Back to Spurs - Under New Zealand Management

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MAY

The season has been completed, the remaining fixtures have taken place and some interesting results have formed!


Peter Crouch got us off to a great start, but the Gunners pulled two back to win against my weak starting eleven. I decided to rest players, give the reserves and fringe players a run out, and expected the result.
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For the final Premier League fixture of the season, I decided on a more aggressive approach. With more disappointing results in the last five games than positive results, and with the FA Cup 6 days away, I sent out my first team to play in front of the White Hart Lane faithful one more time this season.
The decision proved good, as our clinical finishing saw them off 4-0, with Rodwell and Dzeko netting once, and dos Santos netting twice.
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This game wrapped up the Premier League season, and the final standings for 2013/14 are posted below.

PREMIER LEAGUE STANDINGS
2013/14
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English Footballer of the Year: Edin Dzeko

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Players' Player of the Year: Ibrahim Afellay

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Premier League Golden Boot: Edin Dzeko

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Premier League Players' Team of the Year:

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Now the only remaining fixture was the FA Cup final with Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.

The decision to start the first team in the last game of the season against Manchester United proved to be a good one, with the form carrying over to the final against Chelsea.

We got off to a great start, with Edin Dzeko opening the scoring in the 5th minute, after rifling a powerful half volley from Gareth Bale's cross that left Petr Cech no chance.
The second came in the 23rd minute, as Kranjcar raced onto Dzeko's perfect through ball, beat John Terry and slotted it into the bottom left corner of Cech's goal.
The action heated up, with Chelsea drawing fine saves from Ben Foster and hitting the woodwork on two occasions.

Chelsea came out firing in the second half, when in the 49th minute Bosingwa won a corner off Bale, which would lead to the play of the game by Ben Foster! The corner was taken by Zhirkov, who sent a hanging ball towards the far post. Terry beat Toulalan to head the ball towards goal, but Foster somehow dived and got himself between the ball and the goal! Mikel immediately pounced on the rebound and hit the ball on the half volley, but Foster superbly saved the effort. Wheater pounced on the rebound, and was sure to apply the finish, but was blocked by Bassong.

Chelsea finally beat a brilliant Foster in the 63rd minute when Bangoura turned Bassong and fired a shot into the top left corner.
A battling Chelsea side fought and fought but a superb defensive performance denied them any further goals, and when Rodwell was sent of with 6 minutes left, we shut up shop and held on to win 2-1.
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
2013/14
FA CUP WINNERS

Edin Dzeko also picked up the Europeon Golden Boot award:

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And here is the season review:

SEASON REVIEW 2013/14
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___________________________________________
Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur
FA Cup: Tottenham Hotspur
League Cup: Chelsea
Community Shield: Manchester United
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Club World Championship: Real Madrid
Euro Cup: Werder Bremen
Champions League: Manchester City oO)
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Werder Bremen are repeat winners, while City finally get a piece of silverware worth mentioning! Not that is was cheap for those bankrolling owners ......

I am very pleased with my team and how they played over the season, and will look to keep the same group together, while adding extra depth in the youth ranks for the future.
I have midfielder Jonathan dos Santos arriving on free transfer from AC Milan, as well as experienced striker Jermain Defoe returning to us from a stint at Real Madrid also on free transfer.
Also arriving is striker Carlos Vela from newly relegated Hull City for £6.75m.

With these mostly young arrivals adding depth up front, I will look to sign a defender to solidify the backline, other than that, I have a deep midfield (and young) and the players I have will enable a quality rotation up front. At goalkeeper I am set with two top goalkeepers in Ochoa and Foster.

On into the new season, I have a strong squad built for success, and will be pushing for as many trophies as I can this season, with my eyes set on the Champions League crown.

At present I have won the Premier League twice, and the FA Cup once during my time at Tottenham Hotspur. My goals for the next season are:

1)Win the Champions League
2) Win the Premier League
3) Win the FA Cup
4) Progress past the Third Round of the League Cup
5) Score 100 goals in the Premier League


COME ON YOU SPURS!
​

 

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2014/15 SEASON

AUGUST

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to win the Premier League, reach the Semi Final of the Champions League and reach the Semi Final of the FA Cup.

Lofty expectations from the board, but I have full confidence in my squad to get the job done and make it a successful season.


