Tottenham vs Gent a few late thoughts
Dan Tracey
February 25, 2017
1,649 Views
- Probably everything that could be said has been said but that said it’s probably a good time to give my views on proceedings
- After a defeat it’s always a better to reflect on proceedings rather than writing straight away as judgements can get clouded
- That and I was going to write this piece at Friday Lunchtime but I had two pints instead
- Perhaps I was delaying the fact I had to write about the fact we had been dumped out of the Europa League to Gent
- Yes that sentence still seems a bit unfathomable when typing it out but then again results don’t lie
- The fact that we were not good enough in the first leg has ultimately punished us
- I could give a breakdown of how the match panned out but if it’s been said then it has certainly been read (might have to trademark that actually)
- So it’s probably worth reflecting on the aftermath
- From being knocked out of the Champions League at the first stage to being knocked out of the Europa League at the first stage does not make for a good sub plot to this season
- Will it define our season?
- I guess that depends on whether or not we finish in the top four and/or win the F.A. Cup
- A home draw with Millwall in the Quarter Finals is all very well but then the next two games are at Wembley
- And it seems as if that Wembley hoodoo is not yet removed
- How much you can blame the change of stadium for the draw on Thursday can be argued
- I think it’s more the fact that we played the majority of the game with 10 men that was are undoing
- Once Harry Kane scored that own goal to allow Gent to level then it was always going to be a difficult task, that said it wouldn’t be an impossible one
- Take any player out of the equation though and it’s a very uphill struggle
- That said it was the right decision, a bit of a horror show from Dele Alli
- He may have had complaints at the time but if he watches that back then he will have to hold his hands up and say “fair enough”
- It all started so well though and with Christian Eriksen opening the scoring after just 9 minutes, Tottenham fans would have every right to think it would be a similar routine win to the one away at Fulham last Sunday
- But after Harry Kane’s deft header in the wrong goal, it was a case of here we go again
- That’s now three own goals and a goalkeeping blunder from Kane
- Perhaps it’s better if he just stays in the opposition half from now on
- Credit must go to Gent whose almost heroic defending at times frustrated Tottenham on numerous occasions
- Frustration on the pitch then was converted to frustration in the stands
- Although the “home” fans were still getting behind their club the longer the game on they more the feeling the game was ebbing away from them
- Victor Wanyama’s strike just after the hour set the game up on a knife edge but it was a knife that was too blunt to cut through Gent for a third time
- I don’t know what would have been a more frustrating way to go out
- On away goals or in the manner we did by not even winning on the night
- Jeremy Perbet who scored in the first leg was on hand again late on to top off another forgetful European night
- Tottenham did have to understandably roll the dice though with the tie as it was
- It was just the manner in which Perbet scored which rankles the most
- Rudimentary errors and a failure to clear from Eric Dier meant the ball was bouncing about like a pinball
- It all needed was someone to put a foot through it
- Unfortunately that someone was Perbet and it was game over
- Once again the rush to get the Jubilee Line tube would have kickstarted into action as Gent fans celebrated a famous European scalp
- So now there are just two fronts for which Tottenham will compete on
- Obviously the Champions League is for many the be all and all
- But there is a louder contingent who would happily sacrifice that if it meant winning a trophy
- No F.A. Cup win since 1991 and no trophy since the 2008 League Cup win
- If this squad really is to make strides then it’s about time some silverware is delivered
- The cup will once again resume in two weeks time when we host Millwall
- But first we need to make sure we bounce back from Thursday’s blip and beat Stoke to keep our top 4 hopes alive
- Otherwise the season is in danger of collapsing
- Not doom and gloom just yet but failure to win on Sunday and I would recommend giving Twitter a wide berth
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