Article: Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers Match History 1897 to 2011 | Football, Tottenham Hotspur

It's coming PNP

Give me time



On the (to me ludicrous idea that VDV might not start)

'I don't think he's (That's Harry) got any decision to make at all, no more than with Bale or Modric or any of our very top players anyway. If VDV is fit he starts, it's that simple.

He's absolutely key to us and is sooooooo much better than Lennon it's not even remotely close. As I say, when we play Parker and Sandro there should be no worries about covering. I will be shocked and angry if VDV is fit and doesn't start tomorrow or for any of the big games, and I would expect VDV to be the same.

If I was VDV I'd be straight on my phone to my agent making plans to move in the next available window, if that happened. (Normal rotation excepted, as happens with all our top players)

VDV, not good enough to play for Spurs, I don't think so. We're very lucky to have him, he's absolute class and a fighter too. I can't think of a better finisher than him since Jimmy Greaves, that's how good he is.'

 

The goals that VDV scored today were absolutely breathtaking, both with his first touch, just like his sublime, and to me even now, almost unbelievable frst goal at Wigan, which was which was simply stunning, superb and shocking in its execution.

While the second today is an obvious 'goal of the week' contender, the first is the one that has me drooling and remininscing about Greaves, talk about pass it in the net, and then some. I really hope I hear no more about Rafa not starting while he's in this form. His finishing techniques is actually as good as Greaves, though Jimmy will always be the greater goalscorer.

Play Defoe or Lennon instead, seriopusly laughable I'm afraid.

PS This is not a go at Donkey Kong, who put forward some sensible and perfectly rational points about our team. But, I've read and heard some right laughable crap about VDV over the past few weeks, and I simply am bemused, baffled and bewildered.

To repeat, we are very lucky to have a player of his calibre at the Lane, and massive, massive kudos to Levy for signing him.

 

LDL, he's far better than that, he's a genius at Greaves' level, that's how good he is.

 

He fit fine into today's formation Lidls, but there appeared to be a fair bit of complacency throughout the side and a lack of leadership, to me.
We struggled to deal with Blackburn's set-pieces, unsurprisingly, though Adebayor has taken over from Crouch in that role quite effectively.

Tricky tie, considering our weakness is their strength and one that we took maximum points from, despite a disappointing performance.
We're not going to play well every weak, but I'd hope to see some improvement for our next game, when we face the Chelsea killers of QPR.

 

vdv played very well today. I'm not sure Ade's fully fit, Harry said he had a hamstring twinge but insisted on playing against Newcastle last week, maybe he still has that? He didn't look right today.

 

Hi DK - agree about Ade, he hasn't looked right for a while. Luckily we have VDV, who is on course AGAIN to be our top goalscorer, despite not being an 'out and out striker'.

Players like Ade and JD don't even come close to Rafa's finishing ability. You can't teach it, it's something that players like him and Greavesie had/have.

 

I loved this match report BTW

http://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/blackburn-spurs-fan-report/?

 

"Second half, and ‘Arry’s obvs. gone nuts, and hidden the Oranges. We came out and went right for that second goal. Everyone’s gone forward and we’re just knocking it around the box. Blackburn we’re all like “what!?” VDV hanging just outside the box gets a lay off from Disco Benny, and then it’s all like, YEAH!!! Football two, Blackburn nil."

Couldn't have said it better myself!

 

Glad you liked it PNP, if someone is not going to give a brilliant 'straight report' which is beyond the capability of the vast majority of fans and journos, then give us cracking, 'propa fans'' stuff like this. Well done to the author, whoever he is

 

I agree Ghoddle, was a fantastic, cool finish a la the the great man as you say. Coupled with seriously good wing play from Walker, it was an outstanding goal, not flashy, headline grabbing, but pure class.

 

Cracking report. Is this someone on here?

 

It's OODB, isn't it?

 

Well said HD

These days Rafa is my favourite Spurs player, I just love the way he plays, pure class but a street fighter too.

 

For some reason that's only every been applied to Man Utd and Chelsea, with Man City joining the ranks in the last year or so. I've never heard it used for Arsenal, Liverpool (which is surprising, considering the sheer number of pundits that used to play for them and, as a result, big up the club at every false dawn), let alone us - no matter how much we make ourselves work for a fair number of our victories - or any other Premier League club.

 

Good point. For me the difference is, that a couple of seasons ago we would have lost those games. We always seemed to find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Being a Spurs fan, has never been, and probably, will never be, for those of a nervous disposition. We never do things the easy way, still. But, at least we're winning those games now.

 

If anything, we preferred to snatch a 0-0 draw from the jaws of victory, making their keeper look world class in the process.

 

Character, mental strength, winning mentality, all these are classic attributes of a title-winning team. Which is why I won't be tipping us to finish above Chelsea any time soon. Chelsea have had these characteristics for many years now, maybe the tide is now turning against them, but I'm nowhere near convinced about that yet.

 

Part of it is belief, though and I think that van der Vaart's post-match interview showed an insight into that belief running through the team.
I think that they genuinely feel that if they go out and play the game the way that they want to, then they can beat anyone.
It's extremely important to have that feeling, regardless of whether it's true or not.

 

To be fair, we were capable of getting a result when playing poorly under Jol, apart from ending our Chelsea hoodoo, not against the top sides - although most of the time it wasn't when we played poorly, but when the team played like they were capable of that the result went our way.