I love the BBC

These stats make for grim reading. Yes, more grim than last week, and the week before, and the week before that. Enjoy (don't be choking on your coco-pops).

Hull visit North London in search of a remarkable double over successive weekends. Last Saturday, the Yorkshire club in their first top-flight season, became only the second side ever to leave Arsenal's Emirates Stadium with all three points; now they set about the task of adding to Tottenham's misery and gaining their first back-to-back victories at the highest level.

If Hull can go to the Emirates and survive the onslaught of constant passing movements from the home team, and win 2-1, then what can they achieve at Spurs, were the ball just gets played sideways and then hoofed up the pitch? A lot.

Juande Ramos' side are the only club yet to record a Premier League victory this season; Phil Brown's newcomers are yet to lose on the road.

Something's gotta give, right? Erm, no. Spurs are likely to stay on the side of recent history and lose, with Hull storming to 12 points clear of us. That's 12 points behind Hull, potentially. Will the players finally admit to being in a relegation scrap? Nah, cause 'we're too good to go down' innit...

Spurs have made their worst start to a league season in 53 years; since gaining just one point from the first six outings of the 1955-56 top-flight season. The point came from a 2-2 draw away to Manchester United, and their first win in the seventh game was 3-1, home to North London rivals Arsenal on 10 September 1955.

Honestly, if they can't be arsed to restore some pride, end this dismal miserable run, and prove their worth - cometh Sunday - then drastic measures will be taken. By the board, no doubt. But also by me. Stay tuned.

If Spurs do not pick up maximum points, it will be the first time in 96 years that they have failed to win any of their first seven games of a league season. In the top-flight campaign of 1912-13, the Londoners took 13 games to register a first victory. They lost nine games and drew three of their opening 12, until they beat Newcastle 1-0 at home on 23 November 1912.

96 years. No-one can say we are not re-writing the record books, right? Can imagine the back pages of the tabloids already. Big white bold numerals, stating: 96. Scathing.

This is the first league meeting of Tottenham and Hull in 30 years; the Tigers have never won on Spurs' turf.

Until Sunday, of course.

BBC 5 Live on the scene.....

BBC Five Live have a reporter up at the Spurs Lodge who apparently has just spoken to Poyet.

This is what Ramos right-hand man had to say:


Woodgate

'I would love to sign Woodgate, hes a magnificent player, I hope we can sort something out'


Chimbonda

'Chimbonda played one of his best ever games for the club on Tuesday......we'll see'


Berbatov

'I guarantee he will be at the club when we go to Wembley...that is unless Abramovich gives us a 100 million for him'



Bit of beeb whorage for you right there.

Jellied eels? No thanks

More speculation, this time about the potential re-building of White Hart Lane and who Spurs may have to ground share with. BBC run a news item on 'Inside Sport' last night, and the Mihir Bose 'understands' this with another insightful article on the Beebs football pages.

Firstly, nothing new. Spurs will either move away from WHL for a couple of years while it's rebuilt and ground share or Spurs will remain at the Lane while a brand new stadium is built from scratch. We all knew this, it's obvious that Spurs will either re-develop their current home or move on. What is new in the way of information is that we have apparently we have Tony Winterbottom (who played a role in the development of Arsenal's ground) on board who is looking at how WHL can expand to 52,000. Also, Paul Philips (a project manager, again involved at the Emirates) and Ken Shuttleworth, an architect who is the right-hand man of Norman Foster who worked on Wembley.

All very good. Dream Team in place. All we need now is the decision on whether we stay or go. Don't want out of WHL. I'm a sentimental bastard. If we did move then ground sharing isn't something I'm looking forward too. Have to scoof at the idea of sharing with West Ham United. I can see the police loving that idea. Getting to the ground on match days would probably involve the odd ambush and flare-up. Imagine playing at Upton Park in a 'home' match against Chelsea. That's one three-some I'd gladly say no to. Better still, when WHU play as at Upton Park in our 'home' game and they turn up with 20,000 away fans. Wear your colours for that early kick-off.

Other suggestions have us playing outside of London at Watford or Reading. Don't really approve of that either. And as for the Emirates, no thanks. Even though, of all the potential clubs we could share with that would give us the least amount of trouble in travel. Wembley would have to be the number one choice. But the FA seem reluctant to help out.

