Match Thread: Tottenham Hotspur vs Sheffield United

[Neil_Vaughan]

Talk about the game in here before, during and after.

[Spur]

I think a nice victory for us today, hopefully JD will be there to take part too.

[JJ]

Yeah, despite it being the first game of the season and what we may consider to be a weak opposition by Premiership standards, it's these matches that we have to clearly outplay & win if we do intend to make a good season of it. Especially at home.

I see us winning it quite comfortably, after a shaky start.

I'll say 3-1.

[Danishspurs]

I'll say 3-1 too. With goals from Berba, Keano and I think JJ will score too after his disaster of a match last saturday.

[SurreySpur]

I reckon we'll have an early scare but go on to win 4-1

[suBerb]

my feeling is that we will struggle - 1:0 or 2:1

[mjbmedia]

berby gol!!!!!!!!!!!1

[JJ]

Now that goal was exactly what i'm talking about. Lennon beats his man out wide, whips it across the face and Berbatov is there for a tap-in. I expect to see us score many of those goals.

[Keanoldinho]

Lennon with the super assist COYS

[Thfc4Life]

where can i listen to the match, it isnt working on bbc radio london?

[mjbmedia]

o yes rout time go on jj

[JJ]

Keane and Berbatov are working like they've played together for years.

Beautiful.

[DonJolSpurano]

berby n keane are fecking excellent

[DonJolSpurano]

I'll say 3-1 too. With goals from Berba, Keano and I think JJ will score too after his disaster of a match last saturday.

two outta three so far

[MarlowSpurs]

2-0
COYS
****in come on

[Keanoldinho]

JJ ****n JJ

[Thfc4Life]

2-0
COYS
****in come on

Marlowspurs are you charlie??

[DonJolSpurano]

wot shape have we deployed

[Spur]

Teemu sounds like he's havin a wonder game.

[Thfc4Life]

Teemu sounds like he's havin a wonder game.

where are you listening to it mate??

[Spur]

BBC 5 live sport extra

[Thfc4Life]

online or radio?

[laspur]

I'm stuck at work but it sounds like a complete different Spurs team. Tell me more people.

[Spur]

It's on the DAB, but I believe its on the BBC website somewhere.

[JJ]

Beautiful stuff..

I almost want to cry.

[Thfc4Life]

It's on the DAB, but I believe its on the BBC website somewhere.

yeh ive tried the website but it says it don't have the rights.

[mjbmedia]

its like we're a different team. not the players changed but the movement, we actually passing and then moving again, im so glad MJ read my email ;-)

this is what i call davids having a good game et al

tho to be fair they (sheff U) are giving us the room with which to beat them

[choda]

That's more like it. Still concerned about a lack of creativity in the midfield but it hasn't mattered today because Robbie has been out of this ****ing world. He's cutting them open almost every time he gets the ball. Jenas is doing better getting forward a bit more and scored obviously... still not sure he should be playing though.

Zokora on the bench? I initially thought that was a funny one.

[Keanoldinho]

Teemu sounds like he's havin a wonder game.

Teemu has been non-existent, but Davids, Lennon, Berbatov, and especially Keane are playing class


edit: anyone else watching it on dragon tv?

[choda]

By the way it is on freelivefooty.com but you'll have probably have trouble getting setup quickly.

[mjbmedia]

yeh me to(re zokora), until the others started playing then im not missing him :-)

agree with robbie today, how many strings can he pull????

ahhh three posts in a minute, i gotta type faster

[suBerb]

Keano, Lennon and Berbie can destroy each defence in the Premiership...Still, we need a quality LW.

[Welsh Spur]

Ah, it's like watchin a top four side lads! Beautiful stuff! :p

[mjbmedia]

what a difference a day makes,
24 little hours,
:-) :-)

[suBerb]

Berbie could play better, hopefuly he'll show it the second half

[Welsh Spur]

He doesn't look shit, that the main thing, he didnt against Bolton either. In case you didn't notice he's scored one and assisted the other tonight....and good touches. I already think he's doing good.

[suBerb]

Robbie reminds me of Hristo Stoichkov, very very good

[Indianspur]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/5276034.stm

[MarlowSpurs]

****in hell, when did Lee suddenly learn to play football?

[DonJolSpurano]

keane shud have just made it 3 grrrrr

[Indianspur]

who is ur avatar with breasts...she is fine!

come keano give us a goal

[DonJolSpurano]

who is ur avatar with breasts...she is fine!

come keano give us a goal

i dont knw. i just saw it somewhere ages ago and had it saved on my computer at work and as ya say, she's fine.

[MarlowSpurs]

eh up someones playing with the remote on freelivefooty where's me bloody picture gone?

