What They Say - Spurs v Arsenal

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
21 Apr	12:45 PM	P	Tottenham Hotspur (A)	2	2	Draw

Not an easy task this time round, as of course I had to visit a Spurs forum at www.spurscommunity.co.uk. Initially I wasn't very warmly welcomed, but some of them were nice enough to answer my questions. Hope it makes for a good read!

Having narrowly missed out on a Champions League place last season, what were your expectations for this campaign, and what are they now?

UEFA Cup qualification but a strong push for fourth with a run in the cups. Haven't pushed for fourth but has been a great season thus far need the top 6 finish though - Capocrimini

Consolidation. Keep tapping on the door of the 'top 4' and wait for someone to slip up so we can usurp. Was actually hoping it'd be you lot, naturally, and your bad patch would have been that opportunity but we forgot how to keep a clean sheet so lots of things went out the window. Now I'm hoping for euro footie again - ossibissa

They were for a UEFA Cup place and a minimum of 1 good cup run. They have been fulfilled almost - Carl

I expected us to maintain our 5th place but be further away from Arsenal as I expected you to be back up challenging for the title - AngerManagement

Most Spurs fans' expectation at the beginning of the season should openly admit that they would be, as usual, much higher than realistically achievable. I personally expected a close run for CL again and also much better Cup runs than last year, hoping we would win one of League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup. I expect us now to push for Europe and get 6th or 7th place - liberty

A strong league finish and some valuable experience in Europe. Expectations now are for just a strong league finish! - JJetset

Who have been your best players this season and who do you think could make the difference for you this Saturday?

Berbatov, Jenas, and Chimbonda stand out for me. Over all the squad has looked very good in all areas, the like sof Zokora and Taino have looked immense in the last few weeks - Capocrimini

Dimitar Berbatov for me, he's been a different class at times. One of the best players I've seen at WHL in my life time - ChubbSpur

Easiest question of the lot. Berbatov and Berbatov! Tainio is an unsung hero IMO and also the presence and absence of King speaks volumes every season. Zokora is starting to show more and more what we expected of him (bar his shooting!) - ossibissa

Defensively, Lee Young-Pyo has been the best player for me, overall though I would have to say Robbie Keane. I don't like him but he's impressed me a lot this season - Carl

Berbatov has been our best player and is most likely to cause you trouble on saturday. Dawson, Chimbonda and Keane have also had good seasons. I think Lennon will have a dangerous game come saturday however - AngerManagement

Berbatov, Dawson and Chimbonda.For Saturday I would say an on form lennon and Berbie of course - JJetset

Which of your players have been really disappointing this season and why?

I dont think many have been, Robbos form has been worrying, and Ledleys injuries played a part in our inconsistency this season, particulary in the first half - Capocrimini

Zokora before Xmas just didn't look interested, but has played better since. Mido has been poor, looks very unfit - tototoner

Pascal Chimbonda. His defensive work is really weak and after chasing him for so long, and the fanfare with which he arrived at Spurs I expected him to at least be able to defend. If you want to hammer us at the weekend, do what Wigan did and attack down your left - Carl

Zokora disappointed me over the first half of the season but is showing much improvement now. I think all our players have had dissapointing moments and periods rarther then anyone disappointing totally. However I will say Defoe is still to become the world class striker I expected him to (for whatever reason) - AngerManagement

Zokora. Started so well, got Malaria and never really recovered. Robinson. Ok I have a reason for this, I believe he is a top class keeper, but I believe this season he hasn't led the defence or made himself a dominating force at the back but has still come up with the goods when asked of most of the time - Winchy85

Robinson, definitely. We've let in far too many goals this season, one of the most amount in the Premiership. Blame has to be put on a rotating defence every other game due to injury and lack of form by England's number 1 - liberty

How much do you think you have missed Michael Carrick?

Carrick was integral to our play the previous season, however it took him a season to bed. The same things happening in Manchester its taken him a while to bed in and now hes on fire. Back tot he question I think JJ and Zokora are a diffrent partnership as neither are killer passers of the ball, but both will work hard and run like maniacs. The last few weeks even months we are egining to see th ebest of them. To answer the question we missed him the first half of the season - Capocrimini

In different ways, attacking we're pretty free scoring at the moment, defensively we definitely need more protection and we miss what he offered us in that department - ChubbSpur

I think the league table answers that one quite clearly sadly for us - ossibissa

Jol had more or less built the team around him last year, so losing him ripped the heart from our team. I would say this was largley responsible for our slow start and lack of consistancy - AngerManagement

I don't necessarily think we've missed him as we've managed to play without him and still achieved many more things in some aspects this season than last. If we had Carrick along with the new guys we have bought in, we would be better, yes. However, if we still kept on to Carrick, would we have signed the likes of Zokora? Would Ghaly have played as much as he has done this season with IMO some great contribution to important games - liberty

At the beginning of the season we missed him REALLY badly, nobody can deny that, but in the period following Christmas, he has been missed a lot less. I actually think, attacking wise we are better off without him because we can now attack with pace whereas he tended to slow things down a lot. Defensively we still miss him - Carl

I still maintain he plays the easiest position on the pitch, well did for us, and I think we have a better player in the making in Huddlestone, but you can't deny we've missed him this season! - Winchy85

Can you see your other promising young English players like Aaron Lennon sticking around?

