Man oh Man (U)

Yesterday morning, looking forward to the big game against Manchester United, Agatha enjoyed reading Daniel Taylor's (@DTguardian) Saturday interview with Gareth Bale. Further cheer was to be found in an article on Villas-Boas's support for Jermain Defoe. Norman (Agatha's other half) has long felt that Jermain has been underappreciated, and didn't get played as often as he should. On the other hand, you can always rely on  The Sun and The Daily Mail to pen spurious reports, this time on supposed dissent in the Tottenham team and the players' dissatisfaction with Villas-Boas. No sources or quotes, just general sniping. (The #DailyFail also picked up the Bale interview and ran with a ridiculous headline about Bale wanting to leave Spurs to play abroad).

What better way to counter such mendacious reports than to go to Old Trafford and play a blinder! From the opening goal two minutes in - Vertonghen's first for Spurs - it was sizzling! Agatha loves to see Bale outrun players like a wee boy at school sports day; he left Ferdinand standing to slip a second goal away. Half-time whistle came and we were still 2-0 up! Man U were always going to come out fighting after Fergie's half-time bollocking. Three further goals in 2 minutes kept the excitement up. Lovely to see Dempsey also get his first goal for Spurs. And then the lads dug in, and stood up magnificently to the relentless pressure from United. It was a long nail-biting half, and then the 4 extra minutes on top (isn't Ferguson a laugh? denying teams time to win!). Amazing result. We were brilliant! So chuffed. Happy, happy Lilywhites! We have such talent in individual players - old and new; the team is really shaping up fabulously.

Vertonghen Chant
Agatha and Mildred, we do like our chants. Interestingly, the "Super Jan" chant appears to have been supplanted, as foreshadowed on Twitter. Altogether now (to the tune of Volare):
Vertonghen, Oh-oh
Vertonghen, Oh-oh-oh-oh
He came from Amsterdam
To play for Tottenham

Mildred is now joining in the tweeting - follow us on @TheGirlsFromWHL

Euan the Octopus
And finally, watching the game with Agatha and Norman on ESPN yesterday was the son of friends, six year old Euan (a Chelsea supporter - we blame the parents). Before the game started he had predicted 3-2 to Spurs. Apparently he had a pretty good run predicting scores last season. So if you fancy a flutter, he reckons 3-0 for Spurs against Aston Villa on 7 October.

Agatha

Dembélé Debut

The White Hart Lane crowd gave Mousa Dembélé a warm welcome when he made his first appearance in the second half line up in our game against Norwich City today. He looked eager for the ball, and obliged with a lovely goal in the 68th minute. However – again – we couldn’t hang onto the lead; within 10 minutes Snodgrass had scored the equaliser, and we had to make do with 1 point.

As well as Dembélé, Brad Friedel and Jan Vertonghen both had great games, in Agatha’s humble opinion. She’s still not sure about Bale’s roaming role, but she did like Sandro playing deeper. Adebayor coming on in the second half also injected some spark into the play. It has been a bit of a frantic transfer window week, and it is going to take some time for our new manager to shape his team. Remember, we’ve lost Van der Vaart and Modric, Leldley has gone, and Scott Parker and Younes Kaboul are both out with injury.

Agatha felt uncomfortable at the match today, but it wasn’t the action on the field that was the problem. Don’t you hate it when you are sat next to so called fans, who complain loudly throughout the match about how effing useless their own players are? Substituting Huddleston for Defoe did seem an ill-judged decision, and Villas Boas sure got a lot a lot of stick for that from Mouth Man and mates (after the equaliser went in). And the referee and one linesman did make some dubious decisions. But booing at the end of the game? Not in my name, please. All that negativity floating around – so wearing. What's the betting that when our season tickets (eventually) come up, we’ll be sat next to them …

Agatha and Mildred

Good Luck Luka!

We couldn’t let the signing of Luka Modric to Real Madrid go by without saying a few words of fond farewell. This is only Mildred’s third season as a Spurs’ fan, but she saw that the skill and mastery of Modric was special, and marked him out as a class player. His midfield role was crucial in the team; so what if he didn’t score many goals himself?

‏@EPLStatman: Luka Modric created 96 chances for Spurs last season - this was more than any other Spurs player #THFC #RMFC

There are lots of writings (and puns) floating around today about the diminutive Croatian, who has been a giant of a player in the team. We have collected together a few of the good ones that appeared in our Twitter stream this morning.

ITV (@itvfootball) gives you all the facts on the player’s history – Factfile: Get the Lowdown on Luka Modric

Paul Smith (@SpursOdessey) looked back over his time at Spurs – The Last of the Croatians

@Lustdoctor wrote this piece – Luka Modric: A Strange Goodbye - raising the question of the "partnership".

Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) to Sky Sports News praised Levy for making a shrewd deal and negotiating the partnership - Modric Move "Smart".

There’s been a bit of discussion over what the partnership agreement means. The official Club announcement  says “The partnership agreement will see the two Clubs working together in respect of players, coaching, best practices and commercial relationships.”   Even Gary Lineker and Lord Sugar had a Twitter exchange about it. We'll see.

