Are we having our bad spell or are we running out of steam?

[Kingellesar]

After the Newcastle game, I thought we were going to carry on full steam ahead. The Stevenage game was a disappointment, although we did get the ball in the net, we still should be winning that game and not having to worry about a replay, which means extra games for the squad. The Arsenal game I never felt confident, even at 2-0 I knew we were going to struggle, the balance of the midfield didn't seem right and our defenders just did not feel me with confidence (despite that being mine and probably 99% of people on here first choice defence). It was disappointing to be so humiliated after being one of the best teams in the league all season and bar the Man City game not really conceeding that many goals, we have been fairly tight at the back this season. I mean, what team lets Theo Walcott score, only us

Since the Wolves draw, I feel we have not been at our best (except the Newcastle game). It was such a disappointing draw especially as we had to go away to City next, where we actually played ok in the second half, neither team really turned up in the first half and we were unlucky not to get something. Watford away in the cup was another poor performance which we were lucky to get anything from, maybe we are going to win the Cup without actually performing well? I'd take that.

Funnily enough, despite this being a bad stretch for us, since the Wolves game we have still managed to keep 4 clean sheets. If you count since January, I think we have 7 clean sheets from 11 games. Something which we have struggled with over the past few seasons. We currently have 10 clean sheets in the league, 4 of which have come since January, so we are doing well, if we match the first half of the season, we would end up with 12 clean sheets, so another 2 to come but I can see more than that. Does anyone have any stats for clean sheets over the past few seasons in the league?

I think injuries are hurting us a bit, no VdV has not helped the midfield, neither has the lack of width Lennon provides. Even JD has picked up a few niggles recently that has prevented him from playing, hopefully we can get everyone back fit and I pray Walkers injury isn't bad because he has been such a consistent performer this season. The biggest surprise is Louis Saha, what a great piece of business he is turning out to be, he looks great up top and gives us more options up front and I would be more than happy to have him here next season as well.

So, running out of steam or bad spell? I think it is a little of both, we are getting some bad performances out of the way whilst also trying to recharge the batteries. Lennon coming back from injury will be a huge boost, he must start on Sunday. Again, I think Adebayor scoring in consecutive games he has started will be key, before the Newcastle game I think he went 7 games without scoring? Saha has also been a good partner for him and they look like a good solid parntership that can cause teams all sorts of problems.

 

[Real_madyidd]

bad spell. Next.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

We sorely missed Lennon. It's funny that whenever he's playing we win a lot of games but people still say "we need an upgrade on Lennon", and soon as he's not playing they say "omg we miss the pace of Lennon". It's not just Spurs fans, it's the media as well. I remember him being derided in the Guardian one week, and then when we played without him the Guardian ran an article on how we were a shadow of the team without, and without the width he provided we struggle.

 

[Kingellesar]

I totally agree, I don't get all the negative comments towards Lennon, I mean without him we lack width of the right. I also feel he tracks back very well. Everytime I say he should be starting for England, it gets laughed off by others, saying he isn't that good and he can't cross. So what, Theo Walcott, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young are all fantastic wingers who tick every box.....right.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

I totally agree, I don't get all the negative comments towards Lennon, I mean without him we lack width of the right. I also feel he tracks back very well. Everytime I say he should be starting for England, it gets laughed off by others, saying he isn't that good and he can't cross. So what, Theo Walcott, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young are all fantastic wingers who tick every box.....right.

That's the thing, he can't cross. But he passes it along the deck in the 18 yard box instead to negate his lack of crossing ability. His pace and control make him absolutely lethal on the break and creates a lot of space. I think he is highly underrated by many personally.

 

[FMA]

We don't need a replacement for Lennon, we just need competition.

 

[ackie]

Well, i'm still a little bit disappointed with our display on Sunday.
Last year, we also had a bad spell. I just hope we can pick ourselves up and keep the precious 3rd place.
As it is, Arsenal fans are all over me in Mauritius...we are still 3rd and need to maintain that PLEASE!
COYS...

