Given - Little to do apart from pick the ball out of the net. No blame for any of the goals. 6 Richards - Probably the only defender to emerge with any real credit. Strong at all times. 6.5 Toure - Lost Defoe for the second goal and looked distant from Onouha. 5.5 Onouha - Solid at times but does not look comfortable on the left of the central partnership. 5.5 Sylvinho - Won't be the last but struggled with the turn of pace of Lennon. Looked rusty. 5 Ireland - Probably the most creative of the side but not much came off for him. 6.5 de Jong - Had a good start but overrun as the Tottenham pressed their advantage. 6 Barry - Struggled in the main and offered little going forward. 5.5 Robinho - Had a key role tonight but offered nothing. 5 Tevez - Offered his usual industry and running. Not afraid to shoot but couldn't get close. 7 Adebayor - Missed a good chance late on and didn't contribute a huge amount. 5.5
Subs: Santa Cruz - Looked fitter than on previous occasions but couldn't impose himself. 6 Petrov - Bright and sparky. Hindsight suggests he should have started. 6.5
One thing that we have been able to rely upon in recent games - when we have not been playing well - has been the ability to get back into games when required, something that has preserved our unbeaten run.
Not tonight though. Through a combination of our own lacklustre play (comfortably our most poor of the season) plus an impressive Tottenham performance, our unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt tonight at White Hart Lane as Tottenham laid their claim to be a far more likely candidate for a potential Champions League spot.
In the preview, I wrote that it was an intriguing match-up given how evenly matched both sides were. I was particularly interested in both sides going forward, given the pace and urgency available. Apart from the opening fifteen minutes though, the absence of Bellamy and Wright-Phillips ensured that it was only Tottenham who carried any purposeful threat in attack. Our lack of pace was telling, and Tevez and Ireland aside, we had little in the way of creativity or threat to carry the game to Tottenham, who played exactly the game I expected, and it was one we simply couldn't match.
Tottenham's wide players - Kranjcar and Lennon, emerged as the first half wore on, and aided by the industry of Huddlestone and Palacios were able to create opportunities. The first was scored by Kranjcar, after Lennon had again got the better of Sylvinho, and the second, a smart finish from Defoe after a long ball bemused both Onouha and Toure.
At 2-0, for a long time the game merely drifted, and it was only with the introduction of Santa Cruz, and latterly Petrov, that we managed to muster a threat to the Tottenham goal - most notably through Petrov's free kick and a good opportunity that Adebayor couldn't convert, and it was Tottenham, again through Kranjcar, who capped what was in truth a deserved and convincing victory.
From the highs of last week, we have come down to earth with a bump with only one point from two games which has now seen us slip to eighth place in the table and six points outside of the top four. There were more than a few home truths tonight about exactly where we are as a side, something that has been perhaps staved off in recent weeks.
The TV cameras focused heavily on Mark Hughes tonight, and post-match attention will inevitably fall on him too. Plenty to contemplate for him then as we now head into a crucial month or so of the season, a period which will really define the remainder of 2009/10 - and possibly, his future.
A key game for both sides which has been given extra significance after a pair of frustrating results at the weekend that allowed Aston Villa to move up into fourth place in the table.
Both ourselves and Tottenham have been the two sides tagged as those most likely to be the side to break in to the Champions League positions and I would do some football betting on it, and importantly, both have plenty of scope to strengthen in January to bolster what has been a good - but could have been better - start so far during 2009/10.
There are similarities between the two sides this season. Both have plenty of pace and attacking intent, and are capable of scoring. Both however, have struggled at the back at times with Tottenham conceding 22 and ourselves 21 times so far. It therefore throws up the possibility of an open game between two evenly matched sides, and one that suits the strengths of both teams.
Team wise, the growing importance of Nigel de Jong was evident by his absence at Bolton and the hope is that he has recovered from swine flu to resume his place in the side. A forced change will be to replace Craig Bellamy, and to counter the threat of Aaron Lennon, it has been speculated that Hughes may bring in a more defensive option (possibly even Javier Garrido) on the left hand side of midfield. I would hope that Hughes goes for a positive approach with either Robinho or Petrov to put pressure on Tottenham's right hand side.
Shaun Wright-Phillips will definitely be absent, and again, whilst Vladimir Weiss may be more of a like for like replacement, Hughes will surely opt for Stephen Ireland, the only downside being the loss of pace out wide in what will be an area that may well decide the outcome.
