UEFA Cup - Udinese pile on Tottenham woe

Eurosport - Fri, 24 Oct 09:19:00 2008

Udinese continued Tottenham's miserable run of form by inflicting a 2-0 defeat on the North London side, reduced to 10 men, in the opening match of UEFA Cup Group D.

2008-2009 Tottenham Hotspur Jamie O'Hara - 0

Antonio Di Natale scored a first-half penalty after a howler by Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes (pictured) to put the second-placed Serie A side in the lead.

Jamie O'Hara collected two yellow cards in a minute for tackles on Alexis Sanchez in the second half to see red and leave manager Juande Ramos in further trouble.

Substitute Simone Pepe made sure late on when he finished a breakaway move after excellent work by the impressive Fabio Quagliarella.

Tottenham looked a side lacking confidence, exemplified when Didier Zokora failed to control a simple ball on the touchline and, at more cost, when O'Hara moved well away from goal when in a great position to shoot close in with goalkeeper Samir Handanovic stranded.

Under-fire coach Juande Ramos had omitted winger David Bentley, who had earlier criticised his team-mates, from the squad.

It was his replacement Aaron Lennon who caused most of the problems for the home defence, repeatedly scampering down the right but unable to supply a decisive final ball.

After a couple of hairy early moments Spurs looked settled into the match, building their play from a solid base, only for Brazilian Gomes to make a hash of controlling a simple ball and allowing Quagliarella to steal in.

As the Italy star looked to turn and shoot, Gomes manhandled him - and down the striker went.

There were yellow cards for Gomes, perhaps lucky to stay on the field, and Alexander Lukovic for complaining too vociferously before Udine captain Di Natale struck the spot-kick into the corner.

Spurs did have opportunities to equalise - Darren Bent directed a pair of weak headers at goal and O'Hara had that chance - but their haphazard gameplan went out of the window when the midfielder made two rash challenges on Chile international Sanchez 10 and 11 minutes after the break.

There were further yellow cards, including one for left-sided midfielder Bale, who should have centred at least one of three attacking free-kicks he wasted through shooting.

Di Natale almost scored s sensational second with an outrageous lob with his instep after bringing the ball down; Gomes hauled his massive frame backwards to claw it away from on the line.

Substitute Giovani dos Santos looked lively although, with his side a man down, he had little space to work with. Nevertheless, he presented a gilt-edged chance to Bent from the byline with five minutes left to play.

The striker headed powerfully this time under the crossbar from outside the six-yard box, only to see Handanovic tip the ball over.

A minute later the second-goal cushion was added by Pepe, who scored off the inside of the post following a superb breakaway move to leave Tottenham contemplating a fifth game without a win.

Dinamo Zagreb 3-2 NEC Nijmegen

Dinamo Zagreb came from behind with two late goals to beat NEC at home.

Dinamo took the lead after three minutes through Marijo Mandzukic, only to concede an own-goal equaliser 20 minutes later through Carlos.

Tim Withelmus Janssen gave the Dutch side the lead with 12 minutes left, but Bosko Balaban and Ivica Vrdoljak hit two goals inside three minutes to seal the victory for the Craotian hosts.

Jonathan Symcox / Reuters

Comment 75 - 94 of 94

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  1. G R A N D E U D I N E S E !!!!

    From Mr b, on Wed 5 Nov 10:02PM

  2. spurs are rubbish every year anyway they got scabbi results they are no where near as good as liverpool. come on liverpool

    From LISA W, on Sun 26 Oct 9:23AM

  3. You cannot sack Ramos. Spurs sold Keane and Berbatov. Ramos told Defoe he could go because he had Bent, Keane and Berba. So spurs sell Berba and Keane and sign Pavleychenko, Modric, Giovani and Bentley. Modric is from a much lower league and you should have a back up for him. Bentley was not a star player at Blackburn last year and was a player who got his hands dirty but at Tottenham he is a winger who plays in attacking midfield, they change him up so much and put so much pressure on him. Just keep him on the right. Giovani is young and Pavleychenko is simply to much-alike to Bent. Pavley was a rush singing.

    GK: Gomes
    RB: Hutton
    CB: Corluka
    CB: King
    LB: Bale
    RW: Bentley
    CM: Modric
    CDM:Zokora
    CM: Jenas
    LW: Giovani
    ST: Bent

    Just keep that, thats what Spurs had planned at the start so just keep it.

    From jakeatchelsea, on Sat 25 Oct 12:04AM

  4. gomes is not the problem its the ten sorry bunch of overpaid passionless @#$% thats in front of him!COMMOLLI OUT!!!!!!!!

    From spurs.hughes@..., on Fri 24 Oct 9:45PM

  5. Try to remember, Arsene Wenger was very supportive of Martin Jol as well, and he has no connections with Arsenal whatsoever.

