Still haven't got round to GoT (though read the books). Currently wading through a "Spooks" box set-well worth a watch.
Yes-things have changed in relation to the North London v South London dynamic. But the Woolwich Wanderers have improved a lot during the season. Even your goalie (named Bernd Bread before Xmas cos everyone thought he was toast) improved immensely. Strange how the wheels fell off at the end-I thought you were certs for 4th and might even revive St Totteringhams day. I think we will be better than you for the next 2-3 years, but you are rebuilding, and a lot of the dead wood is going.
You have to be favourites for the Europa League-not a lot between you, but you need it so much more than them. I think the CL should be in Madrid-but Baku? Never.
Your record in Europe is awful. Reached the last 16 of the CL 15 times, with only 1 losing Final and 1 losing Semi from that 15. How Spursy is that?
Hopeful we will win the CL, but Liverpool are a fine side. Mind you, so were Man City, Ajax and Dortmund.
Take care. Next time I am in London we must meet up.
Here is a story for you Phil, and shows the lack of TV that I watch these days. Before the semi final home leg versus Valencia a group of us was sat in a bar along the Holloway Road for our usual pre match beers. Anyway, there was a commotion when two lads recognised Line of Duty actor Adrian Dunbar was in the restaurant. It turns out Adrian is a big gooner and season ticket holder, cue several selfie pics. Seems like there's another 5 series that I need to catch up with there!
With regards to European records, you have made the classic mistake of being too CL centric. Arsenal won the old Cup Winners cup and Fairs Cup, I accept that 2 CL semi finals and 1 Final in 20 odd years is pretty poor though, especially with the team we had in the period from 98-2004. Regardless 5 European finals in 25 years isn't awful.
I cannot contemplate a Tottenham victory in the final, living not 3 miles from their ground life would be unbearable for me. Perhaps taking my boxsets abroad somewhere is an option until the gloating dies down, something that Spurs fans are very good at!
No doubt you are looking forward to the Cricket World Cup, I did have a ticket for the India vs Pakistan game in Manchester but for one reason or another I won't be going now. The tickets were an eye watering £150 each, and apparently there were 400,000 applications from both sets of fans. I think England must start as favourites with home advantage, but both India and Australia cannot be discounted. The Aussies seem to have their "cheats" back in the fold after serving what seems to be quite a short ban.
It would be good to catch up when you next come over to the "the big smoke", although I have to say I never caught the live poker bug. Must be due to the miserable regs down in Stratford!
Line of Duty? Just watch it. All of it. Brilliant. I watched the first 5 series on a boxset. Gripping. Best villain? Series 1. Best episode? Last episode of Series 3. Now I know Dunbar must be a villain
I'm not being CL-centric. 2 trophies? And 1 of them the Fairs Cup? Desperate. Even Spurs have 3 major European trophies. Look at who you have played this year-pretty much got a bye to the quarter-finals
Spurs fans won't gloat. Much. Most of us secretly like being the perennial nearly men. Though I suspect it just MIGHT get the odd mention at a game.
Completely agree about the cricket. Think South Africa just might be in the mix, too.
Would love to come to London soon. Got to get that boring trip to Vegas out of the way first
Remember Mark? Surely that is smugness personified Phil and there are loads more like him! I will always give you slack though as I said.
Lets not start counting trophies though, or I might start going back to 13-2 . Lets face it the PL/the old First Division is the trophy the managers want to win. Just ask Pep!
The Fairs cup was an old version of the UEFA cup, which your lot also won. The likes of Ajax, Inter Milan and Juve were in the competition in the year we won it. We also came back from 3-1 down against Anderlecht to clinch the trophy at highbury after a dramatic 3-0 win. I was too young to remember, and can only feed off the stories from older gooners.
It's a travesty that we have to qualify for the CL via a second rate route. But that's how things are these days, and Mr Wenger allowed us to slip for far too long. This is my Fifth European final, and we have lost the last 4 so the omens are not good!
With regards to the cricket, SA will always be a tough nut to crack but I think India and England are better certainly on paper. I am intrigued by Jofra Archer who has been picked this morning for the squad. Not often we have a bowler who has blistering pace like he does.
