The Reason Spurs Have Been So Crap For So Long

[White Noise]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/tottenham-keeper-friedel-full-pride-over-record-breaking-season-3198091


Tottenham keeper Friedel full of pride over record-breaking season



Submitted by tribalfootball.com on Sat, 05/26/2012 - 10:45


Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel is full of pride over last season's personal campaign.

The goalkeeper was an ever-present in the Premier League and made it 14 clean sheets with an excellent display against Fulham on the final day of the season.

That is the best clean sheet total since David Pleat's fine team of 1986-87.

"A good defensive record is always the base for a successful team," Friedel told the Spurs website.

"Clean sheets are a cumulative effort, it's not just the work of one person.

"In some games, like Blackburn, I kept a clean sheet without having to touch the ball.

"As a goalkeeper, obviously you always go out and try not to concede goals so if you keep a clean sheet, you feel like you've done your job.

"But I would much rather win the game 2-1 and get the three points than draw 0-0 and just get one.

"Every goalkeeper is pleased when they record a clean sheet. I had no idea that 14 was the best at the club for 25 years but what I will say is that I hope we can better it next season."

[White Noise]

Fulham clean sheets in The Prem -

2011/12 - 11 (Spurs 14)
2010/11 - 14 (8)
2009/10 - 12 (13)
2008/09 - 15 (13)
2007/08 - 7 (9)
2006/07 - 7 (6)
2005/06 - 10 (13)
2004/05 - 8 (13)
2003/04 - 15 (8)
2002/03 - 11 (5)
2001/02 - 15 (8)

So in 6 of the last 11 season Fulham have had more clean sheets than Spurs. Over those season we lead them by 125 cleans sheets to 110. Champions League - your having a laugh.

[White Noise]

Goals conceded -

2011/12 - 51 (Spurs 41)
2010/11 - 43 (46)
2009/10 - 46 (41)
2008/09 - 34 (45)
2007/08 - 60 (61)
2006/07 - 60 (54)
2005/06 - 58 (38)
2004/05 - 60 (41)
2003/04 - 46 (57)
2002/03 - 50 (62)
2001/02 - 44 (53)

In 6 seasons out of the last 11 Fulham have conceded fewer goals than Spurs. In those 11 seasons Fulham have conceded 552 goals to Spurs' 539. Ok they have scored a fair few more than us across that time but, given that Fulham have had some shocking defensive line-ups in that time and our relative positions in the table, Spurs have not had decent defence for most of the 11 years. I wonder why it has taken so long for them to address it?

Interestingly the years of improvement in 04/05 and 05/06 for Sours were under Jol but they got cavalier again in his last full season of 06/07. Our goals conceded last season is the worst for a while but a lot of that was the impact of the first half of the season.

In Hodgson's first full season he reduced goals conceded from 60 to 34. A good illustration of his priorities and begs the question whether any side has seen such a big seaosn on season improvement at the back before?


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/_/league/eng.1/barclays-premier-league?cc=5739