NORMAN GILLER’S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 89
Submitted by Norman Giller
Feeling older than Corbyn
I don’t know if I look it, but I feel ten years older after fretting and frothing through yesterday’s first victory of the season at Sunderland. Just had a glance in the mirror and, blimey, I look older than Jeremy Corbyn.* And it’s all Tottenham’s fault.
The stats tell us that Spurs enjoyed more of the possession, but those of us with open eyes will know that old Spurs gunslinger Jermain Defoe might easily have had two first-half goals, and the Wearsiders twice hit the Tottenham woodwork.
Let’s just hope this win kick-starts the Spurs season after a spluttering launch. The Europa League beckons on Thursday, when victory over Baku-based FK Qarabag will put a bounce into our step before Sunday’s challenge from Crystal Palace at the Lane.
Ideally, Our Harry Kane will help himself to a goal or two against a less than top quality Qarabag, a club whose short history (founded 1951) has been more about taking part than winning things.
Tottenham need Harry firing on all cylinders if they are to climb into the top half of the table, and go on to at least equal last season’s fifth place. Already, you can almost write the League title off to Manchester City.
There were some spectacular goals scored over the weekend (Benteke and Martial in particular), but in its own way the winner by Ryan Mason was a classic in the old push and run Spurs style.
Watch it again if you get the chance. I counted 14 passes, the last one from Erik Lamela quite exquisite. Mason had to show courage as well as class to finish it off, because he knew the goalkeeper would be hurtling towards him.
Ryan kept his nerve and stroked the ball home before being rewarded with a thumping collision and a painful injury. Fingers crossed it is not as serious as it looked as he was carted away on a stretcher to the accompaniment of an appreciative roar from Tottenham’s travelling army.
That goal was deserved reward for Ryan’s industry and invention in midfield, but he was pipped for Man of the Match honours by cool and collected Eric Dier, who is a revelation in his emergency role as a midfield ball winner.
The jury is out on Heung-Min Son, who made a quiet debut that gave just a hint that there is a lot more to come from the South Korean. Let’s not try to judge him too early.
It was substitutes Lamela and Andros Townsend who stole the show when they came on stage, both of them playing as if they had something to prove and almost screaming at manager Pochettino that they deserved starting places.
Another clean sheet, and the victory achieved with main playmaker Christian Eriksen still absent through injury … and we have yet to clap eyes on newcomer Clinton N’Jie, who could be the man to light Our Harry’s fire.
I need something from Spurs to reverse my aging process, please. They owe me.
*I am nine years older than Jeremy Corbyn but look six years younger. Perhaps it’s because I go to a decent tailor.
Adieu Emmanuel Adebayor, leaving the Lane by mutual consent,
Days to remember, but too many when we were far from content.
Every time you pulled on the cherished Lilywhite shirt
Brought you a pile of money, but lack of effort really hurt.
As you pack your bags and seek footballing pastures new
You’ll laugh all the way to the bank and won’t care if we boo.
Off you go Emmanuel, and we’ll recall how you used to shoot,
Running over to Tim Sherwood to give him your salute.
Bye bye, Adebayor.
SPURS ODYSSEY QUIZ LEAGUE, Week 6
Week SIX of our Spurs Odyssey Quiz League, and most of you collected three points last week by correctly answering this teaser: “I have had two spells with Tottenham and scored a winning goal in the North London derby and was club captain. Who am I, and from which club did I rejoin Spurs in 2010?”
Quite a few of you offered Robbie Keane as the answer, but as our League leaders knew it was Younes Kaboul, who rejoined Spurs from Portsmouth and played for Sunderland against Spurs yesterday.
This week’s challenge: “I was born in Hertfordshire, won 25 caps and was an FA Cup winner with Spurs as a central defender. Who am I and which club did I join from Tottenham in 1984?”
You get two points for identifying the former Tottenham player and a bonus point for naming the club he joined from Spurs.
Keep a check on your points tally, because the contestant topping the SOQL table at the end of the season will receive a huge, personally autographed photograph of Spurs legend Jimmy Greaves, plus a signed, framed certificate announcing the winner as the 2015-16 Spurs Odyssey Quiz League champion.
Email your answers, please, to SOQL6@normangillerbooks.com. Give your name, the district where you live and how long you’ve supported Spurs. I will respond, and will email a screen version of one of my Tottenham-themed books to the sender of the first all-correct answer drawn at random. Closing date for entries: midnight this Friday.
First name drawn at random from the correct answers last week is Tommy Patterson, of Northampton. I will email a screen version of one of my Tottenham-themed books to Edmonton-born Tommy, who has been a Spurs disciple since the FA Cup winning year of 1981.
Thanks for your company. See you same time, same place next week. COYS!
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