Good luck in Vegas if you are making the trip out there this year.
I will see your "Mark" and raise you a "Terry". That said, I have usually found your fans a lot nicer than your club.
Ask a Spurs or Arsenal fan about the sort of dependable, unspectacular player, and you will see what I mean. "Sammy Nelson"?. you'll immediately get people saying what a dependable left back he was. Not Sansom, not Cole, but gave his all.
"Steve Sedgley"? Any Spurs fan will say that, while not the most gifted player, he would play anywhere for the team, and give his all.
Now try most Chelsea fans with "John Bumstead". Similar sort of player. But I get a lot of blank looks from Chelsea fans. Not all, obviously-but you see what I mean.
With regard to Jofra Archer, I am reminded of the Flintoff response recently, when he was asked who he would drop for Archer:-"Everyone".
Without wishing to sound TOO smug, I won the league thingy at the last UKOPS, so got a package from Sky Poker for Vegas. "Operation Luckbox" was successful.
Interesting how you see Sammy Nelson as the unsung hero, my era was more Nigel Winterburn and I definitely would put him in that category. Especially, given his famous goading of Brian Mclair after he put a penalty high into the North Bank during an FA cup tie in the late 80s.
As for brags, that's what poker players do isn't it!
Winterburn is interchangeable with Nelson for this purpose.
They are not Sansom or Cole. Neither are they Andre Santos or Pascal Cygan (I used to love "that" song). But they are the sort of players that make the team you support (whoever that might be) special.
It has always amazed me how England has produced lots of world-class left backs, and next to no right backs. Until now. I believe Walker and Alexander-Arnold are the best ever England right backs, ahead of Neal and Anderson.
I think the correct word is sanguine. Revenge is best served cold. Enjoy. Daggers
Thanks for that.
Always good to get comments, as always a nagging fear you have about 3 readers
Got to be sanguine about variance. Either that, or best not to play.
Day off today. Just not in the mood. Farage just makes my blood boil. A bigger threat to Brexit than any Remainer. To quote the great Christy Moore:-("Lingo Politico")
"I hate politicians and I don't mind saying They got the gall and the ball and the chain And the army and the navy and the gravy and the train And they try and sell us water When it's p1ssing down with rain"
The only thing worse than a politician is a man who lies about being one.
I promise to have little (or no) further political comment in this thread.
"Always good to get comments, as always a nagging fear you have about 3 readers"
3? Optimistic.
PS - keep it coming, it's a good read.
Any views on the departure of Danny Negreanu from 'Stars?
I just assumed that, now they have Neil Channing, he had become superfluous
Seriously, he had become toxic due to his over-enthusiastic defence of Stars a while back. Great player. Having met him, a really good ambassador for the game generally. But time moves on.
Bricked every tournament today. Brutal beats-underpairs, runner-runners, you name it. Last 2 went all-in with top set on rainbow boards!
And you know what? Just means I am that much closer to doing all that to someone else.
Yup, sometimes you just have to say well played, figuratively shake their hand and move away from the table. I just took my frustrations out on the 7.30 free roll , played like a nutter for twenty minutes and it really didn’t matter . As Tikay said the other day, you and I need to keep the run good for Vegas 😀
"Always good to get comments, as always a nagging fear you have about 3 readers"
3? Optimistic.
PS - keep it coming, it's a good read.
Any views on the departure of Danny Negreanu from 'Stars?
I just assumed that, now they have Neil Channing, he had become superfluous
Seriously, he had become toxic due to his over-enthusiastic defence of Stars a while back. Great player. Having met him, a really good ambassador for the game generally. But time moves on.
"Always good to get comments, as always a nagging fear you have about 3 readers"
3? Optimistic.
PS - keep it coming, it's a good read.
Any views on the departure of Danny Negreanu from 'Stars?
I just assumed that, now they have Neil Channing, he had become superfluous
Seriously, he had become toxic due to his over-enthusiastic defence of Stars a while back. Great player. Having met him, a really good ambassador for the game generally. But time moves on.
Is that correct Neil is no longer with Sky Poker?
Crossed wires there Nick, Ambo is still with Sky Poker.
Think Phil mean't that 'Stars have Neil as they own Sky Poker.