Our record at White Hart Lane is as dismal as can be, losing our last five trips there by the same 2-1 scoreline and it would not be a shock if that was the result again, and I would make Tottenham marginal favourites by virtue of having home advantage.
That said, there is a reason why we have only lost once during 2009/10 and a trip to White Hart Lane is an opportunity to contine to shed some of the past. I think we come away with at least a draw tomorrow, but key to achieving this is to start far better than we have done on more than one occasion this season.
An interesting piece in yesterdays Mail, suggesting Tottenham could be set to move for Micah Richards:
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp hopes the chance to resurrect his England career will convince Richards to switch to White Hart Lane.
Tottenham had a £5million bid turned down for Richards three years ago and the player went on to sign a lucrative four-year deal at City.
He became England's youngest-ever defender when he played against Holland at the age of 18 years and 143 days in 2006. But he has not featured under England boss Fabio Capello and is out of favour at City.
He did not even make the bench for last weekend's 2-2 draw against Liverpool and City boss Mark Hughes is expected to let the youngster go in the January transfer window.
I always find it difficult to know what to make of rumours that appear in the press, primarily because I had a short spell writing the transfer rumour page for a news agency. The brief was very much 'avoid it being obvious, but not too ridiculous.'
This one I suppose fits the bill perfectly. Tottenham, a club perenially linked with signing players and Richards, dropped from the side and now out of he squad completely. Rumours also persist of Richard's supposed poor attitude and the coaching staffs displeasure with him.
Is Hughes ready to give up on him though? It won't be the first time Hughes has made a big call in terms of ridding the squad of a player that doesn't fit in with his ethos. Despite his struggles, I don't think there would be any shortage of interest for Richards from sides in the top half of the Premier League.
I'm yet to be wholly convinced Richards is on the way out though. I may be wrong, but it would still be a huge call to give up on a player who does potentially have so much upside.
From Sky Sports, quoting Petrov's agent Luchezar Taney:
Manchester City rejected the deal mainly due to manager Mark Hughes' unwillingness'.
Tanev told Bulgarian radio station Darik: "I can say that Martin wanted to join Tottenham. You see that he has some problems at City and that's why he decided to look elsewhere and Spurs made an offer for him. But it's not the end of the world. He has one year of his contract left and we'll see after that."
The Sky news bulletin that is on TV currently suggests that the deal for Bentley was scuppered due to Tottenham's desire to have Petrov included, a sign perhaps that Hughes sees Petrov very much in his future plans.
This is certainly good news given the widespread antipathy with regards to the potential Bentley-Petrov deal that was mooted first thing this morning, and that I feel Petrov can have a big part to play in the side.
He doesn't however have too long left on his deal so the next stage will now be to try and secure him longer term.
Sky Sports News 2pm headlines have confirmed (via their reporter Brian Swanson) that there will be no deal concluded with Tottenham for David Bentley and quoted a source that stated that our purchases 'have been concluded'.
The London Evening Standard have reported that Martin Petrov has undergone a medical ahead of him being unveiled as a Tottenham player later this afternoon, with talks underway to include David Bentley in any deal - but possibly only on a season long loan.
It is a difficult one to call with regards to Petrov. On the one hand you have a player who is a fantastic talent, having an excellent first season back in 2007/08 before suffering a virtual season ending injury at the beginning of 2008/09.
As an out and out winger, he is perhaps unrivalled in the Premier League and offers a dimension to our play that neither the likes of Robinho or Bellamy can offer in that position. However, it is apparant from the starting line-ups seen so far that the more traditional out and out winger is not something Hughes is looking to utilise, evidenced by both Robinho and Bellamy featuring with Petrov yet see any action.
The most obvious issue with this is that we immediately strengthen a Tottenham side who look likely to be amongst our closest rivals for league position this season and he is more than capable of being a success at White Hart Lane.
I'm certain there will be more on this between now and 5pm.
I guess you can only cling onto something for so long before it gives way, which fairly sums up the past few weeks as we held onto the hope of that final seventh position in the table which would provide a route into Europe next season.
As it is, todays 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane mathematically ends any prospect of us finishing that high in the table and leaves a straight fight between Tottenham and Fulham for that final place.
To try and illustrate any positives feels like an attempt to clutch at straws, so the plus points of a start for Petrov and a goal for Bojinov seems somewhat of an ambitious attempt to take something from the defeat.
Another away defeat then, and from reading the reports and post match comments etc they could well have come from any number of away games this season - a hard luck story, chances to win the game but ultimately contributing to our own downfall.
