Tag Archives: premier league - Page 2

Will Joe Cole tip the balance?

Posted by on July 21, 2010 7 comments

Joe ColeA few days ago, I wrote an article discussing the online betting for next season’s Premier League title. I found it puzzling that Liverpool were a significantly shorter price than Tottenham going on last season’s form, coupled with the uncertainty surrounding the future of their star players. Gerrard was to be joining Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid and Torres was also allegedly keen to move, that is if anyone is brave enough to risk millions of pounds on a player that looks to have serious issues if his World Cup performances are anything to go by.

I genuinely thought Joe Cole would end up at Tottenham this summer. If the internet and newspapers are to believed, Spurs offer of wages was the lowest of his suitors, and significantly lower than those Liverpool where willing to pay. The way I see it, Liverpool were willing to pay over the odds for a player like Joe Cole as a statement of intent. They are not in the Champions League currently, have appointed a very talented but arguably low profile manager and looked like a club in serious regression last season. Cole’s signing not only shows they are still able to attract players of world class

All this being said, I don’t think it’s the end of the world that Spurs missed out on Cole. We already have a wealth of talent in midfield and paying 100k a week or more for a player in his late 20s who has a very poor injury record probably wasn’t the right move for us in hindsight. I think he was a lot more important for Liverpool than he was for Tottenham.

Do I think Cole’s move to Liverpool will propel them to mount a challenge for the Premier League title this coming season? Not a chance. Do I think he will tip the balance in their favour over Spurs where the battle for a top 4 spot is concerned? I doubt it, but I fully expect them to be better than last season. The only problem for them is, Spurs will be too!

Have the bookies made an error?

Posted by on July 16, 2010 25 comments

LedleyI was having a look at the betting for next season’s Premier League today and although the bookies normally aren’t far wrong, I feel the prices are a little off the mark. While I don’t for a second expect Tottenham to be winning the league, I am confused as to how they can be 40/1 shots with Man City as short as 9/2 and Liverpool as short as 11/1.

Man City’s spending power is phenomenal and they have added some serious talent to their squad this summer with the likes of Boateng, Toure and Silva joining an already excellent group of players. The problem for them is I don’t see Mancini as the man to get these players to gel or control their egos and settle the unrest when their start to the campaign isn’t as phenomenal as everyone is expecting. I think they could well end up in a similar position to last season.

Are Liverpool suddenly going to be a successful side under Roy Hodgson? They looked awful at times last season and it’s going to take them time to rebuild. Torres appears to be in a very bad way if the world cup is anything to go by. Carragher isn’t half the player he was a few years ago and Gerrard turns it on when he’s in the mood. This is assuming Torres and Gerrard are staying.

Now onto the 40/1 outsiders! Admittedly, one good season does not a great club make, but there is just as much reason to believe we can continue our progression under Harry Redknapp as there is we will resume the battle for 7th and 8th place. I don’t feel like last season was a fluke. Our home form has been solid for a number of years now and we have finally mastered the art of picking up points on the road. The possibility of a Champions League campaign will test the squad, but we have the strength in depth now to be able to change the personnel from game to game and still be a force in the Premiership.

The betting for the top 4 sees us 6th best behind Chelsea, Utd, City, Arsenal and Liverpool. I seem to remember us being given a similar chance at the start of last season. History has a habit of repeating itself…

What a day to be a Spurs fan

Posted by on April 19, 2010 9 comments

After our disappointing FA Cup Semi Final exit at the hands of Portsmouth, I don’t think anyone could have predicted that Tottenham would bounce back in such dramatic fashion. With our run of fixtures, I honestly thought a top 4 finish was very unlikely, but after two incredible victories, Spurs are now favourites to take the last Champions League spot.

Being the pessimist that I am, I’m still expecting something to go wrong somewhere! Obviously the big one looks to be on May 5th at the City of Manchester Stadium but I think Bolton at home in two Saturday’s time could be key. The best I can see us getting at Old Trafford this weekend is a draw, and even that is unlikely. Man City go to Arsenal for Saturday’s late kick off in a match where we need a favour from the Gunners. I know a number of their supporters would rather lose than help Spurs out, but Wenger will be seething after losing to both Tottenham and especially Wigan, and will expect a serious reaction from his players.

