So much happening
As has been reported, but was no great secret, we won’t be in our new stadium now until March. The Tottenham board want to be in as soon as possible, but as far as I am concerned, and the players, I/ we are happy with Wembley (for the moment). It will be in the lap of the Gods though, when we do move.
We are in transfer window month, with a bit of luck, we will purchase if or when somebody comes available that is suitable for Pochettino’s game plan. Whatever decision is made it will be made in the interest of the club.
Pochettino has said he would like to stay at this club for many years to come, but football can be a funny old game and what is said now could be turned on its head by the end of the season. According to my sources, Pochettino has had long talks with Levy and what has come out of these conversations has all been positive. Granted, there is the little matter of debt (stadium debt), but once that is sorted the light will shine a bit brighter on the club (while the ‘light’ is at it maybe it could shine my way a bit! I am thinking lotto ticket here!).
To our semi-final and victory over Chelsea boys. Funny, they used to call us “Three-point-Lane,” now the shoe is on the other foot, and we must keep it that way. Maybe we should call them “Three-points-Bridge-over-the-troubled-River-Thames”. It could catch on. On the subject of hapless, we won three successive games against Chelsea in all competitions for the first time since a run of five between March 1961 and September 1963. So, come on Spurs, let us continue putting Chelski in the shadows (and I am not talking about the instrumental group of the 60s). They’ve also lost on each of their last three trips to Wembley, this after losing just three of their previous 11 visits to the stadium (W7, D1, L3). Oh, so happy times, keep giving!
I don’t want to keep rubbing it in (ok, let’s); Chelsea are only the second team to lose twice against the same opponent at Wembley in a single season, after Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal in 1992-93, who lost the League Cup final and an FA Cup final replay to the Gunners.
As for us; we have kept three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since October 2017. Talking about wonders (were we?), our “One-season-Wonder Harry Kane is now the outright fourth-highest goal scorer for Tottenham Hotspur, scoring his 160th goal. And he will keep getting better and better. Not bad for a one season wonder. Kane – yes, Kane again - has scored in each of his last six games in all competitions for us, equalling his best streak for the club.
While we are on the subject of successes and records, let us mention Mauricio Pochettino, who took charge of his 250th match for us, against Chelsea - his record stands at 143 wins, 53 draws and 54 defeats. And it will get better, with trophies thrown in.
To be kind to the opposition let us talk about the Garden of Eden Hazard. Did you know he was fouled on seven occasions against Tottenham (and they say referees are observant… yes, but for who?); the most fouls he has won in a single game this season - winning seven of Chelsea's 10 free-kicks. That is what happens when referees smile down on you (never mind, he gets help, we just use our abilities to get our results; the tide will eventually end for Chelsea, and their club of favours will be rescinded… there are new kids on the block, but they/ we will do it the legitimate way; through hard graft and skill).
To the match; according to statistics they (the ol’ enemy) had 58% of the possession, 5 shots on target (to our four), seven corners (to our two). But in front of a crowd of 44,371, they couldn’t even manage to get past our reserve goalkeeper. Why put on a World Cup goalkeeper when all you have to do is give him a rest and allow Gazzaniga to show the Wembley crowd, with a little help from our defence, how a wall of steel can be created to stop even the most determined pests from getting through.
The first 26 minutes I thought we did ok, but you could see the desperation starting to mount up in Chelsea’s players' expressions. So much so that their goalkeeper Arrizabalaga decided to take matters into his own hands and foul our ‘Arry. The referee would have ignored it under any other circumstances, but he was spied upon (VAR). Flustered referee Oliver (from the tales of Oliver Twist) stood around like a spare penis in a house of ill-repute and waited for the gods above to show him what he missed, effectively showing him how it should be done. He then heard a whisper in his earpiece, drew an imaginary square, pointed to the penalty area and before you knew it, or could say “Jack Shit,” up stepped the One-season-wonder to score the one and only goal of the match.
You want a bit more? Really! Ok, the blue shirts from the aristocratic area of London (a suburb of Russia), also known as Chelski, hit the woodwork twice (yes, twice) in the first half through N'Golo Kante's near-post flick, and when our magnificent reserve-goalkeeper (yes, Chelski boys, ‘reserve’) Paulo Gazzaniga athletically turned Callum Hudson-Odoi's deflected cross onto the post (bright boy!). Then Andreas Christensen missed a glaring opportunity from six yards after the break (didn’t we laugh, oh, yes we did). We won’t mention that Arrizabalaga produced a fine save from Kane (it is our secret!).
So, there you have it. We went home happy, they just went. Chelski now know that they are known to the White Hart Lane boys as “three-points-Bridge” (that will do nicely!).
Next up are United on Sunday, followed by Fulham away, followed by, yes, you’ve guessed it, “Three-points-Bridge” (a trip abroad to Russia!!).
What a happy new year/ season this could be if we stay focused, are willing and raring to go for it.
Don Scully
Comments
Post a Comment