Fanzine Fanzone - Times Online - WBLG: End of the Road

It was a simple case of after the Lord Mayor’s Parade for Tottenham as an under-strength side took the field to play a determined Birmingham City side who wanted the points more than Spurs. How the rest of the relegation threatened teams will view the performance by the Tottenham team remains to be seen.

For all the euphoria of the Wembley experience just six days before, this was perhaps the old Spurs that we were so unreliably familiar with. The fact that the game was away, where we have such a poor record this season and against a team who had only one win in their previous nine games (and their last win before that was against us), should have given Tottenham hope that they might pick up some points at St. Andrews. But even before the off, the line-up showed a number of changes, both of personnel and position, led some Spurs fans to the opinion that this game had been sacrificed as it came between two important cup matches.

If Tottenham are serious about making strides in the Premier League, it should start now, so that next season, Juande Ramos can have a full season to show what he can do. That will mean taking every game as it comes and as an important one. Games against teams in the lower reaches of the table are ones which have to be won if the club are intent on making it to the top echelons of the League. For too long, there has been an inconsistency in Tottenham’s league form that has prevented them making progress. Not to where we should be, but where they deserve to be and that is why they have ended up in the middle section of the table – not threatened by relegation and not threatening a title challenge.

With a manager who is instilling a winning mentality, the loss of this game appears more confusing. While he may have sent out a team to win the match, they rarely looked like doing so after Birmingham took a seventh minute lead, with Mikael Forssell heading home McFadden’s cross unchallenged in the six yard box. Two further goals from him and one from Larson sealed Tottenham’s fate, with only Jermaine Jenas’ last minute goal giving the travelling Spurs fans anything to cheer about.

Not entirely true, as Paul Robinson made two very good saves (one unfortunately falling for Forssell’s hat-trick goal), although another free-kick managed to get past the wall and the keeper. There were far too many players exhibiting a League Cup Final hangover (surely something that Ramos needs to stamp out of the players) and considering the next day it was said that they are playing for their futures at the club, it looked like a number of them might be seeing the rear view of the exit door come the summer.

It will be an exotically tinged experience with a lot of Spanish players being linked with moves to Spurs, but perhaps most worryingly, Scott Carson is being touted as a £10 million signing. When I have seen him play, he looks worse than most people consider Paul Robinson to be. He let in five and three against us when he was playing for Charlton and four this year at home against Villa. It is rare that Robinson lets that many in. If money is going to be spent (and it is), I only hope that it is spent well.

At the moment, in my opinion, it looks as though likely candidates to leave might be Pascal Chimbonda, who not only took an age leaving the pitch at Wembley, but gets back slower than a tortoise with a limp; Darren Bent, who hasn’t really had that many opportunities, but does not strike me as a Ramos striker and failed to impress on Saturday; Younes Kaboul – who, if they can find someone to take him, might be replaced by someone Juande knows better and Steed Malbranque. Now Steed has become a crowd favourite this season, with his 100% fitness showing in more consistent performances and some good contributions to the team’s cause. However, if Ramos does bring in Diego Capel from Sevilla and Gareth Bale is restored to full fitness, then it is unlikely that they will keep Steed on, especially as Jamie O’Hara has been a revelation since being introduced to the team. I will be sorry if Steed does leave, as his industrious effort has helped the team click.

Back to the game, there were periods when Tottenham held the ball well and pressurised the Birmingham penalty area, but too often the crosses and set-pieces were poorly delivered and shots were always from a long way out, leaving Maik Taylor to show that he is a good shot-stopper.

The team was obviously shaped with Thursday’s UEFA Cup tie in mind, but the performance might leave Spurs fighting to get going when they start up against PSV Eindhoven, when the aim of reaching the long road to Manchester for the final will be one which will see them tried and tested.

Wyart Lane
My Eyes Have Seen The Glory
www.mehstg.com