Woody fears Leeds repeat

Defender fears Spurs will not escape drop zone

Last updated: 24th October 2008

Woody fears Leeds repeat

Woodgate: Fears Spurs face Leeds repeat

You aren't too good to go down - believe me. I have seen it before at Leeds - and Leeds had a better team than we have got right now.

Jonathan Woodgate
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Jonathan Woodgate insists Tottenham cannot think they are too good to get relegated and has compared the current crisis to the situation that faced Leeds.

Woodgate was part of a Leeds side in freefall and left Elland Road in 2003 before they lost their top-flight status - and he has warned his Spurs team-mates they are in the middle of a battle to stay up.

They are bottom and entertain Bolton on Sunday, with dressing-room morale low following the 2-0 Uefa Cup defeat to Udinese at Stadio Friuli.

"You aren't too good to go down - believe me," said Woodgate.

"I have seen it before at Leeds, and Leeds had a better team than we have got right now.

"They went down eventually and we really have got to roll up our sleeves without question, because I am telling you now it is going to be hard.

"Two points out of eight (Premier League) games - 100 per cent, we're in a battle.

"We are good enough to get out of it if the players start concentrating, without a shadow of a doubt. If we don't then we will go down."

Concentration

Defensive lapses let Spurs down in their defeat to Udinese and Woodgate knows they must buck their ideas up.

"The same thing has happened every single game we have played this season, it was a lack of concentration," Woodgate said.

"We have had that in other games and we have to start learning quickly.

"A goal goes in and we start thinking 'here we go again'. We need to really stand up now.

"The senior players have got to stand up and start taking responsibility."

Asked if it was comparable to Leeds, Woodgate said: "Well we are bottom of the league, and it can't get much worse than that. We deserve to be where we are."

Ramos had left David Bentley out of his matchday squad, less than 24 hours after the midfielder's outspoken assessment of Spurs' start to the season.

"I chose these 18 out of the 20 in the squad," Ramos said. "I don't know what happened before the match.

"His reaction was normal, the same as the other players who are not playing."

Comments (28)

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Shail Deshpande (Liverpool fan) says...

One cannot say that Tottenham would be relegated. They have a good crop of players and also a good manager in Junde Ramos. What they need to build up id their confidence and try to stay afloat above the relegation zone. the arrival of a holding midfielder can help as they don't have one.

Posted 15:28 24th October 2008

Matthew Church (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

We need to revert back to 4-4-2 and have a go at teams. Get Gio into this side with 2 upfront. Bent & Pav are being made to look worse than they are with the lack of support. Whilst Jenas was putting it about last night for me he doesn't do it often enough. Get Bently on the right we need his supply and Gio on the left terrorising defenders. They were good signs last night but we make it hard for ourselves, as Woody says it was lack of concentrating, this time Gomes, but confidence is low and so mistakes are happening all over the pitch. The team need to put whats happened behind them and start the season from Sunday as it will be a battle once again against a team renowed for their battling strengths. And why doesn't Rocha get a look in when Dawson does!?! Rocha is a decent defender which lacks a little height. Jan we need to go for Diarra, Owen, Upson and I would try Babel at Liverpool as he doesn't get a look in, but Im realistic and realise now that none of these would actually come. COME ON SPURS!! Make Woody Captain

Posted 15:19 24th October 2008

Pete Morris (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Ramos is clueless, Last night Poyet looked utterly bemused when Ramos was talking to him as do the players. Playing King when Dawson was available but banned for Sunday, what the hell planning is that? The players themselves were an embarrassment, lennons 50 yd run ending with him falling flat on his face when he got to the 18 yd box summed it all up, he even had the gaul to look round to see who tripped him! A non settled side is a recipie for disaster. Someone like Venebles would get the respect and confidence of the players back. Bring back El Tel, Oneday Ramos is out of his depth.

