So last night saw the final nail hammered into our top 4 coffin. Once again, there was little surprise in how the game unfolded. We dominated possession and looked, no, we were the better team but didn’t get the job done.
Few great chances were created and those that were we missed. Man City for their part did what they’ve done for most of the season and that was try to win at all costs. Mancini wouldn’t have lasted that long at Spurs with the style of football he likes to play but all credit to City. Our failure to cement our place in the top 4 of a poor league this season isn’t down to them or anyone other than ourselves. The simple fact of the matter is, at least from my point of view, is we should’ve walked it this season.
Last season as Crouch scored the winning goal in the same spot as he steered his unfortunate own goal last night we’d amassed 70 points from 37 games. This season we’re sitting on 56 from 36 games. A simple parity with last season would’ve seen us now sitting in the top 3. How that isn’t seen as a decline in performance I don’t know but instead of going on about it again I’m going to use some quotes that Redknapp made after last nights game to help us put things into perspective.
In case you’re feeling upset by the apparent missed opportunity to really push on this season and are wondering quite how we’re finishing behind a Man City team that doesn’t look to have improved on last season and will probably finish behind a Liverpool team that had it’s worse start in 50 years as well as changing managers and owners, ‘Arrys sarcastic quip should help:
“I’m going to go and commit suicide, it’s so sad” – in laymens terms, get over it.
It seems this run of 9 points from 10 games isn’t a lack of form so we shouldn’t worry. To suggest it’s relegation form would be stupid too, especially as most of the teams in that battle have managed to get a similar points tally in the last 6 games. If we were to lose an Anfield, and lets face it, it wouldn’t be the first time then our form is likely to be the second worse in the league but who am I to suggest such a thing when the man in charge says:
“We’ve been in good form, much better than the results have shown.”
Aren’t form and results related quite heavily? Don’t blame the strikers either. In fact it’s not just the strikers we should be blaming here although good one’s would move defenders about and put away chances but blame has to be laid at others feet too. Modric last night missed a glorious chance but then I guess if he added goalscoring to his talents we’d definitely lose him this summer. So it’s a lack of killer instinct running throughout the entire squad. Oh hang on, what’s that?
“It’s not a lack of killer instinct.” – WOW, much like turning down the Suarez deal because “he’s no better than what we already have” this worries me.
Speaking of Modric, he’s a player we need to keep hold of this summer. We all know that. I have my own feelings on Bale that I shouldn’t really go into because it gets people angry but lets just say if we were offered £20m+ plus Adam Johnson and Shay Given from Man City (rumoured) I’d bite their hands off. Anyway, so we’ve got to keep our best players unless silly offers come in which would ultimately improve the team and that means keeping those players happy which they won’t be at the moment. Making sure they know we’ll be improving the team with quality:
“I don’t know if we’ve got any money to spend. We will have to wait and see – if not we will get on with it and go again.”
That’s encouraging then. This season has split fans right down the middle. There are those who believe it’s been great, one of the best they can remember and if you compare it to 10 years ago I guess there’s little argument that it’s been better. Then there are those who feel let down by it. Not that it’s been a poor season by any means but certainly not as great as some make out.
“Over the whole season it’s been a great season. Probably the best Tottenham have had in God knows how long.”
I love moments like this because it makes me feel like God. I know the answer, as we all probably do. In God knows how long he states. Let’s try the best season since the last one. Last season was better than this surely? What about before that? 2008/09 wasn’t great although the second half was decent thanks to Redknapps arrival (I give credit where it’s due) and we managed to finish on 51 points which is likely to be only 8 less than this season. 2007/08 was a disaster but before that were the two seasons Martin Jol managed to guide a team with Teemu Tainio and Steed Malbranque in it to back to back 5th place finishes, both with higher points than we can get this season. That was also against a tougher top 4 and with players he had no say over signing. So in answer to the it’s been the best season Tottenham have had in God know’s how long I’d have to say it’s been the 4th best season in the last 6. Not quite the same.
Finally, just in case the already dark cloud above Mr Redknapp’s head gets serious and fans on mass genuinely start questioning whether he’s taken the club as far as he can or worse the board start asking themselves the same question, lets not forget the most important thing in all of this:
“We had two points from eight games, so we’ve improved the players here rather than gone out and spent money. We hadn’t made it before and this was our first year in it.”
I hear he’s had that tattooed on Sandra’s right breast. Whatever happens from this point forward there’s no doubt in my mind if we manage to hold onto our best players and add the one’s we should’ve added last summer we’ll be in the mix again next season and if we could just get on with things instead of making excuse after excuse while being honest when we’ve been poor we could go forward instead of slip further backwards like we have this year.
COYS
Submitted by THFC1882
