View From
The Shelf

Losing to Liverpool was hard in the Carling Cup, going out on pens to a young Scouse side and then going out of the FA Cup to a reluctant Newcastle team, who got the early goal and then rode their luck.  They were perhaps our best chance of getting a European spot for next season, but the League does still maintain an interest if the consistency that we have all craved can be found over the last eight games.

We really do let ourselves down sometimes though and if we do miss out on Europe at the end of the season, perhaps we should look at the three points dropped at Crystal Palace and SCBC rather than the two we missed out on at Old Trafford.  When the chance comes for Tottenham to step up into the echelons of the table we need to be to regain our reputation, we always seem to fluff it.  Whether it is the fact that the thought that we could go sixth means that we think we are there already or whether the pressure gets to the team, so that the target is missed.  

It is highly ironic that we dominated the matches at SCBC, Newcastle and Charlton, but came away with nothing, while played out a very ordinary game against Manchester City and took the points. Sometimes football can be a cruel mistress and the lost points against a side in the bottom four and against one just above us, would have propelled Tottenham into fifth in the Premiership now.  We have a decent enough run-in, with Arsenal and Liverpool probably the hardest matches left, but, with WBA coming into some sort of form and having to travel to the Riverside Stadium in our penultimate game, things might be harder in some of the other games than others.  It might actually all come down to the Boro match to decide who nabs the last UEFA Cup place (albeit sixth or seventh if Arsenal and Man U get to the FA Cup final).

But the players we purchased in the transfer window will add to our burgeoning number of talented youngsters who will bring the club benefits in the future.  David Limbersky and Emil Hallfredsson have come in to add to the "development" squad (or reserves as we once knew them), while Mounir Al Hamdaoui has been brought in as a possible back up for the four forwards if we get injuries.  As for Andy Reid, his assimilation into the first team has already taken place and he has been showing that, given some time to acclimatise, he will be a useful asset to the club.  On top of this, his former Forest team-mate Michael Dawson appears to be lined up as a future Spurs captain and he hopes to get fit to play before the end of the season after suffering a fractured shin.

Mido made a real impact on his debut, but had shown that he needs to perform to that level on a regular basis to earn a place in the side (when the forwards are not being rotated that is).  Strong and with the ability to get in where he needs to be, with a trick or two in his locker, he could become a firm favourite in time and he has eighteen months to show what he can do.

Perhaps the one player who might raise the excitement, in terms of potential, is Tom Huddlestone, the Derby County youngster who is really highly rated and has been in the first team at Pride Park since he was 16.  His signing signals that the club are able to attract the cream of the country's talent and that they are ready to come to White Hart Lane to develop their careers.  It is part of the policy to hold onto the belief in youth and it is not just the best players in England, as the current interest in Borussia Dortmund's Tomas Rosicky shows.

The only drawback with this policy is that there is such a large first team squad that there is not the opportunity to give everyone a run-out in the first team or the reserves.  It will lead to many of the players being out on loan, as we have already seen with Calum Davenport, Lee Barnard, Marton Fulop and Rohan Ricketts, with Huddlestone already being linked with a loan back to Derby for next season if they do not get promoted.  It will be like the Italian idea of loaning players out because they don’t have reserve team football, but in our case, it will because we don’t have two reserve teams for them to play in !!  

With the big squad, some players will be released in the summer too, to make room for the new signings in the next transfer window.  Among those who might be shown the exit door are Bunjy, Rohan Ricketts, Jamie Slabber and Johnnie Jackson.  There are a number of others who are on the 'possible' list to go and these include Simon Davies, Robbie Keane, Fredi Kanoute, Noe Pamarot, Anthony Gardner, Pedro Mendes and Michael Brown, depending on which fan you listen to and where your preference lies.  

Some players have already gone, back in January.  With Kasey Keller and Jamie Redknapp moving on, it has freed up a large proportion of the wage bill and the retirement of Dean Richards will add more salary money for incoming players.  There are a number of players that the club will be looking at and hoping to bring in.  Mark van Bommel doesn't seem to have made up his mind yet.  Rosicky would be a good signing for the right price, while the ranks of other names linked will probably stay where they are.  As always there will be hundreds of names rumoured to be on their way, but the papers have to sell, so expect lots more of the transfer talk between now and the end of August. 

It is surprising that Spurs are being linked with David Beckham.  Said to be ready to be out-ed or to be ready to leave because of the paparazzi's hounding of his kids, Chelsea are said to have lost interest in Becks and that leaves Spurs or Arsenal.  Perhaps it is a level of appreciation of the difference the management have made in renovating Tottenham and where they think we are going.  Not that Beckham will fit in with the profile of the players we are signing at the moment.

Martin Jol's effect in the team has been positive, with the players accepting the rotation system and the fact that he has is good motivational manager.  He also has the gift of being a good public face for the club.  No more unintelligible tactical rambling from Pleat, nor the difficult English of Santini, but a hint of Dutch humour in his press friendly approach to the media, that says it as it is.  This honesty has gone down well with the Spurs fans too and the fact that Martin is still at White Hart Lane, even after Ajax expressed an interest in his services, shows that he wants to see the job through and is dedicated to the club.

The consistency that would see us progress is still not quite there and the fact that Spurs have only scored eight away goals, despite the away record being good.  There have been good away results against Man U and Chelsea, but the loss of games against teams we should be taking points from means we have been going up and down the table.

It is a shame that Atouba's elbow took precedence after the Man City game, but if he is found guilty then he will get the punishment he deserves.  Joey Barton had been going about his business in his usual way, with a kick out at the Cameroonian and allegations of racist abuse.  If that is found to be true, then I hope the FA will hit Barton hard.  If it is not true, then Spurs will be looked upon unfavourably by the authorities.  I just hope it doesn't affect our placing in the fair play table, which might be another way of getting into Europe.

With eight games left after this international break, perhaps Spurs will be able to push on and not fade away after an FA Cup exit, like usually happens.  And there might even be a happy ending.

Well, we can hope. 

Keep the faith.

MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART LANE
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART LANE
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART LANE
AND THE SPURS GO MARCHING ON.

BRUCE CASTLE