0-0, how exactly?

I have to say I was left requiring a cold shower to cool myself off, having got slightly hot and bothered. I'd hate to think of the mess I would have made had we actually scored a goal or three. Blistering. Pulsating. This is Tottenham. It's basically more of the same from last season. And whether our forwards (all four of them) sharpen up or we manage to bag a genuine canny trickster striker before deadline day - I'm more than confident we're going to push onwards yet again.

Let's face, we had the players before Redknapp arrived. What we lacked was direction, structure, belief...you are more than familiar with the list. He got the basics right and yadda yadda yadda. We finally achieved what we've been flirting with for so long. Sustained progression resulting in 4th spot.

Obviously, pre-season had many of us asking if we had the mentality to continue to play at the standard of last season - with improvements in areas that needed improving. We'll find that out in due course, I'd say ask the question again after 15 EPL games. And although I'm not about to positive knee-jerk after the opening 90 minutes of our season, I'd say I saw enough to have that shower running cold for many weekends to come.

We battered City in the first half. Joe Hart's day and his team will be happier with the point than we were. Outstanding Harry called it. Can't really add anything more to that. We just looked a proper fully fledged team.  No residue of those nasty depressive tears from displays of yesteryear, pre-HR. You know how it is, us fans, you expect a signing or two because new blood can add to squad depth and galvanise a side further. And I'm not saying that we should completely discount an additional player or two - but this game reminded us that we have a pretty tidy set of players as it is (we still need a player or two, but can we at least lay to rest the fallacy of importance of pre-season games now, please?)

One or two will regain their high standard in the coming weeks (Lennon still seems a little bit off-key, perhaps one too many summer Cubans?) What I (we) witnessed was a Spurs side that simply works. And did so with the tradition we lust.

Modric, tenacious rather than magical but adapted very well against City's five man midfield, running around the pitch biting at their ankles, tackling and nicking the ball. Think, white short version of Palacios with a mullet. Huddlestone controlling and dominant. Why bother to even be surprised with this? Dare I suggest this might be our most effective midfield partnership (as seen v Arsenal, Chelsea, City last season)?

Okay, so perhaps Moddle wasn't so much effective (magical) going forward as he can be, but as a unit - it worked. It all worked.

Back four - solid. BAE played alright, didn't he? Yeah, no? I'll let you lot argue that one out. Special mention re: his tackle on SWP, start of second half.

Bale is just ridiculously good, much like Daniel Day-Lewis in 'My Left Foot'. There's a reason why My Right Foot went straight to dvd, and it's the same reason why the ball went wide from Gareth's not-his-left-foot foot. Agonising and disappointing. He's still a beast though. And one of our WMD's. Keep him fit, for the love of all things beautiful on God's Lilywhite planet.

The Crouch-Defoe-Keane-Pavlyuchenko quad rotation lacked cutting edge. Heard that before, haven't we? But there's goals in them, I'm certain of it. We still need that ooze of class to push us upwards which we've all been waiting for since the end of the World Cup. At the expense of what unlucky player, I'd say it will be between Keane and Pav. If...if we managed to actually sign someone. Group stage CL football would demand that, IMO. Although the EPL has to remain the priority (and all of the above can comfortable repeat last seasons feat, but that might not be enough for 4th - we might need something extra to push us that little bit further). And how is Harry expected to keep them all happy? (look out for the next blog post).

Gio (why the persistence with agent talk over his future?) didn't have enough time to truly impact the game. But I liked the cut of his jib.

Gomes? Did he have a shot to save?

First half then, Crouch; Defoe, Huddlestone, BAE (deflected), Bale (post) then Lennon, Defoe again - all with decent efforts. Hart annoying in his defence of the goal. Second half, SWP should have scored (BAE innit), King deflected header could have also given them a goal. Pav had a couple of shots, and Bale and his right foot (arguably the easiest chance of the game) and Pav late on.

Okay, so second half City retained the ball better and had us chasing them down quite a bit, but they never threatened to the point where I was watching through my hands. Yes they have stupendous depth, but Mancini's obsession with all things defensive will probably be detrimental to them in the long run. They also had three debutants out there so I guess we should revisit this particular question (will they gel?) in around 15 games time also. And it serves to keep our feet firmly on the ground for a few games longer also.

I guess you could say we exhausted ourselves some what, but still carved out chances to win it. Toure and Kompany key players for them. Should have won it, deserved to win it. But heads up, it was a corker of a 0-0.

Clinical. That's the word for the weeks ahead. Make possession count, and try to avoid making the opposition goalkeeper man of the match, by ya know, sort of placing the ball out of his reach.

Laters.

It Begins

After 3 months of purgatory, we are back. Strap yourselves in. We're about to plunge down the other side of the rollercoaster.

Any discussion of our chances this season seems to be based around how well Man City are going to do. Personally, I think their transfer activity this season is some kind of cruel joke. Has their ever been a more colossal waste of £150 mil? Who exactly has made these transfer decisions? Because you can pretty much guarantee Mancini wouldn't have spent £5 mil on Ray Houghton, let alone £30 mil on James Milner.

I can hardly think this without guffawing out loud, like some nutcase, but is it actually Brian Marwood buying these players? Really? Brian Marwood? Sky Sports League 1 co-commentator extraordinaire? That explains a few things then. Yaya Toure is a poor man's Seydou Keita. James Milner is Steve Guppy on shedloads of creatine. David Silva was only ever any use as David Villa's lickspittle. Jerome Boateng - what are you actually buying here? A right back? A centre back? Helloooo!! Anyone at home??? Balotelli is going to be the black, attacking version of Marco Matterazzi. The PL will be too much for him, and he will be reduced to a foaming bucket of tears with alarming regularity.

Liverpool will be more of a threat. And that's not saying much. Jovanovic is a decent player, but really nowhere near the standard required for what Liverpool want to achieve. He will be like a slightly less clumsy Dirk Kuyt. Everton will be useful, but will ultimately be crippled by their manager’s simplistic, conservative playing style.

This just leaves Super Spurs. Transfer activity has been quiet, but I can't help but feel that's a good thing. The prospect of Micah Richards and Scott Parker left me cold inside. I've seen enough from the Kyles to suggest that both will be pretty decent players for us this season. Naughton looks ridiculously comfortable on the ball, and is a proper defender to boot. Walker looks like a truly awesome product, someone who will probably end up playing CB or CM. With some of Jordsy and Bondsy's magic coaching juice, I can see these players both making great strides this season, and not ending up drifting, aimlessly....like Micah Richards.

