Close, but not close enough… yet!

Close, but not close enough… yet!

Spurs 2 Norwich 1

We won our first game of the season (league) and, to our advantage, Chelsea, United and Arsenal have all fallen on their swords. We are level on points with United (they are one goal better than us), six points behind Chelsea, with Arsenal hovering under us. So, all to play for (that is a top-four spot). We’ve got Arsenal and United at home to come, while we face Chelsea away in a week or so.

But we are not quite there yet. A striker would be excellent, and maybe another midfielder added to the squad (creative midfielder, that is). But if Mourinho can now mould his team to his thinking, we could jump over the line. And with Mourinho, we have hope of a trophy.

I got to the ground at 3.15 am (doors opened at 4.30), but I couldn’t get to my parking spot. So I Parked in Sainsbury’s and got a cappuccino and Teacake and waited for the witching hour. Eventually got my parking place and then had a look around the Spurs shop. Nothing new, nothing caught my attention and then back to my car.

There was new temporary security to my entrance and had problems passing through with my bag, but eventually, common sense took over and I was through.

Finally, Terry and the others got there, and the jesting commenced. I predicted a 3-1 victory, while Terry said 2-1. Terry did think I was mad thinking we could get into the top four…. However… well… we’ll leave it there until we reconvene after the game…

As for the food; same-old-same-old. Ten minutes to go, and we made our way to our seats.

I was confident but soon was knocked off my stride by the same-old-same-old (a bit like the food). We are just not getting it right. At least for the first 38 minutes.

Mourinho lamented his side's bad luck with injuries after we edged past bottom-of-the-table Norwich to claim our first Premier League win of 2020. We had struggled for goals since losing Harry Kane to injury but ended a run of three league games without scoring when Dele Alli struck just before half-time. We lost Harry Winks to injury 10 minutes after the break and Norwich equalised with 20 minutes to go when Teemu Pukki fired a second-half penalty past Hugo Lloris, who was making his return after three months out with a dislocated shoulder.

Son Heung-min nodded in a deflected cross with 11 minutes to go to give us that momentum for our first win since Boxing Day. "We are in a situation when I have to think, think, think," said Mourinho.  He continued with, "I look to the bench and we don't have attacking players. I had to take off Erik Lamela because of fatigue, but we showed an incredible reaction to score a second goal.”

As for winks, he could be out for weeks, not months. If everything goes well.

So, there you have it. We won and are still in the race. Next up will be Southampton, who beat us over the Christmas period (at St Mary’s). This time it will be in the FA Cup 4^th Rd. Get past that and we can dream a little more.

But that isn’t quite the end of my Fairy story, oh, no! After the game, we made our way downstairs and I continued the debate with Terry over our possible top-four spot. Along comes Graham Roberts, so I say, “Graham, where do you think we will finish at the end of the season?” Well, say no more… “top-four”. With a caveat; a purchase of a striker. Terry concurred.

But that wasn’t the end of my journey (well, football-wise it was). Got home at 1.30 in the morning. Got up at 7 to do shopping. Picked my daughter up at 9.30 to go to my mums (she has cancer). My mum is in a hospital near Gt Yarmouth. A four-hour drive. To cut a long story short, there were road closers near Norwich (on my way home) and to add the icing on the cake a Lorry had overturned, blocking another exit. My sat-nav was sending me round in circles. Finally, I saw a police car blocking the main road and got out, I was furious. He pointed me to the right path (but a very long way around). I got home at  2.30 on Friday morning. Bloody tired and knackered. I am surprised I didn’t kill us all. Even though I want to sleep, other chores beckon (such as writing this).

See you on Saturday, if you are going, if not, then I won’t.

COYS!

All the best, Glenn