Newcastle United Vs. Tottenham Hotspur

This is a great time to play Newcastle. They are losing games left right and centre, currently have no manager and have an injury list almost as bad as we had when Gerry Francis was boss so expect Spurs to go there tomorrow and lose! This, of course, would be typical Tottenham of yesteryear. Now a much better side who can actually win games even when going behind I expect Spurs to take at least a point tomorrow. I am hoping for a win to maintain our 5 point gap above the scum but a point would not be bad.

Robinson will continue in goal with a back four of Kelly, King, Dawson and Lee. Tainio is a doubt so he is unlikely to feature. Carrick will start with Davids on the left, Jenas in the middle and Lennon on the right. As long as we can get the ball to him we will have Newcastle on the back foot. They will play with wingers so will hopefully leave lots of space for Lennon to run into and if this is the case we should witness a Spurs victory. Davids has looked knackered in recent games but he seems to be first on the team sheet these days but I would prefer Murphey for this one as he is fitter and will contribute more over 90 minutes. Defoe and Keane should continue up front leaving Mido on the bench.

COYS!

Lennon and Dawson extend stay

Spurs have done a very clever thing today and have extended the contracts of Dawson and Lennon probably on better terms as well.

Dawson has been immense this season and Lennon is one of our most exciting players since Ginola (ok not a lot of competition) but has been very good and his pace scares the crap out of defenders.  

It should put to bed all the stupid rumors that Lennon was going to Man U and Dawson to Liverpool and would have also seen the removal of a £5 million transfer clause from Lennon's contract.

COYS!

Benitez talks rubbish.

Benitez has spouted mroe rubbish this time towards Spurs are Jermaine Defoe.  He claims that Spurs are "desperate" to sell Defoe.  

Daniel levy had this to say on the official site:

"I find today's reported comments by Rafael Benitez beyond belief. Not only are they completely untrue, but it is unprecedented that any manager should comment in this way on another team's player. It could in fact be interpreted as a direct and blatant attempt to unsettle Jermain.


There is absolutely no basis, let alone any element of truth whatsoever, in Benitez's claim today that we are looking to sell Jermain. We have not had a single conversation on this point with Liverpool or any other club so I fail to see how he can make this statement. Additionally, for the avoidance of all doubt, we have previously said and I repeat, we have absolutely no intention of making an offer for Cisse or Saha. On all these issues, I resent having to put the record straight when it should never have been put into question.

I should expect that Mr Benitez on reflection, withdraws his wholly inappropriate, unprofessional and inaccurate comments. They do him no credit."

I agree completly and Benitez can sod off if he thinks his remarks will be allowed to unsettle a player that will be key to Spurs future.

COYS

Spurs win.

Spurs beat Birmingham 2-0 yesterday.  Clearly the result is more important than the performance as our performance was rubbish especially in the first half.  We still play too many sloppy passes and Jermaine Jenas is one of the main people to do it.  However he works exreamly hard for the team.  Wherever the ball went so did he and he produced a great ball for the second goal.

Defoe also did well, especially in the second half and I really hope that Jol stcks with him and Keane for our next game leaving Mido, who apparently had an injury but I heard something different, on the bench.  Well done to Lennon as well who did well second half and took his goal very well.

Dawson played a massive part once again and looked better than King did yesterday.  Important win.

COYS!

Birmingham Vs. Spurs

Mido is the major doubt for the trip to Birmingham on Saturday afternoon.  His loss could be a big one as I expect a rough and tumble game as Birmingham fight for their Premiership lives.  However it could force us to play the ball on the ground to Defoe and Keane which may work in our favour.  The last time these two played together we dispatched Charlton in a good performance especially from the front two.

Whoever plays and whatever happens a win is a necessity.  It is likely we would have dropped to fifth come kick off as the scum play at home to Charlton earlier in the day.  Their home record is very good so we can assume a home win which puts us under pressure.

Lawro, from the BBC, has actually predicted a complete disaster for us tomorrow with him saying we will lose while Blackburn, Bolton and the filth all winning - a nightmare situation for
not only our Champions League hopes but also our UEFA ones as well.  Whatever happens we MUST win and if we bottle it or make any more dumb mistakes (see Chelski, wets Ham, Fulham, Grimsby, Leicester and Sunderland) I think I will smash my TV in!

Expect the same line up (expect maybe Mido) as played against Chelski as Stalteri seems to get in the team whatever his previous performances are like.  The fact that Kelly is now fit and playing well for the reserves should see him take Stalteri's place after another lousy performance but don't bet on it.

COYS!

Spurs unlikely to finish fourth

This weekend's games have been the death of our Champions League hopes for this season.  Bolton, Blackburn and the scum all won over the weekend while another late goal, caused by error prone Stalteri, saw us drop more points.  By the time we play Birmingham on Saturday the scum will have probably over taken us putting the pressure on us to win against the relegation fodder.

Of course most of us did not expect too much from the Chelsea game and it is not this game that has caused us the problems.  Other games have due to our inability to close a game off.

