Easy Street: Tottenham Hotspur 3 - Internazionale Milan 0

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If James is writing, Bale is scoring:

Spurs strolled through an Inter Milan side today that appears to be a shadow of the team that Tottenham shocked in the Champions League group stage in 2010.  The Nerazzurri, struggling through transition, injuries and only one point off the pace for a Champions League places in Serie A, appeared as if they were happy to focus only on that for the rest of the season.  Spurs, on the other hand, are on a quest for both a European trophy and Champions League next year and, based on recent performances, are well on course for both.

Inter’s meek display should take nothing away from a dominating performance by the Lilywhites.  A fair score would have been five -- or even six -- to one or two.  Spurs took the lead only six minutes in on a headed goal from You Know Who off a fantastic cross from the ascendant Gylfi Sigurdsson (official MOTM).  It was Siggy who doubled the lead only twelve minutes later after a nice exchange from Mousa Dembele to Aaron Lennon, who gave Inter fits all night.  Also excellent were Jan Vertonghen who scored off a corner on a Bale delivery in the fifty third minute (Spurs scored on a corner!!!), Dembele and Scott Parker (unofficial MOTM).

On Gareth Bale's Current Purple Patch and More

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Jonathan Wilson's article in The Guardian yesterday touched off a spot of debate around the office water cooler.  In the article, Wilson credits Gareth Bale's rampaging "purple patch" of form to Spurs' more compact shape, a development the author attributes to -- of all things -- the fact that Tottenham no longer employs a "reactive style" US goalkeeper. 

 

Some of us beg to differ, as shown in the following exchange.  It was ultimately a debate that raged to oblivion and back -- and like all good debates, ended with the enticing prospect of a cold beer:

 

[Correspondent James]: That Jonathan Wilson article from this morning was interesting....

 

[farlieonfootie]:  Yeah.  I was with him until he credited Bale's recent form to the fact that Brad Friedel wasn't playing anymore, i.e., Bale is a better player because of Hugo Lloris.  So let me get this: Spurs' poor form to begin the season was because they had an American in goal.  That's a bunch of plonk, as they say over there....

 

[Correspondent James]: Well, his logic is sound anyway.  Although the more compact style of play could be equally attributable to Spurs' loss of Luka Modric.  I mean, if there's no one on the team capable of completing longer passes then you've got to be more compact, right?

 

[Correspondent Ed]: It’s a stretch to credit Lloris for anything other than great goalkeeping. 

Ultimately, Bale is being given tremendous freedom to roam central, right, left, back, wherever.  This is allowing him to find pockets and make runs from deep in the backfield. 

That said, just as it’s hard to give Sir Alex much credit for RVP's play, when he was was pretty much the same amazing player at Arsenal, it’s similarly difficult to give AVB too much credit for b=Bale's form.  Sometimes with talent like that the best thing you can do is not interfere -- which, fortunately, AVB has not done. 

 

Presser

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o Anyone feeling sorry for new Spurs 'keeper Hugo Lloris, who has already asked for crisis talks with Manager Andre Villas-Boas about his role as Brad Friedel's backup...?    Here's a hint: No.  Play a game first, Hugo, before you start crying.  Or at least go to a single freaking practice.  It's the least we should expect from a thoroughly modern footballer.

o How about Nani?  Was he right to take his dissatisfaction with his contract negotiations straight to vox populii, the London tabloid press?  Almost certainly not.  As a matter of fact, we can't imagine a quicker way into the Manager's doghouse, although maybe the Portuguese winger is hoping that Sir Alex missed the whole controversy while he was in the States hanging with Agent 007 and watching Andy Murray's historic win at the US Open.

o Does anyone care what a fat Spanish waiter thinks about the Hicks and Gillette ownership period at Liverpool?  We'll go out on a limb here, but our guess is no.  The whole topic is about as relevant to Liverpool these days as is the Champions League.  Stop living in the past, Rafa, and move on.

o What's the funniest thing to happen on Merseyside the past month or so? Meditation, strangely enough.  And we'll wager you thought we were going to make a crack about Liverpool's record.  Or Manager Brendan Rodgers' predilection for hanging larger-than-life portraits of himself in his own Living Room....  But note that we didn't....

