctance to walk in the rain or the supporter in me that made me stay until the final whistle. Many had already left by the time the referee put the game to rest, but in truth he along with his assistant had pulled the plug 40 minutes earlier.
Spurs had been on the end of a football tornado for the first 30 minutes, but having emerged from the eye of the storm with one only goal against them, the side were visibly growing into the game.
This was perhaps the most upsetting thing about the decision to award City a penalty and remove Danny Rose from the action. Spurs were getting better, I am not going to say we would have won, but we would certainly have made them sweat. Manchester City, reaped the rewards of gross refereeing/assisting incompetence.
In a match worth millions, into which billions have been poured from the clubs, the fans and the satellites orbiting earth, it was ended by a chap in black paid less than the person who drove the Victoria line train that took me to Seven Sisters.
[linequote]having emerged from the eye of the storm with one only goal against them, the side were visibly growing into the game[/linequote]
The ref saw the tackle and did nothing, then his confidence crumbled as he took the advice off a man blind-sided and gave a penalty. He then compounded his error by sending off Rose. Game over:
“Ladies and gentlemen, please make for the nearest exit or for those of you at home switch to the latest reality show, it will be far less predictable than the next forty minutes at the Lane.”
In truth though the next forty were actually worthwhile as they provided us an insight into our Spurs team, manager and support.
The team rallied, the support rallied. Like Leonidas facing thousands of rampaging Persians we somehow united. There is nothing like a giant throbbing sky blue mass of adversity and a couple of prats in black to make us feel as one.
This was despite a heavy StubHub presence that was obvious from the amount of American, Nordic and European accents swirling around the concourse. I am against what StubHub stands for and how it pits us against each other in order to make money, but last night there were a few incidents in my block where it crossed my mind that perhaps it would be better if some of the “old school” fans took more time off.
I used to enjoy the Park Lane lower front rows, but I am finding my love slowly dissolving.
Last night my love reached a new low, partly due to one person. The gentleman in the hat, with the attitude, the humongous belly, “banter” with the stewards and the casual racism towards anyone who sings “come on you Spurs” in an accent he would never hear in his local eatery as he tucks into another heart straining portion of bacon and eggs.
This man however shouldn’t deflect from what was a decent response from the crowd in dire circumstances. It was an isolated event, but one that makes me wish I had done something at the time rather than commenting here.
Once again though it needs reiterating, the crowd were good. It was a marked improvement from the Palace game.
[linequote]The team rallied, the support rallied. Like Leonidas facing thousands of rampaging Persians we somehow united[/linequote]
On the Spurs bench there was plenty of other issues for the management team to ponder. The biggest doubt hanging over the head of Tim Sherwood is his ability to see the game tactically. Starting with Nabil Bentaleb and Mousa Dembele may have been an error forced upon him due to injuries and form, but his lack of speed in correcting the team’s imbalance after Rose was sent off can be questioned.
Why did it take him so long to bring another defender on?
Surely a substitution could have been made before the penalty? If for no other purpose than to slow the game down and give Yaya Toure an extra couple of minutes to question where he was going to place the penalty?
Failing that, why not a substitution immediately after the penatly?
Instead Spurs dallied and only after the profligate Edin Dzeko had scored the third did a defender appear. It was too late though. Two nil down with ten men against City? Impossible. Three down with ten men? Forget about it.
The other issue to emerge from the sidelines was the decision to persist with Emmanuel Adebayor for the full ninety minutes. We have been made fully aware that he is a key player in Sherwood’s Spurs, if that is the case why play him for the entire game and have him run himself into the ground?
Surely it would have been prudent to remove him in preparation for Sunday’s trip to Hull?
What has Roberto Soldado done to upset the hierarchy so much that he can’t even get a run out with twenty minutes to go in a game that has flat-lined?
As for the team itself there were moments of promising intensity and desire, but on the whole we lacked across the board. Hamstrung by injuries, crippled by poor performances, in particular from Aaron Lennon and Glyfi Siggurdsson, and ultimately outclassed by superior opponents.
[linequote]As for the team itself there were moments of promising intensity and desire, but on the whole we lacked across the board[/linequote]
Had we been able to field Jan Vertonghen, Sandro and Paulinho perhaps the score would have been different, but the result?
City have a style. They have a plan and a system that suits them. They also have an host of gifted, confident and most importantly, settled players.
Earlier this season we saw ourselves asphyxiated by too much planning, and now free from a tactical choke hold we find ourselves needing at least some token restraint or planning.
There is still much for Sherwood to do to convince us he is the one, and for the players to suggest they can wrestle fourth place off Liverpool. At least we can be grateful to have seen the last of the City bulldozer for 2013/14.
