This is Tottenham

Upcoming:

Liverpool.
Newcastle.
Arsenal.
Utd.

Followed by:

Everton.
Stoke.
Chelsea.

A magnificent seven games in what will be a defining seven weeks of football. This is not quite the run-in but it qualifies as the business end of the season (the business end being every game until we cement Champions League). We might have to dig deep, get lucky but the emphasis as ever has to be on retaining momentum. Suggestions the court case is affecting the teams focus. Opinion that we are so finely tuned that a key player missing here or there weakens us with far greater impact because of how much we rely on a very specific style of play. It’s a testing period, every game massive. Every point vital. If we trip and fall, I have no qualms about our ability to stand up, dust off and continue the march.

I’m buzzing. This pressure and at times anxiety is what football at the top is all about. There’s an edge to it because of what’s at stake. But I’m still managing to maintain some dignity and haven’t quite begun to feast on my nails. You know you’re doing something right when you go into every game echoing its importance.

Defeat isn’t something I’m entertaining in any of the above matches although the odds suggest it’s probable. But considering we’ve yet to truly disappoint in defeat this season (excluding the opening two games) I’m confident that the team can fight and perform well. It resonates, the belief. We’re going to need to be exceptional across the next four games and if we are then we might no longer feel the need to look behind (if you’re that way inclined - some prefer to still look upwards).

If you work out the points ratio to games and the fact that everybody is still prone to slipping up, we only have to continue our form (points accumulation) to retain our position. I’d rather not though. I’d rather play like we need to make up a ten point gap. I’d rather we continue to chase the impossible dream, if only to hold onto a standard that will practically guarantee a top three finish. Can’t settle with what we have, we need to always be better than our last game.

Forgetting all future fixtures, the only one that matters at the moment is Liverpool away. Two morale boosting wins against the two Manchester clubs (one over two legs) but their home form is still erratic. Traditionally a tough place to visit, much like last season when we travelled north and faced a resurgent home side to then return home with all three points. Mental strength in abundance these days and we’ll need it on Monday evening. They won’t have forgotten the spanking we dished out at the Lane. The indignity (for them) more so in the fact we could have scored double the goals we got had we not ease off and slowed the pace down to simply possession play. They’re going to want to put that right. As you would expect.

I’m not going to dwell on the past too much. It’s easy to remember their dominant cycle during the 70s and 80s and more recently their consistency in finishing top four and winning cup competitions. There’s no doubting their pedigree. But they’re in transition. They’re going to cite the past to aid in fuelling their motion forward to reclaim those past glories; it counts for very little until they’ve actually achieved it. Much like the position we’re in. For both clubs it’s wise to remember that football owes us nothing. Liverpool are still in transition. We’re several steps ahead of them. The onus is on us to prove that. Both clubs have to fulfil their immediate ambitions. For us, it’s finishing as high as possible in the league and to qualify for the CL. For them?  Consistency to lay claim towards challenging for a top place finish again.

A win for us would be demoralising for a fair few clubs inside that top seven. It really is a strong position to be in. One we are still becoming accustomed to. Several steps ahead but still on that learning curve and still earning that experience. You look at how Utd came back against Chelsea. This being a Utd side that might lack the depth of quality of previous revisions but still retain that sense of all-consuming belief, that never-say-die attitude that only Champions can possesses. We’re in there, we continue to compete, contend. We’ve got to really want it and show that desire in games like this.

As for Liverpool, their style. I can never shake off the feeling that they are quite workman like, nothing overly fancy but still well drilled with a caveat to being susceptible to lethargic performances. Their form is much like the form of older Spurs teams. Bit all over the place. Dare I say they are similar to us when we began to rebuild (for the umpteenth time), trying hard to find a cohesive pattern. Things can change quickly, so it’s best we do our utmost to widen that gap further.

Do they have players that can hurt us? For sure. I still worry about defending set-pieces (that’s if Downing manages to get a cross in successfully). A certain returning player from a lengthy ban might be making a comeback appearance. So all eyes (and lip-reading) on him. Do we have players that can hurt them? Let me think about that one. Yeah, one or two. You do get the impression that Dalglish’s men will try to take us on, bring the game to us and attack. Which should suit us fine (hoping we’ve learnt lessons re: Stoke and Swansea away). An open game means if we keep it controlled and composed at the back then we’ll have plenty of opportunity to go forward with intent.

How do we win? We win by owning the midfield. Might be an idea to play Sandro and Parker, match their work rate ethic (which  is far more one dimensional than ours) and get Modric on the ball as often as possible. Width key (as ever). Bale should do his best to stretch them to the left and only look to cut inside if the passage of play invites him to do so. Structure and discipline essential. I do hope for once Adebayor does more than bring others into play. Needs to start scoring again. Would be perfect timing if he rediscovered his touch in front of goal and went on a little run of games. Would accept arrogant, bullish displays of ruthlessness. Alternatively, Saha might have to do. Defoe (along with Lennon) not available (if you refer to official team news updates). That’s hardly been his trademark for a while. Would prance around like a character out of Glee if he was to rediscover that instinct one chance one goal state of mind. Hoping we are careful with where we give away free-kicks. They have players who can do damage by way of a dead ball.

As ever, Tottenham need to keep it Tottenham in terms of approach. We are hardly the most tactically astute side and that tends to benefit us when we go out and look to retain possession and attack/counter-attack. We play the Tottenham way, we swashbuckle but with a spine and strength that isn’t too dissimilar to Liverpool sides of yesteryear.

If we play like the second half at Eastlands or in fact if we match our almost destructive nature from the White Hart Lane 4-0, then when thinking of Anfield, you’ll most like to reply...'This is three points'. Couldn’t care less for comparisons of silverware and history. Very few clubs can come out looking better than Liverpool in terms of titles and cups. All I care about is the present and living in it. With any luck, enjoying it too.

COYS.

Love the shirt.

Spurs 3 Wigan 1 Transfer Window 0

So we got what we wanted in the end.

I’m talking about the three points rather than the transfer market. More on that later. Firstly Wigan and it’s great to be able to look back at my preview of the game and bask in the fact that Spurs delivered with both professionalism and focus to brush the bottom club aside comfortable. Dominated possession, had a plenty of chances. Okay, so there were moments in the second half where we displayed questionable defending, going through the motions without much intent, but all things considered the result was never in doubt. Even if we switched off a little in the second forty five.

Wigan didn’t park the bus although they attempted to defend deep with emphasis on their back-line, waiting and building a sponge wall of protection to soak up the pressure. The opening goal the perfect illustration of them attempting to do so with every man behind the ball. But alas, Xavi found Messi with an absolute gem of a pass, so perfect it split an atom on its way through. Lio expected, wanted the pass and took it with confidence for the 1-0. A thing of beauty.

Second goal was also tasty. Fortunate how the ball came to be with Luka but his turn and shot was decisive and clinical. The third was majestic. Bale again into his favourite corner giving the keeper no chance. This was routine stuff, never really shifting out of third gear. Although I prefer not to concern myself with results elsewhere, results elsewhere proved to be kind to us. 13 points off 6th spot and 11 points away from 5th. Happy days. How to improve? Perhaps next time shift out of third gear and into first and torment and destroy.

A few highlights. Bale (the beast), could have, should have had a hat-trick. Loved some of his mazy runs. Modric was sexual. Harry getting love from the crowd. Lancaster on for his début. Kaboul enjoying the evening. Some downers include Rafa and Walker going off injured and Benny (very fortunate) not to be red-carded. Norty.

Now the supposedly tricky fixtures begin. Most of the games, IMO, are winnable. That’s if we line up with our strongest side. Which links this post-match musing into the transfer market review and the distortion the January window brings leaving many of us confused and bewildered when perhaps it’s not necessary to feel this way. But then maybe confusion is the only reaction to it.

