Ugly

Seems there are efforts to rationalise the Kyle Walker abuse by suggesting the player should man up and accept supporters will get upset. Some will always want to share their frustrations because social media allows such communication to play out impulsively very publicly for everyone to see after the fact (comments are frozen in time for all to see and refer back to). It's anti-social media at the best of times. There is nothing to rationalise here, just some harsh realities to accept as the ugly side of following football rears its head once again.

The below quotes are from Tottenham supporters.

I was at the game and was unbelievably frustrated by what walker did in the build up to the 4th goal and I think his defensive performances this season have been disappointing. If a player makes a crucial error like that then of course supporters are going to have a moan at the time.

But once it's done you have a duty, in my opinion, to get behind the guy and let him know that there's a way back from a spell of poor form.

You don't go on twitter calling him a c**t, or whatever it is people did.

I can understand the frustration and the moaning, but some of it gets quite vitriolic and aggressive. Why act like that towards your own player. I think a lot of people have trouble in understanding that these people are humans.

Bottom of Park Lane were on him like hounds on a limping fox yesterday after the fourth went in, almost as bad as they gave to Ashley Cole. Pretty dangerous for the team if you start abusing your own players worse than the opposition's. Some of the fans during the last couple of years have really done their best to hack off the fans that will support the team no matter what and no matter who they are.

Atmosphere only perked up when we went 2-1 up, I can't put my finger on why. I thought the atmosphere would be malevolent but it was tame, might have been a bit more intense had JT played.

This goes beyond one player's loss of confidence.

You might argue that Kyle should not have removed his Twitter account. He should have simply logged off and taken a sabbatical. Either way it's just a Twitter account. It's completely his prerogative whether he wants to remove it or not. Much like you and I are free to do the same. And let's be honest, most footballers post irreverent stuff about Nandos or just re-tweet shout outs - but it's also their prerogative to use it as they see fit. See BAE and Adebayor for examples on how they entertain us and themselves. There is nothing to stipulate how you should go about micro-blogging. So it shouldn't be a big deal either way but the fact he did remove it suggests he's hardly chuffed scrolling through the colourful messages left for him. Walker has today said it wasn't Spurs fans criticising him but rather people trolling and he's thankful for the support shown since Saturday.

The actual problem away from the social media aspect is pretty much illustrated in the quotes shared above. Our fans are still behaving erratically whether it's at the ground or elsewhere. Kyle Walker along with other footballers simply need to be prepared for the fact that some will always respond in this manner. You've got to be thick-skinned. We've always had an element of fickle and easily frustrated fans for as long as I can remember. We like to scapegoat. Just suck it up as best you can and try not to laugh at the irony that the same fans probably cheered you on when your form was solid and you were being lauded with awards and will cheer you on again when you regain that missing confidence and self belief.

The concerning trend is that the element of fickle and easily frustrated supporters is festering into a far nastier element and for what reason exactly? Are we a club in turmoil? Are we in crisis? Are we destined for mid-table mediocrity? Do we genuinely have nothing to smile about? Are the players out of form so bad, so beyond repair that the way to deal with them is to abuse them? Why do we possess a defeatist attitude before a ball is even kicked? Are we under that much pressure as supporters?

What? I can hear you. I'm back with this same agenda. I can only be reflective with what is currently happening so look closer to home if you're bored of this argument.

Walker's feet probably haven't touched the ground since his hedonistic rise. There's probably been plenty of hype to help him on his way, disguising some of the weakness that need development. The Chelsea performance will hopefully be a catalyst to some soul searching for the player and man-management from Villas-Boas and his coaching team.

Yes, things get said in the heat of the moment, some supporters react without thinking because the heart consumes the mind and it's all reactive and sometimes regretful but always because of the love we have for the club. Makes us do crazy things. Some players will rise above it, others won't.

I've said it before and I've been told much like it's Walker's prerogative to do what he wants, supporters have a right to support the team in the manner they wish to. There's something unnerving and unattractive with the attitude of a fair few of us that think a culture of blame is the way forward. That trend has been ever present this season. Some of our faithful still find it easier to heckle than support, they find it easier to scapegoat and ignore compassion and objectivity. Other's only find their voice when we're winning.

It's an emotive experience, always, supporting Tottenham. At the moment, the despondent trend is one of a minority but it persists in making plenty of noise.

That's done. Back to the football. Which is that thing that happens on the green field that is meant to bring us so much joy. Chelsea aftermath chit chat on the way.

Harry Out!

Here's some more pro-Villas-Boas commentary (or should that be pro-Tottenham?) from other apologists, via my Twitter time-line, also taking the balanced approach. No agenda here. Just common sense.

AVB is going to need time. Fixing a "broken" squad, coping with life after King/Modric, introducing new methodology. Can't expect top 4.

