With Tottenham Hotspur registering back to back losses once again in the Premier League with the frustrating 3-0 defeat to Manchester United at the weekend, news on Monday of Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure from the club probably didn’t come as a great surprise to anyone.
Wherever you sit on the Nuno debate, there were obvious flaws with his handling of the group and with the players just not stepping up for him, there was a sense of unavoidable inevitability about it.
This of course means we now head into preparations for our Group G clash with Vitesse managerless as the merry-go-round has once again begun, and after October’s slip up against them, we simply couldn’t stomach another defeat if we hope to try and top the table.
With speculation returning about talks being held with Antonio Conte, whether he (or a new face) will be in place by Thursday is open to debate but whoever it is has got a massive job on their hands.
What will be will be, as the ditty goes, we just have to hope our next gamble pays off because the decision makers aren’t going to sack themselves are they.
Someone said the if we win this European competition there are some on this site who won’t be impressed, but he’ll be happy. He didn’t identity who those people are, so I won’t identify who he is. lol. But I assume that one of the people he had in mind was me, as i’ve often expressed that I’m not that impressed by this particular European competition. Let me be clear about my thought.
This is a third-rate competition. Literally. Two other European competitions drawn clubs that ended last season in higher positions, and we are in this competition because we ended last season at the top of the third tier of clubs in England. We are competing against the top of the middle of the table in other leagues. Winning this cup is no great accomplishment for our club that should be competing for a CL final.
That being said, of course I want us to win it. My heart pulls fo victory in every match we play, but it pulls even more so for our team to play the right way. That itself is a victory. it maintains what is for me the greatest of the Spurs traditions. It is the meaning for me of supporting Spurs. My club is the club that demands of itself to play in the right way.
In playing in the right way, when we do win, it is a real victory in every sense of the word. We defeated not only the other club but we defeated the temptations to cut corners and do it in a twisted way.
There is only a superficial victory when we win with the “hands of God.” What an expression to blame God for one’s own cheating. We should never embrace winning like that.
So, let’s play right and win this European third tier competition, but let’s also recognize it for what it is. Only a small step on the way to winning the tough competitions that really test our club against the best. And let’s best them not by boring them or cheating them. Let’s do it so that our heads and hearts truly can be held high in the heavens.
Let’s win the right way so that our grandchildren learn what that means.
Of course the club needs to spend some money to bring in fresh blood. But it doesn’t need to try to outspend Skum or Manure etc. it needs to make intelligent purchases of decent talent that Conte can develop and integrate into a unit. Unit as in unity, in which the parts are important only in as much as they make the whole unit better. No shining stars whose gravitational pull distorts the whole unit. No egos who will distort the dressing room. Conte, I think, understand that. i hope so. We’ll find out, i suspect.
HK has been saying the right things since Conte was named, but he needs to put his play where his mouth is. Jeez, Harry, you were one of us, but then you went all wonky self centered. Come home, lad. It will be good for your mental and spiritual health and for your play, Now’s the time. Don’t wait until Christ’s mass, come home now and center yourself with the centering influence of being in the whole.
Hey all, ok here goes, I thoroughly enjoyed the game last night, highs n lows, goals, team play, the word Spursy, I hate that, if you like.
A win no matter how nervy is a win, onwards and upwards.
For me, Three things really stood out….
Firstly….Defence has to be sorted, we need a controlling new CB.
Romero in the middle of 3, never on the right again, Dier sorry got to go! even Davies for that matter, though he had a decent game left of the 3.
Learn to defend from front to back, as a bleedin team.
Secondly….Hoj n Skipp, love both of them, but for me both together again, no! no! no!
Requirement….a new specialist DM, a meat eater, spoiler who is only interested/specialises in protecting the 3 behind him, his partner to be at the mo either N’Dombele or Locelso, ball playing CDM’s who can carry the ball forward.
Thirdly and probably the most important of my 3 reactions…..All the bloody Team/Squad get bloody FIT! because they most certainly are not, after 30mins last night it stood out a mile they were all knackered, result of poor fitness training over the past 18months.
Mr Conte will have a bloody good idea what’s to be done after last night, his strength, attitude will have to be adhered to…my way or the highway! ….COYS
HT
Singing from the same hymn sheet here, I do think his obvious passion and desire to win will become infectious. I do think many and I mean many of our squad will take up the baton and run so to speak, I think if he(Conte) gets 2 or 3 of his chosen players.
Re the conference league I’m much with TK here, I just think it is our least important competition and hope we don’t overstretch ourselves in the league to win it, I saw it as a good testing ground for fringe players, but don’t get me wrong I still want to win it.
Sorry folks
If Conte gets 2cor 3 of his chosen players, who could help install his ethos throughout the team.
Kane has already publicly backed him, something he didn’t appear to do with Nuno, so it could be the start just the start if a change in mind set and direction from some of our players.