The problem with Tottenham is that we are very finely tuned. We’re a top side when we field our very best line up. Such is the quality of the first team that if we lose a key player or two the entire shape of the side is affected, sometimes with ill-effect. Meaning we have to readjust our style and some fluidity is lost as a consequence. We don’t quite have like-for-like players when looking to replace. Lesser teams, they can chop and change and appear to be more comfortable in doing so without a massively detrimental knock-on to the way they approach every game. If we lose Bale and Lennon, we have no pace and no width. If Adebayor is out, then our movement up front and the way we attack has to change to work. We don’t have convincing depth in squad. It’s looked that way but only on paper and not when applied practically.

I’ve been an advocator for consolidation. Remember 2006? We didn’t make any major changes in the Jan window and that might have been costly. Okay, so losing points in the final minutes of games cost us, but still...we could have strengthened. Make an outlay, speculate to accumulate. Take a risk but one that shortens the odds substantially meaning the risk equates to ‘guaranteeing’ the target (say top four). Nothing is guaranteed, but if you make powerful changes to personnel then positives should shine through with very few negatives interfering. So, my thinking was that looking at the squad...at our team...and taking into account that an injury or two would seriously impede us then the logical thing would be to sign quality long term players rather than spend less on short term solutions. We did neither in this window. Why?

I guess we never learn. Take away the opportunistic signing (a van der Vaart) we are left with the mundane but required exercise of balancing the books. We have unhappy players, players that aren’t even fringe or backup as they are hardly called upon. Now this might be an irritant of lack of squad rotation or the fact that they are simply not required at all. The other factor is, the players in question want to play first team football on a regular basis. Hence the unhappiness. Hence the necessity to move them on (unless your name is dos Santos).

So we have:

Pav – He’s never quite fitted in. Supremely lazy and at times lacking any on-field intelligence, he stuttered too often and could never quite claim a first team place. Not his fault. We should never have signed him in the first place. If it was ever going to work he would have had to be first choice from the start. He wasn’t. At times he displayed technical brilliance. A scorer of great goals. In 2010 (when we finished 4^th) he scored important goals for us. But he’s always been distant, always a misfit. Always apologetic. Please don’t disagree and suggest we were not expecting him to move on. It’s taken how many windows for this to finally happen? £11M isn’t too bad either.

Bassong – Another player simply not fancied. A shame because he wasn’t that bad at all when he first arrived here. Confidence and lack of game time can knock you. He’s also too far down the pecking order so it makes sense to shift him on so he can get some game time in.

Pienaar – I did my best to give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s a fairly non-descript type of player. Can deputise in a couple of positions but isn’t truly a direct replacement for anyone we have. It’s now easy for me to question the ethics behind signing him in the first place when again he was not used often enough (injuries aside). If you’re going to play the squad game, then you have to look at resting/protecting players effectively and allowing the likes of Pienaar game time. Harry doesn’t tinker unless injuries force him too. This signing has proven to be a redundant one.

Corluka – Walker (from what I know at the time of writing) is fine. But if he gets injured – we have no genuine right-back cover as our ‘kids’ are out on loan. Now if it was me, I’d keep Charlie. Even if there was the potential of him playing only twice between now and the end of the season. The player though, he probably would not find that acceptable. Which is why he’s been loaned out.

Have we weakened the squad? Yes, but we’ve not weakened the first team and all the players that have left in this window are neither key or overly called upon to wear the shirt. These are players that had to move on.

The fundamental problem with January is that this is not the month where you traditionally sign super-star players (keep ignoring the opportunistic signings). End of season, the summer...that’s when players/agents/clubs begin to play ball because it’s easier to sell and buy and build your squad for the next season. This is where it gets distorted and contradictory. We don’t know and can only guess what Levy is planning for. Whether it has something to do with Harry and the court case/England job and waiting for the summer to finance big money deals, it’s tricky to work out without being a fly on the wall.

Now you could cite the fact we bid around £20M (or so) for Remy and had it rejected and that its proof that we:

a)     Have the money to spend and the inclination to do so

b)     We are thinking long term regardless of potential managerial upheaval

c)     We are aware of the type of quality we need and we are looking to bring it in

Now c) might require a caveat that outlines we have very specific targets we wish to splash the money on and will not sign lesser targets (for less money, say £6M-£10M) as a stop-gap/panic buys simply for the sake of consolidation. Money is tight, the NDP is on the horizon. It looks like we have it to spend but we’re not going to repeat mistakes of old.

It’s frustrating when you consider we haven’t actually bought a striker out-right for a while. In the summer, Defoe is the only player we’ll have (unless Adebayor is signed permanently). So there’s no doubt we need a massive signing in that department, regardless of Ade remaining here beyond the summer. Could we do with that signing now? Yes, we could have done with him before the window closed. Because we’re 3^rd and because mathematically, 1^st is still not beyond us (humour me). We also cannot afford to drop out of the top four. I don’t believe we will, and I guess that’s the crux of it. Levy and Harry believe this to be the case also because faith is being placed in the risk that consolidation of our position is not imperative. We were not expected to be in this position at the start of the season and have done so off the back of signing a 40 year old keeper and the much maligned (and now loved) Scott Parker.

We should still be aiming higher for sure. Strengthening our current stature. But there you go. We tried. And cheaper less quality driven alternatives do not appear to be options when looking to splash the cash.

Krasic, according to reports, was more than an option. We wanted him on loan. Juventus agreed to it. The player didn’t, preferring a more permanent role. He would have covered off the flank, another one of those consolidation question marks. Players in the Prem that we considered viable alternatives might have been too pricey to follow through on. How many times have we been burnt in the past? Too many.

So, all I have left is the fact that we must be aiming high. It’s frustrating. It’s a harsh reality. But if clubs won’t let the players leave then you’re going to be hitting that brick wall over and over again. In the summer just past, I was told a story about Gervinho, the Arsenal striker. We were interested. He didn’t fancy us. That turned out rather well. I think the lesson to be learnt is we have to be decisive and certain. Unequivocally. I think the club know the players we want and won’t look elsewhere and we’ll have to go back in for them again. What we have to hope for is that we have enough about us (and luck) to see the season through to be in a position to attract. And when we do attract we attract the very best.

Saha and Ryan Nelsen are nothing more than replacements for back-ups. They are not there to strengthen the first team but rather make sure we have cover if cover is called upon. Saha is on a short term contract. He can hold the ball up, protect it and fit into the style of football we play presumably as an impact sub at best. Nelsen is a curious one. Free-agent, nothing more than an experienced footballer that fits into the role Bassong had on the sidelines. Samba might have been the first choice target but if Blackburn wish to hold onto their player and price him out of a move, well, we of all clubs can’t complain about that stance. Also Caulker will be with us next season. We can’t over spend for the sake of the short term. One thing of note here worth mentioning. All this ridicules the signing of Khumalo.

I know. Its underwhelming because the window distorts expectancy and everyone feels disappointed when a big signing isn’t made. Again, I’m going to refer back to consolidation. We haven’t achieved this. It’s the way it’s played out. The players will need to dig deep and we’ll have to cope with injuries. I felt underwhelmed during the summer and the start of the season, but this run and our form has proven that faith in both manager and chairman has to be respected. Benefit of the doubt. I can’t spend time wasting it on complaining when the team need me to support them. Regrets, they only come into play after the fact if we’ve failed. Something I do not wish to entertain.

Simply put. If we claim Champions League, then this summer there will be no margin for error or indecisiveness. We’ll need top drawer, dare I say, world class signings. Not for consolidation but for stepping up to the next level and to be able to retain the new founded stature.

Until then, the window is shut. No draft, and the temperature is about to rise.

We are Tottenham. We're third, five points off the top of the table. Believe.

Daring is achieving. Love the shirt.

What we all really want on deadline transfer day...

While the insanity and arguments continue over the transfer window and the targets we are linked with along with its imminent closure, there is far more pressing matters to be had. Matters that concern three points from a convincing home performance which then kick-starts momentum after two disappointing results. Wigan, at the Lane, under the floodlights, in the freezing cold. Thirteen points clear off 5th spot by this late evening if all goes according to plan. The plan being simply this: turn up, turn it on.

