One last swashbuckle, Tottenham?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 8:19PM I guess my predicament can be compared to Aron Ralston, pinned between a boulder and a canyon wall with no means of escape. Other than attempting to cut my arm off. Although the analogy doesn't quite stretch to limb-losing I do feel completely isolated and any attempts to survive appear to be futile.
Whilst White Hart Lane is rocking to the tune of five home goals, I'll be up North. I haven't even got time to craft another chest thumping battle cry. Although it's hardly the occasion for one. We're 4-0 down. The odds on over turning it are what...astronomical, right? I have joked about how if we score in the opening five minutes, we'll win 4-0 in normal time, 5-0 aet. I'm the king of comedy me.
Pragmatically, the visit of Real Madrid should be one that the home faithful lap up and sing their hearts out as a final swan song, a heartfelt thank you to the team for this wonderfully entertaining adventure. And if we could perhaps beat them by the odd goal, it would go some way towards ending the campaign with another great memory, be it one with less gloss than the prior ones. What with Jose having one eye already on Pep.
The special one might 'rest' yellow carded players, park the bus, soak up the pressure to counter and kill the game early (and oh boy would an early Madrid goal sucketh). Can't control what they do. Down to us to set the tempo. No pressure, no tension. That should relax both players and fans. And what with 4th spot once more the priority, our minds should be on the next game. Although this being Spurs, we're unlikely to rest any of our players and will probably go gung-ho, dreaming of miracles. And let's be honest, we have no other choice than to do just that. You know I'm right. Playing the game like a friendly? Bill Nick would not approve.
I'll be getting smashed in the hotel bar, no doubt, slurring and allowing complete freedom of my fingers to dance away as I hold up both arms, hands reaching out to touch the impossible dream. Interspersed with more drink and the odd flashback of Bale's hattrick, the 3-1 home win against Inter, Milan at the San Siro.
One last swashbuckle, Tottenham? Until next season, of course.
Wouldn't want it any other way.
So hallelujah to you and the boys in Lilywhite. The tie might have ended away in Spain but glory doesn't have to be constrained by technicalities.
Come on you Spurs.
Reader Comments (59)
A win would be good Spooky.
Well done guys for a great ride.
COYS
Winning Is For Losers... Glory Glory! We need 4 early goals, and then a winner in stoppage time. COYS!
Spooky, being in a Hotel oop-norf has got to beat being in Croydon. Anything has to beat being in Croydon and I'm from there. (apart from Wigan, that place is shite).
Last week I was in Montego Bay watching the game in Spanish with a Red Stripe in hand. This week I'll be at work with my phone switched off and the network cable disconnected until I get home and watch on delay.
Back down to Earth in more ways than one. Hope fading, but there's still a glimmer. As long as Defoe and Jenas don't start that is.
COYMFS!
Agree with singer. Just for once, we are not playing "the most important game in our history". Haven't felt so relaxed since we lost 4-0 to Fulham
Now just watch Bale and co destroy my calm by going 3-0 up after 25 mins, and then laying siege to the RM goal.
Good luck tomorrow, and thanks for an unforgettable ride.
I'm looking forward to the match. It's been ages since I've been able to watch a Spurs match and fully enjoy it as there is nothing riding on it. The last couple of years have been awesome, but the enjoyment has come after the whistle has blown. The matches have been tense, nail biting, heart racing affairs that leave you exhausted but thrilled. Wouldn't change it for the days of Graham Hoddle or Gross though.
I think the lads will just go for it with nowt to loose. If we're two or three up come the hour mark, I'll withdraw my first statement!
11 Pavlychenko
21 Vdv
62 Pavlychenko
88 Lennon
90 (+3) Bale
COYS
I will shag you all if we go through and believe me it would be an experience you would NEVER forget. How do you like it boys HHXX
It's a pity you didn't write an article before the Madrid game as you always did before all European and other significant games of Spurs. For the superstitious ones ...that was the reason we lost with that score in Madrid!!
Tomorrow night is about the lads going out and giving their all, but enjoying themselves while doing so.
This is one last shot against the big guns this season and a way for the players to have one last hurrah in front of the watching world.
Pressure is off (until we race into a 3 goal lead on the night).....
This will be the first night in Europe where I won't be biting my fingernails!
