What a result! Three away goals, a win, a great performance against a very good side... wonderful. Marvellous goals, Lennon absolutely on fire, showing why premiership defenders of all teams generally opt to take him down. Great ball work by Keane and very quick thinking and reacting by Malbranque.
Because I was unable to see the game I was left with reading the BBC text (and seeing highlights afterwards) - a slightly surreal experience. Events sound very clinical - allowing for a very statistical and dry analysis of the action. Dimitar Berbatov terrorised the Braga goal quite a bit, even if he, sadly, did not end up on the score sheet. And according to the accounts we had one central defender. Michael Dawson cleared everything - while Anthony Gardner committed a foul and gave away a penalty... The man needs to work on elegant tackling, methinks. Especially with people who are light on the feet.
We go into the second leg happily and with an advantage, even if we are back to a busy fixture list which will be hard work. The moment of revival came, according to Martin Jol, after finally getting a few days off from cup competitions (courtesy of the Feyenoord fans) - now we have five games in two weeks, of which tomorrow is number three. Chelsea away, a fixture which at the best of times is daunting, but our recent form inspires a budding confidence that the inevitable defeat at fortress Stamford Bridge perhaps isn't, indeed, inevitable. Dimitar Berbatov repeated his philosophy from last time we played (and beat) Chelsea - they are only a football team. It’s 11 against 11. And they don't have three legs. Naive? Well, possibly not.
Jol has some difficult choices to make in selecting his teams for the remaining three games, and I will try to not make it my headache as well. The gaffer knows what he is doing. Surely? And we can only hope that our good spell does not end, in true Spurs fashion, with a home defeat to Watford. It wouldn’t surprise me. But I also know I wouldn’t find it in my heart blame the lads.
Braga
Paulo Santos, Luis Filipe, Paulo Jorge, Rodriguez, Carlos Fernandes, Joao Amaral, Joao Pinto (Maciel 80), Castanheira, Bruno Gama (Cesinha 69), Ze Carlos, Wender (Diego 69).
Subs Not Used: Dani Mallo, Nem, Paito, Ricardo Chaves.
Goals: Paulo Jorge 76, Ze Carlos 81.
Tottenham
Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Gardner, Young-Pyo Lee, Lennon, Tainio (Huddlestone 74), Zokora, Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Stalteri, Ghaly, Defoe, Taarabt, Charlie Lee.
Booked: Berbatov, Chimbonda.
Goals: Keane 57, Malbranque 72, Keane 90.
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Yuri Baskakov (Russia)
2 comments:
I saw the match from start to finish - though the result was good, you would not BELIEVE how poor Braga were, particularly in the first half. Imagine a boxer getting into the ring for a bout only for his opponent to take of his gloves and sit in the corner sucking his thumb. What do you do? Punch the daylights out of him anyway? The Braga players gave us BUCKETS of space and we didn't seem to know what to do with it.
Having said all of THAT, I'm glad of the result!!!
Ah. Should I, then, change the "very good side"...? Following from your lovely metaphor it would seem as though our lads showed decorous restraint by not going for more punches than can be considered gentlemanly in a boxer's home ring - and indeed inviting some consolation ones. All in anticipation of the re-match, which, due to a change of venue, does not call for similar politeness...
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