Wigan are woeful, generally, more so on their travels. I have no desire to entertain a 'plucky park of the bus' away performance, frustrating the home side. We expected (hoped) that the Wolves game would be one of much glory and panache and instead got shocked with the single point shared at the final whistle. We then almost won, could have drawn but managed to lose the game at the Eastlands. Irony time: Wigan one of only two teams to have won at WHL in the past two seasons. Ooh.

A draw and a loss - this is the new age crisis at the Lane. We need redemption, we need to be professional and ruthless. This is the type of football match where I would instruct the players to kill off the opposition in the opening 30 minutes and then contain them with comfort and counter to build on the lead admirable into the second half.

Lessons learnt; we still need the players to look back and remember what Wolves achieved against us. We need to appreciate and respect this league is not always black and white and the shades of grey can leave many confused and irritable. We have to work hard and retain focus. In doing so we might then take it by the scruff of the neck and dominate, and thus not allow Wigan to get any sort of anchor in the game. When all said and done...

Tonk 'em, Tottenham.

No offence to the visitors but the forty or so fans who make the journey down won't complain too much if they watch another dvdesque destruction. Well, they would, but at least they can claim to have witnessed it.

Defoe and Lennon are doubtful. No Aaron probably a touch more influentially on how we line-up, but at least with Bale we'll have some width if he's instructed to retain some level of consistency down the flank and not spend too much time through the middle. At home, against such opposition, it's good to stretch them a little. Which I'm sure we'll do (because if we don't then there's something very wrong). Keep it structured, simple. No need for anything too fancy. Plenty of necessity however for tempo and movement. This isn't so much a tricky game in that I believe Wigan can beat us. I am however cautious that any game can have the potential to upset, and in this game we can beat ourselves which might allow the opposition to beat us.

I might wish for it to be over in 30 minutes, but if we have to be patient then the onus will be on us to display some level of intelligence to carve them open and create match-winning opportunities (I prefer not to dwell too much on players dwelling too much in front of goal. The less said about offsides the better).

I know the trend is for the opposing team to defend deep, all men behind the ball and play with physicality. I'm also aware of the question marks being raised that we don't always have the (aforementioned) intelligence to break well-drilled sides down. Our home record would suggest otherwise. We can and have done so in the past. On occasions, we fail but that sometimes has a lot to do with the way the opposing side played (credit is never given as we prefer to blame within and it's worth remembering similar games where we have lucked out and scored a winner when it looked unlikely). Wigan try to play football but it would be naive of them to attempt to do so this evening. Even so, I don't think they're quite as savvy as Wolves if they attempt the opposite. I reckon they'll end up parking the bus but leave the keys in the ignition.

We owe them after the 1-0 of last season, the most ironic of results that followed the 9-1 from the season before. They owed us but it's now our turn for revenge. It's football, we take turns, it's how the Gods like it. Won't have to worry about next season as they'll probably get relegated in this one.

Adebayor needs to score a couple as well. No pressure then Spurs. Christ, I can feel it, this is going to end up being an untidy game that we just about manage to score the winner late on *shudder*...

Three points please. Possibly more important than any signing we make in this window.

COYS.

Daring is achieving. Love the shirt.

That's football

Sometimes you can feel more alive and inspired when the overriding emotion is one of dejection and disappointment. Football is dramatic, ironic and cruel at the best of times. It’s operatic with its twisting arcs. Colourful with its characters. Devastating at the finale. Yet somewhere in amongst the pain and anguish that you feel when the whistle is blown and the defeat sinks in, you can appreciate the intent and desire that played out during the game. It’s bitter-sweet, but it’s not misguided and neither is it a deflection to ease one’s self through the stages of grief.

We lost a game of football. A game we could have won 3-2, which we lost 3-2. But we could have genuinely won 3-2. The margin for error is so small, one half step too late or to early you don’t quite make it. On this given Sunday, we did not make it. We lost a game of football against the side that's most likely going to win the title.

Such defeats are always the worst kind to accept, especially when the difference in both sides was negligible. They were missing two key players, arguably the same can be said for us. There’s plenty of debate to be had concerning Lescott and Balotelli. Discussions on our defending, hindsight withstanding. For me, it was always going to be about the belief that has seen us generate so much solid consistent momentum going into this game. There is never shame in defeat if you match your opponent. Let's remember the tag this match had before kick-off and the fact our name was attached to it.

This is a Tottenham side contending. A Spurs side that doesn't lose often. Building from one game to the next. The title is beyond us now, probably always was. But the margin remains small. City have quality in strength of depth. That's their edge, much like Manchester United's is one of experience and seasoned tenacity. We still have to mature a little with what we have. And yet, if that half step wasn’t late we might be celebrating instead of commiserating. We’re simply reminded that we still have work to do.

I feel alive and inspired because we came back from 2-0 down and we displayed to all that witnessed that we are no longer this delinquent teenage punk giving it all mouth then apologising for the noise. We’re tooled up these days. We can take a punch and we can dish one out. We have the mental strength. The Bale goal, beautiful in every conceivable way when wishing to describe a goal scored by Spurs. That spirit, guile...it makes me embrace the positive emotion from the dejection and disappointment. City might have let us back in the game but you still have to turn up when invited.

If Bale had crossed early...
If Defoe had moved to attack the ball a second earlier...
If <insert City player> had been sent off...
Had we not given away three goals...

Games are full of incidents, perhaps not always as controversial or heart-stopping. The incident with Parker, regretful. Regretful that Mr Webb didn’t witness it. Balotelli knew what he was doing. Did not look like an act of retaining balance. The FA agree. Inconsistency though with the Lescott elbow being ignored, on and off the pitch. As bad as the Mario kick. In a perverse way its good that our two (recent) defeats (this one and the Stoke game) have question marks littered over them. But no point in claiming victimisation. It's just a harsh lesson that you can’t rely on anyone other than those in Lilywhite.

We were top drawer at times against the top team in the country. You don’t get any points for that, but I trust the players to take similar inspiration from the performance as I have. Confidence to fight back in-game has yet to translate to confidence to dominate this type of encounter from the kick-off. To believe that attack is the key to winning and taking three points rather than containment to guarantee a single one. Okay, so there were naive mistakes made but then I've not quite understood the necessity to slate certain players (i.e. Walker) who still have much to learn. It can cost us, but then when someone as great as Ledley King is prone to error it adds perspective to the occasion. But then you can sit and debate the mechanics of destiny that led up to the games defining moment until you've gone mad. Had the ball not been cleared in the manner it had. Very easy to point out the obvious after the fact to lay blame on the outcome.

It's also worth detaching yourself from a single game in isolation or only citing a series of performances that might add weight to your argument and thus ignoring the bigger picture. Would Ronaldo be the player he is today if he was simply left to play out wide? Gareth Bale was once a left-back. To free-roam, to play as an inside-forward...this is essential to his development. Coaching and tactical instructions equally imperative to aid his movement and effectiveness across the season and in single games when perhaps more discipline is required. We need to be shrewd in making sure the development retains cohesiveness and is not detrimental to the sides balance. The boy is a beast. But he's still a boy. Thought he was superb in the second half.

The secret to success is to hate defeat, to despise it. But also to respect the fact that it happens. No doubt the players feel devastated but this should only add fuel to push forward, harder. Thankfully for us it only seems like we’ve lost twice this season (rather than four times) because of the lack of a cohesive middle in the opening two fixtures I find myself detaching myself from those two games. Still, four defeats, 3^rd, a ten point gap between us and 5^th spot. That is hardly discouraging.

We can’t afford to lose focus. This unit of players are deserving to themselves and the shirt to truly aspire, to dare to achieve. I hold onto the positives because it’s easier to support and love your club if you accept the truth and embrace it. And the truth is? We’re not quite good enough. Not yet. But we are still a very good side. The best I've seen for decades. We have to continue to grow and adapt and display the team spirit we've shown in abundance this season.

