Final Score: Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0 Wigan Athletic
After the win in midweek against Polish Champions, Wisla Krakow, Tottenham Hotspur looked to and most definitely needed to build on that victory with a win against Wigan at home.
The first half saw yet another lacklustre display from Juande Ramos' side. For all our excellent fitness training, the players looked well off the pace. Bentley, for example, looks like he needs a break.
The good news is that this team looks like it hasn't lost faith in Ramos. Instead, it's still trying to find its feet. The problem with a team trying to find its feet is that it really doesn't help if everyone in the side keeps passing the ball sideways and backwards.
The side saw four changes made to it, with Gomes in goal, a new central defence partnership of Woodgate and Corluka, with Assou-Ekotto and Zokora in the full-back roles. Our midfield housed a new central partnership of Jenas and O'Hara, whilst Bentley and Bale played on the right and left flanks respectively. Pavlyuchenko, back after being cup-tied in our UEFA Cup game, played up front with Bent.
In the first half, Tottenham had the majority of the possession, but unfortunately failing to do anything with it. Gomes did though, pull off another great save from a half-volley shot off of Scharner's boot.
Wigan lined up in the first half with the following players;
Kirkland, Figueroa, Boyce, Bramble, Melchiot, Valencia, Scharner, Palacios, Koumas, Zaki, Heskey.
Boo's rang around White Hart Lane upon the final whistle of the first half.
Ramos made a like-for-like sub swap, bringing on Campbell for Pavlyuchenko, who looks so far off the pace, he may in fact be going backwards.
Once again, Tottenham started off this second half brightly, but alas, so did Wigan. It must be Sod's Law that sees a Tottenham side come up against a solid Titus Bramble, but unfortunately, that was the case.
On 63 minutes, Ramos hauled off David Bentley, replacing him with Aaron Lennon. Immediately after coming off the bench, Lennon's pace injected a new zest into the game and he should have been awarded a penalty after being clipped by Figueroa within the area.
Tottenham went route one on 73 minutes, with O'Hara chesting the ball onto Lennon's chest within the Wigan penalty area, only for the pacey winger to drill his shot inches wide of Kirkland's goal.
On 79 minutes, Ramos made his final substitution by bringing on Huddlestone for Bale. O'Hara moved to the left side of midfield, whilst Huddlestone took a central midfield role.
Wigan came very close on 87 minutes when Kappo's shot was excellently stop and turned over the cross-bar by Gomes.
Poyet was urging the side on in the final embers of the game. Ramos though, seemed calm and collective. Make of that what you will.
Other than the fact that our team lacks vision, mobility, graft and guile, we most definitely lack a goalscorer. In the entire game, I think we only had two shots on target. That is relegation form. When a home team can only carve out two shots on target, you know they're in trouble.
The first half saw yet another lacklustre display from Juande Ramos' side. For all our excellent fitness training, the players looked well off the pace. Bentley, for example, looks like he needs a break.
The good news is that this team looks like it hasn't lost faith in Ramos. Instead, it's still trying to find its feet. The problem with a team trying to find its feet is that it really doesn't help if everyone in the side keeps passing the ball sideways and backwards.
The side saw four changes made to it, with Gomes in goal, a new central defence partnership of Woodgate and Corluka, with Assou-Ekotto and Zokora in the full-back roles. Our midfield housed a new central partnership of Jenas and O'Hara, whilst Bentley and Bale played on the right and left flanks respectively. Pavlyuchenko, back after being cup-tied in our UEFA Cup game, played up front with Bent.
In the first half, Tottenham had the majority of the possession, but unfortunately failing to do anything with it. Gomes did though, pull off another great save from a half-volley shot off of Scharner's boot.
Wigan lined up in the first half with the following players;
Kirkland, Figueroa, Boyce, Bramble, Melchiot, Valencia, Scharner, Palacios, Koumas, Zaki, Heskey.
Boo's rang around White Hart Lane upon the final whistle of the first half.
Ramos made a like-for-like sub swap, bringing on Campbell for Pavlyuchenko, who looks so far off the pace, he may in fact be going backwards.
