[Archived] Rovers 0 Spurs 1

[nottsrover]

My friend the Spurs fan has finally responded to my questions. Here you go:

1) Jacques Santini. What happened?

He was not the right man for the job. Don't think he liked working under Frank Arnesen but his defensive tactics would not have quelled the discontent at the Lane for long

2) How do you feel about Martin Jol's appointment?

Pleased. Been a big fan ever since he wrapped Defoe in a bear hug to protect him from a fired up David Weir earlier in the season. Weir backed off very quickly. Also seems to want to play the Spurs way.

3) Are Spurs living up to your expectations so far this season?

No - but we are turning the corner.

4) What do you think about Rovers so far?

Not much.

6) Who have been your best and worst players this year?

Best - Paul Robinson - England's number 1 for the next ten years.

Worst - Johnnie Jackson will soon be a makeweight in the Andy Reid deal.

7) What style of play can we expect from you on Saturday?

Attacking, passionate - responding to our penalty shoot-out defeat in the right way.

8) Which Rovers player are you most scared of?

Lucas O'Neill - but only cos I suspect he'll try and injure our wonderkid Ziegler

9) Any memories from Blackburn v Spurs games from the past?

The Worthington Cup final where a mixture of amazing luck and shocking refereeing saw you somehow beat us - with a 37 year old Mark Hughes playing in central midfield.

10) Where do you think both teams will finish at the end of the season?

Rovers - fourth from bottom.

Spurs - eighth

Apologies for missing out Mike England on the transfer front. I knew there was someone else and despite voting him into the greatest Rovers side could not remember him when I put the preview together.

[millionpints]

From the Beeb:

Hughes knows that victory will take Rovers level on points with Spurs, although they would need to win by five clear goals to overtake the Londoners.

haven't seen anybody with this ^ prediction yet.

I'll say Rovers 4 - 2 Spurs, from 2-1 down

[Ricky]

I have received some answers to questions from the wonderfully named Wyart Lane from 'My Eyes Have Seen The Glory'. Wyart has always done a Q and A with this site over the last few seasons. If you are interested in seeing my answers to his questions take a look at mehstg.co.uk.

What has gone wrong at spurs over the last few weeks

Not a lot has gone right for Spurs. The change in management (or head

coach-ment) has meant a new style. The rumours of the disagreements between Santini and Arnesen have rumbled on, but the official line is personal reasons (much like musical differences when bands split up). I think that the players were OK playing the defensive system, but when they went a goal behind, were unable to respond in attacking mode. The way we play now is much more like the Tottenham of old ... plenty of goals at both ends (but obviously, at the moment, more in our goal).

What do the fans think about the sudden resignation of Santini

I am not really surprised by anything at Tottenham these days. I heard

through the media, who phoned me to let me know, but he seemed to be getting it right at the back, without moving the team into a force who could

dominate other teams. That is all well and good, as Gerry Francis showed at Spurs, but there comes a time when you have to break out. They did it in the League Cup, but couldn't, or wouldn't, in the League.

The rumours are probably true about unrest, but Santini's comments about his role seem to be at aoods with how everyone else saw it and he has made himself look a little foolish by coming out with that as an excuse.

Any opinions on Martin Jol

I have met the man twice and he could talk all day about football. He has a great knnowledge of the game and especially of English football. his ideas will be more along the lines of the traditional "Tottenham Way", but I think the scale of the job on his hands is hitting home to him. He is realistic enough to know that you have to grind out some results and that the team have to realise this.

As a man in charge, he has the technical knowledge and motivational skills

to take the team on, but it is goign to take time. If he leaves this time

next year, we will be back in the cycle of despair that has taken us to

where we are now. With Man U having been after Jol, he is highly regarded and having had success with a small club in Holland, he knows how to build a team. January will be crucial for him to get HIS side out on the pitch (he is desperate to sign a winger), so we will have to see what happens in the

New Year.

Any players playing really well at the moment

Well, Ledley King has been a rock (except for his nervy match aginst the

Gooners); Reto Ziegler - who you prbably haven't heard of - is a powerhouse on the left of midfield and of course, Jermain keeps knocking them in, but who he will be doing that for this tie next year remains to be seen.

Who's having a mare

Fredi Kanoute and Robbie Keane look out of sorts. Anthony Gardner has been troubled by injury and every time he comes back into the side, seems to look at a loss for confidence. Apart from him, there are players who are not playing to the level they can and although not having individual nightmares, they add up to the team not functioning properly.

