Worst. Defending. Ever.

Embarrassing. Three goals that were all birthed from Tottenham mistakes. If it isn't hard enough defending against their players on any given day, gifting them goals is the type of irony that laughs in your face then slaps your backside as you walk away with your head down, shaking, and asking yourself....why?

I was naive to ever believe that we could get something out of this game with Modric, Lennon and Defoe missing.  Although for 42 minutes my original hope looked to be justified. Although the signs were there. Little tenacity and hunger to 'get in their faces'. We were containing them. Frustrating them. But that's not enough and too much of a risk. Which it proved to be the case when RvP beat King to make it one from a cross and then 11 seconds from the kick-off, a comedy of apologetic defending, allowed Sylar to dart through nothingness to make it two. All topped up (in the second half) by Gomes and King mixing it like a shit pub dj who's had too much booze to make it a despairing 3-0.

Arsenal don't have to perform above and beyond to beat us if we're going to pull our panties down and bend over for them. All lubed up, purring.

            Fabregas about to rip the head off Tottenham...

Shame on them. Five stages of grief at the ready then.

So where did it go wrong? Apart from the on pitch suicide?

Tactically, although we needed a game plan (they pass the ball quicker, keep it better in possession and carry it around the pitch with intent and purpose) we don't have the outlet of Modric or Lennon, which left us with very little other than to attempt a quick break or a long ball up to Crouch. It was probably enough to keep us in the game until very late on. But the pre-half time collapse saw an end to that little dream. So whatever the strategy was, it wasn't enough. Playing pound-for-pound would have been equally suicidal (because of the missing player), but I'm not going to dwell on that excuse. We had players who could do a job. Or maybe that's where it actually went wrong. We 'thought' we had players who could do a job.

No pace. In mind and feet. No chance.

It wasn't enough to just go there and sit back and live dangerously. No blood and thunder. More like fluffy feathered pillows and a hot cup of coco.

Roll on next weekend. And if the Gods didn't think this was enough, shock horror, we've got United away in the  cup.

Wonderful.

If I had the wings of a sparrow...

The North London derby.

Probably the purist of all derby games simply because the animosity stems from matters of football rather than religion or social and geographic economic upheavals. No docks or waving of loyalist flags. Just two neighbours at war over long forgotten arguments screaming abuse at each over the garden fence, we are forever enemies with no chance of a reconciliation. Not unless they sell up and move back to the South of the river where they came from. That would appease most. Unlikely with their current mortgage and new home. And we obviously have no reason to leave either. We were here before them. And renovations are afoot for a lovely new extension too. And we should still be left with the money and time to perhaps organise a nice little tour of Europe. Standard class. But we should try and book first class.

And as much as we despise each other, we perversely look forward to our encounters. A couple of times every year guaranteed, there's always a bit of a scuffle. Without fail. Pushing, finger pointing. The usual bravado which can sometimes end up with a brick being lobbed over, breaking a window. Their aim has been a lot better than ours recently. Although last time a fight broke out in their garden, it ended all square. They thought they got the better of us, all smug and showing off, but we managed to have the last word leaving a rather bitter taste in their mouth.

Never a boring day in North London.

Spurs v Arsenal. We hate them and they hate us. Because we do. Unquestionable good old traditional 'hate'. I'm hoping that regardless of injuries and suspensions and the fact that we hardly ever beat them in the league (it's getting tedious now), this time we turn up and smash them up all over the pitch. Last season we rode our luck but kept believing and plugging away. We looked for a way back in and deserved the point for simply never giving up. It was a point clawed back from the grasp of oblivion. And a point that set us on our way upwards and away from the mire.

Usually at WHL we stand up and fight and sometimes, almost…almost get something out of it. All I ask of the players is to remember to bring some of that blood and thunder to proceedings come Saturday mid-day at their patch. Nothing worse than not showing up and getting beat comfortable. Their form is good at the Emirates. But their defending has been suspect all season. Might turn out to be (another) game full of goals. But it’s a certainty that if we play openly, we might well suffer for our ambitions. There is no Modric to pull the strings and Defoe to pull the defence. And Lennon's absence is one that grates me although you can almost laugh at the irony that David Bentley has remembered what it means to be a bread and butter footballer, less than a week before another return to his former club.

But if we do suffer, then we have to make that despairing journey through the painful five stages of grief that we have come close to copyrighting so many times over the years.

Denial.

What the f*ck was that? I can't believe we are losing already? Come on you Spurs! Sort it out! We can do this lot! They’re just a bunch of kids!

Anger.

I can't believe we lost that. What happened to having a game plan? Tactics? Picked the wrong players in midfield and the wing play was shocking. No balance or purpose. Hit and hope. Harry is a joke. Cost us three points. How the fuck am I meant to got to work on Monday after this shambolic display? Top 4? No chance.

Bargaining.

Could have been different if we hassled them more, applied a bit of pressure and got the ball to Crouch on the deck rather than hoofing it. Thin line between defeat and victory. If that shot had gone in, it would have been a different game.

Depression.

What is the point of it all? We just can beat Top 4 clubs away. I'm sick of expecting anything different. I'm not going to watch Match of the Day.

Acceptance.

Fuck it. Who we got next week? Come on you Spurs! Top 4? Yeah, of course we can do it we only have to play Arsenal, Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea in total, 8 games. That's 24 points. But they've got to play each other and we can make up the points in other games. Top 4 here we come!

 

Been here a few times, haven't we? You have to earn the bragging rights rather than simply expect them to fall onto your laps. We have work to do come Saturday. This is not going to be an easy afternoon. And far too many times in the past we've fallen short. Choked. This is as good a chance as ever to get something out of the game.

We are not fighting for our lives, like we were when Harry took over. Instead, rather than damage limitation, we have to be looking for something more this time round. Which is why there's no point in being negative. Forget the 5 stages. Forget the ready-made excuses. Smile. Have faith.

Our players need to still go there and fight for every ball like their lives depend on it. The difference is we are now a balanced team and have more confidence than we've had in a long time. We have taken knocks this season and have bounced back. And on occasions done so when expected to falter.

It's about being fearless but also (yes, its a contradiction) fearing the consequence of failure. If you're scared or respect the opposing team too much, then forget it. If you're scared to ask the questions and take the game to them, then forget it. But if you fear the bitter taste that disappointment drowns you in when defeated, then take that fear and use it to inspire you with all your God-given will to avoid experiencing anything other than a win.

So what if we have a couple of missing warriors?

As long as the players do us proud, right? Although doing us proud is only half of it. We don't want to be losing gracefully either.

In a nutshell?

