Well, at the end of the day, this was the most predictable outcome as Spurs chairman Daniel Levy elected to appoint ex-Porto / ex-Chelsea manager Andre-Villas Boas as the new Spurs head coach. AVB has signed a 3-year contract with generous bonuses if he brings Spurs into the Champions League and wins the title (yeah right).
So with Harry Redknapp consigned to the history books, Spurs fans are eagerly anticipating the replacement manager who will move the club forward. Or at least that is the sincere hope. Well, the press has not been idle to present to us all the candidates being considered by Spurs. Allegedly.
The above image is ‘borrowed’ from a Mirror column (from Feb 2012) that advocated that the English FA sack Fabio Capello and appoint Harry Redknapp as England manager immediately! Of course, Capello subsequently resigned and Redknapp was installed by the media as the favourite to replace him. Redknapp himself encouraged this speculation, talking up the England job non-stop. This had a devastating effect on Spurs’ season, then sitting comfortably in third position, a good ten points clear of Arsenal.
I make no secret of the fact that (along with West Ham), Newcastle is a club that I despise. Much has to do with the manner in which they have (like West Ham) conducted themselves in transfer dealings in the last couple of seasons. The other factor is probably down to the fact that Newcastle has been a bogey team for Spurs, especially at St James’ Park, with our last victory there coming seven years ago, courtesy of a Timothy Atouba (remember him?) goal.
This time round, even though Spurs did not play as well as they are able to (due to Harry’s selection? Gareth Bale on the right and Luka Modric on the left to accommodate Rafael Van der Vaart?), it looked odds on that Spurs might finally win at St James’ Park but it was not to be. In the end, the single point looked well earned as Newcastle piled on the pressure. However, there were plenty of good points to take away from the game.
One, Jermain Defoe’s third goal of the season, demonstrated that the little man is back to his best and has put last season’s dismal poor form firmly behind him. Two, Spurs are the first team to put two goals past Newcastle this season, which indicates at least that our attacking prowess is back on track (Manu Adebayor and Van der Vaart always looked dangerous). And finally, the point gained maintained our momentum of the last five games, as we sit comfortably outside the top four but poised to make our attack.
Sadly, a big negative was the injury to Ledley King. Certainly a question mark must hover over King’s continued presence in the Spurs squad as his fitness problems haunt the skipper yet again. With Michael Dawson on the long term injury list – our central defence looks rather shaky and with William Gallas still injured, much will now depend on whether Sebastian Bassong and Younes Kaboul can rise up to the task. Definitely a worrying prospect.
COYS!!!
After the hand-wringing and soul-searching brought about by two heavy defeats to both Manchester clubs, it is fair to say that Spurs’ season has well and truly begun with this emphatic victory over top four rivals, Liverpool. Red fans will probably point to the numerous yellow cards which left them with only 9 men with still almost half an hour to play but that would do a disservice to Spurs’ total dominance in this game.
Everything went right for Spurs as they came racing out of the blocks and the only surprise was that Spurs were only a goal ahead at half-time, thanks to Luka Modric’s screamer in the 7th minute. The way the little Croatian celebrated the goal gave some indication perhaps that he has put aside his animosity towards the club for blocking his Chelsea move, at least until January, of course. It is a very good sign for Spurs as Modric – with superb support from the tenacious Scott Parker – operated as the fulcrum for Spurs’ excellent passing moves.
Liverpool never quite got into the game and this frustration was evident in the amount of reckless challenges that were deemed necessary in a vain attempt to deal with Spurs’ fluency. Charlie Adams earned two yellows in a short space of time for his challenges on Modric and Parker, the second of which probably deserved a straight red. Spurs fans will feel that this is just desserts for his illegally putting Gareth Bale out of the Blackpool game at White Hart Lane last season.
Liverpool’s 10 men still managed to deal with Spurs for the beginning of the 2nd half but once Martin Skrtel recklessly floored Bale and obtained his marching orders, the game was a bridge too far for the Red’s nine men as goals from Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor (2) made the scoreline a bit closer to what Spurs’ magnificent performance deserved.
Without a doubt, the acquisitions of Adebayor and Parker have strengthened the Spurs side in key areas. Adebayor has made a dream start with three goals in his first two games, and his presence in the team has also rejuvenated Defoe, who now looks more like the predatory striker he is capable of being. A mention must be made also of the calming influence of Brad Freidel in goal and skipper Ledley King in the heart of defence – as two clean sheets in a row (after the eight conceded in the first two games) are just as important statistics as the six goals scored (NB. Five from the new striking partnership!)