Winterburn is interchangeable with Nelson for this purpose.
They are not Sansom or Cole. Neither are they Andre Santos or Pascal Cygan (I used to love "that" song). But they are the sort of players that make the team you support (whoever that might be) special.
It has always amazed me how England has produced lots of world-class left backs, and next to no right backs. Until now. I believe Walker and Alexander-Arnold are the best ever England right backs, ahead of Neal and Anderson.
I have great memories of seeing both Sansom and Cole playing for Palace, Sansom made his Palace debut in the year I saw my first live game, So sad to see how his life spiralled downwards in recent years. Ashley Cole played for Palace during the 1999/2000 season and even back then his quality really stood out.
You obviously have never seen Aaron Wan Bissaka.
I have to compliment you on your musical taste, I've seen Christy live a couple of times, the man knows how to put on a show.
I must be your number 4 reader then Phil. Keep it coming mate, great thread...oh and COYS
Agreed. Also gives me the excuse to give the full "glory" quote from Danny Blanchflower.
"The great fallacy is that the game is first and foremost about winning. It's nothing of the kind. The game is about glory. It's about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom."
At 1 level, football isn't important. But on another, it is. I make no apologies if anyone has heard this before.
A close friend, who was a Spurs fan, was dying from cancer of the everywhere. I'd gone to visit him in hospital. He was full of drugs, and struggling to say anything.
He finally managed to say one sentence:-
"That Toby Alderweireld-what a player".
Saying "Danny Rose" would have been easier. But football matters.
Comments
As for brags, that's what poker players do isn't it!
They are not Sansom or Cole. Neither are they Andre Santos or Pascal Cygan (I used to love "that" song). But they are the sort of players that make the team you support (whoever that might be) special.
It has always amazed me how England has produced lots of world-class left backs, and next to no right backs. Until now. I believe Walker and Alexander-Arnold are the best ever England right backs, ahead of Neal and Anderson.
And you know what? Just means I am that much closer to doing all that to someone else.
Revenge is best served cold.
Enjoy. Daggers
Always good to get comments, as always a nagging fear you have about 3 readers
Got to be sanguine about variance. Either that, or best not to play.
Day off today. Just not in the mood. Farage just makes my blood boil. A bigger threat to Brexit than any Remainer. To quote the great Christy Moore:-("Lingo Politico")
"I hate politicians and I don't mind saying
They got the gall and the ball and the chain
And the army and the navy and the gravy and the train
And they try and sell us water
When it's p1ssing down with rain"
The only thing worse than a politician is a man who lies about being one.
I promise to have little (or no) further political comment in this thread.
"Always good to get comments, as always a nagging fear you have about 3 readers"
3? Optimistic.
PS - keep it coming, it's a good read.
Any views on the departure of Danny Negreanu from 'Stars?
Seriously, he had become toxic due to his over-enthusiastic defence of Stars a while back. Great player. Having met him, a really good ambassador for the game generally. But time moves on.
Think Phil mean't that 'Stars have Neil as they own Sky Poker.
I actually have something strategy wise I want to ask you, but I cant find the OP where you said what you said.
When I find it, ill ask.
Ashley Cole played for Palace during the 1999/2000 season and even back then his quality really stood out.
You obviously have never seen Aaron Wan Bissaka.
I have to compliment you on your musical taste, I've seen Christy live a couple of times, the man knows how to put on a show.
i did think that people might comment on that
I don't feel comfortable in baring my soul in the long-term. It is difficult to leave large parts of your life for all to see.
I am sure @pompeynic will provide a gripping read for Vegas. Hopefully, others will as well.
Tell you what, though. IF I have a deep run in something while out there, I will post about it.
"The great fallacy is that the game is first and foremost about winning. It's nothing of the kind. The game is about glory. It's about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom."
At 1 level, football isn't important. But on another, it is. I make no apologies if anyone has heard this before.
A close friend, who was a Spurs fan, was dying from cancer of the everywhere. I'd gone to visit him in hospital. He was full of drugs, and struggling to say anything.
He finally managed to say one sentence:-
"That Toby Alderweireld-what a player".
Saying "Danny Rose" would have been easier. But football matters.