If you’ve been to a football match and you tell someone that your team won 3-1, they’re bound to say something along the lines of: “Sounds like a good game”.
Well sometimes appearances can be deceptive, because this was a pretty dull game where we somehow found ourselves 2-0 up without having done very much.
On this day of deception, no one went further to fool the general public than Roman Pavlyuchenko. Anyone who looked in the paper on Sunday morning and saw that Super Pav had bagged himself a brace, would think that he’d played another blinder. The truth is that he was our worst player in the first half, when he could scarcely do anything right.
Pavlyuchenko’s touch let him down on a number of occasions and he missed two very good chances before the break. He scuffed a volley when in so much space that he might even had time to take a first touch, before later shooting wide at the near post from a dangerous cross by Bale.
Luckily, while we were missing chances, Blackburn weren’t creating anything. They showed less attacking threat than almost any team that I’ve seen at White Hart Lane this season (though of course this didn’t stop them from being able to score against us).
If Blackburn weren’t so wretched then you’d say that our first goal just before half time was undeserved. Kranjcar’s corner was met by Corluka, who headed towards the back post where Defoe was waiting to poke home.
Just 10 minutes after the break, Pavlyuchenko made it 2-0 with a long range shot that Blackburn’s substitute goalkeeper Jason Brown let squirm underneath his body. Game over we all thought, before remembering that we support Spurs.
The inevitable gift of a goal to the opposition was the fault of Heurelho Gomes. First he opted to punch at a cross, rather than catch it and ended up conceding a corner. As the resulting ball was swung in, Gomes went to claim it before deciding that he wasn’t going to get there and then retreated back to his line. All of which allowed Christopher Samba (easily their best player) to head the ball into our net, with little opposition.
The nervous feeling in the stomach was not to last long though. Within 5 minutes we were able to put the game to bed. Pavlyuchenko swung at a ball in the box like a novice golfer, but proved that luck was on his side, when moments later he got on the end of a Bale cross to make it 3-1.
Before this game I questioned whether a left wing position could get the best out of Bale, which is why I now have a napkin round my neck that is currently catching crumbs of humble pie. It was clear from the opening moments of the game that Bale had the measure of Salgado and he gave the Spanish star a torrid afternoon.
What impresses me even more than Bale’s ability to beat his man is how dangerous his resulting crosses are. Very rarely do you see him getting into a good position and then misplacing the pass.
As well as the assist for Pav’s second, Bale had two decent shouts for a penalty, but Howard Webb is nothing if not determined to do his bit to get Liverpool that fourth place. It’s a shame for the Reds that Torres and Gerrard don’t look equally committed to the cause.
If I’m starting to reconsider Bale’s shift in position, I’m still not sold on the idea of Modric in the centre of midfield. He didn’t play badly, but tends to go wandering off on attacking meanderings, leaving Palacios exposed.
Even though they didn’t have that much to do, I was very impressed with Bassong and Dawson. With Bassong’s pace and left foot complimenting Dawson’s sheer Dawsoness, they’re a very natural partnership at the back.
As I’ve already said, I don’t think we played very well, but at this stage of the season I’m willing to settle for anything as long as the result is right. Scoring a few goals from very few chances, is certainly preferable to scoring none from a hat-full, as we witnessed against Stoke and Hull.
It’s hard to disagree with you. Focusing on the negative which I’ve learnt is the Spurs fan’s way, but still you are 100% correct in the analysis.
I think generally Bale should be left back, to allow Modric to tuck in and wander from the left and letting Bale overlap. The security of two centre mids next to Modric fets the best out of him. Some games not a bad idea to switch Bale to left wing and catch teams out perhaps. I think despite not exactly being great in the 1st half like you say, we still were asking questions and the fact that Blackburn weren’t really attacking us meant another one of those days where you’re desperate for that 1st goal to go in, thankfully we could go in at the break with it in the bag and we deserved it. Despite Pav’s run he isn’t exempt from criticism and he snaffled two yes, but it wasn’t perfect from him. He and Defoe are a big threat and both will always get goals you feel. I agree about Dawson and Bassong. Seb isn’t exactly lauded, and I’m not saying he really should be too much but he’s been a relaible player all season and is a big reason why our defensive record this year is looking better than usual. Dawson has been outstanding which is very pleasing to see.
To be fair, I think you are underselling Blackburn. They gave you a good game and I agree you were lucky to win. Webb was very for both your teams.
ACCURATE ENOUGH DESCRIPTION OF A GAME WE SHOULD OF WON….BETTER PLAYRS BETTER FORM. STILL DONT THINK THAT DEFOE OFFERS ENOUGH ALL ROUND TO BE COMPARED WITH THE BEST (BEST OF THE REST MAYBE)GOES MISSING FROM GAMES FOR 2/3 OF IT…LIKE HE ALWAY HAS (STILL ILL TAKE HIS GOLAS ANY DAY).
RECKON HARRY WILL HAVE MORE PROBLEMS AS FOR ME BALE AND EKOUTTO ARE EQUALS (ALL ROUND)..FOR L\B
ROLE.AGREED MODDLE ALSO WHILST STYLISH AND ACCOMP,ISHED ALSO ISNT WHAT I THOUGHT WE BOUGHT
BEING HONEST(GOOD BRAIN AND FEET)BUT NO GAZZA.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HERE WE COME.
COYS
Pav was anything but ‘super’ on Saturday, but the mark of a decent goalscorer is that he will stick the ball away, more times than he misses – Defoe’s ‘scatter-gun’ approach, may be the exception, however.
We played poorly and we won – let’s push on and just keep the winning habit!