Tottenham Vs Everton: Match Thread

[jonathanhotspur]

Yep, guess they found a way out of their negative spiral.


4th March

“It’s not a big enough margin yet for us to be completely safe but what we think is that it can have a direct effect on their motivation,” Villas-Boas said.“On ours too of course – we have a difficult game against Liverpool coming up – but particularly on them. We are on an upward spiral in terms of confidence and they are on a negative spiral in terms of results. To get out of that negative spiral is extremely difficult.”

2-1 up at Anfield and lost, losing at home to Fulham, year after year arsenal pull results out the bag at this time of year. Even without Wilshere and Walcott, Rosicky crawls out from under the woodwork and drags himself of the treatment table and scores 2 goals.

Let's be honest their run in always looked easier on paper than ours but trust them to make their superiority count when it really matters.

Think our only hope is beating Chelsea to 4th and I can't say I'm confident about that.

Tell me about it. Springs out of his deathbed, secures 3 points for them at the Hawthorns and then goes on to say that the NLD defeat is what has spurred them on.


Tomas Rosicky feels the North London derby defeat to Tottenham was a turning point in Arsenal's season and believes their improved run since then is no coincidence.

The Czech Republic international said Arsenal have learned the lessons of the 2-1 loss on March 3 and thinks their confidence received a huge boost from beating Bayern Munich in Germany in their next game.

It was the first of a run of four successive wins as Arsenal, who were seven points behind Spurs at the time, have mounted a strong challenge for a top-four finish.

Rosicky said: "When we lost to Tottenham, we did two stupid mistakes and were punished for it. We tried to correct it. And you could see the improvement in Munich, it was much better. We know what are problems are and we're trying to solve it."

Rosicky scored both goals in Saturday's 2-1 win at West Brom and was pleased with the spirit Arsenal showed when they were down to 10 men after Per Mertesacker was sent off.

He added: "The last couple of games we've produced some good football. It always gives your confidence when you win in Munich and when you have such a difficult game [on Saturday], where in the last 20 minutes, we've got our backs against the wall. It gives you a big lift."
http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1402841?&cc=5739

 

[shaqTHFC]

Tell me about it. Springs out of his deathbed, secures 3 points for them at the Hawthorns and then goes on to say that the NLD defeat is what has spurred them on.


Tomas Rosicky feels the North London derby defeat to Tottenham was a turning point in Arsenal's season and believes their improved run since then is no coincidence.

The Czech Republic international said Arsenal have learned the lessons of the 2-1 loss on March 3 and thinks their confidence received a huge boost from beating Bayern Munich in Germany in their next game.

It was the first of a run of four successive wins as Arsenal, who were seven points behind Spurs at the time, have mounted a strong challenge for a top-four finish.

Rosicky said: "When we lost to Tottenham, we did two stupid mistakes and were punished for it. We tried to correct it. And you could see the improvement in Munich, it was much better. We know what are problems are and we're trying to solve it."

Rosicky scored both goals in Saturday's 2-1 win at West Brom and was pleased with the spirit Arsenal showed when they were down to 10 men after Per Mertesacker was sent off.

He added: "The last couple of games we've produced some good football. It always gives your confidence when you win in Munich and when you have such a difficult game [on Saturday], where in the last 20 minutes, we've got our backs against the wall. It gives you a big lift."
http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1402841?&cc=5739

The same thing happened when we lost at their place earlier in the season, although with the roles reversed. After the game their keeper (fuck trying to spell that wankers name) said the win would help them push on and they got 1/2 pts out of the next 3 games whilst we went on to beat West Ham, Liverpool and Fulham within 7 days. I remember that being my favourite week of the season as Everton, Chelsea and Arsenal all failed to win any of their 3 games in that week and we won all of ours.

 

[James Surtees]

Personally I think we AT LEAST deserved a point today if not more. Considering we didn't have Bale or Lennon I thought the team played quite well (arguably one of the better performances i've seen for a while). It was good to see Ade put a good shift in, he's been short for goals and his performances this season haven't exactly been great. We have an extremely tough run in compared to the Arsenal and Chelsea and I think if we have any chance of finishing in the top 4 this season we have to beat Chelsea or Man City (Man City have nothing to play for, especially if Chelsea knock them out of the F.A Cup - no players looking to impress the manager for a starting place). I could see us winning that, especially with Bale and Lennon looking to be fit by then. Chelsea I think can go either way. Those are the two key games for me.

I thought 'the Sig', Ade and Parker were quality today. I don't seem to understand some of our fans' opinion about Parker. His job is to win the ball and give it to someone to do something with it (arguably Dembele). Until recently I haven't been massively impressed with Dembele, I don't think he has driven forward enough and he has not created anywhere near enough which is why I think people are getting on Parker's back because he is trying to do that job because it isn't getting done.

Although I thought we were the better team today I still think there are too many errors being made which can be avoided. Daws struggled with the physical Anichebe today (he caused us a lot of problems).

I really do hope Adebayor's performance today 'spurs' him on to play more like he did today because for a player who has scored 3 PL goals its quite simply shocking. I want to stay optimistic about getting Champions League football next season but I really do think it will be decided at the Bridge when we play Chelsea in a few weeks. For AVB's sake, I hope we don't finish outside the top 4 because he really should've bought a striker in January. COYS!

 

[Redfap]

We really had to win this one, Top 4 will be very difficult now unless we can go on an epic run.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

We simply do not have the talent (or can Spurs afford it) to be a top four side on a consitent basis. That's nothing to get upset about either but in all honesty Man Ure, Citeh and Chel$ea should be a nailed on top three (and i think they will be this season as well).