Sandro will soon be arriving, and interestingly enough O'Hara remains on the scene. I can't believe there have been no loan offers for him yet, but I also can't believe that Harry plans to actually play him. Maybe he is waiting to use the lad as a makeweight in a future transfer deal.

I like to think that Levy is playing an influential role in transfer dealings. I like to think he has told Harry he's not wasting 10-15 mil on mid-level domestic players. Ultimately, our best players (Gomes, Bale, Modric, Hudd) have not been established, PL players. They have been foreign imports or Championship wunderkids. I like to think Levy has realised this. Having said all that, the more the summer has gone on, the more I've warmed to the idea of getting Bellamy in. But to do so, Keane would have to leave. Levy's business mind probably won't allow him to let Keane leave for less that his value, but I have a feeling he will be off before the window closes. 

Harry knows something is missing up top. We heard his slightly uncharacteristic dressing down of Defoe on more than one occasion last season. It's almost fate that Dos Santos played his way back into the reckoning in Africa. I for one, and Harry for two, must be excited about the prospect of pairing him with Big Pav. Expect Defoe to start, but don't be surprised to see him yanked for Dos Santos at the first sign of stagnation. Playing Dos Santos in an inevitably more withdrawn role will also probably necessitate playing Bale on the left, as his penetration up front will be much needed.

But it seems Harry is set on playing young Gareth at left back. Probably they key to all this will be how well Sandro plays in the centre of midfield. If he turns out to be the player we all hope and dream of, then Modric will play on the left, and Bale at left back. If he doesn't, then it's Modric in CM and everyone favourite hairstyle, Benoit, at LB. I have implored Harry to buy another left back, but I suppose if you intend Sandro to be a first team regular, you don't need another left back. But we'll see. One of our strongest aspects last season was our ability to adapt and change and think on our feet, so if Harry has to make some tough choices, he'll make them.

I think a vast majority of our transfer activity will take place after Tuesday night. If we win, expect Crouch, Keane, or even both to leave, and some heavenly being to ride into town to lead us to the Promised Land. I haven't given up hope on Forlan yet. I'm half suspicious that some kind of deal has already been struck. We can dream can't we? Didn't do us any harm last season did it.....

Harry has already laid down his marker for the season, much in the same way as he did last season. We all recoiled in horror when he boldly proclaimed 4th was well within our grasp. I suspect that due to the success of his wild talk last season, we were all slightly less horrified than we might have been to hear him talk up our title chances. But bear in mind, this boast is also a veiled threat to the squad. He's saying 'you lot are good enough to mix it with the best, and if you don't, I'll ruthlessly root out those who are holding us back'. Some players will take it as a threat. Some will use it as motivation. Some will feel the proverbial ten feet tall. This is who it's really aimed at. The likes of Gomes, Bale, Modric, Hudd and King. They know what is expected of them, and to be honest it's no less than they expect of themselves.

Game on.

by guest-blogger Chrisman.

How many times did you give up last season?

How many times did you give up last season? I know some of the knee-jerkers amongst us probably gave up after we got trounced by three of the top four early season. After that, there was possibly a further five or six times that fourth was deemed 'out of reach'. Yet, we persevered and dug deeper than ever. Sure, I had some minor moments of doubt. Who wouldn't with our history of choking? But I sang on this here blog many times about the virtues of belief. The impossible dream became a reality and now, as we fast approach EPL 2011, there appears to be something eerie about the start of this brand new season.

It's almost like Neo from the Matrix has slowed things down, so much so that he's fallen asleep on the sofa, cup of tea on table, slippers falling off his feet.

Is it the despairing World Cup England had or the fact that the transfer marker remains in a comatose state? I'm not feeling the pressure. Perhaps I've yet to be bitten by the bug. I'm not nervous. More pragmatic. But heart ready to be placed on sleeve. I'll explain...

Purely from a THFC standpoint, it's in our nature to be at times (LOL) pessimistic. It's a defensive stance. In fact, for many people regardless of club colours, discussing and then assuming the worst allows them to prepare for it. Just in case. It's not exactly wearing your heart on your sleeve because you are in essence protecting yourself from the big fail. And some of our fickle faithful are guilty as charged. Although that 1-0 up at Eastland's had me biting my hands off such was the intensity of the occasion. But I'm not talking about one off games. I'm talking about our ambitions for the season ahead. Our mentality. As individuals and a collective (a rather famous thread over at one Spurs forum at the start of last season spoke about relegation fears. No joke).

Ostrich with head in sand is so yesteryear. Where's the peacock showing off its plumage?

We have more or less the same squad of players that got us into 4th with some slight improvements, yet you'd think we are somehow weaker for it. Not saying everyone is thinking this way, but I guess there is concern over why we've not strengthened massively considering that after years of trying we've cracked the big time. Consolidate, right? Buy big. Draft in a superstar. Make a statement to everyone. Close the gap further.

Well, that would be good if there was actually some viable affordable players out there. We need some tinkering in some areas, one or two players to make sure the squad is beefed up for our two main priorities, but no major surgical work is required. Botox rather than a nose job - Although liposuction might be an unavoidable treatment (out with the excess). Anyways, the priorities:

1) Finish in the top 4
2) Get into the CL group stages and enjoy it

All eyes will be on City again because of money spent. Man Utd and Chelsea will be the title favourites, although neither are exactly worlds apart from the chasing pack. Arsenal are becoming more and more like us. Pretty football, no end product, and no silverware (well, not completely like us then). Liverpool - who knows? They might find the resolve to fight it through till the end much like we did. Back to basics for them, might just work. Villa you can probably discount what with the goings on there at the moment. Everton could be the dark horses as they seem to duck and duck in and out of challenging the top tier. They are due one.

So, not much has really changed. This season is going to be last season with a couple of extra bells on it. There has been no mammoth game-changing factors introduced. If you're going to say City, they've had another influx of players - need to let some go and will probably need to re-shuffle and find their feet...again. Their chances concerning 4th might well be dependent on the form of the teams around them...again. If they do power themselves into the top four places early doors, then we might find ourselves with genuine fragmentation. Well, depending on the club they replace. I'll let you decide what's better for football. City in the top 4 or Liverpool. I'd say I'd be happy with both as long as Arsenal finish 5th and we finish above them.

