Sixteen Tons

Harry Redknapp obviously doesn‘t care about my feelings. In his pre-match interview Harry seemed itching to tell the world that he reckons nineteen points will be enough for Tottenham to reach the big time. Such bold statements leave me wrought with panic and in the run up to yesterdays game was enjoyed breathing into a brown paper bag.

I try to avoid such predictions and take each game as it comes. I may be privy on here as to predict a one off result but to set a long term target takes far more obsessive analysis of fixtures. Now all I can think about when going into any league game is how is the result going to impact on us and every other league fixture, ours or any of our rivals. My plan to be blissfully ignorant of any future games and focussing on the task at hand is now fraught with panic as now '16 points' flashes and flickers like a neon sign. Although each point will be savoured and the number slimmed down, any points dropped is now going to be met with panic attacks as to where we are going to make up lost ground.

Yesterdays game though saw us eat into Harry's challenge with a competent if not swashbuckling 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers. I didn't write a preview of the game for other commitments but also because of a deep hatred I hold for Sam Allardyce. I’ll have to stop myself writing about him or else this will turn into a hate speech over his poxy, self important ego and fat, stupid face. Safe to say I wanted our pretty boys to smash Fat Sam's negative route one tarts.

With injuries still dogging the squad it was pretty much as you were from the team at Fulham with the exception of Defoe stepping in for a benched Crouch. We played the game in pretty much the same way too. The same issues seemed to dog us as slow build up and lack of penetration made us relatively toothless in the early part of the game. At least when playing at home we did look more urgent and busier in our play, however the fact Dawson to Bale was our most effective attacking tactic speaks much for how the game was played.

In the end our opening goal on the stroke of half time came from the unlikeliest of sources. Set piece goals have never been the strongest suit of any Tottenham team (mainly because most of our corners fail to beat the first man) but to score one again a team who rely on them was a welcome change. Niko bending one in near post, Charlie's intelligent run onto it and his deft flick to a predatory Defoe. It was like watching Blackburn which probably why that goal was particularly delicious.

Bale on the left was our strongest attacking outlet (again...not sure how many times I can say that) but his cause was helped by facing an very slow, very old man. I'm not sure how many times our wing heeled Welshman jogged past Salgado at half pace with the old man struggling to keep up but it bordered on hilarity.

Willy P was at his industrious best and I think looks better for using more controlled aggression with massive impetus being place on him never being allowed to receive a yellow ever again. Seeing as Howard Webb (more on him later) enjoys dicking us over I was sure he would receive one for any offence committed however he defended his patch masterfully.

Moddles was a little brighter than Fulham and his delightful flick to Defoe on the outside of his boot for our second was an utter joy. Pav's strike was weak and straight at the keeper but Jason Brown obviously wanted to show why he is a back up keeper proved it by letting the ball roll under his body meekly.

Pav on the whole had a poor game and showed us how limited a player he is on his left foot. Squandering chances like he was Bent, shinning them wide and over without even being able to get a clean connection. Such poor striking shouldn't be accepted for a forward at this level however he managed to score two and should have had a hatrick is how his luck is going for him at the moment. His second to put the game to bed at 2-1 was courtesy of a wonderful drilled cross on the ground from a half volley from our beautiful Bale. I’ll leave out his first effort from that passage of play…

Some controversy around Blackburn's goal (predictably from a set piece...) with Gomes apparently blocked off and Samba apparently climbing over Dawson. No complaints at CSWY about it and usually get frustrated when I see goals like that disallowed. Gomes messed up and Dawson got beat deal with it and move on. Why Spurs cannot shut out games at 2-0 is beyond me but then that wouldn't be Spurs would it.

Howard Webb usually causes trepidation within these walls and usually end up fearing the worst. However when he failed to give a penalty for a blatant foul by (an off colour) Corluka I thought the day may be ours. However Mr. Webb obviously doesn't like monkeys for when Bale was hacked inside and outside the box he didn't bat an eyelid. Also he blew up for a foul for Kalinic's perfectly reasonable goal late in the game. A bad game for the bald tit but as we got the three points less grumbles then usual.

Three points, sixteen to go. Each point is going to feel like a ton however their has been some good news. With Stoke and Sunderland nicking points off Villa and City respectively its been a good weekend. With their games in hand now having slightly less significance we can maybe start to be a little more optimistic.

Next weekend....Stoke.....away.......maybe not.