Good at Goodison. And bad
Harry Redknapp talked of the lessons he learned at Goodison Park during the recent Premier League clash. He might have been referring to the 3-5-2 system he employed or Gareth Bale’s welcome return to form, but I hope it was actually the team’s disappointing mindset that provided food for thought.
This seems a little harsh – a goalless draw at fifth place-chasing Everton is creditable, as was our second away clean sheet of the season – but after a good start there seemed to be no appetite to win the game.
This is so often the case. We generally start away fixtures well, controlling possession and subduing the home crowd. A negative mindset then seems to take over, with the players perhaps assuming an away point is always a good result.
Tottenham’s excellent home form can explain this, but Harry needs to instil a belief in the players that they can win games on the road by taking the game to the opposition, as we do so well at home.
Our home and away results need to match more closely next season.
Some credit for Spurs’ diminishing attacking intent on Saturday must go to Everton. David Moyes quickly adjusted to Spurs’ unexpected use of wing backs, by asking his own full backs to push forward and deny Bale and Alan Hutton space in the Toffees’ half.
However, Everton were still there for the taking. Shorn of the services of their best attacker and defender (Mikel Arteta and Phil Jagielka), they had an inexperienced central midfield that was exposed in their last home game by notoriously poor travellers Manchester City. We have an excellent recent record at Goodison Park and should have played with more confidence than we ended the game with.
An innate defensiveness crept in, with the midfield playing so deep that any sustained pressure on Tim Howard’s goal was impossible.
True, a better timed pass here and there by Luka Modric could have secured a counter-attacking smash-and-grab 1-0 win, but the reality was their keeper had no real saves to make.
The manager needs to cure this damaging lack of ambition on our travels next season. Spurs have got their home form back in order, we just need to take that on the road with us.
This seems a little harsh – a goalless draw at fifth place-chasing Everton is creditable, as was our second away clean sheet of the season – but after a good start there seemed to be no appetite to win the game.
This is so often the case. We generally start away fixtures well, controlling possession and subduing the home crowd. A negative mindset then seems to take over, with the players perhaps assuming an away point is always a good result.
Tottenham’s excellent home form can explain this, but Harry needs to instil a belief in the players that they can win games on the road by taking the game to the opposition, as we do so well at home.
Our home and away results need to match more closely next season.
Some credit for Spurs’ diminishing attacking intent on Saturday must go to Everton. David Moyes quickly adjusted to Spurs’ unexpected use of wing backs, by asking his own full backs to push forward and deny Bale and Alan Hutton space in the Toffees’ half.
However, Everton were still there for the taking. Shorn of the services of their best attacker and defender (Mikel Arteta and Phil Jagielka), they had an inexperienced central midfield that was exposed in their last home game by notoriously poor travellers Manchester City. We have an excellent recent record at Goodison Park and should have played with more confidence than we ended the game with.
An innate defensiveness crept in, with the midfield playing so deep that any sustained pressure on Tim Howard’s goal was impossible.
True, a better timed pass here and there by Luka Modric could have secured a counter-attacking smash-and-grab 1-0 win, but the reality was their keeper had no real saves to make.
The manager needs to cure this damaging lack of ambition on our travels next season. Spurs have got their home form back in order, we just need to take that on the road with us.
1 comment