Match Report: Sheffield United 1 Spurs 0 (FA Cup 5th Rd)… a poor showing. What is going on, Daniel Levy?
Match Report: Sheffield United 1 Spurs 0 (FA Cup 5th Rd)… a poor showing. What is going on, Daniel Levy?
My first question was; why send out such a
changed (weakened) team? When you are in the 5th Rd of the FA Cup,
one would expect a strong team to challenge for that trophy… but no, Cristian
Stellini or Conte decided to send out a weaker team… giving the impetus to
Sheffield United… and they took it. Another season under Levy where we won't
see a trophy lifted by a Spurs player. Unless we win the league or UEFA
Champions league… (oh, don't make me laugh!)
One problem is how European managers see
trophies like the English FA or League Cups. Their main focus is winning the League and/ or a top-four place/ Champions League. Not some "minor" trophy
that will get in the way of challenging for those trophies. Don't get me wrong,
I am not saying they wouldn't like to lift such a trophy, but it isn't their
priority. Only English managers and players know such trophies' significance in
English football supporters' minds/ culture. Sadly, such prestigious competitions
over the years have been devalued.
Managers under Levy (and there are
quite a few):
1. George
Graham
2. David Pleat
3. Glenn Hoddle
4. David Pleat
5. Jacques
Santini
6. Martin Jol
7. Clive Allen
& Alex Inglethorpe
8. Juande Ramos
9. Clive Allen
& Alex Inglethorpe
10. Harry
Redknapp
11. André
Villas-Boas
12. Tim Sherwood
13. Mauricio
Pochettino
14. José Mourinho
15. Ryan Mason
16. Nuno
Espírito Santo
17. Antonio
Conte
… Yes, there were 17 managers (some
temporary), but only one won a trophy, the lowly League cup, in 2008. Since then,
nothing… Out of all of them, only 6 were English. And three (David Pleat Mason
and Clive Allen) were temporary until a "proper" manager could be
found. That is a poor showing for a club of Tottenham's standing.
Concerning Conte… we don't even know
whether he will stay or go… a total fiasco on Levy's part. He needs to take a
grip.
But we are where we are… another
season with nothing…
And what about poor fans like us? It
took Mel and me over 3 hours to travel to Sheffield (3 hours back… I arrived home
at 2.30 in the morning, Mel an hour later). There was no commitment by the team
(unlike us)… Sheffield United were up for it… and got their just rewards for their
patience.
To
the game…
Their Iliman
Ndiaye scored a late winner as a Championship team humiliated us to progress to
the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
The game
looked like it was going into extra time… but substitute Ndiaye had other ideas…
as he weaved past a couple of our hapless defenders before beating Fraser
Forster with a low strike at the near post. That was in the 79th minute…
which left 11 minutes, plus 4 minutes added on for us to fanny around.
After
beating Yankee-Doodle-Dandy Chelski at the weekend, we were on a high but
quickly brought down to earth by conceding to a team that isn't even in our League.
I bet the Sheffield supporters laughed all the way home… while we walked back
to our cars, heads dangling down in embarrassment. Yes, we looked off pace as we
struggled to test Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.
Richarlison
blasted a shot over the bar from close range but failed to make an impact,
forcing us to turn to Harry Kane as the second half wore on, but even he was unable
to really test a plodding Sheffield United team.
And what does
Cristian Stellini say? He has 'No regrets' over benching Kane.
Once the
goal went in, United held firm to secure a famous win.
And who will
they face in the next Rd? Blackburn at home. Bastards!
Yes, lacklustre
Spurs fail to carry Premier League momentum.
Thoughts…
We had a
heavily rotated side, with six changes from our 2-0 win against Chelsea at the
weekend; our second successive Premier League victory that boosted hopes of a
top-four finish. Maybe that was the whole point of our lacklustre performance (not
significant to get in the way of Conte's League and Champions League ambitions).
Even though Kane
was named on the bench, we still had plenty of quality in our first XI (you would have thought!), with £60m-signing Richarlison and Son in attack. But we struggled to
trouble Sheffield United's disciplined defence, with Son and Richarlison
wasteful with our few chances. Once our opponents realised what they were up
against, they grew in confidence as the game wore on and were not unnerved by
the introduction of Kane just after the hour mark.
Not testing
Forster for 78 minutes, it felt like a moment of fairy-tale magic they needed
to boost their chances… and they got it when Ndiaye showed superb footwork to
evade challenges inside the box to fire home the winner…
…another disappointing
season – trophy-wise. But at least Daniel Levy is boosting the profits at his new
stadium with formula one go-karting or whatever they call it. That will also boost their own profits/ wages.
Next up… Wolves away.
It is better
to leave this sorry mess… and look forward to winning the Champions League and/
or Premier League… or at least dreaming about winning both. Football trophies
are far away in Levy and the board's minds… other than, as I said… boosting stadium
profits…
COYS!
Glenn
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