There is the old saying that 'the table doesn't lie', and our current position clearly shows that over the course of the season we ultimately haven't been good or consistent enough, with what seems a very lengthy season now almost coming to a close before the inevitable post mortems begin.
Today's game is potentially a huge one. Win, and if results go our way elsewhere, we could be in seventh spot with just one game remaining. Lose, and in all likelihood, seventh spot will be beyond us.
Sky Sports sources understands West Ham have given Craig Bellamy permission to speak to Manchester City.
Bellamy's future at Upton Park has been the subject of intense speculation over the last few days after West Ham rejected bids from City and Tottenham for the Welsh striker.
The former Liverpool and Newcastle star had asked the club to allow him to talk to City and Spurs after turning down the offer of a new deal at Upton Park.
It is safe to say his West Ham career is over following his refusal to play this weekend (and he got a rough ride from fans during todays victory over Fulham), and although it appeared initially that he would be headed for Tottenham it would be a big surprise if he was not unveiled over the next couple of days, particularly given Harry Redknapp's pessimistic comments after todays draw against Portsmouth.
UPDATE: A couple of stories today firming up last nights Sky Sports story.
BBC Sport report a fee of £12 million (with £10 million up front) agreed, with Mark Bowen speaking highly of our impending signing:
"Of course we're interested in Craig Bellamy, he is a player we very much admire and we are hopeful we can bring him to Manchester City.
"We've known Craig for many years, and had him at Blackburn Rovers, and we know what he brings to any team he plays for.
"It does make me smile as I think he is one of those players who you either love or hate. But fans of teams that he has played for love him and know what he gave for their team."
Whilst The Mail has a report (and picture) from Bellamy's meeting with Paul Aldridge.
The Welsh international striker walked out on his club on Friday when they refused him permission to talk to Tottenham, who were also prepared to pay the asking price. He said he would never play for West Ham again. Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham manager, said that he undestood Bellamy wanted to play for him and that Daniel Levy, the chairman at White Hart Lane, was negotiating his transfer. Last night, however, West Ham insisted that they would not do business with their principal London rivals and agreed terms with City.
It seems that although Bellamy stormed out of the club on Friday after being told he wouldn't get his move to Tottenham, there is little chance West Ham will relent and grant him a transfer to White Hart Lane.
Not surprising given they have lost a number of players to Tottenham previously, and this of course could play into our hands as it leaves West Ham with a player who no longer has a working relationship with them with ourselves as the only option available as a way out.
Talk in todays press suggests a bid of £14 million will secure the move. Far too much for my liking, but again, relative in terms of the resources we have available.
As mentioned time and again here, he could offer certain qualities, but - added to the impending return of Bojinov - I fail to see exactly where Bellamy fits in to our line up and formation and far better to concentrate on out and out goalscorer.
A quiet weekend all round really with the postponement of yesterday's game at Portsmouth coupled with not much of note on the transfer front speculated - as you'd expect really over a weekend with most of the media attention focused on the action on the field.
A couple of new names linked with moves in and out of the club though, with us being touted as a possible destination for Andrei Arshavin. Since rising to prominence on the back of Zenit's UEFA Cup triumph last season and then a (mostly) successful European Championships he has been linked with moves to all and sundry.
A move to Arsenal was expected this January, but there appears to some haggling over the fee and/or personal terms so it is possible we could sneak in ahead of them to his signature. I would be surprised if we were interested though. It seems a classic case of another clubs name being thrown into the mix to elicit a higher bid from interested parties. Besides, as good a player as he may be - although given his age (27) you do wonder why he hasn't 'broke through' earlier - it is difficult to see quite where he would fit into our line up and surely our priorities lie elsewhere?
Jo has been touted as a player who has fallen foul of Mark Hughes, with a couple of destinations speculated, but it is the first time I have heard Newcastle linked with him.
The Mail suggests a loan until the end of the season being a possibility. The article also speculates Portsmouth may want to take Benjani on a similar deal, and that we would encourage a bid from Tottenham for Richard Dunne.
I'd suggest that all three possibilities are nonesense. No way do we counter the possibility of loaning Jo or Benjani to a fellow Premier League side whilst as bad as Dunne's form has been, if Dunne exits, who do play there?
As we hit the halfway mark of the transfer window, lets hope for a more prosperous week than the one we have just had as time is beginning to tick away.
Sky Sports are running the story regarding the £32.5 million bid for Robinho, and are quoting AS as reporting it in Spain, and also stating it could be a done deal before the deadline - quoting a Spanish radio station as their source.
