Dont call it a comeback….

By: Drew | December 18th, 2008

   

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…it was a draw.

Let’s be honest… for anyone who saw the Uefa cup game today would have to agree that the two goals for Spartak Moscow in the first half were entirely on the fault of our backline. Gilberto’s brain fart on his first appearance under Harry let Artem Dzyuba sneak in a cheeky nut meg on Gomes. Then a little later on in the first half we got caught on a counter attack and our backline was left on it’s heels and Dzyuba snuck another one past Gomes in a 1v1 situation.

At the half it appeared that the side that most notably bore ManU’s Nemanja Vidic, Boroughs Emanuel Pogatetz, and our very own Roman Pavlyuchenko, might have been a bit too much for our experimental lineup.

Our starting 11 in the first half was made up of Gunter, Zakora, Dawson, and Gilberto in the back. Bently, O’hara, Huddlestone, and Bale in Mid. and Modric sitting in behind Campbell. Needless to say it wasn’t working for us, so Harry made the decision to sub Lennon in at the half to drop Bale back to defense and Lennon taking his position up the right wing.

The second half began much as most of the first half went with Spurs dominating possession all over the field, only this time the back seemed a bit more tidy. Then in the 67th minute Luka Modric met with a cross by Lennon in the box and rifled it into the back of the net. Ending his current goalless slump and making it 1-2, giving Spurs fan’s a glimmer of hope that we’d take at least a point from this match.

We continued to move the ball around well over the next few minutes when Tom Huddlestone met with a Cross sent into the box by Gareth Bale to make it 2-2 in the 74th minute.

Overall i would have to give the Man of the match to Jamie O’hara. He was all over the place and his close control was absolutely top drawer. In a close second would be Modric, only thing hindering him was his constant fading in and out during the second half. And on a second note Gomes’ continued mistakes may be overshadowing his past great clean sheets, this all begs the question on whether or not Harry will go looking for another keeper in window, what do you all think?

Elsewhere in the Uefa cup bracket we Saw Nec Nijmegen beat Udinese 2-0 which takes them through in third place right behind us with Udinese leading the group. Should be interesting to see who we draw in the Knock out round.

But in more important news we have a very important match with Newcastle this sunday, and the fact that we are tied with them in the table means we have to get a win away. And as previously stated The window opens up in two weeks, Who do you think would be a good purchase for Spurs this time round?

Some Related Spurs Posts:

Category: Game Review, Harry Redknapp, Team News, UEFA Cup

   

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Comments  

• Sam |  December 18th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

  
  
  

  Christ… firstly I had to miss the match because of school. And Udinese lost so that makes the mistakes we made in this match SOOOOOO much more costly… Ah well, let’s hope for an interesting tie. The draw is tomorrow!

  

• Alex |  December 18th, 2008 at 5:48 pm

  
  
  

  I never thought I’d miss BAE at left fullback, but Gilberto’s game today was absolutely terrible (at least he’s definitely on the way out, as confirmed by Harry after the match).

  

• Ronald |  December 18th, 2008 at 7:04 pm

  
  
  

  “…I been here for years, Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear, Makin the tears rain down like a MON-soon, Listen to the bass”…..oh wait, we’re not singing

  i’ll get my coat.

  

• Phil M. |  December 18th, 2008 at 7:14 pm

  
  
  

  Bale should be playing on the left mid he showed last year with his runs and his cross in this game was awesome be it from the left back position..I loved how harry axed gilberto after the match to hahaha

  

• Anthony |  December 18th, 2008 at 9:27 pm

  
  
  

  Phil, I agree, I liked seeing Bale run the left flank today, he’s obviously weak defensively so I think that’s his perfect position. As for axing Gilberto, I don’t think he so much did that as confirmed what we already suspected. Its evident that Gilberto just doesn’t fit into the English game and hasn’t adapted like was supposed to so he should definitely move onto another team.

  It will also give us a bit more cash to play around with in January (also if BAE does go back to France like he mentioned) and we can buy that experienced left back, central midfielder, striker, and left back.

  It’s a shame Bostock and another couple youngsters didn’t play and I wonder why ‘Arry didn’t actually substitute Modric after he scored because he pulled his muscle on one of the previous plays. Hopefully he’ll be fit for the Newcastle match.

  

• Phil M. |  December 18th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

  
  
  

  I heard rumors about finnan today and janko from red bull salzburg and some gambian 22 year old mid fielder who knows whats gonna happen…robbie keane maybe but L19 may stop that haha

  

• Drew |  December 19th, 2008 at 12:10 am

  
  
  

  yeah bale played very well on the wing, and today’s game really gave Gunter a chance to show off his defensive ability.

  I know BAE wants to go back to France, but Harry seems to like the guy. So unless he is able to find a good replacement i don’t see us letting him go just yet.

  And Anthony, I agree on the Modric point. Perhaps it wasn’t as serious as it was made out to be, or Harry wanted to leave him in after scoring.

  We all knew there was a reason we hadn’t seen Gilberto much this season, and this was clearly it. Enough said.
  COYS!