 

[PT]

Harry has pretty much relied on a large core for his teams this season ie eight or nine regularly starting the Premiership games. Rotation is not his forte, as he considers that he knows his best team.

Any variation from this line-up means the squad is leant on and our squad is not deep in depth or quality.

In addition, the team seems ot have taken its foot off the gas, where earlier in the season when it didn't have the ball it hunted and pressed until it got the ball back.

Now just lately, Spurs has resorted to pretty much marking space and allowing teams to play much further in to our own territory. The midfield seems to be light in defensive punch - ie - the pressing is minimal and al ot nearer to the back four than it should be.

I'm not sure if this is a deliberate phase or just how the team has evolved over the season, but Redknapp must arrest this pattern of play and make us harder to beat again.

We know we have the offense to hurt opposition in the speed of Lennon and Bale, the guile of Modric and the power and finishing of Adebayor and now Saha.

Defence, however, start up top. This is where the pressing must start, the closing down and the limiting of options of outlet.

If Harry can get the collective mojo back on the training pitch, I see no reason why we can continue to pick up an average of two points a game until the end of the season.

 

[worcestersauce]

Neither, just a tough run of games even though we held City away but for some last minute good fortune for them and a 5-0 rout of a club challenging for a CL place.

 

[HappySpur]

The precedent is there and for all to worry over. Other than the year (2010) that we made the CL, we have usually had a significant tail-off. I think the two other times we didn't collapse at the end of the season were Jol's first year, where we contested for UEFA until the final week and Harry's first year. Sometimes we can delay it longer than this time frame, but it does happen around this time, quite often. Let's hope this is just another 2010.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

The precedent is there and for all to worry over. Other than the year (2010) that we made the CL, we have usually had a significant tail-off. I think the two other times we didn't collapse at the end of the season were Jol's first year, where we contested for UEFA until the final week and Harry's first year. Sometimes we can delay it longer than this time frame, but it does happen around this time, quite often. Let's hope this is just another 2010.

Indeed. It was almost exactly this point last year that we caved in.

Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again

 

[ohwhenthespurs]

Don't know. I need a poo.

 

[EastLondonYid]

Indeed. It was almost exactly this point last year that we caved in.

Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again

Even if we lose or draw on sunday, we WILL not cave in this season, we WILL finish 3rd and WIN the cup....trust me..:wink:

 

[worcestersauce]

Just out of interest how many points did we drop on our closest competitors for the CL places last year? I know people are calling it a collapse but did we actually drop ten or even seven points on them? I'm not sure we did, we may have dropped four, five or six but this season that would be a "who cares" situation.

 

[lol]

neither. we are just bad against 'big' teams. we have a bunch of players that can be considered world class when they perform to their best. but what they do lack,is in fact the most important thing, mentality. there is a reason why every winning team needs veteran because they know how to win, and this is usually learnt from experience and winning.

our team can play to their optimum level whenever they believe they are better than the opponent. we are that sort of team that can destroy anyone in our path when we have momentum. but once the opponent start to show a fighting spirit stronger than us, we crumbled. we have strong players, but they are weak minded. its either they learn from adversities and experience through their career and become champion, or they will stay at this level forever.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

We don't need a replacement for Lennon, we just need competition.

Agree, and it's been this way since he became an established first team player. Bentley was never really competition as although he dislodged Lennon for a little while he never ever had the pace to keep our game the same when he was in the team. Look at the Real Madrid game last season, Lennon gets injured and we have to move around 3 players in the midfield as we didn't have a like for like replacement. I remember times I think in the Jol/ramos era when Lennon was our only attacking threat with pace.

 

[tototoner]

we have lost 1 game in the last 15, perspective needed

 

[Jimmypearce7]

We have had tougher games. We need to get back to what has brought success, with Bale and Lennon on the wings and the right wings too (or left in Bale's case). If we do that, we can keep up the two points per game average we need.

 

[michaelden]

Harry's told them he's off and the players' heads have dropped a little.

 

[Sweatybum]

Lost one game in the last fifteen? Err citeh beat us 3-2 at the Etihad and Woolwich beat us 5-2 at the Emirates!