Spurs cruise through.

Spurs dared their way past Milton Keynes 5 0. Keane finished the scoring after Mido and Defoe had both scored twice. Defoe should have had a hat trick and had 3 occasions to do so. Nevertheless he had a good game and I hope he starts against Watford on Saturday. And we did not get wet! COYS!

Live from Milton Keynes

I think we will get wet. COYS!

Spurs Vs. West Ham

There was a time when teams on a bad run, like West Ham, used to be delighted to see Spurs appear in the fixture list. We seemed to have the knack of allowing the new signing to score, ending an opposition goal drought, ending a win less streak and so on. This has not been Spurs of the last year or so but since our European adevnture began our league form has not be fantastic. Good performances, lousy results - Liverpool, Manchester United etc.

So, I don't really care too much about the performance today as long as we stuff the Bingo club! If we play like we did on Thursday we should turn them over but we can never be complaicent.

Zokora does not sound like he will return today as he has maleria! I hope Huddlestone keeps his place as he had another good game. The one change I would make is to include Defoe for Keane. Defoe looked like he was getting back to his old ways against Villa and I think Jol was resting him on Thursday for today.

COYS!

Great Result

Spurs brushed aside Besiktas with a 2-0 victory. The fact that it could easily have been 4-0 shows how well we played.

Going to Turkey was never going to be an easy game. Besiktas are in good form in the league sitting third and were on a bit of a run. For us to go there and take all three points is an excellent start to the group stage and remember the higher we finish in the group the easier the oppoistion in the next round. A draw in Germany will put us in a great position to win the group.

Overall everyone played well. Jenas did very well in the middle. He looks so much better than when he is put out wide on the right and teamed up well with Huddlestone. Zokora was knocked down with a virus and I hope he recovers for the visit of the Bingo Boys on Sunday. Murphy had a good game and Keane linked the midfield well with Berbatov but needs to improve his finishing. It was also good to see Lennon get another ten minutes and I hope he starts against the Spammers on Sunday, a game we must win not only to shut them up but to give us a welcome push up the league.

A special mention must go to Berbatov and it just goes to show what a good player he is. Although he lacks a little pace he is strong, can head the ball well, can pick a pass and score goals. Comparisions on some message boards to Raziack last week are well wide of the mark and his contributions will only get better. Now expect Jol to rotate him and bring back Mido for Sunday! I hope not.

COYS!

UEFA CUP - Besiktas away

Although out of our four games in the group stage of the UEFA cup we find the two hardest games away from home I still see us going through. The higher the better of course but the top three places are the ones that count out of the five available. Two wins should see us through but to be on the safe side 7 points would be better.

Besiktas is a difficult trip away as the atmosphere will be intimidating and their home record is good. I think we should go with a solid midfiled base and look to take at least a point. To do this we should consider a role for Davids or Huddlestone alongside Zokora, who is now vital for the side. This will allow Jenas to go right. If Huddlestone goes central Davids can go on the left. This allows strong protection for the back four, who may be depleted as we still do not know if King is fit. Berbatov should continue with Defoe. I would leave Lennon on the bench to continue his rehabilitation and he can be there if we need pace and a goal late on.

COYS!

Point taken

Spurs took a point yesterday but one feels it should have been all three as once again we failed to take our first half domination and turn it into goals. Villa fans will look towards a strong end but by then not only should the game have been over and done with we still should have had 11 men as the ref made another blunder giving a penalty and sending off Davenport when the Villa player had fallen over. The ref was generally shocking missing poor challenges from both sides and his linesman needs an offside lesson as Defoe was clearly no where near offside when put through one on one with 5 minutes to go.

Defoe looked very sharp today and I hope it continues in Europe on Thursday and then The Bingo club comes along on the Sunday. We owe the Canning Town Sports and Social club one and I hope we make in seven straight defeats for the cockneys come 5pm on Sunday. In fact a win is a must as we are now 6 points behind the european places and we have to start making ground now if we are to catch them.

Comparing the same fixtures with last season we can see that we are already 6 points worse off so we have to make these up somewhere else. Wins at the scum and against the Russian Mafia will do or anywhere else where we did not pick up points last season but it has to start happening now. However I saw enough today to say that our season is only going to get better. Lennon has returned and Zokora looks better and better. Chimbonda is our best right back since Carr and Benny Boy is doing very well over on the left. Defoe looked fit and keen. Berbatov needs more time and we need to pass the ball to his feet but you can see he is a quality player.

COYS!

Lennon back in squad.

Hooray! Width returns to the Tottenham Hotspur midfield although I would be suprised if Lennon starts tomorrow. But having him able to come on and attack a tired full back will definetly get O'Neill thinking hard and will give us more options as we take on unbeaten Villa tomorrow. It really goes to show what a dreary fool O'Leary was at Villa with the turn around Villa have seen this season. However, all bubbles burst (ask Portsmouth) and Villa's will soon enough. Their squad is too small for them to mount a realistic European challenge and will probably finish mid table. However, this will be a great improvement on a fight with relegation they would have faced if O'Dreary had stayed.

It is also about time our away record began to improve. Having such an appalling away record for years it was refreshing to see us starting to pick up more points and was one of the main reasons we finished fifth last year. If we want to taste European football again via the league then we have to start picking up away points and I can see us taking at least a point tomorrow.

Further good news has come out of Spurs with the news that Chimbonda should be fit along with King. Gardner is back in the squad as well providing further back up to Dawson and Davenport. Lee is injured so Benny Boy will play left back. Mido is a doubt so expect Berbatov to start alongside Defoe who has recovered from a knock picked up while on interational duty.

COYS!

Euro rip off

The club have announced pricing details for the two home games for the UEFA cup. Both games have been classified as Category A games - the same as Man U, The Spammers, Scum etc making the cheapest ticket £39 for the Park Lane or Paxton Lower up to £71 if you sit in the West Upper.

People are in uproar about it but I am not surprised at all. So, the question is now this - Will these two games sell out or will we too get stick for not turning up for UEFA games like Bolton and 'Boro fans got last year?

COYS!

UEFA cup draw

1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER)
2 Club Brugge KV (BEL)
3 Beşiktaş JK (TUR)
4 FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti (ROU)
5 Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)

Dates of games:

Thursday 19 October - Besiktas (Turkey) (A)
Thursday 2 November - Club Brugge (Belgium) (H)
Thursday 23 November - Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Germany) (A)
Thursday 14 December - Dinamo Bucuresti (Romania) (H)

We are in a tough group due to our low seeding and also have to play the two toughest games away from home. However the top three from each group progresses through to the knock out stages. To progress we have to win both our home games and probably take a point from one of the two away games. I feel that should be enough to take third spot. A away win would probably see us take second. I predict Leverkusen will win the group. Lets hope its fun.

COYS!

Team news

Berbatov, King, and Defoe all return with Benoit at left back and Ghaly in the middle. Judas starts for Portsmouth. Mido and Keane both on bench. COYS!