Old Habits......

So this Saturday sees the first North London Derby of the season in the Premiership. Once again old wounds are opened and scores are there to be settled.

The Tottenham Arsenal rivalry goes back to 1913 when the Gooners moved north from Plumstead and landed on the doorstep of White Hart Lane. Being so close a neighbour is always going to create a rivalry, as twitching curtains and extravagant Christmas lights prove on many a suburban street. But it wasn't until 1919 that things escalated as Arsenal came up from the second division at the expense of Spurs amid rumours of underhand dealings (it's seems in football such things went on even back then!)

It seems that every year some pundit will claim that the gap of the supposed quality between both teams is narrowing. Yet baring a win at The Lane at the tail end of last season, a 5-1 trouncing in the Carling Cup Semi-Final and coming from behind in a blistering four all draw, Tottenham are still without a win at Arsenal's place since 1993.

And maybe for Spurs this is where the problem lies, Arsenal are Tottenham's bitter rivals, but for the Gunners? Well they have bigger fish to fry and have had some ding-dong battles at the top half of the league against Man U & Chelsea in recent seasons.

Is the North London Derby therefore just another game to them and maybe to a lesser extent the supporters?

You only have to look toward the East End of London where if you were to ask any West Ham supporter what would be considered a good season, nine times out of ten the answer you'd get is to get one over "the Spuds", while Tottenham look northwards in envy.

Is the historical rivalry drilled into the Spurs players and new signings more so than of those at The Emirates where the more pressing mission is to win the league?

But having said that it's two teams of professional sportsmen where winning should be utmost in their minds and maybe with the self imposed burden on them, Spurs should take a leaf out of their rivals book and just treat it merely as a game of football?

Who'd be a Spurs football manager...

With the North London Derby fast approaching and Spurs now at the most buoyant they've been arguably since the F A Cup Final win and subsequent rescue act by the Sugar/Venables dream team of 1991, it's still not all wine & roses for Harry Redknapp.
With his recent comments on the White Hart Lane crowd following last week's draw against Sunderland Harry's popularity is (along with the potential move to Stratford) THE hot topic on the Spurs' message boards. When he was first appointed he spilt opinion, the majority of opinions being he's "West Ham & a bit dodgy", but having turned the season around with the much quoted feat of keeping Spurs up when they only had two points from eight games, some of these misgivings were forgotten. This was only marred when Spurs played a weakened team in the UEFA Cup when Premiership status was obviously the main priority.
One season on and Champions League football was secured with some fine displays against Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City. The Champions League campaign has been the roller coaster one would expect from Tottenham, with the now legendary displays by Gareth Bale both at the San Siro and back at The Lane expected to be replayed and drooled over for years to come.
But for a team in their first foray onto the Champions League stage their Premier League form has suffered and it seems that whenever this happens the old wounds are reopened. Harry, always outspoken, had publicly criticised Spurs fans over the whole Sol Campbell chant affair, he even claimed that he would consider bringing the ex-Gooner back to Tottenham.
His newspaper column that has been used to criticise the players in the past (something Arsenal manager Wenger with his selective eye sight would never do!) or even overpraise them (Huddlestone is the next Franz Beckenbauer?) hasn't helped his cause and nor does the fact that every time the England job is mentioned Mr Redknapp is the first name mentioned (even by himself!)
He may not be the most unpopular manager Spurs have ever had (step forward Mr Graham) but popularity has never really counted for much in football (Martin Jol anyone?) but it seems that by being his own man and saying exactly what he thinks Redknapp could end up cutting off his nose to spite his face.
And names being banded about on these message boards as a possible replacement? Moyes, Murinho, Klinsmann and the man who could really do no wrong in the eyes of Spurs supporters? Glenn Hoddle??

Updates

What a first half down @ the lane, Pav missed two sitters then scores a screaming header, great play by wide boy Bale, Pav then made his way to the fans and gestured an apology to them for the earlier f**k ups. City & Birmingham has been dull, Birmingham have set their team out well, and city just can't find away through although Carlos did have the ball in the net but it was abit of that hand of god shit going on in the build up, Bolton started strong, but have since just been playing with what can be only described as a hot potato no one has taken the game by the scruff of the neck!

Saturday afternoons in a working class living room

The chair is warm, remote in one hand with the laptop on the arm of the chair, flicking through channels and websites simultaneously looking for the latest updates, news with regards to the afternoon fixtures, will Rooney ever return to the first team? Lampard injury set back! Holloway makes 11 changes! all this information that to anybody else is pointless, but to the football fan, knowledge is power, Its like the first time you found out you could walk! A little tingle rises up inside.

Early kickoffs on a saturday, today it happens to be United & Villa. In our house we have the radio tuned into talk sport, just sitting in the back ground, just incase sky digital for some strange reason decides to turn it self off, or freeze! I once had to look at that chap from this morning on itv for an hour as Sky decided to freeze, the panic that i was faced with! it was like a death in the family,

So as we draw closer to kick off time around the country, who right now is sat remote in hand, with the misses making a cheeky cup of tea, and looking forward to the next 2 hours of great british football!

Ian Holloway

What a start to the season for Blackpool, Yet Holloway still find's himself at the end a stick, although this time its from the men @ the F.A you know them people that point and shout but know sod all about the sport

Mr Holloway stands firm, as the F.A try and flex their muscles over last nights actions, Mr Holloway said: "I am working within their rules and I went into that game last night believing we could win. You will have to ask Mick why he said those things when he went to Man Utd, because that's a totally different scenario." Have some of that you suited and booted twats!

Asked if he still intended to resign should the authorities get involved, he added: "Absolutely. What's the point? I am paid to be the manager of Blackpool Football Club, to bring in players and utilise them in a 25-man squad. Go on my son!

Mr F.A man whats the point of having a 25 man squad? "I didn't play anyone outside of my 25. Phillips is in my 25, albeit he is only a 19-year-old. I don't understand what they're talking about. They should judge my team on how it played. If we had lost 10-0, then maybe I played a weakened team.

"I'm trying to move my squad forward, to see who is good enough and who isn't good enough. I believe they all are, I wouldn't have signed them otherwise.

"I am not having anyone tell me who I can play. My chairman doesn't do it so why should the Premier League? And who the hell are they to tell me, with the greatest respect, who I have signed, are they good enough or not before they have even had a chance to play?" BOOM!

What about if we just enjoy football! all these rules and regs are ruining the game we love

4-4-2

Barton lands the first Punch, the look on his face it was enough to make a grown man cry! (of laughter) "I hold my hands up, I reacted badly to the situation on Wednesday night and I deeply regret it.

"I have been working very hard to keep that side of my game under control and I think it has showed in the way I have been able to get on and enjoy my football this season.

"I look forward to trying to get back into the team once my suspension is over and helping the club maintain its good start to the season."

How much is he on a week? i mean the bloke needs to be locked up!

Barton will be available for selection to Newcastle manager Chris Hughton for his side's trip to West Brom on 5 December.

Allardyce a bruiser back in the day, and Pedersen the ice man decided against adding their two penny worths, personally i would of hit that twat smack bang on the face!

SUBS!

After a short while on the subs bench we are back! Ian Holloway's sticking it to the FA, Barton's punching above his weight and West Ham are lucky they have a player like Scott Parker