It is so strange to be at a home game in the mid-week and see banks of blue seats. The final attendance tonight was around 24,058 – 12,000 shy of what it normally is.

 

And it can't help but beg the question whether the powers-that-be should seriously look at why the once prestigious Uefa Cup has become a wooden spoon. Of course, the Champions League is the be all and end all now, but that doesn't mean the Europa Cup shouldn't be grand fun. You have to question whether it is worth having all these group games. If you look at the swathes of empty seats, it certainly appears not. So what is the answer?

 

Firstly they should scrap this league format and make it a straight knock out tournament, to inject some drama.

 

And if they don't do that, Spurs should use the early Europa League rounds to enhance the club's general well-being. If we are in this competition again next season (fingers crossed, not) perhaps the club could offer massive cut price tickets to all and sundry, giving them away to local schools and the like. It would give the ground an atmosphere, and help cement the next generation of fans who are so oftren priced out.

 

The other way of using this competition for the club's benefit is to blood as many youngsters as possible. It's been a long time since Spurs produced a real crop of first team players from the lower ranks. Maybe the Europa League could give us then both a new generation of palyers as well as a new generation of fans.

 

Despite Harry having one eye on the league game against Blackburn and therefore resting as many of his current first team as possible, it has to be said: this was a strong Spurs side, albeit with some unfamiliar pairings in centre midfield and central defence.

 

In the opening 10 minutes, Pavlyuchenko pulled a shot wide from distance and Dos Santos forced the Rubin Kazan goalkeeper into a save.  The visitors however caused the first real scare of the night, when their Number 10 Kasav headed wide from a good position, and then Gomes reminded us of his strengths when he puleld off a brilliant block from close range from Alandre Ryazantsev.

 

Defoe was set free by Bassong on 18 but also narrowly failed to hit the target, but otherwise it was an opening half hour with little in the way of genuine excitement.

 

Then, on 33, Danny Rose was tripped on the edge of the box and after a little kerfuffle over the wall being far back enough, Roman Pavlyuchenko smacked it into the top corner. It was a beauty of an opener from the want-away striker. The Russian provided the only other moment of note on 44 when he cut inside and forced the keeper into a smart save.

 

he second half was even flatter, with Spurs happy to keep their guests at arms length and not exert themselves going forward too much. It took until 70 minutes for the Rubin keeper to get his gloves muddy, when Defoe headed goalward from the edge of the six yard box. At the other end, Kaboul was called upon to make a good block on 82 minutes, but otherwise this was horribly like a training game.

 

Finally, tonight I am pleased to introduce my friend and sports-mad writer Alex Moggridge. He is over from the USA and Spurs kindly allowed him into the press box to report for his readers back Stateside. I'm interested in how he perceives the game tonight: he follows Spurs from afar, and has volunteered to run a non-jaundiced eye over our side, so it's over to him to do a one-off special feature for tonight's report, 'Alex's Player Ratings'.

 

Gomes, 8: Pulled off a couple of good saves but made one artocious throw. Nice to have him back scaring the hell out of us again.

Lennon, 6: His flourescent yellow shoes were brighter than his play. Sub: Kaboul.

Pavlyuchenko, 7: He seems selfish. Scored a classy goal.

Dos Santos, 56: The Mexican was mostly unremarkable but showed one or two good touches. Sub: Assou-Ekotto 

Defoe, 7: He went absent for large portions of the game.

 Bassong, 7: A rainy-day Ledley.

Rose, 8: Created the goal. I'm giving him an eight though because he scored that goal against Arsenal!

Walker, 9: Very solidand confident.

LIvermore, 7: A quiet game.

Sandro, 9: Light on his feet, he was in control. Showed deft tackling. Man of the match. Sub: Modric

Carroll, 8: Was at his best when he kept it simple.

 

Subs