In the aftermath of this whole Howard Webb affair, I've arrived at the conclusion that he is still, very much, an excellent referee. Those who were at Old Trafford on that traumatic day last weekend may disagree wholly and they'd be well within their rights to. But, putting my Tottenham favouritism to the side, just for the moment, I am of the opinion that he is a fine ref.
Before anyone thinks this is purely in the wake of his admission that the decision to award Manchester United a second half penalty was a mistake, allow me to defend myself. I'm not that easily persuaded, although I do think it takes guts and a fair deal of balls to admit that you made a professional mistake. Webb may have crumbled under the considerable pressure of the Old Trafford crowd and management, yes, but I do not think there was malice intended.
Being a ref is incredibly difficult, to the point where we cannot even imagine the pressure put on these men in black. In a situation like the one on Saturday, refereeing must have been a considerable minefield. With United two goals down at home, in a must-win game, and Sir Alex furiously chewing his gum and demanding decision after decision, it must have felt like an impossible job to keep that game going.
Yes, you can argue that ref's are paid to handle just that. It's their job to deal with pressure and to still come out firing and making the correct decisions. But until we have all been put in that position, I don't think we can claim to understand the sort of stresses and tribulations that come with Webb's profession.
Ultimately, he got the decision wrong and it may have cost us the game. We should have defended better and not laid down on our backs and let them walk all over us but there's no denying it - until the penalty, United didn't look like they were capable of scoring one let alone five. Webb's decision altered the balance of the match and at a crucial moment, where he needed to keep his head and think logically, he was unable to. Disappointing? Yes, absolutely. But shall we deride him for it? No.
Lets face it, no-one likes referee's very much. So in that context, Webb is certainly the best of a bad bunch. He talks to the players, he doesn't have the school teacher stance that some ref's apply to officiating games. Webb is involved with the match but doesn't make it all about him. He lets play flow and allows the game to flourish and be played at a high tempo. Put simply, he's a very good referee and until this weekend just gone, was highly regarded by nearly everyone.
Webb's admission that he did indeed make a mistake shows that he is mature and professional enough to realise he is not perfect. He also states that no ref is. While the decision may have cost us a battling point or even a famous win, it was simply a human error. Webb has shown time and again why he is so highly regarded as an official and he is absolutely the correct choice to referee the FA Cup final next month.
So whilst Tottenham fans may loathe him for the moment, I would urge those to give him a chance and remember that he is only human and that he is trying his best. Howard, if you're reading this (who knows?), I hold no grudges towards you and I hope Spurs fans can forgive you too.
Just be sure to level it up next time and give us a penalty, if you would.
30 April 2009
26 April 2009
Sympathy for Jermain
Huge sympathies go out to Jermain Defoe, whose half brother passed away on Friday night after being attacked in Leytonstone, East London. Defoe didn't play at Old Trafford yesterday as he was in London with his family.
Tottenham have released a statement giving their sympathy for Defoe and the thoughts of this blog are with the Spurs striker and his family.
Tottenham have released a statement giving their sympathy for Defoe and the thoughts of this blog are with the Spurs striker and his family.
Long live the power of the Top Four
Well done, Manchester United. What a remarkable and inspired comeback it was from our favourite boys in red and a testament to the undeniable quality of teams in the top four. Sir Alex's men certainly taught those young upstarts from Tottenham a footballing lesson and made them regret having the sheer nerve and temerity to take a two goal lead into the half time break. Thankfully, United came roaring back and we can all rest happy and safe in the knowledge that the top four truly are impregnable and above the law.
Credit must go to the outstanding referee Howard Webb. He handled the pathetic cries of dissent from the Spurs players perfectly; anyone inside fortress Old Trafford (excluding the nasty business of that Liverpool defeat) could tell that Gomes deliberately and maliciously brought down Michael Carrick and got nothing of the ball. The fact that the Spurs players even queried the decision is quite frankly appalling and Webb should have sent at least three of them off. Still, he had a phenomenal game and showed no bias to either team.
Even more despicable was the behaviour shown by Spurs manager Harry Redknapp. His post match comments about the ref smack of jealousy and bitterness. How Sir Alex has friendly affection for him is mind-boggling. Still, Sir does know best. Redknapp's strangled cries at the penalty decision were laughable and the loyal Old Trafford crowd made sure he knew what they thought of him and his team.
The crowd were certainly shocked when Tottenham broke forward against the sea of Man Utd pressure and scored two fortuitous goals in the first half. Darren Bent was clearly offside and had clearly muttered something in Rio Ferdinand's ear to put him off - the cheat. As for Luka Modric's goal, he definitely mishit it and he and the rest of Spurs were lucky that it crept in. How dare they come to Manchester United and, not only take the lead, but double it too? A top four club, no less! Tottenham had no right to get anything from the game and, thankfully, it served only to inspire the Red Devils to put them in their place.
Cue a second half onslaught. After the indisputable, 100% correct penalty, Sir Alex's men put Tottenham to the sword. Superb, wonderful, world class goals from Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo put United in front, deservedly so, and there was no way back for the Spurs team that had been so disrespectful to the league champions earlier. United then had some fun at the expense of their less illustrious opponents by scoring another goal, although Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate pathetically tried to prevent it going in by using his body and feet - another cheat, surely.
To top thing off, Old Trafford's favourite son Dimitar Berbatov wrapped things up with a clinical and 100% intentional finish. Berbatov, who famously left Tottenham for a much better future at Old Trafford, has been something of a fans favourite in recent weeks and has definitely justified the £30 million price tag that Spurs so rudely demanded for his services. And, boy, he takes a mean penalty.
So all in all, another deserved and valiant three points for United in their quest for 'their' title. It must be frustrating having teams such as Spurs and Aston Villa that keep trying to beat them and take valuable points off them. But, in the end, Sir Alex's men have shown just why they are the best team in the land.
Thank goodness for Manchester United and long live the power of the Top Four.
NOTE:
(I thought if I wrote a serious post, having to re-live it again would lead me to suicide. Bloody Howard Webb.)
Credit must go to the outstanding referee Howard Webb. He handled the pathetic cries of dissent from the Spurs players perfectly; anyone inside fortress Old Trafford (excluding the nasty business of that Liverpool defeat) could tell that Gomes deliberately and maliciously brought down Michael Carrick and got nothing of the ball. The fact that the Spurs players even queried the decision is quite frankly appalling and Webb should have sent at least three of them off. Still, he had a phenomenal game and showed no bias to either team.
Even more despicable was the behaviour shown by Spurs manager Harry Redknapp. His post match comments about the ref smack of jealousy and bitterness. How Sir Alex has friendly affection for him is mind-boggling. Still, Sir does know best. Redknapp's strangled cries at the penalty decision were laughable and the loyal Old Trafford crowd made sure he knew what they thought of him and his team.
The crowd were certainly shocked when Tottenham broke forward against the sea of Man Utd pressure and scored two fortuitous goals in the first half. Darren Bent was clearly offside and had clearly muttered something in Rio Ferdinand's ear to put him off - the cheat. As for Luka Modric's goal, he definitely mishit it and he and the rest of Spurs were lucky that it crept in. How dare they come to Manchester United and, not only take the lead, but double it too? A top four club, no less! Tottenham had no right to get anything from the game and, thankfully, it served only to inspire the Red Devils to put them in their place.
Cue a second half onslaught. After the indisputable, 100% correct penalty, Sir Alex's men put Tottenham to the sword. Superb, wonderful, world class goals from Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo put United in front, deservedly so, and there was no way back for the Spurs team that had been so disrespectful to the league champions earlier. United then had some fun at the expense of their less illustrious opponents by scoring another goal, although Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate pathetically tried to prevent it going in by using his body and feet - another cheat, surely.
To top thing off, Old Trafford's favourite son Dimitar Berbatov wrapped things up with a clinical and 100% intentional finish. Berbatov, who famously left Tottenham for a much better future at Old Trafford, has been something of a fans favourite in recent weeks and has definitely justified the £30 million price tag that Spurs so rudely demanded for his services. And, boy, he takes a mean penalty.
