Tag Archives: tottenham - Page 2

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.

Anyone else hate Internationals?

Posted by on September 4, 2009 35 comments

These International breaks drive me mad. Settling down in front of the racing and Soccer Saturday just isn’t the same without some Premiership action, specifically without Spurs.

I really have very little interest where International football is concerned. Don’t get me wrong, I support England in their matches but I just don’t have the same passion for them as I did when I was younger. The period under McLaren where most of the players looked like they couldn’t give a feck was the final nail in the coffin for me.

While it’s nice to see the Spurs players doing well for their countries, I just don’t have any enthusiasm for it unless there is a major tournament going on and I’m generally just worried about one of our players returning from duty with a nasty injury.

Probably the only thing I am interested to see is whether or not Aaron Lennon can take his improved form for Tottenham onto the International stage. He’s certainly good enough to be a permanent fixture in the England side and his distribution should only get better from here on in. I’d imagine Capello will give him at least a half so lets hope he takes his chance.

Defoe seems to be the player everyone is talking about in the build up to the game after his brace against the Dutch and his superb form for Tottenham at the start of the season. I’m not having a pop at him but I think he’s that type of player that thrives on the attention and I’ll be surprised if Jermain doesn’t get himself on the score sheet again.

Jenas off, Bentley storms off and Modric taken off

Posted by on August 10, 2009 61 comments

There are reports circulating today that Jermaine Jenas has submitted a transfer request. He has been linked with a move to Inter for a while after Jose Mourinho voiced his admiration for the player earlier in the summer. I wouldn’t be that surprised to see JJ go. I get the impression he probably thinks he’s a bit better than Tottenham and probably also expected to have moved on to a bigger club before now although his performances for us haven’t demonstrated that he’s worthy of such a move. If there is any genuine inquiry from Inter, I doubt he’ll be hanging around.

David Bentley got a rare start in our final friendly of the pre-season against Olympiakos yesterday. We didn’t come to life until the 2nd half and unfortunately, that’s when he was substituted. He stormed down the tunnel but it’s unclear whether it was because he needed to relieve himself or because he was in a strop, I’m hopeful it was the first one. Ok, he really struggled last season but he’s a quality player and if he’s not going to Villa as was looking likely last month, Bentley should to be given a chance.

Luka Modric came on for the 2nd half yesterday and was superb, being involved in the first two goals of the game before coming off in the 79th minute. I’ve got everything crossed that this was just a precautionary measure from Harry because he will be the difference in us achieving something or not this season as far as I’m concerned. One of the best midfielders in the Premiership for my money.

Goals from Olympiakos game here

Ledley going for a song?

Posted by on August 7, 2009 16 comments

It looks like all our defensive responsibilities are being pinned on Ledley King for the big kick off against Liverpool at the Lane in two Sundays time. Considering last week Harry was saying our hero was yet to kick a ball this pre season, I’m a little concerned.

What concerns me more is the fact Levy has authorised an £8m deal for a centre back. It must mean Woodgate and Ledley are in very bad shape. We know Woody requires another hernia op and the manager hasn’t exactly sounded positive about him but with all his previous injury problems, I’m just hoping our Jesus isn’t out for the season.

Michael Dawson’s Achilles problem is likely to only keep him out for a few weeks. He was superb at times last season but he performs a lot better with King or Woodgate alongside. He had a terrible time at the start of our last campaign when he was leading the line. I can’t see Dawson and Bassong together working but it might be our only option at times.

Since Harry took over, he’s managed Ledley brilliantly. Unlink Ramos, he understands that everyone is different and is old school enough to let King give his all when it comes to game time, not on the training pitch. The problem we are faced with is Ledley King’s condition is only likely to deteriorate and the number of games he will be involved in will decrease as time goes on.

Is Sebastien Bassong Ledley King’s long term successor at Tottenham? I don’t think he’s fit to lace his boots on the evidence I’ve seen so far but I’m willing to give the lad a chance and hope his performances in the coming weeks and months prove he can be.

Sony Ericsson W995 Giveaway

Posted by on July 30, 2009 2 comments

Sony Ericsson W995

Sony Ericsson W995

I have a FIFA branded SE W995 handset worth £500 courtesy of Sony Ericsson.

As you know, the FIFA World Cup is next year in South Africa and Sony Ericsson is one of the main sponsors of this epic football event.

A Willy Wonker style Golden Ticket will be hidden in the box of one of SE’s new FIFA branded handsets. The person who finds the GT will win an all expenses paid trip to SA and tickets to their Countries games until they are knocked out.

