Match Report: Fulham, FA Draw & Review Bournemouth

Match Report: Fulham, FA Draw & Review Bournemouth

We lost to Palace, which was followed by the big one, City away… All and sundry thought we would get a thrashing, only to stun everybody and win the game impressionably. We thought we were on the up… but as true Spursy does, we could only manage a draw against AS Roma and Fulham.  We are in a never-ending cycle of a bumper coaster ride… or as I have previously said… in the Twilight Zone, where there is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to Daniel Levy. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between challenging for the Premier League and midtable, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of Spurs supporters’ fears and the summit of Daniel Levy’s financial aspirations. It is an area which we call "The Twilight Zone". There you go… the question is… how do we break that cycle?

Anyway, before we get on to our Spursy-ness against Fulham we shall look at the draw for the 3^rd round of the FA Cup.

Tamworth v Spurs

We have been drawn away to Tamworth from the National League.

As Spurs fans will know, Tottenham are the only non-league side to win the FA Cup, which was in 1901 (no, I wasn’t there). Since joining the Football League in 1908, we've faced 11 non-league teams in the competition. The latest was in lockdown against Marine in January 2021, when Alfie Devine became our youngest player and goal scorer (16 years and 163 days) in a 5-0 win in the third round.

Tamworth Football Club is based in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. The club competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league.

The club’s capacity is 4,963.

Spurs 1 Fulham 1

What can I really say positive about this match other than it wasn’t as cold as when we played AS Roma at home last week… and the food we had at the ground wasn’t anything to write home about either. It was the second time I wasn’t pleased with what was offered… I know that isn’t exciting news… tell me about it. At least I go to every home game expecting the unexpected… hoping next time will be better (including the food).

Of course, there is some positivity at Spurs, and that is the Premium staff and those others who work at the stadium… all good company and nice people.

Inconsistency struck us again (or, as some call us, being “Spursy”) as Fulham held us at home in the Premier League. Fulham then, as now, sit just below us.

We were missing several key players through injury and suspension and we had to withstand severe pressure before taking a 54th-minute lead through Brennan Johnson. He volleyed home his sixth league goal of the season from close range after being fed by Timo Werner's cross. Once that goal went in, we thought a goal rush would follow… what silly thoughts we have!!! Don’t we ever learn?

Fulham had the better chances in the game and deservedly equalised 13 minutes later through Tom Cairney, who was then sent off with seven minutes left for a late challenge on the back of Dejan Kulusevski's leg. Cairney, who had only just come on as a substitute, lashed a first-time left-footed shot home from 18 yards after being picked out by Alex Iwobi.

You wouldn’t think that we are the Premier League’s top scorers; we have now failed to win back-to-back games in our last eight matches.

What more can I say? It can only get better. Next up is Bournemouth, away. Bournemouth are 13th in the league, so they are in a good position to beat us. I would like to say that we will beat them 2-1, but with Spurs, predicting is like being put in a barrel and told to piss in the corner.

Thoughts about the rest of the season…

We won’t win the league this season (and will struggle to get into the top four). Our best hope now for a trophy is either the FA Cup, League Cup, or Europa League. Ange has said that he has always won something in his second season… but has never managed Tottenham before. In 24 years, ever since Daniel Levy took over, we have only won the beleaguered League Cup, and that was in 2008.

I am 69, and in my lifetime, I’ve seen us win all the FA Cup trophies, apart from 1901 and 1921, plus the double and league cups. Also, I’ve seen us win in Europe, as well. What can I expect before I die under the Levy regime? Fuck all, I would imagine, the way things are going.

Of course, some are presuming that Ange is just one of a long line of managers who have come to the club and will walk away or be sacked with nothing. No, I haven’t forgotten Juande Ramos, who won that League Cup in 2008, but I wish I had.

But like all good old Carry-On films… we Spurs fans have to carry on… Regardless… we aren’t going anywhere… just perpetually going round and round in Daniel Levy’s Twilight Zone.

Until next time…

Up the Spurs!

Glenn

Janette and I, with Dawson and Bentley