Friday, January 04, 2008

Reading, Righting & 'Rithmetic


What can I tell you? My guess is that both managers will have, shall we say, emphasised the need for focus, application.... and made it quite clear to all concerned that this match is well winnable without it deteriorating into 'air hockey' scores again.

Benty is not on his way to the pikeys, rather still nursing a ligament strain, Younes has an iffy ankle and Ledley is being used, like any bottle of Must de Cartier recieved over Christmas... sparingly. Teemu, Pascal and and Stalts have all been in training.

Elsewhere?
Oh yeah, precisely as I said, Alan Hutton snubbed us.
No concoction of of my ego, or SSN nor his agent
Just Alan. Just the facts. Just as I said.
Sometimes.. one just needs... TO BE TOLD.
And shut up.


If a replay is required this will take place on Tuesday 15 January, kick-off 8.00pm.


Here's my pick of the pops...


Robinson
Chimsy Dawson King
Zokora
Malbranque Huddlestone Taraabt O'Hara
Keane Berbatov

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

just a question harry i saw in the often unreliable daily mail that we have been linked with young mexican dos santos. I know of him quite well and know he is quality, do you have any idea if there is any truth in this article?

Harry Hotspur said...

Nothing much beyond the information you supplied, to be honest. A pal of mine who's wife is South American mentioned him, but that is all so far!

It's Them and Us said...

I hate to be negative but most of the names people would like to see walk into WHL over January and next summer are pretty much non-starters. I'll go out on a limb and say none of the following will join Spurs:

Daniel Alves, Geo Dos Santos or David Villa.

Spurs are used as the starting blocks for deals. We make a move and offer decent money, they stall to show they're interested in moving on, then wait for (or hope) bigger clubs come in for them. We got lucky with Bale as no one wanted to match our price.

Why aren't we making a move for Wes Brown? A solid English centre-back who can also fill in perfectly at right-back if need be. Money doesn't seem to be the motivation as he'd of signed with United again, and that's all the Geordies can throw at him. He could be signed for a very reasonable price.

I think the Reading game will be entertaining. Probably a few goals too. I'd expect Ramos to maybe resist the option of playing (if injuries permit) Zokora as he's soon to depart and maybe promote a couple more younger lads to the bench. Start with Berbatov if you don't want the rumour mill going insane and let Defoe have a run and show you want to keep him too.

Anonymous said...

i completely understand what you are saying about spurs being a building block for deals, we sort of saw it with nani. I hope that we could sign dos santos as i said in my last post and feel it is more likely we will sign him than any of the other three, he is very much a raw player but spurs would offer him far more playing time than any other premiership squad. The mail said that Ramos would try and use his connections from his time at Barca and to be honest i think that is a fair enough statement. I would like to see Santos loaned to us with option to buy at the very least. COYS

Jon said...

I fully agree with "it's them and us" . I believe Spurs have become the inside joke between the bigger clubs, the producer and seller of potential CL-talent. We are a rich mans Southampton.
There are basically three ways to handle the Berbatov-situation:

1. Sell him if he wants to go, for top money. Then buy some good defenders, a great midfielder, a superb winger, and a magician of a keeper coach.

2. Show the fans the clubs potential and hang on to Berbie, despite him wanting away and probably sulking his way through every match until summer, when the board and players have had enough and sells him for 18£m due to his terrible performances after christmas.

3. Telling Berbatov the right players will be brought in during the summer, and convincing him to stay. At least until the summer, so he can see where the club is going this season.

Personally, I think (of course) he is the best sulky player in the Premiership, and should only be sould if he wants to go. I don't believe Levy will bring in any top players before summer, and no, we won't get David Villa, Daniel Alves or any players of that class.

By the way, this is my first ever post on your blog Harry, and I must say, I think it's the best damn blog on Spurs you can find. Great props to you!

Anonymous said...

