And if you have something to say, drop us a line or two at theeditor@football365.com...
Arthur S Will Not Be Deterred By Reality
Right, so seven games into the new season claiming there might still be something for Spurs to play for is treated as lunacy?
Sure, you might expect this from supporters of other clubs, but I didn't expect it from other Spurs supporters. Arsenal wouldn't accept that their 'title challenge' was over if they were 11 points off the top in the new year. But we are already supposed to accept that we have nothing to hope for this season but a successful fight against relegation even though we are only that same distance from a Champions League place?
Steve: Why would Hughes leave City for Tottenham? Good question. Why would an ambitious manager leave a club that hasn't used the keys to their trophy cabinet for over thirty years for a side that was the third most successful in England last season, behind Manu and Portsmouth?
Everyone stop right there! We don't need an avalanche of mails with a reminder of how much money City now have - Mailbox Compiler
There's no doubt that we have problems at the moment. After the weekend's game we're bottom and our opponents are third. But I doubt many people reading this would bet much that those positions won't be reversed come May.
Spurs to finish third? I'm doubting it. And willing to bet a sum of your choice against it. You know how and where you can contact me. Please, please do - Mailbox Compiler
And where do the problems stem from? Well, there's only one man who sent a team struggling for goals out to play that game at the weekend with one of England's most exciting and accomplished attacking players stuck at right back.
It's worth noting I think that even Steve McLaren has a decent UEFA cup record.
Arthur S
Comolli (And Levy) Is The Problem
I have been a Tottenham fan for 20years and can honestly say, I don't think we will get out of this mess. We all, as Tottenham fans, need to realise Spurs are no longer a big club, and haven't been for a good number of years.
I think its time Mr. Levy is replaced by ENIC as his constant belief that Sporting Director's work great for the club is sorely mistaken. Since Frank Arnesen left, our signing's have just been shocking. I honestly believe Sporting Director Damien Comolli should first out of the door. Look at his signings, they have been abysmal. Younes Kaboul, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Adel Taarabt, Hossam Ghaly need I go on?
We were a team with hope of breaking into the top 4 clubs and when we had a core of young English players, I thought it was possible. But we threw our chance away.
I sometimes wonder if Martin Jol could have done it, but I honestly don't know. All fans were gutted when Martin left, but gave Ramos a chance and things looked ok for a while, but since our cup success in February, we have just nosed dived down the league and in everyone's opinion.
For Spurs to rescue this season, ENIC need to get rid of Daniel Levy and Damien Comolli - but give Ramos a chance to tun things around. Another change in manager now will only cause further problems. Lets get through this season, stay up and look at getting back to how things were when Jol was here with good young English players at the heart of our team.
Jim, Cheltenham
...I was most pleased to see the report this morning that Comolli is apparently on his way. Even though it will probably be delayed by a couple of months that's not really a worry since he can't do any more damage as the transfer window's shut until after then anyway.
I know us Spurs fans will probably get a load of stick for being fickle, or delusional or something similar, but as director of football with the responsibility for the club's recruitment policy Comolli has had a shocker. The first major concern that we have is that we need a defensive midfielder. Everyone, and I mean everyone, knows that Spurs need a half-decent defensive midfielder. Instead we have Didier Zokora, which really isn't the same thing. We've needed one for years and haven't bought one. And before some smart f**ker challenges me to name one that would go to Spurs; that ain't my job. I'm not the director of football at Spurs.
Secondly we have been told that Ramos is unwilling to play Pavlyuchenko with Bent as they are too similar. OK. Can anyone tell me why any director of football with half a brain would have allowed this to happen? Someone has allowed the club to be left with two recognised strikers on the books permanently, and they can't even play together.
There's loads of other transfer issues that I could mention - Steed Malbranque's form for Sunderland being particularly galling at the moment with us struggling to get someone to play on the left - and the blame's got to sit with Comolli. Mind you, us being Spurs we'll probably shift him and replace him with someone like Dennis f**king Wise.
Phil Bevan
Villa's Tour Of Europe
What a fantastic draw:
Hamburg - Reeperbahn
Ajax - The Dam
Slavia - Prague, bloody hell.
Zilina - Slovakia, Should be a cracking trip
Gary (UEFA Cup > Champions League ??) Zeelie
...Well we didn't get AC Milan but I'll settle for another European great in Ajax. I don't think Ajax are up to much these days considering Liverpool demolished PSV who are the Dutch Champions, so I think that's a weak league and Ajax must be weaker than PSV. Hamburg are flying high right now and that will be a tricky game.
But we have started well this season too and I can't remember any German team amounting to much in Europe in recent years. Also despite what Spurs fans might think Martin Jol is not a good coach, in fact I always thought he was rubbish. Slavia Prague are another tricky opponent. I hope we get to play them along with Hamburg in Villa Park. As going to Prague will definitely be the toughest game of the group I think. As for MSK Zilina, they look to be your run of the mill 5th seed.
So I can't see any of these games not being winable considering how well Villa are playing these days. It's so good to be back in Europe again and I'm sure we'll get out of the group since the top 3 qualify.