Any good young players breaking into the team

The aforementioned Ziegler is an 18 year old Swiss left footer and will be

in the side. Philip Ifil is a 17 year old right back, who Jol and all the

Spurs fans have great hopes for. Arnesen's contacts have brought some good youngsters in the reserves and they are just acclimatising to English

football ... there is an Aussie midfielder, a Portuguese striker and a

Brazilian centre-half !!

Do you think Jol will stay in the job or will Spurs look to bring someone

else in

In my opinion, Jol was laways lined up for the job and within 18 months he

would have been in charge anyway. Santini was the "name" manager brought in to sate the anger of the Spurs fans who had waited 9 months for Pleat to be replaced. But he was not going to be long term and the continental set-up was designed to have some continuity should this event happen. I think he will be given time as long as things go reasonably well and an improvement on 14th of last season will be evidence of that.

Are there any Rovers players you would like to see at Spurs.

I liked Reid at Millwall, but he has been injury hit since joining BRFC.

With Jol looking for a winger, Emerton has been mentioned and he looks like he has settled down now and is playing well.

What line up can we expect to see.

Robinson

Pamarot Naybet King (Davenport) Atouba

Carrick Mendes Brown Ziegler

Kanoute Defoe

Subs : Fulop, Davenport (Naybet), Redknapp, Ricketts, Keane

What is your prediction for the match

1-1 ... although Blackburn seem better at getting the odd point that Spurs,

but it is somethign we need to learn.

I'd like to thank Wyart for doing the Q and A session again. We have built a good relationship up with mehstg over the last few seasons and he is always more than happy to answer a few questions for the preview.

[broadsword]

9) Any memories from Blackburn v Spurs games from the past?

The Worthington Cup final where a mixture of amazing luck and shocking refereeing saw you somehow beat us - with a 37 year old Mark Hughes playing in central midfield.

What a Multiple expletive deleted by Admin - please don't use those words again.

<Bryan makes hand gesture in rough direction of North London.>

[bob fleming]

Are you surprised though Bryan? This is a BIG club we're talking about here and don't you forget it.

We'll win 2-0. Dickov and Thompson doing the business.

[Ozz]

Any news on the size of the travelling contingent?

Will they sit down?

If we win this game, I `ll be really chuffed and we will be on to something.

If we lose then it`s back to square one and the momentum has to be rebuilt.

A real test for Hughes this as it will affect the morale running into the xmas programme.

[Roaming Rover]

2) How do you feel about Martin Jol's appointment?

Also seems to want to play the Spurs way.

Whats the 'spurs way'?

Talking about how your the best team ever and will win everthing in sight, before finishing just below midtable and winning sod all

Good post Brian, I couldn't have put in better myself

2-1 to Rovers

Dickov & Emerton

Defoe for them.

[SharrockDownSouth]

Are you surprised though Bryan? This is a BIG club we're talking about here and don't you forget it.

We'll win 2-0. Dickov and Thompson doing the business.

Nay! A MASSIVE club, surely!

Spurs 1 - 1 Rovers

[American]

1) Jacques Santini. What happened?

He was not the right man for the job. Don't think he liked working under Frank Arnesen but his defensive tactics would not have quelled the discontent at the Lane for long

2) How do you feel about Martin Jol's appointment?

Pleased. ... Also seems to want to play the Spurs way.

I think these 2 quotes show why the Spurs never win. God forbid they have a coach who is building a solid, defensive team that can turn into winners. They'd rather have a coach losing 5-4 matches.

[Tony Diamond Inc]

6 - 0 to the Rovers

[hangthadj]

It seems there may be a chance that Kanoute will not make the trip according to some reports. That would not be a bad thing by any means.

I am feeling pretty confident about this one. Blackburn 2-1.

[Yorkshire Blue]

You would think if Football was "logical" then the following would apply:

String team1 = "Spurs";

String team2 = "Boro";

String team3 = "Rovers";

if ((team1.beat(team2)) && (team2.beat(team3))) {

team1.willBeat(team3);

}

, but we all know that one of the reasons we love football so much is the unpredictable, "anything-can-and-will-happen"-ness of the sport.

So basically what you are trying to say is that footballing success is not commutative.

[Yorkshire Blue]

Was the Boro game the one Short came on when we were losing 4-0?

Short came on after 63 minutes (just after we had conceded three in 14 minutes).

Talk about shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.

[SharrockDownSouth]

*snip code*

So basically what you are trying to say is that footballing success is not commutative.

I'm not sure that you can attach a function to a string either.

[Dan Furness]

2-0 Rovers

Im feeling very confident about this, primarily because of the amount of fight we seem to be showing at the minute, a few weeks ago it would simply have been a case of 'if we concede we wont come back' we seem to have shook this off. I also dont rate Spurs, never have for a while, but I do fear Defoe tomorrow. If we keep him quiet we should be ok.

