I really, really hope so...

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Answers

But have an awful feeling that they won't. Isn't it about time Anderton got a sore toe or something?

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Sherringham (86) B@$*ard!

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Dubious foul on Davies who spends his entire time falling over and winning free kicks

Needless to say 3-2 as a result of the free kick

Robert and Solano taker note in London

Go past your defender and fall over. Resulting free kick may get us a goal

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

The cockney Bar stewards as always get a slice of luck.

Three very fortunate goals.

Spurs' first came after a deflection from a Bolton defender hit the bar, bounced off the keeper and landed on Poyet's head.

Their second came straight after a penalty claim from the away team. Ricketts went down - there was contact therefore a penalty in today's game (not necessarily one I agree with but rules are rules) a few passes later and Ferdinand had put them ahead

Their third came after a pathetic collapse to the ground by Simon Davies. Whitlow went to challenge and he flopped to the deck. Whitlow went mad but the linesman bought it. Free kick, Sheringham header. Goal. Bastards

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Littlejohn will be pleased anyhow

soften the blow about shearers non ban

tosser

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

We're still ahead of them on GD though aren't we?

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

They'll have to spend a fortune next season to stay up, half of their team will be retiring after Christmas.

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Spurs are showing annoyingly good form at the moment and I agree dougal, how come they haven't picked up any knocks yet? They've got sicknote and Les who is hardly consistently healthy, yet no injuries! I'm not wishing serious injury on any player but it's just a bit too good to be true!

If we're aiming for top 6 we're going to have to find the same consistency as them. Hopefully their aged forwards will start creaking after Xmas.

BTW - I really can't stand Sheringham. The very sight of him makes me annoyed! Dunno why but he just irritates the hell out of me.

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Peter Taylor said something quite humourous during the game about Teddy Sheringham. He made a good run or a good pass or something and Rob Hawthorne (the commentator) complemented Sheringham.

Taylor then said, "well that's why they paid Man Utd all that money for him"

I wonder if he realised that he was free and was being ironic, or is he just forgetful?

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Was he free? If so, a canny good bargain but he can't have long left in the game can he ? he's 45 at least! I get sick of hearing about his 'great footballing brain'.

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Apparently Sir Les picked up a bad knock right at the end. Shame, wrong player :-(

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

I don't know why I hate Sheringham but I do! Just an irrational thing I've got going on. I've added him to my list along with David O Leary, most football 'jounalists', Glenn Roeder and many others too numerous to mention.

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Lynda, wanna sart a list?

I'll start:-

A(ndrew) Cole

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

No conclusion jumping please (Herts)!

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Right Bud - where to start? For me as above;

Plus Spurs fans after having just listening to them on TV droning on about how great it is to see 'good' football at WHL.

There are more but I'll have a think and post later.

BTW- Cole I don't like but he's not on my list due to previous good service to the Toon.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

The thing is, they are depending on three geriatric players in Poyet, Ferdinand and Sheringham - they are actually looking at doomsday daily. Glenn Hoddle (repulsive tw*t) has got a new manager thing going but I promise you, we are by far the better side.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

They may be depending on gerry hatricks, not like us with Speed, Lee and Shearer, Barton. They do however have a very good bunch of youngsters, thanks to GG.

I hate them too, don't know why, however I will not let the feelings stand in the way of fact. If they are that crap with no prospects it does not say much for any other team on the same number of points, does it?

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

Youngsters who they are selling left, right and centre, Gus. Their main attack comes from 35 yearolds - we have Al who is 31, Cort who is 24, Shola who is 22, Bellamy who is 22 as well as the Offiong and Chopra partnership to look forward to. As for Speed and Lee, fair comment but the two people who are covering for Barton are 22 and 23 respectively.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

They sold Sol, Hellier and Luke Young. At the back they have King, Docherty, Bujijumper, Thelwell, Gardener and Taricco. In M/F Piercy, Clemence, Etherington, Davies and Toner. Up front only Rebrov and Ferguson.

Yes we all know our own up and comers, but how many of our reserves will get a game? Of theirs I think only Toner has not started in the first team.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

PS. I can't believe you're talking about Spurs having good youngsters coming through with the youngsters we have coming through.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

It depresses me about how well-anecdoted we are about which young players have had debuts at other clubs... Gus, we have two 22 yearolds in defence and their replacements are about the same age, we have two wonderful goalies, we have loads of options up front and have never been better resourced. We do need reinforcement in midfield but are only two or three years away from seeing what our young England players are like. Christ, I thought I was negative.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

Pains me to say it, but Spurs are playing decent footy and getting results.