So all in all, another deserved and valiant three points for United in their quest for 'their' title. It must be frustrating having teams such as Spurs and Aston Villa that keep trying to beat them and take valuable points off them. But, in the end, Sir Alex's men have shown just why they are the best team in the land.
Thank goodness for Manchester United and long live the power of the Top Four.
NOTE:
(I thought if I wrote a serious post, having to re-live it again would lead me to suicide. Bloody Howard Webb.)
24 April 2009
Praying for another Berba howler
There's talk going around that Man Utd on Saturday may not be as tough as a trip to the Premier League Champions should be. And, certainly, taking into account both our own form (1-0 to the Tottenham) and the displays being put forward by Sir Alex's FA Cup Semi-final chokers, it does indeed offer a small glimmer of optimism. United are playing like a second rate Manchester City at present, yet still picking up their wins when it counts. If that's not a sign of champions then I don't quite know what is.
However, I'd rather go up to Old Trafford knowing United are playing badly, compared to the high standards that they themselves have set, than go their with them in imperious all-conquering form. Their demise in Sunday's Wembley 'showpiece' FA Cup semi final will hardly have had a good effect on the morale of the players, not least the guilty penalty takers Rio Ferdinand and our old friend Dimitar Berbatov.
A great deal has been made about Berba in the last week, with United fans mercilessly slagging him off to outlandish rumours that Spurs are plotting a £15 million bid for the languid Bulgarian. Such talk is purely speculatory; but everyone loves a good scandal. Berba back at Spurs would be a quite phenomenal turn of events, even ignoring the fact that we're already resigned two other strikers. When will the madness end? Getting Hoddle back in a Spurs shirt? Surely he'd clash with Luka Modric.
On to Saturday then and I, for one, think we'll lose. Shock. As well as we've been playing and as formidable as our undefeated record against the top four is, facing United at this time of year is ever a daunting prospect. Put simply, however badly they're playing, they're a world class side and they're desperate for the title. Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Carrick, Giggs, Scholes, Vidic, Rio... I could go on and on and I haven't even reached annoyingly good wonderkid Federico Macheda. We've done well every time we've faced them this season; the 0-0 draw at the Lane in December should have maybe been a victory for us. In the FA Cup, we had the temerity to take the lead before order was restored and we performed heroically in the Carling Cup final against, admittedly, a slightly understrength United side.
If our key players can get a grip on the game early then we'll be in with a shout. Modric needs to assert some of his magnificence onto the United back line as much as possible. He could be the key; if he can create space in a tightly contested midfield then he could make chances for the forward players. Getting that space, however, will be tough and will require Wilson Palacios to keep hold of the ball well and to demonstrate more of the crunching tackles that have made him a hit in his brief spell at the club.
Robbie Keane and Aaron Lennon will have to offer some threat to goal, especially if Harry Redknapp goes with Roman Pavlyuchenko in attack, who can hardly guarantee goals. Spurs have the ability to trouble the United back line but will they take their chances when and if they come? One criticism of the team of late although it's severely harsh is that they're not scoring enough goals - hence the 1-0 to the Tottenham remark.
The defence will have a huge role to play also. One thing we have had to be rpoud of this season is a formidable defence and Jonathan Woodgate will need to be massive in the combined faces of Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov. If Ledley King is able to play then all the better for us but should he not be fit then Vedran Corluka can capably play at centre back freeing up a space for the returning and impressive Alan Hutton on the right.
I'm not going make a prediction on the score as my heart is saying Spurs win and my head is saying United and at the moment I cannot separate the two. Still, we go the fortress with hope which is something we've not had the luxury of in the past. My main hopes for the game involve another casual Berbatov penalty miss and a late deflected winner from Jermain Defoe. But, I'm a dreamer.
However, I'd rather go up to Old Trafford knowing United are playing badly, compared to the high standards that they themselves have set, than go their with them in imperious all-conquering form. Their demise in Sunday's Wembley 'showpiece' FA Cup semi final will hardly have had a good effect on the morale of the players, not least the guilty penalty takers Rio Ferdinand and our old friend Dimitar Berbatov.
A great deal has been made about Berba in the last week, with United fans mercilessly slagging him off to outlandish rumours that Spurs are plotting a £15 million bid for the languid Bulgarian. Such talk is purely speculatory; but everyone loves a good scandal. Berba back at Spurs would be a quite phenomenal turn of events, even ignoring the fact that we're already resigned two other strikers. When will the madness end? Getting Hoddle back in a Spurs shirt? Surely he'd clash with Luka Modric.
On to Saturday then and I, for one, think we'll lose. Shock. As well as we've been playing and as formidable as our undefeated record against the top four is, facing United at this time of year is ever a daunting prospect. Put simply, however badly they're playing, they're a world class side and they're desperate for the title. Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Carrick, Giggs, Scholes, Vidic, Rio... I could go on and on and I haven't even reached annoyingly good wonderkid Federico Macheda. We've done well every time we've faced them this season; the 0-0 draw at the Lane in December should have maybe been a victory for us. In the FA Cup, we had the temerity to take the lead before order was restored and we performed heroically in the Carling Cup final against, admittedly, a slightly understrength United side.
If our key players can get a grip on the game early then we'll be in with a shout. Modric needs to assert some of his magnificence onto the United back line as much as possible. He could be the key; if he can create space in a tightly contested midfield then he could make chances for the forward players. Getting that space, however, will be tough and will require Wilson Palacios to keep hold of the ball well and to demonstrate more of the crunching tackles that have made him a hit in his brief spell at the club.
Robbie Keane and Aaron Lennon will have to offer some threat to goal, especially if Harry Redknapp goes with Roman Pavlyuchenko in attack, who can hardly guarantee goals. Spurs have the ability to trouble the United back line but will they take their chances when and if they come? One criticism of the team of late although it's severely harsh is that they're not scoring enough goals - hence the 1-0 to the Tottenham remark.
The defence will have a huge role to play also. One thing we have had to be rpoud of this season is a formidable defence and Jonathan Woodgate will need to be massive in the combined faces of Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov. If Ledley King is able to play then all the better for us but should he not be fit then Vedran Corluka can capably play at centre back freeing up a space for the returning and impressive Alan Hutton on the right.
I'm not going make a prediction on the score as my heart is saying Spurs win and my head is saying United and at the moment I cannot separate the two. Still, we go the fortress with hope which is something we've not had the luxury of in the past. My main hopes for the game involve another casual Berbatov penalty miss and a late deflected winner from Jermain Defoe. But, I'm a dreamer.
22 April 2009
What happened to that Bulgarian fellow we used to have?
Apologies for the lack of regular updates of late. Being back at Uni means I suddenly have a schedule again and therefore leads to shite bloggage. I can only promise that I'll be back to my best as soon as I can humanly manage it.
In the meantime, have a mull over this fantastic little piece from 'Spooky' over at at Dear Mr Levy.
http://www.dearmrlevy.com/dml/2009/4/20/berbatov-worth-a-cheeky-bid.html
I agreed with the re-signing of Defoe and Keano but surely Berbatov is now way out of our league? Maybe not.
In the meantime, have a mull over this fantastic little piece from 'Spooky' over at at Dear Mr Levy.
http://www.dearmrlevy.com/dml/2009/4/20/berbatov-worth-a-cheeky-bid.html
I agreed with the re-signing of Defoe and Keano but surely Berbatov is now way out of our league? Maybe not.
21 April 2009
Appreciating we're not as bad as them
I'm not normally a fan of Sky Sports Fanzones. I generally find the people on there representing their teams to be annoying, celebrating goals with a ridiculous and over zealous amount of vigour and generally being the type of fan that I loathe. The one from the Newcastle win, however, made me chuckle a little.
The Tottenham fan, Jamie Gascoigne (for those who didn't know), is famous amongst Spurs followers for his infamous reaction to events at the 4-4 draw with Arsenal. Now, personally, I find it quite annoying when we score and his voice hits high pitched levels that I previously thought were unreachable. Even in this clip, the way he jumps on the Newcastle fan after we've scored strikes me as a tad un-classy.