Well i have bean studying teams to see if high energy is still being used and Everton injury hit Liverpool injury hit have both won 3-0 with kids playing and Kids on the bench. So if we take the same shit they and Utd have bean taking we will score 5 .The problem is The Special one has players who also know how to use shit Ex Teame mate of Toure Ady Muscles who looks slimmer and not because of his hair cut and Rocket Ronny steroid will be pumped up full of Muscles . The biggest one is ex Liverpool Player Alonso he was reported along with is ex team for using Ephedrine high tempo shit. His ex Team showed us last night how with Dirk Kuyt playing in three positions Full back midfield and upfront how to Walloped City 3-0 without the missing stars This should have shown Harry what he needs to do to score five and stop Madrid fucking cheat like they all are including Utd. Coys Energise and Capitalise we need Ramos to be sent of Ronaldo to cry off and Alonso to get carried of to win Coys 6-1 6-5 on Aggregate
What is the pre-match talk from the Manager going to be?
"For the fans!" or "Enjoy yourselves"?
"It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high... so high, in fact, that even failure will have in it an echo of glory!"
Always have hope boys. Always have hope. And if this really is the end of our ride in Champions League, what a run we had. I doubt we'll be invited anytime soon to San Siro.
COYS
"Pragmatically, the visit of Real Madrid should be one that the home faithful lap up and sing their hearts out as a final swan song, a heartfelt thank you to the team for this wonderfully entertaining adventure."
Perfectly put. I won't be mad if we exit the CL tonight. Having said that, I still want us to try and beat them tonight regardless of the score.
Thank you Harry and the boys! COYS!!!
May the force be with them tonight ..looking for (but not expecting) a miracle
Still feel we could of been in with a shout if HR hadn't totaly #ucked up the team format for the first leg
OH well no good crying over lost opportunities everyone has an off day, either way its been a fantastic run so far and you just never know 3 points behind Man shitty with a game in hand ???????
Give em shit tonight so they realise how lucky they were first leg
COYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Swan song indeed, lovely way to put it.
lol davspurs, if u can't beat them join them.
I will be travelling back from Warwickshire, so am limited to listening on Radio 5 live.
I just hope it's not Pleat, please let it not be Pleat.
(it's gonna be Pleat isn't it! I might have to drive slowly on the hard shoulder of the M40 in his honour if we do actaully score a couple in the first half).
Am actually less pessimistic about this one, because we won't win overall, so the pressure is off, and it's about doing ourselves proud.
COYS, I still can't help but hope and dream.
If we could just win tonight, that would be fantastic. If we get to two nil with twenty minutes to go, I'll be getting very excited................
Whatever happens, i will be awake from 2.45am till 5am to watch the match, they have given us such a memorable journey, and the least we could do is support them when they need us! COYS!
I was going to write a negative post about playing a second eleven, we should focus on The Scum..blah, blah,blah..Then I read the previous posts...
So as the band Journey put it..DON'T STOP BELIVIEVIN' !!!!
Got a week 'til NLD. Lets go into it on a high with some heroes in the making!
Echo the above, any win, or even an entertaining, battling draw, would be good. This isnt the night, or the opposition, for experimenting. We dont want a losing margin that will go into the history books, thats for sure. Bettering Shaktar's and / or Inter's aggregate defeats would be a start. That said, I do hope Harry makes two changes. Firstly, I want to see Kaboul back at right back. He is made for the position, adds height, strength and pace, a rampaging bull gong froward - I think he is a brillaint right back in the making.
Secondly, drop Gomes. Even if its only for tonight. Even if we have nothing better in reserve. He has been hopeless of later, and shouldnt be rewarded with a glamour game. Surely a message has to be sent - buck up, or fk off. Etherington scored a soft side footer from an impossible angle against him on Sat, while he was very clearly at fault for RM's first and fourth (the last being the tie killer if we're honest) last week. He was also pants against Wolves and Blackpool.
I'm predicting 2-2 by the way. They'll kill it off early doors with the opener, we'll rouse the crowd by turning it around in the 2nd half before Ronaldo comes on as sub and puts away the leveller late on.
Getting nervous now....5-0 would be too good to dream of. Please let us attack, attack, attack, and show them that WHL may be aging, but is still one of the greatest, if not the greatest, football stadium in the world.
Can't be there, for distance/fmaily/financial reasons - but will still have the shiver I have always felt when COYS overwhelms every other noise on the TV.
PLEASE let Huddlestone perform to the very best of his stupendous ability.
PLEASE let Dawson show his imperious might, and true captaincy.
PLEASE.....well, you fill it in - I'm sure you all have your own heart-stopping wishes that deserve equal airings!
COYS.....more than ever.
Helen, if the outcome's the same but the pattern different.... what then?
COYHFS !!!!!!!!!
This is the most relaxed I've felt all season. We're not going to win. All I want is a Bale goal, similar to one of the Inter ones, to cap our Champions League début off in style. One round further than the scum, that's some achievement no matter the scoreline tonight.
I'm starting to believe davspurs about all the drug use...
All you ever-optimistic fans - I'm proud of your spirit. But you seem to forget that Madrid barely let us touch the ball in the first leg.