Posted 15:05 24th October 2008

John Doe (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I may just be a desperate Spurs fan looking for a way out of our mess but hear me out.. I think that Tottenham should literally move heaven and earth to sign Mourinho as our manager... I know a lot of people will be like "Why the hell would he leave inter for a club like us, bottom of the league" Well *He wants to come back to England and he's not gonna get another crack at any of the top 4 with the managers they have in place. Who out of them 4 will be getting sacked in the next few years? Cant see any of them to be honest. *He loved living in the capital and he says he wants to come back to England, he loves the attention and he would love the fact that he'd be like a god at the lane if he turned Tottenham's fortunes around (Which i have no doubt he would) and is possibily the only proven manager with that kind of capability. *He seems to have always had a little soft spot for Tottenham, always a good word to say about us (Which is rare for those outside of the Lane!) *I find it quite coincidental how rumours become rife that Ramos could be getting the sack and Mourinho just so happens to come out and say how he'd love to manage in the Premier League again? I say sack Ramos and Commolli and get teh special one in and let him run it his way without this aimless 'director of football' role which obviously doesnt work. If it meant making him the highest paid manager in world football then it would be worth it. Thats how much of a difference I believe he would have on us.. Players who are average at best at the moment like your Jenas, Bentley, Lennon, Darren Bent he would install confidence into and they would be different players.. I'd put my life on it! Come on Spurs! Act fast before we become the new Leeds United!! You know it makes sense!!

Posted 14:54 24th October 2008

Nick Spalding (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

When will Ramos realise 4-5-1 doesn't work, the players look lost, they are struggling with the basics, like throw-ins, pass and move all to a lack of confidence, yet he continues with it game after game. England tried it and failed, 4-4-2 is what they know best and is the only formation in which Aaron Lennon etc can succeed. It's time for Ramos to go and for Spurs to get a manager the players really understand and beleive in!

Posted 14:46 24th October 2008

Paul Burke (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Its not the transfers during the season tha has caused this. we have only won 3 out of our last 20 premier league matches, the rot was there last season. I think Ramos's formation and tactics are to be questioned. Why does Ramos play one striker alone when we need goals? Giovanni or campbell just to give Bent a little help up there. Ramos should go, and so should Camoli, Dir. of Fotball does not work.

Posted 14:32 24th October 2008

Robert Procopiou (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

How can Ramos say he is a top manager when he still doesn't know his best team, we need to play a 4-4-2 and why can' Bent and Pavy play together?! Of course they can, they just need time to build a partnership and better competition like huntelaar or even heskey. The manager and Commoli need to go and someone who every spurs fan loves should come back to the club, Terry Venables with Teddy Sheringham as his number 2 bring the glory days back please i honestly believe that these two in charge could do it with out having to strip the team and start again but just add what we need a strong centre half, a defensive midfielder (diarra) and a couple of strikers. Come on you spurs

Posted 14:05 24th October 2008

Jason Smyth (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Its all relative saying the Leeds side that got relegated is better than todays spurs side, therefore we're bound to go down. That Leeds side is better than Hulls current team & they dont seem to be having any problems. Too many of the spurs players are shying away from their responsibility. Im glad Woody has come out and said what needed to be said. Cant blame Ramos for last 2 defeats the players are dumb enough to give away sloppy penalties and get themselves sent off. They need a rocket put up them.

Posted 13:54 24th October 2008

Dooby Duck says...

I saw Spurs at Villa on New Years Day. All attack was channelled through Berbatov. No surprise then that Spurs are falling apart without him. I think a couple of wise signings in Jan can see us avoid the drop, but who will want to come to Spurs at present?

Posted 12:26 24th October 2008

Chris Valencia (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

This is not Ramos's fault and board need to stick by him and admit there own mistakes. You do not sell your three best strikers and not get the equivelent of there quality in to replace them! Levy and Commoli must take the blame for the situation Spurs are in right and let Ramos have complete control over the team and signings which means Commoli must be the scapegoat!

Posted 12:24 24th October 2008

Jeff Bernstein (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

How did the board let this happen. We had one of the best attacks in the league and they should have done everything possible to keep it the way it was. The only area where we needed change was our defense. Instead the team was ripped apart. Also players need to learn to live up to their contracts otherwise what is the point in having contracts

