Fratton Freatens
So, rumour has it they stuck a roof on the away stand at Fratton Park. I always said I’ll never go back to Pompey after that spanking we received on Boxing Day a few years back, courtesy of a couple of long range efforts from Patrik Berger. More than anything, though, it was our utterly dismal display, my rain-soaked, skin-stuck clothing and the moment’s realisation that I could be back at home picking at Turkey bones and cold roast potatoes in front of one of 007’s better adventures.
See when it comes to it, my real reason for never returning was the fear of losing. If we had been winning 2-0 that fateful day, I’d have been splashing around and doing my impression of Gene Kelly with the rest of Tottenham choir. Pompey haven’t lost at home all season and we’re still chasing our first away win. I could probably handle the defeat but a defeat in a crap ground with an undulating pitch to a team in a position where we should be to the sound of that fucking bell - forget it. Good luck to all y’all going down. May the Lord spare you such a fate. I should imagine I’ll be catching the game from the safety of the Yucatan, Stoke Newington, home of illegal satellite football.
It’s all rather quiet on the news front because we’ve no drama as yet. We won our last encounter and no one quite knows how we’re going to fair tomorrow. We haven’t looked out of our depth against any side so far and what both we and the press are waiting for is the truly convincing team performance that everyone thought would be the hallmark of our season or yet another loss due to a late goal or two and some misfortune in the guise of a freak yachting accent with a vessel from the Solent running aground on the pitch just in time to deflect our late equaliser and re-injure Ledley King at the same time. So we wait. Another Saturday comes and again we wait to see if this is the game that’s going to start our season.
In the mean time we get the news that the U18s have made it through to the next round of the FA Youth Cup after a victory over Southampton. There was only one goal in it but it brought a smile to my lips and a nod of approval to note that it was new boy, Danny Rose, that provide the “defence splitting” assist. Now that’s a phrase I always associate with Danny Murphy but the only thing he managed to split in his time with us was a toe nail and perhaps the odd opinion.
One old Spursonian in the news right now is 41-yarder, Erik Edman and funny that because myself my mate Charlie, a Yiddo through and through, and Jimmy Roast (nee Nice) were just talking about him the other day. Mid-European tour last week, we had a moment talking about players that we liked at the time. I think it started in thinking about how we’ll remember Tainio - a player we liked at the time but not really good enough on reflection - Reto Zeigler being another example. But when we came up with Edman, who somehow is 29 years old suddenly, there was only one question: why did we get rid of him? He was as good as Benoit Who and no worse than Oriental Racial Stereotype. So what happened there? We could do with him now seeing as Bale’s off sick.
All the same, the reason he’s got the column inches just now is that the Swedish full-back, currently the property of Rennes, has been linked with Wigan and Reading. Should he call The Bagel, I’d recommend Reading rather than the far reaches of Northland but either way it’d be a pleasure to welcome him back to the Lane some day. Just no long range screamers please Erik.
For our own books, there’s a gentleman from the Jupiler League by the name of Marouane Fellaini, upon whom the fiery eye of Tottenham roves like some sort of footballing Sauron. The 20-year-old Fallaini is a Belgian, of Moroccan decent, on the books of Standard Liege as a box to box player; yes, yet another kid to stuff into our midfield blender in the hope of some kind of palatable concoction. I mean let’s face it, between JJ, The Hudd, Prince Kevin, Didier Zee, this kid and perhaps someone like Jamie O’Hara, we’ve got to come out with something that works.
Fellaini’s full of stamina, runs all game and is rather good at heading the ball; you know why? Because he’s bloody massive at whopping 6′5″ and that’s quite a stature for a midfielder. He’s certainly add a little edge when it comes to set pieces and at the least quell a few of those shouts of “Second Ball” that are so popular to the spectator with little else to say. Here’s his head…
…watching some Jim Davidson stand-up.
The player himself has as little clue of the move as we do, less in fact but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him on the pitch before January is up.
