british bulldog arry as to send out a bigun and a littleun innit
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Friday, 21 January 2011 15:12 (thirteen years ago) link
'arry might be onto something. The smallest team in any major European league are currently Champions of Spain and half of them have WC and CL medals.
http://celticquicknews.co.uk/?p=4481
From the sample of 534 clubs, the one with the oldest average squad is European Champions Inter Milan, at 29.61 years, whereas the club with the shortest average players is the previous year’s European Champions, Barcelona, 177.38cm.
Clearly short old guys = the way to go.
― onimo, Friday, 21 January 2011 15:21 (thirteen years ago) link
The persistent talk of them selling Ireland just confuses ever more after a performance like that, it's true.
― Get fourth and multiply (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 May 2010 11:13 (8 months ago) Bookmark
What the hell happened to this guy at villa?
― toastmodernist, Friday, 21 January 2011 15:39 (thirteen years ago) link
Interesting read about Damien Comolli's time at Spurs:http://transferpriceindex.com/2010/10/damien-comolli-at-spurs-a-tpi-case-studyt/
― The referee was perfect (Chris), Friday, 21 January 2011 15:40 (thirteen years ago) link
But it overlooks one of the most important things - a squad needs to be appropriately balanced, both by position and age. By the dog days of the Ramos era we were anything but - short on options upfront, useless in defensive midfield, over-reliant on inexperienced centrebacks and with a surfeit of attacking, right-sided midfielders and not much with any experience down the left.
― Matt DC, Friday, 21 January 2011 15:46 (thirteen years ago) link
Interesting article Pete, and a nice set of comments too. What about Chelsea planning to move, is that still on? Do they have the fanbase for it? It may be the horror stories of ultralow numbers at the Bridge in the 80s, but Chelsea crowds seem more precarious than others somehow
It's very hard to judge because pricing is quite sensible these days, but I don't think there's demand for a capacity of more than about 55k. Whether it's worth moving for an extra 13k is, I guess, the sticking point. The ideal thing would be to redevelop the Bridge, especially the shitty Shed/hotel, and put in something bigger because it is a vast site, but there are problems with crowd dispersal on to Fulham Broadway.
I'm sure it's something they'd like to do eventually because capacity is on the small side, but the benefits aren't so obvious as to make it a must-do as it is with Spurs.
They may just be content with filling the ground, waiting for the right opportunity and building megastores in Singapore and Los Angeles.
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Friday, 21 January 2011 17:15 (thirteen years ago) link
http://img.skysports.com/11/01/496x259/StevenPienaarTottenhamHo_2553216.jpg
― cozen, Friday, 21 January 2011 18:23 (thirteen years ago) link
The former Portsmouth and West Ham manager said: "I'm walking round the outside of the stadium, it's a fantastic atmosphere, there's all little stalls there selling sweets."I got some sweets, me and Kevin, and it was so packed. The next thing there's two guys on their knees in front of me and I felt someone pull my overcoat."I thought 'what are you doing?'. The next thing he's got my keys on the floor."I thought 'is he a blind man or someone having trouble walking properly?' What are they doing, these two blokes?"I'm going 'let go of my trousers', pushing them away. While I'm doing that they're rifling my pockets, there were about six of them. And then they went."I thought 'what are they doing?' I went to put my hand in my pockets and realised what they'd done."They took everything. All my money, credit cards, everything really."The Spurs manager said he did not believe the muggers knew who he was."I just probably looked stupid or something, and they thought 'here's one here, he's not Spanish, obviously and we're looking for a foreigner'."
"I got some sweets, me and Kevin, and it was so packed. The next thing there's two guys on their knees in front of me and I felt someone pull my overcoat.
"I thought 'what are you doing?'. The next thing he's got my keys on the floor.
"I thought 'is he a blind man or someone having trouble walking properly?' What are they doing, these two blokes?
"I'm going 'let go of my trousers', pushing them away. While I'm doing that they're rifling my pockets, there were about six of them. And then they went.
"I thought 'what are they doing?' I went to put my hand in my pockets and realised what they'd done.
"They took everything. All my money, credit cards, everything really."
The Spurs manager said he did not believe the muggers knew who he was.
"I just probably looked stupid or something, and they thought 'here's one here, he's not Spanish, obviously and we're looking for a foreigner'."
― James Mitchell, Saturday, 22 January 2011 08:20 (thirteen years ago) link
this is highly convincing
Spurs Desperate For A StrikerI'm going to use some statistics to make a point. Here goes:
- I've looked at the games played over (roughly) the last year by Spurs in the Premier League - 23 this season, 15 last season - 38 games in all.