They have a good keeper, a sound back 3 comprising Perry, Richards and King, with Bungijumper (!) and Docherty backing them up. They have a several good attacking FB/WB's, and Les, Sheri and Rebrov up front backed up by the young Norwegian blerk (name escapes me). Btw, whatever happened to Chris Armstrong? They also have Davies and Etherington to back up the wide WB's.

They aren't as strong in m/f, but do have Poyet, Leonardsen, Clemence, that whinging/diving Gorman git, Freund (ptuh!).

They also have Darren Anderton, who ran the game last night, and was really excellent - and a good coach who has them very well organised.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

Aye, but didn't the Spurs' goalscorers have a combined age of over 100 or something?

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

That was the point I was hoping would cheer everyone up: that Hoddle has bought older players for an immediate impact and they'd have to be shell out big time to replace them. Rebrov wants to leave, too. Hoddle is good coach but there is an element of the new coach factor carrying them along - if Gerald Houllier had a five year plan, then Spurs must have a similar timetable.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

That Spurs timetable in full

Day 1. Prayer meeting
Day 2. Double prayer meeting
Day 3. Pray for forgiveness over Sol Campbell protests
Day 4. Healing session: am crystals, pm some nutter in a kaftan
Day 5. Group hug for Rebrov. Eileen gives motivational talk. Play game.
Day 6. Review of week's training. Issue official apology for all the minorities offended by Glenda talking bollox
Day 7. Rest

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

After Spurs have won 5 games or so, I've already detected the early signs of a "Hoddle to eventually replace SGE" campaign. Watch this grow if Spurs keep doing even moderately well. Bloody London-oriented media!

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

Did you hear Hoddle last night on ITV?

Said that he is confident that Spurs WILL FINISH HIGHER THAN FIFTH in the league (that's FOURTH OR HIGHER in case you missed it)

Dennis Wise also said he thought they would be in the Champions League next season!

Both of them are seriously mentally delayed.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

Sorry gang but I think they're going places.....unless they start getting some serious injuries...he's a good coach/manager who's done well with whatever he's had at his disposal apart from England...Swindon, Chelsea, Southampton and possibly now spurs.....time will tell...

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

But they were very lucky yesterday, deflections onto the bar, possible penalties turned down and then they score at the other end, not to mention the fact that they employed a professional sky diver as their right back to win a free kick from (from which they got their third from)

I'd have no qualms if they were playing like Man Utd were at their peak, but they aren't.

Aside from that, I hate Spurs more than anything else (possible even the Mackems, although that's probably more out of sympathy for them)

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

What he did at Southampton, or rather too Southampton is what makes me hate Hoddle more.

Leaving them in a bad state, telling them he's staying, and he's loyal to the cause, only to leave, meaning Southampton have no chance of getting a replacement sorted quickly. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be sad to see Southampton go down, but it doesn't make it any better for Hoddle in my eyes.

And then buying Richards was complete predictable. Why don't the FA set up a rule to stop managers buying their old players until they've been away from that club for a year or two.

It was almost as if he thought that Spurs needed a good centre back so he went to Southampton to get into Richards' good books so he had a better chance of signing him.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

Glenn Hoddle in ten years WILL be the new David Icke... mark my words. You can see it in his eyes...

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

dougal, the points I am trying to make are as follows.

1. Spurs are equal on points to us. That makes them, over the season so far, at least as good as us. Any criticism of them is just as valid as anyone else saying it about us.

2. We also have older players in key positions.

3. They too have talented youngsters, in fact most of their youngsters have first team exposure and ours do not, save for a few minutes.

No matter our personal dislikes they are as good as us.

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

They've played a game more than us so we've been better than them so far. I think it's worth noting that they're far more dependent on their golden oldies (and Sicknote) than we are on ours. Yes, we have older players in key positions but but I don't think our side would be substantially weakened by the loss of Lee or Speed as they're only intermittently better than Acuna & Bassedas and certainly nowhere near as good as Dyer. It's hard to see where their goals would come from without Ferdinand (surely only a matter of time before his back gives out), Poyet (always seems to miss a good chunk of every season), Sheringham & Anderton. Think you're being a bit harsh on our youth policy too - O'Brien & Hughes have plenty of games under their belts, as do Bellamy. Shola has had a fair few starts over the last season and a half too. Griffin is unlucky not to have had a run in the side but that's been at least in part due to injuries. Admittedly LuaLua could do with some first team experience (like some earlier subs appearances for a start!) but do we drop Shearer or Bellamy?

-- Anonymous, December 04, 2001

Exactly, Al. BTW, Gus, I hate Man Utd but think they are better than us so don't assume by opinion is informed by my dislike for Spurs: I think they are a half decent outfit with a decent coach but they are papering over more cracks than we are.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

Some valid points Al, however our youth policy in your names is to buy, O'Brien, Griffin and Bellamy? OK so Spurs bought Etherington.

