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Just When I Was Starting To Worry About Spurs ...

There's a standing joke amongst Arsenal fans, it's called Tottenham Hotspur.

Every year we're bombarded with very obscure jibes from Tottenham fans about how we're 'going to win fuck all' and how they're going to finish above us, and after throwing more money at their problems than any other club in Premiership history bar Chelsea and Liverpool (and probably soon to be Man City too) they fall to piece and we can all enjoy our pints over a good chuckle.

Spurs start to the 2009/10 campaign was delicious, some of the most comical football in living memory, it was a special time. And then came good old 'Arry Redknapp.

Redknapp was momentarily caught up in good old fashion Spurs tradition of talking big, spending bigger (seriously, how many former players are you going to sign?) and capitulating at a fantastic time, but for me, that's changed over recent times.

I'm not sure whether the current financial climate played it's part in the decrease in Spurs spending power or the realisation that stability is the key to successful football, but whatever has gone on seems to be working for Spurs.

Ok, so they have had a few dodgy 'spurs-like' results, but this season .... who hasn't? And in complete honesty, I was starting to worry that they might actually make the Champions League spot this season (not at our expense of course).

However just as it looked like things were coming together for Spurs, 'Arry did the inexplicable, and opened that hole on his scrotum-like, easing my fears that Spurs had actually changed. In keeping with the inferiority complex that goes hand in hand with trying to keep up with the Jones' Redknapp seeks to compare his team with the Gunners and says Spurs can finish 3rd this season.

'Of course Liverpool can finish third. But if they beat Arsenal and we beat Wolves then we can finish third. Arsenal are suddenly right back in the pack. And in all honesty we've thrown a lot of good leads away and we really should be above Arsenal now.'

'It would be a good achievement and we have a chance. At the start of the season we would have taken where we are now - still in the cup and pushing for a Champions League place. We couldn't have asked for more than that at the start of the year but we have thrown some points away.'

'Everyone can do it but we really have. Stoke in the last minute, Hull, Wolves at home, 2-0 up at Everton with 10 minutes to go, Birmingham away, a couple of points here and there. If Arsenal get beaten then it opens it up if we win or Manchester City win or Villa.'

'Then all of a sudden you look at it and the top two have gone and we're all fighting for two positions between five teams.'

As always with Spurs it's about 'what-if's', and until they learn to forget about Arsenal and concentrate on Spurs then they'll always play second fiddle to the Gunners. The irony is that if they didn't spend so much time trying to best us, that they would have a much better chance of doing so.

Thanks 'Arry, I can go back to laughing over a swift pint of Abbotts.

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Writer: Rocky7

Date:Wednesday February 10 2010

Time: 11:03AM

Your Comments

Alright, fair enough, what 'Arry said was optimistic, to say the least. Third place was never going to come easy for us, and probably won't for the next few years. However, what about you? If you win nothing this year, there's a chance that Fabregas will leave. And then what? Will Merida or Ramsey fill the gap? This isn't a slag, or anything of the sort. Just a little fillip to your thinking, is all. I'd say you have reason to be worried about your team as well, same as us.

DubaiSpur

I'm worried about us that's for sure, but then again very few Gooners go around making very bold predictions about where we're going to finish. I was mildly optomistic earlier in the season, but I know we have a reputation for choking, which seems to be transpiring again. We also don't feel the need to consistently compare outselves to our nearest rivals. Of course given the rest of the world's distain for our manager we still kop a lot of *****, but that goes hand in hand with being an Arsenal fan.

Rocky7

1st paragraph - what Spurs fans have ever said that? 2nd paragraph - 2009/2010 we started brilliantly (Harry arrived in 2008/2009 season). Didn't read any more as it was obviously complete tosh. Spurs may find it hard trying to climb up the table into the Sky4 CL positions but it won't be hard as Ar5ena1 fans seem to find climbing the evolutionary scale.