It's about time we stuck it up their bollocks and planted a white and blue flag in the middle of their back garden. Too often it's them sliding on our lawn and posturing arrogantly as we slowly close the curtains.

No more knock-down ginger. No more shouting from our own doorstep about what we'll do to them next time. Get in their face and then get in their face some more. And when they think you're not going to do anything other than stare them out…, goad them, knowing you've got someone round the back burning down their rose bush.

Be sly. Be tricky. Be expressive but not beyond your means. Be mentally strong. Be confident. Believe.

We need to go there with intent and passion, tied up to a master plan. A strategy. It's going to be won in midfield. But defending will be key as it's the type of game where mistakes will be punished ruthlessly.

They have key players starting. We don't. Let's not try to out play them pound-for-pound. Palacios will have to bite their ankles. Huddlestone's passing will have to be immaculate. Crouch will have to torment them with his tallness (he likes doing that) and we'll have to be clever with how we get the ball to him (try feet more than head). Both him and Keane will also have to be clinical. Hear that Keano? Get a one on one? Bury it. And Bentley will have to produce the goods from set-pieces and crosses. No Azza hugging the touchline and cutting in. Bentley will have to imagine roof tops and skips to focus on striking down the enemy.

Our defence will have to be heroic and completely disciplined as a working unit. Supporting and protecting each other. And if King starts, we are in with a chance of containing them. Woodgate? I'll be more than happy to see him back there too - but Daws can also do a job for us. Much the same Bassong.  And we all know JJ loves a NLD. Step up, step up...

Every player selected will need to make up for the missing quality with determination and steel. Had Moddle been available then this write-up would have taken a completely different slant on proceedings.

Arsenal will want to give their fans what they lust for and will turn the tempo up, which means short quick passing. It might be another frantic 90 minutes. Arshavin has already gobbed off about doing us over and our Robbie has done the same. Not that I care too much about it now. Ok, so Robbie is 'bigging' us up. But if you've cared to notice, most Arsenal fans have laughed not just at Keane's comments but also at any suggestion Spurs pose any type of threat at all. Even though we are some way off the Sky Sports Top 4, the gap continues to shrink with each passing season and regardless what any gooner cares to believe, they are not half the team they were 4/5 years ago. If anything, they have stagnated and we've improved. They are still (wash you mouth out son) a very decent side. And that's all we need to concern ourselves with. AA is going to be the one to watch when they push forward. We'll have to make sure he is given as little time as possible on the ball.

It's going to be tasty. They will want to make up for last seasons 4-4. We will want to move on from those plucky memories and produce something more befitting of our progress since that fateful day.

This is it people. Derby day. Hairs on back of neck dancing a merry tune.

And don't be leaving the ground until the final whistle. Slow-clap. Sing up. COYS.

You know I can't smile without you

I can't smile without you

I can't laugh and I can't sing

I'm findin' it hard to do anything...

If you're going to the game, look out for a free newspaper that will be handed out around the ground to both Spurs and Arsenal fans. TwoHalves is a 16 page, fan-made newspaper of professional quality giving the informed fan's perspective on the North London derby giving readers two different insider perspectives on the game. The paper can be read two ways depending on your allegiance: one way up it's packed full of Spurs news and articles; flip it over and it's got everything a Gooner might want to read ahead of the game.

 

I'll be including a PDF of the paper on this blog after the game (or earlier if allowed). One or two familiar bloggers have written for it (including myself) so I guess the pdf will be all over blogland soon enough.

My article is about Ledley King.

Morning Spurs fans...

Roman Pavlyuchenko. Apparently has 'psychological problems' which is the reason for his lack of form. Well thank you very much Roman's agent for confirming that when a player leaves his homeland and travels to a new country, struggles to learn the language, lives out of a hotel for most of the first season he is here, needs an interpreter to bark out translations of basic touchline instructions, suffers from fatigue and is never anywhere near 100% fit which further effects form, has a whole summer to recover but doesn't get to start many games resulting in further loss of confidence and therefore his form remains stagnated and frustrating as he still appears to be the same 'player' he was from last season. So yes, Roman is a little depressed. Thank you for pointing this out. And for your next trick? You'll go more than two weeks without making a statement to the press. Yeah right.

How about Mr Agent stops telling us that Pav might leave and start to look at a genuine possible transfer away come Jan instead of churning out the same complaints over and over again? Can't blame Pav at all to be fair. We should never have signed him in the first place, and much like Darren Bent - it's not the right way to be spending our money. You can't expect to have these players perform at a top level if they don't play week in and week out. The ghost of Comolli continues to haunt us.

-

Sandro is flattered in Tottenham's interest. I'm beginning to think this deal has either happened/is happening/will happen. I've got the finger on the pulse me. Some ITK's are claiming its done and dusted. IMO, this is the type of signing we should be making. Sure, it’s a risk because he's Brazilian, but he's young and eager to impress and more importantly, he is a perfect under-study for Palacios. If we have any money left in the kitty, it should be spent on a DM. Not sure Jamie O'Hara is a long term solution to our midfield cover. And the other popular targets are proving to be a little too expensive (Sissoko is still being quoted at a ridiculous price). I can't think of anyone based in the EPL who would be a decent alternative. Feel free to suggest one if you disagree.

-

Robbie Keane. Does he have to open his mouth pre-NLD every season, spitting out sound bites that do nothing but aid the enemy? We are definitely on par with them, says Robbie. Our bench is stronger than their bench he claims. That's fine except its probably not. And at the moment our treatment table is stronger than our first team line-up. No Lennon or Modric on Saturday. Woodgate is a doubt and no official word on King yet. Defoe is still suspended. Which means we shall be pinning our hopes on our second string. Maybe Arsenal should make it a fair contest by playing their kids. You know, their kids. The ones that are eternally youthful with each passing season and although their names sometimes change you never quite know where they go when they pass 26 years of age and are no longer classed as kids by Sky Sports and the tabloids. Did you see 'the kids' last night against old man Liverpool? Fabianski, Silvestre, Gilbert, Senderos, Gibbs, Nasri, Bendtner, Eduardo. The backbone of youthful Arsenal, inexperienced, baptised in the fountain of youth. What's that? What about the three teenagers who started and the further two teenagers who came on as subs? Oh right, yes. Unbelievable stuff. Teenagers? Playing first team football? In modern day football? Has the world gone mad?

Sir David Attenborough at White Hart Lane

Here, in the midst of the north London plains, we find ourselves fortunate to witness one of natures true wonders. The rare sighting of a Pavlyuchenko. A Russian breed that is not often seen out in the wild so far away from its homeland. It's apologetic and worried face is akin to what a polar bear in the Sahara would look like. It is in search for respite. But much like our Polar Bear, it does not appear to be comfortable in its surroundings.

