Chapter 069: Adjustment
PS: Click here to collect and recommend, thank you......
After just two league games, Tottenham fell from the top of the table to fourth place. The rapid decline of the pen and fun www.biquge.info certainly shows that Tottenham's performance in the last two rounds of the league is really not good, but it also proves from another perspective that today's Premier League is no longer the era of Manchester United and Arsenal competing for dominance, the gap between other teams and these two clubs is narrowing, and more and more teams are beginning to join the first group!
However, although Tottenham's league table has slipped considerably, the team has not suffered much as a result. After all, until the start of the season, Tottenham Hotspur had been looked down on by the media, believing that a team in the midst of a rebuilding period would not be able to make a difference this season, and that it would be a success to get a ticket to the International Toto Cup at the end of the season.
However, Tottenham's performances since the start of the new season have swollen the faces of these people. Under George's leadership, Tottenham not only did not struggle for a European qualification as predicted by the media, but also rushed to the top of the standings at one point, leaving even Manchester United and Chelsea behind!
So, despite the fact that Tottenham's league table has slipped due to poor results in the last two rounds, no media outlet dares to conclude that Tottenham are coming to an end - what if Spurs slap in the face with another wave of wins just after saying that?
Although it is normal for the media to be in the morning, if they are always capricious in their attitude towards the same team, it will also lose popularity.
You must know that among the top six teams in the Premier League last season, Newcastle and Liverpool, who currently have 19 and 18 points respectively, have distanced themselves from Tottenham's first group, and Blackburn has only won 11 points in the first 13 rounds of the league!
Therefore, even if the team's recent unbeaten streak broke and they went three games without a win in the league, the Tottenham players did not feel anxious and depressed, but after the defeat to Aston Villa, the last bit of psychological burden on the players was completely dissipated, so that they could travel lightly in the next games and play their due strength.
After all, not losing all the time is quite a heavy psychological burden for any team. Even AC Milan, which was unbeaten in 58 league games that year, couldn't withstand this psychological pressure, let alone Tottenham Hotspur, which was far inferior to Milan in terms of experience and strength?
Straight to the point, after suffering their first defeat of the season at home to Aston Villa, the Spurs squad head to Ewood Park five days later, where they will face home side Blackburn Rovers in the 14th round of the Premier League!
Although Blackburn Rovers have lost their main winger and attacking engine Damien Duff this season, and their results have also declined significantly compared to last season, the former Premier League champions are still quite strong on the books - the manager is Scottish legend Graeme Souness, and the team also has Dwight York, Andy Cole, Australian international Emerton (winner of the Oceania Footballer of the Year '02), Slovakia international Gresco (the defender who ruined Inter's dream of winning the title with a low-level mistake) and other well-known stars. It can be said that Blackburn's lineup, although not as good as those in the first group, can be regarded as quite strong.
However, it is such a team that has only achieved a poor record of three wins, two draws and eight losses in the first thirteen rounds of the Premier League that has ended. Of course, the departure of Duff has left Blackburn's attacking system without the most critical element, but the poor coaching ability of head coach Souness is also an important reason for this situation.
Not to mention anything else, just talking about this encounter with Tottenham, Souness still arranged the aging Black Wind Shuangsha into the starting lineup, which can be seen how conservative and unenterprising the Scottish coach's tactical thinking and employment ideas are.
At their peak, York and Kerr were indeed the striker duo that all teams feared, and they were dubbed the "Black Wind Double" who broke through the door of almost every Premier League team, but now they are long gone. Andy Cole, who once played against Alan Shearer in the scorers' charts, has not scored in double figures in league goals for four consecutive seasons, and his ability has deteriorated rapidly, and Yorke has squandered his football talent by indulging in his passions, from a fearsome tiger to a faltering carrot!