- I've then looked at the number of goals Spurs' strikers have scored in this time. VDV is not a striker.
- It doesn't make pretty reading.
- Defoe has 4, Crouch has 4, Keane has none, Gudjonson got 1 and Pav, the pick of the bunch, has 10. So I'm not sure why he didn't even make the squad on Saturday.
- That's 19 goals between the lot of them. Over 38 games. Meaning on average a Spurs striker will get you a goal every other game. So not only do we not have a 20-goal-a-season striker. All of them put together won't get you 20 goals.
There can be no doubt as I'm constantly reminded that it's a good time to be a Spurs fan. But all the press we've been getting lately, and bloody hell there's been a lot - Bale, VDV, moving house, a bit about Modric now, lovely sweets but blimey I've had me wallet pinched - doesn't cover up the fact that we are desperate for a goalscorer.
Desperate.
Dan Levy is obviously a very busy man, but I would implore him to take his eye off the long term, especially now that the bid has been submitted and do something for the short term this week. I fear that we're going to miss out on the top four as it is but signing a goalscorer now might just save us.
Andrew, Woodford Green
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Monday, 24 January 2011 20:51 (thirteen years ago) link
No that is entirely correct with the caveat that Defoe has been really unlucky with injuries in that time, and we seem to be undermining all of their confidence by chopping and changing every game. Either Defoe or Pav should have a sustained run and we probably need to be playing 4-4-2 against a few more teams.
― Matt DC, Monday, 24 January 2011 23:55 (thirteen years ago) link
Rossi has said he's not interested and i'd be surprised if Forlan will move. The big spending is a worry but the fact that a move for a striker appears to be reliant on Bent's fee being paid in full and kicking Keane off the wage bill would indicate that there's still a measure of control in place.
It's unfortunate as this should all have been settled weeks ago. It's not surprising that Pavlyuchenko and Crouch aren't in great form when they're both constantly being linked with Birmingham and Sunderland. If there isn't a first-class alternative lined up, they both need to be told they've got a long-term future at the club.
― ShariVari, Tuesday, 25 January 2011 00:16 (thirteen years ago) link
kinda depressing how good taraabt is doing. lovely goal (number 13) and assist (11) against coventry on sunday. hopefully next year he proves that the championship is his level.
don't know what to think about strikers.
― ridiculoud (mizzell), Tuesday, 25 January 2011 17:25 (thirteen years ago) link
even i'm beginning to find this ridiculous
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 21:56 (thirteen years ago) link
they're gonna fuckin win it.
― The referee was perfect (Chris), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 22:04 (thirteen years ago) link
go on the spurs!
― the Chinese firewall of the heart (Michael B), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 22:06 (thirteen years ago) link
let's do em at home first
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 22:06 (thirteen years ago) link
YEAR ENDING IN A 1
― zappi, Tuesday, 15 February 2011 23:13 (thirteen years ago) link
Has there been a greater plucky underdog run the CL since... Porto in 2004?
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 15 February 2011 23:17 (thirteen years ago) link
Chas and Dave's 'Together Again – The Final Tour 2011' appears to finish on Apr 21 - time to record one last cup final rockney banger before walking into the sea imho
― Jari Litmandem (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 23:25 (thirteen years ago) link
Liverpool 2005?
― Death and Taxis (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 23:29 (thirteen years ago) link
cuntish underdog tbf
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 23:44 (thirteen years ago) link
you know times are changing when the vietnamese shirt seller sites start stocking spurs strips
― "multi-culturalism has failed" - a.wenger (cozen), Wednesday, 16 February 2011 18:13 (thirteen years ago) link
Siamese shirt sellers start stocking spurs stripsSiamese shirt sellers start stocking spurs stripsSiamese shirt sellers start stocking spurs stripsSiamese shirt sellers start stocking spurs stripsSiamese shirt sellers start stocking spurs stripsSiamese shirt sellers start stocking spurs strips
― 전승 Complete Victory (in Battle) (NotEnough), Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:48 (thirteen years ago) link
lol good spot
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:49 (thirteen years ago) link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/9402117.stm?
― "multi-culturalism has failed" - a.wenger (cozen), Friday, 18 February 2011 18:55 (thirteen years ago) link
they're gonna fuckin win it.― The referee was perfect (Chris), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 22:04 (3 weeks ago0
― The referee was perfect (Chris), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 22:04 (3 weeks ago0
― territory of the magic wand (Chris), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 21:47 (thirteen years ago) link
Do you ever hear Leeds fans talk about their sole season in the CL?
