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Slippery Stoke

Posted by on October 22, 2009 11 comments

As I do with most home games against any teams outside the top few teams in the Premier League, I’d expect victory for Spurs against Stoke. Tony Pulis has done wonders firstly to get his club into the league and secondly, turning them into a formidable top flight side.

While Stoke are renowned for their home form, they have also been a lot more solid on the road this season than they were last. Other than the 4-0 drubbing at Liverpool in their first away outing of the season, Stoke have managed to three draws and a win from their four away fixtures since.

It seems like Pulis has decided to take a negative approach to away games and who can blame him? With the winning habit they have at home, just a few points on the road will ensure Stoke’s Premier League survival sooner rather than later.

The problem with taking this approach at the Lane is Spurs ability to score freely. We always come out the blocks with all guns blazing at home and an early goal completely ruins a lock down game plan for the opposition. The longer the game goes without a Tottenham goal, the better for Stoke. They are always dangerous of nicking something from set pieces and we will need to be solid defensively.

This is a key game for Spurs prior to the Arsenal next weekend and for me it’s the sort of game that suits us. I’d fancy a 3-0 or 3-1 score line that can keep us up with the pace at the top of the table and ensure that confidence is high before going to the Emirates.

What can we realistically achieve this season?

Posted by on September 28, 2009 26 comments

After seven games, things all look very rosy. I certainly would have taken 15pts and 4th place in the table at this stage if you had asked me at the start of the season. We can’t stop scoring and our only defeats have been to arguably the best two sides in the country. We are certainly improving and very much going the right way under Harry but for me there are still five teams in the league that are better than us and I don’t see what we can do about that.

It isn’t a term I like to use because it annoys me when pundits keeping banging on about it, but the fact is I don’t think we can break into the top four this season or any season in the foreseeable future for that matter. It’s probably too early to be making judgements like that especially when we are playing so well but if you look at the teams that are likely to fill the places this season, they just have too much about them.

Man City are nowhere near the finished article, but are already playing as well as anyone in the Premiership. They are only going to get better and I’ll be shocked if they don’t break into the top five this season, third or forth place would not surprise me either. Obviously, Man Utd and Chelsea aren’t going to finish outside the first three positions so our only chance is to displace two of Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City.

While Spurs don’t have the distraction of European football and can concentration on the Premier League, we will still fall just short. The defeats against Chelsea and Man Utd have shown our players don’t quite yet have the mental toughness I thought they did. To concede three goals in both games is a sign of a slight lack of belief rather than ability. I know we have been brushing lesser teams aside with ease but I worry we won’t pick up enough points against teams like Everton, Villa and even Sunderland.

Sixth spot and a cup semi final would be a good season as far as I’m concerned and that is more or less what I think we will end up with. Whether Harry can unearth enough in the transfer market to improve Tottenham past these achievements in future seasons is unlikely. Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea are untouchable and while I’d like to think Arsenal and Liverpool are on the downgrade, form so far this season suggests they aren’t.

Chelsea

Posted by on September 18, 2009 11 comments

Unlike the Utd game I’m not going into this one full of optimism. Nothing to do with last week’s result though, just the fact I think going to Stamford Bridge is a much tougher proposition. I’ll be delighted to come away with a point. A defeat won’t be the end of the world.

Chelsea are playing like a well oiled machine at the moment. They have looked comfortable in most of their games thus far and still have a couple of gears to go. It just seems like they are able to find a goal when required.

The positive thing for us Spurs fans is our recent record against the blues. We’ve not lost to Chelsea in our last four meetings with them and we are also the last team to have beaten them in the Premier League, although that was at the Lane.

Harry’s been quoted as saying he doesn’t plan on sitting back;

“We can’t go there and nullify them for 90 minutes – we haven’t got the players to do that. I have attacking players who like to play and express themselves.”

Chelsea’s record at Stamford Bridge is quite simply awesome. Even when they play badly at home, they still normally win. The fact we are going there with an attacking approach is a positive for me. Like Harry says, I don’t think we have the personnel to go there and try and lock down for a point. Our best opportunity of getting something out the game is to score a goal. More than one would be nice!

Like I said earlier, I’ll be pleased to get anything from this game but if we do lose I won’t lose any sleep over it. We have a nice looking run of games coming up against Burnley, Bolton, Pompey and Stoke before Arsenal away at the end of October. If we are still sitting in the top 6 come the Arsenal game, I’ll be more than happy.

Disappointed but not despondent

Posted by on September 14, 2009 10 comments

It’s a shame but it’s not the end of the world. We were beaten by a better side on the day. While I would have hoped we could cope with Utd at the Lane the fact is we couldn’t on Saturday. It doesn’t mean we can’t.

It’s easy for me to make comment after the game and I’m not criticising Harry’s tactics but I was a little puzzled by his decision to shuffle the side and start Keane out of position rather than bring Kranjcar in as a like for like swap for Modric. I just felt we weren’t as balanced as we might have been but I doubt it would have changed the result in any case.

Man Utd seemed to thrive with ten men. I know some people dislike Rooney but you cannot argue with his ability and determination. Having a player of that quality in your side is priceless. Not only is he world class, he doesn’t stop working for 90 minutes. Utd had four maybe five world class players on that pitch, Tottenham probably had one and he can’t train. Lennon and Palacios have the potential to be world class but aren’t yet. Keane, Crouch and even Defoe arguably fall just slightly short.