The majority of Spurs fans (anyone vaguely level-headed) can see this. The rest expect too much, too soon. We will likely fall back this...

Those "fans" booing Jenas at the first home game, booing at half-time, and booing at full-time need to get a grip & get behind the team IMO.

@WindyCOYS

-

I think its important to remember that we have won 3 league games since that demolition of newcastle in mid february

None of these players were performing before avb took over

And we have weakened the squad by selling 2 out of our 3 best players and arguably the 2 most creative players in our entire squad

"there are rich teams, there are poor teams and then there is us". No not something Daniel Levy said - it's a quote from Moneyball but v apt

@DarrenLA

-

When you look at the squad Redknapp left, he would have needed to majorly overhaul it for this season if he had stayed.

Only Walker, Kaboul, Daws, Caulker, BAE, Bale, Lennon, Parker, Bale, Sandro & Defoe realistically in his plans for next 2 seasons

@fatfish59

-

I've gone into the season expecting a step back before we take 2 forward. The media will use the fans booing as signs of trouble.

@TheBoySeggy

 -

Who was the last high profile big name player Spurs brought? Excluding the reasonably priced fluke of VdV

The likes of Rebrov and Bentley have probably burnt Levy. Truth is that we have never been a club to buy a player at their very peak

Without CL it is perhaps completely understandable that Levy remains tight with purse strings

As fans we perhaps expect too much to keep up with the city's and Utds... But in recent years we have always nurtured young talent...

... Or given a final chance to great players.

This is what saw us finish 5th twice under Jol, and 4th, 5th, 4th under Redknapp

If you were Levy with that success you would probably be rightly cagey to spend money.

However as fans we want the best and want that marquee player

Parker and Friedel. Now Dembele, Sigurdsson, Dempsey. All reasonably priced, all proven in Premiership

If players all had exotic Spanish sounding names or were from Brazil or Portugal and cost 2x as much, I think we would all be delighted

... But we get two players from Fulham and a guy from Iceland (no denying Lloris and Vertonghen are great though)

Maybe Harry had a point? "Never had it so good" - wasn't referring to 61/62, but the 90's - fan expectation high compared to recent success

Wanna play in Premier League or spank all our cash and end up deducted points, playing in League One, or worse, bankrupt?

Levy is tight, likes a bargain. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. But we still have a club in the premiership. (Portsmouth Leeds)

@SibsTHFC

-

Following tweeted (via TwitLonger) by @EwanRoberts. You'll find it's familar as I've been banging the same drum.

Wrote some stuff about Spurs' form in 2012, pre-AVB:

Many people have said that all AVB had to do to succeed was continue the good work done by Redknapp and build upon healthy foundations. But that’s just not the case. Totally ignoring the players we’ve lost for a moment, AVB’s having to repair rotten foundations, re-build the soul of the team, boost confidence and morale, get a losing team back to winning ways.

Our form now is a hangover from our form at the end of last season. AVB was given a team that was rock bottom in so many respects. We may have finished fourth, but that did not adequately represent just how truly awful we’d been in 2012.

If you take the second half of our season – the second set of 19 games – we won just seven matches. A win percentage of just 36%...and three of those wins (none of which were convincing) came in our final four games. If the league existed just over that period of time we’d have been in 9th position, behind Wigan, Fulham, Everton and the usual suspects.

Those figures include an additional game for us compared to all the other sides (the postponed Everton match @ WHL, because of the riots). If those three points are discounted, we drop to 11th place.

There’s been lots of people saying “mid-table here we come” and such, well mid-table’s been beckoning for a while. We’ve had the form of a mid-table side for 5 months prior to AVB’s arrival. This isn’t his fault, our poor early season form isn’t exclusively of his doing.

If you look at the nine game run from the 5-2 loss at the Emirates in February until the 1-0 loss to QPR in April – a period that represents almost a quarter of the season – we were 19th in the form guide. Played 9, won 1, drew 3, lost 5. 6 points from a possible 27. Goals scored = 9, goals conceded = 14. 0.67 ppg. Only Wolves were worse off. Only two sides (Wolves and Norwich) conceded more goals.

Five teams conceded five goals twice or more in a single game in the league last year, and we were one of them. Norwich, QPR, Bolton and ourselves conceded five goals twice, Wolves conceded five goals three times. Two of the five teams are now in the Championship.

We’ve been crap for a while. Not only is AVB having to prepare for life after King, Modric and van der Vaart, he’s also having to turn around the fortunes of a club that has been in a six month slump. Frankly, given the form of the side it’s easy to see why AVB is happy to undertake wholesale changes to the squad. And it’s also clear that it will take time for AVB to mend a broken team. And that's what AVB inherited: a broken team, not a title-challenger.