It appears to move gracefully as it looks for prey. However, he's not accustomed to the ways of this land and will soon struggle to feed his ever-lasting hunger. For the Pavlyunchenko flatters to device. Unlike the rampant Defoe, the 'Pav' struggles when he's expected to thrive. When going in for the strike he suffers from one of natures more embarrassing dispositions. Stage fright. There he goes, a certainty you think, but no. Yet another opportunity goes missing. If it continues to find itself in good positions, only to lose its chance, it will prove to be a long and cold winter for this sorry beast.

He needs to be able to pin down an attack and ravage it with acute confidence as it feasts on the glory of the kill. This would send out a message to others around him. I'm here and I'm staying. But at the moment, he's hardly noticed. This, some would say, is a perfect illustration of an animal that is lost in a jungle far away from its home. Feeling sorry for its self, it will waste away if its unable to claim a victim rather than be one. There are alternatives for the Pav. It can attempt to journey back east and look for a new home where there are less prying eyes.

For now it looks on with envy as the sometimes cumbersome giant, the Huddlestone, uses its power and strength in battle. The Hudd eats well. It never misses a meal. But then the Hudd is one of natures more fortunate souls as it roams the plains alongside the Palacios panther. The Palacios, second only to the King of the Jungle who is currently out of sight resting, is a formidable creature that fears nothing. It's tenacity unparalleled, it seeks to fight it's enemies and never fails in stopping any over-confident animal that dares to run past. We are truly in honour of its presence, and with no Lennon gazelle to dazzle us with its pace, watch the Palacios and its some what conflicted mix of beauty and menace as it protects its domain.

Sir David, up close and personal with Jermaine Jenas

And over here. We have something equally rare for altogether different reasons. The David Bentley. Look at this curious creature as it flexes its wings, but notice that there is no traditional strutting and posing. No show-boating display of its plumage. Unlike the city Bentley that can be found desperately seeking attention on roof tops and in skips, or dancing when it knows someone is watching, this business-like Bentley out in the playing fields, is focused and eager. It has a point to prove as it moves with intent. Wanting to show the other jungle animals that its more than just a hair cut.

Watch carefully how it moves. There is nothing superfluous about this creature. Every movement has purpose and reason. It wants to find a home and intends not to waste time showing off. It aids his brethren as they attack in packs, seeking to fulfil their appetites as the chimps up in the trees look on and applaud and clap at the spectacle before them. It's a majestic sight to be hold. Soon, the Bentley and the herd it belongs to will move onto quiet nearby wastelands where they aim to attack a group of nomadic disease carrying creatures and send them back to the marshlands in the south.

Moving on, this animal here is looking for its forgotten mate for it feels lost and desolate without his former partner. Unable to settle, it struggles to find form which means its directional sense is confused. It's still attempting to recovery from a migration north which was meant to last for many seasons, but returned only with a single full winter passing. Watch how it searches for something to eat. It's irritable and angry, growling at others of his ilk as it blames them for his lack of stealth and bite. But look, a gift befalls it. However rather than finishing the kill for himself, he allows the pack to move in as they all attempt to feast. But alas, it manages to strike a deadly blow and claims an undignified meal. It's a hollow victory. Watch how it walks away, embarrassed yet thankful. But it doesn't care. The Keane is able to roam these lands like a Lion in the Serengeti. Untouchable, even though the other animals know its not the true king. The Keane shakes its arms uncontrollably once again. It has been a long time since it staked claim to devastating acclaim. But unlike the past, there is no Berbatov grazing here in N17.

New Spurs stadium = Majestic

Credit to the chairman. Majestic, no? It's got an understated swagger to it. Modern yet still manages to retain a traditional boxed in look, aided no doubt by the fact the stands are closer to the pitch (in comparison to other newly built stadia).

Levy. I could almost kiss you, you wonderful bald munchkin you. This is testament to managing a redevelopment project by listening to the fans. Great work from everyone involved. I'm all giddy over here.

Reduced capacity because of the amendments made to the design? Just about 'ok' with me. 70,000 registered members. 23,000 waiting for the chance to apply for a season ticket. Perhaps we could have done with a few less exec boxes at both sides of the 'Kop' end. The more fans, the bigger the atmosphere and the bonus gloating rights to be able to sing about how our one is bigger than yours. But let's face it, we will sell out most games anyway. And better a packed ground than one with 5,000 or so empty blue seats. Last thing we want is radio adverts begging day-trippers to buy up tickets.

Corporate boxes are a modern day requirement (from a financial stand point I guess) and their 'section' looks quite inoffensive. Probably would have made it far nearer the 60k mark if we had less of them. Posh Tarquins tucking into their glazed ribs and chilled champagne in the luxury of their boxes is fine, thanks to the fact that the rest of the ground will be vibrant with us commoners. Considering the noise we make (ear bleeding levels innit?) at White Hart Lane, we'd probably tear a hole in the space time continuum when 50,000 Lilywhites slow sing Oh When the Spurs go marching in...

As for the above artists impression, loving that 63 row single tier stand. I can see myself standing bang in the middle of that beauty. Hopefully the Park Lane lot get shifted into that stand when the move eventually happens. Although it's more likely that we'll be in the opposite stand near the away fan section. If that's the case then fingers crossed the single tier end is more than just a family stand (aka Paxton II).

Also. Please get rid of that clock.

More details and pictures can be found on the Tottenham site.

Now all we need is a decent sponsor for the 'name' of the new stadium. Shame really that there are no loyal traditionalist millionaire Spurs fan(s) who can simply pay the club to name the ground something apt like...

The Bill Nicholson.

...and avoid the necessity to have a brand name plastered all over it. But then again that's just a fanciful daydream on my part. Still, here's hoping we get a statue of the great man. Would look great at the front of the new stadium.

Yes. I want the moon on a stick too.

The afternoon after the Sunday that followed Saturdays defeat...

The weekend defeat is hurting more than it should today, having re-watched highlights (I gave into the evil that is Match of the Day) and found myself shaking my head in disappointment as I witnessed our one dimensional attempt at breaking down the defensive force that is Stoke City. Pedestrian is the best description for it. What makes it even more painful is that Arsenal failed to win despite leading by two goals. Man City also found themselves pegged back. Villa dropped two points. Everton dropped all three. Sunderland lost. And so did Man Utd. We are not alone in our suffering. And it would have been beautiful to have claimed victory as others around as faltered. Somewhere, in another parallel dimension, we are sitting 2nd in the table.

