Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Blackburn Rovers

[funster]

I blame the board. Really, I do.....

Anyway, off we go with the match report.....

Clocks going back, I forgot to put my bloody alarm back! Oops! Had something to do with the fact that I cooked a massive curry and sank plenty of beer last night. Tends to make one a shade forgetful late at night. But no matter. I woke to a grey, drizzly day, and thought to myself..... "Mmmmm..... reminds me of West Ham away last season". No such luck.

Today, I had a new partner in crime as my mate Chris from Boringstoke - a long-time Spurs fan who hadn't been for many years - joined me. Shame there were bloody engineering works between Woking and Waterloo as it added about forty bloody minutes to the journey time!

We arrived and swiftly found a pub near Waterloo for a feed and a couple of pints, and then set off for WHL. I had the feeling that with the swiftness of the appointment - about the only decent thing the board have managed in this whole sorry episode - we could get a result, and we started OK. The team was largely the same as that which took to the field on Thursday night and they were..... well, they were OK.

Blackburn are a tough nut to crack. We all know that. But they didn't look as tough a proposition today as they did when we sneaked a 1-1 towards the end of last season. There was nothing spectacular in the first half - I mean, no moves of fifteen passes, not searching sixty yard passes, no defence splitting through balls, but there was enough for us to create a fair few chances, and, unsurprisingly, for Brad Friedel to make a decent save or two. That bloke is a very, very good keeper.

Blackburn weren't particularly threatening, and although we had virtually all the possession and almost all the best chances, the score as we went into the break at 0-0 was...... well, I suppose it was acceptable under the circumstances.

Stand out impression of the first half was that we had no clue in the centre of midfield - where have I heard that before?! Huddlestone was having a shocker.

No changes for the second half, but very soon a speedy Lennon run, a trip, a penalty. As George Graham (my God! I can't believe I'm naming him!) used to say, if a winger runs at speed into the box (he was talking about David Ginola in those days), it only takes the slightest touch and its a penalty. And so it was.

And what a cracking good pen from Keano?! One of the very best that I've seen. High and hard into the top corner. Top class.

The goal gave the game a bit of impetus. Whereas upto then it had been OK, all of a sudden there was urgency to the play.

We had the chances. We really did. But the next goal went to Rovers. A massive deflection off Dawson - who had an absolute and utter shocker - and Cerny was beaten.

At 1-1, despite the substitutions it looked like the game would end, points shared. But no. Yet again, in a game where we took the lead, we ended up with nowt. A free-kick - yes, another set piece - the ball not fully cleared, and Samba - a bloody centre half! - has the time to smash it past Cerny to seal the points for Rovers. Fair play, it was a very good finish. He struck it superbly and the Rovers fans broke out into chants of "Let's all do the Samba", but the lack of closing down that gave him the time to strike it as well as he did.....

I could sense Ramos turning to Levy and saying - "Errrrr..... Daniel, I think I'm going to need more money".

Can't believe it. How many times have we led this season only to squander it? I can think of Fulham away, Arsenal home, Villa home, Liverpool away, Getafe home, and now Rovers home. God.

At least Ramos gets a relatively easy introduction with Blackpool..... mind you, they'll be bang up for it. They'll throw everything at us and it will be a tough game. Then 'Boro away - which is a trip we never seem to like. There are a lot of under-performers right now. Cerny's ability concerns me - he is too jittery. His distribution is not up to par and heaven help us if he gets a back pass on his right peg!

In the centre of defence Dawson is playing woefully. I can't understand it. Is he injured? Its his worst run of performances for Spurs since he joined. He can't seem to form a partnership with Kaboul, who himself seems more suited to the defensive midfield role.

Chimbonda was better today, but still a long way from his best. The centre of midfield leaves a big hole. Huddlestone was terrible today. Truly terrible. His distribution was utter garbage and he gave the ball away much too frequently and much too cheaply. The lad will learn. Of that I have little doubt. But he can't run that part of the pitch right now.

Zokora had one moment of brilliance part-way through the second half. I turned to Chris and said "He needs to do that every bloody minute of the game, not just once in ninety minutes" - when will he do that?!

I feel like tearing my hair out. But really, I've been here before, and in those times before we've had players far less able. Here's hoping the new management team are going to get stuck in and results turn in our favour. Let's face it, outside the top four, if you can string together four or five wins in a row, bingo, you're off.

Here's hoping anyway.

[baxta]

just havn to stick tough mate, life aint always a lovely place. Unfortunatly this season of football has been pure hell, rather sit and try to communicate with the dumbass gooner supporters for the last few months than having lost 20 years of my life watching spurs! just dont get it we nearly do over lpool away, but manage to lose easy games, with the worst luck.. Ie Burn, Fulham, Lpool, like seriously 1 min to go, thats all!!

Just gotta be tough, and always keep the logo close to our hearts where it belongs! And if worse comes to worse, just start watching my beloved, Adelaide United ( home team, from the A league ie: Australian soccer league), hay we are sitting on top!!