Out With The Old (Year) In With The New

There's been a lot of two-ing and fro-ing in the build up to and indeed the period of Christmas thats meant with one thing and another I just haven't had the time to blog any Spurs updates for a while.

Since my last effort, just after the 4-3 home victory over Manchester United in the League Cup quarter final the games have been bizarre, wholly predictable and very frustrating. In that order.

First up was the home fixture with Liverpool. Now given how Liverpool have been performing under new boss Arne Slot this would have been a more than tricky game even with a full strength side available. Probably worth noting at this point that when Spurs were interested in employing Slot as manager they refused to pay the release clause included in his contract at Feyenood. The rest is of course history. This game would also be a dress rehersal for the first leg of the League Cup semi final where due to the draw we've avoided the humiliation of losing to Arsenal over two legs only to face the prospect of losing to Liverpool humiliatingly over two legs.

A minor piece of optimism to take from the game. Getting two goals back when 5-1 down to claw it back to 5-3 showed some fight. Of course Liverpool scored again to add the final result of 3-6 to the long and painful list of home humiliations. Some of them even preceed the ENIC ownership.

Deki. Could well be playing his football elsewhere next season.

Boxing Day took us to the City Ground to face this years surprise team Nottingham Forest being guided towards the top end of the table by one Nuno Espirito Santo. Forest are at the time of writing the only team to beat Liverpool in the league so far this season and it was at Anfield. They haven't lost when they've opened the scoring so far so when they scored from the perfect counter attack after Spurs lost the ball on the edge of their area the dye was cast. Although it was nowhere near the worst we've played this season (how could it be?) and despite not exactly making a hatful of chances I think we were a little unlucky to lose the game. I take full responsibility for this defeat because I watched this match at the house of a relative. Everytime I've watched a game since 2019 at someone else's house Spurs have lost. Not even a draw. 

Because we labour in this country under the misapprehension that footballers are robots, there was another game just three days later a home tie  against Wolves. Everywhere else in Europe the players get a winter break but over here the broadcasters would never stand for that so we play on. Wolves pitched up having ditched Gary O'Neil for a new model who'd seen an immediate upturn in results with a 3-0 win at Leicester followed by the now standard win over Man Utd. Naturally Wolves scored first. A new record for Spurs here, becoming the first side in history to concede the opening goal in 15 home games in a calendar year. I expect the clubs social media dept to mark this with a commemorative YouTube video shortly. However, Bentancur quickly equalised with a well placed header from a corner. Son was then so shocked by Spurs finally being awarded a penalty this season he passed it to Jose Sa in the Wolves goal. But fortunately in first half stoppage time Johnson put us ahead after more good work from Kulusevski. 

Normal service was resumed after half-time when Odogie went down with a long term hamstring injury in the 50th minute and was replaced by Reguilon a player the club have been actively trying to unload for two years. A wraft of substitutions in the second half made for a bitty game but we couldn't quite see it out as Wolves equalised in the 87th minute. Fraser Forster should probably have saved it but as the owners aren't that fussed about that kind of thing then I guess its ok for us fans to think the same. Just to rub a tiny little bit more salt into the wound, Berntancur got himself booked in the 97th minute meaning he'll now miss the next match at home to Newcastle on Saturday. At least he'll be fresh for next weeks home defeat to Liverpool.

Although you'd never guess it, the transfer window is now open. We already have our first arrival, although he was obviously signed in the previous window.


I guess we'll know in 3 or 4 years time whether Yang is a good signing or not. I hate to be cynical but with Son heading towards the twilight of his career as far as cutting it in the Premier League is concerned anyway I wonder if the club feel they need something to keep the constant stream of interest and visitors up from that part of the world? 

The window itself usually means the following for Spurs:-

  • The current manager, having been left short by previous windows publically states what he needs to help the team progress.
  • In addition to being left short by previous windows, injuries have meant the current manager is even more desperate for new arrivals.
  • The other clubs are always asking far too much money for their players though. Especially the good ones.
  • Nobody wants to pay the prices Spurs are asking for the players they don't want anymore.
  • Its bargain basement time, Ryan Nelson, Luis Saha, Arnaut Danjuma, Timo Werner etc etc etc
Even by our usual standards this January we're in need of quality signings, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm guessing that come the end of the window the excuse that will be leaked to the clubs client journalists is that the board were split on Ange and didn't want to back him too much incase they have to sack him before the end of the season. And we wouldn't want to be stuck with more players that David Moyes won't want next season would we?



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