Q. How do you score 5 goals when you cannot keep the ball in the CL?
A. You rest your best players and plan a winning run in the Prem.
At least we have Kaboul back to battle Ade now so he doesn't humiliate us again with his aerial game.
HornyHelen, if we win, my XXX plans are already made - I suggest you reward the team instead?
Especially Modders, heaven knows he needs it. BUT LEAVE LENNON OUT, that little midget is a wanker!
Ahhh Spooky- well said, as per usual, a lovely blog...
DAVSPURS - I saw those Liverpool players running around at 100 MPH for 90 minutes against Man City and for the first time, started to wonder whether you are on to something.
I
What did I say I dreamt before the first leg????
Something along the lines of a Ronaldo shot resulting in a Gomes howler, putting us a goal down on the night.....
Here's to hoping I dream the lottery results tonight!
"...Secondly, drop Gomes. Even if its only for tonight. Even if we have nothing better in reserve. He has been hopeless of later, and shouldnt be rewarded with a glamour game. Surely a message has to be sent - buck up, or fk off. Etherington scored a soft side footer from an impossible angle against him on Sat, while he was very clearly at fault for RM's first and fourth (the last being the tie killer if we're honest) last week. He was also pants against Wolves and Blackpool..."
Apr 13, 2011 at 1:35 PM | Paul F
Well, you saw it coming Paul.
I feel sorry for poor Gomez. For Spurs to progress, we have to replace our keeper...again. I like Gomez, but he has to be shifted. Like Jenas, he is starting to represent our fondness for and reluctance to part with mediocrity.
What was that?
Anyway, got to say thanks to the many Spurs fans who showed their appreciation for the team's efforts in our first CL adventure at today's game. Watched it on TV and was humbled. Now thats support.
Thank you Mr. Redknapp, Captain Dawson, Bale, Luka and everyone else except.....
Fk...Thank you Crouch and Jenas too.
BAE = MoM
Gomes can never win with some people: may I remind you of his saves against Van Persie last season as well as his saves against AC? He took his eyes off the swerving ball at the last moment and had to adjust suddenly. I'm sure people on here would cream themselves if only they could have their beloved Robbo back. If we can get Reina, then fine. Otherwise, Tony Parks has to earn his keep.
That brought back memories of '82 when Ray Clemence did almost exactly the same thing
as Gomes,against Barcelona in the Cup Winners Cup semi final.At the same end and with
me standing in almost the same place....some things never change !
This Champions League journey has lead me to some great nights out in Bremen,Milan and Madrid,
in some great brew pubs,meeting a lot of good blokes along the way.
Let's hunt down Citeh and set ourselves up for another adventure next season.....
Starting with a win next Wednesday !
COYS.
Remember 3 nil down to Young Boys? So long ago.
What a great ride. Always want more but it wasn't to be.
Lets stick it to the Scum on Wednesday.
COYS.
It has been a great adventure, well done to our boys. Now lets move on to the league and get maximum points. We can catch City. Don't be harsh on Gomes, it didn't make a difference, and he has been key in our progress throughout the season.
Shame it ended the way it ended, partly down to us with our failure to make it a 'fair fight' although something tells me we'd have lost over two legs anyway but boy it would have been good fun. Suicide out in Madrid and last night no lady luck to go alongside some cutting edge (did think we played well), all made worse by the Gomes error.
Ironic its all ended on such an anti-climax. Hopefully Barca will smash past Francos lot in the semi.
Onwards now. Top 4 again please.
We didn't deserve to lose last night. Some great play, the odd flash of brilliance alongside little luck. Not much else could have been done. Well done to the lads for such a superb ride, will serve us well in next season's campaign!
Bit irritated by the media describing it as our "adventure" like we were Sutton Utd in the latter stages of the FA Cup. We're one of the biggest clubs in Europe FFS.
It's been an adventure but sure, its a bit patronising. I think we proved we could live in the CL quite happily but have our limits (currently). Need to get back into it again to build on the foundations. The club, players - the culture of hunger for progress...important building block to be able to learn from this debut and come back stronger next time round.
Seeing Dawson, Bale and Lennon playing so well yesterday was great, really great, and we’ll be able to get fourth if they can keep it up for the run in, they and the fans did us proud.
