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Tottenham see the bright side of defeat
Tom Collomosse20 Feb 2009
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 Tottenham
Not many would have heard of Jadson before last night's UEFA Cup tie against Shakhtar Donetsk. But if the classy Brazilian midfielder's late goal puts progress in this competition beyond Tottenham's reach don't expect anyone at White Hart Lane to be too distraught.
Jadson's strike means the fluent, impressive Ukrainian champions will arrive in London for next Thursday's second leg as heavy favourites and while no one is suggesting Spurs will throw in the towel, defeat could actually turn out to be a blessing.
Were Spurs to go through, they would face at least two more Thursday evening fixtures in a competition which may start to undermine their fight for Premier League survival.
The second leg of this tie is just three days before the Carling Cup Final against Manchester United, which is why Harry Redknapp has promised to include “three or four” youth-team players in his starting line-up.
None of Spurs's rivals in the battle to stay in the Premier League are involved in European football and ever since he took this job, Redknapp has seen the UEFA Cup as a hindrance.
Should Shakhtar progress, Spurs will be able to focus solely on the League from 2 March and an uncluttered fixture list should ensure they stay up.
Redknapp's players have made all the right noises about wanting to advance in Europe but midfielder Jermaine Jenas, who captained the team last night, admitted: “You cannot hide the fact that other competitions are more important to us.
“The League is the main thing because we simply have to stay in it. We are in a battle, so that is top of our list and then we have the Carling Cup Final. Whenever you go on the pitch, you do your best to win the game, but everyone knows what is top of the agenda.”
Redknapp had opted to leave Carlo Cudicini, Jonathan Woodgate, Wilson Palacios, Aaron Lennon and Luka Modric in London, along with the ineligible Robbie Keane, Vedran Corluka and Roman Pavlyuchenko and the injured Ledley King, Jamie O'Hara and Jermain Defoe.
Heurelho Gomes made his first start in goal since Cudicini was signed from Chelsea but the Italian's arrival seems to have dented Gomes's confidence.
The Brazilian could only flap at Jadson's free-kick, which was headed in by substitute Yevgeny Seleznyov for the opening goal 12 minutes from time and Cudicini will surely be restored at Hull on Monday. Michael Dawson was outstanding once more in central defence for Spurs, while the 17-year-old debutant Dean Parrett displayed an excellent technique in midfield.
Jenas and Dawson both claimed Spurs had deserved more from the game, but Shakhtar goalkeeper Andrey Pyatov was never seriously tested.
While the home side also lacked ruthlessness in front of goal, the passing and movement of their three Brazilian attackers Jadson, Ilsinho and Willian often mesmerised Spurs.
When Redknapp re-signed Pascal Chimbonda from Sunderland, he said it was because the Frenchman could play anywhere across the back. Operating at left-back, Chimbonda was given such a chastening evening by Shakhtar's captain Dario Srna that he is unlikely to be used in that role again.
Seleznyov had only just replaced Olexandr Gladkiy when he beat Gomes to Jadson's delivery from the left to put the home team in front. With the clock ticking down, Jadson played a one-two with his Luiz Adriano before slicing through the Spurs defence and guiding the ball into the bottom-right corner.
It would have been the last thing on his mind as he ran away to celebrate but Jadson has certainly made the last three months of the season considerably more straightforward for Spurs.
Reader views (10)
Everbody seems to forget that this the most fiercely contested season the premiership has ever seen, the Uefa cup is an unwanted headache at this moment in time, real Tottenham fans know this, People over the pond who play rounders don't....
Harry's had a gread deal to contend with since Comoli and co sold out the team and the fans... give him time and he'll come good. In my eyes he is mearly prioritising and being realistic.
The rest of the other supporter can go and get stuffed, To The Tottenham doubter's well... get real and get behind what H is trying to do.
- Chrisspur, Chelmsford, 23/02/2009 15:34
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My season ticket will not be renewed in May, after 20 seasons I feel cheated, its not the defeats, our style of play (mostly poor & unadventurous )or even relegation (been there before and enjoyed a great season). As a fan I am kept at arms length, game timings changed without regard, big time charlie's payed eye watering money for very little back in the way of heart and commitment. I will always be a Spur but my commitment will match that of those professionally involved i.e.. take it or leave it and if thing ain't to my liking I will move on.
- Les, London, 22/02/2009 11:12
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After 27years I am getting fed up with watching Spurs playing dire uninspiring football.The 200 fans who went to the Ukraine to watch that shambles should be given their money back by HR personnally,how can you motivate a team by calling them 2nd or 3rd choice players.
Be very careful spurs your new stadium is going to be the best in the 1st Division never mind the Championship....YOU MUST TRY TO WIN EVERY GAME FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR SUPPORTERS ...winning is a wonderful habit.but losing means you lose young supporters and that is the future of the club
I am seriously disappointed with this years attitude and performance,
- Bob Banks, chester uk, 21/02/2009 11:35
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Harry you let Spurs down, you must play every game with your best players or just put your hands up and quit and go back to Plymouth.
What the hell has gone wrong with English footbal clubs?
Is it just for the money? Next thing is to give the other teams a by because you have a headache...........
- Colin Stevens, USA, 20/02/2009 16:58
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I was disappointed we lost this game, Shakhtar were'nt the best team, they had a dimension to their game diagonal balls, then they lost the plot, but it was time for the Jenas, Bentley to do what they can do, but we didn't show too much quality, it seems that our defenders qwere happy to defend on the edge of our 18 yard box...They were going down looking for free kicks, but we were obliging them.. Poor defending for 1st goal, the 2nd players should tackle.
Their 2nd goal our defence was 10 yards from Gomes, our midfield on the edge of our box, we need someone vocal out there...
Now its Shakhtar turn to defend for 90 minutes.
- Adrian, london, 20/02/2009 16:33
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i cant see the point on spending £14 million on palacios and dont play him as he wont be playing in the carling cup final that will a possible 3 games in the month of feb not bad work if you can get it
- Tony Paxton, london england, 20/02/2009 14:02
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This is a joke... We could have had these guys last night by using some of our better players...
You can't expect to defend (which we did very well) for 90 mins. It's just not on.. The first goal came from a free kick that was unneccessary and the second was a joke.
If you don't attack you get beaten, simple as that.
I only hope that we put out a better team for the return.
- Mark, st albans, 20/02/2009 13:55
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i've never quite understood this 'now we can concentrate on the league' sham - i know the cost of dropping out of the PL is unthinkable to spurs but losing becomes a habit in the same way that winning does. what's the point of even turning up for the CC final Harry ??
- Simon Bucknell, enfield, 20/02/2009 13:42
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Quite frankly I dont see the bright side of this deafeat. If I am correct the losers in the Carling cup do not obtain a UEFA place. I cannot see us finishing high enough up the Premiership to qualify either. Therefore, this is our best opportunity of qualifying & we appear to have blown it. I know we are near the bottom, but surely we can cope with a UEFA cup campaign as well as the premiership.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London, 20/02/2009 11:39
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Gomes was treated for shock not a knock!
- Rob Doran, Hampton vale, 20/02/2009 08:54
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