Spurs find new depths to

Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 2 Stoke City Toxic Web does not host or upload this material and is not responsible for the content.

plumb.

It was barely a month ago when Spurs last found a new depth to plumb, well after yet another meek loss at home, to Stoke, they’ve delved deeper down into the abyss.

The defeat to West Brom was a pathetic capitulation to team struggling, Stoke haven’t exactly been struggling but hell it’s Stoke and not only that Stoke managed by Mark Hughes, one sorry excuse for a manager.

Something is rotten at the club.

The players look inept. There’s no pattern of play. The manager doesn’t seem to have a clue who to pick, or who should play with whom. And for all the talk of the style he wants, high tempo pressing, knackering out the players, well has anyone seen this pressing?

And now we have that berk Adebayor, who was bizarrely given the vice-captaincy, complaining about the fans.

Well if work shy, shyster, conmen, cancers like Adebayor weren’t fleecing the club for a couple hundred thousand a week then maybe there’d be a slightly better atmosphere about the place. Don’t like it Ade, well you know where the door is and you can take that idiotic salute with you.

This clown has already cost the club one good manager, inflicted with a dolt and is playing his part in making life difficult for another.

The manager has got it wrong starting Adebayor in games, he got it wrong bringing Adebayor on in this, especially after the player held up the substitution to change his boots. He shouldn’t have been coming on but as soon as that happened he should have been shown back to the bench. Then the exit.

The manager also got it wrong picking Harry Kane, not because he picked Kane but because he didn’t pick him as one of a striking pair. Kane has had a good run in the cups but he looks far better when he isn’t the lone striker.

Harry Kane didn’t work here.

One attempt early on could have helped but a free header not far out was heading past the post before it was picked up by the ‘keeper. That was the good chance Pochettino brought up in his post-match interview as after that it was a long time before Stoke’s ‘keeper had anything to do and by then they were two up.

An early long ball caused confusion in the centre-back pair of Kaboul and Fazio. Luckily Hugo was there to save the day taking out the striker.

Shortly after Townsend gave the ball away cheaply – does it do any other way – and after a couple of passes Bojan ran, unhindered, from the halfway line as the white sea parted in front of him – that which didn’t part ran away from him – before slotting home the opener.

That was a new depth. Hell conceding a long ball humper to Stoke, or from a set piece where you defenders are all wrestled to the ground is one thing. A run from the halfway line is another.

But this help yourself attitude by Spurs got even worse just after the half hour – a period during which Spurs did bugger all to really get back into the game – when Rose’s inept clearance went straight to a Stoke player who headed it back to his own player who Rose had charged ahead of and was completely in the wrong position to defend the cross came into the box and Walters was all on his lonesome right in the middle of the goal about 10 inside the penalty area to, again unhindered, increase the lead.

Hugo Lloris must make up in a cold sweat, the cause of his nightmares being a team sheet with the names Rose, Kaboul and Naughton on it. Problem being he lives this nightmare nearly every week.

After the second went in the home team gave up. Adebayor may whinge about the fans whinging but a performance so lacking in well everything fans want to see, it doesn’t deserve a hearty congratulations. Yes one or two players at least tried but dear god that is the bare minimum you are, handsomely, paid to do.

Pochettino made changes at the break. Townsend departing after yet another Townsend display. Last game I posted he had done a decent job of being the provider. This game it was back to inept step-overs, inept shots and expert gifting away of possession.

The changes brought no real change. It was all the same old rubbish, making Stoke look good. Honestly you don’t know why the visitors even bothered to waste time, something they did from very early on – ‘keeper booked for it after less than half an hour. As said earlier it was his only involvement until Lamela made him make a save from a free-kick.

The only other thing he had to do was pick the ball out of the net after Chadli’s screamer. What would the season have been like if the Belgian had been sold like so many wanted?

Then all that was left was the customary Spurs’ red card – this time Naughton, again – and the ref to blow the whistle and the Tannoys to blare some music out to try and drown the boos.

Adebayor doesn’t like the boos. Well the boos didn’t play their part in your ineptness, the boos don’t make you first touch useless, the boos don’t make you amble about offside. If you don’t want the boos then play like you don’t want them. Don’t use them as an excuse. Don’t hide behind them. Ah, well there we have it an easy excuse for a player happy to find one to hide behind.

If Adebayor is sold in January it would help with the atmosphere, all round.

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