What a great win! Some fantastic goals too! The way Defoe spun to score was just amazing. Great to see Berbatov finally show some of his goalscoring class in the Premiership too!
Wigan Athletic come to White Hart Lane on Sunday. Currently they’re only two points above us in the Premiership.
They have some good players like Henri Camara and Emile Heskey but individually the quality isn’t particularly high. That said, as a team they’re very strong and competitive, so won’t roll over easily on Sunday.
Someone to watch out for is Lee McCulloch, he’s a striker who plays in a midfield role. He’s been in good goalscoring form since returning from injury. So our defenders must stay alert!
Great news is there’s no new injury worries and that Jermaine Jenas is only ‘a doubt’. So provided we aren’t tired, I fancy us for a win.
Here’s the goal from yesterday’s game. As you can see, Robbie’s brilliant pass and Aaron’s pace just show how dangerous we can be!
For some reason Mido’s shot in the final moments is also on the video. He should have passed to Robbie really!
I was quite surprised to see how far Bayer Leverkusen had deteriorated. They used to be a great team with great players, playing great football, now though, a few of their star players are now on the wrong side if 30 and didn’t impress much.
Our goal was scored in the 36th minute after a fantastic pass by Robbie Keane putting Aaron Lennon in on goal. His shot was saved but Dimitar Berbatov tapped home.
We played well, creating so many chances. Unfortunately, Berbatov and Keane just don’t seem to be clinical in their finishing. The German club’s ‘keeper Jorg Butt made some great saves, but I still feel that we should have had more goals to clinch the win more comfortably. Instead, they brought on flying winger Paul Freier who always looked a threat against left-back Benoit Assou-Ekoto.
They had their chances too, like the header from a corner after 53 minutes (where was the marking!?). Also Robbo had to make a great save from Andriy Voronin too. They could have snatched an undeserved draw too if Bernd Schneider’s shot had gone in, luckily it hit the post instead.
Thankfully we got the 1-0 win and now qualify for the knockout stages. I can’t wait to find out who we get!
Just checked German television listings via their teletext service and thankfully ZDF are showing the Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Spurs game from 20:15 GMT tomorrow.
Channel 5 have announced that they’ll be showing the match against Bayer Leverkusen live… via a pay-per-view service on their website. They know where they have shove that! I’m hoping it’ll be on a German satellite channel, as they usually show a lot of UEFA Cup games involving their clubs.
The FA says that the red cards given to both Hossam Ghaly and Tugay at the weekend will stand. Ghaly will be out for three matches, while Blackburn’s Tugay will serve a one-game ban. Both decisions were harsh at the time and both should have at least been reduced to yellow cards!
Great news is that Teemu Tainio is not only back but he’s scoring goals! Okay, perhaps it’s only for the reserves – who beat Aston Villa 3-2 – but I’m a big fan of the ‘Finnish’ international, and his return is at a good time with Jenas and Lennon out.
More good news is that Calum Davenport played too, which is again positive news considering our defensive woes recently.
It’s interesting to note Milan Baros playing for Villa’s reserves. Used to be a very very good player, pity how things have turned out for him really.
In other news, looks like we’re going to appeal against Hossam Ghaly’s sending off, rightly too. I’ve since the incident since and I don’t think there was any intent. Blackburn are to appeal Tugay’s sending off too.
Our next match is at Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday in the UEFA Cup. Can’t wait!
At Blackburn Rovers today it was another display that didn’t impress by Spurs. We showed signs of playing good football but it seems to happen in fits and starts. Then because we don’t score we seem to panic in defence and concede.
Today’s conceded goal was once again down to the fact we don’t close down quick enough. Surely someone on the coaching staff sees this!? It was a stunning strike by Tugay, Robbo was so close to saving it!
I must say I was surprised to see Defoe and Mido up front, but the latter didn’t look particularly fit after his spell out injured. Jermain did have some good chances though, pity he didn’t get his shots on target. Least he did manage to score the penalty to equalise, although even though it was a penalty, I think it was harsh that Tugay was sent off.
There were claims that Mido handballed in the penalty area. It didn’t look like it from most of the angles I saw it at, but later one angle made it look like a stonewall penalty.
Ghaly’s red card looked harsh, sure he caught whoever it was, but it didn’t look like he did anything on purpose. The aftermath was a farce with Martin Jol looking like he got his marching orders too, but turns out he didn’t. Bizarre end to a game. Least we got a point.
Not much speculation involving us. But the ones that we were linked with are interesting.
First up, the News of the World are linking us with Lens winger Olivier Thomert. We’ve been linked with the Frenchman for quite a few times in the past, whether we’re really interested is to be seen.
The other link is nothing new, this time in the Sunday People we’re supposedly interested in Fulham’s Luis Boa Morte. He was linked in the summer but rumour has it that at the time Fulham wanted silly money. He’s certainly a talented player, and we certainly could do with someone down the left, especially if Edgar Davids was to return to Ajax.
I’m really not sure what to expect on Sunday at Blackburn Rovers. With Pascal Chimbonda and Jermaine Jenas out and Aaron Lennon looking out too, it’ll be interesting to see who manager Martin Jol selects.
I’d go with the following team: GK. Robinson, DF. Young-Pyo, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, MF. Ghaly, Huddlestone, Zokora, Davids, ST. Keane, Berbatov. That should be a well balanced team which should have enough to at least get a draw at Ewood Park.
They’re without key defender Lucas Neill and Zurab Khizanishvili. Morten Gamst Pedersen is doubtful for them too, so perhaps things will even out in terms of injuries.
Two players to watch are David Bentley and Benni McCarthy – both coincidentally in my fantasy team. The latter has been in hot form and is a very good striker, so Dawson and King will have to keep their eye on him all afternoon.
They’ve also got Shabani Nonda, who was a fine player a couple of years ago. I’ve not seen him play for ages, so will be interesting to see what he can do against our defence.
After the deadful result last week we really need to get something out of this game. I really hope we can bounce back, Robbie Keane is in form after his mid-week hat-trick, so I’m really hoping he can put on a show and get us a vital win!