Will be interesting to see if the club decide to ask the fans what they would like with regards to having the ground expanded or move to a new location in Enfield. Bose states that Spurs would prefer to remain at the Lane. Hopefully this is the one thing Levy won't let me down on.

Another bloody Sunday

Ever wondered what happened to white dog shit? Look no further than Tottenham. There’s more white dog shit there than the 1980’s. I shouldn’t be too harsh with Sundays defeat at home to Blackburn. It was a better performance than recent displays (not by much). Decent keeping stopping us from going 2-0 up but it was still without any true confidence or belief we could actually win. And as for the 93rd minute winner from Samba, well, it was pretty unstoppable and more to do with having no luck at all but then Spurs have a habit of carving out opportunities for the opposition to take advantage of. Our bad luck is self-inflicted. Yes, dry them I hear you cry. Today, Monday, we find ourselves at Day Zero. Ramos has arrived and another new era/transitional period/mistake is upon us. Poyet has also been joined as one of two first team coaches.

As for Jol, he was apparently telling viewers (via a phone-in) on the Dutch version of Match of the Day that the purchases made this summer were not his own (shock horror exclusive right there). He remarked that Bale was a £10M 18 year old, Kaboul an under-21 player and Bent a £17M bench-warmer, unnecessary with Berbatov at the club. And all signings basically failing to resolve positions that needed attention with proven experienced quality. Whether something was lost in translation or Jol was stirring, he also suggested he wanted Distin, Petrov and Elano during the summer transfer window.

And talking of Match of the Day, on BBC2 last night we heard about how Spurs were pretty much crap (no defence etc) yet no talk about the fact we could have quite easily won it if it wasn’t for some brilliant work by the Friedel. Spurs are shit, yet it was a ‘fantastic win’ by Blackburn. So beating a shit team is fantastic? Yes, yes….dry them. Being kicked when you're down isn't the most comfortable of things.

Jol Press Conference

Click me: Jol Interview from the Beeb


Looks drained, tired. Angry too. Hides it well behind jokes and mentions of support from 6,000 emails along with the ‘love of Berbatov’. Though it’s hinted (and obvious) that Man Utd have enquired about our beautiful Bulgarian.

Crooks asking the questions. Thankfully, his mug in a pink shirt is not viewable.

Jol saying all the right things, and you almost want to believe that the media took this ‘story’ earlier this week and turned it something one thousand times worst than what it actually was – like taking a mogwai, slapping it about a little and giving it Chinese burns before dipping it in water.

I said ‘almost’. The fact the club waited so long to deny everything says more about the morning after cover-ups and interviews.

Everything spoken suggests nothing has changed with regards to the future. Doubt that will be the case. He is under insurmountable pressure now to claim 4th spot. Unfair and unnecessary pressure. Completely the fault of the chairman. If we crack and it all goes to pieces its down to Daniel Levy.

Daniel, pray that you have created a monster from this public humiliation and that Jol responds with acute ruthlessness that inspires the players and team forward.

Otherwise, kiss it goodbye.

Two truths - One Lie

Ramos (from the BBC):

Sevilla coach Juande Ramos says he rejected a "dizzying" offer to take over from Martin Jol at Tottenham.

Jol's future was in doubt after Spurs lost their first two games of the season before beating Derby.

Spurs were reported to have met the Ramos camp over the weekend before telling Jol his job was safe providing he delivered Champions League football.

"They made an excellent, dizzying offer, but I'm under contract and my decision is to fulfil it," said Ramos.

"There was not the slightest possibility that I would accept it because I'm under contract. It did not interest me or the club.

Levy (from official site):

tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/thanksandfurtherclarification

"To further clarify the situation - the Club wishes to make it clear and unequivocal that no individual was or has been offered the position of manager/coach at this Club whilst that position has been held by Martin Jol. It is wholly inaccurate and inappropriate to suggest otherwise"

Can't even imagine how Jol feels at this moment in time. If another club come in for him, he should take their offer. I would be in full support of his departure if it meant kicking Levy square in the balls. Not that Levy has any.