Reports though are suggesting that Berbatov is undergoing a medical at United, and I really think this one is almost dead in the water. Quite how this has progressed so far with United without (as far as we know) a fee being agreed or even United having premission to speak with the player is a mystery.
Perhaps Tottenham are being more coy than they should be over this?
If news of the takeover was hard enough to digest today, news this afternoon that we had lodged a bid for Dmitar Berbatov - which was subsequently accepted, came out of absolute nowhere and to say it was a surprise is an understatement to say the least.
"It's really about the boy making a decision. I'm as stunned and excited by this as the fans are."
£34 million is a huge fee, but perhaps a drop in the ocean given the new investment levels available and it is really laying a huge marker down for the new owners and potentially gives us a fantastic player at our disposal. With the fee was being agreed early afternoon though there was a sense of anticipation that deal could get concluded early evening but the only news to filter through was that he was at United holding talks - something which I don't understand given that no fee has been agreed between the two sides.
He is a fantastic player (who took Dunne and Richards to school in the Carling Cup last year as a lone striker) who would clearly be an asset to the team from a playing perspective, augmenting an already potent looking attacking line-up.
Given though his history of angling for a move to United, is he likely to accept a move to us, or is he (and Tottenham?) hoping that our bid will flush out a higher one from United?
If they don't, he is then faced with the choice of moving to ourselves or going back to Tottenham tail between his legs and trying to rebuild the bridges that have been burnt since the summer.
BBC Sport are calling it a tug-of-war and suggest it will go right to the deadline. For me, the longer it has gone on though, the less likely it will be that we get our man.
I think we hoped that deadline day might see the arrival of one or two players to supplement the squad but who would have predicted what has occurred today - even in the crazy world of Manchester City?
It would have been a great day to be able to cover it all live but I'm now set for a frantic evening as I try and catch up on everything that has happened today, and with all the news that may yet to come in.
A couple of deals were done over the weekend, with Argentinian Pablo Zabaleta finally sealing his move and then a surprise move for Brazilian left back Glauber - who is believed to have joined on an (initial) short term one year deal from relegated Bundesliga side FC Nurnberg.
Early this morning then saw confirmation that Vedran Corluka had signed for Tottenham - putting an end to the one-off saga from the past week or so.
A disappointment in some respects to lose Corluka who is clearly a good player, but rather than for financial reasons it is clear the decision has been made on a footballing basis with Mark Hughes believing Zabaleta to be an improvement.
Hughes was believed to be tracking him from when he was in charge at Blackburn so he is obviously sold on his talents so it is a decision we need to back and there is no reason to suggest it is a bad one at this stage.
Another move out of the blue was then the signing of Felipe Caicedo by Hertha Berlin on a season long loan deal, which to me indicates that he does not have a future at the club given Hughes's reluctance to allow Ched Evans or Daniel Sturridge to follow a similar path.
Caicedo was always more of a long term 'project' but hadn't displayed the potential of either Evans or Sturridge in his brief outings and it would be a surprise if he made another appearance at the club.
Manchester City Football Club has put an end to the speculation regarding the future of right back Vedran Corluka. The popular Croatian had originally been linked with a move to Tottenham, but decided to stay with City after a heart-to-heart with manager Mark Hughes. A delighted Mark Hughes said, "I am a huge admirer of Vedran. He is a top class player with a bright future ahead of him and I am delighted that he continues to be a part of our plans at Manchester City. "It is a real boost for everyone at the Club. Vedran is a great lad and I am really looking forward to working with him over the coming seasons." The player, along with the rest of the first team will report for training tomorrow as the manager and squad prepare for the Thursday night’s game against FC Midtjylland in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.
A real positive given the negative news that has circled in recent days and a big about turn from what was expected given reports over the last couple of days.
As the statement has only just been released from the club, it will certainly be interesting to see what emerges in the next day or so with regards to the whole Corluka saga, and hopefully more clarification as regards the current financial position at the club.
After it seemed that the Corluka stories had died down and he would perhaps remain a City player, rumours gathered apace yesterday (Saturday) morning as some newspaper reports suggested that the move to Tottenham would be completed prior to the season starting, and more fuel was added to the fire when it was reported that he did not feature in the team photograph, and was then left out the side for the final pre-season game against Milan.
It does seem inevitable that Corluka is on his way, and it is disappointing news given the impressive season he had last campaign and at 22 years of age, has plenty of upside ahead of him. However, the current financial situation at the club does appear such that at the very least we need to trim the wage bill and by a strange quirk, we have to sell Corluka in order to actually finish paying for him.