Once again, Tottenham started off this second half brightly, but alas, so did Wigan. It must be Sod's Law that sees a Tottenham side come up against a solid Titus Bramble, but unfortunately, that was the case.
On 63 minutes, Ramos hauled off David Bentley, replacing him with Aaron Lennon. Immediately after coming off the bench, Lennon's pace injected a new zest into the game and he should have been awarded a penalty after being clipped by Figueroa within the area.
Tottenham went route one on 73 minutes, with O'Hara chesting the ball onto Lennon's chest within the Wigan penalty area, only for the pacey winger to drill his shot inches wide of Kirkland's goal.
On 79 minutes, Ramos made his final substitution by bringing on Huddlestone for Bale. O'Hara moved to the left side of midfield, whilst Huddlestone took a central midfield role.
Wigan came very close on 87 minutes when Kappo's shot was excellently stop and turned over the cross-bar by Gomes.
Poyet was urging the side on in the final embers of the game. Ramos though, seemed calm and collective. Make of that what you will.
Other than the fact that our team lacks vision, mobility, graft and guile, we most definitely lack a goalscorer. In the entire game, I think we only had two shots on target. That is relegation form. When a home team can only carve out two shots on target, you know they're in trouble.
31 comments
Ramos says that we'll probably play like that for another 15 games. Is he being serious?
In a further 14 games, we'll be adrift at the foot of the Premiership.
Please leave now and let Poyet take over.
The away team had more shots on target than we did!
The only shot on target was Huddlestone's in the final few minutes mate. maybe you want to change your stats?
hope you are happy with your decisions. you have really proven your point that jol wasnt the right man to lead our team, he only made 5th in the premier league....its probably better to try to get relegated and try winning the championship!!
He knew that Berbatov was leaving. He saw Keane leave a month before the season. It's not up to him when a player signs, so he should have prepared the squad.
He didn't do that. What does that show? It shows that he's not a class manager. He can't make do with what he's got.
Ramos needs to do the right thing and resign.
We also need to give the job to Poyet. He cares for the badge and the supporters.
When is Ramos going to leave these shores? It's hotter in Spain at this time of year!
Give the team a break, they have just lost their entire strikeforce and Comolli is to blame if anyone is!
Again the Spurs faithful start blaming the manager as soon as things arent going well. You did it to Martin Jol (who i believe is now leading the Bundesliga with Hamburg?) and now its Ramos.
How long did it take Ferguson to build his winning team at Manchester? Years, because the fans were patient and believed in him.
Unfortunately there are so many fickle Spurs fans out there we go through manager after manager year after year.
This guy is obviously a very good manager, he won at least 2 UEFA cups with Sevilla and made them a very exciting team to watch, with an ex Spurs striker you lot booed off the pitch!
Comolli has made some awful signings, with the small Brazilian Dos Santos way too weak for the Prem, the Russian Pav is way too slow, thank God we have Frazier Campbell! (who I think should be starting every game from now on!)
Now leave Ramos alone and gi…
Newcastle to come and an improvement game by game is all we can hope for.
How can anyone think booing the team is going to help and calling for Ramos to go - no wonder other fans laugh at us !!
Taking a look at Bale's hair, the gel is firmly all on his head.
On a serious front though, if Ramos is serious about the team not being ready for a probable further 15 games, we may be sunk at the bottom of the league by then, making it very hard to progress as the players confidence would have been shattered.
I can honestly see a Santini/Jol situation happening by December. If things get worse (god forbid that they don't), Ramos could walk before he's tossed, leaving the door open for Poyet.
If all goes to plan, Poyet will take us to two fifth place finishes before being sacked after 3 games into his 3rd season.
Oh well, it's Tottenham, the team we love. No matter how many bad comments we write about Spurs, we love them even more.
Oh well,
COYS!!!
yours truthfully monseur wenger
viva juande
and viva the table -
GOONERS TOP, North London scum bottom.
And this was the year you were meant to steal our CL spot eh? Enjoy the championship girls...
Three cheers for the scum!
unlucky yiddos! 0-0 at home to Wigan that truly is poor!
Got to love the table!
Have fun in the championship!