Want more of that brooding drum?

From The Fighting Cock forum, via @vadimivich:

On 08/02/12 Harry Redknapp was cleared of tax evasion charges. On 12/02/12 Tottenham absolutely smashed Newcastle 5-0 in front of a delerious crowd at White Hart Lane

Since that night...Spurs have won only 4 of 16 Premier League matches:

That's 18 points from the last 16 league matches, which is barely above the relegation mark. And we're talking about almost half a seasons worth of matches now. The frustration setting in with the crowd isn't just for a few matches under AVB, the entire club has been in a very long, deep funk for quite a while now - and under 2 different managers.

We know there's quality out there on the pitch, but it's been a long time since it showed itself. The club is mired playing relegation level football and something needs to happen to snap everyone out of it. I'm not sure what that needs to be, but this isn't just a few games under a new manager kind of funk...it's set in deep at this point.

I think the point is that it's not really all on the manager - there's a group of talented players that for whatever reason haven't been playing to their talent level for some time now.

Frankly, it looks like a confidence thing ... the players on the pitch look tentative and lost, not just attacking but also defending. There's not the assertiveness and aggression we saw when this group was playing at their best. I'm sure the nervous home fans aren't helping, I'm sure the negative press isn't helping, but what this teams needs more than anything else is to just go out and smash someone and get that confidence back.

Notice the trend? It's in there. I promise if you look deep enough you'll see it.

It's the international break now, so this civil war is going to drag on for a little while longer. With any luck I'll find something else to blog about by the time the weekend arrives. If you want the flip side of the argument, then please read the comments section on the last few articles published on this blog.

Follow @Spooky23 on Twitter.

New cockerel teased

Shared by yoof player Cameron Lancaster via Twitter:

July 12th we get to see all of it.

Under Armour can be found on Twitter - @UnderArmourUK. They appear to be slightly more forthcoming with the banter than the Official Spurs feed.

Tantric

Once again, it's sounding like everything (the new manager and two very well documented targeted players) are done and dusted and that Spurs are waiting on their pre-arranged pencilled-in date to make it all public due to contractual obligations/new Spurs shirt/insert your own conspiracy theory here.

Every thing is set and Spurs are holding back, much like you would do with a beautiful woman. Hold back as much and as long as possible because the climax will be spine-tingling. Why finish up quickly? Tease and dictate and then detonate. What would Sting do? Then again, to be fair, following Spurs is less missionary and more Sadomasochism. But we don't complain. I don't complain. I never complain. I sometimes beg. We still talking about football?

As for all the rhetoric and conjecture? Most of it, especially anything relating to transfers and rumours, and the resulting ideology behind it resonates from one place.

Social media.

Long gone are the days when you only had a conversation at the pub before and after the game or at school/college/work on a Monday morning. Teletext Clubcall adverts whilst waiting for page two of the latest scores to appear. Not forgetting the original Titans of ITK and attention seeking, the tabloid back pages (especially on a Sunday). The latter dethroned by the Gods of the modern grapevines. All consuming knowledge with us royally drunk on consumption. It's like the Matrix with one hundred thousand Oracles sitting on a park bench. The rest are made up of Keanu Reeves, thousands of them, with sharp tongues running around a lot and kicking. Harry Redknapp will probably claim he had something to do with that.

Every thought is instantaneously shared. Which could quite easily be the outstanding reason to avoid social media altogether. Every piece of commentary, action, incident, goal, sound-bite is micro-analysed and dissected. Before you can blink there are memes, animated gifs, appreciation threads and usually plenty of obsessive 'let me get there first' shouting to claim fifteen seconds of notoriety before it fades into the next million repeats. Once upon a time, real life gave us mad jokes and iconic moments of our lives and now you spend your time talking about something 'epic' on the internet that happened on the internet.

There is no time for pausing.

At the best of times there is a lack of any true understanding of irony or sarcasm unless it comes accompanied with previous nods to comedy via caveat. Everyone is a critic and nobody can take criticism whilst some like to dish it out and block you before you can respond. Back pages of the tabloids? When was the last time anyone ever used the back page of a tabloid as the catalyst for major discussion? They only mirror what was said 24 hours earlier on someone's time-line. Tomorrow's news is what its always been, thoughtful commentary on what occurred a day earlier. Unless it's been made up to fuel the next day's hellmouth of debate online. Social media is today's news now and is mostly driven by our own desire to drown out other people's ego's with less thoughtful commentary.