    Guys, i really feel sorry for you. You make the Eufa soon to be the Europa Cup, and are not doiing well, you sold your good mercaneries, i mean players to Man Utd, and Sunderland, i make Robbie Keane the exception, Liverpool was his Boyhood Team, if he went to any other team, and i would call him a mercanery too. You lost the glue that holds you together, your witless owners fires a top class manager, Martin Jol, must be painful to see him lead Hamburg to possibly it's first Bundesliga title in 25 years. Levy is an idiot, he's the reason you might drop, i'll miss the north london derbies, next season, but i'm enjoying this joke......

    a Little boy goes to Child Protection said he wishes to be adopted because his parents are beating him, the case worker asks him, why don't you go live with your aunt or uncle, 'They Beat me too.' He saids, he then asks what about your grandparents, 'They beat me the worst of all.' the little boy, so the case worker asks where do you want to live, The kid replies Tottenham, Why Tottenham asks the worker.

    The boy replies 'Because they don't beat beat anyone there.'

    From Neo, on Fri 24 Oct 8:05PM

  6. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP
    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: PREMIER LEAGUE, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - UEFA CUP
    ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES

    From , on Fri 24 Oct 3:18PM

  7. I laugh when i hear people say Rangers & Celtic could not make it in the English premiership, they have both been to the final of this competition in the last 5 years...comparing to the "other" english sides Everton "Out already" Spurs "Going Out" Portsmouth "pumped 3-0" ......Forget the top 4 these guys are World Class!

    From marc.oconnor16, on Fri 24 Oct 1:45PM

  8. A Manager needs to be left to do his Job to the best of his ability and Ramos has Shown in his C.V. he is more than capable, but not when he is being totally undermind by an Idiotic money orientated greedy board of Directors and a Director of Football that thinks he is gods gift to football, it didnt work when Pleat was at tottenham" Hey wake up Tottenham let the Manger be primerily responsible for his own signings and work ethics and structure on the pitch.... LOL (conspirousy theory) = Comelli X ARSENAL "SAY NO MORE" Arsen Wenger is totally 100% behind Comelli's positon says the latest mdia talk at Tottenham I wonder why and its obviously working.... lastly WELL DONE JOL GOOD LUCK TO THE MANAGER THAT WOULD HAVE GOT US UP IN THE TOP 4

    From Phil, on Fri 24 Oct 12:16PM

  9. with an outform goalkeper,outform defender,outform midfielder n outform striker, spurs are rubbish!! sorry to say but this is the worse situation spurs ever been, n it look like it's going to last long!!!! there is one miracle this session, hull city, they're really impressive. they really show that the underdog can beat the topdog.

    From Uzer, on Fri 24 Oct 10:15AM

  10. Hate to see Managers sacked but Ramos is S*it, just how many games and formations to you need to tinker with to get it right.

    Ramos has to be blind to see that Lennon just dont cut it on the left. If your going to bring Gio on then just take Lennon off and put on someone who will make more of a contribution on the left.

    We can sit here and argue all day who's fault it is but when the manager can pick a team of players and play them in the correct possitions then you have a problem. Also Frazier Campbell should be playing week in week out with Bent. Bent is not good enough on his own but will score when with another Strike Partner.

    Just how long is Ramos going to ignore the facts.

    From cj.harvey@..., on Fri 24 Oct 10:10AM

  11. Spurs fans if theres any of you left start checking your AA maps to mark where the Championship teams are located better check division one clubs as well just in case the next season.........

    From r.j.hall@..., on Fri 24 Oct 9:48AM

  12. Spurs are @#$%

    From banana_bank69, on Fri 24 Oct 9:40AM

  13. Well done spurs! LOL I wonder how Gomez is getting for throwing all the matches

    From The Joker, on Fri 24 Oct 9:33AM

  14. its about time a so called big club got relagated from the top flight, just goes to prove the minnowers are closing the gap, hull.

    From Dave worsell, on Fri 24 Oct 9:22AM

  15. hahahaha gutted spurs!! Ur cr@p and u know u are!!

    From doubt.it.man, on Fri 24 Oct 9:11AM

  16. I See a couple of Spurs fan are blaming Gomes now. Last year, it was Robinson & Cerny but since they left Spurs they have performed well.
    Spurs have 2 fundamental problems, firstly they lack a decent holding player since they lost Edgar Davids, secondly they lack on-the-field leadership.
    The team is good enough but they need to stick to one set of players instead of constantly rotating the midfield. They need to buy a holding player immediately or move King to the midfiled to run the team.
    That said, tehy were always going to lose to Udinese anyway, Udinese is second in Serie A and were in Champion League in the last few season whereas Spur are bottom of the EPL. The class really differs .. so less complains more solutions please

    From akintayo a, on Fri 24 Oct 8:56AM

  17. Now 3/1 for the drop....Newcastle out to 4/1 Says it all!!!

    From Terence P, on Fri 24 Oct 8:56AM

  18. tottenham ur wasting gomes!!!pull up ur socks

    From tony_nderitz, on Fri 24 Oct 8:54AM

  19. (A Gunner for life) Spurs need time to settle? Rubbish!! Give me half their wages and I would settle a lot quicker. Go back to basics and try and grow a back bone. No fight, no guts and definately no glory. Top 5 team? Do me a favour! I will miss the North London derbies with you guys next season. Oh well, we can always work on stuffing Chelsea.

    From mcnwaukpele, on Fri 24 Oct 8:54AM

  20. Chris A - True :))

    From H C, on Fri 24 Oct 8:47AM
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