I speak with a somewhat heavy heart; allow me to just say that Tottenham's performance today flies viciously in the face of everyone who forecasted that Manchester United would walk all over us. And that includes myself. I wore my heart on my sleeve and predicted a drubbing for my beloved Spurs. And I was wrong.
Yes, United may have snatched today's Carling Cup Final in the cruelest of all manners, taking a penalty shootout by four goals to one. Yes, the extra time required will have only increased the fatigue and injury element that so plagues Harry Redknapp and his coaching staff. And, yes, the 120 minutes of nail-biting and adrenaline were eventually pointless after seeing Spurs lose in such ruthless fashion at the death.
Would I do it all again? You can bet Ledley King's big game ability I would. Every player in that white shirt today did us proud, with the notable exception of one David Bentley. To have fought and competed and matched United for that length of time is no mean feat at all, albeit a slightly weakened opposition. The heart and endeavour shown by the Spurs players was a sight to behold and evoked stirring memories of last years triumphant Wembley visit.
As Anderson slotted the winning penalty home, the inevitable sense of dread and heartbreak took over. Spurs came so close, so tantalisingly close to successive trophy wins, to another successful day at Wembley. That they were denied is only half the story. It pleases me that we were able to get to two finals in a row and to come so close to winning the second. Spurs have re-established themselves as a cup side, one who often struggle in the league but excel and thrill in the trophy format.
As for the players, the majority were exceptional. King and Michael Dawson were impregnable at the back. Didier Zokora had one of his best ever games as he marshalled the midfield against the considerable threat of Paul Scholes, Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo. Aaron Lennon and Luka Modric were outstanding, constantly looking for space and movement, always looking dangerous when on the ball. Lennon has had a great season and it is surely only a matter of time before Mr Capello gives him another shot for England.
Up front, Spurs lacked cutting edge as Roman Pavyluchenko had a poor game. This was a problem highlighted by Redknapp before the game but it was unavoidable, given the multitude of injuries and ineligibilities. Surely with either Robbie Keane or Jermain Defoe up front, things would have been different. Darren Bent tried hard but he is not up to standard.
Don't be fooled by the generally upbeat nature of this blog. This defeat hurts and it will hurt for a little while yet. But in times of hardship, it is sometimes comforting to view the bigger picture. Tottenham will now have to fight like heck to get out of the relegation battle and, though Europe will most likely elude them next season, it could just be a blessing in disguise. A season without distractions may be the perfect tonic to reinvigorate this famous club's fortunes.
I won't clutch at straws and try and claim a moral victory. After all, we only drew the game and lost in on a lottery when neither team could be separated. But instead of the end-of-the-world feeling you get when England get beat in big tournaments or when you lose to your nearest rivals, there is much to be proud of. Few Spurs fans would have expected a win and although that may be a defeatist attitude, many fans will be believing in the team and it's ability a great deal more as a result of this day.
At least we got to the final. I'd take that over anything. All the plastic United fans and anti-Spurs fans out there tonight should assess how well their own club did in this trophy and indeed other trophies before taking their inevitable and, quite frankly, laughable dig at Tottenham.
Spurs didn't have enough to do it, in the end. Neither did United but, alas, they were much better at penalties than us. God, I love Tottenham.
No comments:
Post a Comment