Tottingham 2 Cartoons 3

Gut-wrenching home defeat. Placing aside the fact we lost to a depleted and average Newcastle team and kissed goodbye to a 5th position (gave up on 4th place after the first 3 games), I just can't believe we managed to lose all three points in such a classic textbook Tottenham manner. Even snatching a point at the end (Defoe hitting the woodwork instead) would still have been pretty unacceptable. No disrespect to Newcastle, but only Man Utd have a license to claim max points at The Lane. With our away form being pants, home games are where we are meant to strut our stuff.

We did strut. For the opening 10 minutes. And at 1-0 I thought the floodgates were about to open. They didn't due to another soft goal conceded by Paul 'HE MUST BE DROPPED TO THE BENCH' Robinson. I wonder if I will live to see a Spurs side control and hold onto the ball straight after going 1-0 up? Clean sheets is something of a rarity these days.

Anyway, we had enough chances to bury Newcastle and we didn't. They were more clinical with their chances and we were rather average in defence. Recipe for disaster. The 'we must be more relentless and ruthless' mentality I cry for is persistently falling on death ears. Not that I get the chance to personally tell the players, but I'm sure if I can see it Martin Jol can see it too.

I don't want to be too much of a knee-jerk, because we didn't deserve to lose and tbh, I can't really single out anyone (Robbo/Tainio) for playing that badly/average. One of those days, perhaps? I suppose it was but its more of a 'one of those seasons'. We have more depth and better players in the squad and yet we have somehow managed to lose that mental strength of last year - especially away from home were we are so so easy to defeat.

So, in conclusion. We had plenty of chances (24 shots, 13 on target according to Sky). Didn't take them. Wonder goal from Martins. Too soft in defence and....oh, nearly forgot to mention one thing; Why the fuck do we persist in looking utterly clueless when at the edge of the penalty area with the ball? Shoot ffs, SHOOT!! It's staggering how their brains shut down and decide to play that one final pass so close to the goal. Very frustrating. But, oh well. Such is life. Such is the life of a Spurs fan.

I hope Bill Simmons wasn't watching this one. I bet he was though.....ripping off his shirt and waving around his black and white scarf. Bloody geordie.



~Spooky