Darbinho

Redknapp is just giving his media soundbites designed to promote only himself. If you speak to the majority of Spurs fans (not the over excited knee jerkers!) they will say its nonsense. No club sets themselves up for a fall as much as we do!

Spud Gun

Darbinho - Coming into our forums and have a look around ;) Spud Gun, you're probably right, maybe the majority of the Spurs fans do have an objective view on the situation, but as they're not the ones to speak out then it's only natural that the gobby ones stand out from the crowd. That said it's just a bit of banter, nothing to get upset about :)

Rocky7

We always seem to shoot ourselves in the media foot. Still, its always good for a bit of banter. I seem to recall hearing Wenger saying that the title is still in arsenals grasp in the last day or so. Personally I think its at leaset as unlikely as us finishing 3rd to be honest.

Spurstrings

Arry may be a little optimistic, but not as much as Mr. Wenger, who keeps on insisting that 'Arsenal still have a realistic chance of winning the Premier League title.'. Yes, of course You have. Lol.

Iceyid

Totally agree with the fact that Harry should keep some of his thoughts to himself, but there is no denying Arsenal are either ONLY JUST ahead or right in the mix with Villa, Spurs, City and Liverpool as your last two results have proved that the top 2 are light-years ahead.. And I know we give it all the talk but that’s why you love us so much Rocky!! And it wouldn't be right if I didn’t offer you some ifs and buts so Stoke, Wolves and Hull at home must be seen as home bankers for Spurs? so add 8pts to our points total and see what could very easily have been our points total so far this season, Harry's comments aside I will begrudgingly hoping for an Le Arse win tonight..... God that hurts!

DazzaTHFC

That's quite true .... and we've been laughed at, so I wanted some payback. Lol

Rocky7

"Every year we're bombarded with very obscure jibes from Tottenham fans about how we're 'going to win ***** all' " This is the truth. 4 seasons and soon to be a 5th!

refereesfavourbig4

But in the same vein Dazza, we should have beaten Man United away, Sunderland, West Ham, Burnley and Everton ... but we didn't and it's why we're not top of the league. We're in the place we deserve to be, and so our Spurs. And it's not a bad place, so why Arry feels the need to try and talk his team further up the table is beyond me. You shouldnt be above us and we shouldnt be above Man United or Chelsea or below anyone else.

Rocky7

**So are Spurs

Rocky7

In a way I think it's all mind games and Harry is using Arsenal to put pressure on Liverpool and give his own players confidence at the same time, he's not as dumb as he looks you know, but hey it got your backs up so it was worth it

DazzaTHFC

Nobody could be as dumb as Arry looks! And he doesn't need to put pressure on Arsenal, Arsenal fans do a good enough job of that as it is. I must say the membership of Vital Spurs must have improved a lot over recent years, in the past this article would have been greated with some serious abuse, but it's been taken in the way it was intended, to bring a bit of banter to my day :)

Rocky7

I suspect that the "Big4" will be the Top4 this season. However, there are gaps appearing. While the Top2 are head and shoulders ahead and it remains to be seen whether we begin to think of a next 5 of Villa, L'pool, Arsenal, Spurs and Man City. It would be much more exciting for the Premier league if the Big4 monopoly was broken but it might mean that the gap to the Top2 opens even more.

Shelfinduced

I don't think the gap between the top two is that wide. Man United look a shadow of their former selves, Chelsea haven't been that great, infact they were outplayed by us, just theur very stern defence (and our allergy to marking Drogba) made sure they won. I'm not sure whether the standard of the top four is slipping, or the rest are catching up, but it's making for one of the most entertaining season I cant remember in a long time.

Rocky7

It's a well timed article Rocky. Just as Arsenals title bid is derailing and rumours of Fabregas jumping ship are gathering momentum in Loony toons like fashion you point to spurs and leg it. It's not big and it's not clever but it is effective, although from what I've seen in the past I did think you personally were above it...

