Saturday, August 14, 2004
Tottenham 1 Liverpool 1

Beginning of the season and first match of the campaign.While still relatively pedestrian in pace and lacking in much genuine excitment,the match was,nevertheless,a likely taster of what's to come for these two sides.And honestly,being a Spurs fan and in the company of numerous Pool fans,whether in the office or otherwise,I worry for both sides.But first off,let me rant at somebody.And that somebody is none other than ESPN Live "special" guest,former Liverpool "great",Steve McMahon.now now now,let me tell you something,Mr McMahon,if you are reading:Why don't you go home and stop spoiling our sights with your biased and silly comments?I am so glad Jermain Defoe shut the guy up.Mr McMahon was trashing Spurs all over the place and saying that they've got no chance at all.Well,eat your words,you lousy and dour hatchetman.Go home soon and bring in John Beresford or Gavin Peacock.Those guys have genuine humour and are a joy to watch...any day over you!And they have balanced viewpoints,unlike McMahon who seems to think Liverpool is still the dominat team of the 80s.

Anyway,back to the match.It was a bit of a damp squid really.A little disappointing highlighted by the opportunism of a brilliant goalpoacher and the skills of another gifted predator.Let's talk about my team,Spurs.Fielding seven debutants in the first team,they carved out 0 shots at goal in the first half before waking up in the second half and giving a better account of themselves.But it still was a worrying sight.There was no creativity in the midfield at all and the two forwards were so starved of service,they had to drop deep to create the chances themselves.It seems surprising that Jacques Santini did not spot this despite 12 friendly matches.Of the debutants,it's the two new defensive additions who look most competent.Nourredine Naybet and Erik Edman look good value for money,bringing class and poise to the back and dangerous overlapping runs to the side respectively.Pedro Mendes showed some nice touches but is not a creative player.He's a bit too similar to Sean Davis,who's a hardworking hardman with some nice touches but little else.Both stay way too deep to support the attack although they add stability.Youngsters Phil Ifil looks shaky but he's only 17 and have a long way to go.Johnnie Jackson shows a few nice touches but ultimately,I feel,is not Premiership class.Thimothee Atouba looks a better prospect than Jackson but still does not have the skills to be a genuine winger.And Jamie Reknapp,oh please,what in the world is he doing on the right?No crosses,no pace,one might as well have put a tortoise on that wing,it might ahve worked better.i don't know how signing Owen Hargreaves will solve the creativity problem but I really hope they sign Irish left winger Andy Reid.It'd add much bite to the Spurs attack.

Now,for Liverpool,i cannot understand,for the life of me,why anyone would think selling Michael Owen is a good piece of business.It's probably just to spite the former Anfield favourite but let's be honest,Owen is Owen.You can't replace him.His goal record speaks for itself even though he has been on a downer in recent seasons.Djibril Cisse was brought in to COMPLEMENT him,not REPLACE him.Milan Baros,while a better player than Owen,is not a natural goalpoacher like Owen is.He operates from deep and makes runs where defenders cannot man-mark him.Makes him different from Owen who stays in front and works around there.But Cisse is a great player and he'd have great success at Anfield.As for the other new signing,Josemi,he looks tough but is nothing special.An efficient player,no different from Jamie Carragher.Let's face it.Liverpool looks deprived of ideas up front as well.harry Kewell looked good at time sbut that's because he was up against Ifil,a rookie.Up against better opposition,I can see him having a hard time.Steven Finnan did not provide too much threat from the right although it was his cross which led to the goal.

Anyway,from the look of things,Spurs is going to have a torrid season,lacking the link-up play between midfield and attack.My take is that Robbie Keane is the best player to plug this gap but that'd have to wait until he's fit.An attack with Fredi Kanoute and Defoe up front with Keane just behind is an appetising prospect.As for Liverpool,they desperately need someone to fit in right midfield as well as a partner to play along Stevie Gerrard in the middle.Didi Hamann just does not look it anymore.Good luck to both sides then.Peace!