It might look messy, it is messy, it's usually full of Messi. There's no denying it. If you follow the right amount of people, a mixture of fellow supporters, journalists, writers you'll have yourself a scenic majestic volcano of pulsating lava. Just don't stand too close or you'll burn. It's alive, constantly breathing out (hot air, lol). A glorified frenzied chat room with message board qualities. A community I guess. You can even meet people off Twitter and go down the pub with them. It's usually an anti-climax that. Mainly because at the best of times I can only muster two sentences worth of speak at any given time. Which ironically works out to about 140 characters.

But still, what would we do without it?

Possibly spend more time outside for a start. Conversing with the missus on the latest Eastenders story arc (Derek Branning and his Spurs robe? I reckon he was a Shelf Sider myself, pwoper norty) or perhaps allowing my daughter the luxury of an occasional walkabout when unlocking the airing cupboard for her twenty minutes of light. So much joy to behold, yet all lost whilst with me firmly seated in front of a pc/lap top/smart phone. Forever refreshing, desperate for that one last tweet before logging off. But oh no, I just thought of something really witty, I have to log on again. Oh ffs, my wi-fi is playing up, no dinner will have to wait a second, I've got something to share and God darn it the Internet has to know!

Placing the vanity driven Instagramed photos of people's dinner aside and a variety of other chat and forum-like discussions (usually arguments) I honestly can't think of a better medium than Twitter for information sharing. Like a beautiful wild fire that destroys but its flames mesmerise all that stare upon it. Yeah sure, you have to work your way through some of the smoke but I never feel like it's a wasted journey. Not just referring to transfer gossip here. But the amount of exquisitely crafted writing to be had is just fantastic. Not just fellow Tottenham bloggers, but across the board from all over the planet. It's a rich resource. It can also bring people together (oh cringe mate cringe). Sat online one late evening last year, the idea to finally record a podcast was birthed with a drunken exchange online with a like-minded individual. Some would say we've never been sober since.

My dinner. Because to understand me you need to understand what I eat.

We've all been discussing the imminent managerial appointment of Villas-Boas for weeks now, so much so that the definition of imminent is about to change to 'an event that is predicted to occur within a one hundred year period'. The signings of Vertonghen and Sigurdsson have also been well documented. The cull of Bond and Jordan, I thought had already been confirmed weeks back but only appeared to make the official site and the newspapers the other day. No word on Allen, I guess he survived.

Social media is making most news outlets fairly redundant for breaking news. They play catch-up or just repeat/rehash old news. One source copying from another and so on. News outlets end up reporting on something that might have originated from a genuine source or a dubious one yet by the time it's published nobody cares. Ouroboros.

Many take every word to be literal and yet in the next sentence argue against its legitimacy. Such is the luncay that it allows for the transparency of agendas to be made very obvious and in a positive way. This gives the power back to the people that in the past mostly did the reading and had no way to knock heads together (Teletext with a chat room would have been laugh a minute).

I'm simplifying things I know. Many journalists tweet a slice of news then write an article if relevant which is published online and then printed the next day. Others just go to print the next day based on something they've read online. Whilst Twitter itself is constantly regurgitating everything whether it's online or in print or on tv, forever feeding its over-populated nest. And somewhere Jim White strokes a white cat. So come this weekend or as much touted, the 1st of July, just pretend to be surprised/excited when we finally welcome the new THFC manager with a signing or two standing alongside him. We are the generation guilty of having far too much time on our hands and constantly wanting to know everything yesterday. Yet in amongst it exists diversity and originality. You just have to fight your way through to find it. Like so much in life, it's unnecessary and yet essential. Damned be the paradox.

There was an X-Files episode where someone ends up uploading their concious to the internet. I reckon most of us are already plugged in beyond escape. But you can get away from it every so often. The pub is never going to disappear. But guaranteed whilst you're enjoying your pint the bloke next to you will be photographing his and uploading it to share to his followers with the tag-line "I'm in the pub! Have we signed anyone yet?"

Follow me on Twitter.

/\

I'm not being ironic there, seriously, follow me.

Not all presents are well received

Tweets of the Day from Twitter.

A day or so ago I read a Gooner's tweet that stated something along the lines of 'Spurs can't say anything to us until they finish above us for 16 years running'. The point being, they've achieved over a decades work of finishing in a Champions League spot therefore, the logic at play here is that we are not in the position to be critical of them until we match this. Such a feat might be unlikely for most now that the dominance of the Sky Sports Top Four has completely collapsed from the untouchable position it attained.