When you remind  yourself of that margin, this article might have been altogether a different read. Maybe next time the belief will be evident at the first whistle and cemented at the last. Another complete forward will do the trick so we can then always retain Plan A.

Football is dramatic, ironic and cruel. In nine minutes and six seconds we were left dizzy. At the death, left numb.

Still marching.

A day to forget, yet worth remembering

I've re-posted the match review of the 1-5 home defeat against City (it's a little further down). I think I knee-jerked a little in places (that's the magic of hindsight) but more of a controlled knee-jerk than all-out effigy burning voodoo doll pinning.

A day to forget, yet in many ways the catalyst for the run that now finds us sitting pretty in 3rd and aspiring for more. We made the necessary additions prior to the transfer window closing which birthed a solid fluent midfield that has been a roaring engine ever since. Perhaps in need of an oil change, but it's incredible how finely tuned you can become when slotting in the right ilk of player(s) into the side (and sometimes struggle when said players are missing).

We still need to consolidate for the remaining games ahead. It's not just about the next game. Momentum is paramount which means its the performance that matters more so than the result (although the latter is still key to truly making a statement of intent).

City are however a far stronger unit of players with extraordinary wealth of depth (ignore Mancini and his complaints). No shame in defeat as long as we're not bending over after handing them the lube. But the very thought of defeat, I'd rather not entertain. Like I said, we have a right to expect something out of the game. I'm sure our players will believe that to be the case too. Especially because of the spanking dished out to us at the Lane.

It's a Galáctico type of game (not in any way as supernova as any given El Clasico). But when comparing both sides, like for like...there's some tasty match-ups and plenty of match-winning talent and show-piece skill on display. And although they excel in certain areas (more so than us) we can arguably go toe-to-toe with them. Up front, they'll have an obvious advantage. But they're missing key players in key areas (Toure and Kompany). I'm hoping we play it on the ground (no requirement for the hoof), push patiently forwards and look to get the ball out to Bale and Lennon with Modric involved as much as possible in the centre. It's going to be bruising in there, shame there's no Sando. Have to hope Parker re-discovers his tempo. I'd rather not think too much about Dawson facing Dzeko and Aguero.

Luka v David in the battle of the influential.

If King plays, we win.

van der Vaart's form and subsequent (hopeful) impact in this game is also imperative - what with us starting Defoe up top, Rafa will have to make sure he moves into forward positions rather than get lost in deeper ones. We have to find ways to pressure Savic.

We have to adapt (no Adebayor) and continue to make do without other key players (although King might yet be the surprise inclusion).

Is this make or break? Of course not. Mainly because I'm not sure what this is meant to make or break. Other than perhaps the morning after headlines. February in it's entirety will make or break. Let's not lose sight of the marathon.

Few are expecting an upset (City's home record testament to that - ten out of ten). So we've got nothing to lose. I mean that. Go for the glory. It's the Tottenham way. Although that might involve plenty of pragmatism, with midfield possession and counter-attacks rather than romantic notions of gallivanting and swashbuckle. Worth noting that in the last two games up there, its been intense and tightly fought. It won't be easy for us. Equally so, for them.

For now, sink your head into your hands and sigh ever so gently if you so wish to remind yourself of the debacle of the 1-5. On (super) Sunday however, hold your head up high and believe. We are Tottenham.

I'm buzzing off the hype. Feet still on ground. I'll only levitate if applicable at the final whistle.

Positive

Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 9:53PM

Spurs 1 City 5

Okay, so some perspective. We lined up with no defensive midfielders and started with Peter Crouch upfront and then found ourselves out numbered in the middle and final third quicker than you can say 'tactics'. Once again, there was an element of the disjointed and perhaps even a touch of the stubborn (what with Crouch supposedly on his way to Stoke City yet in the starting line-up - perhaps a message from gaffer to chairman forming yet another twist in their alleged damaged relationship).

Placing aside in-house disagreements, we lined up not only with a team not shaped to contain City but a team that lacked the belief they could do that and anything more. But that's not to say it was a chaotic calamity filled 90 minutes of football. At 2-0, it flattered City some what. After that, they deserved to ruin our afternoon at will and with ease. We let them with no reply of our own. Once more, apologetic.

There is no excuse for losing 5-1 at home. But it was the most passive 5-1 defeat you're likely to witness. City simply picked us off with clinical football. Confident in themselves, each other and their formation and confident in front of goal. Even though they were not completely fluid (expected considering their new players - makes it even more bitter a pill to swallow for us).

They were enjoying their day and their football. How ironic considering at the start of last season it was them containing us whilst we swashbuckled down the flanks and through the middle, with only Hart stopping us from running away with it.

City have grown with the aid of several million pounds and no wage cap. We've stagnated if you take a look at the back end of last season and how we stopped performing. But preparation for this one has hardly been great considering we appear reluctant to compete at the top end of the transfer market. Perhaps because fiscally, we can't. Ambitious targets beyond our reach. Still, you would have hoped for decisive action by chairman and manager. Instead we have suggestions they don't quite see eye to eye and once more, transfers will need to take place in the final couple of days or so.

The visitors have found their groove. We've lost ours.

Again, injuries don't help but if we look weak in key areas pre-match then you'd want admittance from Redknapp that perhaps we need to be shrewd, cunning in our formation and our strategy. Not the Tottenham way. Not what I previewed yesterday. But it looked to me like the manager believed we could perhaps play them and match them pound for pound when the reality was they were far too polished whilst we simply did not work as a unit and had various degradations of form from individuals.

Modric played. But his productivity hardly outstanding because the players around him were distinctively average. But he played okay. Not sure why he was subbed. Didn't make a difference either way in the end. Player not looking at the manager or applauding the fans when walking off the field of play. Disgruntled.

The goals (most of them) we conceded were not defended well at all. Embarrassing stuff, lack of any apparent focus. We had chances, but how many times do we have to sigh in despondence when said chances are not taken? It was City playing with intent and us presenting them with the red carpet. Never red, indeed. Red with anger today.

Nasri, Aguero and Silva. Stick them in our team then watch how different the result would have been. Hard knock life. We still have quality in abundance. We need to shake off the rust from last season's disappointing finish and reclaim that grit and spine we had so famously in 2010. Think back, we had injuries then too. Perhaps not so many issues with central midfield as we do now.

We've played two games and lost two. Arguably against the two strongest sides in the country. Our problems have been illustrated in quite a humiliating manner with regards to the scoreline for all to analyse and discuss. It's obvious what we need in terms of signings. We've got us a striker. We need DM cover. We could do with a centre-back. We could still do with a right-sided forward to compete with Lennon and give us options when playing two up front.

Adebayor will bring us that much needed cutting edge. Rafa will have a far better forward to play off if Harry continues with the current formation. Only takes one moment, once slice of luck or inspiration to completely change the course of season and set us on our way.

Crisis? The fact we are even discussing avoidance of a 'crisis' after two games...well, its over the top. It hurts, but we might have to admit that the likes of Utd and City are in a far more comfortable place than us. We've lost direction, perhaps because of the Modric saga and the in-house disagreements (assumptions). We have to show unity once more.

More importantly, we need the players and the manager to get a grip and to remind themselves they are capable of much much more. We got it very wrong today and were duly and deservedly spanked for it. If Harry is keen on self-preservation of his brand name, then he has work to do. Levy has to support him in doing so. And Harry has to respect the chairman at all times.

Losing to a good team is one thing. Losing to a good team and making them look great is another. Losing badly to a good team that don't even manage to shift into a more aggressive gear is simply shambolic.

Not a good day at all. But with both Manc games out of our system, we can just look forward now. Redknapp, the players - they have a lot to answer for and a lot to give back to the club in the next couple of games to avoid any dramatic twists that might well cause us to unravel further and crisis isn't the only 'c' word quoted by the fans.

