The elusive 100th goal in a Tottenham shirt remains just that for Jermain Defoe. His two goals against Wolves earlier this month looked to be something of a false dawn on Saturday at White Hart Lane as he reverted to the poor form that has dogged him so far this season. Chance after chance was spurned against his former club and on this occasion the likes of van der Vaart, Modric, Lennon and Bale were also unable to find the net and thus spare the misfiring striker's blushes.
A single point against an admittedly rejuvenated West Ham is simply not good enough, especially on the back of poor results against Wolves and Blackpool. Maximum points from those three fixtures against three relegation contenders would by no means have been an unrealistic hope, with seven perhaps the acceptable minimum. The two points that were achieved perhaps say a great deal about the aspirations for a top-four finish.
A short time ago the gap between fifth and sixth was such that Spurs' focus was firmly on the sides above them. The gap is currently four points and with Liverpool now out of the Europa League, their only route to European football next season is to make up that deficit. Spurs travel to Anfield in mid-May for what could be a crucial game.
Perhaps of even greater significance will be the trip to Man City, who may hold the key to Spurs' Champions League qualification. Fortunately, if there is a team that has the capability to self-destruct, it is City. Their beleaguered manager not only has to deal with the demands of ambitious owners but also the baggage that accompanies his roster of over-hyped players. Kolo Toure's diet pills and Balotelli's karate moves will no doubt be followed up by more high jinks, on or off the field, before the season draws to a close. With City's Europa League involvement also at an end, it might well be a good thing if they progress to the FA Cup final, adding further distraction from their league campaign.
Spurs, of course, face the same sort of quandary, with a Champions League quarter-final coming into view. Winning the trophy would guarantee a place in the same competition for next season, but Real Madrid followed (probably) by Barcelona is, to put it mildly, a big ask. Either side of the first leg at the Bernabeu, Spurs have the slightly less glamorous task of league games against Wigan and Stoke. The balancing act required to negotiate these very different challenges is going to test Harry Redknapp and his squad to the full.
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Posted by abe on 03/22/2011
I thought after the Wolves game, that Defoe was back. Clearly not the case. He should have scored a 2 or 3 times easily. What a pity Spurs did not go for Suarez. I reckon Blackbpool and West Ham would have been beaten with him playing. 5 points dropped against them - really sad :-(
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Posted by Anonymous on 03/22/2011
If there is a team Defoe loves to score against, it is Wigan.
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Posted by PhiladelphiaHotSpur on 03/22/2011
I was also under the impression that Defoe's form was back after the Wolves game.....His one miss in the 2nd half when he was in front of the net and simply had to choose a corner was a trainwreck......Instead, he showed no composure and shot it right at the keeper.
I'm pretty sure if we dont finish in the top 4 , we can look to the last 3 game spell and 2 points out of a possible 9. Lets hope this is meaningless.
One other observation: Corluka is clearly the stronger RB from a pure defensive standpoint......But, when the minnow are at the lane and its all one way traffic, Hutton has to get the start.......West ham was showing no coverage on Corluka and dared him to do something.....he failed miserably.
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Posted by chris Boyd waters on 03/22/2011
My best team:
Gomes, Ekotto, Gallas, Daws, Hutton (coverage by King, Woodgate, Bassong, Corluka, Kabul) ..then a three man midfield....Huddlestone, Modric, Pienar (Mod operating centrally and just behind the one striker, Hud playing the Sandro/Palacios role plus having the extra ability to pass long with accuracy, and shoot hard 'on target')....again, the cover (Kranks, VDV and Jenas) and for Hud (Pal or Sandro)..then the two wingers, Bale and Lennon (cover Pienar, Kranks etc) and, if both on song, few teams can deny them, even Real Madrid!...and take your pick up front for our sole striker.
If playing Barca then playing a tight passing midfield like them, with Mod & Pienar mixing/passing like Xavi/Iniesta (why not?) and Hud either defending in front of the back 4, or creating (or both), we've got a chance...even if we don't have a Messi or Villa up front! What we DO have is genuine dangerous pace on both flanks... and how many teams would kill for that!!! Even Barca
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Posted by okl1970 on 03/23/2011
It was frustrating. You could say it's just one of those games that just needed a fluke goal to crack the Hammers - off the bum, deflection, own goal, whatever. Look at Bale's free kick - it was perfect, almost too perfect. And Green had a blinder - anyone care to remember USA?
The 3 toughest games (Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool) are all away. Looks almost like action replay last year. However if we can pick up the points in the rest (Wigan, Stoke, WBA, Blackpool and Birmingham) then the 3 games may not be so vital. But if we have picked up the points earlier, we would be comfortably in 3rd.... Sigh...
Looks like it would be as nerve-wrecking albeit exciting finish to the season.
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Posted by Mike in USA on 03/23/2011
Need to win... need to win... need to win... If we win against Wigan - BADLY. So few games left and (assuming we win the game in hand) we're still a point off 4th. And we still have head-to-head games with City, Chelsea, and Arsenal coming up.
As for West Ham, Corluka and Defoe were out of their depth. Corluka's a good defender but leaves a lot to be desired going forward. Defoe missed more than a couple chances to put us ahead. Should have replaced HIM with Pav and left VdV on.
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Posted by tengahsen on 03/24/2011
It will be great if Defoe could score against Real Madrid in the next game and help Spurs advance to the semis.....
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Posted by Sebaschan on 03/24/2011
To say that the rest of the team failing to score spared Defoe's blushes seems false to me. Van der Vaart, Modric, Bale and Lennon didn't fail to score twice from less than 6 yards out. Maybe Jermain was feeling the pressure of that 100th goal breathing down his neck and once he gets it he'll be back to that wonderful form of his. Here's hoping so we can get another shot at Real Madrid and the rest next season!
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Posted by Alex on 03/25/2011
JD should never have started because:
1. Death in the family the day before
2. Extra pressure playing against his old team
3. Extra pressure to get to the 100 goal mark.
He was so preoccupied about getting the ton that he even wrote some message about 100 goals on his vest underneath.
Totally self-centred and preoccupied.
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Posted by Herman on 03/26/2011
Defoe definitely jinxed himself when he put that shirt on.
Btw, i agree with those who said hutton over corluka. Corluka is solid defensively but Hutton offered more threat by supporting Lennon on the right. Sandro can cover his track when he overlap.
Against Real, my preferred 1st eleven is Gomes, Gallas, Dawson, Hutton, Ekotto, Sandro, Modric, Lennon, Bale, VD Vaart, Crouch.
If any of the wingers are tiring, put in Pienaar, he can offer more aggression going forward.
If any of Modric or VD Vaart are tiring, put in Kranjcar, he'll smack some long range shots. I even thought Kranjcar can play as a striker if Crouch is ineffective during the match.
Pav can also come on for Crouch later during the match. Forget Defoe, he'll be bullied by Carvalho and Pepe, his positioning is bad.
If anything, our striker and VD Vaart must stop coming back to midfield to get the ball, it's very frustrating. They must always push up ala Inzaghi, always shoulder to shoulder to the CBs, ready to attack the through passes or crosses, put some pressure to the CBs.
Crouch must also stop to use his hand as leverage, just jump as high as you can. Just let the CBs sandwich himself during the aerial battle, this can draw more fouls and put the CBs in more pressure.
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