Personally, I couldn't care less for their consistency (they still haven't won as many European trophies as us). Talking about the past is fine, but it's just that (the past, been and gone) and it can not always define your future even though it can inspire. All summed up perfectly in response by @NorthernWrites:


But if you are only as good as your last game, what difference does the last 16 years make? We need one year at a time.

reviewing our performance on a generational basis if for mugs. People putting up 19 banners at United who were barely alive...

when LFC were taking the piss in Europe is the stuff of small time c****. How many United fans were loling in the aisles at Henry

and had to backtrack very quickly over Scholes. Football is about the present. Not all presents are well received.

difficult situation being a Spurs fan. Given the supposed woes of Arsenal, it's easy to want to smash "St Totteringhams" day...

down the throat of most gooners we know - politely of course. But then the scales are precariously balanced. On one had there is..

fear that everything could go tits up and we slip below them. On the other, well... can we really catch the Manc sides? Maybe?

Everybody has to fight for their right (whistles Beastie Boys) to be successful and you can only be judged on what is happening right this moment and not what happened last year, three years ago, five years ago, ten years ago...and so on. Same rules apply for Utd and Chelsea.

Everyone has work to do, everyone has to work for it.

Follow me on Twitter: @Spooky23

Follow

If you're on Twitter, follow these people. If you're not, then sign up for it and get following. Think of it as a news stream (if you follow choice mainstream football sites and broadsheet journalists) and a decent way to chat and knee-jerk with fellow Spurs fans.

Don't be shy.

essential spurs

  @adampowley @MartinCloake @SpursFuture @SimonJ68 @drwinston001 @EvilChirpy @thedarkpav  @Bentleysbird @charlottepeachy @oGrime @Will_Hoe @HotSpurLucy @DanLouw @daviddinkin

thfc / bloggers

@dompaczko @EwanRoberts @AllActionNoPlot @WFRFtheTruth @spursblogger @NorthernWrites   @OutsideMid @TomGoulding @THFC1882dotcom @JamesMawFFT @Reptile_16  @Spurs_Latest @gregtheoharis

enemy bloggers / fans

@R_o_M @stevenmcinerney @DanielNotaro @ChuBoi @yolkie_ @StrettyNews @DoronSalomon @Ohpebbles @anand_ramki @TheStokie @PhilBlundell

general football peeps

@differentleague @TheFalse_9 @ifanshare @false10 @SurrealFootball @Twisted_Blood @UFJamesT  

the fighting cock podcast team

@Flav_Bateman @Spooky23 @tehTrunk @RickyTFC @ChicagoDanTFC @TheloniousFilth 

@Alex_Prole @CaseTFC @jodmitchell 

@WindyCOYS @SibsTHFC

@lovetheshirt

Full listing here.

It's launched!

Oh yeah baby.

We have ourselves a spanking new glossed up website for the podcast. Props to Casey for sticking it together. We didn't even ask him to do it. He just stalked us online, stopped short of sending us his scented boxer shorts and instead gave us this:

www.thefightingcock.co.uk

It's glorious. We accepted the gift gleefully.

The podcast will still be available here on DML, but the new site will allow for a more community type feel for the shows allowing us to indulge in a little ego-massaging with comments from our listeners who wish to partake. There's a message board, so click in and sign-up.

Episode 8 is now available.

Follow us on Twitter: 

@tehTrunk @Flav_Bateman @RickyTFC @chicago_dan_TFC @TheloniousFilth @Alex_Prole @Spooky23

Love the shirt

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Tweeting Tottenham

If it feels like your permanently on-line at the moment, refreshing countless news feeds and message board threads in the hope of a breaking story or slice of information that will brighten up your day...you're wasting your time. You and I both know Spurs won't do any business until the final day of the transfer window and the only thing worth watching on that day is Sky Sports News in the hope that Jim White's head will finally explode on live tv.

That's not to say there is anything wrong with being permanently on-line. But there are better ways to spend it. No, not porn. Yes porn, but another is Twitter.

Don't be afraid, if you're not a user - sign up.

Might appear a little offbeat and irreverent to start of with, but if you follow the right type of people then what you end up with is basically a time-line of chat and information, a good mix of fellow THFC fans along with some top journalists (they exist) and esteemed bloggers (not just the Spurs ones) and statos. It's good craic.

So to get you started (of if you're on it already), make sure you're following this Spurs lot and a couple more:

@daviddinkin - Trust me on this, one THFC fan well worth a follow.

@tehTrunk - Creator of this lot. His facebook page is here.

@thedarkpav - Roman Pavlyuchenko's dark side.

@SpursSimon @Bentleysbird - Banter.

@MorrisKeston - Superfan.

@MartinCloake - Author.

@ThePOTL @EvilChirpy - Phantom of the Lane, allegedly. And post-surgery Chirpy.

@WindyCOYS @spursblogger @Studub @dompaczko @NorthernWrites - Bloggers.

@TLDORC @R_o_M - City. Utd.

You know what, far too many too mention. Full list here.

Ain't no pleasing you

guest-blog by Chris King

When is it no longer acceptable to complain? To moan about a service provided, an experience gained or an attitude presented to you?

