To dare is to just do it
Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 12:18AM I see there have been plenty of discussion points in my absence from London town since Thursday.
Niko
Gutted he's out for the season (ankle injury thanks to that clown Michael Brown) and played on during the Cup semi-final in agony with said injury. Along with one or two other players, he's battled on through the pain barrier and really shown that we have players in the squad that do give their utmost in the name of Spurs. Huddlestone being one of the others, who I somehow forgot to mention in my NLD match report. So I'm mentioning him now.
And Ledders. Bionic Ledders.
Barry Glendenning / The Guardian
Media in shock 'WE ARE ANTI-SPURS' sensation. One or two bias reports doing the rounds and a podcast that might make you chuckle that has Glendenning suggesting one or two rather silly things. Seems that certain chants are only relevant and disgraceful and thus must be highlighted when sang by the White Hart Lane faithful and must be ignored completely and unequivocally if sang by any other set of fans. Behind closed doors apparently. Peter Andre could possibly write us a new chant that's easier on the ears?
Judas
Can the journalists and reporters who comment on the abuse Campbell gets when he plays us as 'disgraceful' please explain what makes the player so special that he should have be granted special dispensation? Why are football supporters, you know who they are, the one's who watch the game and don't play it (clue: not millionaires, eating bagels in the stands) suddenly being criticised for hurling the verbals towards a player who committed the cardinal sin in a world where most would like to dream that loyalty is a virtue that carries substance?
He lied. He left. He deserves the welcome he receives when he returns. Can't believe it's even a talking point. And yet it continues to be one.
I'm wondering. If Ledley King was white and left Spurs for Arsenal in his prime, would the Daily Mail and other tabloids even get involved? In fact, colour shouldn't be an issue, because Ashley Cole is equally abused on his return to Arsenal's cesspit and the media commentary is of a completely different nature to the one that surrounds Campbell's return or presence for anyone versus Spurs.
It's a conundrum that doesn't need to be solved. We all know it's bullshit. So I'll draw a line under it (again).
Danny Rose goal
It's still wonderfully majestic no matter how many times you watch it and regardless of the 'he should have punched the ball better' counter-arguments from some haters.
comic by the ever-remarkable Chris Toy...click on the image for more.
Ian Poulter
Another contentious issue is the use of the term 'yid'. It's probably worthy of an article of it's own, but it's been done many times over and I'm pretty sure there was an awareness campaign that THFC did some years ago too. There are directors/fans at Spurs who don't like the term being used and although nothing can be done if 20,000 fans are chanting it - one fan can probably be removed or warned, if someone complains. We all know the history behind the adoption of it (to defuse the word being used in a derogatory fashion by opposing fans). Hence the self-referral. In some ways we have desensitised it. But it's very much a complex issue and it's one that becomes clouded when, let's say, another fan of an opposing team refers to us as 'yids'.
Is he referring to us by the name we choose to use? Or is the connotation a different ilk? It's in the delivery I guess. If a fan across the police divide screams 'You f*cking yids' at us, then there's no arguing the tone. Chelsea have thrown out a few of their fans in their home games for similar types of pleasantries.
But Poulter (he's a gooner and golfer if you didn't happen to know) is only guilty of being stupid enough to calls us 'yids' on Twitter because the media (and anyone who does take offence) will pick up on it. Anti-Semitic taunt, is what it was refereed us. Ho hum, another over-reaction to something that is undeserving of attention.
Self deprecation and acknowledgement of self deprecation anyone? No? Okay then.
Anyways, let's not lose sight of what's important here. We ruined his night. And he's a bit of a twat.
Bale
Bale. Bale. Bale. I have to mention this lad every week now. Mainly because everyone else was mentioning him every week for completely different reasons not so long ago. You know what I'm talking about. 23 games and all that. Where's his new contract?
Chelsea at the Lane
You'll have to forgive me. I'm shattered and have written all the above in one quick swoop before I go to bed and attempt to recover from a night spent in Swansea intoxicated with work colleagues and four Meerkats. Long story. So unless I manage to write something up in the morning, this will have to do for the match report:
Question. Do we have it in us to dig deep again, days after overcoming the enemy?
I reckon as long as we don't believe any unnecessary hype and simply do as we did last time out (To dare is to f*cking do, so just f*cking get on with it and do it) then we have a chance. A fighting chance. I reckon the game will be more open. Less ball watching from us - at least that will be our intention, but the physicality will no doubt be energy zapping and it's quite possible Chelsea might try to get us chasing them, hitting us on the counter. Would prefer the final 10 minutes not to be spent chewing my arm.
Hoping King plays. Suggestion is he will. Unclear on Lennon, even though some quarters are stating he's on the bench. We've got a decent record at home against them recently, so a point would be good. Three would be faint-inducing, but - and brave this one out - if we are left empty-handed it won't be the end. Mainly because of the other fixtures being played, but would prefer our destiny to be guided by our achievements rather than the failings of others. The potential failings. Shocks can disrupt proceedings, as some have recently discovered.