First "real" fixture of the season was up against Manchester City in the Community Shield. New signing Carlos Vela got the only goal in a match we totally dominated and never looked like losing.
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The Premier League season got underway, with White Hart Lane playing host to Arsenal. Two great goals from Defoe ensured immediate re-acceptance from the Spurs faithful as we rode out 2-0 winners in the North London derby.
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Next up was a 3-0 win at Reading. After a nervy first half ending tied with no score, we finally found our feet with Defoe, dos Santos and Rodwell netting the goals
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Third game of the season was at White Hart Lane against Wolves. Dzeko scored 2 minutes after kickoff for the first half, and dos Santos added another 2 minutes after kickoff for the second half as we made it a third straight victory in the Premier League with a 2-0 win.
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Then we traveled to Stoke, where although we barraged the home goal with 26 shots, we only managed a 1-0 victory thanks to a dos Santos goal, before Dzeko missed a penalty.
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Here is a summary of the transfer market after the summer window closed:
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A very effective transfer period from Spurs perspective, with free transfer bringing in players of note: Jermain Defoe, Jonathan dos Santos, Rio Ferdinand and Jonathan McAuley. dos Santos will still develop into a fairly good player, Rio and Defoe provide veteran support to my squad - Defoe receiving 100% fan approval for his signing from Real Madrid. McAuley is an 18 year old goalkeeper who will develop into a good player in the future.
Along with these free transfers, I spent £6.75m to bring Vela in from relegated Hull City. He has the skill to start immediately up front and will battle for that third striking spot.
The biggest signing by far was the £35.5m paid for Zaragoza world-class midfielder Diogo. His skills are incredible and the 4.5 star 23 year old will contribute immediately and for many years to come.

Notable outs include Antonio Adan, on loan to Atletico Madrid for £1m, they have the option to buy which if they chose to take on, will bring me a profit on his time at the club for an average goalkeeper.
Portsmouth came shopping and picked up 22 year old John Bostock for £7.75m. I was happy with this sale as his development was not as good as I expected. Portsmouth also made a late bid on David Bentley, and received his services for the fee of £8.75m. Bentley had not been included in the first team, as his skills on the wing did not fit into my new formation.

Surprising was the move of Andros Townsend to Aston Villa for £12.75m. His true value is about half that - he hadn't received a first team appearance and had, at best, decent potential as a player. I was very pleased to receive this money for the player.
Young prodigy Nathan Douglas went on loan to Bolton, where hopefully he will receive more valuable experience than I could offer in my solid squad.

Robbie Keane was released on free transfer. There had been complaints about the squad harmony (which was Very Poor), and Keane spoke up about it after the transfer window closed. Interestingly, after releasing him and starting the season on a 4 game streak, the harmony is now at Very Good.

 

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SEPTEMBER

The first match of the month was a five-star Tottenham Hotspur triumph at home to Sunderland. A brace from Rodwell, with accompanying single goals to Toulalan, Defoe and Dzeko ensured we ran out dominant winners.
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Second match of the month was our first Champions League group A fixture with Brann. (The others in my group are Panathanikos and Atletico Madrid). Lukaku scored the opener, with Modric scoring two more to see us get the three points with a 3-0 victory.
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Maybe continental hangover was to blame, but the next game in the Premier League for us was at Villa Park, where we failed to score for the first time and also conceded for the first time this season! Pedro Leon's 6th minute strike and fabulous goalkeeping from Joe Hart was enough to see the Villans off to victory 0-1.
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Next up was a League Cup fixture against Hull City. A brace from Lukaku with Modric adding another before halftime saw us out comfortable 3-0 winners.
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Back to the Premier League and back to our winning ways, with a 2-0 win over Fulham at White Hart Lane. Diogo got his first goal in Spurs colors, and Toulalan added another to secure the win in a dominating performance.
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A solid September, moving towards success!!!

COME ON YOU SPURS!

On an off-topic note, my prediction for the final Premier League standings:

1st: Manchester United
2nd: Chelsea
3rd: Arsenal
4th: Tottenham Hotspur

You heard it here first!!!

 

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OCTOBER

Another great month for Spurs fans, as we traveled through undefeated.

First match was against Panathinaikos in our Champions League Group A match at White Hart Lane. A brace from Edin Dzeko, and a late injury time goal from Vela was more than enough to put away the Greeks, with Torje's late consolation not a worry.
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Next we traveled to Goodison Park to take on Everton in the Premier League. Bassong in the 8th minute and Dzeko in the 71st minute put us up for most of the game - with Pienaar grabbing late consolation in injury time. A solid 2-1 victory.
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Another Premier League fixture, as we traveled to Fratton Park to take on Portsmouth. Our fans came away largely in good spirits after the match, Spurs covered alot of ground but also conceded far too many fouls, meaning the effort was often for nothing. dos Santos picked up MOM for some terrific play.
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After this match, our world-class midfielder Diogo revealed he was having problems settling into the area, and was homesick. I decided to allow a leave of absence (for a month) so he could return to Brazil and return refreshed and happy.

