Tottenham Clinches 'Group A' With Draw

I'm still warming up to the idea of a draw. Should a draw excite me? Is it really something to celebrate? Blame it on all the years of basketball, football, and baseball watching. It's only fitting that Tottenham's Champions League group stage journey ends where it started -- in a tie. A tie that should have been a win nonetheless, but that's besides the point.
It's been a long journey, really long actually. The "six games within the group and one game every two weeks" thing drags on quite a bit. The formula is good because the scheduling essentially builds its own suspense for each game. On the flip side, some fan bases -- Arsenal fans I'm looking at you, have two weeks to think up all of the possible ways your team can blow it.
I have to admit I bought into all the skepticism surrounding Spurs prior to the Champions League. Everyone who seemed to know anything about soccer was basically waiting for them to choke away their first opportunity in 50 years to make a lasting imprint on the national stage. I figured they must know more than me, and what do I really know anyway -- so I equated each moment to familiar Cubs' choke jobs.
First game against Bremen and Spurs jump ahead 1-0 with a gift-wrapped own goal. Fifteen minutes later and they take a 2-0 lead. Game 1 of the 2008 NLDS, Mark DeRosa hits a two run homer in the 4th inning as the Cubs take an early lead, which they eventually surrender. Sure enough, Bremen ties the game just after halftime and doesn't look back. Spurs lose two points and lay the foundation for what looks to be their expected sinking of the ship.
They bounce back in a 4-1 victory at home over Twente. Expected to be the whipping boy of the group, Twente would be heaped with praise at the moment had Spurs not stolen the show and unexpectedly won the Group. At the time, it was a good win for Spurs because they were coming off a Premier League loss, but nothing to get too excited about.

The Inter Milan games sandwiched between the Bremen and Twente rematches were significant because they introduced Gareth Bale to the world. A somewhat obscure name to most soccer fans, Bale burst onto the scene with a three goal performance in the first leg against Inter. He single-handedly carved up Inter's defense and was really the only bright spot in a game that Tottenham had trailed 4-0 at one point. He topped that in the second leg, producing one magnificent run after another and crossed the ball flawlessly to set up two more goals. Bale's play became one of the great stories of the Group Stages, resulting in an onslaught of rumors linking the 21 year-old to a number of big clubs.
A 3-0 blowout at home seemed to be appropriate for a Spurs team that was coming off the high of beating the defending European Champions and a Bremen team that had been shutout at home by Twente. Spurs and Twente both went out in resounding fashion, scoring three times a piece. Both teams already had sealed their fate and played into the wackiness that swirled around this game since the very beginning. I've never seen a goalie whiff like Boschker did...never. Robert Green's mishap looked forgivable compared to that.
Other than Bale, the biggest Champions League story surrounding Tottenham was their home versus road performance. At home they were brilliant, outscoring their opponents 10-2 en route to three wins. On the road, they were outscored 9-8, in two draws and one loss. They need to clear their road woes up. It's been a problem for them all season, including the Premier League. It's not the results that are disappointing, you can live with two draws and a loss on the road, but surrendering nine goals in three games is inexcusable.
But now is not the time to dwell on the negative. This is a historic accomplishment for Spurs. Not only do they advance to the knockout stage, but they earned the top seed in Group A, so they can avoid some of the heavy hitters in the next round.
Let's party like it's 1961. President Kennedy, West Side Story, crumbling US diplomatic relations, but most importantly, quality Spurs football.

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.

Spurs vs. Werder Bremen (Let The Champions League Begin)

Spurs are beginning to look more and more like the Chicago Cubs every day. Except now, they have a bigger stage to exhibit the type of play that reminds everyone why they hadn't qualified for the Champions League in 50 years. I knew what I was getting into, and I just so happen to be a masochist. Sue me.
Leading up to this game I thought a draw would have been a good result. In fact, I would have been delighted with this result if it happened in a different manner.
Spurs' first goal was an own goal from Bremen defender Petri Pasanen in the 12th minute. Gareth Bale delivered a low cross to the streaking Crouch that Pasanen turned in. Crouch would strike 6 minutes later with a header off of a van der Vaart cross.
There's no excuse for not being able to hold a lead after scoring two goals in the first twenty minutes. To make matters worse, Spurs could have easily been up by three or four going into halftime.
However, Bremen forward Hugo Almedia cut the lead in half just before halftime, providing a spark to an otherwise lackluster performance from the home team.
Bremen was able to capitalize off of their new found confidence early in the second half. Within four minutes, Marko Marin drove a low kick in off a miss from Aaron Hunt.
Both teams would have a few scoring opportunities late in the second half that ultimately amounted to nothing. Bremen was content after tying the game, and within the last 15 minutes, Spurs began to play more conservatively to preserve the tie.
Fellow Group A participants Twente and Inter Milan would also play to a 2-2 draw. The draw came as a surprise to an Inter team that was expected to easily win the group.
Had Spurs been able to hold their lead, they would have been able to gain a much needed early points advantage in the group.
As it stands, Spurs fans will have to be content with the draw. The result isn't terrible, but considering they were up 2-0 and Inter drew, it seems like a missed opportunity.
Spurs can hang their hat on the fact that they were only outplayed for about seven minutes of this game. If Werder is their roadblock towards advancement, they have set themselves up pretty well.

