Category Archives: Banter

Mind The Gap – The Reason Behind the Power Shift

Posted by on January 20, 2012 22 comments

The ten point advantage Tottenham currently have over Arsenal in the Premier League would have been unthinkable just a couple of seasons ago. Although Arsenal fans were calling for Arsene Wenger’s head after a bad start to the season, things seemed to have settled down on that front with the good run of form they put together following the 2-1 defeat the Gunners suffered at White Hart Lane. Now reality has finally set in, Wenger’s management skills are once again being called into question by their supporters.

In stark contrast, Harry Redknapp’s reputation continues to thrive not only among Spurs fans, but also football enthusiasts around the globe. Bringing Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor to the club this season only added to what was already an excellent squad of players. Not only have Harry’s player purchases been very astute, he has also helped Gareth Bale become one of the best footballers in the world. He is able to instil a belief in players that Wenger cannot. Another great example of this is Benoit Assou-Ekotto. He was going nowhere fast at Tottenham but Redknapp spotted his potential and gave the former Lens man a chance. Ekotto is now one of the very best left backs the Premier League has to offer.

While the 5-1 cup victory in 2008 was a sign of things to come, the day when the power really shifted in North London was 20th November 2010. Spurs had not won at Arsenal for 17 years. Going 2-0 down before half time would have seen Tottenham sides of old throw the towel in, but this set of players were not prepared to lie down. Winning the game in such a manner gave Spurs a new found confidence and helped enforce the never say die attitude that has seen us become serious title contenders this season.

There are a couple of games during this campaign that really illustrate the difference between the two teams perfectly. Both were defeats, our 2-1 reverse away to Stoke, and Arsenal’s 3-2 loss at Swansea. Admittedly, the game at the Liberty Stadium was very entertaining and all credit to Swansea for playing some great football, but a number of the Arsenal players on that pitch looked like they did not want to be there. It ultimately ended with the man Arsenal fans were hailing as the King a few days earlier, a 34 year old Thierry Henry, turning on them for venting their frustrations.

At Stoke, Spurs were not at their best in the first half. Any team two goals behind at the Britannia Stadium would probably have resigned themselves to defeat. In the end, it was only one of the worst refereeing performances in Premier League history that cost us all three points. Every Spurs player gave their all in that second half to try and get something from the game and even though we lost the match, it is possibly my favourite Tottenham performance of the season. It goes a long way to showing why Tottenham are now the dominant team in North London and why you’d better mind that gap.

Satay House lol lol

Posted by on December 7, 2011 5 comments

Benoit Assou EkottoHow can anyone dare to question the abilities of my favourite Satay House fan Benoît Pierre David Assou-Ekotto? Not to be confused with the wife and child killing wrestler Chris Benoit, Assou-Ekotto has been one of our best players this season as far as I’m concerned. That is in addition to having the world’s biggest head of hair and saying ‘lol satay house’ on the majority of his tweets. Obviously he’s playing in a very good team, but their aren’t many better left backs in the Premiership currently. His link up play with Bale is consistently excellent and some of his cross field balls are so accurate it’s scary. Ekotto was labelled as a weak link by some idiot this week and while I wasn’t his biggest fan a few seasons ago, Pierre has improved out of all recognition and is also such a likeable character.

I had to come up with three transfer targets for a piece I was writing for the Metro this week and while I found it hard to think of any players that would better what we already have at the club, a new left back was certainly not on my mind. Carlos Tevez was however and while I knew it was a massively long shot, I didn’t expect Milan to say they were having a nice little chat with him an hour later. I might have to re write that now eh?! Maybe we could do with a top class centre half the right side of 30 to cover our hugely talented but equally injury prone mob. Christopher Samba was my weapon of choice but Gary Cahill would suffice. Oh and I like the look of a chap by the name of Fernando Llorente. Scores for fun if you’re reading Harry, he’d be worth a little bid in Jan.

I’m doing the Paddy Power podcast tonight, it revolves around Spurs and betting, the only two things I know much about…arguably anyway. Spurs’ chances of winning the title is the theme I believe. I feel their quote of 16/1 is on the stingy side, but we are less than half the odds of Arsenal so maybe Paddy has got it about right.

You can listen to my Clive Allen interview at The Fighting Cock website. I couldn’t work out the uploading procedure properly. I will at some point learn how to do it, but at the time I was busy trying to volumise my hair to Assou-Ekotto proportions before visiting my local satay house….