Yup he has a long term contract and only Chelsea or Man Utd will be willing to pay the 15-20 mill required for us to even consider letting him go. Both Campbell and Carrick were either finishing or had little time left on their contract - Capocrimini

Yes, club is in its best footballing , coaching set up and financial situation in years - tototoner

If we push on next season having learnt a few lessons this season. If not then I'll start to worry. Recently signed a long term contract so there's cash in it for us if he wants away - ossibissa

Yeah, I think we have a strong backbone to the team with some promising English players who I think will want to stay with us - Winchy85

Yes in the short term whilst the club is starting to go places if we lose other key personnel I believe they will all start to drop off - JJetset

Most of our young English players are on very long contracts, so yes, they should, theoretically stick around. The only way they will be leaving is if they want to and with a lot of money coming our way. We're in a good position with our young English players because of this. Carrick is a good example of getting top money for English players - liberty

Martin Jol has done a good job since being appointed manager, do you think he is the right man to take you even further up the table?

Martin Jol is getting better and better as a manager I really hope to see him at the healm for another good few years. This club needs to consistently improve and the 3ish seasons hes been here we have gotten better and better - Capocrimini

Definitely the right man for the job for me, although occasionally he has me pulling my hair out because of some decisions he's made that I really haven't agreed with, other times I've been pulling my hair out just to look like the legend! - Winchy85

Without a doubt. Time is a precious commodity for spurs managers so I'm hoping he gets at least another couple of seasons to realise his vision. It pains me to say but you lot have been playing the free-flowing football of our glory years and we want it back! I firmly believe he's the man to deliver that - ossibissa

Without a shadow of a doubt. He is still learning the Premiership game and has brought us our highest Premiership finish already. He has the full backing of the squad and has created an atmosphere at Spurs where players want to stay, want to join and want to play - Carl

I think he can, it is a slow process. We were probally 10 years behind the big four before he took over, while we are still some way behind I think most will acknowledge the gap as closed somewhat - AngerManagement

I feel Jol is always learning as are most managers. He has made some tactically inept decisions this season which have cost us dearly but I feel that he is a brilliant representative for the club. He is very passionate about Tottenham without being arrogant and he has many good qualities. We will only improve if we keep a consistency and I think Jol is important for that consistency. A great Tottenham man in the making - liberty

Jol admits the Carling Cup defeat to us earlier in the season is still hurting him, what do you think went wrong for you against many of our young players in that semi-final?

The Arsenal youngsters were fantastic, and the Spurs team looked tired and disjointed - Capocrimini

Don't kid yourself, we have just as young a team as you do, complacency let us down - tototoner

Over the last few years, the Arsenal 2nd team/youth players have proved they're very competent in the League Cup. I think you just simply had more of a desire to win and progress to the final of the League Cup than we did. A couple of individual errors cost us dearly too - liberty

I think when Berbatov came off injuried and we lost the 2 goal lead the team as a whole lost their bottle. I think we mentally lost the game, it also resulted in a bad run of results in the league before we regained that lost confidence - AngerManagement

We didn't fight. We lost the battle of the physical presence which in the end was our weakness. We also weren't clinical infront of goal at this stage of the season, we've recently started bagging the chances, a month or 2 too late - Winchy85

I hate this young player thing you goons go on about our team for the whole season has been as young as yours the average ages are not that different - Mchillio

Your young players are all very good and age is irrelevant as they are all quality. Injuries and naivity didn't help either. Oh and Rocha heading a ball on the floor for your 2nd! - JJetset

I'm not buying this 'young players' team, despite their age, alot of the players who played for you over both legs are first teamers, we simply lost to an Arsenal squad. I think it was a bit of naivity at times, esp. in the first leg. And I hate to be a one man team, but when Berbatov went off injured, it makes me think what could of been - MrWoolley

It's not all gone too smoothly for Arsenal either, why do you think we've gone wrong against so many of the smaller sides this season?

