Tottenham: Understanding The Modern Game.
The main theory of winning any football league has always been to win at home and draw away. But over the years, with the advent of obscene money ruling the game and the emergence of ‘super rich clubs’, the theory has changed to …. win at home AND win away! This ‘new’ theory has created its own problems.
Clubs that cannot compete on a level playing field in terms of ability have to compete in a much different way to get something from a game; a much more negative way. And many of them, as I’ve said before, are becoming very good at it.
After spending ninety minutes trying to wear a defensive-minded Burnley team down we finally managed it! As in many other games, patience, focus, and determination, got us through. Our players have learned, unlike many supporters, not to panic or become frustrated during games.
We play Everton away next in the league. Everton are arguably a much better team than Burnley and so we can expect an even tougher game. Or can we?
Burnley were far more interested in drawing the game than winning it …. or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that Burnley were more intent on stopping Spurs from winning the game. The fact is that when ‘lesser’ teams play Spurs at home they are set up to defend. But when they play Spurs on their own ground they are far more inclined to include an element of attack to their game. Playing away from home means that ‘footballing’ teams such as Spurs find it easier to play the way they are capable of. It works the same for the other ‘top’ clubs.
So, although Everton are probably a better team than Burnley and they are at home, Spurs could find it much easier to play the way they like to play and the way they are capable of playing. Everton supporters will not accept their team playing purely for a point. To put it another way, it could be far easier to win 3-0 away at Everton than it is to win 3-0 at home to teams such as Burnley (sorry, couldn’t resist that!).
Many games these days are played in one of two ways. Matches between top teams make for a very exciting game because they both believe they can win and they are prepared to go for it. They are great games to watch. Games between top and bottom teams are far more boring and frustrating to watch because one team is intent on winning and one team is intent on not losing!
We have a brilliant away record so far this season. We’ve had a good away record for a few seasons. There is a reason for that. Spurs have a greater opportunity to play the way they like to play when they are away because the home team has to play more attacking football. That suits Spurs.
Remarks from supporters such as ‘We were playing at home and should have easily beaten a bottom club’ display a lack of understanding about the way the ‘modern game’ is now played. I must be honest and say that I often think the same thing …. until I sit back and reflect on the intentions of both teams. In football every team has the capacity to beat anyone and every club has the capacity to lose to anyone. It all depends on their intentions when they walk onto the park. The result will often depend on whether the aim is simply to stop the other team, or play to win.
These are just my thoughts and I’m generalising. What are the VS thoughts?