Phartman87

Shelfinduced - I think City have a squad on par with the top 2 talent wise and are just not playing as a team yet, next season it will be allot harder to get into the top 4 as finishing above Arsenal will be the only achievable target for Liverpool, Spurs and Villa

DazzaTHFC

I'm not worried about Spurs... in fact I'll write 11 or so paragraphs to prove just how un-worried I am! ;)

MsB

MsB - Yes you are!

DazzaTHFC

I'd reckon that MsB is a Spurs fan Dazza, and that he's pointing a finger (probably two ... lol) at me.

Rocky7

You shouldn't be too worried about spurs but more about your boss secret plan to win nothing ...

RamsesV

Rocky - on the Top2, they are really well ahead. I don't care how much Chelsea rely on Drogba or Man U on Rooney or how much Arsenal outplayed them. Fact is they win games and it may be that they win games because of Rooney or Drogba but win they do. That's what makes them so far ahead of the next 5. Of course it can all change (just ask Liverpool) next season with some injuries or sales to Real Madrid but for now they are far ahead.

Shelfinduced

if you were safe from the pression from the teams above you ... you wouldn't be worried, like Manu and cheslea :)

RamsesV

Yeah, the Man City issue is interesting. Maybe with all the money they become as good as the Top2 but for now they are miles away and until they start to buy to improve the team (rather than marquee signings) or play as a team they will continue to be. I think that the best thing for the rest of the chasing pack is that they take a short term view on the manager.

Shelfinduced

As Spuds are officially the PL's foremost hoofball side playing more longball than even Bolton, Blackburn et al this season you have to give 'arry full credit for the way he has transformed the club.

Amos.

I didn't say they weren't ahead, but they're not that far ahead realistically, just as we're probably not as far ahead of you lot as we'd make out. And it all can change very quickly. Which is why as football fans we should get our digs in while we can ;)

Rocky7

You just know Arsenal fans are worried when you see articles like this. Good to see.

hodfoundgodwithapass

Rocky7 - Until you learn to forget about Spurs and concentrate on writing articles about A***nal, you'll always play second fiddle to Vital Spurs!

ParkLane67

Rocky - it's the first time since the premier league started that Arsenal have lot all of their four matches against Man U and Chelsea. When you talk about teams in relegation trouble you tend to say that they will stay up by taking points from those around them. The same is true up the other end of the table. Those two are streets ahead, don't kid yourself. It may be that having a Drogba/Rooney would solve all Arsenal's problems (or perhaps it's actually a Centre back or defensive midfielder - whatever your view) but you have to find a Drogba/Rooney for that to be the case! I'm also not so keen to declare that the gap between Spurs and Arsenal is small yet. It may be smaller than it has been at any time since lasagne-gate but it's still not tiny.

Shelfinduced

haha! gotta love ol scrote face. Nice one Rocky, let's put a nail through those dreams by beating down the scouse ;-)

Gunnerman

Lol - not quite PL. You won't find me saying "If it weren't for one or two dodgy articles we'd have more hits than Vital Spurs right now" It's a proven fact that the worse a team does the more hits it gets through sheer volume of complaints. Look at Vital Man Utd, they won three titles on the bounce and nobody ever goes there, we havent won anything in 5 years and we're pretty busy .... and you guys, well, you've got more members than anyone ;)

Rocky7

Not true shelf. Last season Arsenal got more points from the big four than anyone else, Man United got the least. It's about winning mentality and consistency, Man Utd have it in abundance, we're as we're technically better than most teams, we' mentally weak, I feel.

Rocky7

Rocky - Too true, it's no good beating Man U if you lose to Sunderland but then if you lose them both, you'll find yourself adrift...

Shelfinduced

Actually last season Liverpool got most points Rocky. We beat Utd and Chelsea home and away and drew both games with you. Utd won the league last season by smashing the lesser lights and i agree it isn't all about the results against fellow top 4 members.

