Newcastle United 6 (yes, six) Spurs 1 (a total embarrassment).
Newcastle United 6 (yes, six) Spurs 1 (a total embarrassment).
I've been going to Spurs since the late 50s
(granted, blurry memories as I was only a toddler). In that time, I've witnessed
some higher-scoring defeats… but this goal fest seemed different… for a start,
it was the second-quickest capitulation (only City putting six past Watford was
done in a speedier time, by two minutes, I think). But that was against a struggling
Watford, not a top-six team with ambitions of glory and trophies.
The team I witnessed out there (my team) just
didn't want to engage, and if it wasn't for Newcastle taking their foot off the
throttle in the second half, it could have been a lot worse. Total shite!
The first goal went in after 2 minutes of play…
Four minutes later, Joelinton scored… WHAT! But it wasn't over yet… the embarrassment
continued… Three minutes after Joe Linton's
goal, Murphy scored again… but fear not, it wasn't over for Newcastle as they
continued to humiliate us in front of us visiting away fans… and the world…
Isak got the next one in the 19th Minute and followed through two
minutes later with the fifth Newcastle goal. While all this was happening, I
phoned Janette to say we'd just conceded (the TV she was watching was 2 minutes
behind). She kept saying, "Are you having me on?" before I had time
to put the phone down, I was quickly back on the blower and repeated… and
repeated my shock. By this time, disgruntled Spurs fans were leaving or singing
"We are shit" or "Levy/ ENIC out". It was a total fiasco.
Seats around me were emptying… and we hadn't
even reached the second half of the game yet… I phoned Mel to say that the seats
next to me was available and to come down and enjoy the misery with me. He did…
Mel sang to the amusement of the remaining fans
– at half-time – "We are going to win 6-5."
The
game…
Newcastle United humiliated us with five goals
in 21 stunning first-half minutes as they ran out easy winners in what was
billed as a showdown for a top-four spot.
Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak scored twice.
Joelinton added another as the Magpies cut through our leaky defence, already under the attention from
last week's pathetic defeat against Bournemouth.
Second
half…
Harry Kane pulled one back in the second half, but
Callum Wilson (who came on as a sub) added a sixth to complete the misery.
This excruciating defeat is a momentous blow to our
deteriorating hopes of securing Champions League qualification for next season.
Thoughts…
Their Joelinton drove inside from the edge of
the box, and his low shot was weakly pushed away by the Hapless Hugo Lloris but
into the path of Murphy, who was there to smash in the loose ball. Five minutes
later, Joelinton sprung a muddled Spurs offside trap and rounded Lloris to
double the lead.
Their fans were in raptures… but while still celebrating,
Murphy rattled in the third that Lloris did not make any attempt to reach. When
the second half came about, Lloris was substituted…
Isak then scored twice to make us fans even more
miserable.
Our
reply to our embarrassment…
Kane charged past Fabian Schar and finished
neatly to pull one back minutes into the second half. Still, Newcastle
responded when Wilson, who had replaced Isak, immediately shot home another
from fellow substitute Miguel Almiron's pass.
After the game, Howe wouldn't be drawn on
whether his side will reach the top four by the end of May. Whether they will
or won't… we certainly won't be in the top four… and may not even make the top eight
with Brighton, Villa and Liverpool on our heels.
"It's not for me to say," Howe said.
"I saw a very good team playing today, two actually [Really!!!!!!!]. But
there's a lot of games to go and a lot of points to play for."
As I said earlier, Manchester City have scored
five goals in the league in less time, doing so in 18 minutes against Watford
in 2019.
There were no pattern of play and nothing in the
way of leadership from the pitch or the sidelines. Fans and critics have been
asking why was Cristian Stellini appointed only for him to continue Conte's failed
style of play.
Kane was the only player to offer a semblance of
inspiration, but he largely cut a frustrated figure and must surely be
pondering his future before a summer of big changes at our club.
Stellini was left puzzled by the performance,
admitting his sides were unprepared for what they were faced with... They were
unprepared… what about all of us travelling fans and those who watched the game
in their own homes… Any recompense for us travelling fans? It took us 5 hours
from leaving my house at 6 am in the morning to get to watch this lack of ambition
from our players.
Stellini went on and said, "It went so
badly because we were not prepared enough to play an important match." They
are fucking professional players… earning millions… and playing for a top club (allegedly).
They should be prepared…
Yes, Stellini must take responsibility… but so must
Levy, Lewis and the Board…
"I have to take responsibility because once
we changed system we played better, scored and showed fight. It's very
difficult to understand why the first 25 minutes were so bad."
It
is interesting to quote some of Jermaine Jenas' article…
"Everyone
at Tottenham will talk about fighting and pulling together after Sunday's
embarrassing defeat at Newcastle, but I feel like it's too far down the road
for that now.
The
team's momentum has completely gone, and the players clearly have no belief.
They
played without any kind of a plan at St James' Park, but that was hardly a
surprise after what we've already seen from them this season.
They
are in a complete mess, but for me that stems from what is happening at the club
off the pitch, and the total lack of direction that comes from the very top.
But
it is not a coincidence that Tottenham are playing this badly at the same time
that everything else at the club, from the top down, is a complete and utter
shambles.
This
kind of mess is nothing new at Spurs - you can take it back as far as you like.
I
can't think of another club that would sack their manager the week before a cup
final, like they did with Jose Mourinho ahead of the Carabao Cup final in 2021,
but Tottenham did.
This
time, they got rid of Antonio Conte with 10 Premier League games to go. Conte
played his own part in that decision with his behaviour, of course, but how can
you make a change at that stage of the season without having a new manager to
come in?
At
least bring in someone who will give you fresh ideas, a new look, some energy -
anything that might provide a bounce to secure a Champions League spot, at a
time when the club were actually in the top four.
Instead,
Spurs appointed Cristian Stellini, Conte's number two."
But the paragraph that resonates with me the
most… "They are in a complete mess,
but for me that stems from what is happening at the club off the pitch, and the
total lack of direction that comes from the very top." From the very
top, "Levy and Lewis". A total shambles…
Enough said…
Have we got more humiliation to look forward to?
United and Liverpool are our next two opponents.
COYS!
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