After the early doom and gloom, things are looking up again especially with key players (Sandro, Huddlestone, Lennon, Dawson) to return from injury. If Harry Redknapp can keep the likes of Adebayor, Parker and Modric contributing, then surely Spurs fans can look forward to a promising season.
COYS!!!
On paper, the trip to Molinuex to play Wolves was a daunting one. After two bad defeats against both Manchester clubs, Spurs started the day bottom of the Premier League. Wolves on the other hand were sitting pretty at the other end with 7 points from 3 games. Manager Harry Redknapp gave debuts to new signings Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor, whilst skipper Ledley King returned to shore up the defence.
The match itself was even for the best part of an hour until Niko Kranjcar and Parker combined to provide Adebayor with a opportunity which he finished cooly. That goal changed the entire complexion of the game and from then on, Spurs were in control. Kranjcar delivered a good ball in the box, which Jermain Defoe snapped up powerfully to guarantee the first victory of the season for Spurs.
It looked comfortable in the end but the match was anything but safe until Adebayor’s debut goal (he has also achieved the same feat previously with Arsenal and Man City). Wolves matched Spurs in every department except as it turns out in the striking department. The sharpness of Adebayor and Defoe contrasted with the failure of the forwards to deliver last season.
With this win, Spurs are off the bottom of the table and hopefully, will climb upwards as the new season finally gathers momentum. Based on this game, Parker and Adebayor look like excellent acquisitions and justify Redknapp’s faith in them despite many fans’ reservations. Still, the lacklustre showings by Luke Modric and Gareth Bale may be of concern. At the back, Brad Friedel continued to justify his place in the team with a string of excellent saves. Together with Ledley King, there was a determined mood in the defence that certainly did not exist in the last two games. Much to play for…
COYS!!!!
Once considered a free spending club, my beloved Spurs is now reduced to penny pinching and looking for bargain basement buys in the transfer market. In the recent transfer window (which closed on 31st August), Spurs were more intent on selling than buying. Paying only £5.5 million – for England international midfielder Scott Parker from West Ham – and offloading Peter Crouch & Wilson Palacios (to Stoke) and Alan Hutton (to Aston Villa). The club also loaned out Jermaine Jenas (also Villa) and David Bentley (West Ham) thus clearing out the deadwood, so to speak.
“Now is the winter of our discontent” probably sums up the feelings of both Spurs and Arsenal fans after last night’s respective horror shows against Man City and Man Utd. Having seen their pre-season preparations wrecked by the designs of Barcelona, Man City and Chelsea on their players, both Spurs and Arsenal have had a torrid opening sequence of results in the Premier League.
Two seasons ago, Spurs pipped Man City to the lucrative 4th spot (and Champions League qualification) but in the two years following City have spent close to £200 million on new players to race ahead of Spurs. Last night, that gulf in quality proved insurmountable for Spurs as City’s expensively assembled team thrashed hapless Spurs 5-1 with striker Dzeko grabbing four for himself.
Matters were compounded by Luka Modric’s half-hearted display at the heart of the Spurs team. Modric allegedly refused to play just minutes before the game, his mind concentrated on getting his big money move to Chelsea. If weekly remuneration of £50,000 is not enough for a professional footballer to ensure that he complies with his contractual obligations, then it is indeed a sad day for football in general.
The super-rich owners of Chelsea and Man City have been given the keys of the Premiership to do as they please. Thumbing their noses at the very concept of sporting competition, they have taken the joy out of the formerly beautiful game completely. By offering and paying these outrageous wages to players, they have distorted the value of footballers to such an extent that players like Modric and Nasri have only eyes for the filthy lucre. Football is a rich man’s plaything and sport (and even business sense) is thrown out of the window.
After Spurs’ humiliation at the Lane, their bitterest rivals proceeded to have the stuffing knocked out of them hard by Man Utd. The final 8-2 score is hard to swallow, especially for the Arsenal fans and manager Arsene Wenger. Whatever one may think of Wenger and his flaws, the man is being punished for believing that football is about player development and nurture and playing the game the right way. Except that in today’s unforgiving climate, he is beginning to look like a naive fool.
Clubs are Spurs and Arsenal – both properly financially managed now look like dinosaurs in the wake of the super-rich owners of Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool. Not spending the cash is now tantamount to suicide as pressure mounts on both clubs to sort out the messes they have suddenly been saddled with. And with the transfer window closing very soon, the opportunities to strengthen are dimming fast.
