Tottenham 0, PSV Eindhoven 1
BIG TEST FOR RAMOS
By GEOFF SWEET
WELL, maybe this is where Jaunde Ramos's work really starts.
The man who has won the UEFA Cup for the past two seasons with Sevilla has to inspire Tottenham to score at least twice for an outright win in Holland next Wednesday, or find the net once without reply and then win on penalties.
And judging from Thursday night's home defeat to a first-half Jefferson Farfan goal that's no easy job. Some say that as long as Spurs don't get drawn into a relegation battle it matters little what happens between now and the end of the season.
They've won the Carling Cup, guaranteeing themselves more UEFA Cup football next season. So, job done.
abBut that won't satisfy Ramos or his Wembley winners. They want to finish this campaign on a high with tactics spot on, confidence on the up and decent results in the bag to tee up a tilt for a top four finish and a Champions League place next season.
The best way to achieve all that will be to beat Eindhoven, make the last eight of the UEFA Cup and march deeper into Europe.
Tempo
To keep the dream alive they need a second leg performance par excellence. And the way the assured Dutch league leaders passed the ball through them so easily at White Hart Lane suggests that a Spurs victory will actually be as commendable as their cup triumph over Chelsea.
That day Avram Grant helped out with a dodgy team selection. On top of that Tottenham's best moments at Wembley came when they applied a high tempo.
It was the same against Eindhoven but Spurs couldn't sustain it. They'll have to next week - and take their chances on the counter-attack or they'll be Euro has-beens until the autumn.
So a big night beckons, especially for Ramos. Wembley was wonderful, nine trophyless years over and the world was a wonderful place.
But it's been back down to earth with a bump since and, but for Paul Robinson's wonderful 76th minute save from Farfan, this tie would be virtually dead already.
It was shock to see Spurs revert to the long ball but Eindhoven gave them little choice. Therefore, Ramos must ensure his team take the return match by the scruff of the neck and dictate their terms from the off.
We all thought Wembley was the start of something big, including the club's Spanish head coach. Let us hope he has the nouse to ensure things remain that way.
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