This Modric stuff is beyond ridiculous now and Redknapp constantly citing him as the root of all evil when in the past he's actually called him a model professional is almost touching comedy, the ilk that few will laugh at.

Onwards with pride Tottenham. I want to hear the cockerel crow.

We'll improve. I still believe we'll compete for the top four. Arsenal are having their own problems and Liverpool still have to prove their longevity and how they react to loss of form.

Not defending our teams performance today (it was poor), just trying to anchor myself to something to avoid drowning in depression.

We've come a long way baby.

Love the shirt.

Hyperbole

Staggering how time and time again, a single result shapes (then re-shapes) opinion, which is then presented as definitive. Then forgotten about the following week, replaced with contradiction. Equally staggering is how distorted perception and expectation becomes off the back of ninety minutes of football. One game doesn't make a season, yet in some cases it can consume the ten games it proceeded along with logic and pragmatism.

In the space of a few days we’re deemed title contenders off the back of a win that placed us shared second on points (still 3rd on GD) and then out of the race after a draw at home to Wolves. Even though we remain a handful of points off the top. Regardless of up and coming difficult fixtures, our form (in comparison to any prior season) has been astonishing. Was it disappointing, to draw at home? Yes, of course. But then our performance lacked the edge to win us all three points - so hardly much we can complain about other than wondering/worrying why certain players didn't perform.

It happens.

In fact you might even argue this was the first disappointment of the season, what with the opening two defeats practically banished and the Stoke loss one marked down to inept interference. Is this a modern-day Tottenham crisis? Dropping two points at home? Still third. Still with a hefty cushion of points between us and 5^th spot.

Does any of the pre and post match punditry and opinion actually matter, what with the nature of everyone in football (managers especially) using kidology when changing their weekly perception of being in/out of the race?

Had we somehow managed to break down Wolves and their resolute army of eleven men behind the ball by not being restricted to long shots, had we found a spark and scored a second we’d be talking about grit and determination even though the overall performance would have pound for pound been the same thing as the one we got with the 1-1. Sometimes, it doesn’t happen. It doesn't quite work out. Tempo wasn't quite there. Bale wasn't out on the left enough (scrap free-roam mode for the minute, get him back to basics). Regardless, there is still no need for a dissection, a post-mortem or an autopsy.

No need for verbal dramatics.

Put it down to tiredness (two games in the space of a couple of days) or luck (offside Adebayor goal, arguably not) or perhaps unnecessary tinkering (Livermore). Best to dress it up as a reminder to the evil that is complacency. A gentle nod to the necessity of removing benched players and signing ones that will improve our squad. A calm composed voice explaining to the players that hype is a false God you need not be worshipping.

Start panicking if these results stop happening in isolation and start to trend.

These are not excuses. It’s just football.

We can still aim to finish high. Nothing has changed since Wednesday evening. We needed to strengthen then, we still need to strengthen now. Both with mentality and with perhaps one or two new players. The manager also has to consider the art of rotation and not forget that back to basics element that got this journey started way back when he replaced Ramos. Players in their best positions. Just to recalibrate the side whilst we work through this tricky period (Parker not quite back with us, issues with width, the wrong type of consistency with set-pieces).

Whether the media/pundits/blogs/whomever want to label us with dark horse or contender tags, that’s up to them and its mostly to incite debate and discussion. But mostly because we've got the points on the table. Did everyone write off Utd after they lost to Rovers? No. But then Utd have been contenders and winners for an age. They know how this process works. We're working it all out as we go along.

Which is why retaining feet on ground whilst embracing our challenge is the best way forward. The players will be hurt for dropping the points. P*ssed off. Good. They need to hate the fact they didn’t win the game. Let them hate, let us support and everyone can then focus on the fight ahead. Where we finish up will be no accident, it will be where we deserve to be.

Pre-match, I thought we’d spank Wolves. Just had a feeling everything would come together. It didn’t. With all the possession and shots, it’s doubly annoying we didn’t turn it around. But we didn’t lose. And there is no lack of ambition if I choose not to be overly critical of ninety minutes of football. Although I understand that one game or two can equate to loss of momentum and can change form. That's not something on my train of thought. Left it behind on the platform after the City defeat at the Lane.

It’s so easy with hindsight to suggest tactical reshuffles and selection decisions. It’s also easy to assume we are throwing away a genuine chance to win the league by not being ruthless in these games. I know I’ve blogged about aiming high and looking to compete. That ethos, that remains the same. It’s the only way a team can continue to progress and strengthen that mentality further. But the reality is, we’re probably fall short. Why? Apart from City being who they are? That’s easy. Because we’ve not been in this situation for decades. Because we’ve not got the experience and the learning curve might yet teach us another valuable lesson or two. It's hardly an easy task is it? It's fantastic that we're even involved, that footballing folk are not patronising but honest when they talk about our style and entertainment and challenge.

In some ways, what I’ve written so far in this article can also be conceived as a knee-jerk to all the knee-jerking. I guess I’m just trying to work through it and find a balanced outlook in amongst all the contradictions and (believe it or not) complaints and negatives.

When all is said and done and argued to the point of agreement to simply disagree...Champions League qualification was the goal at the start of the season even though some believed it would be difficult to achieve (one or two continuing their opinion from the end of last season when Harry was meant to have lost his way). Look at what we've managed to do thus far.

Just be positive. I know there's an adrenalin rush, a fear...even a form of pressure because we want to progress to places we've not been before on an emotive level. It's still a positive.

We are third. Three defeats in the league all season. Ten points clear of 5th spot. We are still on course for accomplishing what we set out to do. As for the dream, it still remains mathematically possible even if its something we've gate crashed and remain outsiders for. We're not the ones under pressure to win the title. But rather than be disappointed or fearful about something that might perhaps prove to be out of our reach - if we retain its possibility for as long as we can, by doing so, we will guarantee a challenge and a top four finish. That will give us the opportunity to truly consolidate for next season and build on the belief the dream can happen.

The glory will be gained by not letting go of the desire to fulfil it.

Love the shirt.

Pinch yourself

Spurs 2 Everton 0

This is getting ridiculous now. Another win. Another clean sheet. Third in the table, level on points with second. Might even go ‘level top’ momentarily over the weekend if we beat Wolves. It’s all very giddy and nosebleedy. Should I pinch myself? Should we pinch ourselves? Have you pinched yourself? No? Neither have I. Because I know I’m not dreaming. We deserve this. We have to keep believing there’s more. What I might have to do at some point (soon) is take a step back and try to take it all in. Really appreciate what we have and what we are aspiring to do. Because in a sort of funny kinda ironic way, most of us are remaining quite grounded over our form. No delusions. No set in stone ambitions either. Let’s face it, start of season we’d have taken fourth spot. Most pundits/media folk would have had us pinned down as outsiders, 5^th at best. After the opening two games there were plenty writing off our chances. Concerned that the loss of form from the back end of the previous season was going to continue into this one.

It didn’t. We signed the players we needed to shape ourselves up in order to compete. Since the Manc nightmares we’ve lost only once. We’ve accumulated a points tally that would easily have us challenging for the title in previous years and one that has us in there at the moment, sticking around, just to see what happens. You know, just in case one of the more fancied sides balls it up. When we’ve had players out injured, we’ve dug deep and found a way to adapt. Proving that although key injuries would unsettle us and perhaps cause us long term difficulties – we have still found a way through the fixtures. We did exactly what we had to do through Christmas and the New Year and it’s looking good to finish Jan in similar high spirits as we enter Feb and the ‘doom and gloom’ of the away games we’ll be contesting. A period which is where most expect us to fall away. Mostly based on the fact we shouldn’t be sitting in 3^rd spot. We’re far more robust for these fixtures than some give us credit for.

The guile and grit is ever present. Tactically, we’re sound. Players are impressing. Jake Livermore (sure, it was only Everton but he still has to go out there and perform) played with maturity and composure and looked the part in centre-midfield, tidying up and not scared to get involved and carry the ball forward. Had a pass completion rate of just under 99%. 