The next fixture was a Champions League Group A fixture against Atletico Madrid. Atletico were lucky to escape with a point here, as we pushed hard all game. Robben scored a fantastic goal from the edge of the area before halftime, but Vela equalized as he seized on a mistake and scored a placed shot.
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We then battled to a deserved 3-2 victory over Manchester City at White Hart Lane.
Experienced full-back Juan Manual Vargas gave the visitors the lead from a freekick on the edge of the area in the 21st minute. France capatin Toulalan then equalized for Tottenham in the 35th minute with a powerful, long range strike.
dos Santos put us in front in the 42nd minute with a placed shot. We held this lead until Joao Moutinho tied it up for City in the 86th minute with a thunderous freekick.
However, Carlos Vela was to be the hero, as he raced onto Dzeko's through ball in the 90th minute, and ran untouched toward goal before calmly slotting in past Julio Caesar to delight the fans with a late winner.
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We were then back at Fratton Park, this time playing Portsmouth in the League Cup. We produced a confident performance, and a brace from Berbatov was enough to see us out 2-0 winners.
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NOVEMBER

Yet another positive month for Spurs fans, with some great victories secured.


First up was in the Premier League at Upton Park against West Ham. A fairly even match, with us holding the slight edge, and Toulalan rewarded that edge with what proved to be the winning goal on 51 minutes. A solid 1-0 victory.
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November's second fixture was in the Champions League, with our fourth Group A match against Atletico Madrid. A decent performance from a weaker Spurs side at the Estadio de Madrid, as I rested a number of first-teamers to give other players Europeon football experience. A 3-0 loss doesn't damage our chances of qualification.
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The rested starters returned, and they put their quality on show, with a seven goal annihilation of Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League, 7-0. Jonny Evans started the rout, with Dzeko adding a sublime four goals, the other two coming from Carlos Vela and Jack Rodwell. A crushing show of our finishing class.
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Almost a stumble in the Premier League against Wigan, but our possession dominance proved crucial as we held a 1-0 victory from Rodwell's goal on the 20th minute.
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Another Premier League game followed, with a crushing 5-1 win over Sheffield United. dos Santos and Dzeko got two goals a piece, with Vela adding the another, as we ran out dominating winners.
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Five more goals, this time in our Champions League group A match with Brann, as we won 5-0 and secured qualification to the knockout rounds. A superb hattrick from Afellay was the key, with Defoe and Lukaku adding one each onto the rout.
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Final game of the month, this one in the Premier League, with a tricky Newcastle side at St James Park to navigate. The home side got the opening goal, via Yakubu on 15 minutes, and this was almost good enough to see the hosts through, only for Vela to pop up in the 72nd minute to score the equalizer, and dos Santos completing the comeback in the 87th minute. A good comeback, and a good 2-1 win.
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At the end of November we sit on top of the Premier League, and we are still alive in all competitions. Securing qualification to the knockout stages of the Premier League was another plus, and we have a League Cup semi final date with West Ham on the horizon.

A negative point would be Brazilian midfielder Diogo, the £35.5m summer signing from Zaragoza. He is having trouble settling, and I have given him yet another month off to head back to Brazil and cure his homesickness. Next time he can toughen up and adapt to the country as best he can - he is a quality player and will be worth the effort. I might look at bringing in another Brazilian with similar personality who has already settled in England in the January window, or maybe a veteran on free transfer will be of use. Hopefully a fellow countryman will help him settle in to the London lifestyle.

 

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DECEMBER

The conclusion of the year 2014, with the team looking very strong and moving forward into the New Year with a huge amount of confidence.