Having said that however, you could just say he's displaying his immense passion for Spurs. If he's willing to gloat in the faces of rival fans, then he's surely ready to take it back should the opportunity arise. Irrespective of my opinion, he's certainly a die hard fan.
What I like about this particular Fanzone clip, is the how cheerfully despondent the Newcastle fan is and how he jokes about claiming for a Heurelho Gomes handball! I certainly don't envy the man - having to, first, support a team in such dire straits is hard enough. But having to broadcast his opinions on them to millions of viewers is a form of light torture if you ask me. It makes me appreciate Tottenham's position in the league so much more and makes me eternally thankful that we've managed to pull away from the pit at the bottom.
Have a watch below, if you will.
The Tottenham fan, Jamie Gascoigne (for those who didn't know), is famous amongst Spurs followers for his infamous reaction to events at the 4-4 draw with Arsenal. Now, personally, I find it quite annoying when we score and his voice hits high pitched levels that I previously thought were unreachable. Even in this clip, the way he jumps on the Newcastle fan after we've scored strikes me as a tad un-classy.
Having said that however, you could just say he's displaying his immense passion for Spurs. If he's willing to gloat in the faces of rival fans, then he's surely ready to take it back should the opportunity arise. Irrespective of my opinion, he's certainly a die hard fan.
What I like about this particular Fanzone clip, is the how cheerfully despondent the Newcastle fan is and how he jokes about claiming for a Heurelho Gomes handball! I certainly don't envy the man - having to, first, support a team in such dire straits is hard enough. But having to broadcast his opinions on them to millions of viewers is a form of light torture if you ask me. It makes me appreciate Tottenham's position in the league so much more and makes me eternally thankful that we've managed to pull away from the pit at the bottom.
Have a watch below, if you will.
18 April 2009
Will Defoe be returning tomorrow?
Tomorrow's game with Newcastle looks to be, for us, all about returning players. Palacios - back from suspension. Hutton - apparently he's fit again. And I saved the best one until last. Jermain Defoe - in line to make a surprise return to the squad. Now that being said, there's every chance Harry won't bother risking exacerbating his injury further but with doubts over the fitness of Roman Pavlyuchenko (back), it could just mean a place on the subs bench for our Jermain.
Seeing him play again would be excellent; before his injury he was in pretty decent form for us, notching up goals against Stoke and Portsmouth and adding that crucial second in the painful 120 minutes up at Burnley (let's not revisit that night, thank you very much). The word going around is that many doubt that he'll be able to function in the same team as Robbie Keane - there's a strong case for that opinion. Martin Jol was one who never believed they could play together and when they were partnered, success was as sporadic as a well timed tackle from Tom Huddlestone.
But, it's a new team and a new management system. I see no reason why these two cannot operate simultaneously. Keane is often the man that plays deeper, coming into midfield at times to get the ball and distributing it around his attack. As Defoe plays a more forward role, coming off the shoulder of the last man and running into spaces, it looks fairly obvious that the two roles could support each other. It may take a bit of time to gel, but I see no reason why playing Darren Bent and Keane would be any better than playing Defoe and Keane.
Onto tomorrow's game then and, whether Defoe plays or not, I think we're more than capable of winning. The Alan Shearer honeymoon period was pretty non-existent and they're hardly in good form, which is something we most certainly are. History dictates a struggle against the Barcodes and, knowing Spurs, there's every chance we'll dominate the game and lose 3-1. But, as I said before, this is a different team. Gomes, Corluka, Palacios, Modric, Pavlyuchenko, these players have yet to be scarred by the Newcastle jinx that has afflicted other Spurs players and if they can turn on the style, then we should be in for a positive result.
Still, overconfidence is a vice and we shouldn't underestimate Shearer's side, however weak they may look on paper. No doubt Harry will reinforce this to the players but anyone out there thinking it will be a walkover should think again (unless we win comfortably, in which case I never wrote those words). Our players are patently better than theirs and we're playing more as a team now than I've seen at Spurs for a while. I'm going to go for a 2-1 win but it's with extreme caution.
The return of Palacios will do more good than it won't as he returns to shore up the midfield when Jenas (who is also a doubt, by the way) goes wandering midway through the second half. We coped fairly adequately in his absence against West Ham but I'd still be desperate to get him back. Lennon has gone a little wayward in recent games but I'd still back him to produce the goods - when he gets the ball in space on the right hand side, there's no-one better. He surely must be in with a very good chance of winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award - Jonny Evans? Rafael Da Silva? Pfft.
As always, I'll state my desired team, knowing full well that there's a reason I'm not a Premier League manager and Harry Redknapp is.
(4-4-2) Gomes, Corluka, King, Woody, BAE, Lennon, Jenas (if fit), Palacios, Modric, Keano, Pav (if fit)
Just substitute Huddlestone and Bent for Jenas and Pav respectively, depending on whether they can play.
So the underlying theme is that we should win it nicely tomorrow, further strengthening our push for an audacious European place. But regardless, of form, the score, or anything else happening, history tells me that I'll be watching nervously throughout the whole 90 minutes.
Seeing him play again would be excellent; before his injury he was in pretty decent form for us, notching up goals against Stoke and Portsmouth and adding that crucial second in the painful 120 minutes up at Burnley (let's not revisit that night, thank you very much). The word going around is that many doubt that he'll be able to function in the same team as Robbie Keane - there's a strong case for that opinion. Martin Jol was one who never believed they could play together and when they were partnered, success was as sporadic as a well timed tackle from Tom Huddlestone.
But, it's a new team and a new management system. I see no reason why these two cannot operate simultaneously. Keane is often the man that plays deeper, coming into midfield at times to get the ball and distributing it around his attack. As Defoe plays a more forward role, coming off the shoulder of the last man and running into spaces, it looks fairly obvious that the two roles could support each other. It may take a bit of time to gel, but I see no reason why playing Darren Bent and Keane would be any better than playing Defoe and Keane.
Onto tomorrow's game then and, whether Defoe plays or not, I think we're more than capable of winning. The Alan Shearer honeymoon period was pretty non-existent and they're hardly in good form, which is something we most certainly are. History dictates a struggle against the Barcodes and, knowing Spurs, there's every chance we'll dominate the game and lose 3-1. But, as I said before, this is a different team. Gomes, Corluka, Palacios, Modric, Pavlyuchenko, these players have yet to be scarred by the Newcastle jinx that has afflicted other Spurs players and if they can turn on the style, then we should be in for a positive result.
Still, overconfidence is a vice and we shouldn't underestimate Shearer's side, however weak they may look on paper. No doubt Harry will reinforce this to the players but anyone out there thinking it will be a walkover should think again (unless we win comfortably, in which case I never wrote those words). Our players are patently better than theirs and we're playing more as a team now than I've seen at Spurs for a while. I'm going to go for a 2-1 win but it's with extreme caution.
The return of Palacios will do more good than it won't as he returns to shore up the midfield when Jenas (who is also a doubt, by the way) goes wandering midway through the second half. We coped fairly adequately in his absence against West Ham but I'd still be desperate to get him back. Lennon has gone a little wayward in recent games but I'd still back him to produce the goods - when he gets the ball in space on the right hand side, there's no-one better. He surely must be in with a very good chance of winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award - Jonny Evans? Rafael Da Silva? Pfft.
As always, I'll state my desired team, knowing full well that there's a reason I'm not a Premier League manager and Harry Redknapp is.
(4-4-2) Gomes, Corluka, King, Woody, BAE, Lennon, Jenas (if fit), Palacios, Modric, Keano, Pav (if fit)
Just substitute Huddlestone and Bent for Jenas and Pav respectively, depending on whether they can play.
So the underlying theme is that we should win it nicely tomorrow, further strengthening our push for an audacious European place. But regardless, of form, the score, or anything else happening, history tells me that I'll be watching nervously throughout the whole 90 minutes.
16 April 2009
Well played, Jamie
Jamie O'Hara is dating Danielle Lloyd?! No-one told me! God, that women loves Tottenham players.
