Raptor

I love this story :thup:

retired_rubbia

Hmmm, this is interesting.

I've never thought about being a fan instead of a manager in this series of games.

KUTGW. :thup:

retired_jgirl87

Cheers Raptor & Ryno, glad you're enjoying it.

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I gave Dad a call on Wednesday night to speak to him about the upcoming weekend’s football. Are you going to watch Fulham on Sunday? I asked him. Yes, he replied in a rather suspicious tone. Could you get me a ticket? I asked him. Why, Crystal Palace aren’t playing us, you know, he said. Of course I know that Dad, they’re playing Spurs, I responded. Ah, you’ve come to your senses, he said sounding relieved, you’re ready to come and see Fulham with me like we did when you were a little’un. I hesitated to answer as Dad was still on the wrong tack, just like he had been when I’d last spoken to him a couple of weeks ago. Dad, I want you to get me a ticket so that I can see the mighty Spurs play, not because of Fulham. The silly old bugger didn’t respond – all I could hear was the dial-tone buzzing in my ear after Dad had hung up on me!!

Sunday 26th September 2004:

Tottenham v Fulham – White Hart Lane, London

Spurs leapt from the gates as soon as the opening whistle went and ripped into Fulham. Only just over a minute had gone when Sean Davis released Simon Davies on the right and he advanced before sliding a low ball into the feet of Freddie Kanoute. There was no-one marking the lanky striker and Kanoute was able to power a first time shot past van der Sar from 14 yards range to put us 1-0 up. Kanoute set Robbie Keane up for a red-hot chance in the 5th minute, but a desperate lunge by Goma took the sting off the shot and van der Sar was able to gratefully clutch the deflected shot to his chest. There was no such luck in the 9th minute when Davis suddenly let rip with a 30 yard effort that beat van der Sar all ends up. Unfortunately it struck the cross bar and rebounded into play. Kanoute lunged forward to volley it back at goal, but van der Sar had regained his feet and was able to parry the shot. This time the rebound went in the direction of Keane and he made no mistake by crashing it back into the Fulham net to put us 2-0 in front. Fulham finally worked their first chance after 25 minutes, but Bonnissel’s header was well wide of the net. The skill of Bauri got Fulham back into the game after 29 minutes when he went past Erik Edman and found Cole just inside the box. Cole squared it further to Diop and he hit a low shot that got past Paul Robinson and made the score 2-1. Fulham’s McBride emulated the earlier effort of Davis by surprising Robinson with a sudden 30 yard effort that rattled the cross bar, but luckily Fulham didn’t have anyone on hand to meet the rebound. Davis then missed a good chance by shooting too hastily and just a minute before the break Keane broke into the box, but totally scuffed his shot and gave van der Sar an easy save. At times the play by Spurs had been breathtaking, but there hadn’t been total domination and we only led by 2-1 at half-time.

In the 54th minute we got a sweeping move going from right-back through the midfield to the left-wing involving half the team. It ended with Keane’s pass to Jamie Redknapp who had moved up to support the attack. Redknapp had time to force van der Sar to make a move one way before he went the other way and dinked the ball over the sprawling Dutchman to put us 3-1 up. The next serious chance fell to Fulham in the 65th minute. A Pembridge corner was flicked on at the near post by Goma and Knight met it in the centre with a powerful header. Thankfully Robinson was on his game and he dived quickly to his left to punch it away. However our defence didn’t learn from the experience and when Boa Morte took a corner in the 71st minute it was aimed at Cole on the near post. His flick found Knight again, but this time the defender’s downward header beat Robinson and the score was pulled back to 3-2. Minutes later Robinson had to parry Diop’s header and Ledley King hacked the loose ball away. Jermain Defoe had come on as a substitute for Kanoute, but the fact that he had been out of the team with injury recently was obvious when he dallied too long over a one-on-one with van der Sar and allowed Goma to get back and tackle him. Fulham pushed forward in numbers for the final 10 minutes and they were giving our defence a torrid time, but they protected Robinson with determination. In the 89th minute Fulham won a corner and even van der Sar came up for it. King headed it clear and Mauricio Taricco moved it on to Davies. As van der Sar sprinted desperately back to his position Davies lobbed it towards the Fulham net from the halfway line. I held my breath as it floated towards the goal, but it ended up in the side netting just three inches wide of the post. If that had gone in, it would have been the goal of the year for sure!! It was the final chance of the game though and Spurs had won the London derby by 3-2. It also took our unbeaten run to three matches and moved us up to 5th place on the Premier League table.

