Lucky escape

There was an article the other day about Harry's opinions on young footballers which wasn't too dissimilar to one published several months back (probably was a repeat). The jist of it being how easy young footballers have it, and how egotistic some of them become in terms of making assumptions they've 'arrived'.

Was Harry talking about John Bostock? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Might have just been a generalisation  but it's interesting that he cited agents calling up Levy demanding to know why their clients were not playing first team football.

You know the drill. If you're half decent, you can bag yourself a contract for 3k - 10k per week as a mere teen or twenty-year old and five years of that might possibly turn you into self-absorbed git who can't be arsed to train properly or show determination to succeed and basically think easy street equates to automatic selection. Not that I'm suggesting Bostock is the person Harry referred to in the interview.

And this article is nothing to do with John - who I'm really hoping comes good for us.

This article is about a certain Adel Taarabt. You remember him right? He's the one with fancy tricks and step-overs and dribbles that had the giddy part of your soul fooled. Yes, there are plenty of us that made the embarrassing error of thinking this kid had the right qualities to make it. Until slowly slowly we worked out he might have had the mad skillz but not the temperament or patience or the humility to be respectful.

"He's raw, he needs to play more, he's got the talent, yadda yadda yadda"

Sadly he's turned out to be nothing more than superfluous. As someone (Enter the Pitbull)
over at Glory Glory put it, Adel is the African Lee Trundle. His level, it seems, the Championship.

He's in the news for quitting International football (Morocco - he didn't consider himself good enough or want to prove himself good enough for France) because they disrespected him. Now I know that quotes can be lost in translation and taken out of context but it's highly laughable regardless. He now gets to concentrate on QPR, because he spent 22 hours on planes travelling and wasn't selected to play. Because you know, he's got to continue to raise that profile for his move to Madrid in the summer.

What an absolute melter.

Quality.

I'd watch a sitcom with Adel in it. He'd turn up at Zidanes home and give him his marching orders declaring squatters rights.

International Rescue(d)

W.B.A. v Spurs Preview

International break over. And we have around 14 weeks worth of injury layouts as a direct result. But don't fret. Engerland are back baby!

Dawson. Defoe. Not available. Michael for eight weeks. Jermain for six. No point theorising whether JD should have just gone with the surgery pre-England games, as the injury keeping him out is a new one.

Bare bones? Pushing it a little with that sound bite. We have depth, supposedly. Well not supposedly because we proved we had it last season when we were written off a few times. Our neighbours have their own plight to contend with too, so there's no point in what ifs and wtf's. But there's three points in WBA away. At least there better be. Hopefully. Chin up.

We've been dicked a few times in this fixture when Albion have been EPL present. It's tiresome. So regardless of whether Harry opts to try 4-5-1 with van der Vaart behind Pav/Keane/Crouch (pick one) or if he opts for the more traditional 4-4-2 and possibly starts with Keane and Crouch - we need to win this. Obviously. Champions League next week, games coming in thick and fast, this is what we worked so hard for last season to achieve and be part of. So, it's down to pre-match preparation, mental strength and desire. Then the application on the pitch. Professional and confident application. Not sure I can handle another Stokesque away win. We also need to get the Wigan defeat out of our system.

I feel for Daws and JD, what with some peach CL games up ahead. But usually, it's at these pivotal moments when expectancy remains high, but we remain a touch nervous. Could do with some rejuvenating magic from somewhere to re-kick start the season.

Harry has to get it spot on with formation and players. It's quite possible that some of our players will be rested/kept safe (King, vdV, the Croats) for the Germany trip. Also interesting to see who starts in goal for us. But let's just say we look to play a strong side rather than patching up the first team with current bench players.

4-4-2: Would have to be the usual Lennon/Palacios/Huddlestone/Modric line-up. Then it's either Keane/Pav and Crouch up front or one of three up front with vdV (in the hole). Bale left-back. So, sort of 442, but playing out as a 451 if the Dutchman starts.

4-5-1: (or whatever bastardised version it appears as) would have Palacios possibly sitting deeper as part of the five with an actual middle four just ahead of him consisting of Lennon, Hudd, Modric and vdV. Bale left-back again. One man up front. Whether its Moddle or vdV on the left, that's up for discussion.

I'm undecided who would work best as a lone forward (which is why I asked you to pick one earlier).

As for the usual forward conundrum, one or two Spurs fans predicting (wishing) a renaissance from the Orish forward. Others willing that Pav is given the chance. On the subject of a lone man up front...

Pav's movement and hold up play concerns me at times, but he strikes me as a player who might just score a few. Crouch has the intelligence to do a good job up there, but he's not as instinctive as Defoe in and around the box and has always been a better partner rather than the man leading from the front. Although I reckon he'll continue to prove me wrong in Europe.