What had me laughing was dear old Alan Hansen stating that Stoke were simply magnificent and cited the result as their 'best performance of the season'. Claiming three points away to Spurs, probably does constitute it as their best 'result'. But performance wise? No chance. It wasn't exactly a calculated tactical mastermind from Pulis. Parking the bus is what desperate teams do.

< tumble weed >

And no mention of the penalty shout. Fact is we had around 20 attempts on goal. They had one. The only one that hit the back of  the net. The bastards. Add to it 63% possession to us. Am I sounding bitter yet? I guess I am because although you can claim we were unlucky and they rode their luck I find myself regretful (much like Harry must be feeling) that we failed to turn up the heat, even by a single notch. Perhaps with some cutting edge from Modric and a buzzing Defoe in the side, we could have. But that's a lame excuse. Moddle has been out for a while. And JD must be wishing he could take back that moment of silliness. The players out there on the day all had the ability to do far more than what they managed in the end. Keane was not at his best (understatement - cue questions asking when is he ever at his best?) and Crouch did everything but score thanks to some miracle work on the line.

Stoke took advantage and punished us for it simply by being patient and hoping for a break. Granted, they did so by consistently fouling and time wasting. I said it in my match report yesterday - they wont be able to do this week in week out away from home because other sides wont be so easily mugged off like we were. And I doubt we will allow ourselves to be found wanting in this manner again.

Instead, its time to prepare for next weekend and the little matter of that insignificant game over at the stench otherwise known as the Emirates. I've yet to browse the message boards or forums or look at the news sites so the following questions may already have an answer:

Will Lennon be fit?
Is Woodgate ok to start?
Is King available for selection?

We know that Modric is still 2 weeks away from a much required return thanks to the all clear from the specialists. Defoe is still suspended. So we are not quite at full strength for the NLD. Although judging by Arsenal's defending at West Ham I'm not about to run and hide behind the sofa.

Harry has to pick a side wisely for tomorrows Carling Cup game (although Moyes might be selecting a reserve side to face us, so fingers crossed we don't need to risk too many of our first teamers - although I don't want to see us knocked out at this stage of the competition). We need to be far more assertive tomorrow.

Elsewhere, Juande Ramos has left his post as manager of CSKA. I guess his Russian is about as non-existent as his English. And about as welcomed as his football managerial abilities. He goes through clubs faster than Craig Bellamy on a golf course. Hope he got a nice pay-off for his troubles over there in sunny Moscow.

That wasn't meant to happen

Spurs 0 Stoke 1

Ironic that my previous blog article spoke about how we need to be beating the lesser teams and how defeat should cause a reaction of hatred, forcing a positive reaction. Didn’t quite expect us to be tested on the latter quite so soon.

Expectation and the added pressure that comes with wanting more than just the norm makes this type of defeat a painful one. I expected us to tear Stoke a new one. We’re not the ones meant to be dropping the points.

“And this season, we've shown we've got steel. We are not a soft touch”

Famous last words.

I’m going to spare you the torture of a comprehensive match report. You’ll know the story by now. And to be honest I’m currently lacking the motivation to re-live a blow by blow account of what turned out to be a very poor afternoon in N17. I must not be the only Spurs fan who decided not to watch Match of the Day.

I’ll summarise instead.

We had chances. One of which was miraculously cleared off the line. Woodgate left the field of play early thanks to a heroic clearance of his own, and late on Lennon ‘substituted’ himself leaving us with 10 men (all of our subs had been made prior to Aaron’s injury). Disjointed day at the office. We started slowly, found a rhythm that was more Jo Wood than Ricky Whittle. We then applied some pressure but nothing stamped with our trademark free-flowing confident play and soon it went completley off the boil and we lost fluidity and eventually got mugged by a plucky Stoke side (Fuller getting past BAE with ease, setting up Whelan who finished confidently). Lady Luck was not evident at WHL today. Had she blown a kiss our way then Crouch would have had a brace to his name. Niko hit the post. Might have been a penalty in there for us too.

Instead, we lost at home. No grand performance in memory of Sir Bill Nicholson (the 5^th anniversary of his passing was on the 23^rd of this month). It’s disappointing. It’s unnerving. It’s not meant to happen right? Well wrong. It happens. It’s gutting because three points would have kept us right up there. But today will not be the only upset of the season I’m sure. The Prem has already been full of surprises, so expect more. Hopefully not at our expense.

Some Spurs fans will say the 0-1 loss serves as a reminder we should take nothing for granted. Others will cite it as evidence that we are not good enough to mount a serious challenge for a Top 4 place. You’ll have some claims that it’s been a gradual yet ever so subtle devolution since Modric’s injury that is now beginning to have a clear detrimental effect on the team aided when other key players (Defoe) are also missing.

Yet this time last week I heard a dozen people say that the win at Pompey was proof how strong we are in comparison to the softer and better known versions we’ve come to bemoan in past seasons. Don’t get me wrong, this defeat grates me more than losing to Chelsea or Utd. Possibly because it’s so unexpected. But more so because it serves nothing in the way of justifiable evidence as to whether this was just a fluke loss or a clue to something deeper. Had we played brilliantly and still lost the post-match analysis would have been the same. Had we won it you would have probably found yourself saying something like ‘that’s the sign of a top club’. To win and claim all three points having played poorly.

Stoke were hardly ever in it, apart from the odd chance and shot wide and that early effort that could have stuck'em ahead. Credit to them. But we were not out played. We were just below par. And that’s something for Harry to fix because it’s a complete waste of an afternoon. We defeated ourselves. How's that for another cliché?

I’m not going to dissect the performance and criticise anyone individually. If we lose the next 2/3 games then we can have an inquisition. For the moment, I’m going to tag this with a ‘one of those days’ label and hope that the defeat stings some urgency back into the players and we don’t have to revisit this for a long time.

Everton on Tuesday. Pride restoration the priority.

Arsenal up next in the Prem.

Hold onto your...

Forget the Top 4

There are varying levels of disappointment that exist within this beautiful game we love so much. Watching your team lose is always accompanied by a gut wrenching feeling leaving you empty and devoid of any form of joy. Whether you are down towards the bottom three or mid-table or (like us) pretending to be good enough to break the top 4. We are doing nothing more than flirting with the ideology that the gap between the likes of us, Villa, City etc is no longer a Grand Canyon of impossibility. But that ideology is fact. The gulf is not the monstrous Godzillaesque vastness it was several years ago. Its now sitting somewhere between a teenage King Kong and a new-born Kraken. Ans still formidable enough to rip the head clean off your neck.