Tottenham 3 Kanoute 2, Keane 9, Redknapp 54
Fulham 2 Diop 30, Knight 71

Tottenham: Robinson, Taricco, King, Naybet, Edman, Davies, Davis (Mendes), Redknapp, Atouba, Kanoute (Defoe), Keane (Silva Sousa).

Fulham: van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Goma, Bonnissel (Pembridge), Bauri (Pearce), Diop, Jensen, Boa Morte, Cole, McBride (Radzinski).

My MOM: Freddie Kanoute – My favourite player led the line strongly and was especially dangerous in the first half.

Dilemma #1: Davis, Carrick, and Redknapp in the centre of midfield. Three into two doesn’t go!!

Dilemma #2: Could you fit Kanoute, Keane and Defoe in the same team? Please, Mr Jol, let me see it happen!!


Next up: Tottenham v West Brom – White Hart Lane, London

retired_jgirl87

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Premier League - 30th September 2004------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |Pos | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |1st | Liverpool | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 2 | +12 | 22 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |2nd | Chelsea | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 4 | +17 | 20 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |3rd | Arsenal | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 6 | +10 | 18 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |4th | Aston Villa | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 15 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |5th | Tottenham | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 13 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |6th | Newcastle | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 13 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |7th | Southampton | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 11 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |8th | Portsmouth | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 13 | -1 | 11 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |9th | Man Utd | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 10 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |10th | Bolton | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 10 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |11th | Charlton | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 10 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |12th | Fulham | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 9 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |13th | West Brom | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 9 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |14th | Everton | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 19 | -4 | 9 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |15th | Crystal Palace | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 9 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |16th | Man City | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 15 | -4 | 7 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |17th | Birmingham | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 12 | -4 | 7 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |18th | Norwich | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 | -8 | 4 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |19th | Middlesbrough | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 3 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |20th | Blackburn | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 15 | -10 | 2 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

retired_jgirl87

I was so glad that I had seen the error of my ways and dumped Crystal Palace. They had gone into free-fall since the start of September and hadn’t picked up a point since the mighty Spurs had beaten them a month ago. Palace’s form was pretty much as expected, of course. Mind you, there were some strange things going on in the Premier League this season. Who would have thought that Liverpool would have been unbeaten and leading the table at the start of October? Who would have predicted that Manchester United would have to haul themselves out of the bottom three and only be 9th after two months of the season? There were some things that were predictable though. One of them was that Spurs would have no trouble disposing of West Brom at White Hart Lane on Saturday. The Baggies had scraped together a couple of lucky wins and found themselves in 13th place. However Spurs, even without King, Carrick and Defoe this weekend, would have no trouble in taking the three points from them. Of that, I was sure.

Saturday 2nd October 2004:

Tottenham v West Brom – White Hart Lane, London

There was plenty of time to get settled in my seat at the Lane today as West Brom’s 5-3-2 tactic was played in such a defensive frame of mind that nothing of note happened until the17th minute. That was when Freddie Kanoute flashed a shot across the West Brom six-yard box and a couple of feet wide. Our next attack in the 19th minute was even more productive. After Erik Edman ran out of options on the left he played the ball back to Nourredine Naybet standing on the halfway line. The Moroccan sprayed a beautiful 50 yard pass to the right to Simon Davies and he took a controlling touch before sending an inviting cross into the box. Robbie Keane rose well at the far and powered a header back across Johnsen and into the far corner to put us 1-0 in front. I’d been a bit worried when I’d heard that Ledley King was out today and that Mbulelo Mabizela would be taking his place. However the South African was playing well and he twice saved us from being drawn level when he denied Kanu with a splendidly timed tackle inside the box after 25 minutes and then robbed Horsfield a minute later just as he was about to sidefoot into an empty net following Kanu’s layoff. Jamie Redknapp came close to extending our lead with a curling free-kick after 37 minutes that just clipped the top of the bar and he further demonstrated his long-range shooting by rifling a shot into the side-netting from 25 yards in injury-time. I was happy with our 1-0 lead at the break, but I felt that we should have been further in front.