Rafa van de Vaart continues to excel, work rate and sublime cross-field passing – he can do both. Michael Dawson returned, action-packed, willing to hurt his body to win the ball, the big huggable lump. Our full backs are pulsating. The unbridled joy of Benny’s goal and celebration testament to team unity. What a peach of a goal. Not forgetting Lennon, back in the side giving us complete width and thus comfort in playing the way we know best. Even though we didn’t defeat the visitors with flair on the night. More so tenacity and focus. We controlled it. This fabled game in hand that we’ve been embracing for so long as the one that can edge us further ahead from the chasing pack and ever closer to the top. We didn’t trip over. We skipped, with smiles.

Yet we could still strengthen further, preferably with young hungry players rather than looking to bring back a memory. But then we’re not in need for such a thing to anchor onto the past in the attempt to get some ilk of stranglehold on the present. Mainly because we don’t have anyone to call back (can’t seem to track down Andy Booth). And more so because we don’t have to look back, just forward. Nothing can be done about what’s happened, what’s gone before. It’s not relevant.

Spurs are still evolving. Which probably explains why I’m not gloating/dancing naked in the street at our lofty position. I’m simply enjoying our football and the players we have. We’re always told we won’t do this and we won’t do that, and whilst they waste their energy on attempting to box us back up...we’ve just kept on going. Football cycles always come to an end, so the death of the immaculate untouchable Sky Sports Top Four has given hope where there was no hope before. Where as you could argue we were punching above our weight in 2006 (because others faltered a little), you can’t say so with the class of 2012.

I’m not even thinking about the title. I refuse to look into her sultry eyes and be seduced. Not until she flashes her panties at me and invites me into her hotel bedroom. I just want us to keep on winning, to keep on believing. The buzz I get from this seasons form is more than enough to very gently alter the way I support Spurs. I’m far less stressed now. I don’t fear defeat, I hate the very mention of it. I don’t expect us to lose games. I don’t expect us to choke or bottle it. I know we can muddle our way through a sticky situation or ride our luck and even brush aside opposing sides and win comfortably. We grind it, we style it. Old school Tottenham, the one we’ve grown up with...the one that can be majestic and beautiful one day and absolutely abject the next. It doesn’t exist anymore. We’re just haunted by a memory, the memory of a fading knee—jerk. An expectancy of failure from the days when our form guide was populated with ‘D’ and ‘L’, punctured by the odd ‘W’. When we do come unstuck, it’s because...it happens. It happens to the best of teams. I know we’ll react positively to it. Because the club’s mentality has been fine tuned to start resembling one that can be synonymous with those of winners.

Momentum, a consequence of wanting more than a win in isolation but the necessity to make every win part of something far bigger.

It’s not happened overnight either. Started with Jol. We learnt lessons with how Ramos came to be and came to leave. Redknapp got us back to a respectable position that the squad of players should have been achieving based on their abilities. Then we took it up a notch. We finished 4^th. We had our adventure. It wasn’t enough, it’s not enough to be remembered for a cameo. We came unstuck last season, we added to our squad this term...and whilst we continue to push on, others stagnate.

I don’t pinch myself because we’ve taken a step at a time to get where we are. It’s been a process, a progression. But it still remains just a platform, a foundation. We’ve got such a good solid chance to make it so much more than that. But if I did take a step back and try to take it all in, I probably would turn melter and go loopy over the fact that we’re contending. I have to go back to ’87 for the last time we looked ‘the part’.

Maybe I’ve got it all wrong, being reserved and holding back. I always cite ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’ because that’s what we do. In the past, when perpetually mid-table we still supported our club like it was the best club on the planet. Why? Because it is the best. Even during some of the most depressive periods with some God awful players lining up for us, we still sang our hearts out. Should not be any different now. Especially with what we’ve got wearing our Lilywhite colours.

There should be no pressure on us. We shouldn’t spend our time in the stands biting our nails. Which should dare to achieve because there’s no glory in simply aiming for something that isn’t first place. Because anything that isn’t first place can’t be the most glorious of things to aim for.

Go on then, pinch yourself.

So believe. Believe until it’s mathematically impossible. Otherwise, you’re only living your life at half-pelt.

COYS.

Spurs avoid relegation

Spurs 1 WBA 0

Lack of tempo and direction after decent early pressure. No width. Bit sluggish. Festive period finally bites back at us. Struggled to work around the congested midfield area, tippy-tappy passing epic failure. Too much free-roaming from Bale when the left flank was yelling out his name. The right flank equally lonesome. Players looking tired with movement and touch. Passing was very very average. More than a few were anonymous out there. On top of that we had every other player dropping dead and some dubious substitutions and reshaping as a consequence (Niko in the middle as a CM? Really?). Gallas injured (calf). Sandro injured (calf). Livermore injured having replaced Sandro and injuring Kaboul (who survived it because he's well 'ard). Adebayor playing like he's injured but still managing to beat JD's best mid-season offside tally but is still some way off from equalling the Monsters Inc scare record. Defoe rubbish until he scored. Cue 1000 Spurs fans on Twitter desperately attempting to delete their anti-JD 'get him off' comments. Then he's rubbish again.

There were positives in there. Plenty of effort. Half-Jenas Livermore did quite well, retaining the ball. The experience, leadership and class of van der Vaart included a solid work ethic. Defoe's blonde hair making it ever easier for assistant ref's to wave their flag for offside (positive for them rather than us). That's all I've got. Well that and 68% possession even if our patient play was untidy. Some flaky decisions made on and off the pitch. But we survived any genuine scares.

WBA, decent effort. What with all the hacking and fouling. Made it more so tricky with their 19 centre-backs. But that's just respect for us. Can't expect lesser quality sides to turn up and try and play open football. They'll get murdered, even if we're at half-pelt. So don't try to play WBA and co, just hoof and time waste.

In addition: We still suck at set pieces. Countless attempts at goal without really carving out clear 'ooh it's going in' cut chances. No creative spark. No coat hanger to unlock the bus door and joyride the bulky annoyance away.

Regardless, we won. Ugly. But we won. Professional without being polished. More of a grind. Bit like pulling a bird you don't fancy at the end of a night out. But you still end up scoring and surely that was the objective at the start of the night?

Three points. Winning convincingly is just as important as winning unconvincingly. As long as the latter doesn't turn into a week to week trend then it's no different to other clubs who mix and match and get the points on the table.

I'll leave the rest for the actual match report/after-thoughts (probably not until Thursday if I get the chance as I'm recording the podcast Wed evening) but I'm sure 'squad rotation' along with 'the necessity to rest our players' will be two key talking points. FA Cup weekend, got to be intelligent with selection there. And please no more injuries.

Oh yeah, and 42 points. We can't get relegated now. Open bus parade. Have that Facebook Tottenham Relegation Party. Don't think I've forgotten your zany existence.

The cockerel might have been removed from the roof due to the extreme weather conditions but be sure it can be found crowing in the club bar sharing a drink with Chirpy and his white powdered nasal hairs.

COYS. Mind the gap.

Love the shirt.

RIP to the elderly Spurs fan that passed away during the game.

Three points and we get stripped

WBA (home)

I fancy us, yet something is holding me back from stripping naked and running in the rain singing ‘Glory Glory’ until perhaps after the game has ended (and we’ve won). Sunderland at home proved to be a testy affair which took one moment of unexpected class to give us the three points. WBA are unlikely to turn up and park the bus which might well work to our advantage as long as Harry has a handle on the fitness of the players.

Parker, BAE...just a couple in need of a rest. FA Cup weekend might be the opportunity Harry takes to make sure key players are rejuvenated for the game in hand the following week. Still, tonight’s game is equally as important. We slipped up against WBA last season, we can’t afford for any complacency this time round. It’s hardly a glamour game but it has to be treated like it’s a derby or cup match. Win = attack attack attack.