Anyway, what was noticeable on Twitter was the good feeling among fans toward Modric. (Agatha’s Norman always thought he was a bit moody). Here's a selection of some of the wishes winging their way over to Spain via the Twittersphere -

‏@VanDerWard: I know there are a lot of trollers, but seriously. All the best to Modric at RM, class player going to a triffic club.

‏@bghayward: My favourite Modric moment: assist for VDV in 3-1 CL win over Inter at White Hart Lane. Wonderful.

‏@SamVasserG: Gutted to wake up to the news that my beloved Luka Modric has signed for Real Madrid. The best player I've ever seen in a #thfc shirt.

‏@AntPlas: weve all known its been coming for a while, so im genuinely suprised i feel this gutted. Modric is an unbelievable player. he will be missed

‏@LiamHoughton128: I'll miss watching Luka Modric play in the Premier League, he's a fantastic player.

@morgoroth106: Thank you and goodbye Luka Modric, you have been world class for us as you will be for Madrid, All the best Modders!

‏@TheGirlsFromWHL: RT @realmadriden: Luka Modric already in Madrid! http://twitpic.com/ao8b4a  Good luck Luka! We had a ball!

@AmAnVaJa: Good luck to Luka Modric! You will be missed at the lane! All the best at your new club! Now its time to spend Mr Levy!

‏@jase7t2: Well looks like #Luka is finally going to #realmadrid but I'm not bitter, Thank you for some good memories & good luck‏

@Ali0Fawaz: Luka Modric thanks for everything & hope you all the best with Real Madrid

And finally, one last rendition of Luka’s chant (although Agatha couldn't understand why “My name is Luka …”- you know, Suzanne Vega - never caught on):

Na na na na, Na na na na, Hey he-ey, Luka Modric!

Buena suerte, Luka!

Agatha and Mildred

 

Bitter, bitter sweet

Far more bitter than sweet. Drawing 1-1 at home against West Bromwich Albion in the second game of the season, having outplayed them throughout. Hitting the back of the net three times, twice disallowed. Conceding the equaliser in extra time after a goalmouth shambles (what was Friedel doing just standing on the goal-line?). And Agatha lost her new glasses in the East Stand.

Sweet was Ledley’s reception at half-time, and Benoit’s corker of a goal in the second half. (Have we mentioned that Agatha has a bit of a crush? She likes to call him by his first name.)



A brief few moments of sunshine today

Mildred couldn’t make it to the match today, but we are both still hopeful for the new season. Livermore is growing in confidence and linking up well with Walker. Sandro was solid (mostly), and Friedel, aforementioned shambles apart, was otherwise safe.  Vertonghen was a bit shaky at the start and got turned a couple of times by Lukaku, but he looked pretty tidy overall.  We like Bale playing wide, and he had a good game today.

And anyway, we’re usually here or hereabouts at this stage. Sigh. Onwards and upwards.

Agatha

And so it begins ...

Good game, shame about the result. First game of the season, away to Newcastle – much better than our first game last season. That thrashing from Man City is still painful. Agatha and Mildred agree with the general post-match observations – result did not reflect performance or shots on goal, and, obviously, we need a striker.  On the positive side: the team looked comfortable,  Defoe and Bale both hit the woodwork, and Sigurdsson looks like a stylish player who could fit in well. Last season Modric was a crucial linchpin in the team, but now - new season, new players, new manager … we’re looking forward to a new team shape, and Mildred has a good feeling about it all.  

And, despite the less than overwhelming response to our challenge yesterday, here are all the players we could think of who had played for both Tottenham and Newcastle:  Sebastien Bassong, Sol Campbell, Stephen Carr, Rio Ferdinand, Ruel Fox, Paul Gascoigne, David Ginola, Jim Iley, Jermaine Jenas, Kevin Scott, Chris Waddle, Jonathan Woodgate. Have we missed any?

Till next week!

Agatha and Mildred

To Dare Is To Do

We meant to do this all last season. Start a Spurs blog. We know there are lots of them (and we'll review some over the next few weeks). This one is a wee bit different, maybe. Written by Agatha and Mildred - one long-time Spurs fan, one recent adopter - it is a serious (well, not too serious), bronze members',  female view from The Lane.

Agatha and Mildred are looking forward to the first Premier League game of the season today, away to Newcastle. Has Mildred got ESPN now though? Agatha was at St James' Park just a couple of weeks ago in fact, to watch an Olympic football match - Brazil v New Zealand. "Not so much a defeat for New Zealand, more of a total humiliation" she reports. She is getting a bit dotty, it has to be said;  she thought it was a women's match she was going to - Howay the lasses! It was only when the (rather butch) players came out on the pitch she realised her mistake. She had been wondering at the full stadium ...

Can you name 10 players who have played for both Spurs and Newcastle?  (Answer in tomorrow's blog post).

Also to come: Agatha and Mildred's brief summary of last season; early impressions, hopes and fears for this season; match reports; best chants; OHOTT (Overheard on the Terraces) gems; photos (mostly from the West Stand, probably); anything we find interesting about our following of the Mighty Spurs.

We Are The Girls From White Hart Lane!

Agatha and Mildred