Back to our challenge of finishing top 4 - we've made it there the once. We know what it takes. We've learnt some valuable lessons in defeat. We found new levels of performance and grit. We have experience and application we've not seen before. We finished 4th, we didn't win a medal for it, but there comes a maturity from the achievement that will serve us well this season. This season is not a transitional season. We simply seek consistency. Continued structure. We know where we need to improve and we know our strengths and how to use them. The trick is to look forwards not back.

Belief.

All we need to do is believe.

The doubt, I think, sits with the concern that if we lose one or two key players we might struggle with competing in both the league and the CL. Last season, we - at any given moment - missed key player(s). It's mouth-watering if we avoid injuries, to have the likes of Modric, Lennon etc all season long with others (Bale anyone?) firing on all cylinders too. That's probably my only concern. I'd welcome a talisman of a forward - but I'd say a couple of new squad players just to make sure we are never left short is a vital to our plans.

The progression of Harry Redknapp's Tottenham goes on. So, perhaps my particular eerie feeling has to do with being confident, more so than pessimistic. I'm not fazed. Neither should our players be.

One thing I'd like to see is for us to win a Prem game away to one of the 'Sky Top 4'. It's not the moon on a stick. It's three points.

COYS.

Spurs v Man City: Class Wars

Another week, another video with teddy bears with distorted Stephen Hawkingesque American sounding accents. Because it's the type of thing we associate best with.

Third in the series this. It's a bit like Return of the Jedi. I guess this one lacks the dark side of the ITK video (Empire) and the charm of the Jenas video (New Hope). The protagonists might look like Ewoks in drag, but just count yourself lucky there's no Jar Jar Binks. 

The discussion this time round? Football, obviously, sort of. Spurs and Man City. Indirectly. It's subtle. Bull in china shop subtle. It's either going to be genius or it's going to f*cking suck. I'd say 'enjoy', but you'll probably boo and hiss at the end of it, leaving me feeling like Billy Walsh at Cannes when Medellín premièred.

I promise the next batch of vids will be 'non-directors cut length' which should appease the masses with short attention spans who wish to waste their bandwidth elsewhere. I'd say three minutes at best. That's a minute longer than most of you would last with that 800 Euro hooker Crouchie bagged. Boom boom etc etc. Honestly, no need to get my coat, I'm wearing it.

An explosion of glory

It's all gone a bit quiet. What with the World Cup, Germany on Sunday and the stupendously hot weather across England. Remembering last year, the blogsphere was a busy place, what with the continuous drip drip of ITK rumours that seemed to persist across the summer months and pre-season. I guess it's the calm before the storm. But having kept an eye on the transfer stories, other than Joe Cole, there's been very little to cite and chat about. And posting for the sake of posting? I guess that's what I'm doing now. So, rather than bang on about nothing much, here's another look back to the most pivotal moment of last season. It's a bit special around the eight minute mark.

Enjoy.

And click here if you want to see Fabio bully Stuart Pearce.

Buzzing, just buzzing...

Not sure where to begin. There is so much to take in, I can hardly concentrate on matters concerning in-depth analysis. I know I sound like a broken record, but I always knew we'd do it. I've banged on about it for ages now. I think most of us could see it but could hardly even consider embracing the idea, because in our heads, that would be as close to jinxing it as we could possibly come. This quote from AANP sums it up:

"As a long-time Spurs-supporting chum put it to me yesterday, we’re not built for this sort of thing. Let-downs and heartbreaks we can deal with, but this business of every single blasted game coming loaded with significance is just too much to take"

And when the stakes are high, the faster the heart beats and the more intense and unbearable things are. Which is why a defeat here or there had some of the faithful, knee-jerking. It's a defensive inbuilt psychological mechanism that aids us, protects us from the disappointments. Same old Tottenham we say. And when disaster strikes, we shrug knowingly and then look forward to next season.

The semi-final and the 3-1 up at Sunderland have proved to be in some ways inspirational to the team.

9 wins out of 11 games to secure glory. That's just fantastic. Unquestionably fantastic.

What we've gone and done has made every single miserable moment worth it because this win, this historic moment, is all the better for the pain suffered in the past. Next season? I can't wait for it. Is it small time to celebrate this achievement? Of course not. Considering how bastard hard it's been in the past decade to get anywhere near the Top 4.

So, I'm now going to attempt a match review. This is gonna be messy.

I can't say I enjoyed the match. The experience made me sick. Even with my continued confidence since Christmas, it all appeared to desert me just before kick-off. I found myself shifting uncomfortably, almost not wanting to watch, preferring if possible to lose myself in a trance for 90 minutes and awake to find we've won. No such luck. I had to endure it, and for the first time this season I was actually incapable of retaining any form of composure. I found myself dismantling every nano-second of the game, micro-analysing it to the nth degree. It all played out in slow-mo.

21 wins in 28 games for City at home. But we hardly ever lose up there. The stats being churned out just made me dizzy. This was the £30M/£40M/£50M match they said. Cash Wednesday (seriously, only Sky could call it that). The play-off.

Bricking it big time.

First half, was okay. Not amazing. Something lacked, at least that's how I was seeing it. Lennon and Bale not so much in the game thanks to the constant hoofing of the ball up to Crouch. Our play seemed rushed at times. All a bit too much too soon too little. No retention of the ball. City were having a go. We were just a tad too passive. But with hindsight I guess we were measuring up the opposition. Slowly slowly getting a grip of the game. Patiently waiting for the tempo to change in our favour. Which it did in the second half.

However, the nerves obviously blinded me because a neutral would have pointed out that the game could have been 2-0 either way. 0-0 was good, for us. Just needed to test Fulop more. Crouch unlucky with his effort off the woodwork. King scored. Should have counted. Tevez a menace for City.

I found myself thinking 'this is f*cking bollocks Spurs. Get stuck in, and smash these over-rated ****'s out of their own ground'. Wanted to see a bit of that dare to do dance from the boys in Lilywhite.

