He’s Got No Hair and We Don’t Care: What The F*ck Was That?

Lee on the ball, right hand edge of the Arsenal area, he beats his man and cross to the near post. Lehman goes to collect, spills, Berbatov…… GGOOOAAALLLL!

That’s how it should have went instead, about an hour into the game and Spurs 2-0 down it went like this

Lee on the ball, right hand edge of the Arsenal area, he beats his man and cross to the near post. Lehman goes to collect, spills and comfortably collects because Berbatov cannot be bothered to even chase in the cross.

It was a feature of today’s humiliating defeat to Arsenal and I feel for any fans that paid their money and made the journey across to the Emirates Stadium to watch the game. There was talk before the game of naughty workers that had hidden Tottenham scarves in the cement when building the Stadium. If it is true, it was the only thing anyone from the white half of North London did to try and win this game.

I am going to be critical but what I saw on TV today was an embarrassment and for the first time in my life, I turned off the TV before the end of the game. I could not watch and I was getting too annoyed. I was literally screaming at the TV, it was as bad as I have seen Tottenham play for a long time. I have no problem with the team getting beat, it is part and parcel of the game, but the lack of effort the eleven that started game but in was unbelievable. The only person that can probably hold his head high was Pascal Chimbonda, I thought he had an OK game but even he was not at his usually best.

Yes, there will be some fans that blame the referee. That is fine, have a go at him, have a go at the assistant linesman but finding a scapegoat does not solve the problem. Below is how I saw it.

1st Goal
Onside or Offside? I am going with onside. I thought Chimbonda was playing him on. However, the blame does not lie with Pascal, it lies squarely on the shoulders of Michael Dawson. He was miles away from Adebayor, I was sitting at home in California and was closer. He jumped out, with Ledley it must be said, not knowing where his full backs were or where the striker was. If it had been flagged offside, it would still have been shocking defending. Also, Robinson should have closed him down a lot quicker. For someone that is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, he is doing a very good impression of being the opposite.

2nd Goal
Penalty or not a penalty? Not a penalty in my mind and the ref got it wrong. However, again you have to look at the build up. Assou-Ekotto always looks so laid back to me, chewing his gum and wandering around the pitch. Ledley dropped the ball off to him and it should have been up the field, quick as you like. Instead he tried to turn and lost out. Yes, Poll did get the decision wrong and it cost a goal and perhaps 1-0 down at half time we have a chance but it was poor defending.

3rd Goal
I could not tell you. I turned off at about 65 minutes. Why? It was not good for the old heart! I was screaming at Lennon when I turned off the TV. He had just gone down the right wing and lost the ball. If it was me, I would be turning around and chasing the defender down, trying to win it back. This was, after all, a North London derby, wasn’t it? Lennon jumped up and down on the spot in frustration as Arsenal, under no pressure whatsoever, carried the ball clear. It was a joke and I was embarrassed to be watching.

The only positive thing in this game was the fact that Martin Jol looked how I felt. I still think he is the right man for the job and I hope in a couple of years time we will have a really competitive squad that can compete in the league and Europe on a regular basis. Jol is the man to lead us to that and I bet he put a rocket up the arse of each and every player in this game. You could see the look on this face. Yes, he would be disappointed with the ref’s decision but I bet you he was more disappointed with the players. Prem Plus should his reaction to the first goal. He was shaking his head well before the ball went into the back of the net and why? Because Berbatov had gave the ball away far too cheaply. It was typical of the Bulgarian front man. Brilliant one minute, absolutely awful the next.

I think the attitudes in the tunnel showed it was not going to be our day. While Henry chatted to his team mates and gave them a last minute good luck, you could see Dider Zokora walking over to the Arsenal players and shaking hands with them? I looked again, surely not, but yes, shaking hands with them. I know he is friends with Toure but wait till after the game for this kind of thing. It was a joke and something I hope Jol disciplines him about. Ledley did this thing where he turned to the players behind him, clapped his hands and (presumably) said “Come On”. How many players joined him in an “I am up for it” clap? Zero. If you have not got the right attitude before you go on the pitch, you will not have it when you get on.

All in all it was a shocking day at the office. It was joke, an embarrassment and the team were a waste of space. This was billed as the North London derby. One of the best in the world. If only the Tottenham players knew this. I was so disappointed in their effort and I think each and every one of them should give their daily wage to charity because they did not deserve it.