Beef Bagel

Two bagels at Everton. What? Two bagels – 0-0! Not bad, it would have been a bonus to get the win, but there didn’t seem to be many chances?

We beat one half of Manchester yesterday at least – should have put away more of those chances.

Almost certainly we won’t be lower than 8^th – fantastic really, in case you’ve forgotten that start? Just for those who are still worried, we won’t be relegated unless we go into administration.

Newcastle let us down badly – it would still be good to overtake Fulham, but it’s not easy now. Maybe the Europa League is a bit of a poisoned chalice, but you’ve got to be in it to win it!

You still couldn’t make up this season – a few more home goals would have been to the crowd’s liking but to finish with the fewest conceded at home in the Premiership and probably Spurs history is baffling! Defence seems to be better for once – let’s keep it this way, it’s gone pear-shaped before. Now to add more quality and start the push for better things next season.

Fingers crossed for Saturday. Calm down! Calm down!

COYS.

The Platzel.

Another streaky win, but they all count. You know I like more goals, but amazingly I read that we have the best home defensive record in the Premiership? I like good defences as well. Since our strikers have dried up a bit again, it’s good to see the midfield chipping in –well done, JJ!

Still hanging in there, but a difficult finish.

I’m not feeling so happy when I read transfer talk. I’m not like many of you who comment on here. I don’t think Arsenal are the real enemy – yes, they’re local but where I grew up they weren’t the most local rivals in London. They don’t seem to be a real threat in terms of wanting our players – it’s other teams, up North, that make me see red.

We are not a feeder club for them and we’ve got to stop this. I don’t want to read about a sale being good business, because if it’s not good business on the pitch it’s not good business. As for being a ‘dream move’, I want to see players dreaming of success and then achieving it with Spurs.

We have to avoid administration, but after that the finances don’t make sense – the club may have to go private? Dave Whelan (Wigan Chairman and JJB founder) on Sports Report told it as it is – don’t expect to make money out of football clubs.

We’re going to have to be a bit patient, but something’s going to have to change for a break up of the stranglehold the top four have on things at present. Andy Burnham’s right!

By the way, if the funding is there and planning consent is given, when will the new stadium be ready?

COYS.

The Platzel.

Good news to you pessimists who still think we might be relegated – we won’t be! It’s been a successful season, after the worst start ever and, as before, anything more than survival will be a bonus.

Oh, by the way JohnnyB, where is the Bagel? He’s there, but he doesn’t say much these days.

The win against Newcastle was good – again, a bit close at the end.

Two things went wrong yesterday – well more than two really? First, the bookies had us as favourites for 7^th spot – I think we’ve eased out a bit, but it’s still possible. Then poor Jermaine’s sad news – it had to happen yesterday, didn’t it. Then, I can’t ever remember being in that position at half time, or at any stage in a match, there? Of course, bring your own referee – you usually do. Not the whole story, but there’s often a helping hand for reasons not known. Yesterday, I wasn’t going to discuss this. Just finally, another point – did that ball cross the line or not – yes, I think Pedro Mendes’ shot just crossed the line. Which was ‘The Damned United’ – I know which one I think it was.

Now, we put that behind us. Four matches to go – let’s see what we can do?

COYS.

The Platzel.

Bye, bye Chelsea, Chelsea bye, bye! Another great win, although we might have lost it at the end. So, off we went to Blackburn with hopes raised once again. It was all going well and then we know the rest – I was hot and cross. The damned Rovers!

It could have been different and I know it doesn’t always apply, but that’s when you need a second goal – at least it would have made a point. It could easily have been a win and although we deserved to beat Chelsea, that could easily have been a draw.

It really seems silly to think about Europe, but here we go again. Another win today and up to eighth – for now, at least. Well done, Pav!

What a crazy season! 2 points from the first 8 games, 16 from the next 8, 6 from the next 8 (and heading back towards the bottom) and now 17 from the last 8…and it could have been more! 6 matches to go.