Second half. Lennon on a run across the middle, doesn't pass to Bale, shoots, wasted. 55 minutes in, first shot on target that Fulop was made to save. Decent effort from JD. Hudd stamps. Lucky with the yellow. Still need to be brave. Modric showing great spirit and fight in the middle of the park. More action. Moddle getting crowded out in the box. Lennon cross, defended well. Then a cross and Defoe and Crouch stretching…almost, almost. Agonising.

Then the word ominous appeared in front of me in the form of a footballing God, all smug and arrogant, asking me how things were going, before disappearing with a cheeky wink. The git.

I was emotionally dead at this point. And although I could not see it at the time, we were bossing it. Creating chances. And City's flirtatious first half of attacks was becoming a distant memory.

Lennon off, Bentley on. Heart stopped for a brief moment when Gomes allowed the ball to go under his foot. Then we had a mazy mazy Crouchie run. My heart. My poor poor heart.

In the midst of all this, when City did have a moment, we had Ledley King. You know him right? He's the one that isn't human. Phenomenal player. The block from Tevez, just amazing. You shall not pass indeed.

Just before that, Fulop pulls off a stupendous save. Or just saves a weak Crouch header. Depends how badly you knee-jerked at the time. I held my head in my hands.

Then it happened.

Before kick-off, around 6pm or so, Chas (from Chas and Dave, obviously) was interviewed on a London news programme. He cited Crouch and said he felt he would be instrumental in the game. I sort of scoffed. This was before the sides were announced. Amazing In the Know knowledge from Chas. Even though he looked a bit dazed on the piano, he was on the money with his prediction.

Fulop, having palmed the ball instinctively away from a Kaboul cross, deflected off Bridge, finding Crouch and his beautiful beautiful head. Crouch making amends.

Absolute insanity.

Kaboul dancing past Bellamy with ease thanks to a pathetic attempt by the Welshman to stop the pulsating Frenchman. Crouch getting the goal he deserved for his second half performance and the travelling Spurs fans along with every Spurs fan the world over going mental, just mental.

82 minutes. And the dream, the dream was not just alive and kicking but stripping off and about to run around naked, big willy flapping around all over the place. This was it. You could taste it now. Er…not the big willy, Champions League. Obviously.

The ominous feeling was gone, the footballing God appearing before me, no longer looking on smugly, but instead whistling the theme music to the Champions League.

This. Can't be. Happening. What are these emotions returning to my wrecked body?

Wilson on for the excellent Modric. Four minutes of injury time.

Then the final whistle. And years of hurt vanquished in the midst of celebrations. Bottle jobs? That fallacy has been buried 6 feet under. This Spurs squad has time and time again dug deep in the face of adversity and come through it. No dodgy lasagne in sight.

It wasn't just at Eastland's. This CL position was won against Arsenal and Chelsea at WHL. But obviously won across the 37 games played. Even with the hiccups. We have been consistent. Spurs. Consistent. Amazing.

King, so deserving of this. Kaboul was a monster. Dawson, Huddlestone - all of them, every single one of them have played a part. I even thought Jenas movement for the drenching of Harry in his post-match interview was superb. All the players deserve credit. Not just for this game, but through-out the season. And to think at any given moment we had a key player out injured. That's actually scary that. Sign a couple of top top drawer players in the summer and I can see us sustaining a Top 4 challenge again. Which is key to progress, because the next step would be to challenge for bigger things. But yeah, one step at a time...

This (CL qualification) might not be an FA Cup final. This might not be silverware. And history will only remember a 4th spot (3rd still a possibility, but let's not get too greedy), but the significance of this is far more important in the here and now.

We stopped City from getting CL football and possibly consolidating their position in the Top 4 for years to come. The pressure is back on them to go for it again, whilst we can prepare for retaining this position next season. Which I have no doubt we will do. The elite, the Sky Sports Top Four has been cracked. This is massively important, mainly for the purposes of belief and mental strength. A winning mentality. The players now have a benchmark to aim to better in 2011. This isn't a fluke or an upset. We deserve this. And can only build on it.

Qualifier obviously standing in the way of the group stages, but I'm sure we'll be just fine. We're edging ever closer to them lot across the road too.

I'll cut this short now (I know, it's been anything but short), as I could go on and on, but will instead blog more later in shorter parts. Like I said at the start, so much to cover.

I have plenty to say about Harry Redknapp (spot on selection and tactics) and of course Daniel Levy, the man who scrapped the DoF system and went back to basics. From bottom 4 to top 4. And yes, that includes a letter to the chairman. But will leave those thoughts for later on in the week. I'm also looking forward to seeing how the press and pundits react to our achievement. Yes, I'm referring to Hansen and Lawro and the mongs on Gillette Soccer Saturday.

Remember last season. 2 points, 8 games. Gillette Soccer Saturday playing a comedy video of a clown, ripping the piss out of Spurs with various stand-up jokes whilst the panel laughed away. Remember this season, after winning 4 straight games then coming unstuck against Chelsea and Arsenal and United. Back in our box, they said.

You might feel dirty for it, but gloat. Gloat to your hearts content.

What a f*cking season. We've actually gone and done that thing that everyone wanted and everyone else expected us not to do. We did it. And the club shop dvd of 2010 will no doubt be a best-seller.

I choked up at the end. Cried for the first time since Italia 90.

We dared. Congratulations.

I f*cking love football and I love this club. Bask in it. It's richly deserved. New chapter, new adventure.

I've gone all giddy.

Dream the impossible dream

by guest-blogger Tricky

Let me tell you about pain, you all know pain right? You remember how it felt when you first truly hurt yourself.

You fell out of that tree / off your bike / off the climbing frame, and that split second between the event occurring and your reaction to the incident, that nano-second of a moment, when the white hot explosion sent every sensor in your body sparking, as the electrons quickened to the receptors in your brain.

That fleeting moment when all around you could cease to exist, because all that matters is not what has happened but what is about to happen. That was pain, your first most pure experience of something that would re-visit you in years to come.

And then we grow older and wiser (in some cases) and the world teaches us that pain is relative, it has different degrees and dimensions and it differs between people, because it becomes relative to our most painful experience.

I now consider myself fortunate to have, once in my life, been in so much pain that the receptors have overloaded and unconsciousness has shut me down, because anything less than what I felt that day, with the claret and the exposed bone, is a bonus. And a lot of us have been there, and to different degrees we have each had our own moment.

