Everton v Spurs on Sunday was yet another match that we dominated, but lacked that the spark that has been common in most of our performances this season. However, yet again, for the third match in a row we ended up taking no points. Obviously between the defeats we have reached the FA Cup Quarter Final, but we still limped over the line there, having to go through a replay with Stevenage, and going one-nil down at the Lane.
So it has to be asked, what has gone so wrong in the last few weeks? There seems to be a direct correlation between the personal life of Harry Redknapp and the fortunes of the side. Our form first dipped when Harry was going through his court case, unable to attend training, and against Liverpool unable to attend the match the side looked a shadow of its former self. However, other than the 5 0 win over Newcastle, our form has been worse since Harry has been cleared of tax evasion charges. The main reason behind this would surely have to be the vacant England managers job. Harry has always said that he would not discuss the England job, positively or negatively, until the end of the season, claiming that it would be "unfair" on Spurs. While it is no secret that he would like to manage England he has not been as forthcoming with his wooing of the FA as the newspapers would have us believe, but then again, they do need to sell the papers, and "Roy Hodgson is the right man for England" doesn't really have the same ring to it.
The way Harry has conducted himself may not be as good for the club as it did initially seem. The players seem demotivated, worried and confused at times, as to what they should be doing. The recent form of Spurs was summed up perfectly by one attempted move in the Everton match. Kyle Walker had the ball at right back, with no options for him, he stood with the ball at his feet and his arms spread in desperation, knowing that he only had one option, and that option wouldn't work, so he punted it long and it slithered through disappointingly to Tim Howard. The players aren't the only ones who seem demotivated, Harry has rarely left the bench in the last three games, and this has not gone unnoticed. His feeble attempt to show his commitment by standing on the sideline against Everton seemed to be nothing more than a publicity stunt, asked of him by the board or even personally from Levy, who I'm sure is aware that people have noticed new found love for the heated managers chair at the side of the pitch. This is in stark contrast to the larger than life figure who graced the touchline for a full ninety minutes during the Newcastle match, celebrating every goal like it had just won us the league.
Surely it would have been a far better for Harry to deny his interest in the England job to the press, while privately telling the FA that he wished to be considered. The Spurs team would have kept their confidence in him and we would have coasted to third this season, on top of the FA Cup run. While this is not impossible, and it is not a foregone conclusion that we will be fifth and playing in the Europa league again, we have made the task a lot harder for ourselves than we needed to. Whatever happened at the end of the season, we would have continued in the successful manner that we have now become accustom to. I am confident that the FA would not have minded being party to this ploy, seeing as they have been the only party (other than Spurs) who have not wanted to unsettle our season. Redknapp has also done himself no favours in denying he wants the Chelski job, as this has inadvertently shown that he wants the England job.
There have also been question marks around some of the recent tactical decisions. We have all read the reports slamming Bale for playing in a more central role, and while it is true, he has been ineffectual and the team has suffered from his central role, he is not the only player who has been playing out of position. Modric has found himself as a left winger in the last two games, while Niko has warmed the bench, despite being a natural left winger. Granted we have had injuries, but it is unacceptable to say we have a small squad, our bench against Everton showed all too well that we still, despite January sales, have one of the strongest squads in the league. Who else could boast a bench that contains players of the class of VDV, Saha, Niko, Livermore and all too often Defoe. Defoe has been on fire this season, but still finds himself down the pecking order, first behind Ade and VDV, and now behind Saha, who has been a good signing, but you really do have to feel for Defoe who has been one of the most loyal players we have had in this millennium. The question also has to be asked, with Chris Samba on the market, how did we end up with his team mate, Ryan Nelson?
Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, whoever takes control of England this year will be a career defining one for Harry Redknapp. If he can guide us to third and to an FA Cup trophy, he will go down as one of the greatest club managers this country has seen, something that his career ultimately deserves. If he lets this slip in form continue, he will have taken one of the best squads ever to grace the Premiership, he will not have won any trophies and he will only have reached the Champions League once. No matter how many times he tells us he is the saviour, the next 10 league matches, and possible 3 cup matches will show whether he is the true saviour, or just another pretender who can not deliver on his promises. We all hope he is the true saviour, and if we finish third and win the cup, he can then go to England knowing that he has done Spurs proud and he will go down as a Spurs legend, if not he may not be afforded such a luxury.
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