Are you thinking of making some football bets on the upcoming premier league fixtures? Get all of the latest football odds today at bwinbetting.com, you wont want to miss their fantastic odds!

The Day I Met Clive Allen and the Fighting Cocks

Posted by on November 29, 2011 18 comments

Clive Allen InterviewSo, this past Sunday I was invited along to Dagenham and Redbridge’s Victoria Ground to interview Spurs coach Clive Allen. Clive was taking part in an ‘England Legends’ match against a supposed Sunday League side, Ivory FC. The Legends were made up of a number of ex professionals, some who had played a lot more games for England than others, but the main thing they had in common was that they all looked quite old. Ricky, one of the members of the Fighting Cock podcast team, remarked that the majority of them had significantly bigger heads than when they were playing at the highest level. This was quite an accurate assessment. I’d personally only noticed this phenomenon happening to actors including Eddie Murphy and Steven Segal but apparently, footballers also suffer from the same affliction.

When I arrived at the ground, I met up with an Irish chap called Dave who was doing the PR for the event. Nice bloke who I got the distinct impression was a big Liam Gallagher fan. Along with Dave were Ricky and Flav who are two of the guys from the excellent Fighting Cock podcast. After a bit of small talk, we quickly bonded over our mutual love of Spurs, hatred of Arsenal, and childish sense of humours. Although to be honest, I think they were just were just interested in stealing the questions I’d prepared for Clive Allen as the only one they had come up with was ‘Clive, what do actually do at Spurs?’.

After some impressive keep ball from the Legends during the first ten minutes, Ivory FC took a shock lead. Rob Lee had the opportunity to equalise from the penalty spot but put the ball wide. At least I think it was Rob Lee, he looked a lot like Philip Schofield. You can see the video of that miss here. Although you might find the physique of the Ivory FC goalkeeper rather amusing, he made some cracking saves during the game and was arguably better than his opposite number Ian Walker, who still had blond curtains in case you’re interested.

Unfortunately, Clive Allen came off injured early in the first half but it did mean we were able to get out of the cold early in the second half and into a room full of sandwiches to fire questions at the former NFL Europe star. Before we got under-way, an issue arose about us not being able to ask Mr Allen any questions relating to the current Tottenham set up without clearance from the Spurs Press Office. Our super camp friend from Football Fancast completely ignored that and proceeded to ask him two completely unsuitable questions. I’m glad we let him go first because it made us seem much more professional and totally not gay. It turned out ‘The Press’ that I’d heard referred to all day was actually the four of us and considering we had to try and avoid anything too Tottenhamy, I think we did a bloody good job.

Other highlights included Terry Venables wandering round looking like a gangster, Ian Walker ghost handing everyone that wanted photo’s with him and a sense of relief when I arrived home to find out that former Norwich City manager Mike Walker was alive and well. Flav misinformed me that he was brown bread and while I was unsure, I wasn’t brave enough to ask Ian if his dad was still with us.

I was also on with Ian Wright on Saturday afternoon, the Podcast is available here. My excellent segment starts at around the 33 minute mark. It’s not actually that excellent, or an official segment. http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/podcasts/Ian-Wright-on-Absolute-Radio/2011-11-26/

I’m just waiting on the audio from the Clive Allen interview, I’ll post it shortly.

Should probably also mention the Legends lost 2-1. In their defence, I do think the Ivory FC keeper was wearing a fat suit and a few of their players were brought in by El Tel from Argentina or somewhere equally exotic.

Help the Spurs Five get to the Emirates

Posted by on March 29, 2011 1 comment

I recently received an impassioned plea from eight young lads to ask if I could help them fulfill their dream of getting to the Emirates Stadium. AFC Fink Brau are a group of Spurs fans who are involved in the O2 Fives. As you might have guessed, it’s a five-a-side competition where the 16 teams with the most ‘likes’ on their page get to play in the event at Arsenal’s home.

Captained by Matt ‘Micky Hazard’ Hamm, the team is made up of James Adams, Mikey ‘Chicharito’ Langdon, Johnny Kirby, Dan ‘Calderwood’ Clark, Paul Erwood, Roberto Rosenthal Di Straldio and Aaron ‘Pikey Bastard’ Adams.

The main reason we need to get behind these Bournemouth based boys is the fact they plan on wearing the Spurs colours when they get to the last 16, as well as putting a few goals away obviously. While it might not be quite the same as when Bale and co went there earlier in the season and scored three if memory serves me correctly, it would still be nice to see a team supporting Spurs getting to play and possibly lift at trophy at Arsenal’s home.

