The Shelf: Portsmouth Vs. Tottenham Hotspur.

The season is finally back with us and we start with a tricky trip down to Portsmouth. Many of their experienced players left in the summer and anything above 15th place will be a real achievement for Pompey this season I believe. I also always believed that we were a better team overall but that hasn't stopped us having picked zero points for quite a while down there. It has been teams that Spurs "should beat" that have curtailed our progress over the last few years. Our away record has been useless as well generally over the last five years and if Spurs really are to make progress into the top six this season then the away record has to turn more defeats to draws and victories. That means scoring more and conceding less, obviously, but we haven't been very good at that.

Robinson will start in goal with either Salteri or Kelly at right back. King is injured so Dawson will partner Gardner in the centre with Edman on the left. I would prefer Kelly to start at right back as I know more about him. Whoever is there will have the pleasure of stopping Lauren Robert. Kelly will be keen to push forward which will hopefully stop Robert getting forward to attack us too much. Davids and Carrick will make up the centre pairing with Routledge on the right. Reid will probably go wide left but Jol has shown he really likes Tainio, who has played in virtually every pre-season game. The left wing spot is somewhere we can accommodate him so I wouldn't be surprised if he got the nod over Reid. Up front will be Defoe and another. Mido has had a good pre-season but he didn't look quite right against Porto. I can't put my finger on exactly what is was but I would pick Kanoute ahead of him. He gave the impression of being more involved than Mido did when he came onto the pitch late on.

If Spurs are to make the necessary progress this season then we must take at least something from Portsmouth. If this was three months down the line I think we would be disappointed without a win but this is the first game of the season. Portsmouth won't want to lose he first game and the fans will be "up for it". That will make it more difficult than it would normally. Obviously a win would be best but if we take a point so be it.

COYS!

13 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Where do you see Davids playing if at all?

1:25 PM, August 12, 2005

I think Davids may no start, leaving Tainio to fill the midfield position with Carrick. Tianio has look great in pre-season. I think Stalteri looks a really solid prospect & so would have him in at right back.

1:33 PM, August 12, 2005

Davids will play with carrick

1:39 PM, August 12, 2005

I agree that I think Davids will be on the bench v pompy and the midfield will be routledge, tainio, Carrick and Reid.

I'vegot a good feeling about Reid this year, I think he will score 10+ goals. But the guy we should really watch this year................Defoe. This guy will start at the world cup mark my words!!!!

1:42 PM, August 12, 2005

Although I really like Kelly and don't want him marginalised this season, I'd start with Stalteri. On limited evidence, he looks solid. Kelly seems to need 20 minutes to get into it - and remember the roasting Pires gave him. You need to demoralise Robert early on - and I think Stalteri could do this.
I've been a Spurs fan since 1963 and spent much of my early life around Stoke Newington and Tottenham Hale, but I've been living and working in Portsmouth for the last 8 years - so a few comments on Pompey. Yes Fratton Park is a shithole - probably now the worst ground in the league (and don't touch the food or drink), but it is one of the best for atmosphere. The support is usually exemplary (something we can't always claim - though we were much better last year). I remember going along to the pre-season game 5 years ago (we tonked them 5-2, 'Rodney' Crouch got their goals), but the outstanding memory was not the return of Sheringham and the promising passing game on view, but the large number of 'real' Spurs fans who spent most of the match with their backs to the action chanting 'Stand Up if you hate Campbell'. When I was prodded by some goon to join in, I told him couldn't see the point of wasting energy on a judas - and would rather offer positive support to his replacement (Ledley King)- but he looked at me like I was mad/disloyal.
Anyway, fellas admire those pompey lads as they keep singing even when we stick it to them (I hope) - oh and take a waterproof, it's gonna rain and we're gonna get wet in the Milton End.
STOKENEWYSPUR

2:13 PM, August 12, 2005

so you wouldn't have the vastly underated and ever improving Stephen Kelly at right back, which would give us a very fast and attack minded right side with Routledge. Davids will probably start next to Carrick if reports from Jol saying Carrick is going turn into a creative midfielder he will need the licence that Davids gives.

2:22 PM, August 12, 2005

you seem to forget the roastings that kelly dished out last season his attacking play was better than Davies last season he also scored 2 cracking goals and put in a huge amount of crosses for Kanoute (the lazy sod) to miss or just not bother trying for

2:24 PM, August 12, 2005

Davids wont play because he has a knee injury. Fell of balance during a training ground collision. Tainio will play instead.

3:18 PM, August 12, 2005

Stalteri will start at right back, he as experiece and looked solid again'st Porto. Gardener and Dawson will play in the centre and Edman left back. Routledge will show his skill on the right and Reid,who i personally thought wasn;t the best last season will start on the left, to be fair he does have a bit in his locked. Carrick and Tianio will be in the centre and will be solid. Defoe and Mido will start up front for sure they link up well. 3 points is what we should get at Fratton Park,anything less is a shambles.... with the squad we have we should be aiming for 5th an if not 6th.I can't see any team except liverpool arsenal man u and chelsea finishing above us!!

4:08 PM, August 12, 2005

this is edgar, yes davids, i er cant type 2 well but let me just say i am unfit for 2mors game but i will be in zee crowd urgin the lads forward and watchin them win 3-1 with jermaine scorin 2 an carrick 1. i may be dutch bt i av a ledgend and i dont like being called four eyes!!