At last! Pace and a bit of ingenuity!
The headline is a straight lift of one of the mostly positive comments made this week by those who took part in the Spurs Odyssey survey.
Another comment stated:- "Probably our best performance of the season. Three clean sheets in a row and the defence with Toby partnering Jan looks very solid. Eric Dier performing wonders in midfield and Dele Alli showing great potential. Even Lamela had a half decent game! Son fitting in amazingly quickly and three goals this week."
Another reader accurately observed that we still needed Lloris, and this is why Hugo shares the man of the match vote with goal-scorer Heung-min Son.
The last time we managed three consecutive Premier League clean sheets was in December 2012 (Swansea 1-0, Stoke 0-0, Villa 4-0), and of course a fourth would be marvellous on Saturday against Manchester City.
A good result usually leads to high grades for the team and head coach; even the referee, and this week was no exception. The challenge is to maintain our form, and the lesson is to remember that the margin between success and failure; positivity and negativity, is always very small.
Snippets from other games this week-end include the fact that Arsenal had two players sent off for the third time in the Premier League. The loss of Gabriel and Cazorla was the first time they have had two men shown red in the same game since we beat them 2-1 on November 7th, 1999! (Spurs 2 Arsenal 1 - 07.11.99). Gabriel and Cazorla will therefore be unavailable for tomorrow night's Capital One Cup clash, but they might not have been selected anyway.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal face further action as a result of their lunchtime clash, with Diego Costa charged with violent conduct, because referee Mike Dean did not see the player put his hands in the face of Koscielny. Gabriel has been further charged with improper conduct over his behaviour following being sent off, and both clubs have been charged with failing to control their players. (Note that Gabriel's original red card was subsequently rescinded) I told you last week the game would definitely provide joy for Spurs fans!
Spurs' August transfer target Saido Berahino made his first start of the season for West Brom, and went a long way towards redeeming himself with "Baggies"' fans by scoring the only goal at Villa Park. I wonder if Spurs will go back for him in January?
Younes Kaboul saw two yellow cards for bottom club Sunderland at Bournemouth. The disastrous start to this season for club and player continues.
The good thing about Anthony Martial's arrival and early impact at Manchester United is that his departure has weakened our Europa League rivals Monaco, who drew at Anderlecht last Thursday, and who lost at home to Lorient in Ligue 1 on Sunday. We travel to Monaco next week.
· See this week's Premier League spursometer
Results 19-20.09.15
Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal
A. Villa 0-1 West Brom
B'mouth 2-0 S'derland
Newcastle 1-2 Watford
Stoke 2-2 Leicester
Swansea 0-0 Everton
Man City 1-2 West Ham
Spurs 1-0 C. Palace
Liverpool 1-1 Norwich
S'hampton 2-3 Man Utd
Barclays Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Man City 6 5 0 1 12-2 10 15
2. Man Utd 6 4 1 1 9-5 4 13
3. West Ham 6 4 0 2 12-7 6 12
4. Leicester 6 3 3 0 13-9 4 12
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5. Arsenal 6 3 1 2 5-5 0 10
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6. Everton 6 2 3 1 8-5 3 9
7. Swansea 6 2 3 1 7-5 2 9
8. C. Palace 6 3 0 3 8-7 1 9
9. Spurs 6 2 3 1 5-4 1 9
10. Watford 6 2 3 1 5-5 0 9
11. Norwich 6 2 2 2 9-10 -1 8
12. West Brom 6 2 2 2 4-6 -2 8
13. Liverpool 6 2 2 2 4-7 -3 8
14. B'mouth 6 2 1 3 8-9 -1 7
15. Chelsea 6 2 1 3 9-12 -3 7
16. S'hampton 6 1 3 2 7-8 -1 6
17. A. Villa 6 1 1 4 6-9 -3 4
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18. Stoke 6 0 3 3 5-9 -4 3
19. Newcastle 6 0 2 4 3-9 -6 2
20. S'derland 6 0 2 4 6-13 -7 2