Boys from the Lane
No, the title isn't a thinly veiled replication of the title of this site. No, I haven't depleted all of my headline creativity, just yet (thank god). There's a genius reasoning behind it and it revolves around our youth team. Boys from the Lane? You get it now? Nevermind.
Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with my triumphing of the academy team, who just happen to be top of Group B of the FA Premier Academy League having lost just once in the league all season, incidentally. Well now, you can see what all the fuss is about with your own eyes.
Tottenham's rising stars are appearing at White Hart Lane against Watford on May 6th (a Wednesday night, for those interested). It's the second time our under-18's have been given the prestigious honour of representing Spurs on the hallowed turf having lost the FA Youth cup quarter final to, ahem, Arsenal.
Tottenham and Daniel Levy and co. have generously put tickets for the game at just £3, if you book in advance. £3! That's a downright steal, if you ask me - you could probably buy one of the players on display for just over double that. What's more, under 16's can get in for just a measly quid, as can over-65's. Now, as someone who's constantly lambasting the price of watching live football, I think this is a tasty little opportunity to witness some of the stars of Tottenham's future doing their thing. Who knows, maybe some of them will even decide to stay with us when they turn 21 and Sir Alex comes calling. Apologies for the cynicism, it's hereditary.
If your interested in more details, check them out here. I'm seriously considering going and will be encouraging some of my pals to come/give me a lift. It'll be good enough entertainment for a Wednesday night and it's cheap as chips, to paraphrase an old, orange TV personality of years gone by.
I'd encourage anyone who is maybe lost for plans on this particular evening to head down to the Lane and show the kids our support. Could be a decent little atmosphere if enough people give it a go and it might just lift the players a bit, not that they need lifting. So come down and see why John Bostock, Ryan Mason and co. are doing so well. And just think, if our kids get any better, we can trot out all the tired, repetitive 'we're building a team' nonsense that the Woolwich Wanderers rely on.
15 April 2009
Reserve power
Hats off the reserves.
They remain in the hunt for the Barclays Reserve League South title after a 2-1 victory over Arsenal last night. Two magical strikes from the previously discussed David Bentley were enough to see off our North London rivals and it increases the pressure on Aston Villa who currently occupy the league summit. Hit the Spurs website to check out Bentley's goals - they're definitely worth a gander. It's Tottenham's fifth consecutive win, having also beaten the Gooners last week up at Barnet. We're now five points behind Villa with a game in hand. And who said the Premier League was the best in the world?
Why are our reserves so good? Well, it could be the strong nucleus of players that appeared both last night and all season. Our team at Leyton Orient yesterday evening contained such luminary names as Bentley, Gareth Bale, Alan Hutton, Pascal Chimbonda, Jamie O'Hara and Frazier Campbell. Having fringe players is not necessarily a bad thing, it seems, given the need for match fitness. Should we expect to see Jermain Defoe in the reserve side for the next few games as he steps up his return to full fitness?
This all comes after our academy team won the 'Torneo Internazionale' out in Switzerland last week, beating Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon on their way to the title. With success seemingly coming from all of our lower levels, one can be forgiven for assuming a bright future for Spurs. That is if Sir Alex doesn't decide he likes the look of a few of our youth players.
Nice to see all the players on the field in the reserve game wearing black armbands as a mark of respect for ex-Tottenham player and youth coach Jimmy Neighbour, who passed away recently. Quite a pleasant touch. Let's hope the reserves can keep up their unheralded work and claim the title. I'll be the first one calling for an open top bus parade down the High Road once we win.
I'm joking, of course. What are we, West Ham?
They remain in the hunt for the Barclays Reserve League South title after a 2-1 victory over Arsenal last night. Two magical strikes from the previously discussed David Bentley were enough to see off our North London rivals and it increases the pressure on Aston Villa who currently occupy the league summit. Hit the Spurs website to check out Bentley's goals - they're definitely worth a gander. It's Tottenham's fifth consecutive win, having also beaten the Gooners last week up at Barnet. We're now five points behind Villa with a game in hand. And who said the Premier League was the best in the world?
Why are our reserves so good? Well, it could be the strong nucleus of players that appeared both last night and all season. Our team at Leyton Orient yesterday evening contained such luminary names as Bentley, Gareth Bale, Alan Hutton, Pascal Chimbonda, Jamie O'Hara and Frazier Campbell. Having fringe players is not necessarily a bad thing, it seems, given the need for match fitness. Should we expect to see Jermain Defoe in the reserve side for the next few games as he steps up his return to full fitness?
This all comes after our academy team won the 'Torneo Internazionale' out in Switzerland last week, beating Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon on their way to the title. With success seemingly coming from all of our lower levels, one can be forgiven for assuming a bright future for Spurs. That is if Sir Alex doesn't decide he likes the look of a few of our youth players.
Nice to see all the players on the field in the reserve game wearing black armbands as a mark of respect for ex-Tottenham player and youth coach Jimmy Neighbour, who passed away recently. Quite a pleasant touch. Let's hope the reserves can keep up their unheralded work and claim the title. I'll be the first one calling for an open top bus parade down the High Road once we win.
I'm joking, of course. What are we, West Ham?
Going, going, gone?
You'd be hard pressed to find people who would argue that Aaron Lennon's sparkling form has heavily contributed to Tottenham's surge up the Premier League table in recent months. Under the tutelage of Harry Redknapp, Lennon looks to have rediscovered some of the key components of his game, components which helped him make such an impact when he burst onto the scene in 2006. However, Lennon’s rise has coincided quite unfortunately with the unconcealed descent of David Bentley, Tottenham‘s other right winger.
At the risk of slating him too much, everything about David Bentley, bar the fact that he’s a Spurs player, makes one dislike him. The arrogance, the ego, the brash cockiness that you’d expect to be common from a player of a much better calibre than him. The poor performances haven’t helped his stature amongst the White Hart Lane faithful, also. Signed for the fairly extortionate price of £15 million, Bentley was expected to bring his much hyped dead ball ability and general wing wizardry that he had been displaying at Blackburn. Those from his camp often spoke about the comparison between him and David Beckham, although having the same initials and position on a football pitch hardly makes him twins with one of English football’s greatest ever players.
Then, there was the Carling Cup final. Those damned, damned penalties where, as brave as it was of him to step up to take the kick, it would have been better if he’d have just kept his mouth shut and stood in the centre circle. As Bentley, socks rolled casually down in the Berbatov manner we‘d seen at Wembley last year, tamely dragged his shot wide of Ben Foster’s post, to a cacophony of groans and expletives from the Spurs fans inside Wembley, one could see the thought processes reverberating in Redknapp’s mind - how the hell am I going to get rid of this boy?
When you add to all of that to Bentley’s convoluted history of transfers, you automatically come up with an negative viewpoint of the man. Being a former Arsenal player is bad enough, but potentially forgivable given some value for money. However, Bentley has an apparent habit of saying before joining each new club that that team was always his dream move. After the fifteenth time of hearing, it gets a little strained.
So what has gone wrong for him at Tottenham? Is it just a case of poor, over-rated player or maybe he just hasn’t settled like hoped and we should all give him a break? There’s definitely talent there, however dormant it may lie. An early season strike in a UEFA Cup game with Wisla Krakow at the Lane showed much promise and gave him a chance to celebrate and form a bond with the fans. Some indifference then followed; naturally so given Tottenham’s train-wreck start to the season.
Then there was that strike at the Emirates. A full 40 yards out from goal, with seemingly nothing on for him, Bentley controlled a headed pass and rapped a beautiful, swerving, dipping volley all the way into the back of the net, silencing the home fans who idiotically taunted him and giving Spurs the lead. We all know what happened next in that game but if much was expected from Bentley before that moment then surely he was starting to fulfil at least some of the promise that came with the price tag he required.
From then on, Bentley has produced precious little in a Tottenham shirt. Redknapp arrived and gave all the players their chance to impress; whilst Lennon took flight, Bentley disappeared into a shell. One desperately poor display against his old team Blackburn springs to mind, where he was simply trying too hard and wound himself up in the process.
