Moments I relish

It would be interesting to know what psychological button Martin Jol and his coaching team pressed to switch Spurs on after their last defeat at a muddy Bramall Lane just one month ago. That defeat was the third in a row for a Spurs team who were being heavily criticised from the “terraces”, having surrendered to Arsenal in the Carling Cup; then being pulverised 4-0 at home to Manchester United, before Neil Warnock’s gritty team gave Spurs a further set-back.

Maybe Jol pointed out to his players that their season was going to fade to dust if they did not start WANTING to win so much that it hurt. After Sheffield United, Spurs sat in the bottom half of the table, drifting away from the chase for Europe. A daunting away trip to Craven Cottage was on the horizon, and they hadn’t won there for five years. The UEFA cup looked as if it might be Spurs’ only hope of glory.

Now, it is still possible that Spurs’ season will end in relative disappointment, and that is why I wanted to write this piece now, so that I can relay to you the moments I relish from our last three weeks, during which we have been unbeaten in 6 games, won 5, scored 20 (and conceded 10).

Here goes. I relish:-

· The fact that five of those last 6 games have been away from home, where our form over the season (apart from in Europe) has been dismal.
· The fact that we are in today’s FA Cup semi-final draw.
· The half-time atmosphere in the concourse of the Shed End upper tier, where Spurs fans were pinching each other, laughing and joking, on perhaps the highest of highs this season. Maybe it was the highest of highs for years!
· Shouting at his critics “That Ghaly is sh*t, he is. Absolute sh*t”, after he tore away from Robben, into the Chelsea half and scored such a marvellous third Spurs goal in front of the glowering home support. Apart from his goal, Ghaly made the pass that led to Lennon’s cross for the second goal too.
· Seeing Spurs win away in Europe for the fourth time this season.
· Laughing at the defeat of West Ham. That two goal spell in the last 6 minutes was brilliant!
· Berbatov’s awesome show at home against Bolton.
· Jenas’s late, late winner at Goodison Park.
· Four class goals at Craven Cottage. Both Keane’s goals, and Berby’s second – so exquisite that none of us believed it had counted for a clear half second!

Whatever happens to Spurs in the remainder of the season, let us savour the best three week period our club has had for such a long time. We had Chelsea on the rack yesterday, and of course earlier in the season, we beat them at home too! Frankly, I can’t be arsed with those who still manage to find something to moan about after yesterday’s show. Martin Jol says that Berbatov had a groin problem, and that’s a good enough reason for me to take him off. He and Lennon will be needed in the games to come in the next 7 days. Remember that Mourinho threw everything he had in his armoury at Spurs, and just about scraped a draw. With our home fans creating a mighty noise next Monday, we CAN beat Chelsea again. Sorry Watford, but a draw against you in the semi-final would be a fantastic incentive (to both teams) next Monday night.

Finally, apart from those moments of wonder, and the class and goal scoring antics of Berbatov, Keane, Jenas and Defoe, let me sing the praises of one man who has played 44 of our 46 games to date – one Michael Dawson. Dawson has been ever-present in our last 6 games, and in the absence of Ledley King, has become the main-stay of the Spurs defence. Dawson’s growing influence brings with it the worry of how we would cope, should he too fall to injury.

Spurs still have a potential 18 more games to play in the remainder of the season. The message from Martin Jol to his players must surely be the same as that issued after the last defeat. I don’t know what it was, but it should be on the lines of, “You’ve won nothing yet. Go on playing as you have in the last three weeks if you really want to achieve Europe for the second successive season”

IT’S REALLY GOOD TO BE A SPUR!

· Read the Chelsea-Spurs FA Cup 6th Rd report here

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