Champions League Draw Finally Here

At precisely 11:45 CT I was staring at my computer, steadily hitting the refresh button every 60 seconds. This is what I would call typical "Ebay Behavior." Hitting refresh every few seconds hoping for a positive development. Which inevitably leads you to question your life and priorities because all you've accomplished in the last ten minutes is staring and periodically working out your right index finger.
As I found myself engaging in Ebay Behavior at 11:45 this morning, this time it wasn't to make sure I was still the high bidder for a rare Sega Genesis game, but to see Spurs' Championship League Draw.
The sad part about this is that they could have thrown any teams in their group and I still wouldn't have known if it was a good or bad draw. That's what research is for. See, I did learn something in school.
From what I gathered, Spurs' draw could have been better, could have been worse. I know, world class digging. For the complete list of groupings, click here.
For new fans like myself, the groupings are made easy. Teams are separated into 4 pots, with 8 teams in each pot. Pot 1 is supposed to consist of the best teams, while pot 4 is the worst. Each group is made up of one team from each pot.
Without further ado, here's who Spurs (who were part of pot 3) drew.

Inter Milan (Italy, Pot 1) - Go ahead and pencil Inter Milan into the knockout stages now. Consider these factors:
1) They won the Champions League last year and return every player from their starting lineup in the championship game.
2) They have world class players Wesley Sneijder (arguably the best player in the 2010 World Cup), Julio Cesar (arguably the best goalkeeper in this tournament), Samuel Eto'o, Diego Milito, and Lucio.
There's probably a third point, but it pales in comparison to the first two. Plain and simple, Inter Milan is one of only a handful of teams that is expected to win this tournament.
In addition to their national success, Inter has dominated Italy's Serie A as of late. They've been crowned champions of Italy's premier soccer league the last five years in a row. They're also the only team in Serie A that can say they've never dropped out of the league in their 100 plus year existence.
The best Spurs can hope for is a draw at home. Either way, it should be a riveting scene when Inter visits White Hart Lane.
Inter plays in Giuseppe Meazza stadium, the largest stadium in Italy, seating around 80,000. I'm guessing that game may be a tad intimidating.
Some other interesting information I learned: don't ever shorten Inter Milan to "Milan." Milan is AC Milan's shortened name, who also happen to be Inter's biggest rival. The two side's fans are typically split along class lines, and don't much care for each other.

Werder Bremen (Germany, Pot 2) - Werder Bremen comes in as a team that finished 3rd in last year's Bundesliga, Germany's premier soccer league. Werder seem to be the wild card of this group. If they show up, they should advance, but this is not the same team as last year's third place club.
Most notably, Werder lost German World Cup standout Mesul Ozit to Real Madrid at the start of this season.
They didn't respond well, dropping their first Bundesliga game 4-1 to a TSG Hoffenheim side that finished 11th in the league last year.
Werder can hang their hat on the fact that they've finished in the top 3 of their league in 6 of the last 7 years. They will have time to adjust to life without Ozit and could very well turn it around in time for the Champions League.
The trip to Weserstadion should be a fun one. Werder's stadium is located on the bank of the Weser River and a ship's whistle sounds every time they score a goal. Hopefully that whistle won't be blowing too often in Tottenham's game though.
Spurs' match ups with Werder will likely determine the second team to come out of Group A.

FC Twente (Netherlands, Pot 4) - I've been tempted to just call them 20. You know, that's how it looks doesn't it? Ok, I have no idea how to pronounce this Dutch's teams name, in fact, I know very little about them.
They finished first in the top Dutch league Eredivisie last year. They finished second in 2009. While not thought of as a dominant league, it would be foolish to overlook this side. In 1975, they actually were the runner up in the Champions League. So there, they already have more experience than Spurs in this tournament.
Twente's De Grolsch Veste stadium's seating was doubled in the late 90s. What that tells me is they have a growing fan base that surely will be rowdy come game time. Especially against a pot 3 team they feel presents the best chance of earning three points.
Spurs haven't exactly looked good on the road this year. They fell 3-2 to Young Boys, and a bad call saved them from a draw against Stoke.
Both of these teams should have been convincing victories, even on the road. If Spurs don't start playing better away from White Hart Lane, the road game against Twente could prove to be especially costly.