Spurs: a long and winding road

Spurs: a long and winding road

To get back to the top will be a long and winding road (to pinch a Beatles title), but not impossible this season. I say not impossible, with Chelsea, United and Arsenal knocking themselves out to accommodate us, anything is possible (the two Amigos of the three Amigos got defeated and the other doing what it does best, falling behind us and then diving belly first on to their sword, in typical Arsenal fashion).

Watford 0 Spurs 0

Reading on social media of this match, you get a host of different interpretations of how this match went. Personally, I thought it was a frustrating game. We should have won, but at least we didn’t concede. One or two outstanding players (such as young Tanganga, to name but one). With Mourinho, I see it as a work in progress. The current team he inherited from dead man walking Pochettino will need time to mould his thoughts into the team's application.

But all this was things to come, as we have to start off the day in Tottenham fashion (or, any fashion). Well, first we had to get up (in my case at 6am in the morning). Walked the dog, breakfast and then I made my way to South Ruislip to park at my cousins Susan’s house. They were kind to let me park there while we were at Wembley for a season and a half. Usually a fifty-minute journey, but this weekend the M4 was blocked off from junction 8/9 (bridge demolishing). So it took me slightly longer. Got to my cousin's house at 8.15, stayed for a cup of tea and then made my way to the bus stop and to Ruislip Manor station. From there to Harrow-on-the-Hill (a bit of trivia; I bought my first Motorbike, Honda CBS 125S, there in 1973; HG Motors). From there to Watford.

Now (I hope you’ve all been paying attention - that is to past blogs/ articles - good, as I haven’t… my memory can be terrible). Well, the walk to the stadium is about 20 to 30 minutes walk. Now for a normal non-arthritic person that is a doddle. For a cripple, it can be a challenge. And by the time I got there, it bloody was (oh, the pain… and if I was a horse… yes, I know I’ve said it before, but repeating the best lines is never a bad thing… if I was a horse, they would have shot me by now… call me Silver, after the Lone Rangers horse!).

Once at the stadium, I made my way to Charlie’s restaurant (formerly the Hornets restaurant) and met up with Rick, Beverely, Stefania and her son Ollie. After pinching some of Stefania’s food (she didn’t want it… please!) we made our way to the stadium, where we met other friends outside the Watford shop.

To cut a long story short (and probably, some would say, a boring story, perhaps a bit like the Watford game) I went to my seat. At my seat, a Spurs supporter tapped me on the shoulder… no, he wasn’t offering me sweats, we’ll leave that sort of thing for the rent boys of Chelsea (or maybe the Arse-nal)… anyway, he tapped me on the should and asked if he could swap seats with me, as he wanted to be with his mates. No problem, I said (which was a block away); luckily I did as the seating situation enable me to sit (partly) and watch the game through those that stood.

I know… cut the prattle…. So… to the match.

The match statistics show that we were on top. We had 59% of the game, and five shots on target to their two. Of course, none of this helps as we didn’t achieve our objective.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho felt it was "unfair" his side only came away from Vicarage Road with a draw after we were held by resurgent Watford, who missed a penalty.

On the plus side, Troy Deeney failed in his attempt to win this game from the penalty spot (hooray!). Gazzaniga saved (hooray, again!), I believe this is his first penalty save for us (but please correct me if I am wrong). To the Hornets credit, they managed to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven games. Since Pearson took over they’ve got out of relegation and have been doing well.

Paulo Gazzaniga dived low to his right to deny the Watford captain following Jan Vertonghen's handball in the second half. Mourinho told BT Sport afterwards: "I think we deserved to win this match. To lose would have been too harsh on the boys."

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster saved from Son and Lucas Moura before half-time to thwart us. We have now gone four league games without a win.

Deeney had headed a good chance straight at Gazzaniga just before the break, while Abdoulaye Doucoure shot into the side-netting early in the second half. Watford substitute Ignacio Pussetto, making his debut for the club, cleared an Erik Lamela effort off the line in stoppage time at the end of the match.

So, there you have it. Mourinho seems to have tightened the defence since coming to the club. It was always going to be a long process. Can we make the top four? With Chelsea and United losing we are now  8 points behind Chelsea and 3 points behind United, yes we can get into the top four. But it will be a hard slog. We also need to rely on Chelsea and United to make their usual cock-ups (as it has become their forte of late). As for Arsenal, well, they won’t be in that concoction of teams fighting for the fourth spot, but it is always nice to mention them when they are struggling. They drew on Saturday with Sheffield United. OK, we are struggling, but come on…! We’ve got Mourinho… and a far better team than the arse-wipes.

Anyway, that isn’t the end of my little exploits, oh, no! If I haven’t bored you enough yet, then hang on to your seats… we are going even further down into the dungeons of hell (for you that is, me… I just write this confusion wrapped up in an enigma)… at half time – because of the pain – I was forced to take pain killers. What the future holds for me and my arthritis (in terms of going to away matches and all that travelling, is anybody’s guess), but as I said to my cousin, none of us will live forever, I am just trying to get what I can out of life before I meet Him… yes, that man in Devon (or, as my son used to say when he was small… I am going to Heaven – read Devon)… Yes, I am talking about Bill Nicholson. The God in the sky. But before all that, I had to walk back to the Watford station. On the way, a Tottenham friend walked with me (at a pace), oh, the pain!. Luckily I saw Sue at a Bus stop and stopped to talk to her. The friend went on and I got a few minutes breather. Then continued to the station. Finally, relief, I sat down. Shoot me now, please! Got to my cousins, had tea and biscuits and finally got home at 7.15.

So, that is the adventures of a crippled-Spurs-supporter, stroke, mentally challenged idiot for doing all that. Come on you Yids.

Take care and hope to see you all, either at a home game or an away one… or even both, I am not fussy, after all, we are all from the same cloth… Spurs through and through…. Until we die… and then some.

By Glenn Renshaw