|
· Brian Judson's Preview
· Last Year's Game - Spurs 1 Blackburn 0
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 38 2001-2
· This season's away game - Spurs won 2-1
Last Six Premiership results:-
Spurs
Spurs 2 1 Birmingham
Leeds 2 2 Spurs
Spurs 0 2 Man City
West Brom 2 3 Spurs
Spurs 0 2 Man Utd
M'brough 5 1 Spurs
Blackburn
Fulham 0 4 Blackburn
Blackburn 1 0 Charlton
Man Utd 3 1 Blackburn
Blackburn 0 0 Bolton
Leeds 2 3 Blackburn
Blackburn 1 1 West Brom
Pos P W D L F-A GD Pts
7 Blackburn 37 15 12 10 48-43 5 57
9 Spurs 37 14 8 15 51-58 -7 50
When did Spurs last have an IMPORTANT game to play on the last day of the season? The last big one that comes to mind is of course the 1991 Cup Final, but the last such league game that meant anything to US was on 5th May 1996, when we drew at Newcastle, needing a win to stand any chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Even our two relegation struggles were settled in the penultimate games (thank goodness!), when we won 2-0 at Oldham in May 1994, and famously 6-2 against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park on May 2nd 1998. (Ben Thatcher got sent off that day for clattering Allan Nielsen).
There have been a couple of games when the focus has been on our opponents. In 1999, we went to Old Trafford with (theoretically) a chance of allowing Arsenal to win the league. Despite Les Ferdinand's looped opener, Man Utd went on to win 2-1 and secure their title. Also, back in 1997, Gordon Strachan's Coventry came to White Hart Lane, needing to win to stand any chance of survival. Of course we gave them the points and the Sky Blues survived for another year.
For much of the season, I anticipated that this Sunday's game against Blackburn was going to be another non-event. Then came a spell before we lost to West Ham, when Blackburn started collecting points for fun, and we were still on the periphery, and I thought that this last game of the season might be a real crunch game, with the two sides head to head for a UEFA place. But no, the game means nothing to Spurs fans, except an end at last to a season of bitter disappointment, and a chance to forget about football, and maybe even the team we love - the once mighty Spurs.
Blackburn have everything to play for, but must hope for new Champions Man Utd to get at least a point at Goodison Park, whilst Souness's boys need to beat us to stand a chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Thus for the second year running, Blackburn could reach Europe, and whilst it would not exactly be at our expense, it does hurt to see a team that had to fight back from the Nationwide a couple of years ago make such progress, whilst Spurs stagnate, and arguably deteriorate.
I'll be writing an end of season report next week (as if you need reminding how bad it has been), but in my view, whatever happens we have not made progress this season. Our points tally may better last year's 50 (if we get anything from Blackburn), and we MAY get 8th place, but the likelihood is that Blackburn will beat us, and we will finish lower than last season's ninth. Remember this year we have had two VERY poor sides in the division, and also remember they are the only teams with worse defensive records. (I refer to Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion). Remember also the two disgraceful cup defeats.
I should of course mention skipper Teddy Sheringham, who will play his last game for us on Sunday. You have read all the facts and figures elsewhere.
Of course he is and always will be a Spurs hero, who has scored over 100 goals for us in all competitions. His finest hour in Spurs colours was back in March 1995, when he and Jurgen Klinsmann gave us a win at Anfield in the FA Cup quarter-final. (Read about it here)Sadly, his finest hours as a footballer were spent in the colours of Manchester United, and although he has scored in double figures in both the seasons since his return to The Lane, we will always remember his first spell more fondly. By my reckoning Teddy will need a hat-trick on Sunday, to make it 100 league goals for Spurs, but whatever happens he is our ninth highest league goal-scorer. Good luck Teddy!
The end of game "Lap of Honour" is likely to a relatively subdued affair, I would suggest, with the biggest cheers reserved for Teddy, Robbie Keane, and of course a certain Steffen Freund, who has also been shown the door by Glenn Hoddle. There are those who have been against Freund, since his association with an ex-centre half of ours, but I commend Steffen for his 110% commitment to the fans and the club. Wouldn't we all have just loved to have seen that goal?!!
Top of page | Back to Fixtures and Results
|