Will be interesting to see how we deal with the tempo, what with the energy exhausted against Swansea. We’re at home, so no excuse for lethargic displays (on the pitch and in the stands). Everyone’s had a busy festive period. If our lack of tinkering *has* effected the side and the fatigue can’t be shaken off as a collective...we’re in trouble. WBA are no mugs. They are organised and committed on their travels.

Singing in the rain. Fully clothed. Not cool.

One thing this season has told us is that Spurs don’t tend to buckle under the pressure of expectancy. That hunger for success is more than evident. Not to lose when we have a lull in performance, that’s a good trait to possess. We’ve proved our worth, we are contending and we endeavour to remain within the CL spots. That next shift in evolution and belief will come with renewed momentum. In this case, winning the home games we play in the month of Jan. Because the gap that might build up between us and others could prove to be the defining moment of the season so far.

Lennon might be back. Defoe too.

We all know the problem with rotation is that if we do so heavily we are susceptible to losing too much shape. So even with the obvious tired legs, we might only see one or two changes. Harry doesn’t tend to tinker too much. We don’t have the like-for-like key replacements for key players so he’ll adapt the formation accordingly to cater for the loss of Parker or Rafa (for example). JD’s inclusion could well lead to a more traditional 442 which should suit us with home advantage.

Quality wise, even if we made a change we should not be struggling at the Lane. Not if we wish to retain the contenders tag.

Strength and focus at the back. Midfield (Sandro) has to own the ball to allow Modric to conduct and our forward(s) have to be clinical. The later is absolutely imperative. The longer the game goes without a goal, the more confidence WBA will gain. Obvious stuff here, it’s really up to WBA to defend and counter and contain us. We have to look to take the game to them.

The crux is right there. Take the game to them; don’t even give them a second to answer back. White Hart Lane has to be bouncing, with the away end motionless.

It’s an important game. You can excuse results like the Swansea and recent Chelsea home game. Too many slip ups (even though both could be argued as decent points gained) will cost us in the long run.

Turn on the style Tottenham. Grit and class. Have us dancing in the rain (naked or otherwise).

Love the shirt.

The spur of the cockerel needs to be sharpened

Swansea 1 Spurs 1

Not the best of days. Jaded, fragmented and lacked shaped, more so when Harry changed it up with the two substitutions in the second half which only served to invite more pressure from the home side. Two points dropped? Well no, not really. It was a point gained considering how much of the possession we gave up in the second half. The hosts were the better team.

The thing with mentality is our players should ask themselves why it failed today, why were we not at the races? Ask then put right next game and next time we’re away to a tricky side that might cause us a few problems. What I mean is, if there was a casual aspect to our play and if we held back in the early exchanges then there has to be a collective reason for it. Don't think it was anything more than the aforementioned jadedness.

Personally, I don’t buy into complacency or believing our own hype. Doubt very much we went there believing we’d just need to turn up to win. We just lacked that spark and all things considered, if we’re going to have an off day away from home then a point might as well be acceptable. Swansea had all the right in the world to attack us. Sadly we could only produce pockets of possession and could not get a handle on the midfield. Don’t underplay the fact that it only takes one or two players in the team to be just a little off balance in terms of performance level for that to have a knock-on effect.

Lack of rotation? Sure, that’s a reason, an obvious one. Perhaps because we haven’t quite defined our plan b we rely too much on a particular style of play which means rotation can have a detrimental effect on the side thanks to a lack of like-to-like replacements in the squad. We’ve played and won without key players before, but perhaps we’ve over-stretched a little and it’s caught up on us.

Still, if its fatigue we have an opportunity to be clever with selections in January (in our home matches) and capitalise on what looks to be an inviting fixture list. Also, it points towards the necessity for activity in the transfer window because we’ve still got a fair few games to get through and there is nothing more frustrating than losing out on something because we lack cover and then having to cite that as an excuse. When we were down to the bare bones last time, we somehow managed to finish fourth. It’s different today because we’re in a better position as a team and expectancy is on us to keep up the positive results.

One worrying aspect that remains concerns the players we do have, the fringe players, and which will perhaps (finally) be sold on as there is little chance of us signing someone when we’re not shifting others out. When you start looking at the semantics, it can turn into a nervous game of patience with varying arcs dependent on other clubs and the business they seek to do.

In the past this usually means nothing happens until the final week or day (if that). As I said back in the summer we need to be decisive. We don’t need a massive overhaul. Just consolidation in key areas. If the politics of management and other off the field dramatics play a part in Levy’s decision making, then it gets messy. The side and its immediate future has to take precedence. Long term questions can be answered in the summer of 2012 (i.e. new goalkeeper). The messy bit for Levy is the decision that might need to be made regarding a new forward. Not just the element of risk if Adebayor gets injured. It’s the conundrum of whether we need to look to bring someone in this January and how that might affect the potential signing of the Man City loanee.

Considering we didn’t splash out £20M+ for a La Liga or South American player and opted for a loan deal you might find yourself agreeing that Levy is playing a waiting game.

As for the game; It was high tempo – end to end at times. Very ominous towards the end. You just knew they would equalise and it was deserved even if I would have accepted the 1-0 in our favour (obviously). Perhaps better goal-keeping would have seen us steal all three points. I guess it’s a thin line. Hold on and win and we’d have lauded the performance of grit when not playing too well. We drew and thus, we’re disappointed in the two points dropped from a winning position. But in each case, the performance is identical. Just an instinctive reaction or reflex (or lack of) makes the difference. Either way, we did not lose the game. Consistency and work ethic is part of that mentality we’ve built up, which means the old skool capitulation disorder is no more. We know how to compete.

I could not care less about other results. Let them worry about us rather than us rely on them slipping up.

It was untidy. The substitutions did not influence the game in our favour (they aided the opposition). The impact of losing both Rafa and Parker (who is in dire need of a rest) was pretty much as subtle as a brick in the face. We failed to adapt and appeared reactive to the play, with Sandro doing his best to defend everything. Reason enough to rest Parker and allow Sandro to fly solo. Kaboul also impressed again and Rafa (with the goal) worked hard for the team before going off.

When presented with opportunities we did not make the most of them. Adebayor not great with his first touch and only needs to be offside once more this season to equal Defoe's all-time record. Too many lethargic performances. Should work in our favour though. A reminder we have to work harder and Harry has to be careful as to avoid that rather obvious excuse in the making burn-out. In the grand scheme of things, our festive tally was a decent one what with the games played away from North London.

Special mention for Gareth. Stop it and cut it out of your game. As for his positioning, Harry should have instructed him to anchor himself a little to the flank rather than free-roam centrally where he appeared to have little impact. These things take time to work themselves out, so no need for a knee-jerk.

39 points from the last 48 points available. Third in the Prem. I’m content. I’m ecstatic to be honest. Sure, I’m hungry for more and we should not get into the habit of accepting second best but we still have to be realistic. We continue to evolve and the most vital aspect is to retain that consistency and momentum we’ve built up.

And if you are inclined to show interest in what is going on elsewhere, it’s apparent that everyone is beatable at the minute. Nobody is quite the same force they once was. The Prem continues to flux in its state of transition. I wouldn’t go as far as suggesting four or five teams are level-pegged – but the difference is hardly insurmountable.

We need to quickly nail down how best to rest/rotate and rejuvenate when we hit a lull and still retain our style of play or adapt accordingly for damage limitation.

It’s been a cracking season, one that I hardly imagined when we got tonked 5-1 at home and then lost (as per usual) up at Old Trafford. We’ve been exceptional without always being spectacular, but we’ve embraced our traditions and have continued to add new traits to our tenacity. We’re playing fantastic football at times and have players others envy. It’s hardly a shabby position to be in so do more than enjoy it. Wear your heart on your sleeve. Always.

We are Tottenham. All hail the arrival of 2012.

Love the shirt.

Things I want to see today

In no particular order.