Here are the full details
Sony Ericsson are official sponsors of the FIFA World Cup 2010™ in South Africa. To support this sponsorship, Sony Ericsson are launching a fantastic promotion. The ‘Golden Ticket’ promotion will run from 1 August – 30 September.

If you are the lucky winner of the handset, all you have to do , is enter your details at www.WinTheTickets.co.uk, including the IMEI number and you’re in the draw! The prizes for the customers are:

Grand Prize: 1 x 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Golden Ticket
The Ronaldo of footy prizes, this golden ticket entitles the winner to a pair of tickets to every game their country plays – including the final. This once in a lifetime prize includes flights and 4-star accommodation are included.

Weekly Prizes: 2 x pairs of tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™
Winners will see the drama unfold. Each week we’re giving away two pairs of tickets to a 2010 FIFA World Cup™ match. Flights and three nights in 4-star accommodation are included.

Daily Prizes:1 x Sony BRAVIA TV
Every day a stylish 40-inch Sony BRAVIA TV will be won so fans can follow all the action live for edge of the sofa viewing.

Question
To enter, just answer the following question;

Which former Tottenham Captain was heavily involved in South Africa’s bid for the 2010 World Cup?

Submit your answer using our contact form (link below) with the subject World Cup Competition

http://whitehartpain.com/contact-us

A winner will be drawn at random on the 23rd August 2009.

Good luck.

The Wembley Cup was a joke

Posted by on July 27, 2009 33 comments

I went to see Spurs take on the mighty Barcelona on Friday night and paid £60 for the privilege. In reality, the ticket was probably worth no more than 60p.

After being forced to queue for nearly an hour to collect the tickets, we just about made it into the stadium as the game was kicking off. Looking at the Barca players for familiar faces, I couldn’t really see any. I thought it was just my ropey eyes at first.

As the game continued, I realised I hadn’t even heard of the majority of the Barcelona line up. Oh well I thought, we should see a few of the big names 2nd half. The 2nd half comes and we were greeted with another bunch of unknowns. What made it worse was the fact we were one nil down.

It was a very sub standard performance from Tottenham. There were flashes of good stuff but the players just didn’t seem that up for it. I guess that was partly to do with the fact they were up against a 3rd string side rather than the likes of Messi and Henry.

I was made to wait until the very last for the game to come to life and it took the introduction of a few of the Spurs youngsters for this to happen. Jake Livermore didn’t see any action until the 80th minute but managed to mark the occasion with a headed goal, courtesy of Ekotto’s cross.

While this may bode well for our future, the lack of urgency and cutting edge from the first team regulars on the pitch was very disappointing. Sunday’s performance against a second string Celtic side was just as bad by all accounts. I realise we are vulnerable with our 3 first choice centre backs out of action but those two games were too bad to be true.

Let’s put the Wembley Cup well and truly behind us and look forward to The Crouch Era!

Do you care about Robbie Keane?

Posted by on June 26, 2009 40 comments

The rumours have been rife for the last couple of weeks but in recent days, more substantial stories have appeared claiming Robbie Keane will once again be leaving Tottenham before the season gets underway. Opinion seems to be very divided over whether this is a good or a bad thing as far as the future of the club is concerned.

Although Robbie’s performances have been lees than spectacular since his return, I feel his presence in the side ensured we weren’t involved in a relegation battle. It’s easy to say now that we would have been in no danger of relegation having finished within touching distance of Europe, but without Keane in there pointing and shouting, who’s to say how close Spurs would have been to the drop?

It’s been suggested that Sunderland is Keane’s likely destination. I don’t really understand why he would want to move there rather than stay and see what happens in what will be exciting times for Tottenham next season. Has he fallen out with Harry? Is the club not being run to his liking since his break in Merseyside? Does he regret coming back to the Lane and feel the step down is too much? If the latter is the case it would not explain why a move to the Stadium of Light is a good idea.

I don’t want to knock Robbie Keane without knowing the facts but I would expect a little more respect and consideration after the majority of the fans at Spurs welcomed him back with open arms when things didn’t work out for him under Rafa Benitez at Liverpool. He spent his best years with us and prior to arriving at Tottenham, he struggled to find a club to settle at long term.

I’m hoping all this speculation is just that and Robbie will be a key part of Harry Redknapp’s plans come next season but I do get the feeling there is no smoke without fire and the fire seems to be getting stronger.

The players that should not be sold

Posted by on April 29, 2009 23 comments

It looks likely that a number of the current Tottenham squad will be allowed to leave the club at the end of the season. The likes of Gilberto, Rocha, and Boateng obviously have no future under Harry Redknapp. Some high profile players including Bentley, Zokora and Pavlyuchenko will also probably be available if the right sort of offers come in.