What makes it unacceptable? Do you have to take in to consideration everything that has gone before – to apply a “mus’n’ grumble” attitude to everything you do – as hey, there is always going to be someone far worse off than you; someone below you – way below you.

When do you hand over your right to complain? As soon as UEFA doles out their 30 pieces of TV silver; or does it go back further than that – to Eastlands last term, to when Harry signed, to when Jason Dozzell went back east?

This is the picture currently being presented to Spurs fans – fans who feel they want to exercise their right to politely point out where the team has gone wrong over the last couple of months. To comment, complain even criticise (lick windows and howl at the moon as some in the media are suggesting us “nutters” do). Yet we are being reliably informed that we are clueless; that we have no right to moan about this past season – as this is the best it has ever been (since circa Sky and all that).

Swallow your penance, shut up and accept your lot.

But what if you are one of those book learning types; you know – those that can read. Can look at a set of results, the names in a squad; understand maths sufficiently well to add up points that could (read: should) have been gained against those clubs below yours. What if you then came to the conclusion that all was not right? That something had gone wrong; horribly wrong – and the slight swagger you presented to the world back in March – was now a hunched shuffle, which had you sloping back in to the pack – to where most believe you truly belong.

City beating us was no great shock last night – eggs, paper bags, and the geek’s even nerdy dad could have Spurs in a rumble right about now. Yet if you read twitter last night, or skimmed through the obituaries – sorry – I mean match reports this morning - you’d think we were just popping off cloud nine for a pint of milk, a decent keeper; and we’ll be back amongst the big boys before next season was but a few weeks old.

It was official – we weren’t allowed to complain. We weren’t allowed to pluck figures like one win in 10 (I appreciate it’s more, I just like round figures) out of the cold, hard facts. We weren’t allowed to comment on the apparent lack of desire at times against West Ham, West Brom or Blackpool. 

We weren’t allowed to question the tactical acumen applied to the team selection in those game, or last night – or the switches made, and the personnel introduced. 

Unbeknown to Spurs fans, a new law was passed across the land placing the penalty of treason on any negative comments directed at the Red Top’s new “King of Hearts”. Harry is lauded as a very good manager who had a bad run with a few dodgy decisions, sendings off, injuries – it was always someone else’s fault.

But what if we want to complain? What’s stopping us?

Well there’s the ever so slightly patronising undertone that we’ve been shockingly bad for so long that, To Dare – is apparently above us. We should be happy with the fact that we’ve beaten AC and Inter Milan – we’ve had a run in the Champions League that no one expected of us, and that we took our beating against Madrid like men.

If there’s a Spurs fan out there that can’t find a positive from the season, then there is a little more than something wrong with them – and in fairness, to those baying for Harry’s head, only Vicente del Bosque would get the sack after some of our European results this term – but there is no disputing that our season was derailed sometime in March – and if we can’t moan, then at least let us ask why it all went so wrong?

I don’t buy in to the notion that the European experience did for us. We’ve been all over clubs at times – West Ham at home, City home and away – and what have we got to show for it? If we can’t criticise Harry, do we point the finger of blame at Dear Mr Levy? – who is so cunning in his transfer bargaining that he left us a striker light, and gave us Pieenar – a player who appears to have left what form he had, back up in Liverpool – no doubt a victim of that gang that targets the prized possessions of their local players.

But we can’t moan – nor question. So what do we do? We do what all Spurs fans do at such times, we argue with each other. If no one is prepared to listen, we find someone to at least shout over the top of on the same subject matter; though for once, we all seem to be shouting the same things.

No Journos will return our tweets, opposition fans only see the folly in our arguments – we’re no longer the darlings – back to being the overly expectant, laughing stock we’ve been since the ‘80s.

If last season delivered the earth, this season promised the moon and the stars as well. There was, daft as it now seems - the faint glimmer that we might even be the club to take the title race in to May. Looking at our last 13 league games, the teams we’ve played and the points we dropped – would it really have been so daft?

Though I guess it is not really our fault. United, Chelsea and Arsenal are where they supposedly belong – City have bought their place at the top table, and Liverpool – well, they’re just the Liverpool of old; same efficiency, same manager, same reliance on the back pass to the keeper. So if it feels like we robbed ourselves of glory; chances are it just wasn’t meant to be.

So if you feel like moaning – ask yourself a few questions: are we better than we were under Francis? Have we enjoyed some fantastic European nights down the lane this term? If the Red Tops want Harry for England, surely he’s still the man for us, right? If we’d have won half of those last 13 games, would we be back in the Champions League next year?

Actually, don’t ask that last question; it’ll only cause you to question, to moan….. To ultimately, be wrong!