"You're George Nelson, right? I've heard you've been doing a pretty good job at Tottenham lately, but you're still a little bit worse than me. Despite Blackburn's poor record this season, when shaking hands before the game, Souness still put on a senior display in front of George, as if it was George's honor to play against him, "In my first year as manager, I led Rangers to the Scottish Premier League and Scottish League Cup double. If you want to reach my height, you have to work harder!"
"Haha, that's right, Coach Souness, you are indeed a good example for those of us who are just starting out. George didn't treat Souness like he did with Arsene Wenger before, but laughed and complimented the other party, "Hopefully tonight, we can give the fans a good game." ”
"That's natural, football is about being right. My Blake would not have been like Arsenal, who were angry when they found out they weren't as good as others. Seeing George compliment himself so much, Souness was greatly satisfied, and his tone of voice became much softer.
So, after a few more conversations with George, the Scottish head coach said goodbye to George contentedly and walked to Blackburn's bench to get ready for the upcoming game.
"Phew, he's something. Looking at Souness's pretentious posture, Charlie Johnson spat in the direction that Souness left, and said disdainfully, "What is the ability to lead Rangers to win the domestic league and cup doubles?
"Alright, Charlie, there's no need to get angry with Souness. Souness, he's just a little under a lot of pressure lately, and he wants to rely on the old and sell the old in front of me as a newcomer, and there is no malice. Unlike old Charlie, George was very open-minded. After all, George could see that Souness didn't really have any prejudices about himself, he just wanted to show off his glorious experience in front of him. In this case, there is no need for me to be angry with the other party because of this matter, I might as well let Souness take a little bit of relief before the game, which should be regarded as a kind of respect for this old-timer.
Anyway, with Blackburn's current form and strength, it will be very difficult to prevent Tottenham from winning all three points on the road, and there is no reason why he has to get along with Souness. Therefore, letting the other party take a slight advantage verbally is nothing at all in George's opinion.
The game developed as George expected. Blackburn, who are playing at home, simply can't afford to pose enough threat to Tottenham in attack. Souness allowed the severely degraded Black Wind Twins to continue to dominate the front line, but there was no second Duff in his hands who could step up and help them pull the space and create opportunities. Therefore, with the young and strong Nemanja Vidic and Ledley King defending, York and Kerr did not get any good chances to score throughout the game, and inaction was the best word to describe their performance tonight!
Defensively, Blackburn Rovers struggled to withstand the increasingly sharp counter-attacks of Tottenham. Over time, the squad has become more and more cohesive with each other, and they have become more comfortable with the pressing of Tuchel and Allegri up front.
Unable to open the situation at the offensive end, they wanted to delay time at the back but were repeatedly pressed and harassed by Tottenham players, and the tired Blackburn players could only shrink in the half, relying on the numerical advantage to resist Tottenham's attack.
In this way, when the referee blew the whistle for the end of the game, the away Tottenham Hotspur won a comfortable 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers with a goalmouth grabber by Robbie Keane in the second half, giving the opponent their ninth league defeat of the season and ending their own three consecutive league wins!
After the game, George had a friendly conversation with the two former United colleagues, sharing fond memories of working together at Old Trafford. However, during the conversation, George deliberately pretended not to understand the meaning of York and Kearner's desire to transfer to Tottenham, and thus ended the exchange with the two.
What are you kidding, these young players in the Tottenham team can't be trained by themselves, how can they make room for you veterans who are declining in form!
After beating Blackburn Rovers to end a three-game winless streak in the league, George led Tottenham to a 3-1 win over a slumping Manchester City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup five days later, taking home a win from the City Stadium and comfortably advancing to the quarter-finals of the League Cup!
Then, the Tottenham players, who had only been given two days of rest, faced the challenge of promoted Wolves at home. While the Wolves players were clinging to the team's sole star, Paul Ince, in an attempt to walk away a point at White Hart Lane, how could George and the Tottenham players get them what they wanted?
Toney scored twice, Robbie Keane netted and Matthew Taylor scored from distance to help Tottenham beat Wolves by four goals at home, continuing to keep the pressure on the teams ahead!