Fine words TK and if I could add one it would be pride. At the conclusion of each game I want to feel proud that my team have tried hard, played well, played fairly and were managed in such a way to be competitive with the best. Winning is the objective and would be celebrated but pride is not dependent on it if the other conditions are met. It’s not a difficult concept to understand.
The road to pride is to live right, play right, play fair, with real effort at what you are doing, and to have respect with those you encounter on that road. I’m proud to adopt your word, LT.
Conte has just stated that “Spurs are a big, big challenge”.
I think that means we have a few problems to address. Fitness, attitude, commitment and several key signings. C’mon you Spurs.
Really looking forward to the ride.
“Big, big challenges’ can be the most satisfying kind. Succeeding at something that isn’t much of a challenge doesn’t provide that same sense of satisfaction.
Here’s hoping Conte’s sense of accomplishment is off the charts this time. And let’s hope he does it the right way. I haven’t followed him closely enough, but he seems to believe in hard work and being intelligent about how you play. If you work hard and you put in an honest effort and you know what you’re doing, you should be alright.
Sometimes, football really is just about winning, anyway you can. …….
TK, your endless, sanctimonious, self indulgent preaching about doing things the right way, is giving me a headache. Why can’t you just accept that not everyone has a moral high ground to take when watching a simple game of football? They just want to see our lot score more than the other lot. It’s really not such a moral dilemma for most of us. Just different perceptions of the sport. It’s not a matter of wrong or right, just a different perspective that people may have.
Now, I would love to see Spurs play the beautiful game like a well rehearsed ballet every week. But, it’s football, not a carefully choreographed dance. And it’s played by humans. Humans with imperfections. Humans that F Up. Humans that will occasionally cheat the rules. Humans that are under immense pressure. Humans, that in the heat of the moment might commit to a handball. Trip a player, pull a shirt, kick out, argue with refs, and generally break the rules. (But that is what free-kicks are for. That’s what yellow and red cards are for). It’s not exactly immoral behaviour at some deep and disturbing level! It’s just basic human nature. And no one dies! And they all shake hands, hug, or high five each other at the end of it all…
I myself don’t like all the cheating that goes on in the game. But it does and it will. And I can’t honestly say it affects me that deeply. It’s football. That’s all. Not love, not war, not famine!
I might simply shout CHEAT! And then I move on. Life’s too short to still care about Maradona’s “Hand of God” that happened all of 35 years ago. LOL!
PEACE!
Everton 0-5 Spurs!
3 hand-balls, a dubious penalty and a belter from Kane! Haha!
HT I suppose you’re right.
How many of us have “taken” the pen from work, driven over the speed limit, basked in the glory of someone else’s idea, maybe even had one too many and driven home, cheated on your girlfriend.
I’ve prob done many if not all of the above, I’m human.
So to win and win well is preferable, but if Kane buys a free kick at the 18yd box and we get a goal “happy days”, it is, a game full of “gamesmanship” for better or worse, sometimes you gotta get into the gutter, but as long as we’re looking at the stars.
HT …. DITTO!
HT,
Thanks for your warm endorsement.
A level of pragmatism is necessary when assessing the acceptability of gamesmanship but authorities and civil society generally must set and enforce the rules and laws by which we live and play. Being pragmatic is not an excuse for endorsement of cheating but yes we are human and can stretch that when it suits us. We need the sanctimonious to call us out when that happens or we get drift. Here endeth today’s lesson, and tomorrow I’ll happily accept a bit of gamesmanship as long as it isn’t toffee flavoured. Who do I make the cheque out to?
Crazy what can happen in a week, 2 down away to Liverpool to get a draw. Home to bottom of table Newcastle and draw.
Crazy to think we could be 5th or 6th tomorrow with a win. Can we do it? I have no idea but the toffees are out of form and low on confidence right now…..but I guess you could say we are too.
Everton have lost their last three PL games to Wolves, Watford and West Ham, maybe we would have a better chance of winning if we change our name to Wottenham Hotspurs. 🙂
Quick apology folks, not been well this week and it’s only just dawned on me I haven’t prepared a fresh Everton thread.
Sorry!
No worries Danny, hope you are feeling better soon.
Wentworth Didn’t Mourinho make a similar comment as Conte and what happened ?
Our recruiting policy has been poor with the stats bearing this out . I have not seen any positive stats to give me any confidence that Conte will be able to turn round a poor team . It is reported that he is able to improve players but if players can’t pass or play as a team what chance has he got ?
This is the last throw of the dice from Levy and and unless he pays for some good players Conte will be out of the door . Some on here have advocated that we don’t need to pay mega bucks for players but hasn’t that been the policy of Levy , loans and bargain basement buys which have led us to having a poor side ?
The proof is our performance vs United ( what a shambles ! ) and the last 60 mins vs Vitesse ?
If Everton are well organised and play to our many weaknesses then I can’t see us getting anything from the game . At least try and get us passing correctly
As usual I am fairly negative about this game but hope that Conte may have been able to instill something into the team . With the international break will make his job a little harder .