Tottenham Hotspurs 0 Manchester United 0

What a Christmas treat! 2 matches in 2 days! Too bad it was not the result we wanted. We really should have won but for poor finishing and a very in-form Hugo Lloris.

1) Scary Attack
As I just mentioned during the last game, we have one helluva scary attack. considering LVG did not make any changes to the team that beat Newcastle on Friday, here was a front five that really could threaten any side in Europe. Falcao and RVP up front, supported by Young, Rooney and Mata. Therefore its really a pity that we couldn't score even though we have so many chances. Perhaps the strikers need to be even more clinical, especially when faced with a very, very good keeper.

2) Right Wing
Notice that I only mentioned five players even though LVG played his 3-5-2 formation again? There's Carrick, our ultra dependable CM, and then there's Antonio Valencia, our Player Of The Year 2012. He's really been a shadow of his former self. But in recent games, his athleticism has improved since his ankle break in 2013, but he needs to do even better if he's to cement a permanent place in LVG's lineup. Then we have Rafael who's just so good in the 4-4-2 but he's not a wingback unfortunately. Hopefully one of them will step up in 2015. Anyway Rafael came on at half time to replace Tony V due to injury.

3) Carrick And CM/DM Position
Still one of our most underrated players, he suffered a knee-high leg breaker from one of the Spurs players who really should have been sent off. Hopefully we don't lose him to injury. Along the way, I have read that Daley Blind has begun training with the first team in recent days. Hopefully he can make a return as well. Herrera is also missing from the starting line-up. Maybe not match fit I guess.

4) Defence
As I've mentioned how poor our defence has constantly been all season long, as we adjust to the 3-5-2 system, last night's game actually turned in a pretty good performance for the trio of Jones-McNair-Evans. Even though McNair was replaced by Smalling and Evans was replaced by Shaw, the initial trio did pretty well by their standards with only Evans looking uncertain sometimes. DDG was as usually absolutely reliable.

5) Tale Of Two Halves
In the first half, we were actually far superior and wasted SO many chances! Yet in the 2nd half, Pochettino made some good changes like pressing further up the pitch and that screwed up our system. Spurs came on strong in the 2nd half and we had some nervy moments. I still can't make out why we cannot seem to adjust to a changed system or formation from the opponent. In fact, just as Spurs made substitutions to go for the win, we made substitutions to defend the draw. Therefore it always makes sense to be more clinical.

Oh well, at least we end 2014 on a good note, lying in 3rd position with everyone above us dropping points as well. One year ago, we happened to be winning here and there, then dropping points like no tomorrow, with no tactics, no plan B and no ideas, which I opined at the start of the year. Now we have LVG, a philosophy to follow, and a strategy that has worked very well (we are 9 games unbeaten), and the top teams are afraid of us. Under Moyes, we basically took 4 points out from the top 4 (lost twice to Man City and Liverpool, lost once to Arsenal and Chelsea, drew once with Chelsea and beat Arsenal). Today, we already beaten Arsenal and Liverpool, drawn with Chelsea and lost to Man City in the first half of the season. Already a better return.

Hopefully we end the season strong and get 3rd place or better!

GGMU!!!