Are there any players on their way out that we should be keeping hold of? I’ve always been a fan of Taarabt but how long do we give to to convert his unlimited potential into the final product we need? I know his chances have been fairly limited and it’s going to be even harder for him now he needs knee surgery but I’d be keen for us to keep hold of the lad for now.

It’s a similar story with Giovani Dos Santos. He’s been excellentin hi brief spell at Ipswich and he’s another player I’d like to see get more chances next season. I’m hoping Harry uses the Carling Cup next season as an opportunity to blood players such as Taarabt, Dos Santos and Bostock.

Of the established members of the squad, I wouldn’t be that disappointed to see Zokora, Bentley and even Huddlestone going.  The thing that annoys me with a lot of these fringe players is the fact they run to the press the second they aren’t in the side. I realise it’s all part of the game and they are probably just doing as they are told by their agents but speak to Harry in private and tell the press you are working hard to get your place back, don’t throw around threats about leaving when you just ain’t that good.

Obviously Lennon and Modric speak for themselves and I can’t see the club letting either of them go no matter what kind of offers are on the table. I’ll just be keeping my fingers crossed that Sir Alex doesn’t take a shine to either of them because he has 100% control over transfers as well as refs! Alan Hutton in a red shirt would not surprise me before too long.

Typical Spurs or typical Utd cheating?

Posted by on April 26, 2009 57 comments

I really thought the game was over at 2-0 yesterday but fom history I should have known differently. Fair enough, Utd looked out of sorts first half but Spurs played exactly the way I was hoping for at Old Trafford. They weren’t scared to attack Utd which I believe is the best way to play them. Too many team go there, sit back and get beat one or two nil.

A lot of people will be saying typical Spurs, not good enough for the top 4, can’t beat Utd etc, as well as having flashbacks to when we were 3-0 up at half time against Man Utd. Personally, I can’t really knock the players. They did have a nightmare 15 minutes but he game was basically handed to Utd on plate by referee Howard Webb. Had it not been for the awful penalty decision, Tottenham would not have lost that game.

Utd’s goal that barely crossed the line was about a foot less over the line than Pedro Mendes effort a few years back, but was given without hesitation. Where is the justice in that? Surely there has to be some consistency at OT when ruling goals out? Silly me, it’s only the away sides that have to put up with that bullshit.

The morale of the story is this. You don’t just have to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford, you have to beat Manchester United and the officials.

It’s time to beat Man Utd

Posted by on April 24, 2009 10 comments

Fergie & Harry

Fergie & Harry

I, like many other Spurs fans, am sick of our woeful record against Manchester United. I’ve lost count of the amount of times we have outplayed them and still got beat. The two games that stick in my throat the most are probably the same as the rest of you. Firstly when we were 3-0 up at half time at the Lane only to capitulate in the 2nd half, then the win that never was at Old Trafford under Martin Jol when Pedro Mendes scored only for the goal not to be given under orders of Sir Alex!

This season has been more of the same really. At home earlier this season we were probably the better side over 90 minutes, with the match ending 0-0. The FA Cup match at Old Trafford was bit of a farce. Spurs had a large amount of the play but just it just didn’t look like we wanted to win. Nothing much to be said about the Carling Cup Final. We held them for the full 120 minutes of open play and created enough clear cut chances to have won the game.

Saturday’s game is a realistic chance for Tottenham to erase the pain that Utd have heaped on us for the last few years and really throw a spanner into the works where their title challenge is concerned. They currently sit three points clear of Liverpool with a game in hand but a win for Spurs would make the title race a lot more interesting during the last few games of the season. It would also dramatically boost our chances of competing in the Europa League next season.

Tottenham’s form in recent games is top draw and we are 3rd in the form table over the last 6 games, just in front of Man Utd. Admittedly, not many teams go to Old Trafford and win, Liverpool are the only side to have done so this season, but the way we are playing, we can be confident of giving a good account. The Utd players might be thinking the hard work is over after getting 3pts in midweek against Portsmouth and the visit of an in form Spurs side is the last thing they need at this stage of their season. They have had a number of tough matches in quick succession and I feel like this is a great time to play them. We go their fresh, in form and with a new confidence that seems to increase game on game.

I’ve got an image of myself enjoying a cold bottle of Becks while replaying a Defoe wonder goal in my head Saturday evening, safe in the knowledge we have notched up another 3pts. I hope I’m right!