Most of us know not to get overly giddy about it. Not yet. Not nine games into the season. Experience has taught us well. We've been there before thirty-seven games in and then seen it implode in ridiculous circumstances. But one off seasons are not quite the same as a full-blown challenge, year in year out. But we can't complain, all we can do is take the opportunity if one arises. Earning membership into the elite at the expense of one of its long-standing members is beyond tricky. Even when they have a lull (which seems to be a shared nuisance that Arsenal and Liverpool own the rights to) they still manage to pull through and renew. Balaclavas and sawn-off shot guns wont be enough to get past the state of the art security that protects them. We (along with the other pretenders) have to add some finesse to accompany the brute force. You need a George Clooney and Brad Pitt to blag your way in.

It must be a little unsettling for their fans as well as their board of directors. Knowing that the money they need for their protection could dry up which would see the Sky collapse in on them. But it's yet to happen. Even when Liverpool finished 5th, they won the CL.

Losing a game always leaves you empty no matter who you are, but losing a game that carries more in the way of expectation is a far worse feeling. And losing a game that is considered a certainty is even worse. The Top 4 have to contend with the threat of the small group of ambitious clubs directly below them and from in-house weaknesses as illustrated by Liverpool's hiccup(s). The more susceptible you are to defeat, the closer to mortality you become. The threat is real. Finally.

The expectation and the anticipation and build up alone is worth it though. Every game is vital although arguably a touch more comfortable when things are going well. Life in the Top 4 is one that is never taken for granted. You can see that with the way arrogance and kidology is used relentlessly to bully and win. Add those two ingredients alongside top draw football and world class players - and you get why its considered absurd for someone like us to break in. And if the seasoned script is not followed to the letter, even though their fans may shift uncomfortably in their seats, the buzz exponentially grows. Its that do or die ethic. Losing. Failure. Its unacceptable and the very thought is blasphemy. Because a return to mediocrity would shatter the hearts of thousands. Which would be music to thousands of others.

Last time we had a taster was in the aforementioned 2006 season when we sat in 4th spot for months. Literally four months. Towards the end it was impossible not to feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness with each passing game. You stood watching, scared shitless of defeat. Because it wasn't just three points at stake. It was the whole season. Imagine having some of that every season.

We only tend to experience that type of intensity in Cup runs and have done so in the past two seasons when we've played Arsenal (semi-finals) and Chelsea (that final). Prem wise, we had the dismay of a relegation dogfight to contend with prior to Harry's revival. And now this season we have that oh so subtle grin across our faces with each passing week as we believe a little bit more with each point collected whilst others around us unexpectedly trip up. It's nice to be thinking about the next 2/3 months rather than already whispering to each other '...next season'.

When we get to January, if we are still up there and the usual suspect or two are still dropping points, then we can start making comparisons to 2006. And when people - within the club or the media - start talking about the CL with geninue belief (and not for the sake of soundbite) - we can actually say it out loud (as fans) that we are in with a chance. Not because we've evolved into a top class side over-night, but because the Prem is more of an open playing field.

At the moment its nothing more than theoretical because there's still plenty of time for normal service to resume. But all we can do is push on and it would be stupid not to think about it. And if we happened to gatecrash the party and lock the door behind us (might need a sofa to push up against it too) we would have to embrace anticipation and expectancy at that higher level making the disappointment of defeat far more draining than a 6-pointer for 7th spot.

A reoccurring membership is better than a guest pass.

Supporters of Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal have come to expect a certain standard. They do not expect to lose too many games. They expect to finish in the top 4. They expect to challenge for silverware.

It’s a completely different type of pressure - on the club and its manager and players - and on the supporters, as a collective. We take it on the chin and we shrug because points are sacrificed as part of a never ending transition and learning curve. There's no choice other than to work hard and hope.

But if we begin to change the mentality at the club and truly hate losing - any kind whether its down to bad performance or bad luck - then we stand a chance. Although these chances of success will always be anchored to the type of quality we have in the squad and reacting professionally when we don't pick up points by making it up for it in the next game.

We - as Tottenham fans - worry and fret and generally hold our faces in the palms of our hands during most games. Regardless of how the next person along might tag the importance of the game. We are an emotional lot, not afraid to wear our hearts on our sleeves, even if it means one or two of us get a little bit over the top with a war cry or a just a plain old cry. Like any fan, we want to see our team win. But we lay extra importance on games (Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd, Liverpool) because we perceive these games as benchmarks of progress. The reality is, its the games against the smaller teams that will always define our steps forward. Beat them - home and away - and let the 'Top Four' smash each other up. And if we nick a point or three in one or two of the games with Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool then its a bonus.

This is not a defeatist attitude. We all know how limp we've been, bullied by the likes of WBA away in the past and dropping points to other clubs that should not be able to compete with us on paper. See that ounce of arrogance creep into the paragraph? It's not meant to be patronising. You know what I'm talking about.

And this season, we've shown we've got steel. We are not a soft touch. We tend to do ok (home rather than away) against the Top 4. But the way we've dealt with the rest has been more than impressive. And we've beaten Liverpool already (no mean feat it would now appear). So its not crazy to suggest we can compete. If we can keep it up, we can. Mental strength and togetherness will be vital. City, Everton and Villa have similar ambitious. Even Sunderland have a swagger about themselves. That's the tier of teams that will pose a direct challenge to us. Those will be the genuine make or break encounters. The rest will be bread and butter games to build the foundations on.

Fact is - expectation, even in small doses, is addictive. 2006 was wonderful (apart from the final 90 minutes). Having that every single season is something I want, even if it results in losing two years off my life expectancy by the end of May each year.

So. Liverpool and anyone else who sits up there in one of the four thrones, feel free to keep on dropping points.

Spurs. Tear Stoke a new one.

You pulling my Johnson?

I'm conflicted. When there are moments of nothingness between Spurs games I'd prefer not to write up something contrived just for the sake of it and rant on about what the tabloids consider to be news worthy adding unwarranted weight to something that is nothing more than a dirty feather.

If I go ahead and do so, I feel guilty for jumping onto the bandwagon. Other bloggers, might not have a crisis of the soul, and not think twice about commenting and so it snowballs and then everyone is discussing it, making it almost tangible. But then like a cancer - it spreads, relentless and unforgiving. Even though most know there is nothing there. A phantom. Its no cancer. Its not even a common cold. Its nothing more than hot air. But acknowledging its existence is easier than simply ignoring it. It's an instinctive reaction, and one that annoys me.

 

Johnson, 2 years ago v Sunderland

And here I am. About to contradict myself and do the exact thing I keep promising not to. Irony only has to pull her skirt slowly upwards ever so slightly to reveal a little bit more of that delicious thigh and I'm once more seduced.

