Post match thread v Spurs

[Shanks]

RAFA HOPES FANS WILL RESPECT ROBBIE

Keane can expect a hot welcome from Tottenham fans who saw their idol defect to the club he supported as a boy.

he also hopes that Keane is treated with respect by the Spurs supporters.

He compared Keane's return to Peter Crouch's arrival at Anfield in a Portsmouth shirt on Wednesday, just months after his move to Fratton Park.

Benitez said:

Peter came back to Liverpool this week and was given a great reception
He will always be a good player and he has the respect of our fans.


Hopefully Spurs fans will acknowledge Robbie
and what he did for them, and that he is now with another team.

"He would like to see the Spurs fans and say 'hello' again.

He was a key player for them for some years, a fantastic professional and gave 100% all the time.

"But I think their fans will appreciate what Robbie gave them when he was there."




No Rafa, they won't because they are clueless fickle cockneys who haven't got a clue.

[Neil Young]

[Dhav]

Spurs are rubbish. Plain and simple. Our firm has a corporate box at Spurs so I was at the game with SPurs fans who at teh final whistle were going on about finishing 5th and finishing above Arsenal, ignoring what a ****ing **** team they truly are.

We completely dominated and controlled the game, it was actually too easy for us, to the extent that when we were creating those chances we weren't playing with the steel and edge needed to convert those chances; we were coasting. In our dominance, we were not professional enough IMO. Only have ourselves to blame. Taking off Keane and playing Babel up front was a mistake as we lost a focal point in attack and Keane's link-up play. Lennon coming on made a difference as it allowed them to double up on that side where previously we were getting a lot of joy. Still stunned we lost it.

[FatTony]

I stand by what I said... I think Redknapp outfoxed Rafa. We were bossing the first half and he made effective changes at half time to put Agger and Carra under more pressure. His substitutions had an impact whereas Rafas counter substitutions definitely failed. At a time when we needed to hold onto the ball we had two players on the field in Bennyoun and Babel who completely failed at this. Yossi is up there with Garcia for giving the ball away and was way too lightweight for that game. Babel did nothing when he came on. He is better running the channels but stayed central. I believe Rafa's changes cost us in the second half. Lennon stretched us and we started giving them cheap free kicks. If we weren't capable of getting a second the bare minimum requirement is to not give the ball away cheaply, which we definitely started to do late on.

By the second half we should have been comfortably ahead, but the woodwork denied us, and that and that alone denied us the win. Harry did not outfox Rafa, he got lucky, thats all. I understand what you're saying about Benny, but Babel on the other hand has the power and pace to peg teams back just when they need to attack.

We didn't convert when we should have, another night and that would've been 3 or 4-1. **** happens, Rafa didn't lose it though.

[EwarWoo]

Bearing in mind I've not seen the match so just going on the result and what I've seen here and elsewhere.

I am a big fan of Harry's but expected it to take him a few matches to get them working as a team, I didn't expect the instant response. Going into this weekend but been nervous as hell. Believe it or not far more so than going into the Chelsea match (I did post such in the pre match thread).

My head was saying 1-3 to us but my gut was saying "Arghhhh!".

We're still in a strong position but, and as long as it doesn't turn our form round we can cope with 1 loss.

We're still in our best position in a hella long time. Rafa's plan is still starting to come together quite nicely. We're still looking like a team rather than a bunch of unco-ordinated individuals. There's too many positives this season for 1 negative to get me down or make me think ill of the lads.

Still smiling If that will change or not after watching MOTD I don't know. I may skip it completely this week. Lol.

EDIT:// Almost forgot. Nice one Sisterstiffticket. You've been a good enough sport to our teasing to deserve our congratulations Luck, skill, whatever, end of the day all that counts is those 3 points.

[badpiggy]

[Maxiedge]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK KKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !11


No, but seriously we played well for the most part but it's all about 100% the whole 90 minutes and we didn't do that. Was the kick up the arse we needed not to even think about letting our guard down, ever.

We lost but didn't desrve to. The best type of loss

[Dhav]

It's the easiest game we've had in a long while but we contrived to **** it up. They are an abysmal team, and Redknapp is just a jammy, lucky manager. We should have killed them off, but for me taking off Keane and playing Babel as a lone striker was a mistake. Benayoun on the left as well was a waste. 3 pts pissed away.

[MrMichael]

It's the easiest game we've had in a long while but we contrived to **** it up. They are an abysmal team, and Redknapp is just a jammy, lucky manager. We should have killed them off, but for me taking off Keane and playing Babel as a lone striker was a mistake. Benayoun on the left as well was a waste. 3 pts pissed away.

I'd generally agree with that, but I can see whay Rafa made the Keane-Babel sub, I just think the idea behind it was wrecked when we more of less instantly conceeded. Riera - Benayoun was a funny one but then Riera wasn't having the best of games, personally I didn't think that one made a great deal of difference either way.

Lots of games so far this season Rafa's made the right subs at the right time, today things didn't work out but I'd only say they didn't help improve things rather than were the cause of the defeat. Ultimately we were extremely unfortunate not to have killed the game off in that spell after half-time, and its hard to legislate for hitting the woodwork 3 times in a game; 3 points unfortunately lost for me rather than really "pissed away".

[Maxiedge]

We need more magic on the wings

[Craig_H]

Well having spent a good few hours in the pissing rain and cold, with my wallet recovering from the removal of nearly £50, needless to say i could be in a foul mood.

But i watched it back on tv and in all honesty, we played very well, dominated them and would've been 3-0 up on another day. The majority of the time, we'll win comfortably with such a performance and today was one of those rare days where it doesnt happen as it should.

I'm still optimistic, we're dominating and controlling most opponents and when we put it together properly, we're capable of totally overpowering teams. To be frank, we looked a class above today and but for 3 efforts coming back off the woodwork, Kuyt missing a decent chance and Alonso missing a sitter with his head, we'd have won with ease.

Hopefully we can put the CL group to bed on tuesday and go on to thump West Brom next weekend. Still plenty to be positive about.

[vonk]

Rumours in the Times that Redknapp wants Keane back in January. Doubt he would go for it, but would you take it and go for Zaki with the 20m?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article5063327.ece

[Craig_H]

In a word...yes.

[MrMichael]

Well having spent a good few hours in the pissing rain and cold, with my wallet recovering from the removal of nearly £50, needless to say i could be in a foul mood.

But i watched it back on tv and in all honesty, we played very well, dominated them and would've been 3-0 up on another day. The majority of the time, we'll win comfortably with such a performance and today was one of those rare days where it doesnt happen as it should.

I'm still optimistic, we're dominating and controlling most opponents and when we put it together properly, we're capable of totally overpowering teams. To be frank, we looked a class above today and but for 3 efforts coming back off the woodwork, Kuyt missing a decent chance and Alonso missing a sitter with his head, we'd have won with ease.

Hopefully we can put the CL group to bed on tuesday and go on to thump West Brom next weekend. Still plenty to be positive about.

Agree with all of that

[Craig_H]

And the mancs go to Arsenal next weekend, the same Arsenal who have drawn and lost their last two games and must put in 100% to make sure they dont get beat. Chelsea go to Blackburn the day after we play (and hopefully beat) West Brom to go back top, putting all the pressure on them in what'll hopefully be a tricky away trip for them.

Plenty to keep our heads up about.