Cockerel will crow again.

The pear-shaped cockerel will crow again

Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 6:30PM

I'm still sick. My immune system, as dependable as a
Brazilian goalkeeper suffering from bouts of aphephobia on any given
weekend. If it wasn't enough having Death sat in the corner of my
bedroom reading Playboy and periodically tapping the face of his
wrist-watch, my problems are compounded. The old girl has pneumonia and
I'm having to reorganise time I don't have to fit in all the other
pockets of bane in my life to avoid a complete meltdown. In addition to
all this drama I'm now experiencing disturbing nightmares, terrorised in
my subconscious by a returning Adel Taarabt ghosting around White Hart
Lane, tricking and flicking himself to a brace of goals and as many
assists. I wake up screaming every night.
These are difficult times.
There isn't a match report of the Chelsea debacle because I was lost
in the depths of depression at the time with football hardly at the
forefront of my mind and a television nowhere in sight. Not to say I
want sympathy for my Easter break that had more cracks in it than a
Cadburys egg. Retain your apologies and group hugs for our rather limp
run-in which has seen us surrender any genuine chance of reclaiming a
Champions League spot.
Is it overly dramatic to suggest that we've surrendered it? I don't
think so. I do appreciate that there are certain dynamics to arguing and
debating why it's all gone pear-shaped based around the lack of forward
activity in the Jan transfer window, the inconsistency with formation
and tactics and one or two other plausible post-mortems. In a nutshell,
you could sum it all up by perhaps siding with the uncomfortable
realisation that we - Tottenham Hotspur, players and manager - gave it
all up by making repeated fundamental mistakes.
This flaw in our grand design simply one that pertains to the fact we have defeated ourselves. Over and over again.
The reason the dynamics here are ambiguous is because, say for
example; Arsenal could suggest if they had a decent goalkeeper and more
cohesiveness at the back and perhaps took their chances they'd still be
in the hunt for silverware. They are, according to their manager, so close.
Which is what we are. Had we a keeper who wasn't prone to making big
mistakes at key moments. Had we a genuine world class striker. Had we
retained more consistency and structure across our formation. Had we not
allowed errors in officiating consume us psychologically. This isn't on
the basis of our last game. Generalisation of hope lost.
So close, yet so far.
In both cases (us and the enemy), the problems might be apparent and
obvious and almost feel like a final piece of the jigsaw only needs to
be slotted in to complete it, but that final piece is somewhere under
the sofa and nobody is bothering to push it aside and reach into the
dustballs to find it.
We are close. But we are still some way off. Because signing a new
keeper or a new forward and deciding on a set formation - these are
missing pieces (rather than a single piece) to the puzzle and once it's
complete there's no point leaving it on the table gathering dust until
it's broken up and placed back into its box for someone else to solve.
Supeglue the sonofab*tch and frame it on the wall for everyone to
admire. Because even with the right players and tactics, the glue that
binds it altogether is still required for its final decisive completion.
Arsenal still have issues with choking and only when the pressure is
off do they turn it on (see their 1-0 win over Utd). With us, perhaps
it's complacency or attitude adjustment. It's all about the glue.
Sellotape just wont do the job.
That extra spark of something has to be drilled into the players,
that desire and hunger, that necessity to be better. Better than the
rest.
Yes, it's quite disconcerting to see us drop down to 6th. Doesn't
feel right does it? But then the past 15 years haven't exactly been kind
to us. Not to say that just because we've had erratic progress and
transitions upon transitions that it's okay for us to accept this
seasons almost certain failure as one of those things and we'll be back
and we'll be stronger for it.
Sure, look at the positives but it still has to be deemed an
unacceptable resolution to 2011 because how else do you make sure the
squad retain unity of belief and ambition and drive them forward?
We should still look to win all our remaining games. It's a lull,
it's a poorly timed one (is there any ilk that's planned?) and its even
one we might have got through just about okay had we not dropped all
those points against 'weaker' opposition earlier in the season. But the
reason we dropped those points is because we've not been good enough
across several games domestically.
Not that I'll admit to defeat until its mathematically impossible. So looking ahead, what do we do?
The club has to retain its spine. The club, no matter the competition, needs to be in Europe.
We need to be decisive about the future of Woodgate and King. We have
to clear out players who do not have a place as part of the squad and
bring in the loaned out players that do. Sign a competitive alternative
to Gomes to sharpen competition for the number one jersey. We need that
forward. Dare I say we need two new forwards, with spare parts gone as
part of the clear out.
Tactically, Redknapp - if stays for one more season - has to
accommodate a change in his own agenda. Not a clue whether the England
job is going to happen for him. No one is going to argue he looks after
number one, has his own set of personal priorities and is very much a
media PR manipulator and man-manager who perhaps does lack that killer
killer instinct but has proved (to a certain extent) that he can also
deliver. He might be self-centred, but it has still benefited us.
He has delivered, the hard way, rather than in any overly dominating
fashion. Stats don't lie although they do disguise certain failings.
Regardless, Harry has done a good job. What he needs to do is an
outstanding one.
Very few, hand on heart, would disagree that we should have done,
should be doing, far better than we are. At least that's the general
consensus. But then this season has seen similar discussions with the
other top tier clubs also wondering why they've not taken it by the
scruff of the neck.
It's no easy task fighting for a top four place. There's a buzz about
Spurs. Would be a shame to lose it. Long term, Levy should probably
start working on that contingency plan. This club has to be in good nick
when it's handed over to the next coach.
Perhaps our evolution does require another season of growing before
we step up a further level. If there is to be no Champions League
qualification this season then let there be a relentless fight for it
next season. Because anything less will not be good enough.

yea i feel the same.

but i still rekn the specal one is on hes way.

It was a great piece Baz where did you find it. It says everything that has happened this season simply and fairly but with an open mind on next season and what Harry might learn from it.

Reading it I knew what he was saying was just how we all saw the season unfold but nobody on here had put it so succinctly.

Oh and Lought I think the "special one's" bubble has burst and people don't see him as so special any more.

Mikey M

why because he drew with barcelona twice.

real where unlucky last night. a good goal rule out. the ref gave barce everything.

His tactics Lought were wrong over the 2 legs even Ronaldo and other players seem to be getting fed up with his tactics and style of play.

Finishing 2nd in the Spanish league is nothing. It's either Real or Barca anyway but to win it is very important to the board and I just feel his luck is running out.

I would like to see him go to a club with limited finances and then see what he can do.

As for coming to us. one he wouldn't want to and two the board couldn't work with him or at least Levy couldn't. Levy runs Spurs not the manager.

Mikey M

he got hes tactics wrong in the 1st leg. how many times has harry got hes tactics. so jose made a mistake and lost to the beast team in the world.