I've not been paying attention and I can't claim to know what order the following skipped into the public domain in, but in the past week we've had:

- Jamie O'Hara may or may not stay at Pompey (direct Harry quote)
- Sandro has been re-linked (looks like the same story from the last transfer window)
- Spurs lack midfield depth ('We've only got Wilson, JJ and Huddlestone' confirms Harry)

And using the tabloid formula of conclusion, this equates to us being in the market for a new addition. So naturally, the next Spurs transfer story has to be related to a centre midfielder. No shock there.

But I guess I shouldn't frown too much about selling out and talking about it. The damage has already been done. It's multiplying itself across News Now as we speak like demented Gremlins birthed from a wet sorry mogwai.

Michael Johnson is apparently a £6M target for Tottenham which will aid us in our quest for central midfield depth. You remember Michael Johnson, right? He's this weeks nomination for a move to White Hart Lane (I'm surprised nobody has suggested Davids yet).

Johnson has returned from a long period on the sidelines. Very long period. Apparently suffering from an 'abdominal injury' which he comforted by growing fat. You'll note most photos being used in the sports related articles are of a baby-faced Johnson from around two seasons ago. Which is nice of them.

Two years on the sidelines and this could be you

It’s been so long since I last saw Johnson play that I can't even remember what type of player he is. I'm going to go with 'midfielder with a bit of eveything'. If a City fan is reading this, please go ahead and correct me.

I do remember he was useful but other than being cited as the next big thing I don't recall much more. Other than people telling me he was useful. What I do know is that at Man City there are several players ahead of him fighting for first team action. And this is a fact that isn't lost on the journos either because it allows them to include a hook in their story. A possibility for interest because the lad is 'arguably' available based on him requiring games to regain fitness and will struggle to get into the team at Eastlands. If he was more than decent two years ago and if he gets fit and has no more 'abdominal' problems most wouldn't say not to him signing. For £2M - £3M. But abdominal problems are a curious type. So knock off another £1M and then Harry might take a geniune look.

Another fact is that he's only played one minute of Prem football since his 'return'. That must have been some minute for us to be pencilling in a £6M move. I know what. Forget the discounted suggestion above, and let's wait until he completes two minutes and bid £12M and then round it off to £15M to guarantee nobody gazumps us.

Regardless of the reason(s) for his time away (I don't need to paint a picture) if the lad has talent it might re-emerge. It might not. One thing is for certain, we won't be paying £6M to find out.

And as for the regurgitated Sandro transfer stories, according to press reports we are back in for him and should be signing him cometh the Jan window. And the source? Other press reports. Yes. We have a press report that repeats information from another press report that is then copied for another press report. Let's get it done before Barca or Real swoop in to steal him away from our Brazilian partners, Internacional.

I'll stop there before I start posting pictures of a monged out Crouch and Woodgate looking like extras from a zombie movie with the title 'caption competition' or a damning editorial about the misbehaving dos Santos out with his family. The heathen.

And there we go. I just couldn't ignore the headlines and just had to waste my time and yours with contrived commentary that lacked insight. I'm once more part of the system. A fully fledged disciple of disdain. Please accept my unequivocal apology for my moment of weakness and rejoice with me that we are now closer to the weekend and the visit of Stoke.

This football management lark is easy...

As a follow-up to my Football Manager 2010 review, here's my 2 cents on my FM210 demo experience regarding team selection/management for fellow Spurs fans.

In my most successful demo save-game I had Keane playing up front with Defoe. Keane as the deep lying midfielder and Defoe as an advanced forward (giving him a bit more work to do than the more obvious 'poacher' role). Keane was set to 'support' the midfield and Defoe to simply concentrate on attacking. Just behind them, Modric. Sat in the hole as an advanced playmaker looking to craft chances for others and himself. Niko on the left hand side (Bale very useful there too) as a wide midfielder cutting in. On the other side. Lennon. Simply as a winger although I can't work out his best instruction. Cut in or hug the touchline? Both prove to be successful thanks to his devastating pace.

Build your team around him.

Bang in the middle of the park, who else? General Wilson Palacios. The ball winning defender, but rather than all out defensive I have him in a support role which means instead of looking for the quick pass to a creative player, he drives forward himself. Not always with great success, but he scores the odd goal because of it.

Back four? BAE Bassong King Corluka. Woodgate and Bassong share their centre back position and Naughton is also very decent in the game (not that he hasn't got potential in real life). Bale is also good, especially in a left-midfield position.

Gomes in goal.

So it's a 4-3-1-2 tactic in essence.

Players to get rid of? Spurs get a fairly useless £8M transfer budget, which is only slightly improved if you tell the board you will win the title (crazy talk). So the following are players you can sell for plenty of sterling:

Pav. Bentley. Hutton.

You could (at a push) get £12.5M a piece for Pav and Bentley and I've managed to sell Hutton for £5M to Sunderland (who else?). So that's a potential £38M + any additional reserves you want rid of. Which is far more healthy war chest.

Football Manager 2010. Realistic.

You might even look at Jenas as another potential sale. But he does well covering either Palacios or Modric. No seriously, he does. Gio is worth keeping as he appears to be far more rated than the previous version (and there are no night-clubs in FM). The U18 squad does look quite poor so money needs to be spent there. This is a slight gripe for me. We have a very decent academy so I expected better. Means you will need to invest in the U18 set-up.

Not sure about scrapping the reserves though (which is always an option) as it would mean making sure there are plenty of friendly games and tours set up for the players outside of the first team. If you did want to follow what Spurs have done for real, then you'll be more than busy making sure everyone remains fit and sharp.

Tim Sherwood's stats are crap (true to life innit) so terminate his contract and look to bring in some decent backroom staff. You might prefer to promote one or two from youth coaches to senior coaches or just draft in some new blood altogether. It's a necessity to get the training wise and aim for a decent set of 'stars' in the coaching aspect of the game.

In fact - spend time on this. The perfect scenario would be to have youth coaches who are assigned for youth only and a first team set-up that look after the oldies. That and a decent training strategy will work wonders.

King played fairly successfully for me (although initially injured). I guess the trick here is to keep your fingers crossed. Again, very dependent on training. It’s the one area I don't actually care for too much and tend to base it around other peoples suggestions. Get the wrong balance and you'll be more likely to be susceptible to injuries. You could give King his own schedule though, to protect that knee.

As for signings? Well, van der Vaart is someone you can sign for around £7.5M but make sure the contract is a good one other wise he will reject you and go to somewhere like Lazio on loan. Riquelme is also available if you bid but will have to bid a few times to find the right amount of cash you want to part with. Depends on what formation you're planning to go with really. And back to Ream Madrid, RvN is also a cheap option and one that could be superb as cover. I signed him once in the demo, second time round, he laughed at my contract offer. So could be hit and miss.

