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Return of that sinking feeling

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
A comment by 'Gibb' in the Newcastle match thread made me realise that I too was feeling the same disappointment, verging on anger that I felt in the days of Martin Jol when we were chasing a top four position and lost to late goals or failed to convert possession into winning scores. Seen in the light of our current travails those were indeed 'Happy Days '.

Lately I had become quite serene about the Juande Ramos implosion and was quite philosophical about the possibility of an impending nose dive into the Championship. The poor results at the end of last season were hidden beneath the euphoria of the Carling Cup victory and the 5-1 defeat of Arsenal. Finishing in the bottom half below West Ham could be shrugged off with thoughts of the season to come. 'Nothing to play for' except pride and the fans of course.

The early arrival of Modric compensated for the probable loss of Berbatov and the early hopeful signs under Juande in pre-season offset the unforeseen departure of Robbie Keane. I look upon some of my predictions pre-season with a wistful realisation that I had fallen for the hype and my own hopeless optimistic streak again. This could be the season!

What could possibly go wrong? What indeed. The start of this season was so disastrous, of Titanic proportions as the press were keen to remind us, that I steeled myself for the worst. In the meantime I adopted the Mr. Micawber defence that 'Something will turn up' .

Believing that Ramos and the squad were good enough to 'gel' and turn things round, I maintained a defiant belief that changing managers might further unsettle the team and the Club.

Something did turn up: Harry Redknapp. Without a doubt he has turned things round and apparently Levy's instincts were better than mine.We have hope where there was very little before and the individuals and the squad are playing better and showing some spirit. We are unbeaten against the 'Top Four' . Its a sobering thought that our reject ended up as manager of Real Madrid.

And yet and yet. We are hovering above the relegation zone, clear, if you can call it that, by a single point. If results go badly from now until into the New Year we could be sitting in the bottom three once more.

Now I know that the Premiership is very tight this year and that back to back victories could send us into the top half, but we are not getting back to back victories; its two steps forward, one or two steps back.We have only had consecutive victories once this season.

So why am I, and others, suffering a return to these feelings of anxiety and rage? Because, like the run in under Martin Jol, results matter again.This time it's to avoid relegation: then it was to secure a top four place. Harry has given us hope and as they say 'Its not the disappointment that kills you, its the hope'.

Harry keeps repeating that we are in a scrap at the bottom, but the players, Gomes, Modric, and now O'Hara are still talking about a top six finish. The first two can be excused, they are new to the Premiership and the country, but O'Hara should know better. Take it one match at a time lad in the time honoured tradition.

Now I watch, holding my breathe and reacting to every misplaced pass, mistimed tackle on the edge of the box, failure to connect with one of Lennon's improving crosses as if it really mattered. And that's because it does. Before, I could cooly analyse Juande's tactics, smile indulgently as one of Zokora's runs petered out, or tut benignly when Jenas got caught in possession. Now I can't bear it and Duff's last minute winner brought all the old feelings and memories back.

The pre-historic cave paintings depicting a successful hunt were meant to overcome the fear of the hunted animals and influence the forces of nature to deliver up a life saving meal for the whole tribe. That's what my embracing of relegation was meant to do. In declaring that I did not fear the Big Drop, I was hoping that the Gods of Football would look elsewhere for a pathetic fan to destroy.

It worked because they took an Away Day to Manchester. But we mustn't laugh at the richest club in the world lately arrived in the bottom three; the Gods might hear us and turn in our direction again. Their fans, after all, are no different to us.

So in answer to Krafty's question 'So where are we ?' The team are much improved in spirit but have not yet successfully made up for the loss of our two strikers. There is improving quality all over the pitch but its not playing consistently well. Modric is a big step in the right direction and we need to get ourselves up the league if we are to keep him and attract players of his quality next Summer.

In the meantime we need some back-up signings to make sure we continue to progress. A centre-forward at least, and in the light of the fitness worries over King and now Woodgate a centre half. We haven't got the luxury of time to bed another imported player in so they need to be home grown and experienced.

I am back in the emotional turmoil of Martin Jol's regime; fearful again of the threatening storms which threaten to blow Harry and the good ship 'Hotspur' off course. But I will suspend all this negativity until Boxing day and Fulham, and hope for a relaxed Xmas for myself, the team, and of course all of you.
 

koume2

Member
Jul 15, 2005
135
0
agree whole heartedly

we are not safe and should not get complacent. the teams below us are established premiership clubs, not recently promoted whipping boys.

this season, it appears that anything can happen - liverpool can win the title, aston villa can qualify for the champions league and totteham hotspur CAN get relegated.

but, this is the premier league...

who wants to bet that man u win the league, arsenal qualify for the champions league and spurs finish 12th
 

CosmicHotspur

Better a wag than a WAG
Aug 14, 2006
51,069
22,383
Apart from the inevitable top four or five sides, it's anyone's guess how the rest of the Premiership teams will fare and where they will be at the end of the season.

That includes Tottenham, but I do have a feeling that we are going to be safe and could well finish inside the top half of the table.

Cock-eyed optimist? Maybe. Only time will tell. Harry has a lot of work to do and a few new signings could make all the difference.
 

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
42,344
77,598
Its frustrating for sure. If it wasn't for the Carling Cup Final then this would have been one of the worst years in as long as i can remember. The way we finished last season was so hard to bear, but for that to carry into the start this season has made 2008 a hard year to take.

I wouldn't get too upset about conceding a late goal though. We dont seem to concede late goals much these days, and we've been lucky to score some late goals of late. The late show at the Emirates. The late winner against Liverpool. The late goal against West Ham to finish them off. Thats not really what we've had to experience in the past.