And then there is emotional pain, compounded by anticipation, nervousness, rejection, denial. It is in its own way the complete and absolute opposite of happiness and the antithesis of joy. And this different type of anguish, it hurts less in the short term, if truth be told, but nonetheless it exists and it is cold and unforgiving and it plays with our thoughts in a way that physical pain never can.

Twisting our thoughts back to those moments when the world once again ceased to have any bearing on the ‘here and now’, replaying those moments in our head when we have to face the world and all that it can do to us. It makes us cynical unbelievers that any good that might have happened in the past or indeed might ever happen again.

I remember well the day of 7^th May 2006, not for the game, but for the pain. I was in a bar in Ibiza, with a few fans of other ‘well supported clubs’. Watching the goon fan’s pre-match nerves falling away like some shadowy veil, whilst my dehydration/ sleep deprivation combo provided only a prelude as to what unravelled that day. I still remember it well, though I don’t want to, I can remember every single heart beat and bead of sweat that could be lived during one game, just one game, which occurred thousands of miles away from where I was on that one day.

 And even though I was not there in body, my spirit was crushed, I wished I didn’t care. But deep down I knew the reason for the pain was because I did care, and that nothing anyone would say to me would explain the injustice of it all.

And so now to today's game, which occupies my thoughts every three seconds. And part of me still will not dare yet believe that it could happen, because I remember the pain all too much and relive the hurt now more than ever before.

99% of me doesn’t want the game to happen because I don’t want to feel that pain once more, that 99%of every sinew and receptor does not want another moment to have to re-live.

And yet that 1% won’t give up, it makes my heart beat with every syllable of every battle cry, it stops my breathe with every moment of expectation, it makes me want to shout in an involuntary way, because I know that to be able to live with pain, is to be able to enjoy the pleasure of those once in a lifetime moments.

I know that we will end up where we deserve, on merit, and nothing else. But nothing can stop us dreaming, even the most cynical of us, those whom have known pain, and have sat around that metaphorical poker table, have looked it in the eye and say ‘I’ll take your pain, and raise you elation’, and we know that sometimes it’s a gamble worth taking.

The battle cry’s are all Spooky’s, but know that I will be with you all in spirit, believing that we can do this, in the knowledge and understanding that we may yet have to endure this moment all over again on Sunday, and I am with you not because I chose to, but because I have to. I can’t allow that 99% to stop me from living the possibility of pleasure.

And for those lucky enough to go to the game, know this; that we are all with you, you represent our hopes and dreams on this night, with our hearts collectively beating like warriors, faced with that moment of calm before the battle commences. That audible and visible beat ringing in our ears and thumping our chest, like the drum beat of an army marching forwards into the unknown.

And all we ask of you there on that night, is that you make us proud and ‘dream that impossible dream’.

COYS.

It's time for another DVD. Make it a special edition please.

Let's start this off with a quote from our chairman.

Daniel Levy: “The disappointment we shall all feel if we do not make the fourth qualifying spot for Champions League will be a measure of exactly how far we have come.”

I agree with the sentiments. I'll be so gutted I will have to eat a dodgy lasagne for the purpose of distracting me from the emotional pain that would no doubt cause cataclysmic damage to my soul. 2006 was just so daft, it felt like the ending to a black comedy directed by Chris Morris. Food poisoning, final day of the season...it was all ominous and oh so obvious. You just knew it wasn't meant to be. I remember before setting off for the game watching Sky Sports and listening to them break the story about our sick players. Ridiculous. Surely not? Ho hum. If you looked up into the sky you'd have seen red scarf waving by the bearded ones.

There were various points of dejection throughout that season, long before the final day. Many looking back would cite the amount of points dropped in the final minutes of games. 4th spot was lost long before our players spent the afternoon puking up all over the Upton Park pitch. But it was still in our hands to lose. Which we did. But you can't argue against some of the players on the day giving it their all. It just wasn't enough.

What compounded things further (personally) was that night, around midnight, I woke up and proceeded to spend the rest of the early morning vomiting (amongst other things) thanks to...yep, food poisoning. I knew at that point the footballing Gods not only mocked me, they (the bastards) had unzipped and proceeded to piss all over me too. Worst. Day. Ever.

Rather than look back apologetically on similar days of dejection from this season (say for example the score-draw at Goodison) along with one or two other OMG moments, we should just forget and look forward. It's all rather simple.

Win at Eastlands (previous meetings, click here) and it's done and dusted. Draw and we go to Burnley on the final day (yes, they play in Claret and Blue...don't even think about it, right?). Lose that one and we can hardly expect any favours from the other team who play in similar colours.

I'm not loving the parallels if I'm perfectly honest with you. I'd go us far as saying, the footballing Gods (Chris Morris ghost writing for them) are scheming once more to dick us over. The hand of fate aside, choking and bottle jobs are two things that we seem to have overcome fairly well under Harry's guidance. We sometimes stumble and make things difficult for ourselves, but you can't question the team and their unity. It's all in the huddle.

Resolve. Heart. Spirit. Making of our own luck. Belief. It's been a season of growth, progression and consolidation for many of the qualities we aspire to have, that inspire us to push forwards with ambition. And intent to actually climb those steps upwards.

So, to be direct about things, I do not want to lose this game on Wednesday evening. I don't want us coming anywhere near losing it. I don't want to see us buckle under the pressure or give away stupid goals or lose because of a refereeing error. I don't want us to concede an early goal.

Harry has to be smart with his tactics. We all know City have inconsistent form at home in recent games. But this should be ignored. Advantage of being at Eastlands will no doubt see them take responsibility to appease their fans (and manager) by bringing the game to us from the off.

Keep it simple Harry. If King can play, great. If Lennon can start, equally great. Retain Bale on the left wing and Modric and Huddlestone in the middle. But if you believe 5 in midfield will work with counter-attacking football the weapon - then that's fine too. Draft in Palacios. Then consider who (one man) plays upfront. I still say keep it simple, 4-4-2 with all players working their bollocks off, what be a far better attempt of stamping our authority on the game.

Then there's Gomes and his groin. Ooh.

Players just need to be focused regardless who lines-up, as long as players are not asked to play out of position. If we draw, then off we go again into the final day.

City can be got at. I'm sure they feel the same way about us. They have enough ****'s in their team, enough arrogance and self-assurance to give it a right old ding-dong of a go. We have to be strong, and equally so in mind. We need to be clinical ****'s with cutting edge. No remorse. In for the kill.