Dickov, who many still do not rate, epitomises the reason im confident. He has been nothing short of magnificent the past few games, and Emerton is playing well.

Bothroyd to come off the bench and score to try and give Hughes something to think about, and with the MGP publicity from Hughes this week I think we might just see an appearance from him at some point.

COME ON BLUES

[Radagast]

My friend the Spurs fan has finally responded to my questions. Here you go:

1) Jacques Santini. What happened?

He was not the right man for the job. Don't think he liked working under Frank Arnesen but his defensive tactics would not have quelled the discontent at the Lane for long

2) How do you feel about Martin Jol's appointment?

Pleased. Been a big fan ever since he wrapped Defoe in a bear hug to protect him from a fired up David Weir earlier in the season. Weir backed off very quickly. Also seems to want to play the Spurs way.

3) Are Spurs living up to your expectations so far this season?

No - but we are turning the corner.

4) What do you think about Rovers so far?

Not much.

6) Who have been your best and worst players this year?

Best - Paul Robinson - England's number 1 for the next ten years.

Worst - Johnnie Jackson will soon be a makeweight in the Andy Reid deal.

7) What style of play can we expect from you on Saturday?

Attacking, passionate - responding to our penalty shoot-out defeat in the right way.

8) Which Rovers player are you most scared of?

Lucas O'Neill - but only cos I suspect he'll try and injure our wonderkid Ziegler

9) Any memories from Blackburn v Spurs games from the past?

The Worthington Cup final where a mixture of amazing luck and shocking refereeing saw you somehow beat us - with a 37 year old Mark Hughes playing in central midfield.

10) Where do you think both teams will finish at the end of the season?

Rovers - fourth from bottom.

Spurs - eighth

Apologies for missing out Mike England on the transfer front. I knew there was someone else and despite voting him into the greatest Rovers side could not remember him when I put the preview together.

I'd choose your friends more carefully nottsrover, this bloke comes across as an arrogant fool.

Is arrogant even the right word when you have nothing to be arrogant about? Deluded, maybe.

It's always sweet beating Spurs, come on Rovers.

[MCMC1875]

This is a BIG club we're talking about here and don't you forget it.

Not so much of a sleeping giant........more of a comatose prehistoric monster.

Home win.

[rover6]

Lucas O'Neill????

Martin Jol strikes me as Holland's answer to John Gregory - all mouth and no talent.

Edited December 3, 2004 by rover6

[Quack]

Teletext are reporting that Ledley King may not lay due to a foot injury - more good news for Rovers.

[Tris]

Teletext are reporting that Ledley King may not lay due to a foot injury

Has he been taking chicken lessons from Dwight Yorke ?

[McClarky]

God but I hate Spurs. You can't turn the radio or TV on without hearing about what a "Massive" club they are and how important they are. Well, for a massive club its amazing that they have never finished in the top 6 of the Premiership. No, not even once. Comparte that to Champions once, runners up once and top 6 five times.

They are massive in that most TV and radio pundits support them but apart from that they are a total minnow and not fit to lace our sturdy Northern boots. Why does any Spurs player who plays 2 good games get in the England squad while players can star for clubs like Rovers for years without getting a shot? Its a downright consporacy. In fact I'd go as far as to say that (apart from Burnley obviousely) Spurs are my most disliked team of all. At least Man U and Arsenal have something to back up their arrogance, these boys have nowt!

Come on Rovers lets stick it right up the mamby pamby, wingeing southern softies so we can listen to 606 on Saturday night hearing them calling for their 15th managers head in the last 3 years.

Don't you just hate them........aaaarrrrggghhh!

2-0 Rovers, Ferguson & Emerton.....21,567.

The Queens Arms will be rocking on Saturday night.

[Eddie]

Teletext are reporting that Ledley King may not lay due to a foot injury - more good news for Rovers.

It's also now on the BBC as well.

Is Defoe suspended or not?

If they are both out then that really is good news for Rovers.

[92er]

Spurs have lost their last 3 away games without scoring a goal.

[nottsrover]

I'd choose your friends more carefully nottsrover, this bloke comes across as an arrogant fool.

Is arrogant even the right word when you have nothing to be arrogant about? Deluded, maybe.

Deluded sounds about right. You can't blame Spurs fans for being arrogant, it seems that they are brain washed into the 'Tottenham way' of football from birth! Hopefully a Rovers win will keep him quiet for a few weeks!

[Oklahoma]

3-1 win!

Emerton, Dickov and Tugay

For them i don't know. I'm sure it will be our defence's gift to them