[author name=”ARLombardi” avatar=”https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/378800000789662677/0ad5704c93624459c70b906dab544185_bigger.jpeg” bio=”I read, I write, I speak, I edit for The Fighting Cock” twitter=”ARLombardi[/linequote]
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.
22 Comments
Would you like to write for The Fighting Cock?
30/01/2014 @ 1:01 pm
I imagine that at 2-0 down after the pen, the gambler and optimist in Tim thought he’d hold on for 5 minutes to see what happened. I think it’s a fair shout, because if a miracle happens and we get back to 2-1 there’s hope – but as soon as we go 3-0 down he knew he’s in damage limitation territory – which hardly worked either, so it didn’t really matter either way!
I think you’re right though, it was a tall order to expect any points from that game, so maybe better not to rush the freshly available back into the team and risk a set back. The next month is far more important than last night.
30/01/2014 @ 1:29 pm
I’ll declare myself a city supporter up front so everyone knows where I’m coming from.
A very lyrical article Mr Lombardi but, a terribly bitter header to it. Yes, the men in black gave some very difficult decisions against you but, ones, in the end, I think they got right. The disallowed goal, not sure Dawson was off side, even after several replays from a couple of angles and computer aided graphics yet, the men in black had to make their decision in “real time” without the benefit of replays. Yet all that is irrelevant as, your manager confirmed in his post match interview that Adebayor had got a touch on the way to Dawson and he WAS off side.
The penalty decision? Unfortunately, the game is becoming a non contact sport, to one brought up on the likes of Norman Hunter, Billy Bremner, Chopper Harris and Tommy Smith this is an anathema to me but the rules are the rules and you just can’t make that sort of challenge from behind that led to the penalty these days. The sending off was very harsh but again, that’s the rules these days and he had to go for it.
Apart from those two, admittedly incredibly important decisions, what else went against you, I felt we got very little from the men in black, for example when your sub came on and trampled all over Silva with the Ref even speaking to him.
The fact is, you have a very adequate team but not one to challenge for the title against the best, give Sherwood (or whoever is in charge next season) to build a team that can challenge, don’t let over optimism fool you into thinking yoy are acapable of challenging YET.
30/01/2014 @ 1:37 pm
The challenge wasn’t from behind! he won the ball with an unbelievable tackle!
if you think that was a penalty you need to go and grow a brain in your nut!
The head of referees went on sky this morning and said it wasn’t a pen or a sending off!
Twat!
However i do agree that 9/10 times city would beat us. But decisions like that completely change games and you never know what could have happend!
30/01/2014 @ 2:04 pm
The rule about challenging from behind is no longer in the laws of the game, so you can’t give a penalty due to the direction of the tackle.
30/01/2014 @ 3:12 pm
Rose touched the ball, but didn’t change it’s direction or clear it from Dzeko, all he did was stop Dzeko being able to pull his foot back for a shot because his legs were there, foul anywhere else on the pitch so why not in the box? Just because the ball is touched doesn’t mean it’s a fair tackle…
31/01/2014 @ 11:54 pm
it was a great tackle and has been proved so by his red card being rescinded, yes dannys legs were there he was on the pitch making a great tackle, did you want him to stand back and let dzeko shoot. Penalty, sending off, goal, no it was a corner
30/01/2014 @ 4:17 pm
Why so aggressive and insulting, can’t express yourself otherwise?
If it wasn’t from behind, I’d love to know where he was, do tell.
I think you’ll find the law states that a player must be in control of his body when making a challenge, Rose wasn’t as he followed through and felled Dzeko hence, penalty. As I said, in my playing days it would have been applauded by all in the stadium, veryharsh to get sent off for it.
30/01/2014 @ 3:03 pm
Even the arrogance that comes with striding toward the league title one oil-dripping step at a time can’t surely make you think that the game was over at 1-0? We conceded a penalty and had a man sent off when neither were the correct decisions. At 1-0 we were coming more and more into the game and always had a chance. And asking “what else” went against us after having a goal disallowed and a penalty wrongly given against us with a man sent off in the process is laughable.
30/01/2014 @ 3:14 pm
The post, one Lloris word class save and Dzeko not being able to shoot were the only reason it was 1-0, game would of been no different city were all over spuds, even with you lot trying to kicksilva off the pitch!
30/01/2014 @ 4:20 pm
Where on earth do I say the game was over at 1-0?
I feel confident we would have won without the pen but, I certainly never said it was over at 1-0.
And again, why so aggressive and insulting?
30/01/2014 @ 6:31 pm
When did I insult you? You’re a successful team because your own rich owners pay for that success. You bought the league 2 years ago and look to have done it again. That fact isn’t an insult, it’s a truth that everyone can see
30/01/2014 @ 8:21 pm
Wasn’t replying to you Yids, I was replying to Calums post.