Chris King, a regular on the old Shelf and held a season ticket in the Park Lane Upper. He now lives in Leeds, where he spends most Saturdays trying to teach his daughter the words to Spurs’ songs. Writes for In Bed with Maradona and his own blog Northern Writes.

Twitter rant

Twitter multi-tweet rant from me early this morning after reading yet another article about 'racist' Spurs fans and that song about Adebayor.

So, let me get this straight

Kick it Out wait until the player has left England and for said player to then be placed in position where stupid song can be sang at him

Then for said player to complain about it (well within his rights I should add)

And this is then an invite for Kick it Out to comment on it and urge the player to take further action

How about when Spurs and Arsenal fans sang this song at him whilst he played in England? Did ya not hear it then?

Are you not proactive?

How about the clubs?

You want something done, then be seen to do something about it rather than throw around weighty soundbites in the press

I'm waiting for Sol Campbell to come out in support for the player and confirm we're all racist scum

Because, that's why we hate Sol Campbell and abuse him when he plays against us. It's because he's black

It's not because he's a liar and scum

Thanks for listening

There's no room for racism, any form of it, in society let alone football

But ******* hell, there are far more serious things happening that probably need that bit more attention than the crap sang by a minority

I suggest crime watch get some mugshots up like last time. really drive the message across

@Spooky23 What's your opinion of the abuse Rooney was getting at West Ham?

@robawhite see this is the problem. abuse in general. fine line, what is deemed as banter and what is borderline and what is a no-go?

fans singing songs about Cisse's head looking like a pint of Guinness - racist or funny?

number of years ago, we played Nottm Forest in the cup, WHL

think we drew, then replayed at their ground

at the lane, was right next to away supporters in the park lane and i could visible lip read some of their fans calling us 'f****** jews'

at their ground, in the coach (got pelted by stones) I witnessed kids/teenagers mimicking apes, directed at us...beats me why

although I can assume what they were trying to get at

these are problems not with football, but because of the sheer amount of people at a game and the numbers that might echo the same...

...sentiments, we (the royal we) think we can get away with certain things. and certain things we can. just about

which is why the Ade song is sang. which is why some sang the distasteful Judas song. in the street you'd not get away with that

which is why the Ade song is sang. which is why some sang the distasteful Judas song. in the street you'd not get away with that

@Spooky23 Do you not agree most (if not all) of the players who get abuse invite that stuff. Barton, Savage, Sol, Rooney, Maradona, Adebayor

@robawhite now that's the crux of it in terms of tradition, banter. some chants are not nice, but we'll hardly going to say something nice

@robawhite the players you mentioned, they 'deserve' attention. they get paid enough to stand strong. they probably dont give a toss

they probably even like it to come extent. unless of course they have an agenda (yes, Judas, I'm talking about you)

Ade seems honest enough off the pitch, if he wants to make a deal out of it, fair enough

Rooney deserves abuse, if that makes sense. chin up. get the f*** on with it you miserable millionaire you

we all know, hand on heart when something is genuinely racist because it offends us to the bone even if its not directed at us

we also know when something is touching on cultural differences and therefore borderline or skipping towards allowing for more serious abuse

to become acceptable by those singing the borderline stuff

The Ade song is nothing compared to listening to chelsea fans, teenagers, singing songs about killing jews

In frigging Putney when I worked there, on a Friday evening ffs

do we have racist fans? yeah, doesn't every club?

do we have idiot fans? yes

in the bogs in the park lane I've heard one idiot sing a song about Matthew Harding, he got not a single response from it. i smiled inside

we can make it very complex in terms of what is and isn't acceptable. but it's obvious what is and isn't. some things will get highlighted

..more than others. Liverpool/Utd have plenty of songs sang in each others direction etc etc

Anyways, in conclusion, can we just move on and perhaps think of songs for players that don't have songs

rather than sing songs about players who constantly dick us in games

Also, just as a footnote, Chelsea FC do quite a bit in removing their own fans from the stands re: racism

Perhaps some of their minority fans who still hold onto yesteryear should look towards the club owner for an epiphany

Spurs v Villa: the tweets

1st Half

If Spurs win today, we can win the title, if we lose, we'll finish 7th

Gomes; Hutton, Kaboul, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Modric, Palacios, Bale; Van der Vaart; Defoe = Glory

One minute gone and we already look f****** s***. I'm switching off.

Liked the work for the Defoe effort

Gomes. The man with two brains. The two brains of lobotomised monkeys.

@PhilBlundell Yep. It lacked something. But he's lacked that extra buzz since his return. He'll come good (re: Defoe's effort)

Villa fans giving Bale special treatment. Not getting that.

Illustration of why we are way off the finished article. Too open at the back. No stamp of authority in the middle.