― James Mitchell, Thursday, 10 March 2011 10:49 (thirteen years ago) link
real talk, but tbf we're not in danger of total collapse either
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Thursday, 10 March 2011 11:09 (thirteen years ago) link
I think Leeds fans might have mentioned it once or twice in that season and the couple that followed it. They got to the semi-finals FFS.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 10 March 2011 12:26 (thirteen years ago) link
Also Leeds were in the first Champions League in 92-93 as well.
if I were a Leeds fan it's all I'd talk about
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 10 March 2011 12:26 (thirteen years ago) link
leeds were quite good.
― Jlloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken (ken c), Thursday, 10 March 2011 15:08 (thirteen years ago) link
Think going "we were in the Champions League" might have lost its lustre somewhere between financial meltdown and their second relegation.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 10 March 2011 15:24 (thirteen years ago) link
Actually hope we go out to Copenhagen rather than potentially play Spurs, my most hated club, at any point in the Champions League, my most hated competition.
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:13 (thirteen years ago) link
I can't help but agree with you
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:17 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah i'll second that
I'd take any draw over playing utd or chelsea. Barca in a cl qf is not my idea of a worst-case scenario
― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:21 (thirteen years ago) link
hate all english games, though i'd rather see it in qf/sf rather than potentially in the final. would be a disgrace
― Jlloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken (ken c), Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:24 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah all English is just boring, don't want to play teams we play at least twice a year anyway.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:37 (thirteen years ago) link
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:13 (27 minutes ago) Bookmark
the fuck is shit
meshug
― maxwell's silva hamartia (nakhchivan), Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:41 (thirteen years ago) link
Want Real. Never played them at the Bridge.
Grudgingly have to accept that Spurs were very decent in the second half, but fortunate to be playing Ibrahamovic, who takes the worst elements of both Berbatov and Bendtnar.
I have absolutely no idea what this means, insinuates, implies or infers.
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:47 (thirteen years ago) link
as in, yr post is mental
altho parsing the elements
hoping u lose to copenhagen = pretty far out challops but dmac goes there often enough
rather than play tottnham = as in play a lesser team at a time when you are possibly 'in a good moment' (c) ancelotti and in a game in which tottenham lose their main asset in the cl, ie foreign teams aren't used to playing them
most hated competition = yeah well enjoy the uefa cup
― maxwell's silva hamartia (nakhchivan), Thursday, 10 March 2011 16:54 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm a pessimist. I always assume we will get beaten so before any cup draw I don't think, 'Who are we most likely to beat', I think 'Who would I least mind losing to'. Have done this for as long as I recall.
How do other people approach cup draws? Do Spurs fans ever WANT to draw Arsenal in the FA Cup? And vice versa?
I miss the ECWC.
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:03 (thirteen years ago) link
Spurs fans fucking LOVE playing Arsenal in cups. If we lose, no one expects us to win, if we win, they get enormously pissed off and we can crow about it for the rest of the season.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:04 (thirteen years ago) link
United are the team we hate playing in knockout football, for the obvious reason that we always lose to them.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:05 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, I remember getting Spurs in the RUMBELOWS CUP in 1991 and being quite pleased for a similar reason. You had Gazza and Lineker and were favourites, but we won and won well. (Was thinking about this game last night listening to Andy Townsend and thinking how great he was at WHL that night and what a cock he is now.)
I think even when we used to draw Arsenal a lot in the 90s I quite enjoyed it, even though we always lost, because I expected us to lose and there was always a slim chance that we wouldn't.
It's probably a hangover from the 5-1, but also the expectation that has come from the last few years which makes defeat appear to be so much more humiliating than it used to be.
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:11 (thirteen years ago) link
I know Arsenal friends hate drawing Spurs for the same reason. How do Liverpool feel about getting United?
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:13 (thirteen years ago) link
But this isn't just me - every chelsea fan I know and others on twitter and web are bricking themselves about getting Spurs. Some are saying they won't go to the Lane because they couldn't take losing. *winning mentality*
― isn't house rubbish and Pete W mental (Pete W), Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:15 (thirteen years ago) link
Re: cup draws, I always want United to get drawn away to a team they never usually play (say Rotherham or Bristol City or Northampton) to provide a bit of variety, or to get drawn at home against a hated rival so that the game means something. You risk being very pissed off if you lose, but them's the breaks. I can't stand home ties against clubs that we've played loads already but who don't really mean anything (e.g. Middlesbrough or Portsmouth or Aston Villa).
― WAYNE ROONEY ELBOW STORM (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:21 (thirteen years ago) link
Can we draw another English club in the quarters? I always forget how these things work.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:23 (thirteen years ago) link
I think so. I think you can get anyone next time, and they draw it all the way to the final.
― WAYNE ROONEY ELBOW STORM (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:25 (thirteen years ago) link