Tottenham belatedly kick off their Premier League campaign tonight with a visit to champions Man United. The record books imply that this will be three points in the bag for United, and Spurs have been on the receiving end of some shocking decisions at Old Trafford in recent times.
Roy Carroll must still be wondering how that linesman didn’t allow the Pedro Mendes goal to stand, and the farcical goal Nani scored last season did appear a little harsh on Gomes, even though the unpredictable Brazilian did play his part.
Although I’ve been frustrated at times with tactical naivety and last minute deals in the transfer market, Harry and the board deserve enormous credit for is closing the gap on the teams above us and we now have a talented squad that can compete at the highest level domestically.
With United’s injuries to key defensive duo Ferdinand and Vidic, the lads have a great chance tonight and I hope we don’t suffer from the insecurity complex of seasons gone by. We’ve put an end to long-lasting records of defeat against Chelsea and Arsenal, so there’s no reason why United can’t be next.
With strong organisation and experienced required tonight, maybe Harry should consider giving Brad Friedel a Premiership debut. Last Wednesday we again saw glimpses of Gomes flapping at crosses and making the wrong decisions, and I seriously have my doubts about the goalkeeper’s state of mind in important matches. High profile errors against Real Madrid, Chelsea and United last season support this theory and surely Friedel wasn’t signed for back-up, as we already have Cudicini.
United are masters of the counter attack, wing play and fighting until the final whistle, so Spurs will need their full-backs Walker and Ekotto to concentrate at all times and not stray from their positions.
If Spurs are to win tonight all the lads must perform at 100% which is why Harry has suggested Luka Modric won’t play. Unless Harry is playing mind games, this represents a massive opportunity for either Jake Livermore, or Niko Kranjcar to partner Tom Huddlestone in central midfield.
Personally I’d love to see Niko given the chance as he was outstanding against Hearts and his loyalty deserves rewarding.
I think the end result will depend on how well United’s young defenders cope with Spurs attacks. If Bale, Lennon and Van der Vart can stretch the full backs and find gaps then who knows what will happen. The rejuvenated Jermain Defoe looked hungry against Hearts and he’ll be desperate to retain his place ahead of the possible arrival of Emanuel Adebayor.
Obviously United will have chances and Harry will hope that captain Dawson can keep order at the back and try to contain Rooney and co.
As with any visit to United we’ll need a top performance, a strong referee, and maybe a slice of luck, but we’ve never had a better chance of three points at Old Trafford so let’s hope Harry and the boys give it their all.
COYS
Can’t see us getting a draw yet alone a win. We always flater to deceive at OT and tonight will be no different. We won’t be able to handle Nani and Rooney and probably won’t score. Hopefully I’m wrong! COYS
You forget the Howard Webb Micheal Carrick penalty, didnt even touch him yet he got a penalty and we lost 5-2 when we were cruising.
Without Vidic this Man Utd team aint nothing special, I think we dominated them twice last year in both games, we just need a bit of good fortune which we are due.
I believe in Karma and Spurs at Old Trafford need karma to be repaid….coz I guarantee we will dominate them either way tonight
United fan here in peace. Here’s hoping for a game without the usual controversies and hopefully a cracker as you always give us a game. As for “Without Vidic this Man Utd team aint nothing special” I hope Harry and your boys are under the same misguided impression mate i really do. Anyway if i could wish you all the best for tonight i would but for obvious reasons i can’t 🙂
Oh dear Jayme. Are we really nothing special without Vidic? Also how did that guarantee to dominate us work out for you? Ha ha ha ha ha ha
We dealt with Utd’s threat at Old Trafford last season, without having a cutting edge. Beaten by an out of the blue Vidic header. We need a repeat performance, but with the cutting edge this time! But our own injury crisis limits our options in midfield, defence AND up front.
My thoughts exactly.. Best chance we’ve had in years.
There is very little between our teams when both our full squads are fit (yes, ok Utd’s are slightly better overall, but closer than it has been in years), but even when we play well, we struggle to break them down at OT.
Tonight, 4 of their back 5 (inc. GK) will be 21 or under and have little experience playing as a unit. So we stand every chance of scoring a few goals. Evra is fit, but only just returning from injury, so we can hope he’s not 100% match fit and maybe Lennon can do to him what he has on numerous occasions before and run him ragged.
COYS.. It should be a great game, let’s exploit their inexperience and set our season off with a bang. x
I will cum if we do
Don’t forget Howard “Manchester United” Webb’s penalty, awarded when Carrick fell over thin air when we were 2-0 up and coasting….i’d take a draw tonight to be honest, although i quietly fancy us to nick a 2-1 win…re:moddle?? Let him rot in the background for the remaining 4/5 yrs of his contract..if he goes on strike, surely this would be kind of a breach of contract?? oh, and 1st 🙂
haha ok then 4th 🙁
Can’t see us winning the match, but I have a feeling we’ll put in a strong performance.
“even though the unpredictable Brazilian did play his part. ”
What, you mean foolishly assuming that handball = free kick?
Can’t see us winning, I have no confidence in the strikers and the midfield looks really week.
Utd will beat us hands down….. their strike force and midfield will protect the back line.
Now if we had Diarra and Ade , now that wuld have been a different story, we would have givem them an almighty walloping….. Arry & Levy (Laurel & Hardy) has failed to strengthen the team…. so therfore us spurs fans have to suffer. I have no confidence in Kranjar in center mid I would rather have Hudd and livermore…….
Gomes plays his part in every mistake we make at the back cos he fails to organise his defence and scares the hell out his own players, even he doesnt know what he is going to do. he rolled the ball out didnt he, Nani collected = goal?
as for united fan, without your 1st choice CB you have a weak backline, no disputing that, no knocking yr attack tho that can cause anyone problems
we can win tonight with right tactics and belief COYS
If we beat united at old trafford tonite,I will cum in my pants and start believing in god again
sick
but the cum parts okay!
Seriously
COYS
I think beleif is what we need to have tonight, as i think our team is as good as any in the prem at the moment. Even without Modders, we can attack and defend as well as our rivals. Tonight is the start of a new era at Spurs , so go there and play our own game. Utd are good and i respect them more than most, because they have a great man in charge. But we are the best team in London our history tells all. The Goons are second best again to us in London and only Chelski are better all round than us. But it’s time to stand up and be counted coys……….
Can we keep off Gomes back, surely he must read or hear what we say about him, lets get behind him and his confidence will return again.We have a short memory when it comes to him, as he was one of the main reasons we made it to the champions league, with the likes of Le Arse Anal, with 3 world class saves to keep us in the game.
I cannot believe it
My family and i have seen spurs from the 60’s so said that I would marry my French Girl Friend if Spurs beat ManU.
Fat chance, better chance winning the egg and spoon race and have doughs about that.
I am disgusted, embarrassed and humiliated
you guys really have a reliable and quality goalkeeper in friedel, trust me! thank god we have given now 😉
Incredibly depressing. Luka Modric should hang his head in shame.
How selfish can a player be? After all we have done for him? Had he played yesterday we might have had a chance but he decided he wasn’t in the “right frame of mind” I thought I’d seen it all with Berbatov, now 4th choice striker!! Perhaps the poxy little Tom Petty dwarf should think on that.