I think that Ramos may have cleverly hit a nerve with the spurs board when he claimed that selling Berbatov would prove we aren't a big club. The man (Ramos) is without doubt a fucking genius and knows how to play both the media and the board. I think that if we can pull of something spectacular, e.g. winning a cup or better yet winning 2 or even 3 cups Berbatov will probably stay for another season. I expect big things from spurs next season i can see a major reshuffle of players before the beginning of next season.

Anonymous said...

Welcome Jon. But as Gus said Berba leaving now is mostly media and agents speculation and your argument that flogging Berba will at least release funds does not work as spending 16 or so million on Barren Dent proves we have the money if the players are available. (Unfortunately for us he was).

And Harry I think you need to lay down if you really believe the laughing cavalier DZ warrants a place in our line up. HE JUST HAS NOT GOT IT - can't tackle shoot or head the ball and struggles to pass it more than 5 yards. PERLEASE !

Jon said...

Thanks ODM. Nice to join in on the commenting for once and discuss Spurs-matters with some other people than my regular gang at the pub in Norway.

I thought the 16m spent on Bent was a part of the sum released off Carrick's departure? By the way, I pray and believe Bent can flourish if given a run and some decent delivered balls to run on, which seems to be his best skill.

On the Zokora matter, I think he has some big flaws in not being able to cross, head or shoot, but I believe the biggest problem is how he slows the game down every time he gets the ball, with the odd, amazing runs as exceptions of course. He always gets the ball to his feet, uses one touch to stop it, one touch to control it under his sole, then drags it one yard, and then makes a back- or sideways pass. He needs to learn some clever ball control from Berbatov or Steed. Steed has some of the same touches, but at least he does it fast and passes forwards.

Anonymous said...

Anyway, on the game tomorrow!

Reading to play a reserve 11, Spurs to play strongest 11, us to win 1-0 in the last minute of a drab game! Boring, but a win, a clean sheet and confidence sky high!

On Berbatov; I see he's still a Spurs player. If he leaves next week, as long as we get 35million for him, who cares? As I said before, 1 player doesn't make a team. So there.

coys
bioyc

It's Them and Us said...

The problem I have with Zokora is he's far too wishy-washy. For £8M and the reports I heard about him in France, he was set to be our Essien which every Spurs fan acknowledged we needed (/need). Instead he plays like the 'one for the future' kids do. Not solid enough for me long-term and I personally wanted Teemu to be given a chance in the middle as he at least knows his role and sticks his foot in -- but Ramos obviously doesn't rate the Finn.

I was of the belief we bought Bent as a replacement for Berbatov. Of course he stayed and now it's more likely Defoe will be pushed out with Bent given more chances.

Spurs have needed an experienced centre-back to replace the role Naybet gave our younger players, a commanding midfield marshall to nullify the oppositions major players and a LEFT-SIDED WINGER (Steed's been awesome but I want the lad inside).

Naturally that means we'll sign an attacking centre-midfielder, a right winger to be played on the left as well as another striker. ;)

Anonymous said...

Jon. Point is Zokora just aint good enough end of story.

What beers do they sell at your Norwegian local ?

It's them and us. Agree about Naybet that's exactly what we could do with and as for Steeeeeeeed he just gets better and better.

Anonymous said...

And another thing I agree with. Tanio is far and away the toughest tackling midfielder we have and he's not that shabby going forward.

Anonymous said...

Harry i wouldnt boast about getting the hutton snub right, koz youve given two dead certs for the january transfer window, that was arshavin a while back and Emanuelson both frankly are not coming to the lane, so fair enough have banter about how sh*t we are at the moment, but please dont be like the other sites and spurt bull sh*t about the next player we are going to sign according to your spy planted in the spurs board or what ever

Jon said...

Naybet was a defender more than a midfield marshall right? But I agree with the need of the type.

I have a great Local pub in Norway, Called Three Lions, owned by the worlds hardest working guy. He is from England, of course, and even though he is a United supporter, he is a great guy. He sells us Strongbow, the local brew Dahls, Kilkenny, Carling, some weird bottled beer, Guinness and so on.

Anonymous said...

Must try that Dahls some time. It's true that even United supporters can be decent guys. Especially when you're spending money with them.