We need to want this more than anything else.

And I want us to score first. Make them have to come at us for the equaliser. Make them and the home crowd nervous, uneasy. Let the disapproving moans and groans play havoc in the City players psyche, allowing the potential for a second goal.

It's easy when it plays out in your mind. The reality is, nobody knows how exactly this game will pan out. What tempo it will be played at. We might and might not turn up. Tempo wise, we can only hope it's one that suits us. Open and fast, Azza and Bale tormenting the wings. You'd think this will look and feel like a Cup final once the ref blows his whistle. You think, at the very least.

I've said it several times in the past year, we will finish in 4th spot. So it's now time to find out if my belief is shared by our players. And whether my heart is just governing my head. Not sure I really believed it back in 2006. 2010 is altogether a different kind of animal. We're not favourites for a start. We're away.

I have absolutely no doubt that we have turned 'that corner' of mediocrity and transitional seasons and have closed the gap on the failing giants just up ahead of us. Still plenty of work to be done. No matter who gets 4th place, let's not kid ourselves - next season will be even more difficult either way. The likes of Villa and Liverpool and Everton will make sure of that. City will splash money no matter what their fate is. The Prem is opening up wide at the top, faster than Jenna Jameson in her heyday. The monopoly has cracked.

Can we smash it to bits?

I can't wait to find out. I just know CL football means we can attract a world class player, perhaps two. Imagine our side with a player of Torres ilk upfront.

After 2006, to get this close again, our players should just go out there and die (metaphorically obviously) for the shirt. Don't look back at history, lunge forward and grasp what's before you with all your might and make it your own, so that next week, next month, next year...we can look back and say 'that's where the buck was trended'.

It's time for another DVD, lads. Make it a special edition please.

COME ON YOU SPURS.

To dare is to f*cking do. 

It's time for redemption

Some thoughts, stats etc...

White Hart Lane

6 league wins on the trot, 8 in all competitions. Only 12 goals conceded at home all season (Prem). The Stoke, Hull and Wolves games particularly frustrating. Those aside, only Manchester United this season have visited and left with more than a goal to their name. You have go back 36 times since we lost by more than one. Staggering feat. Not quite the finished fortress, but only a few more bricks required and a coat of paint. We've made it difficult at times by not taking guilt-edged chances, so I would expect us to push onwards next season and consolidate home possession by doing what we did to the likes of Wigan and Burnley more often. Could have had a decent DVD out of the Chelsea game had we shown definitive cutting edge.

But there is no major complaint. We have restored pride, the team are confident and impose themselves with style. Our home form is superb.

Bolton game

It's a tricky one this. Did we make things difficult for ourselves by not taking our chances? Perhaps. But I thought Bolton (credit to them) turned up with those party pooper hats on doing their utmost to ruin our day. Which makes the win and three points even better. Sure, we were not quite at our best and yes, it took a wonder-goal from Huddlestone, but that's how things work out sometimes. You dig deep, survive, and lap up those moments of genius. We had to win, no matter the performance. And we did, and that's all that matters. Credit to Gomes, King and Dawson for their defending. Warriors. Although at times it was full-on heart-in-mouth desperation. Gomes groin problem, surely a consequence of sleeping with the vast majority of the Park Lane WAGS. Talking of defending, I haven't forgotten...

Kaboul

Some say, he stood 8 foot tall, as wide as a truck with eyes made of fire with the strength of a hundred men. He was here, there and everywhere. A force of nature so strong that no mere mortal dared to approach. Seriously, wtf? Where did this performance came from? Nice one. Good work fella.

Other stuff from the Bolton game

Defoe and offsides. I honestly think this is a lost cause now. He just doesn't grasp the concept of standing level.

Lennon. Lovely. Nice to have him back. Please please please torment City on Wednesday.

Goal-scoring. Lack of. We seem to have a squad of players who can all score but strikers who make the art of scoring look as difficult as standing on your own feet for more than 10 seconds at a time if your name is Drogba. They (Pav, JD and Crouch...and EG too) have to get it together. One chance - one goal. Let's leave the Andy Coles behind for the final two games.

Bale. Still a beast when played on the left-wing. Let him be.

King

Hands up if you think he'll be playing on Wed too? Has it happened before this season? King playing in a Saturday game and then a mid-week game? I'm sure it has, at least I'm not alone in thinking this, although I (we) might be wrong. Any stattos out there willing to confirm or debunk?* On the subject of Wednesday and selection - it's a massive one for Harry. Does he stick or twist?

I say stick.

*Last season he played against Udinese on the Thursday and then Bolton on the Sunday which was Redknapp's first game. Still uncertain if he achieved a similar feat in the Prem.

Match of the Day

Lineker winding up Hansen. Excellent.

Wednesday

Cup final. £30M+ Champions League play-off. Epic game, one which we find ourselves in because we deserve to be in it. We have survived the initial hype early season, we survived the spankings dished out by three of the top four, we survived the hiccups and disappointments, and each time we hit a brick wall, we took a step back then leaped over it. We are sitting in 4th place because we are currently the 4th best team in the country. Two more games, the one at Eastlands in particular, will define our season and conslidate the hard work and graft.

Sure, yes, few expected deep down, to find ourselves in this position because we sort of half-believed that cracking the Top 4 was impossible. But Liverpool have imploded and we along with others have closed the gap. So to be in this position now - hand on heart - I don't want to be standing in front of you all on Thursday morning saying, 'Jolly good show, there's always next season'. And yes, next season we'll be challenging for the Top 4 again, I have no doubt in that. But to be this close, it will be too hard a pill to swallow to miss out.

The challenge (next season) can be improved tenfold further by claiming 4th this season and entering the big boys playground for the first time. City will no doubt want this as much as us. They know CL next season will short cut their efforts in challenging for the title, bringing that realisation sooner to them. Which is another reason why we have to cut short their dream and see ours out.

Let's no forget. The pressure we are under is equally felt by Manchester City.

It's time for redemption. 2006. Bury it once and for all.

The Amazing Life of Morris Keston - Win the book, click here.

Just Given my thoughts...