Did look like 1-0 to us though. Can we have one of our two reviews please?

@Becky_Fowler it's regulation Spurs (re: end to end football)

Villa fans now celebrating goal keeper catches

Lovely (1-0 Spurs)

Wonderful cross field ball that to start it off

RT @Will_Hoe: 'Van Der Vaart' roughly translates into English as 'Sit On My Face'.

huttons cross was quite funny though

it was the most apologetic cross I've seen, 'here I come someone get on the end of me, seriously, i'm on my way in'

lets have another one

If only Modric had a 16 out of 20 with his shooting

RT @xActionMaNx: Am I allowed say Defoe has been poor ?? #Coys

@xActionMaNx Thanks for the hoodoo

Soft soft soft red card, ridiculous decision

When are refs going to be held accountable for being ****? it's a fair question.

Gonna be a long game. it's simple. We'll still create chances. We just have to be clinical.

@SpursSimon No intent, assistant gave it (re: red card)

That's it Spurs. Fight.

@aronmoore vdv = mental strength

Bale needs a half time hug from arry

DVD of the last five minutes of the half now available for download at the online Spurs Shop


2nd Half

Obvious half-time assessment: We need to be scoring the next goal

@davidwong1966 We can score a second for sure

People who call BAE - A&E...suck it up

Is Defoe on a two match ban then? (yes I know, we'll appeal hopefully)

Beautiful (2-0 Spurs)

Devastating yet calm, controlled and composed counter

@TomTraubert2009 Sunday Supplement would have a special 3 hour show to discuss it (re: if someone like Utd had scored the goal)

Here we go...

Cheap goal, nobody's fault, but cheap (1-2)

@TomTraubert2009 Drama queen. (re: Is Gomes a soft lad)

RT @Will_Hoe: BLOW THE F***** WHISTLE.

Right - off to get p*****d. Laters.

@bglendenning Okay for Spurs players to smile at the end of the game? Just asking.

@Spooky23 Beating Villa surely entitles them to do laps of honour and pour big tubs of water over Harry Redknapp

@bglendenning The open bus parade is today at 2pm

Conclusions:

Palacios is back baby. Superb work rate and decent distribution. Modric and van der Vaart were classy. The cross field pass from Luka just absolutely fantastic and vdv's goals sublime. His finish for the first was quality but the flick to start the second and the patient yet pacey work leading up to the winner was just beautiful (team effort mind). Kaboul was powerful (could have defended their goal better perhaps or was Wilson at fault with his sole mistake losing the ball in attack?) and BAE undroppable (one word: backheel). Hutton not overlapping and getting in the way of Azza. Crouch doing a job when brought on. All good.

Never a red for Defoe, thought the ref and his assistants were all over the shop with their decision making. But the strength in character (illustrated by the possession towards the end of the first half) was first rate. Professional and without panic.

Bale was kept quiet but instrumental in the winner. Harry showing passion on the touchline dealing with the repugnant Pires. Rafa showing passion in the dugout too which is something you want to see from all players. The will and determination to win because wins breed a winning mentality and that breeds momentum.

Enjoying Christmas? Robert Pires, suck it up.

Twitter: @Spooky23

MatchDay Frolics: Inter v Spurs

Time for another bout of alternative minute-by-minute comment based musings of the game. Live.

It's Inter versus Spurs.

It all stems from myself requiring in-game therapy by sharing my observations because I need to vent and also strike up a bromance or two with my fellow Spurs fans. Because if you're at home and not in the pub and on your own, then it helps to have others suffering along with you, be it electronically.

This minute-by-minute commentary is not as consistent in terms of structure as the Beeb's version and definitely not as witty and pun-driven as the Guardians. But a f**k load better than ITV's in-game audio commentary. Which, let's face it, isn't exactly the greatest brag in the world. Chiles and company are akin to listening to diarrhetic elephants emptying their bowels, so this blog will easily suffice as a superior companion to the game than the giddy nonsense churned out by the incompetent guardians of the tactic truck.

Point being, unlike the rest, it's all-Spurs.

Rather than update this blog article with dated-by-time comments, I'm going to use the magic of  curated Tweets. So if you follow me on Twitter, you'll see my inane statements of insight as the game progresses. Otherwise, just stay tuned to the below where the curated tweets will appear. I'll also throw in other words of wisdom from fellow Twitter based Spurs fans for additional ample scoffs of hilarity.

To be honest, this is all experimental and it might turn out to be far easier to just update a standard article. Or even easier for you to just sign up to Twitter and follow the direct tweets and get involved yourself.

If the embedded code falls over at any point, then I'll go back to just updating this article. The applet below should auto-refresh, if it doesn't, refresh browser to see new entries.

Inter v The Tottenham

COYS

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