Man måste göra mål för att vinna
Det hjälper inte att man skapar flera bra chanser eller att man har mest bollinnehav man måste sätta bollen i målet om man ska vinna matchen.
Southampton har inte förlorat hemma den här säsongen och det höll i sig även denna match. Det var en match där Southampton tydligt visade att man behöver inte vara det bästa laget för att vinna det räcker med att ha Beattie.
Hoddle hade ställt upp med en annorlunda uppställning till den här matchen. Antagligen någon variant på den som står här ovanför. Eftersom jag är en vän av kontinuitet så förstår jag inte varför han håller på att kasta runt spelarna, men han har förhoppningsvis någon bra anledning. Davies fanns inte med i 16 manna truppen och jag har inte hittat någon anledning till hans frånvaro, men vi får hoppas att det inte är något allvarligt.
Vi började matchen med att Carr slår en bra frispark som Teddy får precis utanför mål. Resten av matchen fortsätter i en kurs om hur man missar målet. I det första 20 minuterna av andra halvlek jagade vi ett ledningsmål och har chans på chans, men bollen ville inte gå in. Keane hade flera bra chanser och King fick nästan bollen i mål efter en hörna. Även Teddy hade chans att i alla fall fixa så vi fick med oss en pinne, men nej. Beattie gjorde som han brukade och avgjorde matchen i den 81 minuten.
Hoddle sa efter matchen:
"It was very frustrating. In the last two games we should have had four points and we've got nothing. We've played well enough to have won them both.
I thought we were the better team today but we were finished by a clinical finish.
Southampton put you under pressure and we are going to have to become clinical ourselves if we are going to finish off teams.
We're getting into lots of good positions and making good opportunities but things are not going our way. We have got to believe in ourselves. If we keep playing like that we will win football matches."
Eftersom jag inte såg matchen själv så sätter jag in omdömerna från TopSpurs:
Keller (7/10) – Had no chance with the goal but otherwise had a decent day – dealing well with a few shots on a difficult surface and catching his crosses
Carr (7/10) – Another very solid display from Carr, playing with a spirit and determination sadly lacking in some of his team mates. He has 2.5 years to go on his contract according to old Pleaty – if he plays with his current level of passion for that time and Spurs do not break into the Champions League, he has my blessing to go anywhere – even to Arsenal to realise his footballing ambitions.
Taricco (6/10) – A decent display from Treacle. Solid enough defensively and giving good width in attacks. Also good to know that he lacks nothing in bravery giving 100% in all challenges
King (6/10) – Has had a couple of mixed matches over Christmas but bounced back with a decent display
Richards (6/10) – Had an good match apart from the 82nd minute where he was turned by Beattie in the same way Radsinski had done him for Everton on the opening day which meant the difference between a win and a draw then and between a draw a defeat today
Perry (7/10) – Mr Ed has had a mixed Christmas – being at fault for 4 of the 6 goals Spurs conceded in the previous three matches over Christmas as well as scoring his first goal for over two years, but today he was back to his best. Good blocks and tackles and decent use of the ball. No matter how he plays, he has never been found wanting in bravery and in todays conditions this attribute came to the fore
Bunjevcevic (5/10) – Still cannot work him out. He had a decent match today apart from one incident which drove me mad when he kicked the ball off after Carr had left a Southampton player on the floor when bravely winning the ball. We cannot afford people who are not 100% focussed on winning.
Freund (4/10) – Can’t pass, has a modest record when tackling and is not quick enough for the midfield of a premiership team. As I have said before, all credit to him for battling back from the second of his serious knee injuries, but he is not good enough to be in a Spurs team challenging for the champions league.
Sheringham (6/10) – Should have scored from a Carr free kick in the second minute – a typical Tottenham miss and did ok in the creative aspects of his deeper midfield role today, but was not there defensively leaving us short and was not there after the 60th minutes when the empty signs were up
Iversen (5/10) – Copped a fair bit of flak from the supporters – and while some aspects of his attitude warrant this, he was not that bad for the first 70 minutes. Not good don’t get me wrong – he is simply not good enough for Spurs but he did ok not helped by his clumsy oaf style. Like Ted he was running on empty for the last 20 minutes and should have been the one to make way for Poyet not Bunje or Treacle
Keane (6/10) – Oh Rabbi!!!!!!! Keane was our best and worst player (apart from Sharon) today. He created most of our chances and then did not manage to convert at least one of them for a goal. His running away from headers bugs be even when he is scoring brilliant goals and when he is not it is criminal and someone needs to have a word
Subs: -
Anderton (3/10) – Played like a total and utter cunt. Had about 10 passes in 20 minutes, all of which went astray. At the start of his 10 seasons with Spurs Anderton has been world class but the last time he showed that in a Spurs shirt was a long, long time ago, and apart from the odd match is just not good enough to play central midfield in a team that wants to be challenging at the top of the league
Poyet (5/10) – Not have much of an impact. He was awol from his left sided role when the Saints broke out for the goal but that is as much an issue for the manager who should not have placed this responsibility on Poyet or removed Treacle (unless his hand was forced by injury)
Acimovic (5/1)