Is he on his way at the end of the season? It would appear so and I’m not sure many Tottenham fans will be regretting his passing. It’s understandable; with such a reputation and price tag, there was much expectation of Bentley and he has failed to repay. Not a spectacular failure, mind, rather more of a retreat into nothingness. If Harry can get anything around the 8 or 9 million mark for him, I think he’ll bite the hand off of whoever is offering. I can realistically see him shipping up at a team like Aston Villa or Everton.
Or maybe he’s destined for better. Let us not forget, Bentley was heavily linked with Real Madrid when Juande Ramos took over and Jose Mourinho wanted him at Inter Milan. Maybe he’s just hit a snag in his career and needs someone to have a bit of faith in him so he can deliver on his undoubted potential.
I personally will be a little sad to see him go on his way, should that be what transpires. For all the criticism, I generally feel a degree of sympathy for him. Yes, he’s earning more money that the likes of you and me could even count but had things been different, he could have been a really exceptional player for us. Maybe if he’d have joined the club in less problematic times he could have really achieved something. Sadly, we’ll probably never know.
At least he’s still sticking it to the Woolwich Wanderers and in quite some style, as well.
At the risk of slating him too much, everything about David Bentley, bar the fact that he’s a Spurs player, makes one dislike him. The arrogance, the ego, the brash cockiness that you’d expect to be common from a player of a much better calibre than him. The poor performances haven’t helped his stature amongst the White Hart Lane faithful, also. Signed for the fairly extortionate price of £15 million, Bentley was expected to bring his much hyped dead ball ability and general wing wizardry that he had been displaying at Blackburn. Those from his camp often spoke about the comparison between him and David Beckham, although having the same initials and position on a football pitch hardly makes him twins with one of English football’s greatest ever players.
Then, there was the Carling Cup final. Those damned, damned penalties where, as brave as it was of him to step up to take the kick, it would have been better if he’d have just kept his mouth shut and stood in the centre circle. As Bentley, socks rolled casually down in the Berbatov manner we‘d seen at Wembley last year, tamely dragged his shot wide of Ben Foster’s post, to a cacophony of groans and expletives from the Spurs fans inside Wembley, one could see the thought processes reverberating in Redknapp’s mind - how the hell am I going to get rid of this boy?
When you add to all of that to Bentley’s convoluted history of transfers, you automatically come up with an negative viewpoint of the man. Being a former Arsenal player is bad enough, but potentially forgivable given some value for money. However, Bentley has an apparent habit of saying before joining each new club that that team was always his dream move. After the fifteenth time of hearing, it gets a little strained.
So what has gone wrong for him at Tottenham? Is it just a case of poor, over-rated player or maybe he just hasn’t settled like hoped and we should all give him a break? There’s definitely talent there, however dormant it may lie. An early season strike in a UEFA Cup game with Wisla Krakow at the Lane showed much promise and gave him a chance to celebrate and form a bond with the fans. Some indifference then followed; naturally so given Tottenham’s train-wreck start to the season.
Then there was that strike at the Emirates. A full 40 yards out from goal, with seemingly nothing on for him, Bentley controlled a headed pass and rapped a beautiful, swerving, dipping volley all the way into the back of the net, silencing the home fans who idiotically taunted him and giving Spurs the lead. We all know what happened next in that game but if much was expected from Bentley before that moment then surely he was starting to fulfil at least some of the promise that came with the price tag he required.
From then on, Bentley has produced precious little in a Tottenham shirt. Redknapp arrived and gave all the players their chance to impress; whilst Lennon took flight, Bentley disappeared into a shell. One desperately poor display against his old team Blackburn springs to mind, where he was simply trying too hard and wound himself up in the process.
Is he on his way at the end of the season? It would appear so and I’m not sure many Tottenham fans will be regretting his passing. It’s understandable; with such a reputation and price tag, there was much expectation of Bentley and he has failed to repay. Not a spectacular failure, mind, rather more of a retreat into nothingness. If Harry can get anything around the 8 or 9 million mark for him, I think he’ll bite the hand off of whoever is offering. I can realistically see him shipping up at a team like Aston Villa or Everton.
Or maybe he’s destined for better. Let us not forget, Bentley was heavily linked with Real Madrid when Juande Ramos took over and Jose Mourinho wanted him at Inter Milan. Maybe he’s just hit a snag in his career and needs someone to have a bit of faith in him so he can deliver on his undoubted potential.
I personally will be a little sad to see him go on his way, should that be what transpires. For all the criticism, I generally feel a degree of sympathy for him. Yes, he’s earning more money that the likes of you and me could even count but had things been different, he could have been a really exceptional player for us. Maybe if he’d have joined the club in less problematic times he could have really achieved something. Sadly, we’ll probably never know.
At least he’s still sticking it to the Woolwich Wanderers and in quite some style, as well.
13 April 2009
The perfect night
I was having a slow day and needed a bit of a lift. I stumbled upon this little gem and thought I'd share. Never seen Jermaine Jenas have a better game. In fact, I've never enjoyed a result as much as this one.
12 April 2009
Is Huddlestone worth holding on to?
Tom Huddlestone started for Spurs yesterday, in place of the suspended Wilson Palacios. However, in a season that has seen him start just 11 games for his club, many, including the player himself, are questioning his value to the side and whether or not Harry Redknapp will consider selling the burly midfielder in the summer.
With the form of Luka Modric and Didier Zokora, Huddlestone has struggled for minutes on the pitch. and when he has been given the opportunity, he has failed to light the spark many thought he was capable of. Critics see his sizeable figure as a major disadvantage to his game and label him too cumbersome and slow. The sight of Huddlestone in the flesh is certainly an imposing one; he stands head and shoulders above the majority of his team-mates.
However, Redknapp gave a sparkling endorsement of Huddlestone's abilities prior to the West Ham game, even comparing him to the great Glenn Hoddle, another pass master of White Hart Lane folklore.
Huddlestone's passing is most definitely his number one credential. Able to pick out a man from a massive distance, he evokes memories of Hoddle and, more recently, of Michael Carrick. Carrick's play making skills were fundamental to Tottenham's ill-fated assault on fourth place a few years back and Huddlestone has certainly filled that particular void, although the rest of Carrick's attributes have still not been replaced. His shot on goal is also a sight Spurs fans love to see. Scorer of some quite phenomenal goals in his stint at the Lane, Huddlestone has the ability to strike it hard, fast and to keep it on the ground, a quality that is lacking in most other Premier League footballers.
I was at the new Wembley in 2007, for the first ever game to be staged there, the England Under 21's versus Italy. It was 3-3 in the end but the atmosphere was focused more on the grand new ground than the match itself and was, in the second half, flat to say the least. Huddlestone was brought on with about 20 minutes to play. Having seen him score two long range efforts in the Carling Cup against Port Vale at the Lane earlier that season, I knew myself what the boy was capable of. But I didn't bank on the 60,000 other fans also knowing. Huddlestone picked up the ball, about 30 yards out from goal, with no chance of a shot on goal, and the entire crowd yelled 'SHOOOOT!' in unison. These were just England fans, they could have supported any team in the land but they all recognised that facet of Huddlestone's game. It happened a few more times - regrettably, he didn't score.
If the England team is in Huddlestone's sights, then it's a good thing Fabio Capello has recognised him. The Italian recently revealed that he has included Huddlestone in his future plans for the national side along with The Scum's Theo Walcott and Man City keeper Joe Hart. If ever Huddlestone needed faith and encouragement to improve, then that fact surely must be drilled into his mind.
Huddlestone is a frustrating player, like countless others we have witnessed at Tottenham. He has the attributes of a fine central midfielder and his ability to both create and score goals is not in question. Lest we all forget, Huddlestone was the man who came on in Carling Cup Final against Chelsea, won us the penalty and effectively changed the game in our favour. However, he is slow. He is sometimes lazy. He doesn't track back. Hell, even Zokora and Jenas are more capable of putting in tackles. If Huddlestone can work on the defensive side of his game and learn how to get stuck into games when things aren't going our way then there is no reason why he cannot develop into a great player. But until he does this, it is 50/50 what he's going to produce in a game and, hence, it's a risk to play him with a game on the line.