Its only due to the god aweful start we had that we're enduring such a torrid season. Under Harry though, i personally couldn't be happier so far. Only time will tell whther that will last. But we've still got a long way to go. We're in 3 Cup Competitions and we still have a chance to finish in a respectable top half finish.

Merry Bloody Christmas :smile:
 

riversmonkey

Active Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,244
1
At Christmas we currently sit outside the bottom three, considering where we were the team has done remarkably well. I'm content at the moment that we are still in all three cup competitions and have a fighting chance of staying up.
 

JC-Rule

Well-Known Member
Dec 14, 2005
1,993
1,285
If it wasn't so tight, then the odd slip up could be afforded, but until we are at least 7 points away from the drop zone, i will always be worried.
 

DC_Boy

New Member
May 20, 2005
17,608
5
people are right to worry - we're in a relegation batte

I'm not so sure we'll get 7 points away at any time this season - in fact I don't think we will

I think realistically if we finish 4 points off the drop zone we'll have done remarkably well under Harry considering the start under JR

only one team in the prem has ever had a start like that and survived - that's the odds we were and are facing

plus we are very stretched cos of our cup commitments
 

jamesc0le

SISS:LOKO:plays/thinks/eats chicken like sissoko!
Jun 17, 2008
4,974
944
we've started looking like a a team again , but i guess that is not good enough for the oh so predictable gloomy so n so's within the spurs ranks..

get a backbone. we've given ourselves a chance of survival and you should be content with that as you drink your mulled wines and set fire to your christmas puddings..
 

garyhopkins

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2008
1,528
903
I agree Jamesc0le, the doom and gloom is too much; anyone would think it was Christmas! We are on the ascendancy and one late goal has killed a lot of spirits. Crikey, if the season ended today we'd still be in the premiership. If 'arry can't win his bonus and keep up a squad that includes Modric, Gomes, Lennon, Bentley, King, Woody, Jenas, Huddlestone, Bent, Pav, Zok and Corluka amongst others then I'll have to give up watching football. Or, as I said on another thread, I'll eat my shoe! We have 3 Cups to look forward too. I am really happy that the players are aiming for the top (well, 6th!). Don't listen to the naysayers, you can do it boys! And if you come 4th bottom, heck there's always next season to look forward to...come on you Spurs!
 

ben anthony

New Member
Dec 6, 2006
161
0
only one team in the prem has ever had a start like that and survived - that's the odds we were and are facing

No, those aren't the odds (probability) we were facing, that's just a meaningless stat. How many teams have actually had that bad a start since the premiership began? If you can't tell me that, then you don't actually know the odds (probability) we were facing. Learn to think for yourself, and stop passing on crap statistics that you pick up!
 

hodspurs

Active Member
Dec 11, 2006
640
27
I look upon some of my predictions pre-season with a wistful realisation that I had fallen for the hype and my own hopeless optimistic streak again. This could be the season!

What could possibly go wrong?
the summer went wrong!!! i remember getting alittle stick at the back end of last season for saying keane and berba kept us up.i still think its was true and to sell those 2 player.......well that was it for me.i said in the summer i expected this season to be a write off,and but it was that bad!!!!.i just hope we have what it takes under harry to stay up.
ps... a nice cup win would help make up for the terrible start...:whistle:
 

kicked

Member
Apr 24, 2004
924
5
Lets not forget we have a transfer window coming up and even though we may not get some expensive buys, I am sure Harry is shrewd enough to see what we need and already has those targets lined up. They could then make the difference for the next half of the season.
 

garyhopkins

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2008
1,528
903
people are right to worry - we're in a relegation batte

I'm not so sure we'll get 7 points away at any time this season - in fact I don't think we will

I think realistically if we finish 4 points off the drop zone we'll have done remarkably well under Harry considering the start under JR

only one team in the prem has ever had a start like that and survived - that's the odds we were and are facing

plus we are very stretched cos of our cup commitments

We are currently one point ahead of the drop zone. If 'arry and our players can't increase that in the next 20 games, what does that say about them? We certainly lack attacking options but we surely have the players to continue heading upwards. Don't get me wrong; after our start I would have been happy if we were 4 points clear at the end, but I will now be disappointed as the current position and form clearly suggests we should do much better. And, as for being stretched by Cup games, bring it on! The fringe players need to stand up and be counted and the extra games are what being successful is about. Come on you Spurs!
 

JuanRebelde

Member
Apr 10, 2006
978
2
For me the signing of a couple of centre-forwards in january is essential. From the start of the season I have felt that Bent has never and will never be good enough for Spurs and although I still hold judgement, I am increasingly thinking that Pav is not capable of scaring defences either not least for his lack of pace. Campbell can be excused as he is still very inexperienced. In some games, including some we have won, we have looked very ordinary up front and have needed something from other areas of the team to make up for it.

Yes, Redknapp has got the team winning a few games and indeed games that under the past two managers we would have probably lost. However, it is anyones guess whether this is still a honeymoon period or whether he can continue the improvement.

I personally believe he will keep us up and next season we will be in the top 8. Beyond that I have never seen anything in Redknapp (from his Bournemouth days onwards) to suggest that he could get us a top four finish. I hope I am wrong.
 

adwanhussein

Member
Feb 22, 2007
321
0
I share your nostaliga for those excellent Spurs who led the Premiership for a while,barely missing fourth spot.A Hail Mary goal by a Chelsea player in extra time,salty beaten in extra time by a player in a team that was promoted from the coca cola division,and then the Pasta episode.Great moments to relish by that ace of defenders ;King of the Lane ,and we had the journey men ,Davids ,Mido ,Reid,Murphy and of course Keane ,Defoe and Robbo at his best.That was an outfit which overachieved ,no body language ,but grit and determination .That what champions are made of.
 
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