Good evening.
The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. ‘Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?’ he asked.
‘Begin at the beginning,’ the King said gravely, ‘and go on till you come to the end: then stop.’
As discussed at length and almost dare I suggest predicted on this week’s show we are suffering all over the shop. That’s as plain as the nose on your face. But what’s the right response? Is AVB a clown? Are Levy & Co. a shower of bean counting shysters? Do our players need keel hauling and flogging?!
The Blame Game is a doll, eh?. It’s the most inclusive game in the world. Literally anyone can play. You don’t need any ability to reason or analyse. Just a strong desire to pin your metaphoric tail on the metaphoric donkey of your choice.
Before we get going on the ‘attitude’ of the crowd at White Hart Lane, let me not be accused trying to peddle opinion as fact in this respect. How we laughed at Arsenal. The Emptycrates. How we sniggered at ‘Arsenalisation’ and what it meant. They moved from a library into a purpose built monument to ambition and it turned out to have all the soul of an NCP car park.
This week however Arsenal fans have given us an exhibition in how to support. Losing 4-0 to the mighty Reading during the week and they were unrelenting in their support. Song after song. Earlier today they were losing away 0-2 to Manchester United. They sang, ‘We love you Arsenal, we do’ with a passion, a pride and a determination that was nothing shy of historic.
These are supporters who are seriously feeling that most horrible of pangs. Watching a former player be pivotal in their 90 minutes of demise. But they refused to give up. Old Trafford didn’t even really try drown them out because the home tribe acknowledged the away tribe’s strength and their honour.
White Hart Lane to me has for some time become over infested by people who behave as if they are going to the cinema. They take their seats and wait for the performance to please them. People who aren’t part of a tribe anymore. These weaklings have let the burden of expectation turn them into members of an audience, not supporters.
Never in the history of the world has there been such a time for a football fan to voice their opinion. Never. iPhones, android, apps, iOS Face Time, Facebook, Tweet, Skype me baby, call us now – we’re live and want to take your call, blog, use a net book, home office mate, log in to the forum now!
Who needs information.This high off the ground
Just give me confirmation We could win a million pounds
Who needs information When you’re living in constant fear
The first line of defence tends to be the line, ‘I’m entitled to my opinion.’ Of course you are, dear. But given the myriad options available… does enforcing the silent treatment, huffing or booing strike you as being amongst the most constructive options? Is that support?
The second line of defence tends to be the line, ‘Well at least I go!’ This dear reader is the suicide note of suicide notes. Who could possibly regard that of having discernible value? This is like the world’s worst employee pointing to his attendance record. ‘Yeah, I was the cancer of the business, fair cop. But I was never late for work!’
What of the fans that simply cannot attend? Is the girl in India a second rate fan? Is the man in Canada an idiot? Is the mother of 4 in Norfolk a time waster? No. The answer is too many idiots are over inflated with their own sense of self importance and indeed worth.
I’m aware of the pressures modern day fans face. Cost, burden of expectation all that jazz. My response to those of you weak willed enough to hide behind these and other pieces of equally worthless rubbish is simple. Ever thought this isn’t for you? Devote your time to something that gives you actual pleasure. Collect stamps, take up sewing, take a small plot of your garden, tend it and grow something. Root vegetables are as much of a reward to some as a sophisticated vine.
Tomorrow we’ll discuss the squad and the way the boss has used it thus far.
Supporters vent their frustration for a reason…..the reason is the clown who is managing our club constantly makes baffling decisions in EVERY game we play!! Even when we win it’s by the skin of our teeth and after he’s made a ludicrous substitution….Livermore on to shore up the team is a particular favorite of his, to which inevitably leads to an opposition goal. AVB is a clueless idiot with no tactical nous…..you used to harp on about Redknapp not having a plan B……well I’m not convinced AVB has a plan A!! We will NEVER achieve anything under his guidance and stubborn, idiotic mentality. Slow, chess-like football is not what I call entertainment….
That is amazingly insightful. If I get it tattooed on my bottom will you want a royalty?
