ChRiStOpHe
It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake
- Dec 14, 2004
- 12,813
- 331
There’s a familiar smell in the air around White Hart Lane at the moment. It’s the same smell that appears every year around early July. It’s a smell that has us back on our feet, refreshed after a poor season, ready to take on the World. It’s the smell of expectation.
This season, like any other, is sure to be ‘the one’. It always is. Although this time, there’s a pretty good argument to suggest that this may be more than wishful thinking.
Juande Ramos is more than just a Head Coach. He’s a name; and a very respected name at that. Martin Jol will forever be in my heart as a wonderful manager, but when you compare the players that Damien Comolli has been able to bring in this summer with the players he was able to bring in last year, there’s surely no denying that having Ramos as the face of Tottenham is proving to be a very positive thing indeed. Whereas we managed to attract potential class last year in the form of Younes Kaboul, Kevin-Price Boateng and Adel Tarrabt, we’re now able to bring in proven quality. Luka Modric, David Bentley and Giovani dos Santos are 3 names who have already put themselves forward as part of this very special attempt on greatness, and if rumours are to be believed, Andrei Arshavin could well be the next player to demand he take part.
Tottenham lacked a number of things for me last season. They lacked a commanding goalkeeper. They lacked quality cover in the centre back positions. They lacked both steel and creativity from midfield. They also lacked a quality set piece taker, especially after Gareth Bale‘s season was ended so suddenly. This summer, I have a sneaky feeling we may be able to put a big blue cross through every single one of them. Heurelho Gomes has come in, and despite taking some very unfair stick from sections of our ‘support’ before he’d even made his debut, I believe he will go on to make himself a bit of a legend at White Hart Lane. He’ll be unconventional - I have no doubt about that. But he’ll be one of the key compartments of this very exciting project that’s starting to gather pace. David Bentley, along with Gareth Bale being back, will give us a huge boost in the set pieces department. We now have players who can both take a corner and a free-kick from either side, and in this league, I believe this could be one of the small details that becomes a huge factor in our plans for next season. We’re still missing defensive cover and that midfield steel, but I have real confidence in the powers that be to bring in the players who’ll enable me to deliver the final two blue crosses.
The playing staff this year is simply phenomenal. Compare our team to those of our recent past, and we’re not far from having a team capable of challenging on all fronts. The Luka Modric signing was inspired. I cannot praise the club enough for not only identifying Luka as the man to pull the strings in this project, but in being able to actually pull the transfer off. The second he joined was the second our midfield took a huge leap in the right direction. No more will we see our midfield feed Keane or Berbatov deep and allow them to privilege of creating for themselves. We’re now in a position were we may well have David Bentley, Giovani dos Santos and Anderi Arshavin all ready and waiting to create for our lone striker, with Modric being the main cog in the Tottenham clock who’ll be the brains of the project. I really do see Modric as a neat and tidy player who will allow creative players in the team to really play. He’ll keep the ball moving. No more will Aaron Lennon be forced to beat his man every time if he‘s to get to the by-line. His best season for me was his first - a season where he’d be behind his full back without touching the ball. Michael Carrick was the reason for that, and I have a feeling Modric may bring out the real Aaron Lennon again. Whilst we’re on the subject of players bringing out the best in others, I cannot help but feel Darren Bent is in for one heck of a season. Last season was a real let down for the guy, and I stand by my stance from last season - it was not Darren’s fault. His time at Charlton surely taught us that he needs to be fed the ball early. He needs to be the prime striking target. Most of all, he needs to be told to concentrate on doing nothing but scoring. Last year, he was trying to fit in with our style of play by linking up with Robbie and Dimitar. This couldn’t have been further from the way we should have been using him. With the crosses from Hutton, Bale and Bentley, the through balls of Modric and Arshavin, and the space and chances created by the trickery of Lennon and dos Santos, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Darren bags himself 25 league goals next season.
The club is currently at its strongest since I’ve been a fan, and for me, I’ve never been more excited about a season. I honestly feel that 3rd place is not a stupid target. Liverpool and Arsenal are both vulnerable, and Liverpool especially, look there for the taking as far as I’m concerned. I also have a feeling that Juande’s love affair with the UEFA Cup may end with another winners medal to go on his mantle place.