The first match of December was at home against West Brom in the Premier League. A surprisingly off target day for us, with the visitors making many crucial blocks. We eventually scored thanks to Giovani dos Santos from the penalty spot 3 minutes before halftime, and we managed to press on to a 1-0 victory.
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Next was our final Champions League Group A match, where we had already qualified to the next stages.
We fell to Panathinaikos 1-0, as an error from Niko Kranjcar allowed winger Gabriel Torje to score a placed shot from close range. Both of the teams had a number of attempts on goal, which promised much, but the quality of finishing was lacking.
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Final Group A standings:
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And the upcoming fixtures for the first knockout round:
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Back to the Premier League, and we were traveling to Old Trafford to take on the might of Manchester United.
A close encounter at first, turned into a stunning 5-2 defeat as we failed to meet the quality of the hosts.
Full-back Aleksander Kolarov gave Man Utd the lead with a screamer of a free kick that went in off the post from well outside the area in the 11th minute. Striker Carlos Vela then equalized for Spurs in the 14th minute with a cooly placed shot. A horrible error from Bassong allowed explosive striker Danny Welbeck to score a powerful effort. Then the other centre-back, Jonny Evans, made an untimely error that allowed United forward Valeri Bojinov to score a powerful effort of his own. It then wasn't long until Bojinov added his second with a well timed finish at close range on 28 minutes. Wrapping up the 5 goals before halftime, Welbeck added his own second with a good header in the 6 yard box on 37 minutes. Horrible defending had been the theme of the game, but we came out stronger, with Ferdinand partnering Evans to solidify the backline somewhat.
Star player Giovani dos Santos managed to grab us some consolation in the 85th minute with a placed shot.
We could have had more goals, tremendous goalkeeper saw our efforts repeatedly turned aside however. A disappointing rout for a brave Spurs side!
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Another tough match followed in the Premier League, as we traveled to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea. Fan-favorite dos Santos popped up again to score in the 27th minute, and as both team's squandered good chances to score the rest of the game, we held on to win 1-0.
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Another Premier League match against one of the big four followed, as we hosted Liverpool at White Hart Lane. An efficient performance from Spurs saw us run out 3-0 winners. Cultured striker Edin Dzeko gave us the lead with a powerful effort from the edge of the area in the 39th minute. Kranjcar doubled the lead on 70 minutes with a well timed close range finish. Tottenham captain Luka Modric completed the rout with a powerful effort on 90 minutes.
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Still in the Premier League, and still playing against the 'big four' - with the final member and hated rival, Arsenal, up next - playing at the Emirates Stadium. Another efficient performance from my Spurs side, as we fought to a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Carlos Vela and Jeremy Toulalan. A red card for Arsenal's midfield playmaker Miralem Pjanic on 73 minutes helped us close out the game.
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Final match of the year was a League Cup quarter-final against West Ham. Players and fans came away highly disappointed from the 1-0 defeat at the hands of the hosts.
Despite being down 10 men, as midfielder Mark Noble was sent off on 68 minutes, the Hammers still managed to score as experienced winger Julien Faubert pounced on an error from Spurs keeper Ochoa to score a header.
With Spurs staring at defeat, there was controversy as centre-back Steven Caulker had a penalty shout turned down late on.
With 10 minutes to go, Dzeko and Modric were on to push forward - and Spurs had thought they had equalized from Dzeko's head with 5 minutes left, but he was ruled to have fouled the Hammers goalkeeper - a very very questionable decision!!!
Last great chance came as Dzeko let rip a tremendous half-volley from outside the area, but a superb diving save from Hammers goalkeeper Stijn Sijnen kept the lead.
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The Footballer of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo
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The Player of the Year: Edin Dzeko
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Dzeko also picked up the Striker of the Year:
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And was named a starter for the Team of the Year:
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And Ochoa was named 2nd best goalkeeper of the year:
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A quick update:

03/01/2015
Tottenham Hotspur have announced today that Assistant Manager Hans Backe's contract has been mutually terminated today with immediate effect, with Spurs management commenting: "Hans is a world-class manager and enjoyed a successful spell at the club, we just feel we need a new face in the assistant role. We wish him all the best for the future."

This follows Backe's rejection of first team coaching position, saying he would prefer to manage elsewhere over being demoted to a coaching role.

German youth coach Markus von Ahlen from HSV has been appointed Assistant Manager in his place, with the Spurs management announcing they are "pleased with von Ahlen's arrival at the club and have full confidence in his abilities."

 

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JANUARY

2015 got off to a great start, with solid performances across the board.

