ICF's match report vs Spurs

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

So with almost 1/3rd of our Prem opponents in London, an away season ticket for me means a lot of train trips down to London, this one worse than usual because the Doncaster line to London was suspended due to works so I caught the slow train down from Sheffield. At least the weather was decent after heavy rain the day before.

Our lineup was Ruddy, Whittaker, Bassong, Turner and Garrido at the back. Johnson and Fer as DMs with Elmander behind RVW and Snoddy and Redmond on the flanks.

Before the game I didn''t share the widespread optimism on this board. The reality is that Spurs have spent the Bale money on numerous players so their squad is definitely much stronger than it was. But after good results here in our last 2 games I certainly didn''t count us out.

I was a few minutes late and when I got in it was soon clear we were sitting deep and giving them too much time. Whittaker was standing a good 10 yards off his man and before too long an easy diagonal ball to the winger led to a cross which was half cleared to one of their players one the right hand side of the box. Two players we re covering him but they both guessed he''d turn away from goal so he turned back and shot. Ruddy could only block and a player nicked it but fortunately could only back heel it onto the post with a covering defender.

Spurs weren''t creating much but had almost all the ball and around 25 mins another ball found their left winger in space and with our defence behind the 18 yard line they were able to put together a neat combination for their no 9 to have an easy chance in the box which he buried in the far corner.

Behind City came a little more into it but still really on the break. Redmond had one good run down the left and found RVW at the near post but the chance went wide. Was he bundled over? Couldn''t tell as it was the far end but worth saying the ref was giving everything to the home side that was 50/50.

Also worth pointing out Redmond was doing a good job defensively.

Towards half time Spurs were comfortably stroking it about although still not creating many chances, but certainly changes needed for City.

At the start of the second half we were slightly better going forward but after just 5 minutes spurs againe were on the edge of our box and Zgarrido was caught out of position and blocked off when he tried to cover the winger, who had plenty of time to drill it across the goal. The striker only had to touch it and it was a second for them. That was basically game over as going forward we were too reminiscent of the hull game but against a better team who were content to stroke it around.

There wre a few moments of excitement, like when their keeper came to punch it over RVW on the edge of the box and the ref gave a foul for handball - funny how Bunn was sent off for that last season at Sunderland. Or the time their fullback simply came through Snoddy from behind and pushed him over but the ref gave nothing. But the truth is City offered little going forwards

So the worry is that so far away from home we are causing fewer problems for the opposition than last season. This was the sort of game when Grant Holt would''ve dug in and made it hard for the defending CBs. For all RVW''s quality this is not the way to play to get him to make an impact.

[Herman 11,136]

Good report ICF.

Just got home myself and have to say I was really disappointed with our display. Spurs were good but we just let them get on with it. Second to every ball and poor passing made their day so much easier.

Nobody in our team had a good game except maybe Bassong and Ruddy.

Johnson deserved to be subbed earlier. After standing up for him last week I have to say Snoddy was very poor and offered nothing. The free kick at the end summed his day up. Pilks should have taken it and was quite rightly pissed off.

Sorry I could take over your thread moaning about some of the others but all I will say is that thd ref was a bloody idiot.

Anyway £21 per shot. Money well spent.

[Sussexyellow 55]

As you say ICF Spurs have spent the Bale money well and are likely to be a force to be reckoned with this season. However I did feel we played our full part in making them look world beaters this afternoon.

But its just one game, one bad day at the office, and at a fixture where realistically getting anything us a bonus.