Conor Byrne, Dublin
The UEFA Cup: Surprisingly Good
I know it is generally considered the ugly little sister of the Champions League, but I have to say the line up for this year's UEFA Cup looks brilliant. Apart from the Premier League's strong teams like Villa, Manchester City, Portsmouth and Tottenham (don't laugh), you have some very, very strong European clubs in there, providing some exciting encounters.
Some of the names to mention: Schalke, Paris Saint Germain, Benfica, Olympiakos, Galatasaray, Sevilla, Stuttgart, Sampdoria, Standard Liege, Spartak Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb, AC Milan, Hamburg, Ajax, Slavia Prague, Valencia, CSKA Moscow, Deportivo La Coruna and Feyenoord.
I doubt even seasoned Champion's League teams would relish having any of those in their group. As for Villa's group, quite a difficult one. Ajax (thankfully at home) and Hamburg should be the trickiest encounters, although travelling to Prague should prove difficult (travelling with Ryanair usually is...). Just a shame really that we didn't get FC Twente... I would have loved to have heard McClaren's views on playing "Ashton Villah".
John (not Conor Byrne) C, AVFC, Dublin
Nobody Like Smugness
Just looking at your Champions League XI, and I really can't see how most of them will be playing in the Champions league after January as your article suggests. Villa, City, Everton, Pompey and Spurs have all played European games. Leaving most of the list cup tied and unable to play in the Champions League and therefore unlikely to interest the Top 4 until summer. Still, 2 out of 11 ain't bad...
Joe (smug Wanderer) BWFC
Joe, there is a transfer window in January when clubs can register up to three new players for the European club competitions. One of those three players is allowed to have represented another team in Europe, earlier in the season, but not if that team has appeared in the same competition.
Still smug?
Off The Top Of Our Heads, We've Not A Clue
Out of a genuine interest, what is the win/loss/draw ratio of the games when Fatty and Stevie have played together in the middle of the pitch?
RCM
Staying With The Lampard & Gerrard Topic
So it's another international week and the same old debate crops up yet again! Gerrard and Lampard are going to get 1 last chance to see if they can combine in the centre. We'll get past the point that this must be the 15 last chance they've had to try it and move on, this is not my main beef this time.
It's the reported 2 wide men who will be deployed. Walcott is an attacker and we don't want him using his pace to cover an empty central midfield. On the other side we have SWP who is similar to Walcott but probably a bit better defensively. I have absolutely no issue with either of them playing and it will make a refreshing change to have 2 shit off a shovel wide men. If you're going to play them, you need to have 2 central midfielders who sit so they are in a position to cover when the wingers are forward. You quite simply can't have 4 of them bombing on willy nilly. We can probably get away with it in the 1st game at home and I really hope Capello is picking a team solely for this game, as I fear the worst if he plays that 4 against the better opposition in the group!
Quick note for David Bentley - it isn't Ramos' fault you've been shit since your move, grow up will you! You've got to be at 100% all the time if you're gonna get in as I reckon there are at least 4 better wingers who could play ahead of you (Walcott, SWP, J Cole, Young... oh hang on, 5 - Beckham). Having said that I wouldn't play you at right back either as you are about as quick as my Grandma and she's dead!
Tim (if I was Ramos I'd have just smacked the prick) Collins
And Seamlessly Moving On To An Observation About International Football
Once again the time has come for international matches with all the attendant disruption they bring to club football. So here's an idea, why not abandon international matches during the season; use the weeks that are freed up to shorten the club season; and then play all international matches at the end of the season?
This would mean that in a season like this, all qualifying group matches are played in a 4-5 week period once the club season is finished, and in a season that ends in a tournament the extra few weeks can be used for training camps and for friendlies before the tournament starts.
To my mind, this has the following benefits:
* It would stop the bleating we hear from managers. International managers complain they don't have enough time to work with players and that club managers pull players out because of 'injuries'. Club managers complain when their players come back injured. This should solve both problems as international managers would have a solid few weeks with the players and there's less likelihood that a player will pick up an injury that will mean missing club games (since most injuries only keep players out for a few weeks or less).
* It would improve the quality of international teams as they will have a solid few weeks to work together and learn how to play as a team.
* Fans tend to back the national team more when the focus is on the national team for a sustained period (as during current tournaments) as it's easier to forget petty club rivalries and focus on the national teams.
* The profile and prestige of national teams should increase as there will be no other football on to distract attention away from it.
The one downside I see to it is how to co-ordinate this globally considering seasons finish at different times. That's a tricky one, but it could at least be implemented in Europe, that'd be a start.
Babor (How do you suggest ideas to UEFA?) Ahmed
We Didn't Ask And We Don't Understand The Lohan Reference Either
Want to know what (two things) really grinds my gears? One is the seemingly arbitrary nature of the penalty area; why is a foul 17.9 yards from goal judged a penalty, but a foul 18.1 yards from goal only a free-kick? Is there any logical reason?
