Spurs snatch a point

Away form. Good or bad? What do you think? After three games away from home I was feeling a little fed up. But then we are unbeaten and the more I look at it the better it is. Against Portsmouth, Blackburn and Villa last season we took three points. This season we have taken five, a good improvement but there is still a nagging feeling. The Blackburn game was a balls up with selection that probably cost us three points instead of one and Jol would have hopefully learnt his lesson. Yesterday I was hoping for a win but judging by our performance I think one point was fair.

Spurs started poorly and gave an early goal away. Jermaine Jenas (Not Stalteri take note poor journalists of the News of The Screws and The Mail) played a lazy ball that was never going to reach King. Baros took full advantage putting the pressure on before laying the ball right across the pitch to Milner who drilled home. Villa then piled on more pressure and was unlucky not to score two or three more with Robinson making some good saves. We had a couple of chances as well with Tainio blasting over the bar when he should have scored and then Defoe missed a penalty. On another day Defoe would have scored the penalty and I think that Spurs would then have gone on to win comfortably, Robbie Keane goal or not. However it wasn’t to be and at half time we trailed 1-0.

In the second half Spurs improved. Jenas became more involved and made some good runs into the box but his first touch was still rubbish with my school team of under 11s being able to control a ball better than him. Rasiak still looks honest i.e. shit and the return of Mido cannot come too soon. To be fair to the Polish International he did win more balls when Robbie Keane came on as he played slightly deeper for the knock-ons. However more often than not he did not win the ball and then chased his opponent with even less haste than Freddie Kanoute. Oh dear. Defoe then hit the bar after Ridgewell had done the same 60 seconds earlier before Keane was able to hit a great volley to force an excellent save and then a superb piece of skill saw him fire in the equaliser.

Looking at the overall performance we can hopefully see Stalteri gain a seat on the bench as his was rubbish and if Gardner is out for a while I would like to Naybet recalled. Although he lacks pace he is still the best central defender we have bar King. Rasiak is cup tied on Tuesday (shame) so Defoe and Keane will probably start together. Whoever puts in the best performance should start against Fulham assuming we still have to put up with Rasiak – Mido may receive an extra game ban on Tuesday for failing to leave the pitch quickly and rule him out. Otherwise it may be time to play Defoe and Keane together again against Fulham and see how it goes.

COYS!