Overplaying, and not having a natural scorer of goals - Capocrimini

Because you need a balance of youth and experiance and you just don't have that, try buying an oldie like Davids, did us the world of good - yid0

You lack a real instinctive goal scorer and your search for goals at times leaves you exposed at the back - ChubbSpur

Footie is a little cyclical and I think introducing new players played a part. Don't think your new stadium helped either but you seem to be settling there - ossibissa

Haven't watched too many non-spurs games but from the results I would say scoring goals has proved problematic for you lot at times. The lack of an atmosphere at your ground can't help either - Carl

Obviously the clinical striker is missing I'd say, put a player like Anelka back in your side, and you're challenging again. Also it's hard for young players to consistently perform at this level when still adjusting to the game and maturing as players - MrWoolley

Because no side in the Premiership is easy to beat, but fans take teams for granted and expect results, which we should, but we are never guaranteed anything as we should know - Winchy85

All of the smaller clubs rise to the bigger occasion against the top clubs, and to be honest, we've become a bigger club in some aspects over the last 18 months or so too, so we have experienced teams like Watford playing above themselves. Football is a funny old game and anything can happen. Sometimes the underdog does win. The smaller clubs don't possess the passing and technical skills of Arsenal, so they stick to their own, often physical game, which upsets Arsenal's style of play and makes for an interesting game – a la Bolton - liberty

With a lot of our key players out injured now, who do you fear most in this Arsenal side?

Cesc is a genius no doubt about it, and both the fullbacks have such a threat going foward - Capocrimini

Fabregas is the obvious choice but Gilberto Silva seems to understand the north london rivalry the best and always looks like he's ready to die for the cause against us - ossibissa

I suppose Rosicky is the player that can create something from nothing ie crack one in from a distance when the shot didn't seem on. In general it isn't a particualer player, but the cohesive unit and the best way to stop that unit gelling is to get in Fabregas's face - Joey55

Cesc Fabregas. Coming into form again recently and is a big big player for them. Admired his footballing abilities for 4 years now, finally being recognised, pity he hadn't left the scum before he was fully recognised though! Little guy with a big heart and will boss the opposition - Winchy85

No one in particular. Apart from Henry, Arsenal very much take the "team game" to the nth degree. I fear Arsenal more as a well lubricated team than I do individuals (other than the injured French guy they call Henry). van Persie is also a player you have injured who I would worry about - liberty

Fabregas. His performance in the second half of the Carling Cup first leg cut us open, and if he can add goals to his games, he can be one of the best CMs in europe in the next few years - MrWoolley

How do you expect Arsenal to fare in the race for third place?

I reckon they should finish third considering they have no commitments, but Liverpool are in the CL still - Capocrimini

Well enough to be in CL next year. Think you've had yer bad patch and Wenger won't let the CL slip away - ossibissa

I expect, and hope, they lose it to Liverpool - Carl

I think it will be very close, Liverpool seem to have better form right now but maybe the CL distraction could let Arsenal overtake while the scouse eye is off the ball - AngerManagement

Depends on how Liverpool go in their Champions league push as they haven't looked too flash this last week in the league.You have some easy games coming up too - JJetset

Liverpool have the fixtures and the ability to comfortably gain third place. You'll finish fourth - MrWoolley

And finally let's have some predictions, three meetings to forget for you so far this season, will it be fourth time lucky?

3-2 Tottenham, and about time too - tototoner

Possibly. You are coming back to form and we can't keep a clean sheet but seem to have no probs scoring. If we can keep your midfield quiet - big ask - then we have a chance. I can't predict this one but there's a win in this for someone by 2 clear goals at least - ossibissa

With our defensive problems a hell of a lot is going to hinge on whether or not Ledley King plays and just how good Richardo Rocha is at left-back.

With King playing and with Rocha playing as well as he does at CB, Tottenham 3 Arsenal 2

With King out, Rocha in the middle and someone out of position at LB Tottenham 3 Arsenal 3

If you attack Chimbonda like Wigan did Tottenham 2 Arsenal 5 - Carl

Tottenham 3 - 1 Arsenal. I haven't seen us lose this season and have a good feeling about Saturday - Winchy85

Obviously being biased I would always say yes, but this time I really think we will come away with the 3 points - JJetset

We NEED this result as do Arsenal. I think it will be a score draw, perhaps 2-2. It's very much a case of the 2nd string Arsenal strikers vs. the leaky Tottenham defence - liberty

I think it's going to be an open game, my heart says 3-1 Yids, Head says 2-2 - MrWoolley

Thanks to those at www.spurscommunity.co.uk who co-operated. To follow the discussion thread in full, click here.

User Comments

g

Posted on 22 Apr, 2007 at 10:46 AM - Reply

glad to see some civilized spurs . A species nearing extinction, sadly

Sunaadh

Posted on 22 Apr, 2007 at 05:22 AM - Reply

Mr. Brus, you are a BRAVE man.

Carl

Posted on 21 Apr, 2007 at 11:42 PM - Reply

Like all supporters, we have good and bad amongst us. Generally, if you're act respectfully you'll be treated with respect in return.

Sorry that you met some of the less cordial Spurs faithful today Mags.

mags

Posted on 20 Apr, 2007 at 10:22 PM - Reply

well, they seem to be a fairly civilized bunch! had a different impressison hanging out in the lobby. (i'm a yank and didn't know about the rivalry until this season.)

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