Unfortunately two things worry me ahead of the Arsenal game. I genuinely thought Gomes would turn out to be the leagues best keeper this year but he’s needs to pull his finger out, I still think it’s concentration rather than outright stupidity but either way he’s had a very poor campaign. Secondly I really, really hope Sandro starts against Arsenal in some capacity. I do like Huddlestone, I really do, but he just doesn’t fit in against better teams. I know the counterargument for a team’s holding player being passive and standing off is that you can compensate for it with good positioning (which IMO is wrong), but he doesn’t even do that, how many times did they get the wrong side our midfield? And can anyone really tell me him giving the ball away that much was a surprising one off – because in the four years of watching him it’s something he always does when he gets closed down. Fair enough he’s got a gift but if teams can stop that coming into play, and the better ones clearly can, it doesn’t really count for much. Sorry to rant but Sandro’s has so much more to offer us, he should be starting every game.
A fantastic campaign which has proved we are a top drawer team with some great players, players and a management team who will have learnt a tremendous amount about themselves and eachother over the course of the tournament.... I've always been proud to be a Spurs fan but through this season's run in the CL I've never been more proud of a Spurs team.
I don't think any of us have learnt anything different from what we already knew, we may be 4 or so players away from being genuine title contenders in the Prem but we certainly have the quality and character to secure another top 4 finish... let's ride this wave!
COYMFS!!!
While it was disappointing last night to lose in the fashion we did, I took alot of positives from last nights game.
Aside from Gomes' howler, we matched the full strength squad of Real Madrid for 90 minutes. Luka still bossed the midfield, Bale and Lennon tearing down the wings, defence standing firm.
As for the rest of the league campaign, I can see City imploding again. Its all looking very familiar to last season, and I still think we can nick 4th spot, starting with Le Arse on Wednesday.
COYS.
Oh, and also, did anyone else note the referee being Italian, and literally giving nothing our way?
AC or Inter fan with a grudge perhaps?
Conspiracy theories are always a good way mask losing a game ;)
The Hudd was very much off key yesterday but i blame it on the lack of fitness he must have after been out of the team for so long. But against the Arse i would also prefer the steel of Sandro combined with the craft of Modric (who was very good yesterday) in central midfield.
Oh and skinnyhippo, in all fairness the ref did get a lot of decisions wrong for both teams. We never had a chance of getting a penalty with the blatant diving of Bale and Pav and another continental ref would have booked Dawson for some of his interventions , in general the English refs permit a lot more physical play than the continental ones. Except maybe for the French because the French League is very physical.
Just reading through the comments and re-reading the original piece with the intention of voicing my thoughts on last night when on a tangent I started to think of the change in goalkeeping over the last 15 years or so. I was thinking back to Thorstvedt, Schmeical, Southall et al, hell even the likes of Dave Beasent. I dont remember them needing to make anywhere near as many reflex saves but I do remember them yelling and screaming at their defence almost all through the match. The level of organization from the goal keeper of the defence is only seen now before a freekick, I prefered it when it was all the time and swear that Bruce, Mabbutt and such were much better captains because they didnt have to concentrate on where they needed to stand, just listen and focus on team motivation. Now captaining is a good-boy-prezzie and goalkeeping is a physical form of crisis management, it all seems like a defensive free for all when you compare it to the defensive unit of the past.
Perhaps George Graham and Gerry Francis have left their mark on me...
Proud of Harry and the players for bringing some great European nights back at the lane and playing with a swagger after so long without it. If we make the strikers half as good as our midfield we can do even better next season.
A window opened and Spurs blew in, a breath of fresh European air. Undone by personal errors, a superior tactician and a better team, the window closed again. Let's re-live the experiences, enjoy the memories, digest the lessons and prepare for contests ahead.
"We’ll never give up dreaming. I always say that,” he (Dawson) told Standard Sport. “When you’re in the competition, you’ve got a chance."
Well, we lost. But keep the dream alive, Spurs.
'The hopes we had were much too high
Way out of reach but we have to try
No need to hide no need to run
'Cause all the answers come one by one
The game will never be over
Because we're keeping the dream alive.'
"We're one of the biggest clubs in Europe FFS" ??? Thank you 555, best laugh of the day. Well, my little Spudlies, the big adventure is over. Hope you enjoyed the ride. What was the best part? Bale flashing his knickers at Real all week before the first match, in the papers. Jose responding that he ain't all that on the back of one good season and wouldn't get in their side. Adebayor shoving the chants right up you? Ah, the memories we shall take away...
Guess it's a lot easier to rumble along ineffectually in the Europa year after year (when you qualify) and slag off the big North London club each one of their 13 campaigns since the tournament started. Now you know how easy it is maybe you'll concentrate on your own little tourney and laeve others to mind their business. If you pick up a bit you may even get into the Europa next season, bearing in mind you got Arsenal, Chavski, Dippers and Man Citeh coming up... Then again, why would such a 'big club' be concerned.
Bless.
So who did Arsenal beat in the quarter-finals? Oh, wait....
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Yes Dubai, we are, as always, your benchmark. Try harder.