All credit to Harry Redknapp. While opposition supporters continue to knock our gaffer, their can be no denying his ability as a manager. We are now just a point away from our best ever Premier League total and it is no small coincidence that Redknapp achieved the same feat with both West Ham and Portsmouth. Maybe he owed Pompey one and maybe we were never destined to reach this year’s FA Cup Final. However, maybe we are destined to upset the Liverpool’s and Man City’s of the world instead.

If we are going to finally achieve reach the Holy Grail of Europe’s elite competition, I don’t think we will ever get a better opportunity than we have now. Man City are likely to be even better next season, improve year on year and keep spending year on year until they find success. I also can’t see Liverpool’s decline continuing beyond next season. This is our chance, the majority of our squad are ready for the next step and they way they have performed this week tell me they could cope with the top teams from around the globe.

The way we knocked the ball around and completely dominated Chelsea was a pleasure to watch. If we can take that new found confidence into the game against Manchester Utd, who knows what might happen.

I hope Wigan bounce back

Posted by on November 25, 2009 4 comments

As wonderful as our nine goal victory was on Sunday, spare a thought for Wigan. As I said last week, I was not surprised to see a big score line but it was thanks in part to Wigan’s style of play.

As difficult as it must have been for Wigan fans to swallow, I hope they give Martinez time to finish the good job he’s started. I know they have been on the end of a few hidings but they play attractive football. The Premier League would be very boring if all the lesser sides played like Stoke. He’s a good young manager and comes across very well.

As for Tottenham, maybe we still have a mental block when it comes to the big teams. We cannot continue to put on scintillating performances against the majority of opponents at the Lane and then give limp displays like we did against Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea. I know two of those games were away from home and injuries played a part but the contrast is too great.

Harry has done wonders since his arrival but his previous sides have always been able to turn over the likes of Utd and Arsenal, sides that had no where near the strength in depth the current Spurs squad has. Maybe things will look different come the end of the season.

With Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Villa all dropping points this past weekend, our top 4 push is still going along nicely and the 9-1 win will have done wonders for both confidence and morale. It couldn’t have come at a better time with 3 away games on the trot coming up, all against tough sides. I’d take 1 win, 1 draw and 1 defeat if I’m honest, as long as the win is against Utd!

Just one of those days

Posted by on October 26, 2009 3 comments

Firstly credit to Stoke. They work on a shoestring budget in comparison to us and they are consolidating their position as solid Premier League side. Unfortunately, the result did nothing for Spurs chances of consolidating their position in the top 4!

I don’t think you can criticise Harry’s tactics or the Tottenham performance as a whole. We had 66% of the possession and 12 shots on target to Stokes 2 and did everything but score. On another day, we could have easily been 2 or 3 up by half time.

Stoke’s goalkeeper Steve Simonsen had the game of his life and when Lennon couldn’t continue, they took full advantage of their extra man. The extent of the injuries to Lennon and particularly Woodgate aren’t yet known. Lennon is likely nothing serious but seeing Woodgate have to come off during his first game of the season is bitterly disappointing.

It would have been nice to go into the Arsenal game with a few points cushion over them and off the back of another win but it wasn’t to be. I’m still looking forward to Saturday with eager anticipation and it promises to be a cracking game. Arsenal have looked great at times this season but they have also looked very beatable as yesterday’s match against West Ham demonstrated. Let’s go to the Emirates and get a result.

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.

I’d take boring sometimes

Posted by on October 8, 2009 1 comment

Another blank weekend with no Premier League action until the 17th but as is normally the case with Spurs, there is still plenty of off field drama to keep us ‘entertained’ for want of a better word.

The current intelligence doing the rounds is that Harry was questioned by the fuzz for four hours on Tuesday and bailed until the 21st. I find it all a bit confusing. Surely if he’d done anything that bad they would have some hard evidence to charge him with something by now. It would appear the authorities are clutching at straws.

