Spurs Diaries Update - the season so far.

The season started and I disappeared. Not, I assure you, because of disillusionment, disappointment or disaffection – or anything else beginning with dis-. Rather, a lack of time and internet resources compounded, ironically, by the fact that the author of these pages now lives a much shorter trip away from White Hart Lane (i.e. in the UK) and therefore cannot see all games televised. Of course that also means that some games will be live “actual” match reports. Anyway. Below are snippets, to remember where we have been – above, hopefully, will follow some proper texts.

So, the season started, hyped up as the season in which Spurs were at the very least going to break into the top four – and thereby prove that the young talent is coming of age and that the transfer fees of the summer were money well spent. Have they and was it? The first six games of the season followed an all too familiar pattern: injuries and insecurities in defence almost, but not quite, balanced by goal-scoring prowess; a glorious win against the team at the bottom; a humiliating home defeat against Everton; a laboured draw away against Fulham; a good, but not good enough, attempt at beating Manchester United and an inability to hold on to a lead against you-know-who. Dejá-vu.

The familiar problems, furthermore, have been joined by speculations and unrest regarding the future of the manager. How many games until he loses his job? Or is the whole situation a rumour spun out of control? Martin remains stoic; those of us who want him to actually have a chance to do something with his (for that it is) team, do the same.

Are there, then, any positives to be taken from the start of a season which has so far yielded four points from six games? Well, we do have what we always have – potential, exciting young players, entertaining football and a Europe season about to commence… And, of course, the stubborn belief that these are still the early days, only the first tentative steps, of a new era. Yup, silly optimism. As ever. Come on you Spurs!