Loading ...Aug 17 2008
Boro Gives Spurs Rude Awakening On Season’s Opening
For a fanbase desperate for some team, any team to unseat one of the Premiership’s Big Four, Tottenham was a beacon of hope. Over the summer ,the other North London club has been linked with seemingly every wantaway player in Europe, casting hopes and wishes into the minds of those hoping Liverpool could be brought back to the league. But for all those picking Tottenham to crack the cartel at the top of the table, Saturday at the Riverside proved a rude awakening.
It was a fair result, 2-1, beyond just Middlesbrough outplaying Spurs. If anything, the 2-0 scoreline posted before Tottenham’s late, resigning goal was more just. Boro controlled the entire match and truly looked the better team, sending notice to a league fanbase that had overlooked Gareth Southgate’s young squad while swooning over Spurs and Portsmouth. From the opening lineups, when it was known Dimitar Berbatov would not be playing, when you could make a side-by-side comparison of the teams, you could see how the same Tottenham back line that was so porous last season, Darren Bent as their lead striker, and a couple of unremarkable names in the midfield made for a club not so much different from Southgate’s, who nobody is picking to make the top four.
On the pitch, there were stark differences. Middlesbrough was able to control the middle of the field, rendering Luka Modric practically invisible. Whereas Middlesbrough’s defense was efficient in dealing with the few challenges Bent and Giovani Dos Santos provided, Tottenham’s defense showed no improvement over last season. Middlesbrough scored two goals but had other good opportunities. It was only poor finishing from Afonso Alves that kept the Brazilian from multiple goals. Stewart Downing outplayed David Bentley, and David Wheater added to his growing reputation as Middlesbrough showed they may have the best players of the two teams. The Modric having an off-day and Berbatov on the sidelines for most of the match, Southgate’s stars were shining brighter on Saturday.
This was not just a one goal loss on the road, something that would be forgivable for almost any club in the Premiership. Tottenham did not play Middlesbrough to within a goal. Their late tally masks the fact that they were rarely dangerous, and in the second half, when Middlesbrough turned the screws, Spurs had no means of responding. When Dimitar Berbatov came on the pitch Tottenham’s attack started show the fluidity Juane Ramos wants. But aside from those twenty minutes, they did not threaten.
That is not to say they won’t. Switching David Bentley to the left side using his brilliant right foot to put the ball on as opposed to across the net is an inspired choice from Ramos. Berbatov’s skill makes the team noticeably more dangerous as the speed of Modric and Dos Santos can play off the big target man. Bent becomes viable when playing off Berbatov. If Spurs keep the Bulgarian and convince him to play, there attacking problems will be solved.
And they will need to solve those problems if they are to compete. I’m talking about Middlesbrough here, not Liverpool. Middlesbrough can be a top ten team, and they played as such on Saturday. If Alves can finish a bit better and the team (especially the goalies) can learn as the year progresses, Boro will be good.
Tottenham needs to worry more about how they are going to beat the Middlesbroughs of the world than how they are going to execute any Big Four attack plans. With Dimitar Berbatov lost, whether by transfer or by psychology, the top of the table is as far away as it was in May.
Note: This article will be edited for distribution on American Soccer Reader.
Links
Brooding Berbatov confronts club about his ‘dream move’ to United
Middlesbrough 2 Tottenham 1: Berbatov cocktail gives Spurs a bad head
Ramos gives mixed messgaes as Spurs stumble
Southgate delighted with start
Poyet - We must learn
Mido returns to haunt Spurs
Mido returns to haunt toothless Spurs
Middlesbrough 2-1 Tottenham: Mido sinks Spurs
Southgate: We Are A Threat
Poyet Rues Poor Defending
Berba benched as Spurs lose
Mido returns to haunt Spurs
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