First fixture was in the FA Cup Third Round against Watford at Vicarage Road. We dominated them, running out comfortable 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Modric, Dzeko, Rodwell and Toulalan from the penalty spot.
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Our next fixture was in the Premier League against Reading. This was a tremendous performance, with our second 7-0 win of the season. Carlos Vela and Edin Dzeko were in lethal form and both picked up a hat trick of goals, with Toulalan adding just before halftime. An impressive, dominating game and these results push us further and further ahead of the pack in the Premier League title race.
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Three days later we traveled to the Molineux to play third place Wolves. Still buzzing from out previous big win against Reading, we found ourselves in a tight game. Vela opened the scoring for us, but soon after Ronald Zubar managed to equalize. Just after halftime Wolves took the advantage with Michael Kightly scoring. A equalizer of our own through Jack Rodwell on 78 minutes set up an exciting finish, with that man Carlos Vela coming through 3 minutes from time with a fantastic late goal to win it, 3-2.
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Vela was in great form, and it was showing, as he added a brace of goals against Stoke, to secure a straightforward 2-0 win at White Hart Lane in the Premier League.
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FA Cup Fourth Round fixture against Newcastle at St James Park could have been a tricky fixture, and it was a close match, but our superior class and expert finishing proved the difference as we ran out 4-0 winners through a hat trick from Vela before Dzeko added another.
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Back to the Premier League, and an underachieving Sunderland side hosted us at the Stadium of Light. A penalty from Kranjcar put us up after 3 minutes, and we never looked back, going on to win 3-1 with Dzeko adding 2 more goals.
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Still in the Premier League, as we hosted Aston Villa at White Hart Lane. We dominated the match, creating chance after glorious chance, but our lack of finishing was evident and Villa were spurred on by fantastic goalkeeping from Joe Hart. Modric ripped a perfect shot past him on 30 minutes, and we managed to hold this for a 1-0 victory.
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A very positive month for the team, with Carlos Vela in particular impressing, and rightly collected the Premier League player of the month award, while I was awarded manager of the month.
Vela is proving to be a fantastic signing and has swung the fans in his favour, and gives me a superior strike force of dos Santos, Dzeko and Vela.

Modric is absolutely bossing the central midfield, accompanied by two of either Diogo, Toulalan, Rodwell or Kranjcar. His performances have been fantastic and he is contributing both offensively and defensively.

At the back, Ochoa has been solid in goal, but the standout has been Modibo Diakite the free transfer, who has been owning the airspace around the Spurs penalty area and is as solid as rock in partnership with Jonny Evans.

 

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FEBRUARY

The strong start to 2015 continued into the month of February, with Spurs getting a great start to the Champions League knockout round, advancing in the FA Cup and continuing to dominate in the Premier League.

The month started in the Premier League with a trip to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham. We dominated the possession and the match, with dos Santos taking the lead on 26 minutes, before Modric and Vela polished off the convincing win.
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Our next match was the FA Cup Fifth Round tie with Reading at White Hart Lane. A typically convincing performance, as we smashed the visitors 5-0 thanks to a brace from Defoe and single goals from Lukaku, Diogo and Kranjcar.
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Champions League knockout football had returned to White Hart Lane, and we hosted a strong Genoa side in our first knockout round 1st leg fixture. A tight game, with Genoa edging the possession and the shot totals similar, but we had the better quality in the finish and managed to put three unanswered goals on them (Modric 2, Dzeko) and set us up nicely for the return leg in two weeks. 3-0 win.
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Back in Premier League football, we headed up the country to the City of Manchester Stadium to play the reigning European champions. We jumped out to a two goal advantage at halftime, through Evans and Rodwell, but failed to hold it, as Tevez added two goals to end the game in a 2-2 draw.
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Final game of the month saw us host Everton in the Premier League. Another excellent performance, as we held a potentially threatening side scoreless and a brace from Dzeko with dos Santos adding another ensured a comfortable 3-0 victory.
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Moving ahead positively in both the Champions League and the FA Cup is great for us, and our huge advantage in the Premier League means that if current form continues, we may be able to wrap it up in early April, letting us focus on the other competitions!

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MARCH

First match of March was a 5-1 thumping of West Ham, as we continued our rolling good form. Our attacking play is irresistible, with Kranjcar, Dzeko and Modric getting one a piece and Vela adding two.
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FA Cup Sixth Round against West Brom was up next, who provided little resistance as we walked over them 2-0, thanks to Lukaku and an own goal from Barnett.
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Then came the Champions League 1st knockout round 2nd leg at Genoa. An instant classic, there were multiple lead changes and terrific attacking play from both teams, as we played out a thrilling 5-5 draw, meaning we advance 8-5 on aggregate. Edin Dzeko got four goals, with dos Santos adding the other for Spurs, while for Genoa Giuseppe Rossi got four of his own, with Bolzoni adding the other. A terrific attacking performance, but there was questionable defending from both teams.
Great to advance to the Quarterfinals against hated rivals Chelsea FC!
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After the thriller, we were back in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Portsmouth at White Hart Lane, through dos Santos and Diogo with the goals. Simple victory, got the points after getting over the continental hangover.
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Then a shock result in the Premier League, we traveled to Quees Park Rangers (having beat them 7-0 earlier in the season) but found ourselves knocked on our heads with a 2-1 defeat! Defoe got us off to a good start, and I thought we had another huge game - but QPR pulled it back and despite throwing Dzeko and Vela on with 30mins to play, we couldn't get the breakthrough!
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Final game of the month was the Champions League Quarterfinal 1st leg at Zola Stadium against Chelsea. We got off to a flyer, with Dzeko putting us up after 12 minutes. However, shortly after the half hour, Diogo was given his marching orders for a silly second yellow card, putting our position under threat! However we hung on, and were unlucky not to extend the advantage, as the tie finish 1-0 with us claiming the all important away goal.
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Another solid month, the hiccup to QPR won't hurt us too much, if we get another victory and Liverpool slip up, the title is confirmed in our favour and we can push for a treble!
The Champions League tie is promising, with a solid performance at White Hart Lane against Chelsea all that is needed to advance, with us sitting on the crucial away goal!
In the FA Cup we drew Championship side Colchester in the Semi-Final, so will be looking to blow over them and reach the final!