You can like AFC Fink Brau’s page and help their cause by visiting the link below and clicking ‘like’.

Click here to Like AFC Fink Brau

Could we fare better than Arsenal?

Posted by on March 11, 2011 6 comments

So, the dream has become a reality and Spurs have made it to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League. After being three nil down against those pesky Young Boys in the first qualifying round, Harry Redknapp and his European soldiers are now just four games away from the final of Europe’s biggest football competition.

While the away leg at the San Siro was an assured professional performance the likes I haven’t seen from a Tottenham side before, Wednesday’s home game was an uncomfortable ninety minutes where our players dug in, defended well and secured their passage into the last eight.

Jermain Defoe’s big talk at the start of the season about Tottenham progressing further than the Gunners in the Champions League no longer sounds so stupid. The question now is can they fare any better than Arsenal against the Catalan Giants? Should we draw them in the quarter finals, I won’t be too despondent. While I think it will be a near impossible task over two legs against Barca, anything is possible in football. We have the players to hit them on the break with better effect than Arsenal could manage. Lennon and Bale give us an outlet that Arsenal didn’t have.

While avoiding Barcelona in the next round would be preferable, no side left in the competition is going to be an easy touch. Admittedly Milan aren’t as good as they once were but they are no mugs. Spurs have proven they can mix it with the best sides in European football and appear to have the confidence to take on any team. Our league form may have suffered a little as the results against Blackpool and Wolves illustrate but I’m willing to swallow it if it means this European adventure can continue for a bit longer…

Absolute
I’ll be on Ian Wright’s show on Absolute Radio sometime between five and six tomorrow if anyone wants to hear me talk more nonsense about Spurs!

Apologies, Ian Wright and Wrighty7

Posted by on November 29, 2010 1 comment

Sorry about the lack of updates recently. I’ve been living in a parallel universe where Tottenham win almost all the time. They beat Arsenal at the Emirates in the Premier League and qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League with a game to spare. Instead of gifting the opposition late goals and having no luck, Spurs now snatch victories from the jaws of defeat and make their own luck. It’s a shame I’ve had to return from this place but we all have to come back to reality sooner or later.

Another strange thing happened to me while I was there. I chatted to Ian Wright following the scintillating win against Arsenal on his Absolute Radio show and was followed by Wrighty from the Wrighty7 Arsenal Blog. Listening to those two Goons discussing where it all went wrong is even more entertaining than my bit. It starts at around 38 minutes after Teddy Sheringham is interviewed. You can download the podcast at the link below.

Ian Wright Podcast with Mabbs and Wrighty7

As things have been going so well recently, there hasn’t been much pain for me to cover. Hopefully things will continue in this vain and you will just hear from me sporadically!

West Ham the Value

Posted by on September 24, 2010 4 comments

Wrighty7 is a gaylordFrom a betting perspective, I like the best price of 11/4 on West Ham tomorrow. That’s not to say I don’t think Spurs can win the game, they most certainly can, but I feel we are a little skinny at 11/10 coming off the back of a demoralising defeat against Arsenal. I realise that game doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things but it still wasn’t nice and it will likely give the Hammers a bit more confidence, especially when they are coming off the back of two decent results.

Both Sunderland and Stoke are tough places to go and come away with anything. West Ham are certainly on the up and this is not a great time for Tottenham to have an away game at Upton Park as far as I’m concerned. Scott Parker has carried his excellent form from last season into this and he will be key as far as their chances of gaining their first win this term are concerned.

Spurs do have some positives however, with Luka Modric, Rafael van der Vaart and Vedran Corluka all available for selection having recovered from their respective injuries. Not only am I sure that Harry will be desperate to put things right tomorrow after our midweek result, the majority of the players will also want to give the fans something to be happy about. As much as I can understand the frustration of the supporters that walked out on Tuesday night, it’s not something I like to see and it must be very tough on the players, no matter how badly they may have performed.

I could see this game being a draw, possibly 1-1. Harry’s history with the Hammers will ensure it’s a lively encounter both on and off the pitch. Spurs certainly have too much for the West Ham on paper and could well come away with a victory, I’m just not confident enough to be putting any of my hard earned on them at poor odds. West Ham are coming into a bit of form and will be looking to this game as the one where their league campaign can really get under way.

