The date was Saturday 28th August and we were playing a Wigan side at White Hart Lane who had lost their first two league games 4-0 and 6-0. Instead of compounding their misery we lost the game 1-0 with an abject, uninspiring display that lacked creativeness. Before the game many people were surprised Redknapp had opted for a starting midfield pairing of Palacios and Huddlestone who both like to sit deep. Huddlestone can’t really be described as a defensive midfielder but he’s not the type to make runs past the strikers either.
That experiment didn’t work and thankfully it hasn’t been tried since. That is until yesterday’s FA Cup game against Charlton. Only this time it was even worse, Palacios and Sandro, both players who if they had to select a position they would say defensive midfielder.
This isn’t closing the stable door after the horse has bolted as the saying goes because I, like many, had a terrible feeling the selection of Palacios and Sandro was a mistake. With Modric being rested, most people assumed Jenas would come in alongside either Sandro or Palacios giving the team a balance between defence and attack. Arguably given JJ’s performance against Everton he didn’t deserve another start and I’m all for that normally but you’ve always got to do what’s best for the team. It seems strange against Everton we didn’t bother with one holding midfielder and then at home to Charlton we stuck two in there.
As has been pointed out to me by WindyCOYS the Palacios selection might have been to help him gain a bit of confidence. Playing at home against a team 2 leagues below you should do that for a player but unfortunately it back fired massively. On a personal level for Wilson he had a shocker, once again being substituted at half time, but as a team we weren’t much better.
We didn’t look like we were in too much trouble and we controlled the half for the most part, but we lacked imagination and that spark centrally that you need to win games. The only bright spark of the first half was the debut of Andros Townsend who at 19 has already shown what a talent he is while out on loan (except at Ipswich where Roy Keane had no idea how to use him), especially with this goal. He played out on the right and terrorised the Charlton defence at every opportunity, running at them and basically doing what a premier league side should do against a League one outfit. No disrespect to Charlton though who come to the Lane with more offensive ideas and inclination than many top flight sides have done this season and gave a good account of themselves.
Centrally though, we were slow and gave them an easy ride. Niko, who needs games to find his best form which he won’t get at Spurs so I see little point in him staying, started in his favourite position on the left but didn’t spend much time there. He loves to drift in which meant not only did we get in each others way but it also left Ekotto exposed for any potential Charlton attacks. Without a midfielder who could run the game and get at the Charlton defence they were fairly comfortable without being in control if that makes sense.
Then the second half came and while I’ve steered clear of blaming Redknapp for the first half for fear of getting abuse from those who believe he can do no wrong, he deserves credit for making the obvious change. Palacios off and Modric on. The game was over within 15 minutes of the restart. Modric pulled every string there was to pull, got forward, linked play and generally made everyone else look better. I’m assuming Redknapp might’ve had the odd word to say while the lads sucked on pieces of orange too.
It’s possible, and more than probable that Jenas wouldn’t have done the same. I’m not saying he would have. However, you’ve got to give yourself the best chance of playing well to win and for me that means even when resting players you’ve got to still keep the right shape and balance which we just didn’t do. Hopefully, having witnessed how it doesn’t work against Wigan and now Charlton, that’ll be end of the Roberto Mancini style of play at White Hart Lane.
In the end, it was a very comfortable win and a mistake we didn’t pay for. With the likes of Modric and van der Vaart on the bench and Defoe returning from his ban with two goals we always had a very good back up plan and thankfully so. We were excellent in the second half, we did what we had to do and it’s nice to see changes being made for the positive. Fulham away in the next round. Bring it on.
COYS
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It was young Modders who made the difference, and it was instant to see. At half time I had texted someone to say that the only way we would see a goal would be as a result of a mistake, but literally instantly that was wiped from my sent items….
The Cup is always tricky, and we got away with it in the first half and then made it look easy. Next round against Fulham at the Cottage – to me a full strength team from the off has to be the choice.
I think Redknapp was right to rest our important players and give perhaps the struggling Palacios and the fringe Sandro a chance to impress. It didnt work, Modric came on, we won the match. Doesn’t really matter that the first half was crap at the end of the day.
Also, Townsend, he looks like a quality player for the future and I think he earned a place on the bench behind Lennon.
As you know I tweeted about the very same thing and in hindsight Harry did probably think that his starting 11 would see off Charlton. As you said though at least he changed it at half time. Shame he didn’t do the same against Everton……
Learning from his mistakes…? Palacios and Huddlestone played central midfield against Young boys the 4-0 trashing, and maybe the best game of the season just days before the Wigan game…
Research anyone?
you’re right. They worked well against the mighty Young Boys of Bern. Best game of the season? Hmmm.
I think I’m in the middle here… It was clear before kickoff that the selection of Sandro & Palacios was a bit strange, given that we were at home against a team from League 1, and many of us said as much, with Jenas generally being the preferred option to partner the young Brazilian enabling Modric to have a rest. I have a certain amount of confidence in Harry Redknapp’s ability as a manager to believe that he didn’t think that team selection was our strongest, hence the strength of the bench. He knew it might not work, and so had Modric waiting to change the game, which he did and in the end it didn’t cost us; after all goal difference doesn’t count in the cup even if it would’ve been nice to score 7.
I just hope Redknapp has learnt from this… not mistake, but experiment, shall we say? Spurs can’t do negative, 2 defensive/holding/destructive (whatever you want to call them) midfielders is not the way to win matches, even against weaker opposition.
Yes, Huddlestone & Palacios worked against YB but – Bale was playing that day and set up all 4 of our goals. On Sunday we had Kraancjar on the left wing who, by all accounts, was rubbish. Townsend on the right was therefore our only viable creative outlet in midfield, and he duly scored in the second half.
No harm done, we’re through; hopefully all the wiser for it.
Sometimes you just need to give players a run out even if it is an unbalanced side. With every league game being crucial there are hardly any chances for kids to get a start. So that was what Harry did. Unfortunately neither Wilson or Sandro sparkled. But Sandro can go on loan and Wilson can be 4th choice for a bit longer. Defoe scoring against Charlton shows a problem. He scored almost as many in one game against minnows as he did all last year in the league. Harry should tell all of our strikers to pack their bags.