8^th May 2008 - The gloves are off Now then let me see. A few facts. All the players who usually wear gloves were absent from the team on Saturday against Reading. A little dash of rumour. At least two of these players are strongly tipped to be leaving the club; Ramos has been laying down the law to the first team squad about effort, fitness, diet and anything else you can think of. A little bit of double meaning. "Off" meaning not in the side today, or leaving the club. Catchy headline and their you have it a genuine copy of a back page football article. Now Lennon and Berbatov were injured and Gilberto is fit and filling the position he was bought for ,left back. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story as they say on Fleet St. or wherever they cobble together their rubbish. How much of this we are going to have to put up with I dread to think. I see today we are linked with Diarra, Eto, Capel, Gattuso,and Uncle Tom Cobley. But to return to the real world and for the first time for several games I managed to watch the game on an excellent stream from Sopcast and was delighted with an away win and a clean sheet. The linesman ruled a good second goal out for offside; Darren Bent had a better game and was unlucky not to score. Everyone except perhaps Huddleston played well and for an hour we dominated the match and played some excellent football. The goal ,set up by the strength of Bent and his delicate final ball to Keane, who had recovered from being fouled and floored in midfield, and who glided past two defenders and scored with a deft touch into the corner was as good as any I’ve seen this season. We faded a little in the last half hour and Cerny made two good saves to secure the victory. In my new end of season relaxed mode I have given up berating the team and worrying about Berbatov and in truth we played well without him though against poor opposition. And so its on to the last game of the season at home to Liverpool. Nothing left to worry about except the new stadium which has surfaced again, comings and goings in the transfer market, where Modric is going to play(still unresolved from last week)whether to subscribe to THFCtv, whether Ledley will be able to put in a full season and so on. Before you know it, it will be pre-season and it all begins again. I can’t wait. Jimmy G2 http://jimmyg2.blogspot.com/

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29^th April 2008 – More Spurs musings from JimmyG2

Modric to Spurs-oh and we played another game too

It was just before half time, I couldn't get an internet thread and was listening to the match on Radio London, an irritating experience in itself, when I realised I couldn’t really care less. Now this is a very unusual situation for me. They went ahead through a poor Dawson 50yd bullet ball which comes off about once in five attempts , then he failed to cut out the near post ball, Cerny dives over it and we are one down. But I don't care, I shrug instead of howling and walking round the garden to cool off and five minutes later we are on level terms. The match is easy to summarise: total domination; at least six good chances; more corners; more shots in a ratio of ten to one; unmissable chance for Berbatov right at the end, which he misses and its another 1-1 draw.

But nobody cares including me. I’ve joined the players in thinking its been all over for some weeks. All those posts about pride, keeping faith with the fans, earning their money, finishing top half all gone to waste. All those postings on the THFC. website about needing to put in a good performance in the next game by various players;Poyet and Ramos disappointment and pledges to show more spirit next time out, all hot air.

And so its on to next season and the signing of Modric. This will keep me going until pre-season starts. A top quality, young international in a position we desperately need. Signed under the noses of at least three of the top four(and Newcastle)without any fuss, just the announcement, brilliant. I don’t buy all that "Keegan livid" paper talk but its still brilliant. His names been on a post-it note on Avram's fridge since Xmas, must have been obscured by Fergy's xmas card.

Perhaps that's why I couldnt take the game against Bolton seriously. This is a real statement of intent by the board who are going to back Ramos in the only way that matters, financially and with players who are top class, and oven ready. Not ones to bank or put in the freezer for later, but ready and able to perform now! Whether he is a replacement for Berbatov(or Keane, its him that always gets subbed for Bent unless we go three up front)or a bait to keep Berbatov Ive no idea. But thank you Commoli and Levy for backing the man again. They did it for Jol and then lost their nerve but this could be the beginning of the real deal for Spurs. And he came because of Ramos, although he'd be a fool to say "I came to Spurs but I cant stand that Spanish git in charge". The wage deal would be interesting because he could probably have doubled what we are paying him at Man City, Chelsea, Newcastle or Man U.

But there you see what’s happened I’ve got enthusiastic again. This can only lead to heartache next week. Perhaps I'll go to Tesco's with the missis and give Reading a miss. But Modric is playing on my mind. Is this the end for Jenas? I don't think so, or Zokora? No they are both first on the team sheet for Ramos. Where will he play? Centre mid-field, or left side in place of Malbranque. Possibly. In the hole in place of Keane or as replacement for Berbatov? You know I think I'll have to listen to the Reading game and watch the highlights if I cant get a thread, while I puzzle all this out.

