The Rehearsal

Still basking in the warm afterglow of our brilliant quarter final against Fulham we now have a rehearsal of our semi-final tie with a home game against a doomed Pompey. I have nothing but sympathy for Pompey’s fans (with the exception of the berk with the bell) and their current demise highlights the massive incompetence of the ruling bodies of our fine game.

Hopefully this game will give the media a chance to get the ‘Harry vs Portsmouth’ bullshit out of their systems so the semi-final can be looked forward to as a spectacle in itself as opposed to the tempestuous relationship between man and club. It’s incredibly patronising that the media will think that Portsmouth will be viewing their trip to Wembley as a chance to get back at Redknapp rather then it being the highlight of their worst of seasons.

Our league form should be described as spiffing considering our injury situation rumbles on. Four straight wins has been cracking, every team around us dropping points makes it even sweeter. Much was made out of ‘games in hand’ by City and Villa fans however they are only any use if you actually win the points. Villa’s two draws and City’s loss to Everton means we are all on equal games and we still rule the roost. We need to look to stretch the advantage and make it five in a row against the bottom club.

Complacency will always be my biggest concern with Spurs. Somehow it always seems to get the better of us when the going creaks into getting good. The corresponding fixture at Fratton Park saw us scrape a win with ten men in a gritty game and the help of Dindane’s hat-trick of comedy efforts. Shame they can’t afford to play him anymore, his finishing skills could have come in handy.

Pompey seemingly down and out won’t roll over and pander to our cause. Avram Grant will have his men fired up for this game and we need to expect our rivals to be turning it up to eleven. Desire and heart will get you so far but there is a stark difference in quality. Weakened further by the elbows of the Chav’s and O’Hara being ineligible to play means the threadbare Pompey squad has about as much clout as candy-floss. We on the other hand, for all our injuries, seem to only have one position of stark concern.

We began the season with an abundance of right-backs and now we have no recognised players to slot in there. Our two resident full-backs have joined the injury army, Corluka suffering with an ankle sprain and Walker a broken arm. Our other two right backs got sent ‘oop north. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but we do have some adequate, unconventional options ready to step in. Kaboul can step in to face his former club and BAE done a job there against Bolton so it’s not all doom and gloom.

We need to approach this game with the same rigour and intent as we will expect at Wembley. We need to be picking up maximum points against the teams below us, there are no excuses for not getting all three points. Harry and his team have me believing again. Usually this is an ominous sign of impending doom but I’m feeling myself getting carried away regardless. Here’s hoping the players share the belief the fans are feeling right now.

We still hold on to fourth so lets allow the teams to keep chasing us as they have proved a lack of bottle recently. We are the form team out of the contenders at the moment so I think the only prediction to make is a comfortable home win. 3-0 for me, Crouch to break his goal duck with a hat trick.

Nice