All hail the Roman emperor!
Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 12:11PM Okay, it's getting ridiculous now. At the final whistle, the surrounding area of White Hart Lane resembled Woodstock circa 1969. Grown men hugging and kissing, declaration of (man) love (for a certain Russian teddy bear) and plenty of skipping naked up the High Road singing and weeping tears of joy. And crying too. Rainbows lit up the dark night sky and the singing continued well into the early hours of Thursday.
Yes. Roman Pavlyuchenko is better than sliced bread. His goal celebration was one of absolute unbridled happiness, laying on the ground whilst one team-mate after another mounted him (ooh err), his legs up in the air shaking uncontrollably. It was yet another release of pent up frustration, following on from his brace away to Wigan. He probably never thought he'd be playing a part and now suddenly he's the darling of the Lane. The purest of our goal-scorers, slotting/passing the ball into the net rather than lashing it towards goal.
His first was coolly taken. His second (after two Bolton own goals) was made to seem as easy as they come, with all the time in the world to pick a spot and beat the keeper. There's a bug going around at the moment which has apparently hit several of our players (Defoe, Palacios, Bentley, Corluka). Jenas is locked in my basement where he will remain for the foreseeable future. Not sure if Crouch is injured or struggling with illness but I'm certain he'll have a headache looking on as Roman has more or less cemented his place for the Everton clash. No bug with this lad. Just a buzz.
Harry was his usual deflective self post-match. Dropping in a comment about how Pav is a good lad, nice lad, can't speak a word of English. Beautifully navigated there Harry. He could have sold him ya know, could of but didn't. Quality man-management right there. Makes you wonder at what level the Russian would be had he played a part from the start of the season, but hindsight and theorising aside, the fact is - he's in form NOW and that's fine by me. Long may he continue to prove me wrong and the other doubters. Whether it's enough for him to want to stay, we'll see soon enough. He's increasing his potential value for a move away if that's what Harry ends up wanting, because Peter Plan B great control for a someone so tall Crouch is the perfect foil for young Defoe. Harry knows best.
As for the game, thank you to Bolton for not turning up. They hardly had any true sustained pressure with their mish-mash line-up in that oh so typical 'the league is more important for us' guise they were wearing. Although there were moments when we sat back (lackadaisically is what the BBC called it - pretty much perfect description) we were more than comfortable in possession and never really tested to the point where nails were bitten. It was easy. Never vintage, but not boring either. Pav giving us the deserved lead, one own goal to settle the nerves further and at the birth of the second half, another to kill the game off. Pav's second (from a Danny Rose inch perfect pass…yeah, you heard me, a pass!) was an unnecessary footnote on the game other than for Roman to gleefully continue to smile and punch the air as his renaissance continues.
Massive test for him and the rest of the side when we play the Toffeemen in what is going to be a vital 6 pointer clash. As for the FA Cup, Fulham away next. We don't like playing them there mainly because we don't tend to win when visiting their quaint ground. Better memories in the Cup though. More of the same again. Won't be easy, end to end no doubt. Will be happy to bring them back to the Lane in yet another replay. The hard way is better than no way.
COYS.
Reader Comments (54)
"Football is played out in a constant state of high anxiety, electrified by the nervous tension that provokes players into great deeds or horrible blunders. But in the second half yesterday, Tottenham became so relaxed, so calm and so sure of their superiority and their brilliance that they created chances and scored goals not impelled by fear but because they felt fearless. They did not hope to score, or expect to score. They knew they would score. There became a clinical detachment to their attacking play, a science to it, as they dissected their already dead opponents like pathologists open a cadaver."
top bit of journalism. COYS
Wasn't Bale good again? Everton will probably present more of a physical challenge to him on Sunday, though we hope that their travels to the Ukraine will have left a mark and of course they're missing Fellaini.
Great article as ever. For me one of the highlights of the night was seeing BAE & BALE BALE BALE in the same team. Last night it looked as though their not all looking for Aaron on the wings even when he isn't there. PAV you made my night & i will continue to sing your song till i'm hoarse, like today !
COYS, we've had our blip, lets push on. love you lots !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great result last night but Everton is going to be a much tougher test. While I admire Moyes and their team ethic (and Arteta!) some of the football goes beyond competitive and is just violence, rather like the way their Merseyside neighbours have played on occasion this campaign. We may no longer be a soft touch, but we do still lack a little of the necessary steel. Let's hope the skill factor shades it in our favour. COYS!
Good result last night, but we now need to kick on and go on a run in the league, but not one of harry's runs where we only lose 2 in 12 but don't win any either. We need to win 4 games in a row which is something we haven't done since the first games of the season, thats what all the big teams do and the reason the Arse are still sitting pretty in 3rd, they seem to be able to string victories together.
i love men!
tonyblue,
That's from the guardian, isn't it? After the 9-1er?
