For Tottenham the best form of defence is attack…isn’t it?

Tottenham Hotspur fans must be experiencing a sense of déjà vu this Monday morning. Not content with conceding a stoppage-time equaliser last Saturday against Leeds in the F.A. Cup, this time Tottenham surrendered a goal advantage in a somewhat disappointing draw with Birmingham City. Before the game, many Tottenham fans would perhaps have taken a draw at St. Andrew’s, where the home side have only been defeated twice this season, and conceded the fewest number of goals at home in the Premier League (7). However, despite many commentators lauding the fact Alex McLeish has been able to name an unchanged side for the 11th Premier League game in a row, on Saturday, some of those players looked tired, and perhaps were there for the taking. By failing to kill the game off before Birmingham snatched a late equaliser, is it time Harry Redknapp realised that attack is the best form of defence?

Many Tottenham fans have been disappointed with the form of both Jermaine Jenas and Robbie Keane this season, despite their somewhat limited opportunities in the first team. There were grumblings of discontent when the players emerged onto the St. Andrew’s turf, with some supporters even blaming Jenas for failing to maintain possession in the build up to Birmingham’s equaliser. Keane has also been a Tottenham scapegoat this season, with some Spurs fans perhaps overly critical at times. However, on this occasion, fans may have had cause for grievance. Defoe had looked sharp throughout the game, and took his goal well in the 68th minute. Defoe is always Tottenham’s most likely goal scorer, and he could do little but watch when, after Birmingham had equalised, Palacios sent Robbie Keane through on goal in stoppage time. The pass was perhaps a little overcooked, but no-one can deny that Keane has looked out of sorts for much of the season, and in such a situation, it was Defoe, not Keane, Tottenham fans would have wanted latching on to the pass.

Keane and Jenas were not responsible for Tottenham’s failure to close the game out however, but Redknapp’s decision to replace Bentley and Defoe, two players whom had arguably presented Tottenham’s best chance of scoring, may have handed Birmingham the advantage. Tottenham seemed to drop deeper and deeper as the game wore on, and the substitutions made by Redknapp could be interpreted as negative.

What ultimately cost Tottenham was bad defending, with Corluka compounding a poor performance by failing to react to Benitez’s knock down from the back post. However, it is unfair to name individuals as responsible for another late equaliser, and thus result. Perhaps Tottenham’s overall mentality needs addressing. Redknapp was trying to close the game out, by bringing in fresh legs, which is understandable. But Tottenham need to adopt a more positive mentality, and continue to take the game to the opposition, rather than sit back, and take off our better attacking performers. Redknapp’s post match interview with Sky Sports on Saturday was perhaps an intriguing insight into the mentality at Spurs. Redknapp once more reverted to the dreaded ‘2 points from 8 games’ speech that he dined out on for much of last season. Whilst it is churlish not to praise Redknapp for the progress made in such a short time, until Tottenham adopt the mentality of a club challenging for the top four, they will not kill teams off, and achieve the promised land of the Champions League. Happy to simply be part of the race, is not good enough, and come May, might cost Tottenham dearly.