Spurs vs. Werder Bremen - Champions League Game 5

In the first leg against Werder, Spurs jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Towards the end of the first half, they surrendered a goal, then another goal in the opening minutes of the second half, and had to settle for a tie. There would be no such letdown in the second leg.
Spurs came out firing early and were rewarded with a 6th minute goal from Younes Kaboul. The unmarked Kaboul scored easily after a perfect cross from Aaron Lennon. Lennon and Bale both had fantastic games.
A goal lead has been nothing to get excited about this year. Spurs came into the game not having kept a clean sheet in 17 games. They had only shut out their opponent in three games this season, two of those coming in the Champions League. Tottenham has only kept one clean sheet in the Premier League, the very first game, a 0-0 draw against Manchester City.
Thirty seconds into stoppage time, Luka Modric did well to control a Crouch header and stick it into the back of the net to give Spurs a two goal lead. The second goal clinched the game for Spurs as Werder was clearly overmatched and was unlikely to muster more than a goal.
It was important to keep a clean sheet, especially from a psychological standpoint. Tottenham players need to feel confident that they can win scoring only one goal. Too often this season, they've had the game well in hand and conceded a cheap goal, forcing a draw.  They need games like this to prove, mainly to themselves, that they're capable of shutting a team out.
Spurs scored their third goal in the 81st minute, when Lennon collected Bale's rebound and fed Peter Crouch. Bale continued his fantastic play that has made him one of the tournament's most exciting players. In this game, he hit the post twice, once on the aforementioned cross, and earlier on a free kick. He also missed a penalty kick that Werder goalie Tim Wiese guessed right on.
Bale's game has become so beautifully predictable. He receives the ball, kicks the ball past the defender to start his run, and delivers a perfect cross almost every time. Defenses know what he's going to do, they just can't stop him. He's the soccer equivalent of Mariano Rivera. Rivera throws his cutter about 80 percent of the time, and occasionally mixes in a straight fastball. Hitters know what's coming, they just can't hit it.
With the win, Tottenham secured a place in the knockout stages. They currently sit atop Group A, tied with Inter at 10 points, but ahead in goal differential. For a team that many didn't expect to advance, Spurs have looked awfully impressive through out their Champions League campaign. Their last game in group play will be against Twente on the road. They have a chance to top a group that includes the defending European champions, Inter Milan.

EPL Week 4 - Spurs vs. WBA

Only four weeks into the EPL season and the injury bug has already bitten Spurs. This isn't just a typical mosquito bite. More like a mosquito carrying malaria. Shortly after finding out Jermain Defoe would be lost for the next three months, and Michael Dawson for about eight weeks, manager Harry Redknapp saw Luka Modric go down soon after scoring Spurs' only goal in the 27th minute.
Modric went down clutching his leg after a challenge, and needed crutches to make his way off the field. The ways things have gone, it wouldn't be surprising if Modric misses a considerable amount of time.
Injuries couldn't have come at a worse time, as Spurs prepare for their first Champions League match this Tuesday at Werder Bremen.
West Brom would answer in the 41st when Chris Brunt headed the ball home for the 50th league goal of his career. I admittedly didn't see the first half because I wasn't able to find an online stream, but from what I've read, Spurs were dominant in the early going.
The tide shifted in the second half, as West Brom consistently put pressure on the defense, especially in the last 15 minutes. Spurs were lucky to hold off a flurry of strikes and corners to come away with the draw.
While Modric's injury grabbed headlines, this game also marked the debuts of William Gallas and Rafael van der Vaart.
With all of the injuries, the play of Gallas and van der Vaart will be crucial through out the next few months. Gallas looked good today. I thought he looked sharp and made some smart defensive decisions. Van der Vaart apparently played a good first half, which I unfortunately didn't see. He looked a little tired in the second half. Hopefully with increased play, he'll be able to shoulder more playing time.
While it would have been nice to come away with a victory from The Hawthorns, putting things into perspective, this was a decent result. Without our best striker and defender, and in the midst of incorporating new players into the lineup, it may be necessary to just "hang around" for a few months. As long as Tottenham doesn't start losing games, the team should be fine. I can live with a draw on the road, even if it's against a lesser opponent.
Spurs will face Werder Bremen on Tuesday, which I believe will be the most important match in determining if they can advance into the knockout round.