Right, off home. End of the night shift and my head is spinning.
The Bagel.
December 15th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Great Result, from listening from the radio, Lennon, seemed to play well. Bagel, i’d say you wish ya were down in pompey this evening.
COYS>
December 15th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
#Jingle bells, jingle belss, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to see Tottenham win away, hey!#
Well, well, well. I’d never have predicted that score line. Not only hanging on to a one goal lead late on but a clean sheet to boot
I listened to the match on the radio with Mini Yid sat beside me. Lennon did sound on form Irish Yid. A result to give a real boost to us all. Mini Yid & I have our tickets (many thanks Yid of the Midlands) to Tuesday’s Carling Cup game with citeh, bring it on!
COYS!
December 15th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Hey, congrats guys… first away win.. Bagel, you have a prediction for Spurs place in the table at the end of the season? You should do a pool: give 20 people a number and see who gets the right numbered place at the end of the season. Winner gets… your season pass ticket… Or something.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Congrats on the Pompy thing - this should kick start your season, who have you got next ?
Ooops, might be a false dawn then, at least it looks like we might get a game anyway, that’ll make a change.
I reckon we’ll do you 3 or 4, and your relegation battle continues.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Well, what an enjoyable day out in Fratton. Easily the best defensive performance all season (not saying much!) and apart from the opening 5 - 10 minutes or so I’d say we had the upper hand most of the way. What a rubbish little ground, but in all honesty, it makes it a lot more fun to go to and it will be a sad day when Pompey replace their ground with an identikit premiership stadium. Although it was nice of them to build a roof on the away end. I’d also completely forgotten about Sol, but of course I was quickly reminded when I got to the game, and then regularly throughout.
I like Greedo’s idea. Bagel, I go for eighth. I wouldn’t mind another season ticket. West stand upper please, cheers.
December 17th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Great result. Has the Juande revolution finaly begun to look more like reality rather than a pipe dream? Ok a long way to go but for me, he’s out classed BMJ already what with the tactics and all that. Is anyone at all unsure about the appointment of Ramos now?
I always felt Levy was being given far too much of a slagging off and never felt he was doing anything else other than what was best for Spurs. Some of the London press are so pro-Chelski/Arse that it’s hardly at all surprising that they always try to undermine the whole setup at Tottenham. Director of football cahirman etc… Chelski have that structure, why no critisism of them in the papers?
Ok it’s one away win and a very good one considering. However as we all hope Ramos is the ‘man’ for Spurs, if and when he does prove how right he is for us will the anti Levy/Comolli brigade please try and rember that those two are the people who brought him in Ramos and how they had to stick their necks out to to do it. You know, when the memory of big cuddly jolly Jol has faded and all that… Mind you, how will any memory of Jol fade with him slagging off the board in the press every week since he’s left, you don’t see Houghton doing that and i doubt he got the pay-out Martin got!!
No disrespect to the BMJ but Levy has done more for Spurs than anyone else since he’s been there including Jol, perhaps we should remember that rather than some of us getting carried away with this ’smiling assasin’ persona that the press have tried to create for him, perhaps we should be thankfull of what he’s done well.
We don’t know Levy personally but apart from the messy replacement of Jol, what exactly has the bloke done wrong??
In this day and age with all things considered, he’s a pretty decent chairman… Lets hope the result on Saturday will be the begining of Levy and Comolli’s vindication as well as a great charge up the league table!!!
December 17th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I agree with the competition that Greedo has suggested, I’ll stick my neck out & go for 6th
COYS!
December 17th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
couldn’t agree more - that bleeding bell drives me nuts if a poompey game is on the box i have to turn the sound off - also the last time i went there it heaved down with rain and if memory serves me right if you stood at the front of the stand (blimey thats how long ago it was) your head was level with the pitch - shit place always has been always will be - but if your ever on a night out there - check out joannas on the front - it has to be seen to be believed!