As for the Modric saga, it certainly appears that the Croat will be allowed to go for £40 million but who will replace him? As usual, Spurs have left it too late (remember the Berbatov saga) and a season of attrition beckons. For Arsene Wenger and Arsenal as well, 2011-2012 promises to be a long, hard season. But as the Frenchman himself remarked, the time for judgement is at the end of the season. Time will tell whether the crisis that currently besets the North London rivals will have been resolved or not.
What does it all mean, fellow Spurs fans? Our one time hated scourge is now going to don the hallowed lilywhite! I guess one way to stop Emmanuel Adebayor from scoring against Spurs was to make sure he played for us! All the various implications aside, does this season-long loan represent good business for Spurs and will it solve our chronic striking problem?
With Adebayor’s huge wage demands (£170,000 a week), it was always going to be difficult to imagine Spurs signing him permanently. Thus, in that respect it will boost our striking options at least for a season without having to pay over the odds. Adebayor is a proven Premiership striker without doubt and it will be important for him to do well at Spurs cos he will be in the shop window the entire season, if ultimately Spurs are unable to match his (and City’s) financial requirements.
The prospect of Adebayor hooking up with Van Der Vaart upfront is mouth-watering and if Modric stays (a big ‘if’) and plays to his potential, then that top four place might still be there for the taking. With the top three likely to be contested amongst Man Utd, Chelsea and Man City, it leaves Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool to scrap for that final CL spot.
With Spurs still in the market for a combative central midfielder (Diarra? Parker?) to complete Harry Redknapp’s jigsaw puzzle, hope springs eternal but I am realistic enough to know that it is going to be much tougher than it was last season.
COYS!!!
Over and out! Nuff said… roll on 2011-2012.
Yet another ‘must, must win’ game and yet again another two points dropped against relegation-haunted opposition! Once more, despite having the lion’s share of possession, Spurs continued to fire off blanks upfront and seemed even headed by a shock home defeat before Jermain Defoe’s late equalizer.
To be honest, a draw was all Spurs deserved, as the likes of Bale and Van Der Vaart – irresistible earlier in the season – looked ineffective against the Blackpool rearguard. As usual, the Blackpool goal arrived as a result of farcical defending. After magnificently saving Charlie Adam’s 1st penalty, Gomes proceeded to foul Gary Taylor-Fletcher from the resultant corner, resulting in a 2nd penalty, from which Adam made no mistake. Crazy!
With this latest result, Spurs are now six points behind Man City (in 4th place) with three games left. Even if Spurs beat City at the Eastlands midweek (unlikely based on current form), and even if Spurs beat Liverpool (away) and relegation battlers Birmingham City (home), City would need to lose both their last games in order for Spurs to overtake City.
Yet another false dawn. *Sigh*
Spurs fans can rant & rave all they like about the controversial decisions that cost Spurs all three points in this game but the fact is that this defeat should not have been as significant as it turned out to be. Fact is that Spurs forfeited its right to qualify for next season’s CL by dropping points to the numerous ‘inferior’ teams.
That said, it’s difficult not to feel aggrieved by the manner of the latest defeat at Stamford Bridge. Whilst it is certain that Lampard’s shot did not cross the line, any such controversy would have been even have occurred but for Gomes’ individual error. Once again, Gomes has made a critical mistake that has cost Spurs dear. As for the winner, we have seen these offside ‘goals’ given time and again.
Were Spurs robbed of a famous victory? Most certainly but it was expecting too much for Spurs to use this match as an opportunity to make ground on Man City. Instead, the CL dream has all but evaporated. Man City is now in the driving seat and even Liverpool will overtake Spurs for 5th place if they beat Newcastle tonight.
Disappointing but Spurs must now take stock and figure out how they can strengthen the squad for next season…
COYS!!!
Well, after this dismal result, it does appear that CL qualification is now mission: impossible.
Spurs’ form has been fading fast in this crucial run-in – only 1 win in the last six games tells its own story. This time round, blame could not be assigned to the strikers as both Pavlyuchenko and Defoe scored the goals that should have brought us the much needed three points. In the end, it was a cruel wonder strike from substitute Simon Cox that broke Spurs’ hearts.
But really, Spurs would not have deserved victory for the sloppy manner in which they went about their business. Defensive frailties exposed with almost every Albion attack and an inability to break down the Baggies’ defensive ranks have cost Spurs dearly. Now, Man City have the game in hand and a point advantage. Not only that but with a resurgent Liverpool finishing the season strongly, 5th place may not even be guaranteed!
Spurs still have to play away to Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City – and on current form, are likely to take nothing home from these difficult games. It’s probably still too soon to call but yesterday’s draw probably signals the end of the Champions League quest for next season. Hopefully, I am proven wrong in the weeks ahead.