[mjbmedia]

yeh ditto its mentioned on the footy forum too

[JJ]

Good result. Some fantastic stuff.

[MarlowSpurs]

What system is he using?
**** it it finished oh well

WE ****ING WON

[shoot_ffs]

good result but lacking urgency and experience in the middle of the park, which is weird as they have enough experience between them. with another game coming up at the weekend maybe it was wise to take the foot off the gas a bit. overall a sloppy performance with some good touches fom keane and berby. hopefully the goal will liven jenas up too.

[mjbmedia]

now that WAS spurs , tho we had the space to play, we wont always get that, hence 0-2 and 2-0 we just gotta learn to play like that when we dont get the space

[uplodd]

1st half very good. 2nd decent. Robbie was a changed man after the break. It's Sheff Utd and we must improve ok but Robbie and Berbatov and Lennon looked impressive at times. I liked very much Zokora also -- and JJ and Davids made some superb moves. The thing I'm worried about is that we leave too many open spaces.

[Spur]

Someone is going to have to tell me all about FLFooty...

[choda]

I'm still concerned with the lack of creativity in midfield, we need to take out one of the physical players (I suggest Jenas) and put in someone we buy or a creative player from our squad.

It was only because everything was going through Keano and he was sensational that we won today. When he didn't play so well second half we struggled creatively.

I thought Defoe did well when he came on. He seems to produce some lively movement and looks bright when he is trying to prove himself. Hope he keeps it up all season, and not just when he's been on the bench. I only saw a bit of him though as freelivefooty cut out for the last ten minutes on my end.

I thought Davids was unreal again and I thought Zokora was very good when he came on. Ekotto was good, Lennon good, Dawson good, Keano just magic first half, Berb was good but I think he'll be miles better as gets used to the pace and physicality of prem (I think that applies to all the new boys actually).

All in all a good result, and decent performance.

[Indianspur]

Although Jenas scored it seems JOl loves him soooo much that he is never substituted and instead played at right back, right wing etc...maybe if he was taken off for 10 or 20 minutes sometimes it would give him a kick up the backside to realise his place isnt for granted! I know he played well but im sure he wont be so hot soon when the team isnt playing well!

[McSpurs]

Decent performance there lads. Just need to keep it up for 90 mins, We seemed to invite them onto us 2nd half til Zokora came on. We can't afford to do that against better quality opposition but a win's a win.

[sundancer]

A lot better even if we did ease of in the second half, thought Dawson and Davenport were stronger tonight and would not be bullied like they were on saturday. Great first half by Robbie and was impressed by Zokora when he came on, also the attitude of Defoe, all in all a decent performance.

[Houdini logic]

Great response, shame we didn't hit 3 or 4.

[nuttyhotspurs]

just seen the highlights on sky sports and was extremely impressed, especially with the first half performance. keano probably had his best game in a spurs shirt, cant believe he didnt get on the score sheet. davids was a rock in the middle and jenas actually ventured forward and scored!! he was a lot more positive tonite with his passing, played a lot more forward instead of a simple side foot to the nearest man.

berbatov looks very confident on the ball and rarely loses it or gives it away. holds the ball up great and always finds a man.

didnt see much of ekkoto but lee did well going forward on the right along with lennon who had a great game also

also have to mention defoe who looked sharp when he came on, he went very close on a couple of occasions. i like the guy a lot but keane cant be dropped to the bench on saturday after tonights game. i think defoe is going to be sidelined alot yet again unless he intergrates keane into the lineup using a different system.

[MACCSPURS]

Don't want to put a downer on tonights result but...

If it was this time last season then it would be good. However, since we need to improve on last season (3 points dropped at some of those games last season was enough for the scum to pip us on the last day). Anyone remember West Ham at home, Sunderland away.....

It was only Sheff United, they are not going to be anything as hard as other teams and yes we did outplay them but is that not what we should expect anyway?

I think the Bolton game brought us back down to earth and I would be happier if we get a good win against Everton on Saturday.

[jrio]

Blinding first half with Keane simply exquisite. Utd looked overawed and Spurs took full advantage. Some clear warnings in the 2nd half however as we went into cruise control and missed 2 easy chances from Lee(very badly blazed over the bar from inside the area) and Keane, whose 2nd half was in stark contrast to the first as little he tried came off. Utd should have got a goal but Akinbiyi couldn't connect with the ball and at times we gave the ball away far too easily. Impressive displays from Berbatov, Ekoku and Jenas and Davenport gave us a few good openings as he came forward into the opposition half and was almost fed a chance by Berbatov. Defoe took 2 minutes to have a shot on target when he came on and then launched a second 2 minutes after that.