Survival is clear success after that start – anything else will be a bonus. Here’s to a good finish, a sensible summer with an understandable transfer window and a better season next.

No more false starts, please – long-term planning now for the short and long-term. We’ve all had enough rubbish to last a lifetime!

COYS.

The Platzel.

We did! Great bonus of 3 points at Villa and that doesn’t happen very often, even in better seasons. This made up for the draw at Sunderland which could have been better.

It’s a good run. No point in getting carried away, but let’s just carry it on.

Parts of the team are working better and apart from makings things happen – Lennon twice – Jenas was well forward, where players should be more often, and putting his head in where it hurts. Of course, against some teams you’d also get your head kicked in!

Robbie’s doing nicely now but actually that shot wasn’t going in, so well done Darren.

Still some way to go but it wasn’t premature to talk of next season. We have to finish this one as best we can, but have to plan a short-term and a long-term future – something that’s clearly been missing for the last couple of seasons. Sell a number of players and then buy three back the same season or the one after?

We’ve seen enough changes in recent years. There’s only one more necessary in the future, apart from seeing Spurs at the top that is, and I don’t think I need to spell that out, do I? We’re hopefully going to change the ground, we’ve changed a bus load of managers, players, directors of football, even bakers – now what hasn’t changed? A bit of stability would be a nice change.

COYS.

The Platzel.

…roll? Bagel? You may ask where we have been – well, there wasn’t much to write about for most of February!

We didn’t score a goal until late in the month, although we didn’t play much in the first half. The window closed and Robbie came back, which must be a good thing, even if he was ineligible for a lot of the matches that came up? Now, he’s scored his first since his return maybe we can start to show some improvement. We have a better squad than we started the season with, but not very helpful for the later stages of cup competitions if cup-tied.

A draw with Arsenal was better than nothing, but all we are saying is give us a …

We needed goals in Donetsk, but they didn’t come and then we didn’t defend well in the last 10 minutes. The win at Hull was great, but a bit shaky! We perked up for 5 minutes in the second leg against Shaktar, but that was the end of that! It was welcome novelty to be back in Europe for 3 years after quite a gap – almost like the old days – but barring a miracle that’s it, at least for more than another year.

We did the hard work in the Carling Cup Final against…oh, I can’t remember who we played (some provincial team, I think?)…but not the easy part. Penalties are easy to take, except in the head – a bit of hypnosis wouldn’t have gone amiss – Harry, give Derren Brown a call?

We can’t score goals, yet amazingly our defence has held up pretty well this season? We’re on course for some record low totals at home this season, I’m sure…so what happens 4-0 against an in-form Middlesbrough! As Fred Trueman might have said, I don’t know what’s going off out there?

We want survival or just work your socks off to see how far we can get in the league and I guess it will be two seasons in the bottom half following two in 5^th place! Progress will be a top half finish next season and certainly qualification for Europe as a bonus!

We can beat Sunderland, of course, if we’re up for it!

COYS.

The Platzel.

Yes, I still think we are, rather than in the soup? The transfer window or Christmas sales period is nearly over and, as things stand, we have Cudicini (Gomes looked a better bet yesterday?), Defoe (currently crocked), Chimbonda (good attacking play) and Palacios (‘Crystal’, who also looked sharp). Is that it? Not long to wait now. As for Benitez, he can shut up since he doesn’t seem to want Keane?

I think the squad looks better than at the start of the season and we’re in the pack.

So, the last 8 league games have yielded 6 points – not enough! The first 8, 2 points and the next 8, 16! Consistent, we’re not. We’ve won 6, drawn 6 and lost 12. It won’t be easy to climb clear but we really will need to work our socks off to the end. Our strikers have scored a few, our midfield not enough and our defence must tighten up.

I guess we want 16 points from the last 14 games – more would be nice, plus the Carling Cup for Europe next season? Here’s hoping. We’ve got everything crossed – even hot buns!

COYS.

The Platzel.

It’s a bit difficult to keep up with events. It’s a little bit easier trying to follow things on the pitch, but off it, that’s another matter altogether!