Anyway. Let's hope that the boys do the business later on and that Damian the disaster manges to buy us a decent central defender soon.

It's Them and Us said...

re Jon

I referred to Naybet here:
"Spurs have needed an experienced centre-back to replace the role Naybet gave our younger players"

The midfield marshall part was separate thing we need.

Anonymous said...

Who's the last "commanding midfield marshall" we had? I feel like we've got to go back a long way, maybe to Graham Roberts. Am I forgetting someone?

Anonymous said...

Carrick?

Anonymous said...

Freund?

Anonymous said...

Mullery?

Anonymous said...

Mackay?

Anonymous said...

Mendes?

Anonymous said...

Metgod?

Anonymous said...

Popescu?

Anonymous said...

Redknapp?

Anonymous said...

Saib?

Anonymous said...

Sherwood?

Anonymous said...

Yorath?

It's Them and Us said...

I did laugh at Saib.

As for the answer to your question.. god knows.

Been far too long anyway.

Anonymous said...

I had high hopes for Moussa Saib!

Anonymous said...

Popescu was quality though.

Anonymous said...

Talking of Romanians, what the fuck happend to Dumitrescu. After a great start he went horribly wrong and ended up at the irons, of course no one else would have our rejects...Well there's Portsmouth and Fulham now too of course.

Heard Dumitrescu was last seen working in Argentina in a fancy dress shop owned by Ossie Ardiles.
Apparently he does this act as a fairy and looks a right clown, not much changed there then!

Good old days of the Fantastic 5...;0)

Anonymous said...

Georghe Hagi - Now thats the type of player we need in midfield, what a legend he was!

Harry Hotspur said...

1223

You are what we call in the trade one sorry c*nt.


Why, how would I possibly be interested in your opinion?

Have some self respect and stop reading here.

You're a guy endlessly dining at McDonalds complaining that there's no cutlery and the food sucks.

Boring and not very bright.

Anonymous said...

Defensive midfielder - remember Paul Stewart?
I've said before, how I would love a team of Graham Roberts. More than a team of Berbatovs anyway.....

coys
bioyc

Anonymous said...

Am I the only one who doesnt believe the tabloid bullshit?

Berbatov's attitude last year was identical to this year, but as he was new everyone said he was "a laid back character with a languid playing style, a smooth operator"

Now he is in his second year they need some transfer stories and his writes itself doesnt it, just turn round all his traits into negatives.

Remember Robbie Keane leaving us for Villa, Man U, Man City a few years ago? did it ever happen?

Defoe? to Arsen*l, Man U, Chelsea as well. didnt happen.

Tomorrow's chip paper lads.

Anonymous said...

Me again Harry,
Frankly you have just proved who the c*nt is by not even making any reference to what i said about your "dead cert transfers" being bull sh*t, you just came up with a story about me eating in McDonalds, when actually I'm a vegetarian... know what that reminds me of? The stories you make up about players coming to the lane so that your self indulgent blog gets a few viewings by decent spurs fans. As i said before, i have no problem with your banter about the spurs team/board/staff/manager but just just dont be a tw*t like every other site and make up bull sh*t transfer rumours... muppet

Anonymous said...

my my my,whats his problem. if you dont like something dont hang around telling us as we dont really wont to know mate.

have heard that diego capell could be on his way from sevilla either now or in january. anyone seen much of this kid, he is a left winger to boot

Harry Hotspur said...

Veggie

Before you emotionally implode, love, the McDonalds reference was an 'analogy'.

I neither know nor care if you live on wood shavings or teaspoons.

Lastly, take a hint, I don't seek your 'guidance'.

When I do, you will know as I shall remove the Bill
Nick picture and replace it with a large sign saying...

"Tiresome Pr*ck Required"

Until then go write on someone else's wall.

The space on this one is reserved for smart, funny, interesting people.




And me.

Anonymous said...

Worth a watch http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?module=see&lang=uk&code=12851f65966df39fc17c8d7f549c6eca nothing dodgy