I was very surprised that Zokora had been dropped but he looked happy when he came on, was very controlled in possession and distributed the ball very well. A much bigger shock was both Stalteri and Gardner on the bench for a home game. My immediate thought was that if Ekoku struggled Stalteri would come on for him and Lee would switch sides. Tainio made a great difference on the left with his energy and vision but seems the only player we have in the whole squad to supply this. With so many players still vying for CM places the acquisition of Murphy and Ghally is making even less sense than it did when they first arrived.

[DarlinginJapan]

Anyone know of somewhere to see highlights online (I cancelled my THTV subscription!)

[sfspur]

Much too wasteful in front of goal. Easily should have had 4. Lee had a sitter and blazed over the bar...for jesus sake you're a pro fooballer, put the ball on target from 10 yards out! Spurs were wasteful last season, dropped points, dropped champs league. Should have put 3 or 4 on SU and run up the score, I guarantee you if the Arse, Man U or Chelski had those opportunities they'd bury them in a blink. If Spurs don't learn to be clinical on sitters there's no way we will compete with top 4. Top four are not wasteful and put the dagger in.

Otherwise, good performance but realize that SU will probably finish bottom 3 so not a real barometer. Need to equally dominate Toffees and then go into Old Trafford and compete and take the game to Man U without fear offensively with our heads screwed on defensively. Then we'll see what kind of team we've got here. Playing not to lose at Old Trafford will be a disappointment...we need to announce our intentions to the top four by walking into United's house and punch them in the mouth. Should have 7 points one way or the other after first 4 games. 4 or 6 will not be an indication of a Champ League challenge in the offing.

[singapore spur]

Much too wasteful in front of goal. Easily should have had 4. Lee had a sitter and blazed over the bar...for jesus sake you're a pro fooballer, put the ball on target from 10 yards out! Spurs were wasteful last season, dropped points, dropped champs league. Should have put 3 or 4 on SU and run up the score, I guarantee you if the Arse, Man U or Chelski had those opportunities they'd bury them in a blink. If Spurs don't learn to be clinical on sitters there's no way we will compete with top 4. Top four are not wasteful and put the dagger in.

Otherwise, good performance but realize that SU will probably finish bottom 3 so not a real barometer. Need to equally dominate Toffees and then go into Old Trafford and compete and take the game to Man U without fear offensively with our heads screwed on defensively. Then we'll see what kind of team we've got here. Playing not to lose at Old Trafford will be a disappointment...we need to announce our intentions to the top four by walking into United's house and punch them in the mouth. Should have 7 points one way or the other after first 4 games. 4 or 6 will not be an indication of a Champ League challenge in the offing.

good first post , cant disagree

[mgrep1881]

Singaopre Spur i agree with your post spot on mate.
Danish Spur your prediction was close!! well in!!

Overall i think we can be happy, we did our job in the first half and it will always be hard to keep that up when they changed from 5 at teh back to 4 -4-2 . Keane was amazing first half and Berbi looked good as well. AL leaves me speachless every time, i just find it hard to believe he can do the stuff he does.

We must get a good result vs Everton and another good point was that JD looked good when he came on.

I am actually flying in for the Everton game so am bloody excited.
See you all on Saturday!!
COYS!!!!!!

[sfspur]

Hey mgrep,
Have to take credit for the post you agreed with...wasn't singapore spur who penned the analysis, it was me, sfspur. Only reason I'm mentioning it is as my name sfspur indicates (sfspur=san francisco spur), the opinion comes from a Yank Yid. We always get slagged for not knowing our arse from a hole in the ground when it comes to footy, so it's a rare day when "real" football fans give two cents acknowledgement to a Yank when they put in two cents. Spur supporter since early 80's, Spur for life.

Seen the worse days and the "close but no cigar" qualities of past sides (Spurs v. West Ham anyone?), scepticism and fear of the late goal is part of the ritual. Spurs always entertaining, often infuriating and cardiac arrest inducing, I look forward to the evolution of a side that dominates instead of offering inconsistent displays of flashy footy. Spurs have always had the style (G.Graham & "Park the Bus in Front of the Goal French Git" excepted) but now it's time to evolve into a Spurs side resembling present day Chelski, Man U (Roy Keane era) and the team that dares not speak its name when they had Viera. Or better yet, Spurs sides during the glory days with steeled players like Dave Mackay who got stuck in and helped forge a team that produced the goods week in, week out. COYS!

[Spur]

Spur supporter since early 80's, Spur for life.

You support me...?!?!

Thanks a lot.

I like the thought we are now entering a new successful era. The first successful era of my generation, an era with lots of trophies and big names. It is probably even more rewarding in the fact that we have made or at least progressed alot of the current squad too. Like li'l Lennon.