Arsenal have traditionally been a top four side leaving ourselves to battle it out with whoever else. To end up on another EL journey will only make us stronger and once we have the additional income from the new stadium then we can strengthen with real talent rather than having to being so prudent with our transfer spending.

 

[Locotoro]

I think if we can focus on our own results and not worry about what Arsenal or Chelsea are doing we will finish in the Champions league spot.

Whilst we don't have an easy run in - we always play better against the top sides than the ones we should beat.

Also, bear in mind that both Chelsea and Arsenal still have to play Man United and Everton and some teams in the mire of relegation.

Bale, Kaboul and Lennon will be back by Man City

 

[piedpiper]

I think some of the problem is that a couple of weeks ago probably the Liverpool game it was still in our hands but as usual we have found a way of making sure it isn't so much in ours as others.

While we have to remain positive I think arsenal are on the March and will beat us to it as will chelsea and if we carry on defending like we are then could find ourselves out of europa as well.

I have to say I'm really pissed as I didnt envisage this slide happening for the third year running and if so questions will have to be asked why and who is to blame.

But as usual I will go to work tomorrow with gooners and chelsea fans laughing and trying to keep a brave face on it as amongst them we are seen as a laughing stock.

Still we have 6 games left so onwards and upwards.

The Liverpool loss was key particularly as we were dominating that game until the 2 individual errors. the game agaInst fulham we should not have lost.

I still believe we will get 3rd or 4th. Remember the season when we had to beat the likes of city, Chelsea and I think the scum to get that 4th spot. Our squad is stronger now and we will prevail. It was a good result in light of our injuries and having played on Thursday.

 

[sim0n]

feels like 2 more dropped points -- must start getting 3 points for these results, overstatement of the obvious, but still true

COYFS!!!

 

[JamieDaCosta]

I thought Ade was outstanding yesterday, he has been criticised this season, and rightly so, but against Everton he was superb, he worked his bollocks off and got an assist and a goal

The other thing is that for me, personally, and im sure a few others, I didnt expect to beat Swansea away and I was also unsure about how todays game would turn out so in hindsight, 4 points out of the 2 games isnt too bad at all

I am going to use a typical cliche here but it is definitely a case of taking each game as it comes, particularly due to our current injury list starting with Thursdays game against Basle, lets get over there, stay solid at the back and nick a couple of goals, we can do it

 

[leonspurs]

As I said in the race for 4th thread if us, city, chelsea and Arse all win all our games (except Chelse and City lose to us obviously) we come 5th by GD.

I'm afraid you're wrong, its' no longer in our hands.

My bad, sky table had not been updated, looking at table from the other day

 

[leonspurs]

Just did the bbc predictor and we ended up 5th behind chelsea on goal difference even winning all of our games

MY mistake looking at sky prem table and not even updated yesterdays matches.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

We are team that is set up to counter attack and to do this successfully you need pace. When the two players who offer pace are missing the whole model is then flawed and this was the problem yesterday and will be the problem whenever we field a team with limited pace.
I trust that AVB will address the balance of his squad in the summer and looks to move on the players who don't fit his model and replace with players who offer pace and energy. We cannot have another 11th hour Dempsey signing next year which I can only think was bought for commercial reasons and not footballing reasons.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

We are team that is set up to counter attack and to do this successfully you need pace. When the two players who offer pace are missing the whole model is then flawed and this was the problem yesterday and will be the problem whenever we field a team with limited pace.
I trust that AVB will address the balance of his squad in the summer and looks to move on the players who don't fit his model and replace with players who offer pace and energy. We cannot have another 11th hour Dempsey signing next year which I can only think was bought for commercial reasons and not footballing reasons.

Annoying thing for me is that we have had this problem for at least 3 years now, has not one person at the club evaluated our squad and thought "hang on a minute, we rely on pace on the wings, but when Bale or Lennon are out, we have no pace on the wings, so...... We need to buy a wide man with pace to compete/as cover"

Just one decent backup with pace would have served us wonders over the last few years when Balennon were out. Against Liverpool we move Dembele to the right, against Fulham we have Bae at left wing. And this is not the first time we've had to move players around like this.

 

[Gb160]

For AVB's sake, I hope we don't finish outside the top 4 because he really should've bought a striker in January. COYS!

I very much doubt it's AVBS fault that we didnt get a striker in January.

Just one decent backup with pace would have served us wonders over the last few years when Balennon were out.

We have a backup,he played a blinder yesterday for qpr.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

Annoying thing for me is that we have had this problem for at least 3 years now, has not one person at the club evaluated our squad and thought "hang on a minute, we rely on pace on the wings, but when Bale or Lennon are out, we have no pace on the wings, so...... We need to buy a wide man with pace to compete/as cover"

Just one decent backup with pace would have served us wonders over the last few years when Balennon were out. Against Liverpool we move Dembele to the right, against Fulham we have Bae at left wing. And this is not the first time we've had to move players around like this.

The annoying thing is that we have Townsend and Rose, who are not the levels of Lennon and Bale, but would be better options than what we now have available.

 

[Sweetsman]

It will be the points thrown away at Merseyside that may come back to haunt us. On the other hand, we rarely lose and do make comebacks more than we used to. I hope that AVB decides against having to show everyone respect and decide on a settled back line. I also hope that he puts in Carroll in the Basle match.