By Freud of Football -
November 23rd 2009 @ 6:39am
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Defoe books his ticket as Spurs run riot
Wow! Normally I wouldn’t bother writing a summary of a game but the amazing 9-1 victory by Tottenham was something special. What makes it all the more amazing is it was just 1-0 at half time, Wigan were ordinary for the first half an hour but started to get into the game as the first half went on.
And then, something happened, whatever Spurs were drinking during the break now has a pretty amazing backing story for an advertising campaign as they came out and blitzed Wigan, it was 45 minutes of joy for a neutral, but no doubt despair for the Wigan faithful.
Spurs went mad with 8 goals in one half, 5 to Defoe, 3 assists to Lennon not to mention a goal of his own, even his replacement David Bentley scored an absolute blinder as his free-kick made it 8-1 and then another beauty from Kranjcar made it 9-1 in the 93rd minute, a few seconds later the referee put a dejected looking Wigan out of their misery.
Defoe could have had 6 but he will have to reserve praise for his midfield.
Lennon was sublime, he’s finally fulfilling the potential everyone saw in the youngster at Leeds. Kranjcar was mesmerising and some of his through balls were world class.
Palacios and Huddlestone were brilliant as well, literally every position was dominated by Spurs, all the Wigan players had a torrid time, Erik Edman in particular who was torn apart time and time again by Lennon and he handed one to Defoe on a platter.
What happened? It’s one of those oddities of football, sometimes you can shoot all day and not score, others you take every chance and trounce the opposition.
It would appear that Defoe has booked his flight to South Africa. Given the opposition wasn’t strong but the display of his instinctive ability, playing on the shoulder of the defender and timing his runs to perfection – not to mention his lethal finishing must have convinced Capello of the striker’s worth, he deserves a place in England’s squad as he is the only genuine finisher they have.
Lennon deserves a special mention too. Pick a superlative, his game was that. His passes, his runs, his work off the ball dragging defenders out of position, it was just another in a string of fine performances under Redknapp which have seen his stock rise.
What about Wigan? Well they were poor, very very poor as you would have to be to concede 9.
It’s their fourth drubbing this season after a 5-0 defeat to Manchester United and 4-0 losses to Arsenal and Pompey, not to mention a pretty embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Blackpool which knocked them out of the Carling Cup.
Roberto Martinez must surely be coming under pressure as they slumped to 15th in the table and look a shadow of the team that Steve Bruce assembled.
The additions of Amaya, Thomas and Diame and the duo of Jason Scotland and Jordi Gomez who played under the Spaniard at Swansea have done anything but set the Premier League alight.
Martinez has admirably opted for an attacking mindset and formation but the results are reflective of the quality of the squad, they simply do not possess the players to play attacking, free-flowing football week-in week-out in the EPL.
Wigan’s only goal was scored after Scharner handled the ball, perhaps “Henry like” before smashing it past Gomes.
It can only be a matter of time before they change strategy or manager as at the current rate, Wigan are headed for a relegation battle when they should be safe in mid-table.
The last word has to go to Spurs.
They were simply classes above Wigan. Redknapp’s management seems to suit the squad and he is getting the results that the fans have long craved, on the basis of recent showings, including the 9-1 thrashing they are certainly Top 4 material and their system would suit the Champions League.
Move over Liverpool, your replacement has arrived.
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(3)
Sammy C said | November 23rd 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Yid Army!
md said | November 24th 2009 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
Great article. COYS.
Art Sapphire said | November 24th 2009 @ 3:53pm | Report comment
Wigan Athletic players to refund travelling fans as compensation.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/23/wigan-athletic-players-refund-fans
First came the humiliation, now for the compensation. The Wigan Athletic players responsible for the worst result in the club’s 31-year league history – the 9-1 rout at Tottenham Hotspur – are to refund every Latics supporter who squirmed through the torment at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
While the manager Roberto Martínez dismissed the result as a freakish occurrence, his players were sufficiently embarrassed by their performance to pledge to compensate the hundreds of Wigan fans who endured their appalling display in the capital.
In a statement released by the players today the club captain, Mario Melchiot, said: “We feel that as a group of players we badly let down our supporters yesterday, and this is a gesture we have to make and pay them back for their tremendous loyalty.
“There is not a lot else to say, just that as a group of professionals we were embarrassed by the way we performed, we feel it was below our standards and this is something we feel we owe to the fans. Now we have to draw a line under the game, focus completely on training this week and bounce back on Saturday. We are professionals, we will take it on the chin and move on but it’s important that we do not take our supporters for granted.”
Wigan have confirmed that any supporter who purchased a ticket from the DW Stadium is entitled to a refund, although the gesture is unlikely to bankrupt any of their players. Tottenham fans sang “What time’s your mini-bus?” to the small travelling contingent at White Hart Lane – and that was before their side conceded eight second-half goals.
In a separate – though possibly related – incident, Wigan today postponed the planned official opening of their new club store in the town. A spokesman said: “The club apologises for any inconvenience caused to its supporters but stresses that the event will go ahead in the very near future, as soon as a new date can be arranged.”