I hope Redknapp’s current issues aren’t affecting the players. It doesn’t seem to have had a negative impact thus far but if the case does drag on and the tabloids continue to run stories, that could change.

Now we finally have some stability and are moving in the right direction, something had to happen. That’s just the Spurs way. It wouldn’t be right if we had the same manager for more than a season and a half would it?!

No offence to either club, but it must be nice supporting teams like Stoke and Wolves. While you may not be setting the world on fire, at least there is a certain level of stability. As interesting as it is being a Spurs supporter, I’d take boring sometimes.

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.

The Fear Factor

Posted by on September 11, 2009 15 comments

Tottenham are probably better equipped to beat Manchester United tomorrow than they have been at any point in the last ten years. I have no doubt Spurs are more than capable of beating Utd at White Hart Lane on Saturday and I think they just might.

Personnel aside, the difference between the current Tottenham squad and those of years gone by is belief. This current crop of players actually believe they can beat anyone. We may have had our ups and downs over the last few years, and some players have come and gone and come again, but the fear that used to mean we could never get anywhere against the top four clubs in the country has now gone.

On current form, Spurs should be the favourites going into this game. Based on history and reputation they are not, but if you look at the actual results and analyse the performances on the pitch so far this season, Spurs have outperformed Utd. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not writing Man U off and it’s asking a lot for Spurs to continue the 100% record against the current Premier League Champions, but as far as I’m concerned, there is a very good chance of us doing just that.

The two games this season that have really stood out for me have been the first and the last. Think back to when Liverpool were awarded their penalty. The Tottenham sides of years gone by would have fallen apart at that point and very likely lost the match. The current side didn’t panic, took the game by the scruff of the neck and got another goal to ensure the three points.

A similar story could have unfolded against Birmingham. A goal around the 75min mark for the visitors would often have seen past Spurs sides get nervy and concede a scrappy late goal to lose the game. Instead, we kept going and found a winner. While you can say it wasn’t a great performance, in my eyes it was. The difference between the top four Premier League sides and us in the past has been our inability to win games that we might not have dominated or even deserved to win on the balance of play. We now seem to have overcome this failure.

Under Harry, Tottenham play with a new confidence and the fear factor that has been holding us back for so long appears to have almost disappeared completely. Obviously the quality players he’s added to the squad have helped, but the mental aspect of the game is just as important. Win, lose or draw tomorrow, I’m just happy in the knowledge that the players on the pitch believe they can do it.

Hands off Modric red cheeks

Posted by on August 20, 2009 32 comments

As much as I’ve been enjoying myself since ten to five on Sunday, I’ve managed to find something to take the shine off ever so slightly. I saw a worrying quote in the press yesterday from Harry Redknapp regarding our little legend Luka Modric. I’m sure you all read it but it was the bit about Sir Alex that got me thinking. Harry said ‘Sir Alex Ferguson told me he could play in any team because he’s so good’. As much as I love the accolades coming Luka’s way, when Sir Alex is involved, I start to panic.

Our tremendous start to the Premier League season has been a team effort but Luka Modric has been key in that. The thought of Manchester United stealing him away in January, or at the end of the season, fills me with dread. This is the Manchester Utd manager’s style. Plant the seed in the player’s head and that of his agent, then just sit back and wait to pounce although I realise it was Harry’s fault this time!

We are already accused of being a feeder club for Utd by many of our rivals, another of our star players joining Berbatov and Carrick really would be the final nail in the coffin. Let’s hope our winning habit continues for the foreseeable future and we can tell any potential suitors to get well and truly stuffed.

Last night’s win was special. I know it was only a poor Hull side who’s manager is starting to come across as a complete mental but it was the same Hull that nearly held Chelsea at the weekend. To go to any Premiership side and score five is truly impressive. It’s important to keep our feet on the ground but at the same time enjoy it. It’s not often Spurs start the season in such impeccable fashion.