Given the quality we have in defence - and this season it appears that Ben Haim is set to partner Dunne in the centre with Richards at right back, Corluka to a degree does become expendable and if we have to sell then better it be a player such as that than an enforced sale such as Richards, Petrov or Elano which would the side far more.
Having said that, it is a sad state that we find ourself in if finances are such that we are being forced into sanctioning a couple of sales to balance the books, and is something that the press are beginning to prick their ears up about as they sniff around for a headline or two.
Another player who could be on his way is Stephen Ireland. Rumours linking him to Sunderland again surfaced this weekend - partly like the Corluka scenario where it is a player who could be expendable but perhaps also because Mark Hughes does not see him fitting into the side, and he was again left out of the side yesterday (with TV later indicating he was initially told to stay away from the game).
Ireland for me is an undoubted talent - despite all his quirks and slightly odd behaviour, and whilst his progress has been somewhat steady, I do believe that given his still young age he has plenty ahead of him and whilst £5 million may well be a decent return, further ahead we could look back on a sale with a great deal of regret.
One player who appears to be staying though (for now at least) is Rolando Bianchi. The club turned down a bid from Torino which would see him move to Turin on loan with a £2 million option at the end of the season. Rumours now link him with a potential move to Genoa as it seems inevitable that he will not be with his this season and I think the only reason a move has not gone through so far is that we are trying to recoup as much of our initial outlay back for him.
An interesting week all in all then as instead of new arrivals coming into the club with season just around the corner, we are having to face the prospect of players heading out of the exit door. Not an ideal start, and with the political and financial problems for our owner ever increasing, it is with a sense of aprehension that we head towards the season with.
The links to us moving for Brad Friedel continue, with the latest 'news' that we are ready to hijack Villa's deal for him after their bid was agreed with Blackburn (following Rovers signing of Paul Robinson from Tottenham yesterday).
I just don't see it as Hughes was quoted in the MEN yesterday as saying he was looking for cover, and given Friedel is still playing at a level that puts him in the upper tier of Premier League goalkeepers why would he sign for us to sit on the bench when he will be the undisputed number 1 at Villa (which I think he would be looking to continue as)?
If he was signed though and handed the number 1 jersey then it would be a huge slap in the face for Joe Hart, who last season beat out both Isaksson and Schmeichel to make the position his own, not to mention make his England debut and put himself firmly in the frame as David James's heir apparant.
More realistically for me is that Hughes will look for a guy who is happy to sit on the bench and to allow Schmeichel he possibility of going out on an extended loan once again.
Manchester City are resigned to losing captain Richard Dunne after he turned down a new contract - with Spurs leading the chase to sign the defender.
BBC Sport understands Dunne, 28, has rejected a long-term deal, leaving City facing the prospect of him leaving on a free transfer at the end of next term.
Spurs are now closing in on a £5m deal for the Republic of Ireland star, with Portsmouth keen on his signature too.
Newcastle and West Ham have also been linked with the 28-year-old.
I've consciously avoided posting links to transfer rumours so far, given the most of what is out there is complete and utter rubbish, yet there does appear to be enough substance behind this story to see all of the major media outlets devoting coverage to it.
I think it is still far from certain that Dunne is headed out of the club, and believe it is likely he is biding his time to see what shape and direction the club takes in the almost certain post-Sven era.
If it came to a decision on selling him though, I am somewhat in two minds though, but by and large think it would be a mistake.
He has of course been one of the stalwarts of the club in recent seasons and would be set to be amongst the appearance leaders if he played out his career at the club. Dunne also was named supporters player of the year this season for the fourth consecutive season and has by and large been a model of consistency for us.
There is a swell of opinion though that Dunne is not quite the player that he is largely thought and given his age it may well be that we have had the best of him, and £5 million would be a decent return for a guy heading into the last year of his contract.
We would also have either Corluka or Onouha to step in and replace Dunne, both in my mind better 'footballers', although not necessarily better defenders at this stage.
Why I think this would be a bad decision to sell him though is that it would add fuel to the fire that the club is currently being run about as well as Iraq is, and begs the question of 'Who's decision is this?' given Sven would surely be loyal to Dunne - citing his leadership and qualities throughout the season, and to allow the club captain to walk away to the club smacks of mis-management and short-sightedness on the clubs part.
It would send a bad message out and only serve to increase speculation around the likes of Hart, Richards, Johnson and Bojinov.
Still, given recent events at the club, anything could be possible.