KB1

Rocky - interesting argument, but if it were correct, Vital Portsmouth would be huge and Shoe Hammer might have some friends;)

ParkLane67

Ahh poor lonely Shoehammer bless him lol

DazzaTHFC

To expand on Rocky's point, match report for when we beat Bolton 2-0 away got 29 cooments. Match report for the loss to Chelsea currently 121 and still going strong.

Little Dutch

Redknapps just a cheque book manager with 1 trophy under his belt (which was earnt at the cost portsmouth facing extinction) who has never finished above 5th place. In his world of delusion he's a great coach who has a chance of being England manager. Spuds have improved but in truth they couldnt have failed to after last season, my guess is they will finish 5th and Liverpool will pip them due to the experience of the run in.

iceman10

I believe n gog

Phil babb

ParkLane67, i think you will find that vital pompey is pretty 'huge' thanks very much!

pompeyrug

Ok, my fellow gooners here will be annoyed with me for sounding so reasonable, but... I think Redknapp's just doing the sort of thing AW does: trying to build confidence in his team, giving them an ojective to aim for and telling them they can do it. He sounds just as silly as AW does saying we have a realistic chance of winning the league. The difference is that I think AW knows he sounds farfetched and a little crazy but doesn't really care, all he cares about his building his team's confidence. Whereas Redknapp really believes what he's saying. LOL! Anyway, Spurs have actually done pretty well this season, vastly improved from last season. They were by far the better team against Villa on Sunday and deserved to win--we certainly know that feeling! All that said...um...no I'M NOT AT ALL WORRIED by Spurs, never have been! :-D I'm worried by a resurgent Lpool overtaking us for 3rd spot, I'm only slightly worried by Mancini's City (was never worried by Hughes' City). I don't want to go thru a CL qualifying round next summer right after a world cup. We never do well after major summer tournaments.

jaelle

Wenger reminds of a brilliant mad scientist slowly losing the plot.

hodfoundgodwithapass

hod you remind me of someone who never had the plot in the first place.

Deltaforce

Hod reminds me of a fly buzzing around ****.

Little Dutch

a question for fans of either team, what would you rather? a manager that comes out and says 'we're going to aim for as high as we possibly can' or 'we're an average team with no ambition and we might as well not bother trying.'

mikethfc

I wouldn't call you **** Little Dutch.

hodfoundgodwithapass

I have to say 'arry does seem very confident in the hoofball style he has developed as the PL's leading exponents of long ball football. Allardyce speaks highly of it too.

Amos.

Two swallows don't make a summer. Some of us remember the Graham era all too well.

hodfoundgodwithapass

You should remember the Graham era well. He has been one of the Spuds longest serving managers in the last 15 years or so and he won you a trophy. Like the other manager who won you the CC he got sacked for winning it.

Amos.

I remember him more for the "Boring boring Arsenal" chants.

hodfoundgodwithapass

Yes - I guess that's why the Spud directors hired him. They got bored with seeing GG win titles for us and thought he could do it for you. Presumably with 'arrys long ball game now they are trying to replicate that success?

Amos.

The Spurs directors got it wrong as usual. We made it clear we're not Arsenal, so they got rid.

hodfoundgodwithapass

I can't say I watch the Arsenal that much but against Utd and Chesea I did watch the entire game/s. And I can say for the first time in years I don't see much that I worry about! It's pretty and against Bolton or Burnley I'm sure it will do but a 5'4" Russian dwarf playing up front on his own anint gonna do it for you against better quality sides

michael.thfc

Yeah - the Spud directors got rid off GG, one of your longest serving managers, and now have longball, hoof it up to Crouchie, 'arry in place.

Amos.

Don't swallow the hype, statistics are misleading, which is why politicians use them. There's been some cracking football played.

hodfoundgodwithapass

Yep, I saw it in October hod. The few times Spurs had the ball that day, I was grateful to be in the upper tier as the Spurs attack was always played at my eyeline.

Little Dutch

That's true LD. Most of the spuds had left the ground by half time and could still see the 2nd half Spud passes while standing outside the ground!

Amos.