Not sure what you’re point is about oil money considering how much Spuds spent this summer, what a joke that was.
30/01/2014 @ 1:32 pm
I don’t understand the point in bringing naughton on. Hes not up to it playing at left back.
Tim should have just gone for it. I didn’t look at the bench as i arrived as the game started but he should have brought on chadli and started to play it up top as quick as possible,not pretty i know but having said that we were so dominated in midfield it was the way forward.
Even if you take damage limitation into account and we only lost 3-1 it doesn’t matter because liverpool are so far ahead on goals scored, that if it came down to the last game of the season and it went to goal difference we would lose out anyway.
Tim said we would attack them – I don’t think that happened the whole game because we were set up so defensive. Siggurdson and rose had a dual left back role together!
Ultimately the ref ruined the game but i felt we should have gone for it more at 3-1! If we would have got it to 3 -2 by launching it up field the crowed would have been going crazy and i think city would have bottled it.
30/01/2014 @ 4:28 pm
If you were set up defensively last night, you need a whole new defence!
30/01/2014 @ 2:52 pm
Lessons will be learned,hopefully.
30/01/2014 @ 2:59 pm
The key issue with football is that it’s key decision makers are incompetent and completely out of touch with modern sport. Great that we now have goal line technology, but both UEFA and FIFA need to go a whole lot further than that. If a team we was allowed three challenges per half when there was a break in play, then Danny Rose would never have been sent off and the score at that point in time would have been 1-1. End of !
Whilst people are asked to pay £75 a ticket to watch incompetent mediocre officials referee football matches without video assistance then games like last nights will continue to be ruined as a spectator sport for anyone other than, in this instance, a Manchester City or Liverpool supporter.
But whilst cricket and tennis continues to get their act together, some of the morons like Platini that operate in the hierarchy of the football establishments, even struggle to appreciate that issues like racism may exist. Instead we watch football in a world where the “officials” are never asked to explain there actions to the masses, and that a linesman who most obviously has come from another planet, and appears to have little knowledge of the rules of the game, are making key decisions which may inadvertently cost teams, promotion, relegation or millions of pounds in revenue through non qualification to the Europa or Champions League.
But come next week the same linesman and Andre Marriner will be officiating somewhere else, the public will know nothing of what has been said to them after last night’s debacle, and the world of football will be no further forward even after the next incident.
As for last night, Spurs rallied well at times, in the face of adversity, but not quite sure why Bentaleb was chosen as he was well out of his depth playing against Man City and Spurs would have been better off to start with Epoue.
30/01/2014 @ 4:27 pm
I understand what you’re saying about technology to help make decisions but, just two thoughts here.
1. As I said, despite countless replays from at least 2 camera angles and with the aid of computer graphics, no one could or would commit for definite as to whether the goal was offside or not, all the pundits and commentators “thought” this or that but, none were definite.
2. If we had a Ref up in the stand to watch replays etc and advise the on field Ref, wouldn’t we lose all these talking points we love the morning after. Personally, I’m happy with the way things are, I think it would be sterile without them.
30/01/2014 @ 6:37 pm
Its easy to be happy with the way things are when you’re benefiting from bad decisions. It’s worked to your advantage against Newcastle and Spurs in a matter of weeks
30/01/2014 @ 8:22 pm
Oh dear Yids, you really are a poor loser aren’t you.
Instead of bitter un thought out replies, why not try giving considered replies to my points, we might take you seriously then.
30/01/2014 @ 10:04 pm
Evening Glowey, your comment re: how much we spent in the summer.That money was spent from a player that we developed through the last two years and reluctantly (from a supporters view) being transferred to RM.Man City are a great footballing Side, I was at the game last nite & was impressed with the quality of your team. The squad that Pelligrini has at his disposal has been assembled by unlimited finance by the owner/chairman.Level playing field? Don’t get me wrong I’m in no way envious of your success,true Spurs supporters don’t really want to subscribe to Levys money means everything policy .
30/01/2014 @ 10:46 pm
And you believe we want the Arab money?
Far rather go back to the days of clubs surviving on their gates and the beer/pie sales but, sadly, those days are long gone. How have Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and to a slightly lesser extent Spuds remained at the top for so long and I don’t just mean after SKY got involved? Not really hard to figure out is it so, if money is the only way to succeed, I’d rather have enough to compete with those teams than not and start competing.
31/01/2014 @ 9:08 pm
Guess we have different values Glowey.You seem content to buy any success that you may achieve.Hope you win the prem this season, you have bought the most entertaining team,Chelsea will prob come second, because they could buy the second most entertaining team.I to was brought up with Bremner & Co.sad the way the game has gone.