“Sacked in the morning, You’re getting sacked in the morning”

By: Daryl | September 15th, 2007

Jol after defeat Martin Jol is in a bit of trouble after his team blew a 1-0 lead in today’s North London derby at White Hart Lane, Arsenal coming from behind to win 3-1. It all started so well for Spurs, with Gareth Bale curling a low free kick past Manuel Almunia, but by the end of the game Arsenal fans were merrily singing “sacked in the morning, you’re getting sacked in the morning.” And I’m pretty sure they weren’t singing to Arsene Wenger.

Spurs can genuinely claim to have gone toe to toe with Arsenal, despite the final score. Gilberto Silva looked lost filling in as a central defender for the Gunners, but Spurs strikers looked equally lost in front of goal so it sort of evened out. Robbie Keane failed to score when a backheel put him through one one one with Almunia, while Berbatov had earlier gone around the Arsenal keeper before trying and failing to beat Kolo Toure in front of the open goal. Then Berbatov had a solid volley from a corner chested/handballed (depending on who you support) off the line by Gael Clichy, before heading over the rebound. Seconds later Arsenal were in front from a genuinely unstoppable Cesc Fabregas strike from outside the area.

Darren Bent then had a ten minute cameo worth forgetting. Twice he got goalside of Gilberto to receive a through ball, and twice he embarrassed himself. First his attempted turn and volley found nothing but air, and then he scuffed a left footed shot wide and looked genuinely embarrassed about it. It was the sort of chance Bent regularly buried for Charlton. He’s only just returned from injury, but Spurs fans must be starting to worry that he’s going to be a great big waste of £16.5 million.

Then Emmanuel Adebayor rubbed some stoppage time salt into Spur’s wounds with a ridiculously good volley that he flicked up on the edge of the box and crashed into the top corner.

A result here would have guaranteed Jol’s job for at least a few more weeks, but I fear the Arsenal fans might be right about him getting sacked. Maybe not in the morning, but soon. Seems a little unfair to me. Media and fans expectations have hyped Spurs hopes of a top four finish, which has piled a lot of extra pressure on everyone at White Hart Lane. Two fifth place finishes in the last two seasons are nothing to be sniffed at, and Jol was the only one at Spurs who showed a lot of dignity through that Juande Ramos business, so maybe it’s time the board came out and backed him by saying he’s got at least until the end of the seaoson.

Video via the good people at 101 Great Goals, who now surely have more than 101 on their website.