COME ON YOU SPURS!!! DID SOMEONE SAY TREBLE?

 

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APRIL

April was a huge month for the club, with the final participants for the Champions League and FA Cup due to be decided, the players knew it would need a massive effort!

We had a Premier League fixture to start the month, at home with high-flying Wigan, who are battling for a Champions League spot would you believe! The players fought to a 1-0 win thanks to Dzeko in the 13th minute, but the players were clearly focused on the CL second leg with Chelsea coming up...
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The second leg with Chelsea in the Champions League Quarterfinal match was next. With us holding the crucial away goal advantage thanks to a 1-0 win in the 1st leg at Zola Stadium, all we had to do was prevent Chelski from netting and we would be through.
Chelsea actually controlled the edge in possession, but just couldn't find a decisive break in the solid defense, and Dzeko struck in the 31st minute to give us the lead. Chelsea continued to push, but our stellar defense and hard-working midfield reduced their chances to score, and Carlos Vela broke Chelsea hearts and their backs with a decisive strike 5 minutes from time. This secured a 2-0 (3-0) on aggregate and advanced to the Semi-Final!
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There was more great news to follow, as Liverpool drew 1-1 with Aston Villa in the Premier League, and so we secured our second consecutive title!!

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
2014/15
PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

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This great news meant we could focus solely on the FA Cup against Colchester and Champions League Semi-Final against the mighty Bayern Munich.

Then came the FA Cup Semi-Final at Wembley Stadium against Colchester. A spirited performance from the Championship side, as we piled on 31 shots, 14 on target and 5 clear cut chances, but only came away with a 2-0 victory with Vela and Evans getting the goals.
A nervy game that tested us in a big match in a neutral venue, and will provide valuable experience for later in the season!
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Back to the Premier League, which for the remaining fixtures will be treated as friendlies, giving rotation and back-up players some game time, and for keeping the first-team in form and ready for the big matches. We played at Sheffield United, and came away with a 4-1 victory, Ched Evans popping up for the home side again, but was cancelled out by strikes from Dzeko, Defoe, Afellay and Lukaku.
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Then a home game in the Premier League against Newcastle, which would serve as the warm-up for the Semi-Final first leg in the CL against Bayern Munich. A nervy game, with dos Santos scoring on 2 minutes and we held on to win 1-0.
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Champions League Semi-Final 1st leg at Allianz-Arena was next, with Bayern Munich in good form and ready for us. However, in an even game we came out the strongest, and had a two goal lead from Rodwell and Afellay, until Diakite gave way a penalty which Keita converted on 88 minutes. Then came controversy, as 3 minutes of extra time was advertised, but in the 4th minute, Thomas Muller popped up with a goal to tie the leg at 2-2 and leave our boys fuming at the result. We faded badly at the end of the match, and will need to rest up the first team before the 2nd leg.
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West Brom hosted us in the Premier League, and with the entire first-team squad resting, it was up to the reserves and back-ups to strut their stuff. Unfortunately we fell to a 2-1 defeat, but this was not an issue, as the real focus was on the 2nd leg against Bayern.
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White Hart Lane played host to the Champions League Semi-Final 2nd leg as Bayern Munich traveled to face us, with our boys burning from a late goal to tie up the first leg. And it showed, with our lads coming out and showing a real drive to win and take the game to the Germans. The efforts paid off, when on 22 minutes, Spurs favourite Giovani dos Santos, who is always in the right place at the right time in the big games, pounced on the rebound to tuck home a nice goal. Former Spurs youth keeper Areola was in goal for Bayern, and he had a simply outstanding game, saving beautifully on now fewer than 5 shots lethal shots that everyone thought were going in. A tremendous match from the youn keeper, and maybe I should have kept him! But he was helpless as Kranjcar secured the fixture with a well taken penalty on 75 minutes, and Spurs fans rejoiced at the prospect of another crack at the European title!
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A fantastic month, with the Treble dream alive and well.
We play Liverpool at Wembley for the FA Cup Final, and will face Ajax FC again in the European Champions League Final. It will be a chance for revenge, as Ajax defeated us 2-1 in the previous final we made, and the boys are burning for a second crack at the Dutch outfit.