COYS!!!
SPURS FAIL THE REAL TEST
A 5-0 aggregate Champions League (CL) drubbing at the hands of the Madrid ‘Galacticos’ is not as bad as it seems when you consider that it was achievement for Spurs to even qualify for the group stages. Definitely, Spurs have overachieved and when you consider the numerous critical injuries to key players, it is amazing that Spurs are still in with a shout to qualify for next season’s CL as well!
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 STOKE CITY 2
Spurs needed three points from this crucial game and this goal was achieved, although at the end it was nail-bitingly tight. Midweek villain Peter Crouch was not confined to the bench as manager Harry Redknapp had hinted pre-match but began the game upfront with Roman Pavlyuchenko. Long term absentees Younes Kaboul and Tom Huddlestone made welcome returns to the first team and certainly, they made their mark during an impressive first half attacking display.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v STOKE CITY 9th April 2011
At the beginning of this inaugural Champions League season for Spurs, the realistic target was to qualify for the group stage. Spurs have of course overachieved and reached the last 8. After last Tuesday’s thrashing at the Bernabeu, Spurs must re-focus on the most important goal – qualification for the Champions League next season.
As it stands, Spurs are in 5th place – five points adrift of 4th placed Chelsea, and six off third placed Man City. Spurs have played one game less than City and the two teams will meet at Eastlands in the season run-in. Which basically means that Champions League qualification is firmly in Spurs’ own hands. Spurs need to keep pace with City before the crucial fixture to stand any chance of pipping City once more to 4th place and it starts against the formidable Stoke team today.
Two wins on the trot after last weekend’s humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham have re-ignited Spurs top four challenge. If nothing else the midweek victory over Blackburn and last night’s win over Bolton, demonstrated that Spurs can ride their luck and win ugly, if needs be. The resilience in the side never more emphatic than overcoming Van der Vaart’s missed penalty, our strikers’ ineptitude in front of goal (someone please explain the offside rule to Defoe!) and Gomes’ horrendous individual error (on the Bolton goal) to clinch three points in the dying minutes of the game.
It’s been an excellent week to be a Spurs fan. After Saturday’s unlikely comeback at the North London Derby, Spurs made light work of German club Werder Bremen to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League. I did not watch the game but by all accounts, Spurs had a relatively easy match and the scoreline reflected the dominance of a team buoyed by that fantastic result over the weekend.
Did I write off Spurs’ chances in this latest North London Derby at half-time when we were two goals down? No, I had actually given up before kick-off. Well, having endured 16 years of humiliation at Highbury and now the Emirates Stadium, it’s natural not to expect too much when Spurs play away to the Arsenal.
Well, if anyone in the Spurs camp was getting carried away with that midweek Champions League triumph, this miserable defeat has certainly set things straight. And that is the only good thing that came out of this fixture yesterday. Not so surprising when you have been a Spurs fan for as long as I have (since 1973) and our record at the Reebok Stadium is pathetic.
I must admit that I did not watch the game live (as I had to facilitate a class in the early morning) and yes, there is a tinge of regret that I missed it. BUT this emphatic victory over the holders of the Champions League more than compensated for it! I’ve read every match report and watched the highlights (more than once) and still cannot get enough of this game!
I did not even bother to watch this game. Even when a friend told me that he was supporting Spurs (he’s a Celtic fan and hates Spurs) against Man Utd, I told him flatly that there was no way Spurs would ever win at Old Trafford. The facts supported this – Spurs have not won in the league at Old Trafford since 1989 (!) when Gary Lineker (!) scored the winner. Of course, the fact that referees tend to be biased towards Man Utd (and against Spurs) at Old Trafford was a factor as well – remember the Mendes goal that was chalked off by referee Mark Clattenburg? I’m sure Man Utd fans have forgotten that incident totally.
It seems the Premier League is conspiring against Spurs this week. After that epic 3-4 reverse at the San Siro in midweek, Spurs was forced to play an early kick-off barely three days later. Is this fair? After all, Man Utd played the same night and was rewarded with a Sunday match. Hurm.
Considering Spurs’ really poor record at Craven Cottage, this is a great win! Spurs again played with one lone striker (Pavlyuchenko) with Van der Vaart given the free role in the “hole”. However, despite a competent start, Spurs fell behind due to yet another defensive lapse as Dempsey skinned King on the right and crossed over for Kamara to tap in from 5 yards.
Dutch master Rafael Van der Vaart has proved – at £8 million – to be the bargain buy of the season thus far! His two goals against Villa turned the game around as Spurs came back from a goal down to secure maximum points from this enthralling match.
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