Getting rid of Bentley means I need cover for the right side. Beckham is available for just over 600K and worth it for those magical moments off the bench and for resting Lennon.

The young lad at Naopli Marek Hamšík looks great. But may cost you a cool £14M.

The Dream Team.

I'll say this: Don't go too nutty with the transfers out. Just sell the deadwood. I performed admirably in the demo with hardly any major changes to the side. My tactic, although not quite perfect, worked a treat.

Also - make sure you offer your star players new contracts. Moddle is easily distracted by transfer speculation and you might find him wanting to do a Berba very early on.

As ever, patience is a virtue. Takes time for people to find their feet and bed into your way of thinking. Defoe initially was rubbish in front of goal (all his shots seemed to be aimed at the keeper) and although we the best of the chances in games, my forwards would be wasteful more often than not. When he found his form he was constantly on fire.

I'll leave you with some stats, so you can compare with your game. Feel free to share your experience(s).

League:

1st in Prem

Played 21
Won 14
Drn 4
Lst 3

For 47
Ag 20

+27

46 points

(Chelsea and Arsenal are on 45 pts)

Unbeaten at the Lane.

Best average:

Keane 7.66

Top scorers:

Defoe 16, Keane 15, Modric 9, Palacios 5, Bassong 4

Historically, I always guide Spurs to around 5^th or 6^th in my first full season then gain CL qualification in season two. Top In Jan in the demo. I’m hoping the game isn’t that easy and this is nothing more than beginners luck. FM has always been a tough nut to crack.

Football Manager 2010 - It's electronic crack

This is my favourite time of the year. It easily bests Christmas, which for me passed away quietly many years ago when we were last blessed with the December heavens opening up on the 25th of each year and gently weeping white fluffy tears, covering the land knee-deep in crunchy snow. Sorry Santa, but the only bearer of gifts I'm interested in is the Sports Interactive crew over at Sega and a certain snazzy looking database with an in-built glossy spreadsheet that makes me go all weak at the knees.

I'm quite obviously a Football Manager fanboy and on the 30th of this month I will be sacrificing what you minions to the rat race call 'life outside' by plugging myself into the next instalment of the greatest computer game of all time: Football Manager 2010.

Now, if you happen to frequent the official SI forums you'll know that this time of year is a rather busy one for the SI lads as they traditionally do battle with knee-jerking of epic proportions, relating to bugs and issues that have managed to creep into the release of the demo (which comes out a couple of weeks before the full release). Complaints usually range from too many in-game injuries to unnatural 3D action and various other mishaps, some quite obviously serious others not so and the rest subjective and ambiguous. FM'ers go into complete melt-down, almost like a bug in the game is a spit in their face. It can get messy. We are dealing with people’s religion here so a game that isn't completley sublime is like a Bible missing important pages. It still works but you don't quite get the full picture.

Keano from the spot. Easy peasy.

By the time the full game is released there's already a first-day patch available to fix all the major quirks and by Xmas/Jan/Feb a second patch to further tidy up anything else (basically anything that is not a show-stopper). Patches also include data updates with the latest transfers and fixes to any mishaps with spelling. The patches always fix the problems (almost always) and in addition we get the added bonus of other improvements. Most pc software needs patching. It's a recognised necessity. Its just the way it is. Personally the way SI work, many of them frequent the official forums, with regards to the online community that feedback on the game, is second to none.

But this time, things haven't gone down the same road as last year (when FM2009 got slated).

What FM2010 has appeared to do this time round is rock the 'complaints' boat without making anyone sick. Mainly because there is hardly anyone on said boat to throw-up over the side. No show-stopping bugs. Perhaps one annoying glitch relating to substituting players (it appears their condition - subbing a player early means they get a bit of an extra rest - remains low and players who complete a full game end up in better shape). And another minor one concerning stats reports on the amount of tackles made by players in matches. Other than that, nothing in 3 demo games I've played (the season only lasts till Jan) has caused me to scream out in furious anger and pray that the Eidos management rival sim destroys them in the best-seller charts.

There you go Hammers. You're just an 'other' to us...

Even the SI community forum melters have appeared to remain silent, failing to find anything to post about (so we've been spared the usual dozen and a half threads all with the same subject being posted every 5 minutes by people demanding an explanation and how they do not intend to buy the game). Instead they are probably sat in the corner of their bedroom, shaking uncontrollable as they struggle to come to terms with a game that is fairly near perfection. Nearly. Not quite (nothing ever is).

Questions are still asked about why the training element hasn't evolved and whether re-generated players (for those who enjoy a long-serving game) are to be more refined than previous years. There are other bits and pieces that have all been highlighted and those deemed to require further investigation will be looked at. How can you not love those SI boys and girls?

Much like anything else, we FM faithful are passionate and systematically anal about the games details. There is almost a demand for it be perfect and that SI have a duty to obey every request and if not 'how very dare they'. It's a bit mental. Hungarian second division player has his in-game name spelt incorrectly? Oh noes! The game is therefore deemed unplayable for some. Ok, slight exaggeration, but its not far off the truth. Others pass on data errors or discussions about transfers that would never occur in real life (it’s a game – it’s a simulation so allow for the odd one or two off key transfers). But this time round there appears to be little in the way of a massive brick wall that stops you from playing it.

There is no competition for SI (sorry Eidos) but still they aim high. And we all know it's better to fail aiming high than succeed aiming low and the boys at SI have set their sights very high and they pretty much nail it every time. I guess there is always a decent balance of evolution mixed in with revolution. This game is a progression - far more of one - than say FM2008 to FM2009 was. And what's important, that with all the changes and new implementations, is it manages to retain flair and fluidity.

As per usual, its up to you how to play it. You can immerse yourself and really get into the whole scouting element of the game and building up your yoof team. There's plenty to do with the backroom staff, asking first team players to tutor a promising youngster, re-training players in new positions and asking them to try (for example) to place a shot rather than strike it with venom. Nothing new here, and as ever there are so many things to do day-to-day - but you don’t need to do half of them if you don't want to. Which is what's so great about FM. Micro-management is up to you.

Also - there are plenty of lickle gems all over the shop. Player bio's for example. That's a new addition. And other news related items which are subtle yet very much appreciated.

Palacios passing game. Hardly a foot wrong. 

3D match engine is the best it's ever been with loads of new animations including the net which ripples when your striker smacks the ball into the back of the net and there's also stadiums/crowds and new 3D views to watch the match from. You'll need a fairly decent PC and avoidance of any graphic card driver issues to make the most of it. Watching the away end erupt to a goal is a great touch. But more importantly, watching the match engines ability to play out a game of football that looks like a game of football is what makes this so great.