I do not think I have criticized our set up at all. I purposfully did not go into ours other than to say we all know about them. I was answering dougal re spurs dependance on older players by pointing out that I thought that currently their younger players were better positioned to step up should the need arise. Most of them have had a run in the first team. Hughes is not a youngster, he has been a first team regular for several seasons. They are taking a risk ,as we are that some of the players will make the grade.

The better point in their squad is that they can continue to collect points with the older players while the younger ones learn.

The point about Lee and Speed and Acuna and Bassedas sums it up nicely. We are happy with replacements at the same level while Spurs are trying to improve their side.

I was not assuming anything dougal, just spelling out things in case any pedant reading my thoughts on spurs might think I am a Spurs infiltrator!

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

While I am on the soapbox, Griffin was available several times and not selected, Bassedas and Acua have come in for games played well then have been dropped when the injured/suspended players have come back. Actually include Griffin in that as well.

Bad management, gives the returning player the impression that they have a safe place and the replaced player that no matter how well they do they will be dropped.

Drop Solano or Robert for LuaLua or in fact Bellamy or Shearer. I do not care if they are Milburn reincarnated if they are playing crap get them off, no room for sympathy. Ask Matt Le Tiss.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

Just catching up:

* let's remember in the Spurs v Toon debate that they have comfortably beaten us already, and at SJP!

* Bassedas has not had one "good" game for us, ever. Once or twice he has risen to the level of "barely adequate"; apart from that he has been plain "rubbish".

* As a pair Lee & Speed are different class to Bassedas & Acuna.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

Clarky, re Bassedas....you don't think he played well against Leeds on Boxing Day last season? I didn't think any of our players were capable of passing like that prior to ko.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

ciara - that was actually one of the games in which I thought he raised his performance to the "barely adequate" standard.

To be fair, it's entirely possible I may be suffering from selective anmesia - it's not unusual! I've seen numerous references to his outstanding passing in that particular game, and while I do recall that being perhaps his best game for us, I certainly don't recall his form being particularly encouraging for a £4.5 million buy.

He seems to be the kind of guy you would really like to see succeed, but sadly I just can't see it. I would love to be wrong on this one.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

re Bassedas i think his broken foot spoilt it for him, i'm sure he has the talent but it has not been helped by a bad luck start.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

You're a hard man to please, Clarky. ;-))

Wish that one were on tape to watch again. My memory is of him being a revelation in that match. Though the team as a whole played so well. Also my expectations were so low going in, that I might have thought we were fantastic if we'd managed a draw. The truth is in there someplace. :-)

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

Bassedas wasn't too bad at the SoL last season either, but from what I can see he only has the potential to be perhaps a squad player in the PL because of the style of play.

Maybe a good player for Euro games as the pace is different but if we are up against the likes of Charlton or Blackburn I couldn't see him doing well.

2-0 to Manure at the moment, good on them :) I think they are doing a Leeds, they'll get to the semis of the CL and finish fourth in the league (although this is now enough to get into the CL now isn't it?)

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

Nearly forgot: A Spurs fan has written into Sky Sports (text letters)

He reckons Spurs are going to WIN THE LEAGUE TITLE THIS SEASON!

Just think about that for a moment, try not to laugh.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

Look gang, our squad is weak in central m/f, and a £4.5mm investment called Christian Bassedas has made no impact in easing that problem.
He has come nowhere near showing PL quality, and imho we should get rid of him, and get someone in who can make a real contribution.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

"Maybe a good player for Euro games", so we must keep him (& pay him!) 'til someone else (who?) gets us into Europe?

:-(

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

Not really Bud, I would sell him the first chance we get, but I'm trying to take something positive out of him, and I suspect he'd be good in Spain or Italy.

Unfortunately this isn't Spain or Italy and as Clarky says we should get rid if we can. Probably back to Argentina is the best place as he is still highly rated there.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001

I disagree fairly strongly with Clarky about Bassedas - he hasn't had anything like a run in the side to prove himself and as I keep saying, remember how shite we thought Nobby was until Bobby came?

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2001

I'm caught in two minds with Bassedas.

He has played a surprisingly large number of games for the first team - but a equally large number have been on left wing and a couple on right wing - definitely not his best position. His best games have undoubtedly come in the middle.

I disagree with Clarky on the point about him having never played a good game for us as I the Leeds game and a few Intertoto games stand out, but generally he hasn't shown it.

If Bobby thought he was good enough to replace Speed or Lee then surely he would have.

It would be interesting to see how a new manager would go about it - which players would play etc.

I can imagine Shearer sticking with British players as he has always favoured playing with British strikers in his forward line.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2001