The other irritant is the unfairness of the 'last man' rule; if the last man commits a foul outside the box then he's sent off, but this is unfair on the attacking team as their goal scoring chance isn't restored (I've got no time for vague promises of more chances against 10 men). But if the foul is committed inside the box then it's a red card AND a penalty, which is unfair on the defending team - surely the restoration of the goal scoring chance through the penalty should suffice. Certainly the offender should be booked if the foul is deliberate, and red-carded if it's dangerous, but this should be judged solely on the nature of the foul.
Don't worry though; I've got one solution that should solve them both! Maybe. Penalties should only be awarded for 'last man' offences i.e. when a foul denies a clear goal scoring opportunity. This shouldn't put anymore pressure on refs as they're already asked to decide what is and isn't a goal scoring opportunity in order to brandish a red card. However this will restore the opportunity that was denied and also remove the need to overly punish the offender, who has often made a genuine attempt to play the ball. The 18-yard box would revert to just being a goalie's area, and hopefully we would see a rise in good attacking play rather than the tactic of 'get in the box and fall down'.
It should also follow that we'd see less diving to win penalties, fewer cynical fouls to prevent someone going clear on goal and the banishment of the unspoken rule of 'what's a foul outside the box isn't a foul inside the box'. The biggest problem I can see is the amount of free-kicks that will be given very close to goal; I think it will have to be at the ref's discretion whether these are direct or indirect.
Anyone got the e-mail address for the FA?
Geraint (also, Lindsay Lohan. What do you want Lindsey?) Fisher
An Unwelcome Reminder Of The Many Problems At West Ham
Why oh why did Chris Clarke, Aka 'The Prof' have to go and mention the financial problems hitting Iceland at the moment and the potential effect it could have on West Ham. As if we haven't got enough to worry about with:
The Sheffield hypocrites trying to sue us for the having the cheek of attaining more points that them.
Bolton and Wigan threatening to jump on the bandwagon because we had the cheek to beat them.
An arbitration believing that football results can effectively be settled by one individual, as opposed to the other twenty one players on the pitch.
Dean Ashton continuing to be made of glass, meaning I have to watch as Carlton Cole continues to moonlight as a premiership footballer.
Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy, James Collins and Danny Gabbidon continue to get injured.
Rob Green's sudden bout of butterfingers.
Keep having to remind myself that Julien Faubert cost us over £6 MILLION.
Having a massive number on the front of our kits in the most ridiculous box ever.
Oh, and we are playing Hull next. And slightly less worrying followed by the Gooners and Man U.
Thank god for Tottenham Circus otherwise I would be really worried.
Mike (Loving the dynamic Bent/Pavluchenko forward line), WHUFC, Essex
Blatter Has Gone Bonkers Again
Blatter pipes up again, like a drunken grandfather at a wedding reception, loudly declaring that the groom is in no way fit to marry his granddaughter because he hails from a different county, or had the temerity to propose without asking for the old fart's permission.
Get up to speed Sepp you old codger! The world has moved on from such parochial concerns; we live in a global economy, hence why most of the world is currently filling its pants because a few hundred bankers in America wanted cars that could block out the entire sky rather than just the sun.
How can Sepp not have noticed this? Has he forgotten in the senility of his advancing years? Or is there a more sinister motivation? He picks on England, but he is on dangerous ground when he uses Switzerland as an example for how to evaluate local and regional interest - after all Nazi gold was welcomed into the country with open arms in the 1940s, despite its obviously dubious (and foreign) origins. Indeed Switzerland's entire national identity is founded on their willingness to take the money without asking questions.
Blatter is either a total hypocrite or a bumbling buffoon, or both.
Moving on from Sepp's utter detestability, why does somebody having a 'link with the club' mean they are any more qualified to own it anyway? Wasn't a certain Mike Ashley fan and local lad? Well he did wonders for the (car)Toon didn't he?! And does Blatter think it is any better if a country or region bankrolls it's own club? Real Madrid, AC Milan and many others all have an unfair advantage over their rivals because of the way they are owned and funded. To pick on England as the 'acute' problem, is as revisionist as saying that the Italian league isn't corrupt.
Morgan Goford
...Is this the same Sepp Blatter who heads up FIFA, the organisation who pocketed €1.9bn (£1.3bn) in marketing revenues for the 2006 world cup. Including €1.08bn for the sale of TV rights and €120m to cover new media rights? The same organisation who profited €700m through sponsorship and hospitality, with ticket sales alone bringing in between €200m and €400m?
That will be the same organinsation who charged 15 main sponsors a total of €600m, for the right to be an "Official Partner". Companies which included Adidas, Avaya, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Continental, Deutsche Telekom, Emirates, Fujifilm, Gillette, Hyundai, MasterCard, McDonald's, Philips, Toshiba and Yahoo. Most of whom have no connection to football whatsoever.
Is it any wonder the guy has zero credibility?
Steve W, Cambridge
Genuinely, You Sound Like The Most Obnoxious Person We Have Ever Published
In response to the questions from Macka, London -
1) The asterix was in replacement for the word 'tossers'
2) I have had this all my life - so dont think you are funny you cockney
c**t. You must be one of those 'tossers' I was referring to yesterday. Any
more questions, keep them coming Macka you cockney tosser.
I know I swear a lot but who does not. LFC - our year!
Bismillah Choudhry, LFC fan