Oh and by the way, to show I have got a bit of a sense of humour, I’ve used the lovely image our old mate wrighty7 posted on my Facebook wall earlier. The Arsenal fans seem to be getting over excited at the prospect of winning the League Cup when they have never cared about the competition before. Desperate times and all that I suppose. I’ll let them have their moment while I concentrate on more important things such as FC Twente.

The Chelsea fans seem upset

Posted by on September 15, 2010 9 comments

I’m a little bit confused this morning. I went to a local pub to watch the game last night. It wasn’t particularly busy but more than average for a week night. As far as I could see, there wasn’t anyone wearing a Spurs shirt, but there were a good few patrons in Chelsea colours.

I didn’t think much of it but once the match got underway, it became clear they were all staunch Werder Bremen supporters for the night. It wasn’t just cheering and booing from this crowd though, there was actually screeching accompanying each Werder chance as though they had just climaxed.

There are a few teams I don’t particularly like, but I’d never go out with the sole intention of supporting another team for the night because of it. All I’ve been hearing from Chelsea supporters for the last few weeks is how Tottenham won’t be able to cut it in the Champions League and we will be dumped out in the group stages. Well if that’s the case, I don’t understand the need for them to get so excited when Spurs are playing.

Admittedly, a few of these boys were holding hands and also having a bit of a kiss when they thought nobody else was looking. One of them even had a Gok Wan rocks my world t-shirt on. If I could be sure this was a meeting of Chelsea’s homosexual supporters community, then I’d be a little more understanding. I know they have a large gay following and on a personal level, the luck I have with women, I’m starting to see the appeal. Obviously taking their shoes off at West Ham last weekend was some kind of fashion statement.

The Champions League is the one thing Abramovich’s money hasn’t been able to buy yet. Maybe the reason Chelsea supporters are so upset about Tottenham being in the Champions League is because we have a habit of beating them. I’m sure watching us come away with a point against one of the best sides Germany has to offer won’t have done much to make them feel better…

Bargain Borrowing

Posted by on August 3, 2010 11 comments

Tottenham Loan DealsSo, no players want to sign for us on a permanent basis then! The fact we can’t tie any of our top transfer targets down is a little disheartening but it’s probably also an indication that Harry Redknapp isn’t prepared to buy second rate players just to bring in bodies. He seems very much of the opinion that if the price isn’t right, we should just move on.

Redknapp has been quoted in the press today saying loan deals are probably the way forward for Tottenham in the current transfer market;

“I can see loans happening. I’ve got three players in mind that would not cost a lot of money.

“If we can pull off the deals you are talking about £8million or £9million for three players. Loans would certainly be a real possibility.

“People are going to loan players from all over the world, there will be loads because clubs are struggling to pay the wages. There will be high earners they have to loan out.”

I’m not really sure how I feel about loan deals. Part of me thinks it’s a good thing. You get the player in for the season just paying wages and if it doesn’t work out, you don’t have to retain their services. Often, these players are looking to put themselves in the shop window and put in decent performances throughout the season.

Usually where loans are concerned, it’s players from the top clubs going to smaller outfits. A side in the Champions League having to bolster their squad with loanees seems a little ridiculous. However, with the new rules regarding squad sizes, times may be changing. The wealthiest clubs are going to have a number of players surplus to requirements and loan deal may be the only viable financial option.

The only issue I can see is whether these big name stars are going to have enough hunger coming to Spurs on a temporary basis. Will they just rest on their laurels? If you take Jamie O’Hara’s spell at Portsmouth as an example; he worked his socks off week in week out. I can’t see many of those on the fringes of the Manchester City squad doing the same for Tottenham. Only time will tell I suppose. I’d imagine some business will be done one way or another this week.

Other news;

I’m going to be the Spurs contact for Ian Wright’s Saturday football show on Absolute Radio.

I’ve been asked to share this Arsenal story with you all;
Arsenal Celebrations

You can join our Fantasy League for this season below
2010/11 Fantasy Football

Once you have chosen your team, click on leagues then enter the following code to join the EBA League:
163104-47048

And finally, you can follow me on Twitter here
Mabbs on Twitter

Jimmy Greaves Interview – Exclusive

Posted by on June 11, 2010 1 comment

Here is our exclusive Jimmy Greaves interview. It takes place in the back of a black cab and is very entertaining! Jimmy is working with Burger King during the World Cup. Check out what he’s up to over at Whopper Legend

Jimmy Greaves Exclusive Interview