Wilson still banned. Corkula a no-go. Has Danny Rose recovered from his knock? Bare bones, Harry would have you know. All I ask is for the same guile and intelligence, the same heart and desire. And some of that magic and clinical punishment displayed in the NLD. And more of The Gomes Show please.
Another London derby. Another noisy day at the office. This is the life.
COYS.
Reader Comments (37)
Hit the ground running Spurs! We'll need to rough them up a bit and always stick a body on the ball. Chelsea will have learned from Arsenal's mistakes and capitalise on them. Gomes will have to be ready because they will take many shots at goal... from all angles.
Still believing! Please don't give me a reason not to anymore tomorrow boys!
COYS!!!!!!!!!!
COYS
you forgot about corluka playing through te pain barrier. shows great spirit!
Charlie did. He's another one of the 'warriors'.
I predict Drogba to try his first dive for a penalty at around the handshakes and warm-up.
Barry Glendenning / The Guardian....
Iv been listening to the football weekly podcast for quite a while now of which Glendenning is a regular fixture and i have to say. He is so blindly anti spurs Im amazed he has a job in football journalism at all. All season he has been slagging spurs and as we continually prove him wrong he either is very quiet on the subject or finds another angle to slag off Spurs. After the gooner defeat, when questioned on his consistent distaste for spurs performances James Richardson asked him if he would like to recant his earlier comments, he dodged the question then turned straight to spurs fans and their chants saying we disgraced ourselves once again with some of the chants about Wenger...... like we are the only fans that sing that song...... besides its not considered disgraceful to sing slandatory songs about the scum management if they are true right?
Spooky, use your prowess and get the YID army against Glendenning!!!! maybe we can make some noise to have him removed from an otherwise decent bi weekly podcast.....
Fuckin' chavs. Hope we kick that John Terry prick off the park. Fuckin' dick-heads the lot of 'em.
COME ON YOU FUCKIN' SPURS.......
Re: Glendenning and the Guardian, between the podcasts and the subsequent fiver column, I think he's demonstrated to everyone that he's got a serious hate-on for Spurs. But I think we can afford to take the high moral ground on this one, since, via his postings in the Guardian blog, he's revealed himself to be a sad little man. Truly pathetic. I mean, at one point he was bragging about his time at the Irish music magazine, Hot Press and all the high quality totty and tickets and boozed that swung his way.
So picture it, probably the awkward fat boy at school with a smart arse attitude who got the crap beaten out of him regularly. Then, miraculously, lands this dream gig where due solely to propinquity, he gets the spillover from the rock stars he writes about. Now, he's middle aged and writing a humorous football column with no spillover benefits. All he's got left is having the last "clever" word, so much so that he's made dozens of posts running to thousands of words in this bizarre joust with a truly mentalist spurs fan (Mr. Outsider, seek professional help.) He's pitiful. Ignore him.
Glendenning = CUNT......Nuff Said.
I have been reading many of The Guardian articles of late from a varied number of their reporters and they give me the distinct impression that they are very pro Spurs. Which is quite refreshing these days.
So lets hear the Lane Rock Again and screw the chavs.
COYS.
'av it!!!!!
COYS!!!!!
As long as the lads perform in the same manner as Wednesday then I will be happy. For some reason (can't think why!) I have a good feeling about today.
I have a sneaky suspision that we will see a bit of Lennon today, and that Harry was being somewhat slippery with his press conference. The thought of Bale and Lennon on the pitch together in our recent form gives me a semi.
COYFS!!!!!
It's typical of us Spurs fans to feel confident after a win and suicidal after a loss but I think today will be a bridge too far (excuse the sexual scandal reference). Let's hope the fighting spirit and discipline carries on from Wednesday and that DeFoe and Pav can re-discover their scoring boots. I think this is a game the lads have to win if they are serious about 4th place. If not, then hey its still been a great week/season. COYS
Meerkats? Was BAE there? He really shouldn't be out on the tear ahead of such an important game.
Was is the latest on Bale? It would be a huge blow if he isn't playing???
The Guardian. Tory fcuking rag, wouldn't read it if Levy owned it. WTF are we concerned about.
Back to reality, stop Dogshite and we have a realy good chance. Ledders rules OK.
COYS.
I cannot get how the so called 'experts' watch a game and cannot see whats patently obvious. Arsenal's possession of the ball versus Spurs brilliant defending. Sorry but I didn't see it like that at all. Spurs GAVE Arsenal possession and allowed them to tippy tap in areas that couldn't harm us. The same ploy Chelsea used against them, the same ploy Utd and Barcelona used against them, but because it's us, obviously we don't have the technical nous to adopt and carry such a tactical coup.Secondly Wenger's after match statement appeared magnanimous, but in reality we never allowed him to be anything other than that, as he was out fought and out thought on the night. And as for Andy Gray reeling out the missing Arsenal players, yet failing to mention the equally long list of Spurs absentee's was nothing short of disgraceful.
Sorry Singer,
I meant the TELEGRAPH , I was so intent on fury over the Guardian that I posted the wrong name, sorry for the confusion, god this beer is strong in Australia,
COYS.
