I’ve been here before, I’ll be here again

I arrive in Sheffield to find Bramall Lane nestled amongst Victorian terraced streets, flood lit, surrounded by beef and onion tinged bellowing smoke. The steel city is alive and well. My jacket zipped up to hide my scarf, I walk alone, gliding at pace between waves of optimistic looking home fans to make it in on time for kick off. As I slip into the away fan police cordon unnoticed, I unzip and start giving it some. The FA Cup seems to have opened itself up for us and I’m daring to believe. We’re only three ‘potentially easy’ games away from the final and despite all the turgid football, Conte could just do it.

They say it’s the hope that kills you. As soon as I stepped into the stands (after necking a pint at speed) and saw the drizzle blowing around the night air, the zippy surface and Spurs in this daft purple kit, I said to my mate next to me ‘…this has 1-0 Sheffield Utd written all over it’. From the very start they wanted it more, they were first to every loose ball, had more energy, more belief. Winning the FA Cup would be massive for Spurs, not just the fans but the players too. I simply don’t understand why they can’t get up for these games. Just over a year ago I went to Middlesbrough to watch us get knocked out in exactly the same fashion.

How have we not grown in that time?

It’s a shame we didn’t start Kane. He’s not really a player to rely on for impact off the bench but we should be able to rest him occasionally and surely Richarlison should be good enough. He was terrible. He made no impact on the game and what infuriated the fans the most was his attitude, sulking all over the pitch and slumping off when he got hooked.

Yes Sheffield United are a decent team and yes there were a couple glimmers of positivity (Porro and Lucas perhaps) but let’s be honest, this was pathetic. No creativity, urgency or desire.

5,000 Spurs fans made the trip and were in good voice. That’s a lot of people making a big effort and spending a fair amount. I said it after Milan and I’ll say it again; we deserve more, we don’t expect to win every game but we need to see the players caring!

The mood at the full time whistle was horrendous. I know we’re still 4th and in the Champions League but it really felt like the ‘moment’ in this season has slipped away from us. Surely Kane leaves after this and as it stands it looks like we’ve somehow made another manager who always wins leave N17 with nothing. There were some desperate chants of ‘Levy Out’ but I’m really unsure as to how this performance is his fault.

I slipped out bang on the full time whistle to find a bunch of away boys with Burberry scarfs around their faces bouncing around outside looking for trouble. I managed to make it back to my car unscathed and relieved to find it unticketed despite the double yellow I had parked on. Then I banged it down the M1 back to London.

I’ve been here before and I’ll be here again. I hate it but I love it at the same time.

This is Tottenham.