Our start to the second half was quiet, but at least West Brom weren’t creating chances either. When Kanu threatened again in the 59th minute, Mabizela again stuck out a long leg to clear the danger. Finally though, Kanu did get free and he strode into a one-on-one situation with Paul Robinson. This time it was our keeper who made the save by diving brilliantly to his left to push away Kanu’s low shot. A lovely long ball by Redknapp after 71 minutes sent Davies away down the right wing and he crossed early towards the near post. I could see Kanoute arriving all on his own and he had to only pick his spot to beat Johnsen and score, but he inexplicably headed over the cross bar. No wonder he sat on the turf with his head in his hands. A minute later and I thought that we were going to pay for Freddie’s miss when the nippy Earnshaw skipped past Naybet and homed in on our goal. However Robinson was determined to have a clean sheet today and his legs deflected Earnshaw’s goal-bound shot away for a corner. Around the 78th minute I told the bloke next to me that another goal should clinch the game for us and I’d barely finished speaking when Sean Davis took a quick free-kick into the feet of Redknapp who was just inside the dee. He drove a low shot towards the corner and Silva Sousa obscured Johnsen’s view of the ball, stepping over it at the final moment and allowing the Redknapp shot to strike the post and bounce into the net for a 2-0 lead to Spurs. That killed off the aspirations of West Brom who had doggedly hung onto us for the majority of the match. It also moved Spurs up to 4th on the Premier League table.

Tottenham 2 Keane 19, Redknapp 78
West Brom 0

Tottenham: Robinson, Taricco, Mabizela, Naybet, Edman (Pamarot), Davies, Brown, Redknapp, Atouba (Silva Sousa), Kanoute, Keane (Davis).

West Brom: Johnsen, Haas (Gera), Moore, Albrechtsen, Scimeca, Robinson, Koumas, Farinos, Johnson (Greening), Kanu, Horsfield (Earnshaw).

My MOM: Mbulelo Mabizela, who made sure that Ledley King wasn’t missed with a fine display in the centre of defence.

Very funny: When the guy in front of me called West Brom’s Robert Earnshaw “Dopey” and then sang the Seven Dwarves marching tune. Hilarious!!

Not so funny: When the fool behind me smeared tomato sauce all down the back of my new Spurs team jacket. What a flange!!


Next up: Liverpool v Tottenham – Anfield, Liverpool

Tekn50

It'll be interesting to see if following this route through the season will see you witness more or less defeats than if you'd stuck with the same team. Great stuff, if I could stand watching an AI manager control the mighty Spurs I'd have a game of it myself.

retired_somi

Intresting Idea (for the 100th time!) good job, and I have a feeling you will be Chelsea, Arsenal or Man Utd at least once this season!

retired_jgirl87

Majalo - I'll do a summary at the end of the season that may answer your question.

Stuart - There was an earlier comment similar to yours. I've found that the AI rarely has teams going through a whole season undefeated. So if I did end up at Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United, then I'm sure that I wouldn't remain there for 25 games or something similar.

retired_jgirl87

What a match we have coming up this weekend. Spurs are away to Liverpool and it’s first versus fourth. Liverpool are unbeaten with 8 wins and 1 draw from their 9 matches and they already lead Chelsea by 4 points. This will be a real test of Tottenham’s current good form in its four game unbeaten run. My work-mate Andy has really loved Spurs recent top form, but suddenly he has gone all soft and wimpy. He’s a Spurs fan just like me, but when I asked him about going up to Liverpool together for the match he mumbled something about not being able to go because his girlfriend wanted him to go shopping for a new sofa at Ikea. Now I know that Andy never misses a Spurs game unless it’s because someone has died and even then they’d have to be an immediate family member for him not to go. That’s why I’m so surprised that he is letting his girlfriend call the shots in their relationship now. Boy, will I give him some curry when I get back from Scouserland and tell him about our performance at Anfield.

Saturday 16th October 2004:

Liverpool v Tottenham – Anfield, Liverpool

As is generally the case when Spurs visit Liverpool, it was the Reds who piled on the pressure. It started as soon as the 3rd minute when Mauricio Taricco headed Carragher’s goal-bound header off the line following Riise’s corner. Liverpool had an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation in place with Luis Garcia, Kewell and the new sensation Jamie Kelly supporting Cisse up front. Luis Garcia was especially seeing a lot of the ball on the left side and he was giving last week’s hero Mbulelo Mabizela a tough time at right-back. The Spaniard crossed for Gerrard to head just over after 12 minutes and he then supplied a fine ball in the 17th minute for Cisse to run clear on the left, but the Frenchman shot straight into Paul Robinson’s arms. Cisse ran onto Kewell’s pass in the 23rd minute and produced a better shot, low to Robinson’s right, but our splendid keeper showed why he is currently number one for England by pushing it away for a corner. Sean Davis finally had the first shot for Spurs after 30 minutes, but his 20 yard effort was about a four feet wide of the target. Riise flashed a cross through the six yard box after 40 minutes, but luckily no-one from Liverpool was there to apply the finishing touch. As the first half came to an end it was Liverpool who had dominated the possession, but as is often the case in these games the clearest chance fell to the struggling side. It was Robbie Keane who wriggled free on the left and sent over a cross which found Freddie Kanoute all on his own on the penalty spot. Kanoute pulled the ball down and lined up Kirkland’s goal, but he amazingly blazed the ball six feet over the cross bar. Just like last week against West Brom, it was time for Freddie to sink to his knees and hold his head in shame. 0-0 at the break.