I like him, I think Harry likes him, we know Capello likes him. Will he stay or will he be shipped off?
With the form of Luka Modric and Didier Zokora, Huddlestone has struggled for minutes on the pitch. and when he has been given the opportunity, he has failed to light the spark many thought he was capable of. Critics see his sizeable figure as a major disadvantage to his game and label him too cumbersome and slow. The sight of Huddlestone in the flesh is certainly an imposing one; he stands head and shoulders above the majority of his team-mates.
However, Redknapp gave a sparkling endorsement of Huddlestone's abilities prior to the West Ham game, even comparing him to the great Glenn Hoddle, another pass master of White Hart Lane folklore.
If Harry says it then that's good enough for me."Tom's got fantastic ability like Hoddle. He can spray the ball all over the
park. If he is as good as Glenn, he will be a great player. Tom is an
unbelievable passer with both feet but he needs to take the game by the scruff
of the neck more."
Huddlestone's passing is most definitely his number one credential. Able to pick out a man from a massive distance, he evokes memories of Hoddle and, more recently, of Michael Carrick. Carrick's play making skills were fundamental to Tottenham's ill-fated assault on fourth place a few years back and Huddlestone has certainly filled that particular void, although the rest of Carrick's attributes have still not been replaced. His shot on goal is also a sight Spurs fans love to see. Scorer of some quite phenomenal goals in his stint at the Lane, Huddlestone has the ability to strike it hard, fast and to keep it on the ground, a quality that is lacking in most other Premier League footballers.
I was at the new Wembley in 2007, for the first ever game to be staged there, the England Under 21's versus Italy. It was 3-3 in the end but the atmosphere was focused more on the grand new ground than the match itself and was, in the second half, flat to say the least. Huddlestone was brought on with about 20 minutes to play. Having seen him score two long range efforts in the Carling Cup against Port Vale at the Lane earlier that season, I knew myself what the boy was capable of. But I didn't bank on the 60,000 other fans also knowing. Huddlestone picked up the ball, about 30 yards out from goal, with no chance of a shot on goal, and the entire crowd yelled 'SHOOOOT!' in unison. These were just England fans, they could have supported any team in the land but they all recognised that facet of Huddlestone's game. It happened a few more times - regrettably, he didn't score.
If the England team is in Huddlestone's sights, then it's a good thing Fabio Capello has recognised him. The Italian recently revealed that he has included Huddlestone in his future plans for the national side along with The Scum's Theo Walcott and Man City keeper Joe Hart. If ever Huddlestone needed faith and encouragement to improve, then that fact surely must be drilled into his mind.
Huddlestone is a frustrating player, like countless others we have witnessed at Tottenham. He has the attributes of a fine central midfielder and his ability to both create and score goals is not in question. Lest we all forget, Huddlestone was the man who came on in Carling Cup Final against Chelsea, won us the penalty and effectively changed the game in our favour. However, he is slow. He is sometimes lazy. He doesn't track back. Hell, even Zokora and Jenas are more capable of putting in tackles. If Huddlestone can work on the defensive side of his game and learn how to get stuck into games when things aren't going our way then there is no reason why he cannot develop into a great player. But until he does this, it is 50/50 what he's going to produce in a game and, hence, it's a risk to play him with a game on the line.
I like him, I think Harry likes him, we know Capello likes him. Will he stay or will he be shipped off?
11 April 2009
The value of Pav
Quickly, somebody pinch me. We're not really in 8th place are we?
In a dreadful season, where it seemed like a few wins would lift us out of the relegation mire and into the elite of the upper mid-table, Tottenham now head into the final round of games with a serious chance of acheiving a respectable position and, whisper it quietly, maybe even a place in next season's Europa League. It seems impossible to think off when you consider the turmoil Spurs have been engulfed in nearly all season.
Since the Carling Cup Final defeat, Tottenham have stepped things up, big time. The wins over Hull (just before the Final) and Middlesborough were welcome and expected but the away day triumph at Aston Villa was a sign that Redknapp had got them playing like we all know they can again. Subsequent joy over Chelsea confirmed that Tottenham were back, not neccessarily in the big time, but back to some sort of stability.
Today's win over West Ham was fairly routine, even though the scoreline suggests otherwise. For all Tottenham dominance, it was a solitary striker from super sub Roman Pavlyuchenko that secured the spoils and extended the unbeaten run over the Spammers to six games. Spurs now lie in 8th place, just three points off West Ham themselves in 7th and a coveted Europa League place. With Newcastle next to visit the Lane, hopes will surely be high.
Harry went with Bent in attack alongside Keano, something I didn't neccesarily agree with in my own preferred team but nevermind - who am I to argue with the Messiah? As it turns out, Bent was fairly ineffective, something Tottenham fans are all to used to. Pav was introduced early in the second half and, within ten minutes, he scored with a clever turn and shot into the bottom left corner. Redknapp 0, Me 1.
I do believe Pavlyuchenko is a better striker than Bent. I just feel like he offers more, as an all round package. Bent, God bless him, tries his hardest and scores a few goals here and there but it's never guaranteed with him and most of the goals come off his shin or his backside. Pav's goal threat isn't guaranteed either, not by an means, and if there's one thing I'd like to see dramatically change in his game, its a few more balls in the back of the net. But, I think a Pav-Keane/Defoe union would work much better and it offers the little and large combination that Martin Jol so famously adhered to.
Still, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and Tottenham are most definately not broke at the moment. We may not be Champions League contenders just yet and we probably won't be next season, but for once I'd like us to be going in the right direction for more than just a few months and I'm praying hard that the current vibe around the team can last well into next season.
I'll be looking forward to Match of the Day tonight (he says, proverbially sticking two fingers up at Setanta).
In a dreadful season, where it seemed like a few wins would lift us out of the relegation mire and into the elite of the upper mid-table, Tottenham now head into the final round of games with a serious chance of acheiving a respectable position and, whisper it quietly, maybe even a place in next season's Europa League. It seems impossible to think off when you consider the turmoil Spurs have been engulfed in nearly all season.
Since the Carling Cup Final defeat, Tottenham have stepped things up, big time. The wins over Hull (just before the Final) and Middlesborough were welcome and expected but the away day triumph at Aston Villa was a sign that Redknapp had got them playing like we all know they can again. Subsequent joy over Chelsea confirmed that Tottenham were back, not neccessarily in the big time, but back to some sort of stability.
Today's win over West Ham was fairly routine, even though the scoreline suggests otherwise. For all Tottenham dominance, it was a solitary striker from super sub Roman Pavlyuchenko that secured the spoils and extended the unbeaten run over the Spammers to six games. Spurs now lie in 8th place, just three points off West Ham themselves in 7th and a coveted Europa League place. With Newcastle next to visit the Lane, hopes will surely be high.
Harry went with Bent in attack alongside Keano, something I didn't neccesarily agree with in my own preferred team but nevermind - who am I to argue with the Messiah? As it turns out, Bent was fairly ineffective, something Tottenham fans are all to used to. Pav was introduced early in the second half and, within ten minutes, he scored with a clever turn and shot into the bottom left corner. Redknapp 0, Me 1.
I do believe Pavlyuchenko is a better striker than Bent. I just feel like he offers more, as an all round package. Bent, God bless him, tries his hardest and scores a few goals here and there but it's never guaranteed with him and most of the goals come off his shin or his backside. Pav's goal threat isn't guaranteed either, not by an means, and if there's one thing I'd like to see dramatically change in his game, its a few more balls in the back of the net. But, I think a Pav-Keane/Defoe union would work much better and it offers the little and large combination that Martin Jol so famously adhered to.
Still, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and Tottenham are most definately not broke at the moment. We may not be Champions League contenders just yet and we probably won't be next season, but for once I'd like us to be going in the right direction for more than just a few months and I'm praying hard that the current vibe around the team can last well into next season.
I'll be looking forward to Match of the Day tonight (he says, proverbially sticking two fingers up at Setanta).