About as insightful as the yawn-fest blog you continue to drone on about……was the same when HR was manager, same old drivel and pig ignorant bullshit. You are pro-aVB because you made such a big deal about getting shot of Redknapp….if a Redknapp team had played like that today you’d have wanted his family home burnt, let alone been worried about a few boos. You are a fuckwit
PS…Under Redknapp we lost 0-1 at home to Wigan,Wolves, Norwich and Stoke, drew with Blackpool need I go on?
Allin Harrys first 2 months yeah??
Erm….no, Wigan loss was the season after the 9-1, the other defeats were long into Harry’s reign-His 2 month home losses were Everton at home 2008-9. The point I’m making is simply good managers can also produce poor displays and results-If we’ve hired a bloke for 3 years-don’t get knee-jerky after 10 games, under mitigating circumstances I may add. And before you ask-I was vocally pro-Moyes and wouldn’t have touched AVB with the proverbial, but I’m a supporter first and foremost, so I’ll go with the flow-for now anyway
We have not played anywhere near the level we have become used to in a full 90 mins this season. We could have easily got 0 or 1 point at home to the current bottom club QPR if it wasn’t for a mad few minutes. They were the better side IMO. AVB is a clown….the Chelsea players were unfortunately right I’m afraid…..he’s even trying to win the Europa but can’t beat the mighty Maribor or Panathanikos
The 1-0 defeat to Wigan in 2010 was our only home defeat that season.
Those I mentioned were not in the first 2 months of Harry’s reign-as was suggested! Wolves-Stoke defeats cost us dearly-Norwich last season cost Harry. I’m not arguing over Symantec’s-just emphasising that regardless of the result and against any opposition-bad performances are part and parcel and it’s players who win games-not managers!
I didn’t suggest it, that’s why I said it….every manager has bad results over their career, you named a few of Harrys but hat came over a period of years….AVB has had the same amount in 2 months
First up MBK,its a game about two teams, it’s not a cabaret, if you want entertainment-go watch a show-where entertainments guaranteed. But today was so dire, I left 15 mins before the end, and I haven’t done that since Hoddle was the boss. After Weds, I was a little peeved but put that down to the perils of cup football and thought we’d perform better today-boy, was I wrong-We were absolute tripe, but-I’ve seen better managers than AVB serve up tripe of a similar type and style to understand that you cannot condemn a bloke on a few dodgy displays-We need an impactual midfielder-Like Parker-Like Sandro-like Dembele to hold, break and move things along and that was missing today-Roll on Jan-As for the substitution meh!
Go to the away games have a beers and a sing song.
I did, last Sunday….and his halftime team talk + substitutions almost cost us 3 points v the worst team I’ve seen for a long long time. The 7-3-0 formation was scintillating for the last 15-20 mins at the St Marys…..
At least you can kid yourself the football is not as important away.
Pranny-well said. My thoughts are that there’s going to be games where it doesn’t go to plan and it certainly sounds like this was one of them! Harry your points as usual are well put and hopefully makes people step back and think what a supporter should be when things aren’t going well. Having said all that Defoe has been living on borrowed time and maybe LLoris could be now in with a shout at a run of games.
totally agree Harry! Blame does not help – I was watching in Canada and the players need lift – very muted atmosphere. Wigan played good stuff and we gotta get behind the lads. Dembele is a huge miss and Sandro going off is a worry. Carroll is a little Ossie in the making.
Carroll coming on was a mistake. We were chasing the game. I would have put Falque on and moved Bale inside. Bale was busting a gut today and we needed to get him on the ball as much as possible. Falque has a goal threat and that’s what we needed. Anyway, well done Gareth bale I could see you were trying so hard today to turn the game around.
Agreed about both Bale and Falque.
Ive seen the lowlights. I’m not sure about the black strip ? the chocolate one I liked for sure. The defoe lad has got taller? blonde hair? strange?
booing when in black and at home even stranger?
don’t know why everyone wants AVB out this is typical spurs 42 years man and boy..beat someone good lose to someone worse…booing is rubbish COYS