Fulham is a prime example.  We never looked that great but were all on for a point.  However we give away a stupid free kick and then  fail to do the most basic of marking in the box and lose a point.

Sunderland is another prime example.  All ready for three points before we let them sneak a point in the 88th minute.    Just these three results alone we would have had four more points leaving us 6 points ahead of the scum instead of two.  Incluse the West Ham debacle and the difference could have been 8 points.

So why does this happen.  In my opinion it is mainly down to the players.  Individual faults have cost us and the main one is Stalteri.  Everyone in the whole ground knew his clearence against Chelsea should have seen the ball in row Z.  Instead the ball was in the back of the net and another point dropped.  He needs replacing come season's end.  Jol also has to take a share of the responsibility.  It is hard for him to make a large difference to what players do with the ball from the touch line but subs in stoppage time disrupts play and slows down the tempo.

Looking closely at our run in we can see some tough games ahead.  Away games at Newcastle and Everton won't be easy while I think a win at the Library will be almsot a necessity.  Winning at West Ham as well will be needed if we are to stand a chance of fourth spot.

What goes in our favour is of course the sheer lack of games we have left to play.  Bolton and the scum are still in Europe and we have to look to these games as our one big hope left.  If it can tire them sufficently and we get a couple of breaks then you never know.  I hope we can make fourth but I expect UEFA cup next year now, not Champions League.

COYS!

Stalteri does it again!

Stalteri is beyond useless.  I am now totally deflated as he has cost us points AGAIN!.  How many times?

Apart from this fool we played very well, especially in the second half and Chelski did not really threaten until the last 5 minutes.  We should have taken a point today but the Canadian fucked it up.

Chelski Vs. Spurs.

Another large game draws near as Spurs prepare to face Chelsea at The Bridge tomorrow.  We all know about the history and a win there tomorrow is, unfortunatly, unlikely but getting a draw is more than possible and you never know we could sneak it.  However it is going to be a tough tough game.

We are virtually full strength with Robbo in goal, King, Dawson, Lee and Stalteri across the back four, Jenas, Carrick, Davids and Tainio in the middle with Mido and Keane / Defoe up front.  Chelsea have Robben suspended and Lampard and Terry are both doubts after picking up injuries against Barcelona.

I think our lack of width could well prove to be our downfall.  Not in the attacking sense but trying to keep a clean sheet.  Chelski attack with pace and like to use wide men such as Duff and even Wright-Phillips may get a game.  With our narrowness in the midfield we often fail to protect our full backs, who lets face it, are not the best full backs in the world and I feel Stalteri and Lee will have a difficult afternoon.

COYS!

Spurs win.

Spurs took all three points yesterday despite being under pressure for much of the second half.  Blackburn will feel agrieved that they failed to take at least a point but it is about time we had the rub of the green afetr failing to take anything from games where we deserved to - Villa at home and Fulham away spring to mind.

We took a commanding 2-0 lead with Keane scoring both goals, the first one a peach of an effort.  He flicked the ball over Savage, went round Todd before beating Freidel.  The second was from a well worked free kick, Friedel making a good save from Mido's shot and Keane there to knock home the rebound.  2-0 and game over.

However, in true Spurs style, we went to sleep a minute later and Blackburn pulled a goal back giving them hope for the second half.

The start of the second half saw a Blackburn onslaught.  We did not help ourselves because we just sat back and allowed them to come on to us.  Eventually, and unsurprisingly due to the way we were playing, we broke and Blackburn scored the equaliser.  I then fully expected them to push on and we would lose the game but we suddenly pushed on and started pressurising Blackburn and forced some errors from them for a change.

Lennon was on by now and his pace created the third Spurs goal.  Murphy also played and was much better making some great passes around the middle.

Lots of criticism was thrown at Jol later for switching Lennon to the left but as usual these people fail to see the bigger picture.  With Tainio and Davids not fit enough for 90 minutes we had to use substitutes and the people who came on forced Jol to switch Lennon to the left.  Jenas, Murphy and Carrick would all be wasted on the left side so it was logical for Lennon to make the switch.  He is more effective on the right but the personell on the pitched made the change necessary.

Defoe sulked off down the tunnel as his substitution never materialised.  I felt a bit sorry for him as he had done well in the previous games but Keane was clearly the right choice today.  I get the funny feeling that if Spurs do sign Kuyt or Torres then Deoe will be off in the summer.

So Spurs win and have a five point cushion.  The mafia is next.

COYS!

Keane signs extension

This is a great piece of news as Robbie is one of the best strikers around and continues to prove this with every season he has played for Spurs.

I hope this will continue to show our commitment to pushing on and really looking to challenege the established top four in the Premiership.

Keane has signed on for another four years.  This means we shall have him at White Hart Lane for the best years of any footballers career and I can only see him getting better, especially if we streghten the striking department further in the summer.

It also stregthens the club's hands if it is decided by Spurs or Keane to sell in the future.  A player with one or even two years left on his contract is obviously worth less than someone with 3 or 4.

COYS!