Which leaves Keane. Who might, just might work if he remains more forward rather than spend time dropping deep to collect the ball. Although, perhaps with our new progressive Dutch maestro, we might see a more fluid style of play that sees our midfielders attacking the box more than in previous tactical set-ups. In my head, I can see how it works. Depends on how cautious Harry is and how much of his mind is on the CL rather than the EPL (I hope it's a one game at a time strategy).

Gallas also likely to debut.

I guess I'm quite undecided on this. Which is fine, because I'm just a fan and not the one that matters. I doubt Harry will be chalk boarding the night away. Down to trust now. What excites me is that there is a multitude of options available to us. Very adaptable players we possess. Got to get it right and play our best formation, home/away/in Europe - and stick with it. People wondered what the point of flirting with Joe Cole was, knowing his presence would perhaps cause middle field selection headaches. He wasn't signed. van der Vaart was. Wondering to continue until 3pm Saturday.

WBA haven't lost at home for a while. They are organised and it will be a good three points if we earn them.

COYS.

England? Whatever. Come on you Spurs.

The dust has settled. But now we have even more dust to deal with. Millions upon millions of pesky particles, clogging up everything in their path and our sight, leaving us with very little to see. We are helpless. Not a lot we can do about it either, other than remain patient for the gust of wind which will thankfully divert the dust storm away allowing us to once more see clearly again. Unfortunately we won't be saved until the 11th of September. Until then, joy-riding tumble-weeds is as good as it's gonna get.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. It's that time again. Welcome to the International Break.

Jesus wept.

I'm still hurting bad from the World Cup debacle. A shambolic display by the Three Lions, moaning and groaning, swollen and bleeding paws. No Androcles to pull the thorns out. We would have won it had we taken early season Ballon d'Or candidate Theo, no doubt. I'll be watching on Friday, but can't say I'll be doing so with much excitable effort. I mean for a start, no Tommy Huddlestone. He's got no experience, they say! How can he gain experience if he's not selected, they shout back! New England; my hairy backside. First Hoddle, now this. C-O-N-S-P-I-R-A-C-Y.

I want to skip this international BS and jump straight back into my much needed fix of EPL and guaranteed redemption (don't let me down) from our players so we can quickly forget about the Wigan hiccup. Will probably spend the time between now and the weekend after next downloading Sasha Grey's complete back catalogue and trying to blag myself an iphone 4 (seriously, I will whore the blog out sponsorship wise, for an iphone 4, so get the **** on it, I'm this cheap and this desperate. For the record, all disposable income goes on baby spooky who spends all her disposable time disposing herself in nappies. iphone 4 required for development work for this blog, and stuff).

Any ways, low point moment out of the way, I may as well take this opportunity to reflect on the transfer window that has just closed up.

How thin is the line between happy and sad? Very thin. Had we not gone in for vdV, we'd all be near suicidal about the lack of anything sexy happening and how we've blatantly missed the opportunity to really give 4th spot and the CL a right royal go by not purchasing a brand spanking new unlocker-of-doors type of player.

Cue flashback  to windows of the past. Blue screen of death. Reinstall required. No CD or cab files found. Downgrade to ME. Might as well go back to pen and paper.

But this time round we didn't disappoint. We got ourselves a last minute nifty upgrade. An unexpected service patch. Rejoice.

Spurs and their roller-coaster. It never stops, so you can never get off it. We have riches of talent and versatility and lush tactical candy to gorge on. Between now and Xmas, it's down to Harry to work out the best formation for domestic and European tasks in hand. We need to be able to flow, swagger and kill.

We can then re-visit the forward conundrum in the new year. 4-5-1 might mean we need a further upgrade in the striking positions. By 'might' I mean 'FRIGGING SIGN SOMEONE YESTERDAY FFS'. Why say this when the players (minus Keane) got us 4th last season?

Do you really need it answered? Go on then.

It's mainly because Keane is spent, Pav is not excelling in any great way, Crouch is great to have in the squad but isn't prolific but might be on our continental travels, and Defoe will always score (as well as always lose out to the offside flag). It's about ambition on and off the pitch. When you endeavour to step up a level, then you need to step it up in terms of quality. And it's all a bit mis-mashed in this particular area. More than decent. Honestly, feet firmly on ground, it's a good strike-force. But that shouldn't stop us improving it more so.

Obviously, it's all within our means. We can't attract top top TOP end quality, but you feel there is a next-level-forward that would fit the role perfectly at WHL. I think. Someone out there, must be one. If our scouts are struggling they should wait for Football Manager 2011 to be released and sign any European striker with a current rating of 170 with a potential rating of 188.

Is Andri Sigporsson available?

