Pradeep Kachhala
Remember when we would look forward to our bi-annual spanking of Spurs? How times have changed, it actually feels like ages since we beat the Scum. I recall being at the E******s a few years back thinking how much Spurs had improved whilst sipping on my £5 half time cup of tea, only to watch Fabregas stroll through the Spurs defence in the second half to resume normal service. Last year having turned up slightly late I ran in as Nasri rounded the keeper to score the opener. Superb, I thought to myself, a nice easy afternoon, a belief which was strengthened as we went 2-0 up via a (now very rare) Chamakh goal. What followed as the team turned off and allowed Spurs to grow in confidence, was one of those turning points last season that went alongside the 4-4 draw at Newcastle and the loss to the Brums in the fizzy drinks cup final.
I hope you all know by know that I stand in the "Arsene doesn't know anymore" camp. However I really hope for his sake that we turn up on Sunday and show some pride. I am not expecting us to wipe the floor with them as we used to, quite frankly our under investment and inability to keep our best players over the past few years has allowed Spurs to catch up. However where there is a Van and an Ox there is hope, it is just a shame that Wilshere is injured and Henry is in the Big Apple as the presence of the two may have given me more hope. My verdict? A 2-2 draw, only because I refuse to submit an article where I admit that the Scum can beat us at home.
£55million cash sitting in the bank was one of the main points coming out of the annual results from AFC this week. Look back to my previous articles and you will see how I believe that holding excess cash is folly for two reasons
1. Inflation - which has risen in the past few years and despite recent falls due to the VAT effect being stripped out, will rise in the long tem. By keeping cash on deposit it will lose value in an inflationary environment.
2. Player prices have increased - £50 million 12 months ago will buy you a lesser player in the current football market. The "football value" of keeping cash idle, means under investment in the team and ironically the gap to spend to catch up will widen, as it evidently has with AFC.
Whether we qualify or not for the Champions League a cash injection is needed, either via Kroenke or Usmanov. Despite the new stadium (and due to it) the promise of keeping up with the top clubs has not materialised, something that David Dein realised in 2007 and was promptly kicked out for. In addition I would like to see new coaching ideas, via Steve Bould and Dennis Bergkamp whose Ajax side managed to do something we haven't recently been able to do, that is beat Man Utd away.
Sunday will also see the return in some form of Gervinho - his stunning goal in the African Nations semis was followed by winning a penalty in the finals only for Drogba to miss. For those that may not be aware the game went to penalties and the dome headed one's comical attempt at a spot kick contributed to the Zambia win. Still the way Theo is playing at the moment, not only is he not worth a new contract (which knowing AFC he will get), but some time on the bench and allowing the Ox and Gervinho to have a go, may be a welcome change.
Nice to see that season ticket prices have been frozen, however it will be interesting to see how many people will pay up to £1400 next season to watch a side potentially minus RVP. I don't believe that we will spend any more money this summer than we have done in the past and I suspect that sales will have to be made before any new blood arrives.
Did anyone see Henri Lansbury's effort in goal for West Ham in the midweek? He is a talented player with the right temperament, it still shocks me how the likes of J Emmanuel Thomas, Bartley and Lansbury have never been given a chance whilst Bendtner, Djourou and Denilson were given ample opportunity to continually disappoint.
That's enough doom mongering for this week, on the positive side perhaps the Scum will turn up a little bit too confident and we will turn them over. With Liverpool to follow the next two games will have a big say in our final league position.
