Tottenham Hotspur 4 Liverpool 0: Spurs reaffirm their Champions League intentions.

Rajthfc

Greetings all and again apologies for the radio silence, holidays and work commitments as ever have been playing havoc with Spurs time meaning that this is the first match I’ve actually seen since our nadir against the nouveau riche of Man City

And what a pleasant change it was, as we quite easily stuffed the over hyped “Poor Man’s Manchester UnitedLiverpool. I never really bought into the hype that some of the deluded Liverpool fans were cluttering the airwaves with about how this year they’d challenge for the title, Champions League was a certainty and all kinds of other irrational guff. Nope Liverpool are gash, buying Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam, just keeps you at the gash level. Outside Suarez and Reina over our geriatric Yank, is there one Liverpool player you’d want in the Spurs XI. I think the answer is a resounding no, and I include Steven Gerrard in that list.

Onto the game, we started with the same XI that beat Wolves , with Parker and Modric in midfield. Adebayor (Ade) and Jemain Defoe (JD) up front and Niko again on the right wing. We were on the front foot from the outset and a sublime move, with Niko Krancjar playing in Ade should have led to the opener. Bale had the run on Skertel and created a good opening for JD but Carragher blocked. However we weren’t to be dined and in the seventh minute we scored a beauty. After impressive hold up play from JD, the ball fell kindly to Luka who unleashed a screamer in the top right hand corner. 1-0 Spurs.

What was pleasing was Luka’s reaction, to some extent that is personal delight at scoring such a belter but he went over to my little corner of block 32 of the Park lane to celebrate with the fans. Now is the time to let bygones be bygones, if we cement our Champions League place this season I believe Luka will stay. The difference in keeping your best player or selling them is the difference between Spurs and the Scum at the moment. I’m not Levy’s biggest fan but well done on keeping him and lets hope the team continue to improve and we can match his ambition.

We continued to buzz and played with the pace and purpose that given the personnel we have we should do on a more consistent basis. Liverpool looked as mediocre and outclassed as I expected them to be. There was a brief scare around the 18 minute mark where Suarez had the ball in the net after Kyle Walker failed to clear but he was quite clearly offside and the Liverpool away support( which was even pathetic even by their own low standards) had a brief flurry before being told to calm down by the Tottenham faithful.

Charlie Adam was running around on his one man crusade to maim the Spurs team, something he had started last season but finally this time he was given his marching orders by the referee after taking out Parker. A challenge so bad that it should have merited a red on its own. Despite the hype Liverpool are just a team of cloggers, they are no different to the other workmanlike sides in the premiership. For Liverpool, read Stoke City, Everton, Newcastle, same skill set , different colours. Liverpool have no right to complain about the referee, their players simply weren’t good enough to cope with a far more skillful team.

As expected with Liverpool now sitting deeper, there were less openings, and the first half ended amazingly at only 1-0 to Spurs. Skertel picked up a booking at half time and the general consensus amongst the Park lane Block 32 Faithful was that we’d be surprised to see him come out for the second half as he wouldn’t last the half. Well just call us Nostradamus, because lo and behold he got booked a second time for a foul on Bale and despite closet Spurs fan Jamie Carragher’s comical attempts to keep him on the pitch, he had his marching orders. We quickly exploited the space and a through ball from Rafa, who had come on at half time for Niko found JD in space, he held off Enrique’s attentions and slotted in the corner of the net.

A few minutes later Reina spilled JD’s effort, it fell into the path of Ade, who rather cleverly instead of blasting it, lifted it over Reina and slotted into the empty net. Good finishing from our strikers which made up for some shocking misses earlier in the half from both. My one complaint would be that instead of going for the jugular we simply sat back and played the ball around whilst pleasing on the eye meant that the last 20 minutes represented a training exercise where Liverpool players as statues for the Spurs boys to pass around. It was arrogant, sublime Tottenham at its very best but in all honesty we had a chance to boost our goal difference against inferior opponents who were also playing poorly. Its quite a bizarre feeling as a Spurs fan to be so utterly relaxed for 20 minutes towards the end of the game. Ade’s sublime finish at the end, gave the scoreline a more realistic feel.

I have said from the start and I maintain that the fight for 4th place was always down to Spurs and Arsenal. Whilst the current consensus is to perceive our stricken neighbours as a bit of a laughing stock, I fear reports of their demise may be a trifle premature. Arsene Wenger is still an excellent manager and they still have some very good individuals in their team. There’s is a confidence problem rather than lack of quality and I expect them to rise again.

Bring on October 2nd and the Sunday showdown at the Lane, the NLD always is massive but this one will be one to put a marker down for the season.

Ratings

Friedel – 6 – Did he have anything to do?

Walker – 7 – Very good going forward but I still feel he is slightly shaky from a defensive point of view, however the kid has potential

King – 8- What more can I say about this man. Alongside Rio Ferdinand the finest English defender of his generation. We have to thank god that this man is Spurs. Ledley I salute you.

Kaboul-8 – As with any player who plays alongside the genius that is Ledley, looks so much more accomplished. However I think in his own right he’s a decent defender anyway. Stood up to the threat of Suarez and Carroll very well

Ekotto- 8- the sublime cool cucumber that he always is, excellent going forward as well this time round

Krancjar – 7 – did well in what is not his best position, Unlucky to be subbed at half time.

Parker-8- I have to admit to being underwhelmed by his signing but I at the moment am being proved wrong. Gives the foundation for the more creative talents to express themselves.

Modric-9 – Back to his best, hopefully for the time being with the transfer saga out of his mind he can do what he does so well

Bale – 8 – Best game for a long time, absolutely terrorised that donkey Skertel

Adebayor – 9 – What we have needed for a long time. Athleticism, combined with skill. Makes such a difference, considering we sued to have Peter Crouch

Defoe – 8 – Did very well, 18 passes, all found a spurs player, an excellent finish and very good all round play. 2 goals for him and 3 for Ade, shows our forward line has far more menace than last season.

Subs

Van der Vaart – 7- Very good contribution coming in from the right. Great through ball for our second goal. If the Ade and JD partnership grows, he might have to fight for a Right Wing berth with Lennon.

Dos Santos- 6 the forgotten man of Spurs, lets hope Harry gives him a few more chances

Bassong – 6 – still a talent and in my opinion a better option than Dawson

You can find the original article on my Spurs blog @ The Glory Game

Edited by Staff Editor
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