Giving Credit

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o You've got to give credit to Petr Cech. Studying the last five years of Bayern Munich's penalty kicks was a move that paid huge dividends for the Czech National, as well as for his Club.  Putting in the long hours required to break down that kind of game film for a scenario that might not even occur shows the Chelsea 'keeper to be a professional in the truest sense of the word.  That dedication may just be the reason Chelsea is hoisting the Champions League trophy this week.

o The most despicable sight of the entire weekend was John Terry holding the same trophy. It's bad enough that FIFA allowed Terry to join in the on-field celebration. That Terry had changed from a suit (pre-game) to a tracksuit (half time) and then into his full kit (right before the penalty kicks) -- including shin pads, no less -- tells you all you need to know about the man.

o That a Chelsea team featuring Solomon Kalou, Jon Obi Mikel, Jose Bosingwa and Ryan Bertrand can win European championship just goes to prove the old adage about "any given day...." That same Chelsea team would be hard pressed to replicate this season's sixth place finish in the League.

o The post-game interview of Brad Friedel was brutal, Geoff Shreves-like in its immediacy and proximity to huge personal disappointment.  The American has no one to blame but himself, though, putting himself in that position by agreeing to comment on the game for FOX.

Last Rites: Round 35 in the BPL

o Arsenal came out for the Cockney Derby looking more like the side that spent mid-week going toe-to-toe with the current European Champions rather than the side that spent Wednesday watching that game from their couch. Which only goes to prove that tired minds can be worse than tired legs.... The nil-nil draw likely suited both sides: Chelsea's hopes of finishing fourth are still alive, as is their momentum going into Tuesday's key clash with Barca, and Arsenal are still looking fairly comfortable in the race for a Champions League spot.

o Hatem Ben Arfa is a difference maker at this time of the season. The Frenchman made something from nothing, turning a routine out ball into a dangerous cross that ultimately led to Newcastle'a first goal against Stoke. Call me cazy, but between Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cisse, I'm beginning to believe the Magpies may nip the final Champions League spot.

o Who would've thought in January I wouldn't be including Demba Ba in that prior sentence?  It's a funny old game....

o Stoke is mind numbingly poor on offense: 32 goals in 35 games, and not a one added to that total on Saturday. Personifiying the Potters' stupefyingly poor performance, Cameron Jerome came on as a mid-game substitute, and dribbled the ball into a complete dead end down the left side of the pitch no less than 3 or 4 times in his time on the pitch.

o Sunderland 0 - Aston Villa 0. Does this surprise anyone? Two poor teams with little to play for....

o Brad Freidel looked every one of his 40 years of age on Saturday when he was slow to react to a free kick that even our own Columnist Ed could have outrun. No doubt the shot was well placed by QPR's Adel Taraabt, but Friedel evidently must have been suffering from some severe arthritis as he creaked toward the ball.

The Full Brady: Round 26 in the BPL

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It was back to the future at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, as Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Ashley Cole all returned to AVB's Chelsea lineup. Unfortunately for the Portuguese Inspector Gadget, it was only back to the very recent future in the first half, as the Blues once again struggled to find the net.

o The second half was a bit better, with old boys Drogba and Lampard re-discovering their scoring touch. Hmmm. Old, "washed up" Chelsea team members play and score. Chelsea has their first comfortable win in quite a while. Coincidence....? 

o It can't hurt that American Tim Ream is gaining BPL experience, but I'm not sure that playing in the Bolton defense is going to do much for his confidence.

o Martin Jol looked especially dapper wearing his suit and tie on the sideline of the West London derby at Loftus Road on Saturday. Perhaps his track suit was being dry cleaned...?

Order Restored: Week 11 in the EPL

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Order was restored in the BPL over the weekend, as all the top teams -- save Liverpool (which begs the question: is Liverpool truly a top team, or merely a poseur? -- picked up three points, although some teams had an easier time of it than others.  The City juggernaut continued to roll on, and and United hung on for a home win to celebrate Fergie's 25 years in charge.  


At the other end of the table, Steve Kean's flying ouster demand was reminiscent of a certain New York Football Giants' banner, while lowly Bolton managed to hang a 5-spot on a dispirited Stoke City.  In other words, it's all systems normal and full speed ahead as we head into yet another interminable international break -- although not before we make the following observations:


o Manchester City did just enough on Saturday to keep their 5 point lead at the top of the table. This was the kind of game the Citizens will need to keep on winning if they want to come out on top this season, but that'll be easier said than done. QPR gave them quite a test on Saturday, and it's the kind of challenge that will keep on getting harder as Fall turns to Winter turns to Spring. We'll see if they're up for it....

o After what I saw of Blackburn's finishing on Saturday against Chelsea, they fully deserve to go down. Peter Cech left an open net on at least two occasions and yet Yakubu still failed to score.…. How bad was the Rovers' finishing, you ask?  It was positively Fernando Torres-like, and managed to hand a woeful Chelsea defense its first shut out in quite some time.