Lovely stuff.
What was good about last nights match and THANK YOU FATV, we stopped hoofing the ball longwards,(except Daws of course) and actually played to Pavs strengths. Back to the good old days of Modric passing and the midfield actually being part of the team, instead of inocent bystanders watching this strange round thing pass overhead on it's way to somewhere else!!!
But Harry does like a long ball doesn't he!
It's quite common in the over sixites.
And goonerjake, we know, it goes without saying, so put that belmet back in ya gob and shut up.
COYS
Ossie's knees are getting trembly..........
who framed ruel fox?
sure was..... here's a bit more
"Sometimes, ever so rarely, a perfect storm gathers when attacking genius meets defensive idiocy. In Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Niko Kranjcar, Tottenham Hotspur had three players at the height of their powers.
At some point in the second half, probably when Defoe scored his third goal in seven minutes, Tottenham’s players went beyond confident and into a state of certainty, all-powerful, bestowing goals on the game at will."
I can never get enough of such perfect prose!
If you believe the daily mail....... Defoe has a calf strain and may miss Everton. If so, who would you partner Pav with?
I'm thinking Eidur, maybe thats why harry put him on for defoe last night, to see how well they'd play together.
On his own, with modric behind, Ekotto at left back and Bale left mid.
JD will play on Sunday and more than likely withdraw from the England squad after the game to give himself a rest.
Eidur is not ready for Everton. I advocate the 451 as I said in another thread. We will need the extra numbers in midfield. I don't really see Crouch or Eidur adding too much to the team, not as much as an extra midfielder. We may get to see some of those elusive runs into the box from the CM posititon.
Hats off to Redknapp. I read people slating his man management skills all over blogs last week written by morons. Look at Bale, Bentley & Pav who would have thought that he would have em playing like they are 2 / 3 moonths back??? Seems like a good old public caning is what some players need to put the 'rocket' up their asses!
cock-grill
I beg to differ ... giving players the opportunity to show their worth is what gave those boys a boost.
Good solid professional performance. Did allow them too much time on the ball on occasions but hardly much to complain about. Bale is turning into a beast.
maybe your right belgian, however they could have come in with the right hump looking for a transfer (in bentley and Pavs case anyway). The fact they have been left in the cold for so long then done an awesome job must be some credit to Arry, Jordan etc
Sory to dissapoint chaps, but defoe coming off at half time was apparently precautionary as had tightness before half time. Fingers crossed, and I'm off to the nearest equestrian centre to find me a horse in labour.
Lets hope evertons team get travel weary (cue DAV and his magic box of medical tricks) sunday is another big test, one I sincerely hope we pass!
Defoe will be fine for the weekend. Let's hope nothing happens to our russkie gem. Wrap him up in cotton wool.
Cock-Grill - yes credit to Harry for realising what an awful cock-up he'd made of the Pav situation. The fact is, as soon Bentley and Pav got a half decent chance in the team, they started performing. Minus credit to Harry for not putting them in before. You can beleive the Redknapp propaganda if you want. This might sound like a wild theory, but maybe Pav is playing well because....he's a good player? Seem to remember him doing ok in Euro 2008 without Joe Jordans magic bollocking specs.....
Am, cock-grill, a question. To man-manage don't you need to communicate?
I haven't heard Pav complain about Redknapp's bad Russian. Have you?
And i must admit that even though my English is at a decent level , i have a hard time understanding what Harry says every now and then :-)
cock-grill, i'd like to agree with you but both bentley and bale have only got a decent run in the side due to injury to lennon and BAE. Pav might be a different story though.
Watched the game on FATV last night and I have to say that I was astounded that they'd managed to source a commentary team even worse than ITV. I think the main commentator was Jim Beglin but who on earth was the idiot co-commentator?
"It's a murky night in North London here."
"There's not such thing as a murky night in North London."
"Bolton trying to create a base camp in the game"
There were more but I can't remember all of them,
While I hear that apparently there was a football match on last night, the thing I really want to know is.. has davspurs seen the Rooney poweraid advert? That topless Rooney is definately on something, all right.
Harry mentioned in his pre-match that Crouch was injured or ill or something. Very convenient!
Crouch had a 'shattered ego' apparently, though I can't seem to locate it in my Greys Anatomy (the book), is it somewhere near the metatarsals as they are often the ones to break first?
Hope Defoe never suffers from the same affliction, can't see him recovering as well as Crouch by the sound of the symptoms though.
Shattered Ego - it's one step away from a collapsed rectum. The main commentator was dan o hagen, the co commentator was stuart robson, played for charlton, heyday was late 80s, good right midfielder, injury ended career early. i think
Fulham next. Can we contain the force that is...Zamora? Also, am I the only one wanting us to win a penalty asap so we can take it and score and get out of our system. It's like the Bale hex has left the young welsh wizard and claimed the penalty area of any Spurs match as its new home.