Jimmy G2

http://jimmyg2.blogspot.com/

24^th April 2008 - A word on the malaise, taxi for Dimitar and a BIG 4 rant by Johnny Woods

I've got this theory. Bear with me on this one. Since the Carling Cup Final Ramos has backed off a bit. He's deliberately distancing himself from the team in order that he can see who's genuinely playing for the shirt and who's in it for the long run. Yes he's picking the side and giving 'em their instructions etc, but he's not breaking a sweat shouting and trying to motivate players who have cast their eyes elsewhere. He's made his intentions clear in the press, they all know what's at stake if they want to be in team next season, that should be motivation enough, and of course a leader of Ramos ilk wants players who can work things out for themselves and players with a passion for the club. He's said as much. He's asked them to prove to him they want to be in his plans next season, and with EUFA qualification assured and relegation very highly unlikely, he's coasting the rest of this season and letting the mountain come to Mohammed. That’s what I reckon. I've bent my brain over the last few weeks trying to work out what's not happening in the dressing room that could lead to such half arsed displays, next to displays like the 4-4 with Chelski or the 4-0 with Wet Spam. Nothing is adding up, it's like there is no leadership. The only logical conclusion is that there really is no leadership hence the inconsistency. And lack of motivation to kill games off. So there we are. My summing up: The Genius Ramos is not leading on purpose, in order to see clearly who is worthy of taking part in next seasons historic march into the top 4, stopping off along the way to collect the EUFA cup. Now Goddammit that’s the kind of leader I like.

Dimitar Berbatov. I'm afraid it's come to the point for me when I think our long term prospects will be better served without him. We cant expect players of his calibre to stay around if we're not playing Champions League football, but worse than that, having those players around drags everyone down and puts the wrong message out to the next foreign footballing genius looking for a shop window in the premiership. No way does Juande see us as that. Berba's constant craving for champions league is undermining all the positivity that came along with Ramos, the famous 5-1 and the Carling cup triumph. I'm happy for him to go now, my only concern would be that we'd sell him to Manu or Chelski or god forbid you know who. The board now needs to show its clear intention to break up the top4 cartel by shipping him overseas, not rubbing our noses in it by having him come back to the Lane and showboat for someone else. Thank you Dimitar, but your time is UP. Taxi to Milan please!

Where why who how did we get lumped with the ruling that states that the top 4 finishers in the Premiership would automatically qualify for the Champions League? Who in the FA agreed to that? As a result we've rendered our own prestigious and historic cup competitions, the FA and league cups, irrelevant to anyone who reckons they can finish 4^th. 4^th? Just where is 4^th? It's nowhere. We've now got a situation where the Goons can Lord it over us poor relations in N17 because they regularly finish 4^th or 3^rd every season whilst simultaeneously failing to pick up any silverware whatsoever. It's nonsense and it's ruining our domestic league. All we hear week in week out is talk of the 'big 4'. Its got to the point now where we really do consider the 'big 4' to be so much bigger than us that it’s a massive celebration if we nick a point of one of them. Ridiculous. It's all smoke and mirrors. Of course though, psychology plays a massive part in sport and football in particular, so if the 'big 4' are repeatedly referred to as the 'big 4' then they are perceived as BIG. So bloody big in fact that even the smallest big team, currently placed 4^th and with no silverware, have a massive advantage in the minds of everyone else.

There is also a real advantage to being one of the 'big 4' which is of course that Dimitar Berbatov fancies you. Not just Dimitar Berbatov, but anyone who's any good, yet another aspect of the current set up that makes a mockery of our domestic league: The rest of the premiership is no different to the rest of the league in the eyes of the worlds best players. For Tottenham Hotspur FC you may as well read Bristol Rovers FC, but so should it be. And so should it be Man U or Chelski. All teams are equal. No? No. The 'Big 4' are a separate league of their own . This is now beyond doubt. And what qualifies the Arsenal for this super league? Finishing 3^rd with no silverware and out of the Champions league at the quarter final stage, that’s what. Nothing. They've done nothing for it. My proposal is that the league winners and runners up are awarded CL status along with the FA and league cup winners. Thus breaking up the cartel and re igniting the passion of the cup competitions. And of course next seasons 'champions league' would have some champions in it, including the Spurs and of course Portsmouth or Cardiff City, the latter two especially, being teams who could seriously use the money and build for the future, the future of our domestic league.

21^st April 2008 - Groundhog day

Its a nightmare, its an episode of Star Trek ,were caught in a time loop, we cant stop taking the lead, playing half an hour of decent football and then in true sporting spirit letting the other side have a go. Our away record is pathetic and the number of points conceded after taking the lead would be hilarious if it was happening to some other team. I repent now in taking so much pleasure in the misfortunes at Newcastle after the return of the Messiah. It was mean spirited and I sincerely am sorry, honest.

Will it be different against Bolton. Probably not because we cant seem to apply pressure and play well consistently .Huddlestone makes two brilliant passes; Jenas does a couple of enterprising runs, although Zokora seems to have passed on the knack of running fast and achieving nothing; Lennon dazzles briefly, and puts in a couple of good crosses and that’s about it. Its not enough from quality players in a team hoping for better things.

Now we were a couple of regulars short and Wigan needed it more than we did. Add in a swirling wind and a bumpy pitch and you have plenty of excuses again. But the fact is we are a better team than