Posted 12:20 24th October 2008

Steve Holbrook (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I do not understand how we still have Ledley King as our club captain when he is only playing one in three games. As much as i appreciate Ledley for everything he has done in the past right now we need somebody with a head on their shoulders who can get those boys together on the pitch even if we do conceed and say 'come on we can do this' as dare i say it JT or Rio would do for thier clubs. I think Woodgate should step forward being one of the few players to start most games as Jenas is not a leading figure in my eyes. The attitude of the players also has to change. We hear how they are working hard to change things but please, how hard has Gareth Bale been working on his set piece plays to deliver not a single cross into the box last night with some very good opportunities. More to the point if someone is having a stinker with the set plays then why did it take until the 87th minute to change the taker, its not as if we are shy of potential candidates... Jenas, Modric, Dos Santos...... This to me is the fault of Ramos as is our failing formation. Comolli should go becasue of basic errors that have led to the demise of our goalscoring ability but if we dont start to see change i cant help but feel maybe Ramos is not learning fro his mistakes and should go to. I sincerely hope we do pull it together as the fans do not deserve this. The support those players get is amazing considering the years of under achievment and its time we actual start seeing some grit and determination without the red cards to match !

Posted 12:16 24th October 2008

Mike Dodds (Newcastle United fan) says...

Spurs have done exactly what newcastle did a few years ago. Sir Bobby Robson created an amazing squad that finished, 4th 3rd! then 5th then the idiot freddy got rid of Sir Bobby, and newcastle tumbled along with that major disapointment the squad just needed to be stablised! with one or two editions. but.. what happened was souness came in spent 80million sold more than he bought and messed up the entire squad and behold newcastle turned into relegation fodder. spurs have done exactly the same thing!

Posted 12:13 24th October 2008

Tommy Wright (Newcastle United fan) says...

They let Keane and Berba go, need I say more. After watching the match last night, I do worry for Spurs. They seemed completely out of ideas and lacked commitment and balance. As usual though, the club suffers due to inept management from upstairs. I should know being a Newcastle fan. The treatment of Jol was horrendous and he never deserved that for one second. But Woody is right, Leeds had a far better team when they went down than what the Spurs have now, and the premier league is far more brutal now a days. They're going to need more than luck!

Posted 12:10 24th October 2008

Stefan Szczurek (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Why did Ramos not play Modric & Giovani from the start, As soon as those two came on it changed the game immidiately. We need to be putting a bit more faith into the new signings because otherwise what was the point. Comoli needs to go Ramos to stay till december.

Posted 12:09 24th October 2008

Richard Vidler (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Ramos has to go! He has sold our best players and is not in control of the situation!

Posted 10:20 24th October 2008

Owen Griffiths (Leeds United fan) says...

It very much still hurts as a Leeds United fan but it's true and when i look at our teemsheet from 2003-2004 and the squad who the spurs have now i have to say it's worrying as we had a lot more premiership quality which was'nt filled up by unproven players. We went down as we were too big headed, Spurs fans honestly although it would be great playing against you someday in the future dont make it next season.

Posted 10:17 24th October 2008

Michael Lomas (Manchester United fan) says...

I feel for the Spurs fans at the moment, as Roger says Jol was building a really strong basis for the future and was producing results year on year - he had a track record with the club but was sacked long before the team were this far behind on the season. Whilst Ramos cannot be blamed entirely he doesn't have a great managerial record - Sevilla is his only success and it could be argued much of that was down to their fantastic youth system coupled with the fall from grace of Real Madrid and Barcelona, there are several teams in Spain challenging the top two now, Sevilla weren't a stand out case on their own.

Posted 10:05 24th October 2008

Luke Culling (Arsenal fan) says...

what makes me laugh is the way that the spurs players are all coming out and saying that tey are S*** (David Bentley) and that by making a big summer move to the smaller north London club they were going to be high flyers, do they forget the sold any strike force the ever had and replaced berbatov, keane and defeo with pavlyacenko now within their may be a slight answer to a few of the problems the "mighty spurs" are having stop talking to the press and being pre-madonnas and do what you are getting paid 40k plus for..................play football......

Posted 10:05 24th October 2008

Tom Gale (Arsenal fan) says...

Spurs offloaded two of their best players and it is no surprise that they are struggling. As soon as a player says that they want to move to a bigger club they are sold, they should be made to honour their contracts. What is the point in offering higher paying contracts if they are not honoured? Players need to learn that they need to make a real consideration when signing these deals. Everyone at the lane is pointing the finger at everyone else, it reeks of a relegation season for spurs. I am looking forward to the match at the emirates next wednesday it may be the last time we see spurs there for a while.

Posted 10:03 24th October 2008
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