The future is brighter the ever. The future really is lily white.
This season, like any other, is sure to be ‘the one’. It always is. Although this time, there’s a pretty good argument to suggest that this may be more than wishful thinking.
Juande Ramos is more than just a Head Coach. He’s a name; and a very respected name at that. Martin Jol will forever be in my heart as a wonderful manager, but when you compare the players that Damien Comolli has been able to bring in this summer with the players he was able to bring in last year, there’s surely no denying that having Ramos as the face of Tottenham is proving to be a very positive thing indeed. Whereas we managed to attract potential class last year in the form of Younes Kaboul, Kevin-Price Boateng and Adel Tarrabt, we’re now able to bring in proven quality. Luka Modric, David Bentley and Giovani dos Santos are 3 names who have already put themselves forward as part of this very special attempt on greatness, and if rumours are to be believed, Andrei Arshavin could well be the next player to demand he take part.
Tottenham lacked a number of things for me last season. They lacked a commanding goalkeeper. They lacked quality cover in the centre back positions. They lacked both steel and creativity from midfield. They also lacked a quality set piece taker, especially after Gareth Bale‘s season was ended so suddenly. This summer, I have a sneaky feeling we may be able to put a big blue cross through every single one of them. Heurelho Gomes has come in, and despite taking some very unfair stick from sections of our ‘support’ before he’d even made his debut, I believe he will go on to make himself a bit of a legend at White Hart Lane. He’ll be unconventional - I have no doubt about that. But he’ll be one of the key compartments of this very exciting project that’s starting to gather pace. David Bentley, along with Gareth Bale being back, will give us a huge boost in the set pieces department. We now have players who can both take a corner and a free-kick from either side, and in this league, I believe this could be one of the small details that becomes a huge factor in our plans for next season. We’re still missing defensive cover and that midfield steel, but I have real confidence in the powers that be to bring in the players who’ll enable me to deliver the final two blue crosses.
The playing staff this year is simply phenomenal. Compare our team to those of our recent past, and we’re not far from having a team capable of challenging on all fronts. The Luka Modric signing was inspired. I cannot praise the club enough for not only identifying Luka as the man to pull the strings in this project, but in being able to actually pull the transfer off. The second he joined was the second our midfield took a huge leap in the right direction. No more will we see our midfield feed Keane or Berbatov deep and allow them to privilege of creating for themselves. We’re now in a position were we may well have David Bentley, Giovani dos Santos and Anderi Arshavin all ready and waiting to create for our lone striker, with Modric being the main cog in the Tottenham clock who’ll be the brains of the project. I really do see Modric as a neat and tidy player who will allow creative players in the team to really play. He’ll keep the ball moving. No more will Aaron Lennon be forced to beat his man every time if he‘s to get to the by-line. His best season for me was his first - a season where he’d be behind his full back without touching the ball. Michael Carrick was the reason for that, and I have a feeling Modric may bring out the real Aaron Lennon again. Whilst we’re on the subject of players bringing out the best in others, I cannot help but feel Darren Bent is in for one heck of a season. Last season was a real let down for the guy, and I stand by my stance from last season - it was not Darren’s fault. His time at Charlton surely taught us that he needs to be fed the ball early. He needs to be the prime striking target. Most of all, he needs to be told to concentrate on doing nothing but scoring. Last year, he was trying to fit in with our style of play by linking up with Robbie and Dimitar. This couldn’t have been further from the way we should have been using him. With the crosses from Hutton, Bale and Bentley, the through balls of Modric and Arshavin, and the space and chances created by the trickery of Lennon and dos Santos, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Darren bags himself 25 league goals next season.
The club is currently at its strongest since I’ve been a fan, and for me, I’ve never been more excited about a season. I honestly feel that 3rd place is not a stupid target. Liverpool and Arsenal are both vulnerable, and Liverpool especially, look there for the taking as far as I’m concerned. I also have a feeling that Juande’s love affair with the UEFA Cup may end with another winners medal to go on his mantle place.
The future is brighter the ever. The future really is lily white.