COME ON YOU SPURS!

​

 

[undertheray]

FINAL

23.05.2015

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UEFA Champions League Trophy
​

​

​

Played at the 69,000 capacity Stadio delle Alpi in Turin, Italy.

Line Ups

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Match Report

A great match at the Stadio delle Alpi is anticipated today, with Tottenham Hotspur playing in their white home strip, and Ajax in black.

The first chance was from Tottenham on the 10th minute, as Jack Rodwell moved forward with the ball and knocked a lovely through pass for Vela to take in stride. Vela placed a shot, but Stekelenburg did extremely well to turn it around the post.

And just three minutes later, it was Vela threatening again, jumping to win a header over Jonathan, but although the header looked bound for goal, it dropped narrowly over.

The next chance was in the 34th minute, with Dzeko playing a perfect pass for dos Santos, who got free of the defenders and bore in on goal, only to be denied by a good save from Stekelenburg, with Cissokho clearing the rebound.

Then with 5 minutes before halftime, came the breakthrough. dos Santos latched onto Corchia's pass, and continued unchallenged with the ball at his feet. The Mexican midfielder moved down the right flank, with the Ajax defenders wary of his skill and backing off. dos Santos looked up and swung the ball in towards Modric's feet, and the Spurs captain used his skill to get past Otamendi and drill the ball past Stekelenburg to open the scoring with a well deserved goal.

Halftime score: 1-0

Tottenham came out of the room for the second half with fire in their eyes, and one hand on the cup. It wasn't long before they had another chance, with Modric receiving another good ball from dos Santos, but his dipping shot was deflected for a corner.

Ajax's first real chance of the game came just before the hour, as Aissati let Cissokho's header drop before hitting a spectacular half volley, but he couldn't keep it down as it flew over the bar.

Skekelenburg was tested again, as Modric connected with Vela inside the box, but it was a easy save for the Ajax keeper.

On 69 minutes, Toulalan replaced Diogo in midfield, and it took just two minutes for this decision to play dividends.
Toulalan controlled the ball and played Evans, who knocked it up to Modric. Already bossing the midfield, Modric took it pass Aissati before picking out Vela with a beautiful pass, leaving Vela with nothing to do but simply pass the ball into the net for the second goal of the match.

Defoe came on for Dzeko on the 73rd minute, and on 82 minutes, Modric was at it again, receiving Rodwell's pass but was unable to keep the shot on target.

Spurs final sub came with Kranjcar on for Rodwell in the 86th minute as Spurs looked to send fresh legs into the midfield and control the rest of the game.
They did just that, and the 4 minutes of injury time were not enough for Ajax, as German referee Peter Gagelmann blew the final whistle to seal a historic win for Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-0 win over Ajax, avenging their defeat in the 2012 final.

FINAL SCORE
Tottenham 2-0 Ajax FC
Modric ('40), Vela ('71)
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Man of the Match
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Luka Modric

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
2014/15
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS
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[MunchkinCurt]

nice going mate

 

[undertheray]

2014/15 Final
30/05/2010

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. vs Liverpool F.C.

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Played at the 90,000 capacity Wembley Stadium.

Line Ups
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Nine time FA Cup winners Tottenham Hotspur head into Saturday's final against Liverpool looking to lift the trophy for the second time in a row, and match the effort in 1999 that saw Manchester United complete a historic treble.

If they manage to achieve this difficult feat, Spurs will no doubt look back proudly on their five game run to the final, scoring seventeen goals and conceding zero.

Meanwhile, 8 time FA Cup winner Liverpool look to halt this run, as they gear up for another final.

​

Match Report

History could be made at the new Wembley today, with Spurs gunning for a treble. Liverpool are set to stop them, playing in their red home kit with Tottenham Hotspur playing in the lily white.

Liverpool started the game strong, holding possession for the first couple of minutes, but in the 5th minute, Jack Rodwell played through to Edin Dzeko, who was forced to lay it left for Gareth Bale. The Welsh wing back swung the ball in towards Giovani dos Santos, who chested back superbly for Dzeko to rifle into the top left corner - giving Reina no chance - for a 1-0 lead. It was Dzeko's first goal in eleven hours of competitive football.

The next chance came on 9 minutes when Dzeko pounced on Alexis mistake and raced in on goal, only to have a thunderous effort deflected wide by Reina.

On 15 minutes, dos Santos produced another fine save from Reina, as the Mexican hit Luka Modric's centering pass first time hard and low towards the left post, but Reina got down low to make the save.