Perhaps Glendenning and "Lawro" are sleeping together
Tricky game today. Can't really predict it but the Utd v City game is going to be a big psychological key to how we perform (along with the Chavs).
Singer - Grauniad a tory paper, that's a new one. So it's not red left antisemite daily?
Pressure off a bit.. yanited did us a mighty favor... now up to us to turn it on..
Tough game today.
Arsenal are the pretenders, Chelsea the real deal.
Today's match is going to be a game of contrast: Youth vs Old; Exuberance vs Experience. Can our young players out run and out-pace the old legs of Chelsea? If we can get Bale on today then that will be key to victory.
What on earth has Harry put in the lads food and drink this week??!?!?
This is bloody brilliant stuff this week
Dawson MUST be heading to the World Cup surely?!!?
absolutely amazing performance... breathless
I CANNOT FUCKING BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
I didn't expect much from today. I didn't expect us to win and I didn't expect us to play with such free flowing swagger and grace. The score should have clearly been 5-1.
Yids, we ARE ready for CL.
The fact that we can do what we did today after 120+ mins at Wembley, our victory over Scum on Wednesday.
We can f*cking do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whats all this crap about Gary, Gazza, Gaz Bale being Welsh and not available for England in the World cup ?
If he was Welsh he would have a name like Gareth.
Sign him up Fabio!
Perhaps that defeat on Sunday was a little bit of a blessing in disguise, we've been so brilliant and hungry since.
fuck the cup... 4th is the prize this yr
Today's match is going to be a game of contrast: Youth vs Old; Exuberance vs Experience. Can our young players out run and out-pace the old legs of Chelsea? If we can get Bale on today then that will be key to victory.
Apr 17, 2010 at 5:02 PM | IaG"
Called it. Well done boys. The dream is increasingly looking real. Well done Gareth.
Hey Davspur, this ephedrine is good stuff, you should ask 'Arry where he got the bulk deal from. Two DVDs in 4 days. Brilliant stuff, I bow down to Spooky and his post pledging undying, uncomplaining support from a month or two back. COYS.
Floating....played the chavs off the park, seriously, they were never in the game! OK so we let in the obligatory goal just to shoot our nerves to shit but I think the team do that just to keep us on our toes...bless em.
team spirit of which I haven't seen in, well, ever tbh! We've given ourselves every chance now...6 points from Arse and Chavs? Fuckin ell Arry! Give the man a knighthood. Dreamland.
I love being a yid !
"2 points clear of City now but we have to keep pressing on.
Interesting that prior to the Blackburn match 'Arry said we need 19 points from the remaining 10 matches. He also emphasized the importance of winning yesterday's match towards achieving that goal. By my calculation we will have to either win 6 matches and draw 1, or win 5 matches and draw 4. We can chalk off one win from the required number meaning we have to get either 4 or 5 wins. Our remaining fixtures are as follows:
3/20 Stoke vs Tottenham (Must win)
3/27 Tottenham vs Portsmouth (Definite win)
4/3 Sunderland vs Tottenham (Must win / Likely draw)
4/10 Tottenham vs Arsenal (Possible draw)
4/17 Tottenham vs Chelsea (Likely draw / Possible win)
4/25 Man Utd vs Tottenham (Definite loss)
5/1 Tottenham vs Bolton (Must win)
5/9 Burnley vs Tottenham (Must win)
YTBD Man City vs Tottenham (Likely draw / Possible win)
I believe we have 3 highly likely winnable matches (Pompey, Bolton and Burnley), 2 highly probable winnable matches (Stoke and Sunderland), 3 matches to get at least a draw (AR5Ena1, Chelsea, and Man City), and a match we all accept we will get lubed on (ManU).
With Liverpool faltering, Aston Villa stalling, and Man City once again showing they are vastly over-rated in spite of the their talents, 4th increasingly looks highly achievable. It all boils down to how we hold up in the last 9 matches.
Mar 14, 2010 at 7:15 PM | IaG"
Follow-up to my post on "Spurs 3 Rovers 1" blog, I think we are now back on track to getting the required number of points, 68, that 'Arry thinks will be sufficient for CL place. With these 2 back to back wins, we have actually surpassed our performance track (only supposed to have 5 points from the last 3 matches but we have 6). We are only 4 points away from attaining that goal. One win and one draw.
I fancy us picking up at least point now at Old Trafford though it depends on who is referring that day as we might be back to our normal service of donating all 3 points again to them. After that it gets easier since we host Bolton at home on the 1st of May then travel to Eastland to hound Man City for all 3 points to take us to CL football.
This just dawned on me. I feel as though I'm hallucinating and very slowly coming to grips with what I just saw.
We had, what? Five or six players out? Chelsea has Essien out. Lampard. Drogba. Ballack. Malouda. Deco. John c&nting Terry ALL FIT.
If you anyone doesn't believe we are ready for CL they clearly aren't paying attention. We can do this.
I realize my punctuation was confusing on that post. What I meant to say was they had NO injuries to speak of and we beat them on a side that featured Younes Kaboul!!!!
Get in!!!!!