December 17th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
I’m on 7th
December 17th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Nobody going with their preseason expectations of claiming a top 4 position ?
No doubt we’ll soon hear a chant of ‘watch us next season’ from the old timers amongst you.
Relegation fight is what your in, don’t let a win against a blank firing pompy team fool you.
December 17th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
WHS, why don’t you put your prediction in then? If you think we’re going to get relegated, say so.
If you win a season ticket, you might even be able to support Arsenal in the flesh once a season. Assuming of course that you don’t really believe we are in danger of going down. Which you don’t.
December 17th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Oooh, nice offer - cheers Bagel!
9th. Too much ground lost already.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:05 am
5th for me
December 18th, 2007 at 10:20 am
My prediction is that, once again, you’ll get done by the Mighty Arsenal on Saturday.
As for league position, I imagine you will trawl through to mid table mediocrity like you do every other year.
As for whether I could attend a game if I won a season ticket - hmmm, not sure I could afford the time to go to every game really. However, I do get to see the Mighty Arsenal in the flesh at least once a season, thanks for asking.
December 18th, 2007 at 11:46 am
WHS, since when were two 5th places ever ‘mid table mediocrity’??
The mighty Spurs shouldn’t be where we currently sit in the table as we all know, we belong up the top knocking on the door of the Holy Grail that is 4th which is what we’ve been doing for the last two seasons…
We are ‘too good to go down’ or get sucked in a relegation fight as we have a very good squad. End of.
December 18th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
2 seasons out of the standard mid table rubbish doesn’t change a thing.
The one manager who managed to break that PL spell of never having a top 6 or bottom 6 finish - you sacked. Never having a top 6 or bottom 6 finish is called : Mid Table Mediocrity.
It’ll be interesting to see how deep the spuds pockets are this Jan, as far as I see, you need 2-3 defenders and a holding midfielder, maybe you could beg Carrick to come back, my guess is he’s not enjoying bench warming at OT.
I reckon it’ll be quite busy this Jan - We and Chelsea are both looking for defenders as well, perhaps you will pick up some scraps.
Hope you dont get another turkey, or even another Ledley ‘Balsa Wood’ King !!!
December 18th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
The reason why Spurs have managed two top six finishes is because of the board and their commitment to investing in the squad and infrastructure at the club over the last 4 or 5 seasons.
Yes a lot of money has been spent, but we’ve been rewarded with european qualification the last two seasons which seemed a long way off, in the days of our ‘mid table mediocrity’, that you miss us suffering from so much…
So you could say that things are ‘going to plan’ as an overall picture, the reason why Jol (who you seem to credit as our only reason for getting the 5th places) was replaced was because he wasn’t seen as the man to take the club where we want to be long term, the poor start this season and tactical decisions he made in key games during his time as manager.
Of course only time will tell if Ramos is the man or not but his C.V is superb as far as general performance and silverware. Jol had nothing apart from a good reputation as a coach.
You see WHS, we have a board with ambition and that has been shown clearly by their large investment in the club. That is why the two 5th places were no fluke or miracle performed by Martin Jol, it’s because we are getting better players, staff etc from the financial input.
Spurs are slowly catching up on the top 4.
The Goons will probably never to get that into their little brains… a bit like failing to realise that Henry was an egomaniac for the last 3 years at the Librarys (new and old). You’re all a bit slow i reckon…
December 18th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Don’t you think that Fellaini looks a bit like Paul Stalteri’s little brother?
December 19th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Selling Henry was a great bit of business - he’s now out for an ‘indeterminate’ stretch, due to that same niggling back complaint.
Previous to that, you cant really complain about the top striker in the country season in season out.
But back to your issue.
I maintain that the board and Joseph Lewis’ henchman DannyBoy Levy do not have the interest of spuds as a football empire at it’s heart. I suggest to you that if / when they get approval or even plans for a new stadium and can possibly deliver champions league footie, they will sell their holdings in the club to the highest bidder.
