Tottenham Hotspur got off to a good start in the Premier League campaign, snatching a 1-0 win over London rivals West Ham, where a last gasp winner from Dier sent the Spurs fans into ecstasy.
Spurs Winning Start
This was a game that saw two players leave the field, one in each half. When Kyle Naughton was wrongly sent off for not moving his arms out of the way of a point blank shot by referee Chris Foy, it was considered a very dubious decision indeed. It was a penalty, but never a red card. The red card so early in the game seemed to have seriously dented Tottenham’s hopes of winning, but Mark Noble stepped up, and missed the resulting penalty kick.
The mentality shown by the players to keep fighting – to keep playing even with one less man – was phenomenal. There is always going to be more pressure when the team is a man down and chances are sure to come to the team with more players often. However, Hugo Lloris kept Tottenham in the game countless times.
The players refused to be beaten by a poor refereeing decision, and snatched the three points from the dismayed West Ham.
To keep this good start going, the players must fight for every game as if they were one man down. Against lower quality sides in the league, such as QPR, the club Spurs face next in the Premier League, the ability of the players should be enough to carry them through. But, a football game is not played on paper. The team that wants it more will win. That extra stretch for a tackle, the determination to get past a player, it’s small things like this that turn the tide of the game.
Combining footballing ability with hard work and passion is what Tottenham will need to overcome Liverpool in their third Premier League match, to continue on a good run. Liverpool may no longer have Luis Suarez but they still are a potent threat. Every player must work hard, because there is no room for passengers in this game. With two great teams, it will be a tight encounter. One slip of concentration, and it can be the difference between stopping a player from scoring. Just in a moment, the game could be over. Some fans might believe a side needs a bit of luck. But, is there any such thing as luck? Or is it down to one player being just that little bit more aware than the other? Between two good sides, so called fortune or misfortune is enough to see a side go home with an entirely different result. However, it’s rare that this happens and luck is an excuse that a manager might use to deflect the bad result from his reputation.
Tottenham do not need to worry about luck. What’s important is that they work hard and stay positive throughout both the QPR and Liverpool matches. The double training sessions that Mauricio Pochettino has put the players through is good practice for real match action. If every player leaves all their collective efforts on the field, with nothing left in their tanks, then together they stand a better chance of winning the game.
The Premier League has only just begun. So a good start in the first game can be stalled by a couple of poor results in the following games. To get a run going, players must concentrate fully on each match that they play, whether it’s against Arsenal or Sunderland, all teams must be treated equally. Full effort, full concentration. It’s not forwarding thinking or wanting to win five games in a row, it is better to take each game as it comes.
Tottenham have a good squad, a good manager and a good chance of winning their next game. If they work hard and take their chances, the good start will continue in this new season.
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