Three points. Absolutely no room for complacency and excuses. Look at the table. A win (and another against Swansea) going into the WBA home game sets up January to be the pivotal month of the season before the hard slog kicks in. Psychologically, this is big. Not Godzilla big. Dinosaur big. We simply cannot freeze, extinction is out of the question. Resilience please.

Ruthlessly clinical up front. None of this Andy Cole ‘its takes five chances to score one’ teaser football. Either pass the ball into the back of the net or smash it in. There’s no room left for pretenders now, only contenders. Otherwise, we'll left anchored, cannonball away from sinking.

Luka Modric. In the middle.

Unequivocal focus and professionalism. We have stunning quality. On paper we should be trouncing the likes of Norwich. Paper won’t fly unless you make an aeroplane out of it. So fly Tottenham, fly. The last thing I want is an origami canary, smug smile, staring at my despairing face.

Rafa van der Vaart to be effective for at least 80 minutes. What? It's still sort of Christmas, so let me wish for a miracle.

Defending. Good old fashion defending without any lapses of concentration. Strength down the spin and at the heart of the back line. Unity. No Ledley today doesn’t mean we have to revert to displays with odd moments of calamity – i.e. losing spatial awareness. We're not kids, we're men. So get a grip and smack down any bullish behaviour from the hosts.

Benny's afro. Just because.

Width. Work the flank. Even if it means Bale swapping sides and having Sandro covering and full backs holding back to protect when he’s rampant in forward positions. Pace will destroy Norwich. Patience and possession the probable fuel to make it happen in pockets of play.

That bloody stupid dance.

COYS.

Love the shirt.

Disappointed

Spurs 1 Chelsea 1

I’m disappointed. Mainly because I know we are potentially better than Chelsea, at this moment in time. But potentially means very little in real terms especially if the application falls short when it matters.

Okay so we’ve got players missing and we have to adjust our shape and selection accordingly. We’ve been here before. If anything it simply illustrates the necessity to strengthen the side in January. Start of the month rather in the final hour before the window closes. Unless we reschedule all our home fixtures into that hour, we could well see an opportunity wasted to consolidate our position in the top four three. Business has to be concluded early so that we can work through early 2012 without too many dropped points. Otherwise its plan b - digging deep and attempting to wing it (literally).

But the window opening is altogether a different headache and I have to stop referencing it when its not yet relevant.

So when I say potentially I’m referring to how we’ve played this season with out and out wingers swapping sides. But we only had the one and can only speculate and theorise. We struggled, they held the initiaive for most of the game. But still, there is something endearing about an opposition that has so often taunted us on the pitch and in the stands, to come away from White Hart Lane feeling proud of their performance. They looked content, more than content because they thought they could have won the game. As the away side, they had us on the ropes once or twice in the second half. They contained us.

Disappointed I might be, but there was a moral victory in there once more for Spurs. Because we competed. Because we’re competing. Even if it looks like a Manchester title, we're contenders by virtue of being 3rd at Christmas.

It’s all very nice but we need to carve out that opportunity to still somehow win this type of game (even with the standard of performance) and remove ourselves ever so slightly from the subtle patronising of being this plucky new kid on the block trying to impress the older ones.

We should have really dicked Chelsea. We didn’t. We didn’t because, well, I’m uncertain why exactly. In terms of tempo and belief, we did little wrong in the opening twenty minutes. The first genuine rampage forward from Gareth Bale led to a cross and a goal, Adebayor beating Terry to the ball and then beating an uncertain Cech. The goal we conceded was a catalyst. Before that happened, we looked up for it. Focused and with fortitude. Handball aside (in the build up to the equaliser) both BAE and King need to be accountable for failing to pick up Sturridge. Is that a hole in your pocket Ledley? Benny was setting precedence for the rest of the game, out of position, slack and slow. He would add poor distribution to his forgettable evening.

Before it was 1-1, it did look very promising. The movement. The strength and industry of Sandro and Parker. Still, gradually, signs of an ominous type made fleeting appearances. A reminder that this was still Chelsea. A quality opposition with vastly experienced players. Before we gifted them the goal, they did their part to elevate tension just a notch. After the 1-1 we got a tactical schooling. Not quite a spanking, but you have to admit their presence in midfield nullified any creative spark from men in white.

van der Vaart was out there. Somewhere. I’m sure of it. Chelsea patiently retained possession and any attempt to reclaim some of that zesty Spurs football was, well...it was out of our reach. Still, they weren’t dominant. Stats might paint a picture of assault, but most of their chances at goal were missed punches rather than body blows. We were still in it. Felt like the game was untidy. They were not imperious like the previous Chelsea sides we’ve faced. Effective, not so wasteful in possession and a threat from set-pieces. We looked loop-side and lacked cultured intent and at times far too eager.

The lack of confidence, not because of weak mental strength but more to do with the fact that we are so finely tuned to play a certain style that perhaps the reality is that against the very best teams in the Prem, we can't get always get away with some of our adaptive make-overs.

At half-time I knew this game would finish 2-1. To someone. I was wrong, but the way the second half played out...it was most definitely a game where they could have won it and we could have nicked it.

Rafa didn’t appear for the second half. Injury. Which might explain (excuse) his ghost appearance in the first forty five. Harry changed things. He’s got it right recently when he’s had to make tactical swaps. This time, it didn’t quite work. 442 works although I prefer 4411. You just can’t play the latter if Rafa is off the pitch and if you’re replacing him with a certain Russian forward you’ve got more chance of finding a unicorns ball sack in heap of rocking horse ****. Roman does not do much on the field of play so there is zero chance of him working with effect in the space between midfield and attack. Neither forward dropped deep. There was no significant link up play to aid that much needed fluidity.

Still, we battled on. It remained dis-jointed. Luka drifting in from the right. Parker was less influential as per usual. Has his performance level dropped recently? Probably. Expected considering the run in the team he’s had and the results we’ve produced in that time. Sandro at least has given us hefty reassurance that if needed, we can rest Scott. The Brazilian was on fine form. Rough round the edges, but the type of rough you find acceptable. Like beard growth that itches every now and again in discomfort but you keep it because it makes you look good. You know soon enough it will grow nice and thick giving you full facial protection. Whatever we do, let’s please not shave it off.

Chelsea continued with their attempted body blows which at this point would have been knock-out punches. They had the opportunities, Tottenham’s chin presenting itself on more than one occasion. King at the back didn’t (on this evening) equate to the best defending as a unit. Although Ledley did make up for his earlier lapse with smart interceptions and tackles.

With the Christmas fixtures ahead of us and Rafa now joining Lennon on the sidelines, we could make matters worse if Luka retains his drifting in from the flank position. Having been second best for periods of the second half (well, most of it) we could have won the game with some golden moments as we edged towards the final whistle. Three great chances. Wasn’t to be. Chelsea I’m sure will think the same with their efforts. Gallas should have. Sandro was deserving. Adebayor might have lifted the ball higher at pace towards goal (easy for me to say it sitting here typing it).

We didn’t play too well. Shadow of the side we have been this season. But let’s not get too carried away with the negatives. Our opponents were hardly going to roll over for us. So the disappointment of failing to perform to the standard we could have might get bogged down with ‘tiredness’ and ‘injuries’ and ‘lack of genuine key play positional depth’. But as I've citied, its a good (strange) feeling to feel p*ssed off about drawing at home to Chelsea. But that doesn't excuse it, at least that's how the players mindset should be.

As long as the players believe this was a missed opportunity then that’s a good thing. I don’t buy into any of the rhetoric that the likes of Chelsea and others have come through their difficult period. They might have, but that doesn’t mean we can’t improve on ours. We’ve failed to win two on the trot. Crisis time. The making of any team is one that grafts their way through a period where obstacles are aplenty. Our ones are self-contained and require us to find that next level. We've not been in such a position before, so there's that to consider too.

How much as the Tottenham supporting psyche changed to feel disappointed? Still, it's just one game. It’s done, we need to move on. Let them celebrate the point whilst we look to make amends for dropping two.