To their credit they did not let us carve open a clear-cut chance in front of goal, our best opportunities coming from crosses and longer-range efforts. Praise is due particularly to their ‘keeper Simonsen for the full-length fingertip stuff, and also for impressively began his time-wasting with just 24 minutes showing on the big clock.
Hudd: The Debate Rumbles On…
In his defence, his passing ability was rather stifled by the soul-destroying lack of movement from team-mates, and also by the fact that it is pretty darned difficult to play an incisive ball behind a deep eight-man defence.
The case for the prosecution however, will point to numerous aimless balls punted in all directions, as well a curious determination to nip in the bud any counter-attacking impetus we had, by slowing down the game or conceding possession as we looked to scamper forward.
… And Niko Kranjcar, Don’t Think You’re Getting Let Off Lightly Sonny
Like Hudd, Kranjcar is a player of good technique ( he does strike a sweet long-range shot), which renders it all the more perplexing that these two insisted on so many touches whenever they received possession yesterday. The notion of slick, pacey one-touch football seemed a million miles away, and the problem was compounded by the frequent misplacing of passes, short and long, or dawdling on the ball to get caught in possession. This was Stoke’s cue to swing a leg and hoist the ball into orbit, for Dawson to head back, and begin the process all over again.
I and 30,000-odd fellow spectators can be notoriously fickle, and the grumblings of discontent tend to filter through sharpish at the Lane when matters are not going to plan. In such circumstances we need at least to see the players looking like they are playing with some urgency, so it is perhaps unfortunate that the Hudd and Kranjcar simply bear the appearance of sluggishness, even if they are working their socks off. Both appeared guilty of rocking on their heels too frequently yesterday, in common with various other team-mates.
Energy From Lennon and Jenas
It appeared that salvation might come from the unlikely source of Jenas, and he deserves credit for his earnestness and energy – but Gazza Mk II he ain’t, and his willing alone was not enough to fashion a clear chance.
While I have singled out Hudd and Kranjcar, the general lack of movement was galling, and we were also undone by the players working at cross-purposes throughout. Simple give-and-goes went awry as players gave and didn’t go, or both went at the same time, or generally were looking in the wrong direction at the crucial moment; and a Stoke player duly swung a leg, and Dawson headed back, and it all began again, as the sound of weeping began to emanate from AANP Towers.
Good news part two – we’re still in the top four, as the dropping of expected points is rather becoming the vogue amongst our rivals this season.
Good news part three – I think we’d all take a defeat to Stoke if it could be followed by a win at l’Arse…
As ever, all are
15 replies on “Spurs 0-1 Stoke: A Spot of Hudd-Bashing”
Never ever give credit to rubbish teams like Stoke for not playing football, trying to injure players and not trying to win the game.
Thanks
The team needs to be able to realise when its not working we needed a player like modric who can make an opening happen we really don’t seem to have a player like that except maybe keene who should of been given the chance of playing that role.It’s quite clear that lobbing high balls for crouch to nod in does not work sometimes and another approach is needed trying to walk the ball in when teams get behind the ball just is not going to work plus side is, at least we tried and modric seems to be near to playing again after arsenal game hopefully
Keep thinking Stoke have only plan A (hoofball …). Did you not see the goal we scored … and did you not see our bench warmers Lawrence, Kitson, Tuncay included. Get used to it Spurs fans …. we’ll be seeing you at the Lane for a few more years to come. Spurs are a really good team so what did you expect us to do … roll over and let you tickle our bellies?? Actually, we did that against Manure a month ago, but it won’t happen again. We are a hard working team with no showboaters …. and we tried to sign Crouch, Huddlestone, Jenas, Bentley (on loan) and Krancky yard in the summer. Glad we didn’t on yesterday’s showing. Godd luck for the season …. see you at the Bear Pit (Britannia).
One thing to lose to a decent team, but it’s a bit galling when it’s a team that just runs around clattering into our players. Sure, it was a well taken goal, but wasn’t that a Lennon shaped space Whelan was in? He took out Lennon with a slide tackle from behind about 10 metres from the corner flag, for fecks sake.
When Spurs desire to scoe a goal exceeds the opponents desire to stop them scoring a goal, then spurs can make the top four. Chelsea or ManUre yesterday would probably have ‘engineered’ a penalty or free kick just outside the area. Spurs have lost to the big four many times that way.
Good point about the captain’s armband and ‘on-field’ leadership.
thought that was totally unfair on huddlestone (or puddles as my friend calls him). he played well. It simply just wasnt our day. we could play that game 10 times and win 9. got to give credit to pulis and stoke. brilliantly organised and rode their luck.
there is no need to panic. the one player i’d worry about is keane. i’ve always defended him because his work rate is so awesome and he’s always capable of a nice ball or goal. but i think nows the time to rest him for a while. i think we could do with Carlton Cole up front. Drogba bashes these teams up. I think we need someone similar and Carltinho (as the spammers call him) is the man
Every season all teams have: “one of those days”. In double winning seasons that may not happen but only then.
Whatever the stoke people here say, the shot count (26 to 10) says it all.
You stood firm; Simonsen had a blinder; you stuck to yr gameplan and then Lennon went off you made the most of it. IMO you will be midtable again and good luck to you. I was NOT happy with the largesse given to your team (esp in yr half) by the referee and had you been playing MU about 5 of yr playes would have been on a yellow by 45mins.However, that is also our fault as we , in reply, should have torn into you (as MU and Chelsea would have) and made that slack sod of a referee, do his job
properly.
I hope that you manage to beat all ohter top 8 contendes and good luck to you, but at Stoke it may be a different result. We will see
My young nephew and I were coming up with some new terrace chants on the way back from the Lane – to cheer us up.
My favourite was “He’s big – he’s fat – he couldn’t kick a cat – Tommy Hudd Tommy Hudd”
Although “He’s big – he’s gay his name is Didier” was a close second
Waht do you expect after a result like that? Intellectual debate?
“.. players gave and didn’t go ..”. Exactly. Basic training-ground strategy to break down that type of defence – and we managed to forget it.
Sorry but I thought Keano deserves a bash too – we can’t keep putting up with anonimity like that. Pav looked a lot more interested and made me wish he’d been on from the start.
Good to see you complain about Glenn Whelan’s tackle on Lennon … I think your left back might have been the one who did the damage though. Glenn reminds me a little of Alan Mullery and Dave Mackay – tough, but plays within the rules. He’s been likened to Gattuso by Trappatoni ! A top team needs a mixture but Spurs don’t have a hard man anymore (eg Zakora). and what happened to Bentley !!! The sooner he’s loaned out to a club away from London the better …. if not, he will fade into obscurity (which is pretty much where he is already). Pity, but the lad needs to take a good look at where he is, and where he wants to go.
Zok the hard man, that is….strange.
Your rode your luck and got a result. Well done, we didn’t deserve it (note I didn’t say you did deserve it).
Spot on with the abysmal lack of movement: very much in evidence (or not as the case may be) in the second half! Not sure why… tiredness, lack of drive, lack of imagination, didn’t care… whatever it is, it’s very worrying. I hope Harry stamps it out pronto!! COYS
What a cheek. An away side go and defend well and then score a late goal. What is the game coming to? Get over it. Move on. Go and beat Arsenal or something. Go on Stoke!
Well said Bedford,as i have said before we play to our strenths not weaknesses…How else can you survive in a league where money buys a title.