Stop looking at your flies Little Dutch.

hodfoundgodwithapass

Spurs are a long ball team, what rubbish - and you know it Amos! Wenger was wrong on Villa, they're not a long ball team but they are solely a defensive/counter team so when all else failed we tried the hoof to Crouch (what else is he good for?!). Be honest though, your dazzling passing football produced the same result against a 10-man-in-box rugby team, 0-0... I don't think we'll ever return to the days when we shared a 10-15 thousand floating crowd, but I must say the banter between our fans on this site is a lot more civilised than most of the crap Villa's fans have been posting on our blogs! They must have some of the chippiest f****rs in the league... COYS!

TommoSpur

Not quite true Tommo. We beat them 3-0 at our place with some dazzling football. The 0-0 was away from home when they were forced to play 10 in the box even at their place. You drew in both games. Two long ball sides cancelling each other out you see.

Amos.

So this is Harry Redknapp's way of putting pressure on us - scary stuff! His claim that they should be third is straight out of the Griddo hand book of wise sayings. FOYS.

Andy-bayor

Michael.thfc.......not much to worry about except our captain skating through your midfield as if he was auditioning for dancing on ice and steering one past the giant morph in your goal :)

iceman10

Weve no chance of 4th let alone 3rd. But Harry is right - weve thrown absolutley spanked 10 points away in the last 2 months despite dominating, weve had average goalkeepers performing miracles against us and missed countless sitters - in all honesty im devastated by our current 6th position and with more conviction, bottle and finsihing we should be at least 4th. But anyone can see that were still miles away from yourselves and especially Man Utd and Chelsea.

HuddersfieldYiddo

Oh dear, hows that 3rd place looking now, 'Arry? If there is one other team that cracks under the slightest pressure, its the Spuds.

prits

The race for 4th. Liverpool lining up 1st on the grid with the Ferrari, Mancini in the Mclaren Mercedes, O'neill with team Brawn and Redknapp with a pair of roller blades and a sail.

iceman10

It's like a magic trick .... someone from Spurs opens their mouth about how they're going to do this and that and they instantly embarass themselves. It's excellent.

Rocky7

Rocky - you're being harsh. I think most Spurs on here were very realistic even if they harboured dreams that extended beyond beating Wolves! Still, Spurs are throwing it away.

Shelfinduced

Yes I am being harsh Shelf, but it's all in good fun .... tell me you wouldn't have been back here today laughing had Spurs beaten Wolves and Arsenal lost to the Scousers?

Rocky7

That's quality iceman10! LOL

LondonGooner

They call him Iceman cos his bird's frigid, his cock's got an icicle hanging off it... Seriously though, that's not true by the way Rocky - totally ballsed it up again last night at Wolves of course (don't know what Redknapp was doing playing Jenas, he only shows up against you guys, occasionally - sell!), but I for one wanted you Gooners to do a job on the Scousers - why would we want them pulling away while we're admittedly floundering. Bet most Spurs fans wanted the same. Another boring team those Liverpool bin-dippers... Rafa's penalty claim was a joke too, not even in the box. P.S. ***** off Amos, we're no more long-ball than you're tough-tackling! ;-)

TommoSpur

Don't take Amos too seriously Tommo, diehard gooner.

hodfoundgodwithapass

They call me iceman because I painted my todger in the colours of a fab stuck a few sprinkles on the end and tricked ur Mrs into licking it.

iceman10

And that you failed to light her fire snowman.

hodfoundgodwithapass

il leave the fire to you Hod, Burning all those evil disabled people in hell.

iceman10

I'll leave the bible bashing to you.

hodfoundgodwithapass

il leave the bishop bashing to you.

iceman10

It's clear what's on your mind tonight.

hodfoundgodwithapass

Yep me, mrs tommospur a loaded fab and a copy of diamond lights.

iceman10

A copy of reader's wives and a lot of tears more likely...

TommoSpur

I kid, right I'm outta here. See you Gooners later.

TommoSpur

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