21st August News - Comment: Big four or big fall?

Source - espnstar.com

The ever optimistic supporter, Kelvin Leong, bemoans another opening day that went wrong for the club he loves.

The ever optimistic supporter, Kelvin Leong, bemoans another opening day that went awfully wrong for the club he loves.

Every year, Tottenham fans start the season with a loud declaration. "This is the breakthrough season!"

Sadly, come the end of every season, or should I say mid-season, the Lilywhites' fans droop their heads in utter disbelief as another forgettable campaign comes and goes with no sign of the desired ‘breakthrough'.

Make no mistake. I am one of the above mentioned fools.

August 16 2008 marked an exciting day. The 2008/09 Barclays Premier League was due to kick off and, as usual, the cockerel held its head high enroute to Teeside to play Middlesbrough.

Spanish coach, Juande Ramos, had brought in a host of flair players such as Luka Modric, Giovanni Dos Santos and David Bentley to usher in the brand of attacking football he was renowned for during his time at Sevilla.

The boys trotted out at the Riverside looking confident - even cocky. But 90 minutes later, they shuffled back into the dressing room wondering what lies ahead after going down 2-1 in a lackluster showing.

How our hopes have vanished so fast is inexplicable. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you what went wrong.

Defence

Why on earth was Gareth Bale left on the bench with the clumsy pairing of Benoit Assoue-Ekotto and Didier Zokora starting ahead of him?

Bale has been in sensational form in preseason, often rampaging down the left in support of Mexican boy wonder, Dos Santos and creating a hosts of chances for Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent.

Hutton proved his worth with Rangers and Scotland before moving to White Hart Lane and his dangerous overlapping runs down the right complimented Bentley's wing play to perfection.

So my question here is, why did Ramos decided to switch things up on the opening day after sticking to the same formation and players in preseason?

As expected, Ekotto and Zokora did nothing more than run around like headless chickens.

Tactical error obviously.

Midfield

Anyone who witnessed the 5-0 friendly demolition of Roma a week back, will tell you how devastating the combination of Bentley, Modric and Dos Santos can be.

Bentley, playing wide right, tormented the Romans with two deadly free kicks and his delightful crosses into the box created chance after chance for Bent and Berbatov.

Dos Santos' slalom-like runs down the left made defenders look like Sunday school league boys trying, but failing miserably, to do their best.

And add to that, Modric's needle-eyed precision passes from the middle which often made Roma's defence look second-class.

So why, I ask again in vain, did Ramos play Bentley down the left, Dos Santos as a striker and Modric as a holding midfielder while allowing Jermaine Jenas the license to attack?

Another tactical error.

Attack

Who has been the striker most talked about in the off season? A certain brooding Bulgarian who oozes class.

The man in question? Dimitar Berbatov.

Yes, I agree that his mind might have drifted to Old Trafford. But if his name is still on our books, why not play him and utilize him to the max before he leaves?

Bent struggled to combine with Dos Santos upfront and who can blame him?

His speed and off the ball running often goes best - think sakae and sashimi - with a target man laying it off for him.

As hard as Dos Santos might try, the boy is shorter than the standard sized office cabinet. So how is he supposed to play the role of a target man?

Tactical error again, again and again.

I hate having to sit down after the opening game as a Spurs fan and question the manager. But season after season - we lost away to Sunderland last season on the opening day - we shoot ourselves in the foot with our grave tactical errors.

Face it. Ramos is paid big bucks to pick the right players and choose the right tactics. And as much as I think he is a good manager for us, he'll have to deliver the results fast.

Come on you Spurs!