I was feeling tentative about our chances after seeing the pressure that we had to absorb in the first half, but that all changed 3 minutes into the second stanza. A long clearance by Robinson caught Hyypia and Carragher in two minds as to whether attack it and they both let it bounce. Kanoute ran onto the loose ball and was free, leaving Hyypia with no choice but to pull him back. Referee Alan Wiley also had no choice and he immediately sent the Liverpool captain off. Henchoz came on for Kelly and Liverpool went to 4-4-1. That changed the entire complexion of the game and I was a bit surprised when Martin Jol didn’t push the team forward to try and take advantage of the extra man that Spurs now had. A half-volley that was two yards wide by Davis and a weak header by substitute Jermain Defoe was all that we had to show for the second half, whilst Robinson was not even tested by Liverpool. At least we didn’t lose at Anfield this season, but I was actually disappointed with the 0-0 final result.

Liverpool 0
Tottenham 0

Liverpool: Kirkland, Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Kelly (Henchoz), Kewell, Luis Garcia (Hamann), Cisse (Sinama-Pongolle).

Tottenham: Robinson, Mabizela, Naybet, King, Taricco, Davies, Davis (Mendes), Redknapp, Atouba (Brown), Kanoute, Keane (Defoe).

My MOM: Paul Robinson for his first half saves, but it could have been nearly anyone in this lacklustre match.

Amazing fact #1: Harry Kewell looks much fatter in real life than he does on the telly. Intriguing!!

Amazing fact #2: My work-mate Andy must have an identical twin, because I saw him at the train station on the way back from Liverpool. Eerie!!


Next up: Tottenham v Southampton – White Hart Lane, London

retired_jgirl87

I’ve got two good reasons to go to the football now – not only do I get to see the mighty Tottenham play, but I’ve also met myself a bird. Her name is Karen and I met her on the train back from Liverpool last Saturday. She’s from a mad keen Spurs household – her Dad, Mum and four brothers all support the club – and they only live two streets away from White Hart Lane. I tell you, she just about knows more about the history of Spurs than I do. We had a couple of drinks when we got back to London last Saturday and then I arranged to meet her on Wednesday for a curry. That night went real well and we are going to the match against Southampton together this Sunday. I tell you, what with Spurs doing so well on this current unbeaten run and me having met Karen, things couldn’t be much better in my life.

Sunday 24th October 2004:

Tottenham v Southampton – White Hart Lane, London

Oh dear, its games like this that are bad advertisements for football. Only 4 minutes had gone when Sean Davis headed Timothee Atouba’s left wing cross flush against the post. There were no Spurs players on hand to net the rebound and Oakley managed to smuggle it away. After that, the game went downhill fast. Long clearances, poor passes that failed to reach their intended targets and a lack of adventure by both sides characterised the game. The next chance on goal fell to Delap in the 39th minute when he found himself free 12 yards from goal after a deflected free-kick fell at his feet. Such was his surprise at receiving the ball that he snatched at his shot and screwed it 5 yards wide with only Paul Robinson to beat.

Only two chances of note were created in the second half. Thankfully they both fell to Spurs, but they weren’t anything to shout about. Simon Davies flashed a free-kick about a foot wide of the post in the 55th minute. The fans had to wait until the 78th minute for the second chance when Silva Sousa headed Davies corner well over from a good position. So that was it – another 0-0 draw after last week’s similar effort at Liverpool. I tell you, if I weren’t such an avid and loyal Tottenham fan, then I’d even consider following another team after that display today. But, of course, that sort of thing would never happen. After all, when you support a football club you have to take the thick with the thin.

Tottenham 0
Southampton 0

Tottenham: Robinson, Mabizela, Naybet, King, Taricco, Davies, Davis (Mendes), Redknapp, Atouba, Kanoute (Silva Sousa), Keane (Defoe).

Southampton: Niemi, Kenton (Dodd), Lundekvam, Higginbotham, Le Saux, Svensson.A, Delap, Oakley, Fernandes (Folly), Beattie, Phillips (Pahars).

My MOM: Timothee Atouba gets the award for some reasonable work on the left wing, but believe me, it’s nothing to be proud of in this match.

High-point: Walking into White Hart Lane and looking forward to thumping Southampton. Hopeful!!

Low-point: The turgid 90 minutes that followed. Disgusted!!


Next up: Portsmouth v Tottenham – Fratton Park, Portsmouth