Tag: Football

  • It’s a Tottenham Blog Post

    I don’t know a whole lot about Premiere League football, but I am learning. And as a burgeoning Tottenham Hotspur fan, I am still taking in as much lore and history about the team as possible. One of the things I have down is that Arsenal is the chief rival, and when these two teams play, it’s a very big deal, and it even has a name; North London Derby. I got that much down.

    It does seem like every time that these two teams play, there is something very important on the line. Last year, the second match between them pretty much determined who was going to qualify for the Champions League. This year, it was to see who would lead the top of the table, as Arsenal was in first and Spurs were in third.

    The match didn’t go Tottenham’s way, and though Kulusevski was out with an injury, he wouldn’t have helped. Arsenal was clearly the better team and they were determined to prove it. And this is the part that makes me nervous about Spurs; they are a fragile team. When things start going bad in a match, it’s hard for them to right the ship. The second goal that Arsenal scored should have been stopped by Lloris. It was a fluke mistake, or accident depending how you look at it, but the end of the day, he shouldn’t have let that ball squeak by him. Which leads me to Royal’s foul. Did he deserve a red card for it? I don’t think so. But it was a stupid foul, done out of frustration. And Arsenal made they pay for it, scoring four minutes later. At the end of the day, Arsenal is still in first and Spurs are third, but instead of a one point difference, it’s now four.

    Tottenham have now suffered two losses in three matches, and in both cases a lack of focus has done them in. Sure, I understand the argument that Conte is putting too much emphasis on scoring, and the defense is lacking. Maybe that will get solved later in the season. Maybe.

    As for now, they face Frankfurt, in Frankfurt, for a Champions League Group match. I haven’t heard if Kulusevski will be back, but just as with the Arsenal match, I’m not sure he will be the key to their success. The team needs to come out swinging, and be that aggressive group that Conte keeps talking about. That’s what I will be looking for.

    Here’s the obligatory: #COYS

    (OY! Be a good lad, and share a little love with a guy trying to write about football! A like, a share, a comment would be ace! As would be subscribing to this blog!)

  • ODDS and ENDS: North London Derby, Apple Picking, and My Flute!!!

    (My weekly segment and , you know, I like soup.)

    Here we are – Tottenham v Arsenal. The North London Derby. The #1 and #3 team of the Premiere League go at it. Will Spurs stay undefeated? Will Arsenal stay on top of the League? I won’t know because NBC is showing the match in USA, and I don’t have cable. I have Peacock, and the more I say that out loud, the sillier and more embarrassed I feel. What the hell am I paying for if I can’t watch matches live. (Yes, I sound like a bitter old man, and yes, I will start yelling out a cloud next.) Anyway, I saw a report that Dejan Kulusevski got injured this past week, and might not play. On paper that shouldn’t be an issue with Kane, Son and Richarlison up front and Dier anchoring the back line. Still, it is Arsenal which has been playing really well, and if there is a team that can get under Tottenham’s skin, it’s Arsenal. Should be a fun match, but I’ll have to catch it on the replay, because NBC’s Premiere League coverage sucks.

    Tomorrow starts October, which means I will go apple picking with my family, and I will have flannel on. Even if it is too warm out, I will be decked out in Autumn appropriate clothing, even if it kills me. It just was the season demands.

    Apparently, according to our American Conservative friends, Lizzo isn’t allowed to play an old flute that no one knew existed three days ago. I can’t prove any of this, but I have a feeling that the idea of Lizzo playing the Madison flute probably was thought up by someone in the Library of Congress with the intention of expanding kids’ interest in American history, and Lizzo was all for it. Good intentions, you know… I bet there are a bunch of history nerd at the LoC looking at each other wondering how this flute situation has become “controversial.” I bet the “H.E.R. Playing Lincoln’s Guitar” idea is now out the window.

    (Say, before you head over to another blog, do me a favor, huh? I need you to like, share, comment on, or subscribe to this blog. Every click I get helps an angel keep his wings.)

  • Son Showed Up

    So, you remember how I said on Friday that Son needed to show up if Tottenham was going to have a successful season? Well, only one person read that blog, so the odds are that you didn’t know that I said that, but I’m not going to hold that against you.

    But let’s be honest about that match between Leicester and Tottenham; Spurs were up 3-2 by the time Son came in, so it wasn’t like the game was on the line. I hate to think that Conte is playing mind game with his team, but it did kind’a feel that way. Son didn’t get the start for this game, and when he did come in, he looked like he had a chip on his shoulder. His first goal, a right footer from outside of the box that curved into the right corner was just brilliant. The way Son stood on the field, soaking in the roar of the crowd, and having his team mates congratulate him, it was like all that pressure was coming off his shoulders. Then his goal eleven minutes later off the left foot to the left corner was like a mirror image of the first. You could tell the man was having fun again with that one; smile was back on his face; all was right in the world. THEN, two minutes later, he gets his third goal of the day – completing the hat trick.