10 April 2009
They've got Russell Brand; we've got Chas 'n' Dave
Not that anyone was thinking it but West Ham at the Lane tomorrow will be no easy ride. A quick glance at the statistics shows that they haven't lost a London derby on opposition soil this season and are fourth in the Premier League away form table.
That being said, I'd expect Harry's boys to win. Man for man, Tottenham are a better team that their East London 'rivals' and, before the argument that individual players do not make for a superior team, let me also state my belief that when playing as a team and close to full potential, we're much better than them.
Credit where credit is due, however, and a lot must go to Gianfranco Zola. He's not had a miraculous impact on the Spammers and hasn't overnight turned them into a team of world beaters. He has however, much in the same vein as our own manager, gone about his work quietly and professionally and has established them firmly in mid-table, with possible European ambitions.
Speaking of - funny that the BBC, in their own match preview, said that both clubs have aspirations of playing on the continent next season. It's a flattering statement on both clubs but probably more so on Tottenham, given the utter hopelessness of our season. Still, when we beat Liverpool at Anfield with a late Jenas header on the last day to achieve the unthinkable, you'll happily see me eating my words.
One thing that every Tottenham fan will concur on is that the absence of Wilson Palacios will do more wrong that right tomorrow. With him at the proverbial heart of midfield, Spurs have looked in a different class. Able to plug in any gaps left by messrs Jenas or Modric and with a hard-hitting tackle as good as anything ever seen from Roy Keane or Patrick Viera, Wilson has been worth every penny spent on him.
The extremely harsh sending off at Blackburn means Tottenham will have to fill the sizeable void left by the big Honduran. It means that Didier Zokora will likely play the role in midfield and, whilst I've been a big fan of Zokora this season, it's likely he won't have the same influence. Still, here's hoping it won't be too much of a problem. Whilst on the theme of problems, Aaron Lennon was slightly off the boil at Blackburn but if he has developed as much as we all hope he has under Harry's tutelage, then he will surely view it as a simple blip.
Now, apparently West Ham don't really like us that much. Who knew? Most likely a pocket of West Ham fans will be going to bed tonight dreaming of some pathetic fantasies related to the hilariously poor Green Street. So you can guarantee on the off field action being 'a little bit tasty'.
Tottenham are unbeaten in five games against the Spammers and I'm backing them to make it six. Here's my desired team:
(4-4-2) Gomes, Corluka, King, Woody, BAE, Lennon, Jenas, Zokora, Modric, Keano, Pav.
I'll plump for a 3-1 win but with my predicting skills being akin to those of a man who always has a tenner on England to win a major tournament, I wouldn't bank on it.
Incidentally, it's great to hear that Jermain Defoe is nearing a return to training. Just imagining the goal threat offered by him, Keano and, to a lesser extent, Pav and Bent, makes one salivate.
We could be 8th place in 24 hours time. Imagine that. Come on Spurs, make Ray Winstone and Russell Brand cry into their Sunday morning cereal.
That being said, I'd expect Harry's boys to win. Man for man, Tottenham are a better team that their East London 'rivals' and, before the argument that individual players do not make for a superior team, let me also state my belief that when playing as a team and close to full potential, we're much better than them.
Credit where credit is due, however, and a lot must go to Gianfranco Zola. He's not had a miraculous impact on the Spammers and hasn't overnight turned them into a team of world beaters. He has however, much in the same vein as our own manager, gone about his work quietly and professionally and has established them firmly in mid-table, with possible European ambitions.
Speaking of - funny that the BBC, in their own match preview, said that both clubs have aspirations of playing on the continent next season. It's a flattering statement on both clubs but probably more so on Tottenham, given the utter hopelessness of our season. Still, when we beat Liverpool at Anfield with a late Jenas header on the last day to achieve the unthinkable, you'll happily see me eating my words.
One thing that every Tottenham fan will concur on is that the absence of Wilson Palacios will do more wrong that right tomorrow. With him at the proverbial heart of midfield, Spurs have looked in a different class. Able to plug in any gaps left by messrs Jenas or Modric and with a hard-hitting tackle as good as anything ever seen from Roy Keane or Patrick Viera, Wilson has been worth every penny spent on him.
The extremely harsh sending off at Blackburn means Tottenham will have to fill the sizeable void left by the big Honduran. It means that Didier Zokora will likely play the role in midfield and, whilst I've been a big fan of Zokora this season, it's likely he won't have the same influence. Still, here's hoping it won't be too much of a problem. Whilst on the theme of problems, Aaron Lennon was slightly off the boil at Blackburn but if he has developed as much as we all hope he has under Harry's tutelage, then he will surely view it as a simple blip.
Now, apparently West Ham don't really like us that much. Who knew? Most likely a pocket of West Ham fans will be going to bed tonight dreaming of some pathetic fantasies related to the hilariously poor Green Street. So you can guarantee on the off field action being 'a little bit tasty'.
Tottenham are unbeaten in five games against the Spammers and I'm backing them to make it six. Here's my desired team:
(4-4-2) Gomes, Corluka, King, Woody, BAE, Lennon, Jenas, Zokora, Modric, Keano, Pav.
I'll plump for a 3-1 win but with my predicting skills being akin to those of a man who always has a tenner on England to win a major tournament, I wouldn't bank on it.
Incidentally, it's great to hear that Jermain Defoe is nearing a return to training. Just imagining the goal threat offered by him, Keano and, to a lesser extent, Pav and Bent, makes one salivate.
We could be 8th place in 24 hours time. Imagine that. Come on Spurs, make Ray Winstone and Russell Brand cry into their Sunday morning cereal.
8 April 2009
Is that Adel Taarabt?
Crikey, thats not Tottenham starlet Adel Taarabt scoring a beauty for Morocco, is it? It bloody well is. His first goal for his 'country'* and an absolute peach as well, albeit from a keeping mistake. One can only assume he's doing all this and more at QPR and will come back to the Lane next season fresh, firing and determined to win a starting eleven spot. Harry Redknapp called him a 'genius' - surely Taarabt will want to prove him right at some point.
Here's to blind optimism. Keep it up, New Zidane ©.
* - He was raised in France from a young age and played for their national Under 16, 17 and 18 teams but opted to play for Morocco, the country of his birth.
Is he going to have a crack?
Whilst laughing my way through another excellant, albeit older, edition of The Spurs Show by Phil Cornwell, Mike Leigh and company, I was reminded of a particularly glorious moment in our club's history from a particularly glorious player. Paul Gascoigne was and still is a curious case; a wonderful player with ability that almost defied belief. Gascogine at times had the game in his very own hand and could dictate what was going to happen by his own force of will, supreme talent and personailty.
He isn't perfect. His off-field problems have been well documented by many a hack after a scandalous story and I'm not going to go into them here. Needless to say, Gazza isn't a well man nowadays and his headstrong and youthful antics back in his prime probably cost him being one of the worlds best. I, and I suspect many other football fans, feel for the bloke. If there was ever an English footballing talent wasted, then this was it. Of modern day day football, the best comparison to Gazza is probably Wayne Rooney. A match-winner with an outstanding football brain and able to see and do things on the pitch that most others could only fantasise about.
Gascoigne enjoyed some fine, fine days with Tottenham, the crescendo surely being this piece of absolute genius at Wembley in 1991.
The quality of the goal alone makes it a landmark moment. But a multitude of other factors make this a strike to, not just treasure, but wrap up beside you and never take your eyes off it. Maybe it's Barry Davies' expert commentary ("Is Gascoigne going to have a crack? He is, you know... Oh I say!"). Maybe it's the bewildered look on the faces of the Scum defenders. Maybe it was the allure and grand stage of Wembley stadium and an FA Cup Semi final. Whichever way you slice it, it's a cracking footballing moment. Gascoigne's long run up to the ball, the power he manages to generate whilst still maintaining 100% accuracy... it brings a tear to the eye, every time.
Young Spurs fans, older stalwarts, part-time fans, everyone who witnessess this goal should be touched by its magnificence. Generations of Tottenham fans will surely be welcomed into the Spurs family by viewing a clip of that goal. Gazza, my deepest thanks go out to you for that one moment.
