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Rustler Burgers and Fillet Steaks

4 min read
by The Fighting Cock
The next seven days of football are sure to serve up a footballing feast of which could leave us chowing down on fillet steak or a rustler burger. A rustler burger may have its merits to some but all too often in Premier League years gone by we have been served up this savoury microwavable […]

The next seven days of football are sure to serve up a footballing feast of which could leave us chowing down on fillet steak or a rustler burger.

A rustler burger may have its merits to some but all too often in Premier League years gone by we have been served up this savoury microwavable delight, chewing on gristly fat served up by the footballing elite.

The Etihad and The Emirates are daunting trips for any but I think there is call for cautious optimism as we enter a week that could well define our season and potentially leave us sat salivating at the head of the table with our filet mignon.

Throughout the years I’ve curtailed my optimism somewhat, trying to enter each season with a modicum of sensibility evaluating realistic ambition.

In my youth my Spurs heart would constantly outfight my head leading me to believe that finally it would be Tottenham’s year. Every new season greeted with renewed vigour and blind optimism.

The drab Spurs sides of the late nineties and early noughties could never match my ambition. Unfortunately for all my positive thinking Paulo Trammezzani, Gregorz Rasiak and Andy Booth were always going to fail to deliver.

[linequote]In my youth my Spurs heart would constantly outfight my head leading me to believe that finally it would be Tottenham’s year[/linequote]

Age has taught me to rebalance my optimism and deal with football with a degree of realism. This leaves me slightly puzzled as to why I’m so confident about 2 of the toughest fixtures on the premier league calendar.

But confident I am. The last few years have bought us a renaissance in away form. Harry brought us a renewed belief on the road, installing an assurance that we could beat anyone and once the proverbial monkey was unshackled from our back and promptly kicked in the bin the results started coming.

Our frequently soft underbelly transformed into a double hard bastard six pack that even Mr Sandro would be proud of.

Obviously we are still not formidable away from the Lane, a notable game at the Emirates last season is still lodged in the throat like a stubborn rustler burger morsel but the fact is, our best performances this season have been in Reading and Manchester and to a lesser extent Newcastle and Southampton rather than N17.

The burden of an overly expectant and ever increasingly demanding home support lifted, the lilywhite play with freedom, an asset diminishing at the Lane. The boo boys never seem to make it to an away game.

With it too the shackles of a negative, stubborn and overcrowded defence at home are relinquished, Lennon and Bale flourish. Two caged beasts released from captivity, space, a luxury not normally afforded at home, allowing them to roam free and enabling us to play the more expansive game that we crave.

Space is another reason that I peculiarly fancy us more so against the bigger teams away from home. My view may be tainted by Old Trafford tinted glasses but the Norwich game in the cock cup highlighted that the bigger boys can bring more opportunity than the lesser.

Norwich absorbed everything we and Gareth could throw at them, restricting our chances and hitting us with two clinical counter attacking sucker punches that still leaves me fathoming how we lost and with it a glorious opportunity of a more than winnable lovely shiny cup, gone.

We are built to counter attack. City and Woolwich will not sit there, they will attack and with the amplitude of space created, Lennon and Bale should thrive. (Providing the latter has not dropped another sprog. Congratulations Gareth)

We have form too. Both grounds hosting 2 of my favourite ever spurs games in recent history. Peter Crouch’s Champions league clinching header will forever be remembered romantically by every Spurs fan and capped a devastating counter attacking performance.

[linequote]I’m not telling you that we will beat City and the scum, merely alluding to the fact that we have more than a fighting chance[/linequote]

Last year saw the start of our seasons demise at the Etihad, the 3-2 reverse masking a fine Spurs performance. A match that could have been oh so different and potentially altered our season, if only Jermain Defoe was not so vertically challenged and tucked that agonising ball away.

Form is held at the Emirates too. 2 nil and you f***** it up! A stunning second half performance that I will forever remember as the most self satisfying and hysteria inducing victory bar none.
Even last year’s game that I refuse to elaborate on bore attacking positives. Defensive deficiencies dictating a gut wrenching defeat.

I’m not telling you that we will beat City and the scum, merely alluding to the fact that we have more than a fighting chance. This time there is cause for optimism. We’ve got Bale and Lennon not Sinton and Kerslake.

After writing this piece chances are we’ll probably now get stuffed both games, rendering this article pointless and leaving me at home next Saturday evening in my pants, sobbing into a greasy rustler burger.

[author name=”Sammy Hill” avatar=”https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/2794594768/e523fbd864066f0237a8fdface9d9c6c.jpeg” twitter=”Yido_Rhymer[/linequote]

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