I guess we'll just have to wait for the right player and have faith in us finding and signing him. In the mean time, players like Keane (rejuvenation) and Pav (confidence) might yet prove to be useful if their personal demons can be defeated. Jig Robbie jig, damn it, jig! Pav, something in Russian Pav, something in Russian, and Louis Vuitton manbags!

But let's worry about this only if we have to, only if we mis-fire up to the opening of the next window. In the mean time, on with gorging on creative cake.

Huddlestone. Lennon. Bale. Modric. Kranjčar. dos Santos. van der Vaart. Ridiculous (still waiting on Premier League ratification on the last one).

Embrace the lack of egos (we'll have to wait and see how long vdV behaves himself). But for now, we have a team. United, with less of the Utd and more of the Hot. The giant has woken up. Granted, he's still in his pyjamas and slippers, but it's only a brisk walk to the bathroom to freshen up. No falling asleep on the toilet, k? Get dressed, dapper, and get to work.

All smiles thank you very much, because we can't be not smiling. You've heard the song.

As for England. If I want to watch a*seholes getting licked, I think I might just stick with Sasha thank you very much and not bother with ITV.

COYS.


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Crouch bested by David Beckhams beard

England win. Crouchie scores two goals. Barry performs well. So obviously, David Beckham is awarded the man of the match by Steve 'Peter Crouch would have got it but he turned me down in the summer so...you know...' Bruce. Excellent. It's been a week of insightful insightfulness, topped by Phil McNulty's blog that included this gem:

"If Rooney is fit and in form England are contenders to win the World Cup. If he is not they are not - it is as stark as that"

On the nail stuff from Phil there. His clarification on the subject of our chances remains essential reading.

"If England turn up in South Africa and don't manage to miss their plane, they might stand a chance of winning it if they peform and win all their games"

That's a preview of his next one.

IMO, the only thing worthy of discussion from last nights 3-0 win against Belarus is Beckham's beard. Absolutely tremendous effort from the great man. Completley untrimmed around the sides making him look like a metrosexual Wolverine, with an additional ginger tinge on his moustache. It's actually more Adam Ant than Adamantium.

He was ok when he came on. Did spark some life into the side, but arguably nothing spectacular. Still, no bitterness. We all love Becks. But anyone would think he re-invents silce bread everytime he pulls on an England shirt.

Elsewhere, apparently Adriano has been offered to us for free. Which is a bit like two Irish blokes in a white van stopping you in the street and asking you to take a look at some laptops - for such a cheap price it's practically free - and you think its too good an offer to turn away and part company with your money to then find that when you open the case two Evian bottles of water are staring back at you.

International break is OVER. Rejoice.

Woodgate is on the mend. Modric is a couple of weeks away from a return. And King might just play against Pompey.

Happy days. Let's get back to business.

Club or country? Spurs or England?

Do you care much about the English national team? I'm sure most of you do, but in comparison to supporting Spurs week in week out, do you get as emotionally involved? What's more important? Club or country?

Yeah, I know. You've never heard that question asked before have you? In fact, it's probably best to ignore the question because most would side with their club, because it's the bread and butter of the game.

Club football is massive, but the pressures and expectations of major tournaments still has me nervous, gutted and joyful - pretty much like watching Tottenham.

Obviously, every Spurs game matters far more than the odd qualifying match or friendly. But when we're involved in a World Cup, it's unquestionably important and equally devastating when we are traditionally knocked out by the Q-F's. It just is. Much like any Spurs game just is.

It's a bit like the cricket. Biting nails during The Ashes, not that fussed with the one-day internationals. England games deep into a championship get the hairs on the back of my neck all stand-upish but otherwise, I don't care too much as long as the team play well.

Some might argue this is just a jingoistic reaction on my part, getting carried away with the over-hype of the press and Union Jack flag waving that sweeps across the nation when England Expects. Making England a part-time bonus to club football rather than the be all and end all of supporting. Although I can clearly remember how sick I've felt when the dream is ended in the latter stages of any give World Cup. You can't fake that type of depression.

I won't ask that clichéd question (oh) about whether you would choose to see Spurs win the title or England win the World Cup. Or whether you just watch England and hope the Spurs representatives do well. Or perhaps hope they sit firmly on the bench and don't get to play, avoiding the potential for injury.

I guess, for me, club football is more important because its your identity as a supporter. England, (even if it can be a circus some of the time, not too dis-similar to Spurs I guess) is just as important from an emotional viewpoint. But only at certain moments. Mainly because its more condensed and all hopes fall upon a summer month every other year.

If you check out the link included in this blog post above, you'll find that most of the Spurs fans in the message board thread are not actually choosing between club and country. They don't appear to care that much, if at all, about the national side. It's more a case of, Spurs matters, England doesn't. No so much club or country, but just club.

/discuss