Call this one the Anti-Football Derby. Two managers who put more importance into trying to stifle the opposition than actually trying to play. Big Sam has not been able to turn a sad-sack Baggies team around and looks to suffer his first relegation from the PL and not many will shed a tear. Meanwhile Jose has had his usual "You can't replace Harry Kane" moan as we will start the day in 9th place, yes 9th. So far, the Portuguese's reign at WHL has been an unmitigated disaster, the abject loss vs. Chelsea marking the first time since 2012 that we have lost 3 in a row in the PL (even Tactics Tim didn't manage that).
I've been working ridiculously late hours for the last couple weeks. I could drag my ass out of the sheets and over to Mom's (I have no television) by 7am to watch this one ... But yeah, I probably won't. Then again, West Brom are so shit that we should see more of the ball, and ... y'know, theoretically we could do something with it. I mean, we have some decent attacking talent. Here's to hoping that I regret not having got up to watch it; 'cause when the alarm goes off it'll probably be around 8 degrees F outside, I'll be indescribably warm and comfortable in my flannel sheets, and the decision probably won't be as difficult as it would've been under Poch, Harry, or BMJ. ... or Tim ... or Christian ... or Ossie ...
There was a Mark Lawrenson quote years ago, before some fixture like Stoke vs. Blackburn, he said "They won't need the ball for that one." Never did I imagine it could be applied to a Spurs game. Big Sam is doing what he does. Saw them beat Wolves the other week, played well if a bit lucky. As Chelsea proved, you don't need to create much to beat us, so no prediction from me.
4 am here in the mighty Pacific Northwest...and I ain't getting up for this one. My plan is to sleep in, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then ruin the remaining hours of my weekend by watching Jose/Sam Ball on catch-up.
Seems reports of Spurs demise were greatly exaggerated. Efficient win. Truly great teams do this (ie, meet expectations) every week.
I know Pook will disagree, but West Brom have to be the worst team in the PL this season, even though Sheffield United are still bottom.
Yeah, at least you can usually expect United to make a fist of it. They always put an effort in for Wilder, who is as much a pig as any of 'em. Not unlike the Neil Warnock days, really. Warnock, like Wilder, has that porcine United gene - they love their club - and their teams play(ed) like it, even if they're shite. You have to give them credit for that. Why couldn't we get the same kind of efforts from Hoddle's, Ardiles', and Venables' sides?
Yeah, Venables probably isn't fair. I tend to think of his reign as when things started to go south (we finished 10th under him in that FA Cup season), and much worse following from that. But he brought us 3rd the season prior, which is more than respectable.