We could discuss all day the ethics of signing a keeper on an emergency loan when you already have nine goalkeepers on your books and four available even when the rules apparently cite that when you're down to just two, you can draft in a replacement. Which isn't relevant here because City have four and still signed ex-Spurs player Marton Fulop.

Yes yes, the FA Premier League are looking after their chosen son to replace Liverpool in the Top 4, permitting and aiding them to recover some form of stability with Given's absence due to injury blah blah blah. And this is surely the crux of it, the crux having gone missing in all the musings and disapprovals.

The crux being, City no longer have Given between the sticks. Anything less than Given is already a bonus to any side facing them. Even more important is the fact that we still haven't played Bolton at home and acquired the three points that would take the potential for St Totteringham's Day forward to the penultimate game of the season...at Eastlands and hopefully avoided altogether going into the final away day of the 2010 season at Burnley.

So how about we all stop bitching about the injustice, smash Bolton to bits and then concern ourselves about City's outfield players and what potential damage they might do to us whilst posing them several questions with Modric (crafting), Bale (beasting) and Lennon (dinking) asking away and hopefully leaving Mancini's men with no time to answer.

COYFS.

Okay, yeah?

The Premier League is swaying like a drunk smashed out of his skull

Morning. I know this is off topic, but hey, I pay the bills so I can do as I wish. Everyone see the legend that is the anti-hero Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City and Togo) sitting being interviewed wearing an Arsenal training top? It was on SSN yesterday and I'm sure you've all seen the photo by now. It's almost as funny as Judas turning out for the scum's reserves last night. Best place for him. The cesspool was missing a swamp thing, but let's not get side-tracked with the man who was obviously created as part of a dark experiment from the DNA of Benedict Arnold and Judas Iscariot.

I sent out the screen-grab of Ade to some work mates who had not seen this gem of a tv appearance. And got a response back from a Manchester Utd fan that made me smile. Seems the photo inspired him to rant (well, side-track the discussion thread) about Utd's biggest rivals. That's City by the way. According to City fans.

I guess we all hate United, you know, cause they've always got the ref on their side (cough) and always dick us but everyone likes to hate City. And why not? There is plenty of hate to go round and their Chelseaesque manner of progression is unnerving to most. In fact, not to spend too much time praising Chelsea, at least they were almost knocking on the door prior to Roman buying them up. City have practically puked £££ all over football in the hope greed wins the day and contracts are signed.

Not all of their fans are to be scoffed at. Definitely not the fans who feel they've been left soulless by the money poured into the club. More so the other twats who seem to be...well, rather than have it all repeated, I think the Utd fan covered it in his email perfectly:

Well, he’s at the right club now for such a despicable character! (in reference to Adebayor).

Getting sick of reading City fans updates on Facebook. They truly believe that they ‘stole’ Tevez from us and think he went to City for ‘footballing’ reasons and that United are a club in real trouble and likely to do a Leeds.

2 things

a) Tevez didn’t want to play for us – so he can f**k right off, along with anyone else who doesn’t - and didn’t fit in our system very well, too similar to Rooney. Suits their system well hence why he’s doing better. Although Berba isn’t hitting the heights, his touch is infinitely better than Tevez’s. His strengths are coming from deep with the ball at his feet – a la Rooney. Also – he’s not the first (or last I doubt) player to leave United and do better. Forlan left and was the Liga’s top scorer FFS!!!

b) United, like Liverpool, have too much history and hence too much support worldwide to ‘do a Leeds’. There will always be someone who would come in to buy them if things got really sticky as they are established brands and this is business (unfortunately). If the oil heads leave City they’re far more likely to ‘do a Leeds’ – seeing as their fan base stretches from Didsbury all the way to……Stockport.

To be honest, I’d quite like United to have a sustained period of underachievement and drop a division. Get rid of all the plastic fans and get tickets for reasonable prices again.

Rant over. Good night.

I don't mind seeing Utd struggle. If the definition of struggling is to be sat in the position they are sat now whilst competing in the Champions League. And in some ways its great that fans of other clubs (those pesky Sky Sports Top 4 clubs) are taking the time to look behind and notice the likes of us and City and the rest catching up as they slow down. It almost feels like the Premier League is swaying like a drunk smashed out of his skull. A little push and he'll fall, but if you just leave him, he might just fall over anyway. An Arsenal ticket season holder (sitting opposite me) was saying how his team looked completely disinterested against Everton. He doesn't buy the hype about his clubs ambitions either. It's the media hyping up who they consider to be worth hyping up that has everyone confused. In fact nobody is looking worthy at the minute, which means their is a huge (massive Jamie Redknapp would say) possibility that something epically unexpected might happen this season. Unless one of the usual suspects has a mug of strong black coffee and sobers up quick sharp.

I LOL'ed plenty the other morning when the press all claimed they could win the title (in with a shout at the very least). What, after beating Blackburn Rovers? I guess our 3-0 win over them doesn't matter because it was under Mark Hughes and not under their new messiah. You know, the one that wears a City scarf because he believes in The Project©. We are one point behind City. Are we also title challengers? Like I said I know some City fans are unhappy that success might come in this fashion (Arab billions). The others are too busy having tattoos of Messi done on their backs in preparation for his arrival this summer.

I hate Utd. But I like Utd's hatred of City. Mainly because of the way some of their fans have been giving it, vocally. Delusions of grandeur. It's a tag that is usually associated with us. Perhaps I'm as bitter as the Utd fan above who ranted, because we sort of know that thanks to the cracks that have appeared at the top, someone like City is actually that bit closer to their dream. And if they're intolerable now, God forbid how they'll be if they actually won it.

Oh, and the world would implode if we ever got our hands on it. But we all know for all the money we've spent, we've never got close. Nowhere near. But at least our souls, those overly abused tired souls thanks to years of transitional seasons, remain intact. Just about.

Off-topic over and out.

Back later with an update on Spurs. If there are any worthy news items to chat about. Other than the usual Sandro nonsense. And the stories that have us wondering if Harry is about to be pulled into a long running court case that would make his position as manager...ah, let's not even go there.

Spurs 3 City 0 - Spare a thought for Noel Gallagher

How should we do this? I'm thinking we dance a merry jig. Okay, so City failed to turn up and make a game of it. Not our problem. When we fail to do the same the opposition get all the credit for the manner of the victory and tags like 'bottled it', 'lack of mental strength' and 'not good enough' are handed out to our wounded troopers. So when we dish out such a comfortable spanking to a side beaten just once in the Prem this season, it should be embraced and enjoyed as much as a 1-0 defeat at home is frowned upon with distain.