Finally, a goal arrived in the league with the equaliser against Portsmouth. Then the numbing experience of the second leg at Burnley which was a bit of a shaker. Of course, if the away goals rule applied at the end of two legs, then that was it – ‘holders’ shock exit in semi-final’? Spurs looked like an average Championship side, which is what we’re not trying to become, next season? I did think of several show ponies in a circus on display, plus some donkeys.

Then, what sort of team were we going to put out at Old Trafford given all the news coverage (this seems endless at the moment)? Well, in the event, not too bad a team but a chance, with Rooney absent and Ronaldo hobbling off, went by. More effort was needed here. So, we can’t win all the competitions we’ve entered this season after all.

At least, we scored some goals against Stoke but still a fragile performance. I’m more hopeful than some. We’re in touch with the pack, we’ve signed (signed back) some reasonable players – a good striker and good goalie and hopefully useful midfielder. How the squad will look at the end of this period, and until the next window when the merry-go-round will start again, I don’t know.

Maybe we can repeat last season’s surprise Wembley win, against the odds, and once again we’ll be looking to next season? It would be nice to keep a manager for a season or three, let alone some players!

Glancing at Graham Roberts’ autobiography didn’t do some other characters in past management at the club any favours!

Back to the future again! COYS.

The Platzel.

No, obviously not. I hope we’re not on the way to Down and Out in Paris and London for those of you who get the literary drift.

Did you know that Wigan have never beaten Spurs – well they have now! Doesn’t matter if it’s first minute or last – if you don’t score, you can’t win (God help team Zokora!).

So, guess what - I sent my daughter, the Breadstick, to watch the match. Poor girl – she enjoyed it until it all went flat in the second half. That’s another supporter you may have just lost?

Anyway, I’ve found some good odds today at the bookmakers – Man Utd 4/5 and Spurs 2000/1 for the Premiership. I think it’s a shoe-in for Spurs. Trouble is, even if they win all their games it’s not a Premiership winning total and I can’t see United being relegated? Of course, they may get points deducted for the Tevez affair – about 50 seems right – so maybe the 2000/1 is more generous than I thought?

I have noted the gloom and doom mongers are back – you’re right it’s serious but we can get out of this one – we’ve got Houdini in charge. However, it is a mess and it just needs sorting. Give Harry support and give him what he wants because I’ve seen enough managers for a lifetime and hope Harry sorts it and stays for at least 10 years.

We need TH back in the middle and AE back on the left. Ditch the rubbish and sell them if you can. Buy some others if they’re worth having.

Back to the future! COYS. We are…

The Platzel.

I think you mean A Game of Two Halves? Well, both actually.

The game against Burnley was exactly both, but there were really three teams on the pitch – Spurs in the first half, Spurs in the second half and Burnley. We got there in the end but why don’t we start at the first half kick-off – that’s when the game starts (not that Bentley would know this?). I also don’t want to see a defender putting his arms up to let his man through to set up a first goal. I don’t like penalties, but you must tackle even if there’s a risk of conceding one with a fair tackle? O’Hara is not without talent but makes up in attitude what others with more talent don’t – know who I’m talking about, any players who might care to read this? So, that’s a job almost half done and should be completed barring a disaster. Overall, although not strong we are defending better than in some seasons.

The cup game against Wigan was also pleasing and showed us how to score goals again. Things are looking up – with Jermain back and more to come (?) we must be better prepared to score goals in the second half of the season. A win at Wigan would be a real bonus to cap a good start to the year. It’s early days, but Harry might be ahead of Megson this month, at the moment!

Cos you know why thing took a turn for the better again? The Bagel was out of the country – again? Just a coincidence, of course, or was it? We can’t seem to do anything wrong when he goes away – can we pass round the hat for more holidays or do we want him to emigrate?

Remember, your votes count!

Let’s see who else we can find in the January sales for the squad – Carrick, Berbatov, Tevez, Anderton, Sheringham?

The Platzel.