Spurs v. Wigan

For the first time since Juande Ramos took over Tottenham, I was able to sit down and watch a game. The first three were not televised on FSC. So even though this could be billed as a six-point game, I was really excited to watch the match.

From all reports, Spurs last two victories were ugly. They didn’t play well but still escaped with a clean sheet. So I expected that this might be the case for the Wigan game as well. While the prospect of beautiful attacking football is inherent in a manager like Ramos, his first job when he took over was to stop the bleed.

And obtaining our first victory in the league in three months did help in that regard. Under Ramos, Spurs have three wins and a draw. The important facts during the run of form are there have been no late goals conceded, no set pieces conceded, Lennon is playing his natural position and we have three clean sheets. We in fact have not thrown away points. There might have been a hope for a victory at Boro, but Taylor’s goal was unstoppable.

On Sunday, Tottenham beat Wigan, which any pundit will tell you are a terrible team, 4-0. However, watching the game, I don’t think Wigan was aweful. They did get the tactics wrong. Wigan faced off with a Spurs side that has a very shaky backline. Kaboul and Dawson are good defenders, and may have potential to be much better, but together at this time, they have been poor. They lack cohesion, confidence or authority. Some of that has to do with the man minding the goal, and Paul Robinson’s fall from grace has been widely covered, but some of it has to be the combination of two young backs. Meanwhile, anyone who has seen him play knows that Pascal Chimbonda’s defending has been lacking for quite a while.

However, rather than take advantage of a defense that is struggling, Wigan employed a 4-4-1-1, which took pressure off of the center-halves. And by attempting to play a link-man, they managed to lose the midfield. 5 in the center of the park may have aided their cause, but as it stood, Tottenham controlled the midfield superbly. This alleviated pressure on their back four and meant that they were starting attacks from close to the midway and thus playing more of a passing game. Jenas and Zokora held the middle well today and it was their effort that made the game so easy.

Now, let me take a moment to make the case for the long-ball. Route 1 football is ugly and boring. However, there is a difference between employing it during a match and relying on it. Tottenham have been very guilty of the latter this season. In this match, the third goal was one that Charles Reep would have loved. Robbo boomed it long, Berbatov settled the ball and flicked to Aaron Lennon, who finished superbly. Why it matters is that this was the only one of the four goals to come from long ball. The others were developed on the ground: one created by an exquisite pass into space by Berbatov for Jenas; one created on the by-line by Robbie Keane (Jenas again) and one by Berbatov to Lennon to Bent on quick passes. Four goals scored by different means.

We all remember how Arsenal was criticized for trying too hard to walk the ball into the back of the net last year. There is truth in that. While we don’t have a great distance shooter, we do play Route 1 well. So the long-ball provides a different option, something else for the defense to worry about. If it is used on occasion, especially when you have a target man like Berbatov, it provides another outlet and another distraction for the defense, and may allow the midfield space. So while I agree with developing an attack around this system is poor, I do love that Tottenham has it as an option.

For Spurs’ part, the thing that impressed me as being Juande’s major contribution to the team in the short time he has been in charge was structure. I felt that Zokora and Jenas were holding a strong buffer in front of Kaboul and Dawson. I felt that the two center-halves adjusted their line accordingly, when the two holders moved. I felt that Berbatov and Keane were moving to the flanks to provide a link for attack. It was the most organized I remembered seeing the team. And it was one of those things, we all expected Ramos would bring. This structure and organization allowed them to attack at will, to protect their defense and to expand the field. I felt that Tottenham spent more time on the by-line that I had seen in the entire of Jol’s tenure. And while that is exaggeration, it is also a fantastic sign. The only caveat was that we had to plug a round peg into a square hole at left wing. And while Steed was tireless and positive he did drift into midfield.

Things are turning a corner under Ramos. The fitness is really strong, the organization is vastly improved, and the defense and midfield are starting to believe in themselves again. While I hold no ridiculous aspirations, I see no reason to believe that Spurs won’t finish top half again. And after the comical start of the season, that’s quite an accomplishment (and who knows – maybe we might live up to our cup history).

Come on You Spurs!