BOOOO!

I arrived at the Bell and Hare just in time for the weather to make its mark over Tottenham. Standing in pissing down rain with a can of Red Stripe isn't what one would define as enjoyment but West Ham were three down and I was just over an hour from visiting, well, my third home.

It wasn't surprise that hit me when I saw Adebayor was starting alongside the likes of Kane and Townsend on the bench but I was surprised to see Livermore and Sandro partnering one another in midfield. Livermore's progressed at the speed of Usain Bolt over the last year; it almost reminds me of O'Hara under the Ramos 'era'. I have started to really rate Jake. As well as he did last year we all knew he was just a step-in. Pure cover. Slotting in when needed and did a job. But in Newcastle and, particularly, yesterday I feel he's starting to add more value to the side. He comes across as far more disciplined this year. He knows his role thoroughly - when to defend and when to attack - and his passing has upped a level.

My issue is that the partnership between Livermore and Sandro, as much as I've enjoyed it, can't be more than a summer fling. We're entering the back end of August and, as positive I feel we have looked in the two games we've played, we're crying our eyes out for some creativity sitting in centre midfield. Someone to unlock a killer ball, open doors, leave defences on their knees. I'm almost sure we have a player of this calibre in our ranks, somewhere. I've also heard the same player has finalised his move to Madrid for the 63rd time this summer. I was sure Gylfi would start alongside either Sandro or Livermore with Vdv behind Defoe.

Again yesterday, I found it difficult to fault the performance and especially AVB. We pressed the ball, kept it well and West Brom didn't have much of a look in for 70 minutes. We eased off when we scored and their introduction of Lukaku was a game changer. The few that seem intent on jumping on the back of AVB and weighing him down with more pressure than he can handle need to, again, see the bigger picture. Agreed, it was West Brom at home. Agreed, this is a game we'd 'expect' to take full points from. Although this is a side we never give a whipping to. They're organised, no mugs, and evidently play right up until the final whistle. Sloppiness in defence cost us. What I was happy to see was we had more or less every player back defending; I struggle to blame AVB for failing to clear the ball when there were more than enough white shirts there to get it done. We're not finding ourselves unlocked with balls over the top or between our defence as we initially feared. This is the issue that occurred at Chelsea and I see no sign of this being mirrored this season.

Had we taken our chances when they were presented in the first half we'd have been home (but not dry) by half time. Arguably, leaving our key business to the end of the window may have cost us 2 wins but, saying that, it's the players we have got we need to focus on. I don't want to continue echoing what I brought up last week but last year's spine has been non-existent this season. King/Kaboul, Modric/Parker and Adebayor. Without atleast 3 of these we'd have struggled to even get 4th. What we had yesterday was, of course, no King or Kaboul, Modric or Parker and an unfit Adebayor. I feel Parker's role is more than covered through Sandro and Livermore but it's the lack of spark in the centre which is costing us. Modric will not be easy to replace but be replaced he must.

Some may say I'm digging out excuses to protect AVB. But I'd beg to differ. You only have to look at the key players that are missing, our evident need of a fit target man - Adebayor didn't have a pre-season - and our positive performances despite these needs to see that we're not in danger of having a catastrophe of a season and by no means are we the finished article just yet.

180 minutes of a season gone and a minority boo. They're probably the same people that didn't lose a single loyalty point after the deduction came in. Funny that.

Regards.

Jermaine Jenas, Heurelho Gomes and another 1-0 win

THE BAGGIES at home. Ok, they picked up one point for each goal they scored against Sunderland last week but sill i'd thought we'd do them 3-0; as did many other fans that were congrugated outside WHL eager to not miss kick off. I could see Robbie Keane, Luka Modric and Ledley King goals but after all that, it was Tottenham's scapegoat for the season Jermaine Jenas who popped up with a smart finish into Paxton Road on the stroke of half time. Since Redknapp took over, Iv noticed a change in JJ, he battles more and earns his 30 grand each week- well, to an extent. Still though, I pictured a fairly routine home win and not in the slightest could I see us losing our second home game under the Redkanpp era.

I respected West Brom, they played five in midfield and, at times, looked to play football. Their major flaw, though, was trying to play through our midfield. At a time when Palacios is looking better and better each week, not even the mighty Borja valero, Robert Greening or Chris Brunt could play through our Honduran tank. Still though, for 93 minutes, they tried and tried- I would say I felt sorry for them, but I didn't.
A fourth consecutive 1-0 win at home and I'm not complaining, yeah West Brom are bottom of the league, but, to be honest- they're no Derby County. They forced some wonderful saves by the in-form Heurelho Gomes, take a look on MOTD- they were stunning. Spurs are looking more and more confident at knocking the ball around and are beginning to be a joy to watch it week, the depression has passed and now as we get to the business end of the season it's exciting being the favourites for games once again.

The win today was Spurs' 6th consecutive clean sheet at home. Considering at the start of the season we couldn't buy three points; it brings such delight to now mention that we haven't lost at home since November and have won our last five home games, and this is on the basis of many players that have come on since Redknapp took over. The one to have come on the most has got to be the goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes; the Brazilian has gone from the World's worst to one of the Premier League's top 4 or 5 pulling off potential saves of the season and he continued that with another two today. Another player is former Geordie midfielder Jermaine Jenas. I'm fast becoming more of a fan of Jenas, as recent performances have proved, he's been sticking the ball into the back of the net more often and getting his foot stuck in for once- plus he's still got the excuse of being a younger member of the team; so that'l be another player that will leave us and end up at a bigger club, I hear Jose's back in for him?

Still though another 1-0 win against the worst team in the league, statistically, and I'm satisfied. We kept our cool, a clean sheet and we looked confident at the back; even though our 'keeper got us out of trouble on a couple of occasions. Woodgate and King looking strong at the back and as long as we score more than the opposition i couldn't care less how many we concede. And now as the cricket season is upon us *sighs* and the football season draws to a close *sighs more* it should prove to be a decent end to it all.

(Picture copyright of Tottenhamhotspur.com)
Regards, Ben