'Harry's port-a-cabin and the curse of the penalty box'. I think there's a DVD in that for Spurs (I want my cut though Mr Levy)?
Any of the guys writing from the U.S see Pavs onamerican idol last night?
Cracking atmosphere in the PL last night.
Ekotto at left back, Bale at left mid ? Hmmmm.........The more i think of it, the more i like it. This would be a LETHAL partnership on the left, but, will our 'arry' see this ? COYS
Pav is a massive improvement on Crouchy in both conviction and coolness in front of goal . It also saves us having to watch the tiresome and predictable hoof up to a Crouchy soft header back to nowhere.
Keep knocking them in Pav cos Harry is the chairman of the Crouch fan club.
Apparently the norovirus bug going through the training ground has got worse although it's mainly the academy boys who've caught it. All non-essential staff have been ordered to go home and stay away till Monday. Harry will be doing his press conference from Whl ahead of the everton game. Training is taking place in a different location. Luckily only a few first teamers have fallen I'll so far and should be fine for Sunday. There have been unconfirmed reports of a lasagne with an evil glint in it's eye and a wry smile leaving spurs lodge at high speed in a blacked out hummer.
Ok the last bit might now be true bit the rest is for defo
what are the rules governing playing in nappies? i had the norovirus a few weeks ago and crapped myself like 3 times in 1 day
i'm just glad that the 'arry broke the bale curse.
i'm also happy to see the ball moving without lennon carrying it across the pitch. bale has really come into his own.
I'm worried to hear Spooky has Jenas locked in his basement. Round my way Jermain Jenas has become a bit of rhyming slang for the old fella living down stairs, Mr John Thomas, get to point and why? Cock. Jenas is a penis is a cock.
I know you're expecting Spooky, and your wife probably isn't exactly, errr, amorous but to lock your Jenas in the basement? I just hope you get down there every now and then. Every Jenas needs a bit of mindless running about from time to time.
Anyway, it's just advice. Don't buy a the sanitary Tommy Tippee nappy bin either. Total scam.
I say boom boom booooooom..........let me hear you say Bale...........Baaaaaaallllllleeeeeeee!
Spooky - I'm not one to boast but I TOLD YOU SO! If anyone had seen Pav play for Russia last summer they simply wouldn't understand why he did not start as our first choice striker. Pardon my french but fuck the language issue ('arry is an eastender and he can't speak proper English) this is all about ability and the ability to only need one chance to score one goal.
Where is our buddy YIDDOYIDDO? You will recall that prior to the WIgan game, I offered him a £20 bet that Pav would end up the season with more goals than giraffe-boy Crouch. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Super Super Pav, Super Pavlyuchenko.
Oh and before I forget, I'm not buying a word of Redknapp's fake praise for Pav. He doesn't like him, doesn't want him there and the fact that the kid will continue to score goals will mean that Redknapp will become his biggest fan because he has to. I have to say that if it wasn't for Redknapp's stubborn pride, we would be miles clear in the race for 4th as most of us who go every week could have told you that the Peterborough game (with our wingerless wonders!) set the tone for the next 4 weeks - Redknapp was forced to turn to Bale, Bentley and Pav, none of whom he rated or wanted to give a chance to. I hope the 3 of them go on to fire us into the top 4 and Redknapp learns something about making changes when you need to, not just when you are forced to. Rant over. Good night and COYS
LASpur....did Roman have a good performance on Idol last night? I don't watch that show.
Wished I could have seen the rest of the game, but had to go to class at halftime. Text updates don't do a game justice.
"Any of the guys writing from the U.S see Pavs onamerican idol last night?"
I didn't. In the last 5 years or so almost completely gave up on watching tube. Was it a good show?
My wife watches American Idol and I got a few minutes,the judges loved Pav
Clevspur, you can get the live minute by minute on the BBC site or 365 .I guess they're O.K if you can't watch live
I ususally do ESPN soccer game cast, but the prof has a problem with phones being out.
Chiefy - for the THIRD time, I accept your bet (check the original thread and the Defoe thread!) And for the record, I'll happily give you 20 of the Queens English pounds if Pav keeps scoring; the last two games has seen him play as well as he ever has in his time with us, just hope he keeps it up.
All this talk about 'Arry's inability to relate to Russians. I thought he was mates with Sergei Wallenkoff ...
how good are everton?away not bril.w3,d3. L6.goals f15.a20.if the lurgy isnt to bad and arry gives out a good supply of corks it must be 60/40 in our favour.
Everton were poo personified last night at Sporting Lisbon. Did anyone see it? That should have taken the wind out of them a bit.