NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 483
Submitted by Norman Giller

I very rarely reach for this comparison out of respect for a legend of our Beautiful Game ... but Micky Van de Ven's charging, 70-yard run that set up the fourth goal against Everton reminded me of the late, great Duncan Edwards. It was full of power, determination and purpose.

All the old pros I have been privileged to talk to spoke of Duncan in reverential terms. Billy Wright, for instance, called him: "A young God." Bill Nicholson described him as "phenomenal". Sir Bobby Charlton told me, 'He was the one player of whom I was in awe."

The Welsh Wing Wizard Cliffie Jones has often told me: "Duncan was The Master. We played in the same Army regiment, and it was like having two team-mates. He had strength and skill in abundance and could defend or attack with equal power. I don't mind admitting I cried when I heard he was in the Munich air crash. It was the very same week I joined Spurs.'

I don't want to put pressure on young Micky's mantle (a little baseball pun for you there, folks) but I honestly think he can grow into a modern Duncan Edwards. He has a similar muscular physique and seems able to run all day.

Micky and rock head Cristian Romero are developing into one of the great Tottenham partnerships and we can look forward to them earning respect in BOTH penalty areas. They make their powerful presence felt at the heart of the defence and, when necessary, at the fulcrum of the attack.

Let's give credit to the new coaching team of Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo, brought in by Ange Postecoglou following the departure of Chris Davies to his new job as boss at Birmingham City. They are two disciplined characters who are working overtime to get the Tottenham defence cemented at set pieces, and they are giving particular attention to the polishing of the VDV/Romero twin machine.

Micky and Cristian were outstanding together in Saturday's dismantling of Everton, described HERE in dizzying detail by our Spurs Odyssey guru Paul H. Smith. Sonny's two goals and the booming strike from Yves Bissouma added to our delight. It was the first of what I am sure will be many goals from the reformed man from Mali, who does not need laughing gas to make us revere his obvious talent.

There was also a promising debut from Wilson Odobert to add to the warm feeling of all-round satisfaction, and the French flier did enough before being substituted by Richarlison to suggest he is destined for great things.

I am down with irritating bronchitis at the moment and accompanied the pulsating Tottenham performance with coughs rather than cheers. But the flowing, front foot football was much more potent than the Paracetamol in helping cure me.

Just think, if the ball had run for Spurs at Leicester, there would now be at least ten goals in the bank!

Of course, the question has to be asked whether Spurs were exceptional or Everton downright appalling. The answer probably lies somewhere between the two, but let's not try to pick any holes in the Spurs exhibition and execution of their at-times scintillating football.

The codeword has to be POSITIVITY as we go into challenging back-to-back fixtures at Newcastle United and then home to Arsenal in a North London Derby that will signpost just what sort of season we are going to have.

With Romero and the new VDV at the heart of the defence - and supporting the attack - anything is possible. Heads up. Let's all spread confidence. Remember, pessimism is contagious. Ange's Angels must be positive. COYS!

So here we are in the third week of our eleventh season of the Spurs Odyssey Quiz League, and the question is:

Who won seven England caps, played in the 1986 World Cup finals and from which club did he join Spurs in 1983? Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 3. Deadline: midnight this Friday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous ten seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact.

This year's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2025, plus three signed books to be revealed at a later date.

Last week's question: Who has won 57 international caps, was a Champions League Cup winner in 2021 and which shirt number did he wear for Spurs against Leicester last night?

Answer: Timo Werner, shirt number 16

See you back here next Monday. COYS!

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