The positive thing about the game was that we weren’t totally played off the park. We had plenty of chances and on another day, the result might have been different. Utd played at their best and we weren’t that far behind. We are still moving in the right direction. If you’d have told me at the start of the season after five games Spurs would have won them all except for a loss to Utd, I would certainly have taken that. We still have more points than Liverpool and Arsenal and sit in the top four.

I try not to get too carried away any time Spurs put a decent run of results together but it’s hard not to get excited. Equally, it’s hard not to get a bit down after a home defeat even when it is to a side of Manchester United’s brilliance. It’s important to take a long term view. We have had a great start to the season and this is just a set back. There is no reason we can’t go to Chelsea and get something out the game. The likely scenario is we will hold them until the 93rd minute and they will get a late winner but there is always a chance we can do the same.

Can we prep for Utd in a day?

Posted by on September 7, 2009 9 comments

With a number of players not returning to training until Friday, it means we only have one day to prepare for Saturday’s crunch clash with Manchester United. Harry Redknapp isn’t happy about this situation;

“I have no idea in my head of what team I will be able to play against United because of these internationals and because many of them won’t be back at the club until next Friday. They are returning from all over the world.”

Obviously, Utd are in the same boat but their squad is arguably better equipped to deal with any injuries or fatigue that the players pick up during the International break. With Modric already out, we can’t afford to have any more players get injured or not be at their peak for that matter against a Utd side sure to be buoyed by victory over Arsenal.

Redknapp is suggesting teams shouldn’t play until the following Saturday when players return from International duty to give them a week to recover. I can understand his point but I very much doubt the powers that be would consider his proposal and I also can’t see any way it would be possible, especially in a World Cup year. They struggle to fit all the fixtures in now as things stand now.

As much as I miss the Premiership action during the summer break, I don’t think the players get enough time off. If there were two weeks between League games after each International get-together, it would have to impact negatively on the length of time off for both players and coaching staff in the summer.

With Keane and Defoe being in the thick of things both on and off the pitch for their respective countries this week, they are likely to be slightly drained both physically and mentally. On a positive note however, their confidence will be high after both scoring at the weekend. If they can carry this into Saturday’s game, hopefully adrenaline can do the rest.

If you could sign one player, who would it be?

Posted by on July 15, 2009 48 comments

It’s half way through July now and we are yet to see any fresh faces at the Lane. I really thought Harry would have brought in one or two players before next weeks Wembley Cup but it’s not looking very likely at the moment.

The thought of Patrick Vieira makes me very sad. I thought Arsenal did the right thing cashing in on him in 2005. A Patrick Vieira with another 4 years and a number of injuries on the clock can’t be any good for Tottenham, surely?

Also making me sad currently is the fact Craig Bellamy looks to be well down the pecking order at Manchester City now Mark Hughes has brought in Carlos Tevez and looks likely to sign Emmanuel Adebayor in the next few days. Redknapp was desperate to sign Bellamy last season and apparently the deal only fell through because West Ham weren’t happy selling to Spurs.

In other transfer news, Mirko Vucinic would never sign for us. That works out quite well because for one thing he’s shit, and for another, I doubt we were ever interested in him.

Anyway, I thought it would be find to find out what one player you would like to see brought in at Tottenham? It doesn’t have to be someone we have been linked with in the press. Is there anyone in the Championship that looks worth taking a punt on? Maybe a hidden gem in the Bundesliga? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Tottenham Player of the Season

Posted by on April 14, 2009 21 comments

I did something similar on the Goons over at North London Divide last night and I thought it would be interesting to see who people thought was our player of the season.

I don’t want to dwell on this too much but Arsenal are in a position where they can still win a trophy this season so their player of the season could change if someone drives them to FA Cup or Champions league glory (unlikely I know), but our season is pretty much over other than the battle for 7th place and UEFA Cup football next season. Not that I can see much point in that battle because we probably won’t bother with that competition if we have an important league game away to Wolves or something similar on the agenda.

Here is a list of the leading contenders;

Ledley King – Ledley’s one of the main reasons we aren’t still in a relegation battle for me. His performance’s this season have been of the highest order and what sticks in my mind as pivotal to our season was his goal at West Ham when we were in desperate need of points.

Jamie O’Hara – You’ve got to love him for having a crack at Danielle Lloyd after her previous boyfriends if nothing else. He may be small but he has the heart of a lion. I hope he continues to improve and establishes himself as a key member of our squad in the coming years.

Aaron Lennon – I was ready to write him off at the start of the season, how wrong I was. He’s been magnificent for us in recent months and seems to have really blossomed under Harry Redknapp. The headless chicken has finally found a head and has the world at his feet.

Jonathan Woodgate – He’s proved to be worth every penny of his £7m transfer fee unlike some of the rubbish we have shelled out for in recent times. He’s our rock, seems to have put his injury nightmare behind him since arriving and has been an ever present force this season with 37 appearances thus far.

Verdan Corluka – Some people are still undecided but I am a massive fan of this guy. He works hard and has that touch of class some defenders lack. Other fans I’ve raved to about this guy argue he makes too many individual errors but I don’t believe that is the case. There is no one else I would want alongside King and Woody.

Luka Modric – The ugly little girl is our class act and I don’t even think we have seen the best of him. Had he got the winner against Arsenal at the Lane he’d without doubt be our player of the season, I’m sure he’s most Spurs fan’s choice in any case.

Who is your Tottenham player of the season?