He isn't perfect. His off-field problems have been well documented by many a hack after a scandalous story and I'm not going to go into them here. Needless to say, Gazza isn't a well man nowadays and his headstrong and youthful antics back in his prime probably cost him being one of the worlds best. I, and I suspect many other football fans, feel for the bloke. If there was ever an English footballing talent wasted, then this was it. Of modern day day football, the best comparison to Gazza is probably Wayne Rooney. A match-winner with an outstanding football brain and able to see and do things on the pitch that most others could only fantasise about.
Gascoigne enjoyed some fine, fine days with Tottenham, the crescendo surely being this piece of absolute genius at Wembley in 1991.
The quality of the goal alone makes it a landmark moment. But a multitude of other factors make this a strike to, not just treasure, but wrap up beside you and never take your eyes off it. Maybe it's Barry Davies' expert commentary ("Is Gascoigne going to have a crack? He is, you know... Oh I say!"). Maybe it's the bewildered look on the faces of the Scum defenders. Maybe it was the allure and grand stage of Wembley stadium and an FA Cup Semi final. Whichever way you slice it, it's a cracking footballing moment. Gascoigne's long run up to the ball, the power he manages to generate whilst still maintaining 100% accuracy... it brings a tear to the eye, every time.
Young Spurs fans, older stalwarts, part-time fans, everyone who witnessess this goal should be touched by its magnificence. Generations of Tottenham fans will surely be welcomed into the Spurs family by viewing a clip of that goal. Gazza, my deepest thanks go out to you for that one moment.
The Blackburn defeat and how I heard about it abroad
Fear no more, I'm back and this blog is up and running again. Thankfully, there's not been a horrendous amount of news traffic regarding Spurs, what with the Champions League and international games, so I can relax knowing that I didn't fail to cover a managerial change/player re-signing/board re-shuffle.
Having spent the last few hours both recovering from jet lag and catching up on my Tottenham business, I've arrived at the following stances:
- The new stadium is going to be absolutely sublime, provided we fill it and that it doesn't get a cringe worthy name.
- No matter how impressive our league form is, we will NEVER be sure of an away win, especially at lowly teams like Blackburn.
- If Tottenham fans don't already listen to The Spurs Show podcast with Phil Cornwell, they should slap themselves in the face and instantly subscribe.
The defeat at Blackburn was particularly galling, having, from what I've been reliably informed, dominated the game. Keano's penalty should never have been given, if you believe the wise old words of Sam Allardyce, but we were good value for the lead and should have built upon it. I was sitting blissfully in the Caribbean as the game transpired - I woke up to the news that we were leading one-nil with half an hour to go. Tell me please, is there a better way for a Tottenham fan to wake up?
I would have been watching events unfold at Ewood Park live on TV but, believe it or not, live football isn't that popular at 9 am in Barbados. As I sat having breakfast, nervously awaiting a text telling me it was all over and we'd gained an impressive battling away win, further strengthening our push up the table, I received the terrible news. It was as if all the bad things that could have happened in 10 minutes did happen. Palacios getting sent off. Rovers equalising. Oh well, at least a point then, that's not bad, eh? Rovers scoring again and, thus, winning the game. Oh. The only thing bad that didn't happen was Harry Redknapp getting sent to the stands by the ref and then resigning from the club in his post match interview, stating his desire to 'go on and manage a real big team'.
That all sounds quite negative, I suppose. We can forgive the lads this one defeat I think, especially in the wake of the previous unbeaten run. Our league position is still reasonably healthy and although the strangled cries of Europa League qualification will now die down, they were never really that realistic to begin with. Having said that, our next two games look extremely winnable. West Ham at home should be fun - they passionately hate us and will be spurred on by some laughable, misguided sense of a derby. We have the quality to see them off, in spite of their superior league position to us; last years 4-0 home win was enjoyable (although one D. Berbatov who notched two goals is now strangely absent from our side) and we put in a good display to beat them 2-0 at Upton Park earlier this year.
After the Spammers comes another test in the form of Alan Shearer's Newcastle. Whilst on holiday, I was watching an Americanised football chat show on ESPN in which they commented that 'Newcastle and Tottenham were fighting it out to be the most shambolic club in the Premier League this season'. It may sound harsh on us but they do have a point. They did us a favour however and latterly stated that Newcastle were winning that undesirable race comfortably. Harry's boys should beat them at the Lane but we traditionally struggle against the Barcodes. Maybe it's a mental thing but anyone who witnessed last years 4-1 home defeat will testify to the trials Spurs face against the Tynesiders. Throw into the mix The Alan Shearer Effect © and you can guarantee it won't be an easy ride.
Is there anything to play for this season now that the looming threat of relegation has been seemingly staved off? Pride would be a key motivational factor. Tottenham owe us fans after the shocking season and a few more good results and performances would be key in mending the relationship between the team and the fans. Still, it's difficult to slate Tottenham too much at current and we're all hoping for more to smile about in the coming weeks.
Having spent the last few hours both recovering from jet lag and catching up on my Tottenham business, I've arrived at the following stances:
- The new stadium is going to be absolutely sublime, provided we fill it and that it doesn't get a cringe worthy name.
- No matter how impressive our league form is, we will NEVER be sure of an away win, especially at lowly teams like Blackburn.
- If Tottenham fans don't already listen to The Spurs Show podcast with Phil Cornwell, they should slap themselves in the face and instantly subscribe.
The defeat at Blackburn was particularly galling, having, from what I've been reliably informed, dominated the game. Keano's penalty should never have been given, if you believe the wise old words of Sam Allardyce, but we were good value for the lead and should have built upon it. I was sitting blissfully in the Caribbean as the game transpired - I woke up to the news that we were leading one-nil with half an hour to go. Tell me please, is there a better way for a Tottenham fan to wake up?
I would have been watching events unfold at Ewood Park live on TV but, believe it or not, live football isn't that popular at 9 am in Barbados. As I sat having breakfast, nervously awaiting a text telling me it was all over and we'd gained an impressive battling away win, further strengthening our push up the table, I received the terrible news. It was as if all the bad things that could have happened in 10 minutes did happen. Palacios getting sent off. Rovers equalising. Oh well, at least a point then, that's not bad, eh? Rovers scoring again and, thus, winning the game. Oh. The only thing bad that didn't happen was Harry Redknapp getting sent to the stands by the ref and then resigning from the club in his post match interview, stating his desire to 'go on and manage a real big team'.
That all sounds quite negative, I suppose. We can forgive the lads this one defeat I think, especially in the wake of the previous unbeaten run. Our league position is still reasonably healthy and although the strangled cries of Europa League qualification will now die down, they were never really that realistic to begin with. Having said that, our next two games look extremely winnable. West Ham at home should be fun - they passionately hate us and will be spurred on by some laughable, misguided sense of a derby. We have the quality to see them off, in spite of their superior league position to us; last years 4-0 home win was enjoyable (although one D. Berbatov who notched two goals is now strangely absent from our side) and we put in a good display to beat them 2-0 at Upton Park earlier this year.
After the Spammers comes another test in the form of Alan Shearer's Newcastle. Whilst on holiday, I was watching an Americanised football chat show on ESPN in which they commented that 'Newcastle and Tottenham were fighting it out to be the most shambolic club in the Premier League this season'. It may sound harsh on us but they do have a point. They did us a favour however and latterly stated that Newcastle were winning that undesirable race comfortably. Harry's boys should beat them at the Lane but we traditionally struggle against the Barcodes. Maybe it's a mental thing but anyone who witnessed last years 4-1 home defeat will testify to the trials Spurs face against the Tynesiders. Throw into the mix The Alan Shearer Effect © and you can guarantee it won't be an easy ride.
Is there anything to play for this season now that the looming threat of relegation has been seemingly staved off? Pride would be a key motivational factor. Tottenham owe us fans after the shocking season and a few more good results and performances would be key in mending the relationship between the team and the fans. Still, it's difficult to slate Tottenham too much at current and we're all hoping for more to smile about in the coming weeks.
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