Congratulations Harry and the players. You stood up and you asserted yourselves. Even when City had possession, they lacked any sort of cutting edge. Yes, cutting edge, that oh so important element that has let us down in the past couple of games. We had it in swaggering bursts yesterday evening. Love it when we dick this lot. I guess Noel will probably console himself with another radio broadcast with his mate Russell Brand. At least Liam was always game for a laugh. RIP Oasis. RIP City. Well not quite, but definitely maybe over the 94 minutes played out at WHL.

It wasn't quite a dismantling, mainly because of City and their lacklustre effort. But it was professional and determined (from us) and the result never in doubt. Effortless really. The came to attack, failed to do so with any menace, meaning we had the space and time to craft and create. We were by no means slick, sometimes sloppy, but a 3-0 is a 3-0. Comprehensive. We didn't even bother with a sub until the 89th minute.

Oh, go on then, we outclassed them. Happy days.

Krancjar was ridiculously sexy. Had a touch of the Ginolas about him. Movement, passing, finishing. Almost forgot little Luka was sat on the bench looking on. We are being spoilt. All this for £2.5M. And I'm positively salivating at the prospect of perhaps seeing Moddle in the centre with Palacios and Niko retaining his role on the left.

Lennon was unplayable©. Tore City (Sylvinho) to shreds with ample ease. And he wasn't just beating the opposition. His final ball was deliciously accurate. End product that. He is in the form of his life, and there's no argument - England's best 'right-winger'. Sorry Theo, you can keep your pretty girlfriend and bum fluff on chin. It's all about the shaved eyebrows. Substance and style.

Others also impressed. Dawson awesome. Which is becoming a bit of a habit, the show-off. Handball incident (was it/wasn't it on purpose?) but otherwise yet another performance filled with Le Passion. He loves to care and we love to love him. Once upon a time he needed Ledley by his side to guide him through 90 minutes. Nowadays, captains armband strapped on, he leads by example. He's all grown up. About time, considering he's 26. The big daft lad.

BAE was impressive and confident on the ball. The epitome of calm. Bonus nutmeg on Adebayor, delightful. Unconfirmed reports that the fan who abused him last Saturday showered Benny with roses as he left the pitch as they exchanged kisses.

Bassong, steady and strong. Corluka continuing to work well with Lennon. He wasn't perfect on the night. But no big moan. And Gomes, earning his wages when called upon to shot-stop. Didn't really have that much to do other than watch a couple of half chances fly over the bar. Saved well from Petrov's free-kick. Easy evening.

Huddlestone, wasteful with his shooting, but productive in central midfield as far as his defensive duties were concerned. He didn't quite impose himself with Hulkish posturing and quarter-back splitting passing but did what he had to do to make sure City never got a foothold. Quietly decent.

Wilson was efficient with the tackles, in fact he was better than good at times. Did a proper number on the City players. Okay, so his passing remains inconsistent and frustrating, but he had decent enough moments. Better than he has been and fingers crossed he'll continue to improve. Blackburn up next, so expect his 5th yellow card to be dished out in that game - meaning we'll have to live without him in the game that follows.

As for our double-act up front, lovely. Defoe still needs to work on his off-sides (I'm sure half the time he's actually on-side) but his finishing (lashes them) remains superb and his hold up play equally impressive. Crouch was busy. Okay, so he's not scoring but he links up impressively with JD and others. He's involved.
 
Damn it. There is little to complain about.

This is what we missed against Wolves. Simple confident football from a side playing like a team, complimenting
each others strengths going forward and never panicking or allowing room for complacency once ahead. Patiently waiting to pick off the opposition.

The goals?

(1-0) Tottenham branded football this. Niko feeds Lennon on the right who ghosts past Sylvinho like Casper on roller-skates and then crosses to the head of Crouch. A second of mess, as the header hits Stephen Ireland, and the ball presents itself to Niko (having started the move) who smacks it into the goal.

(2-0) Second half and game over with a move started by Gomes. Kicked to Crouch (again) who flicks the ball over Toure (having beaten Onuoha to get to it) and JD is there to send it into the top corner from close range. Now that's how to finish.

(3-0) The type of defending to leave Alan Hansen with a nerve-shattering combo of night terrors and sleep paralysis. Three City defenders standing guard whilst we take a short corner. Lennon threads the ball to Niko, leaving the three of them redundant, and then mugs Adebayor off by dancing past him and hitting the ball through the legs of the hapless Given. Brilliant moment, capping off a sublime performance - from player and team.

As for City (our Top 4 rivals)? Didn't really turn up did they? Robinho is laughable away from home. What's meant to be his role? Midfielder, attacking midfielder, forward? One thing he failed to do (no shock) was aid Sylvinho. Tevez, full of energy but little direction. Adebayor was pretty much non-existent which was great. But it's okay, he's bound to re-discover his form again when City next play Arsenal. Ireland and Barry did well with their defensive duties. Excuses I'm hearing is de Jong 'had' swine-flu and Barry was playing with an injury. Riiiight. Ok den.

There appeared to be no fluidity with the way City attacked. The balance in their side isn't quite there yet. Not making that assumption based on this one game. But Harry is right. They will be a threat, simply because they will be able to throw money at anything that moves and most probably replace Hughes with a more special type of manager.

Loved the chanting and baiting. Also loved Robbie Keane (you'd have spotted this if you re-watched the Sky Sports coverage of the game) shaking the hands of the players at the start of the second half and offering encouragement. He's good for moral even if we spend our time questioning his own.

Does it change anything? Are we back in the race for 4th? We were never out of it. This season will continue to surprise and shock. Twists, turns and turnips will grab the headlines with each passing week. We'll be involved, not only because the stronger teams are not so strong anymore but because we do posses the players to challenge the weaker of the strongest. To keep ahead of the likes of Villa, Liverpool and City we'll simply need to make sure we build on these types of results. Win away to Blackburn and that will be another step towards total belief. Lose it and it’s a shrug and a dust off and we'll have to start over. It's that type of season.

Consolidation is the key.

A defensive midfielder and a centre back thank you please. And if either has leadership qualities, that will do to just fine too.

COYS.