The investment in the playing staff has been very questionable and despite hatred fueled denials, the facts remain: the pre-season squad investment was in the wrong area of the pitch.
Underperforming players (Zokora) heighten the anguish, some players just dont have what it takes (Jenas / Huddlestone / Bent / Robinson) and other players are just made from Balsa Wood (BustKnee King).
Interesting to read your opinion on MJ as well, he was unanimously admired and loved on these very pages just a couple of months ago, and the facts are that he delivered the only blips in a uneventful and tedious journey you know as spuds life in the premiership.
I’m surprised at your defence of levy, personally I find him incompetent, he trusted £40m of spuds money to someone who, it would seem by levy’s early connections to Ramos, levy didn’t believe was the man to lead you forward. Now, with the january sales approaching, is he gonna hand over another war chest ? Does that mean he has Ramos’ replacement in mind already ? On top of that, he’s a coward, he doesn’t come out and face the music. I’m not saying he should stand on the steps and face the crowd, Kevin Keegan fashion, but at least support the new manager in his first press conference, and take some responsibility himself rather than blaming MJ and comolli.
I hope you all get herpes on saturday morning and are run over by buses at midday.
Other than that, happy xmas and all that and have a good one in the new year.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
I suggest to you that if / when they get approval or even plans for a new stadium and can possibly deliver champions league footie, they will sell their holdings in the club to the highest bidder.
Of course they would - any club that is a PLC is run as a business - Open your eyes. The Man Utd deal, Liverpool, Villa…This practice has been going on for some time now. Jesus, in your haste to slag off Spurs, you are picking some pretty useless points.
Think next time you walk into the Emirates Stadium
As I’m not planning on sleeping with you, Ki Ki, the odds of a case of Herpes by saturday are slim.
Face it - we played like heroes last night, and have only lost 1 in the last 11 games - and that is what really pisses you off. x
December 20th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Toby,
You may not want to sleep with me - but you are flirting outragiously - there really was no need for kisses !
December 20th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
David Dein had been courting investors for ages and has now begun getting his consortium together of shady Russians etc to come back at a later stage to buy the ‘French Arses’. Dein didn’t have the interests of the Goons at heart then either when he was there??
Just because a board or chairman of a club may or may not plan to sell the club to the right investor at some stage doesn’t mean they don’t want the best for the club.
Remember, as much as we all slag off Roman’s dirty money pouring into Chelski, their reason why Bates sold was because they were on the verge of financial melt-down. In short he did it to save the club from going under. So you could say that he did what was right for the club at the time… Bates ran them badly to get them into that state in the first place but that’s not the point.
Having a go at Levy in the way you have Ki ki is just the pot calling the kettle i’m afraid because all clubs will sound out most serious investors and the South London Chavs are no different…
The players Spurs bought in the summer are all good buys whoever is manager.
Bale or Walcott? Bale every time.
Kaboul, has struggled to settle but has looked much better in the last few games and is only 21, the best young defender in France.
Boateng, the best young player in Germany last year and has started to look better and better under Ramos (Ramos wanted him at Seville btw).
Bent was a lot of cash but with his Prem goal scoring record you couldn’t have paid under 9-10 million in the current market and as he’s only young too it’s pushed his value up further. I believe he will end up a great investment long term. You lot paid 12 million for Wallcott for goodness sake!!
Ki ki, perhaps Wenger will sleep with you… i hear he likes them young, vunerable and misguided!!!
December 20th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Ki Ki, I don’t know what you’re talking about. You saucy minx. x
December 20th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
“Kaboul, ….. , the best young defender in France.” ??
Is that apart from Sagna and Clichy ?
And we paid £5m for Walcott.
December 22nd, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Just because Clichy and Sagna play for the Goons doesn’t mean they are the best raw talent around, besides they are both full backs, i should have said ‘best young central defender’.
We paid 6m for Bale rising to 10 depending, i hear that Walcott will rise to over 12 depending, ok so we’ve cleared that up…