The new tactics creator (classic is still available if you prefer accessing the sliders) is superb and allows you to create your own footballing philosophy and assign roles and duties to players. Now you might think this is the casual way of creating a tactic, but it seems far more natural. You can still change the individual sliders for players and the team if you want but considering you input the style, match strategy and formation and then assign the players and roles for each position (including whether you wish them to defend, support or attack) and add touchline shouts (where you tell the players during the match to control the game or counter or exploit the flanks etc) then you have endless combinations and possibilities.

To me this feels right. Managers, man-manage and it's up to the players to perform. If the managers instructions are beyond the ability of his team, then it will fail.

It's now far easier to manage your team as a unit and do so with an air of realism. I know some will disagree and I also know that some people are already arguing you can't quite control the side and the movement as well as the 'classic' method allows you. Way I see it is, you have a player - you instruct him. The new way allows you to do so and the player will try to fulfil the instruction.

The old way required plenty of experimentation that sometimes felt like you were trying to 'crack' the games AI. Regardless of what side of the fence you sit - you can choose the new creator or the classic one.

Other improvements and features? Press conferences (far better than FM2009) have been given a new look and structure and you also get to unveil a new signing if you so wish. Match analysis and stats includes some nice cute surprises for all the stattos. The user interface might take a little getting use to but skins will no doubt be available for purists who hamper for something old skool. It does seem cluttered though. Also the full released version will come with an editor (as per usual) but one that now allows you to re-structure leagues and add new divisions to existing ones. Not something I will personally bother with until I've exhausted several save games. There's also customised player searches and scout reports and a general improvement of processing speed. The UI is what everyone is divided on at the moment.

So, FM2010 gets a sparkling 9.8723 out of 10. If it gets a release day patch which fixes one or two of the minor blips and tweaks the game further, then the score will get pushed up to around the 9.9889 mark.

I'm easier than Danielle Lloyd.

So it's now cold turkey until the 30th October when I pick this up at my local HMV and I'll be keeping an eye out for the latest unofficial/fan face packs, kits and logos that the FM community birth all year round (as the game doesn't include a complete range of all the club badges and players due to license regulations).

Most polished FM yet. This fanboy is positively twitching in anticipation for some Lilywhite empire building. Tottenham. Quadruple winners within 5 seasons IMO. Oh yes, hall of fame here I come.

How to almost throw away an easy 3 points by Tottenham Hotspur

1) Boss the best part of the opening 45 minutes

2) Go 2-0 up in time for half-time

3) Concede with around 30 minutes to go

4) Get a player sent off for a completely unnecessary stamp on an opposition player a minute or so later

5) Hang on for dear life and hope lady luck smiles our way

6) Win

You might notice the above edition doesn't quite follow the same conclusion as yesteryear performances which no doubt would have resulted in a 3-2 victory for the home side. Sure, we did our very best to self-implode. Defoe, the idiot, is set to face a 3 match ban which means he will be unavailable for the NLD. All thanks to a moment of silly madness which didn't make an awful amount of sense at the time. I don't quite get it. Was the crowd on his back and if so, who cares? Shrug it off. Get on with it. Be professional. The only person Pompey fans should be angry at is Harry Redknapp, although technically it's the board of directors and the financial mess that caused the mass exodus. If anything they should be grateful to us for giving them a life-line in Kevin Prince-Boateng along with a far more healthy bank balance. Average for us, decent for them (mainly because the players around him are only half as good as he is - i.e. Dindane and that sitter).

Even 5 minutes of injury-time couldn't aid in the throwing away of all three points. Harry making substitutions at the right time, including Wilson Palacios who apparently had only arrived at the ground 15 minutes before the teams were announced and Gomes (at fault for their goal) pulled off some wonder-saves including one from a deflected free-kick which was outstanding.

This is the exact type of game/situation where we have a history of collapse (remember Blackburn away when Wilson got his marching orders).  We didn't play particularly well as a unit, but did enough. And enough is enough, as long as it doesn't become a habit. You can't argue against going 2-0 up in what was a hostile environment against a side fighting for their lives.

Blame international duty if you want, either way, we need some general improving which I think we might just manage to achieve in our next league game. A little more fluidity and end-product. A little more authoritative in the centre. Whisper it gently, but this season is going to be even more open than the last with one major difference. Last term we sat at the bottom and had to spend most of it climbing our way back up and rebuilding confidence. This time out we sit 3rd with 19 points and the likes of Liverpool are losing games to balloons.

Aim for 4th spot? Even though over the course of the season (we need another player or two in Jan to really push on) we might end up 5th or 6th because of other ambitious sides around us, we should at least play like we want to achieve something more this season. Because things at the top are changing. They've been changing for the past 5 years, ever so subtly and its now more possible than ever to play catch-up. I'm not coming to this conclusion just because of this away day victory. Everyone can see that the gap - which is still evident - is not as monstrous as it once was. And we've been here before already. I've sort of changed my tune about this. I'm not saying we are a Top 4 side. But from the looks of it, you don't need to be one for a cheeky challenge. Let's re-visit this in late December.

Back to the match.

Gomes. First proper game back. Generally thought he was bloody brilliant. Match-winning saves. Should have save the KPB shot to be fair. But let's not dwell too much on that.

King and BAE competent and assured but not as comfortable as they would have wished to be against a more than plucky Pompey. Great headed goal from Ledley to stick us 1-0 up.

Bassong, rough round the edges, continues to prove he was worth the money spent on him. It wasn't an easy afternoon for the lad. Thought (after all the concerns) that Jenas and Huddlestone performed admirable.  JJ with an assist, crossing in for Defoe who made it 2-0.

Tommy on the other hand found himself a little bit more under pressure as the game progressed (after the sending off) with too much too handle in the middle. Defoe, sharp and on-form before seeing red. Lennon was off his game and Keane did his usual thing. Worked hard, but didn't do anything memorable or game changing. All three subs did a job when coming on and it was a shame Niko had to go off as we appear to have a player who can actually hit a dead ball from the corner flag.

All in all - team wise - disjointed, poor in possession and not dealing with Portsmouth's direct approach. But we did enough up front to win it and we rode our luck wonderfully well. As for the opposition? Will they survive? I don't actually care. Personally, would love to see them go down just so that git with the cowbell is far away in the marshlands of the Championship. But tbh, they are showing spirit and considering the other clubs around them, they might pull off the great escape. Early days.

Final word.

'How to take all three points when you shoot yourself in the foot by Tottenham Hotspur'.

Lovely.