    I like Son. I think he’s a lot of fun to watch, and he’s a very competitive man. He wants to be out there and he wants the ball. I think it helped that Spurs didn’t need any of those goals to win the match, which allowed Son to just play his game. But like I said on Friday, if Tottenham wants to go deep in the Champions League, and if they want to win the Premiere League, Son has got to be out there scoring goals.

    Bottom line; I just might know what I’m talking about when it comes to Tottenham.

    (I know I just impressed you with my knowledge of football, so be a good lad and share the love with a like, comment or a share. It would help me carry on.)

  • The NFL and Cowboy Fans

    There were no Premiere League matches this weekend out of respect for the passing of the Queen, which I expected and feels like the right thing to do. That left me with that other football league: The NFL.

    Just like the last twelve or so years, I’m in a Fantasy Football league with friends. I have posted many times before that I’m not the most current fan of the league, and as such, I let the computer draft a team for me. In my defense, I have won our league twice, and one of the teams had a losing record. So, I’m clueless, or my teams peek at the right time. As we are coming to the conclusion of the first weekend of NFL action, I just might eek out a win. A couple of things need to break my way, but it is possible.

    The other thing that happens during this time of year is that I have a group of friends from college, who are all Dallas Cowboy fans, and we have a group chat that continues during their games. We’ve been doing this chat for sixteen years, and we still have yet to win a Super Bowl…

    And last night on Sunday Night Football, we were all ready to go. Positive that this WILL BE THE YEAR, that the COWBOYS will WIN THE SUPER BOWL!!!

    But it would appear that the Cowboys don’t have a deep threat, which ends up making the Offense pretty vulnerable. Now, the Defense still looked solid. They did hold Tampa Bay to 19 points, which I think included shutting down Brady in the Red Zone three times.

    Oh, and Dak broke his hand and will be out for weeks…

    Super Bowl?

    Ever heard of Cooper Rush? Most people haven’t, and he’s the Cowboys back up QB. Last year he had the game of his life in his one start against the Vikings, in a must win game, and he found a way for them to win. I admit that I made jokes about the guy, and how hopeless the team would be in that game. I was thoroughly shamed by Mr. Rush, and will hold my tongue as he takes over for the rest of the foreseeable season.

    Now, we should get back to the real issue of this team, which is Jerry Jones letting Amari Cooper leave, and not getting a deep threat receiver replacement for him. Yes, I will blame Jerry Jones for any failure on this team, that’s just how I was raised as a Cowboys fan. I do have a feeling that some “dealing” will happen in the next few weeks. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jimmy G shows up, along with some veteran receivers as well. Better late than never, right?

    Man, this could be a long Cowboys season.

  • ODDS and ENDS: The Queen, and Tottenham Updates

    (Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!)

    I don’ think there is any way to avoid this story, which is that Queen Elizabeth has died. And I don’t think the story should be avoided. In a world history sense, a head of state has died, will be mourned and buried, and a new head of state will be put in place, through a very long and old ceremony. A Ceremony that doesn’t happen very often. The Queen was of the World War II generation, though just barely, and as of such knew and participated in a world of empires and colonies. For that reason, I understand why there are people out there who have no intention of mourning her. (I am not surprised that Irish Twitter is behaving in that way.) For me, as an American, I have found the British Monarchy odd and fascinating. I fully believe, as all good Americans should, that there is no need for a monarchy, and cannot understand why a nation keeps a family in ceremonial power though they serve no functioning constitutional purpose. (I guess that makes me a pragmatic America.) Yet, as an American, I understand that there wouldn’t have been a US if not for a UK and that monarchy. But at the end of the day, I can’t shake the acknowledgment that the Queen was someone’s wife, and someone’s mother, and grandmother, and great grandmother.

    Yes, Tottenham Hotspur has yet to lose a match, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to complain about the team. On Wednesday, Spurs kicked off their Champions League campaign against Marseille, and I noted earlier that I know absolutely nothing about Marseille other than they are from France. But I was able to easily watch the match live on Paramount+ while my kid was running around the playground. (You hear that Peacock?!?! Take a lesson from Paramount+ and learn how to stream matches live!) What I saw was Tottenham starting off shaky again, but holding it together, again. Thank god for the Richarlison pick up from Everton during the off-season, as he was the only player showing some life out there. I apricate the win, but I’m beginning to get nervous for Son. For the past couple of seasons Kane/Son was an unstoppable team on the pitch: If Kane wasn’t scoring then it was Son, and vice versa. Hell, Son was tied with Salah last season for the Golden Boot in the Premier League. But, thus far, Son has had seven appearances and 0 goals. I was looking forward to this Saturday when Tottenham played against Man City, to see if Conte was going to make more of an effort to get Son involved, but with the Queen’s passing, all matches this weekend have been postponed. Just going to have to wait another week and wonder.

    (Yo! I see you! And if you want to help me out, then take a moment to like this blog, or share it, or leave me a comment about how Dejan Kulusevski is the real difference maker this season for Spurs. All would be apricated.)