Tottenham were dominating the game, and on 22 minutes produced another chance, with Vela beating Glen Johnson down the right wing, and crossing only for Diogo to narrowly head over.

Liverpool's first chance came after 26 minutes, when Glen Johnson played Steven Gerrard into acres of space with a clear line to goal, only to see his powerful effort smash off the right post and go over for a goal kick.

Barely 3 minutes later Tottenham were on the attack, with dos Santos beating Alexis on the edge of the area and cracking a low drive at goal, but once again Reina got down low to his left to turn it brilliantly around the post.

Reina was the hero for Liverpool again on 34 minutes, when Modric got the best of two defenders and raced into the box, only to see his placed effort turned aside by the Spanish keeper.

Halftime score: 1-0

Just 6 minutes after the break, Tottenham had another glorious chance, with Rodwell's blocked shot falling to Carlos Vela, who beat Skrtel and struck a high drive that Reina parried back in front. The rebound glanced off Skrtel, and Vela pounced, sneaking the ball in between the left post and Reina, to take a 2-0 lead.

Tottenham were playing right out of the top drawer, and at three minutes past the hour, would have been three goals up, but Rodwell's run was for nothing as he fired high and wide from good position.

On 68 minutes, Modric and Rodwell were replaced - both carrying injuries - and Niko Kranjcar and Jeremy Toulalan were brought in.

Kranjcar was effective immediately, when on 73 minutes he played a delightful through ball for Carlos Vela, who collected and had his shot beat Reina, but rebound agonizingly off the post to be cleared.

The rest of the game was bland, with neither team creating any further openings - and Tottenham held on for the 2-0 win and a historic treble.

FINAL SCORE
Tottenham 2-0 Liverpool
Dzeko ('6), Vela ('52)
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Man of the Match
Pepe Reina
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
2014/15
FA CUP WINNERS


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​

 

[undertheray]

MAY & 2014/15 SEASON SUMMARY

A huge month for Spurs fans, as we completed the historic treble!!!

First, we will recap May, with three Premier League games before the Champions League final and the FA Cup final.

The first match was against Chelsea, Vela's strike being cancelled by Bangoura's equalizer as we played out a 1-1 draw with the hated rivals.
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Then came Liverpool, who managed to overcome an early Diogo goal to win 2-1 at Anfield.
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The final game of the season was against Manchester United at White Hart Lane, with this being the final prep before the Champions League final. Defoe scored two goals, as we cruised to a 2-0 win.
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English Footballer of the Year: Danny Welbeck
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Player's Player of the Year: Jack Rodwell
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Player's Team of the Year:
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FINAL PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
2014/15
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The big rematch with Ajax FC in the Champions League final was up next, and as previously mentioned, we were victorious 2-0, thanks in a huge part to a stellar performance from Luka Modric as he bossed the midfield and led Spurs to victory.
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Then was the FA Cup final, where a superb Reina could not deny the Tottenham strike force as Dzeko and Vela netted to secure the 2-0 win and the FA Cup.
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The Trophy Cabinet!

TREBLE!
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World Results:
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___________________________________________
Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur
FA Cup: Tottenham Hotspur
League Cup: Manchester City
Community Shield: Tottenham Hotspur
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Club World Championship: Manchester City
Euro Cup: Juventus
Champions League: Tottenham Hotspur
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SEASON SUMMARY
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TRANSFER SUMMARY
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[undertheray]

AUGUST & summer summary

A solid preseason got everyone up to match fitness and ready for the seasons action.

at Dundee WIN 2-0
vs Lazio WIN 3-0
vs Fenerbahce WIN 2-0
at Hearts WIN 3-0
vs Tottenham Reserves WIN 7-1

A good run of results, where we only conceded in our final game against our own players! This is testament to the depth and strength of the squad.
There were a rash of injuries to contend with, as Modric was out for 4 weeks with a sprained ankle, Naughton was out with a gashed leg for 2 weeks, Ochoa was out for a month with a broken finger and Evans was out 3-4 weeks with broken ribs. Even with 3 starters sidelined, I was still confident we wouldn't miss a stride and get a great start to the season.

Luka Modric retained his role as club captain, while Giovani dos Santos was named vice-captain for the season.

The first competition of the season was the Community Shield against Liverpool. Our quality of possession saw us run out 3-0 winners at Wembley, with a brace from Ibrahim Afellay and Dzeko added one of his own as the game was wrapped up after 29 minutes. dos Santos was named man of the match after a classy performance.
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Our first game of the 2015/16 Premier League season was next, with White Hart Lane opening against Ipswich Town. A dominant performance ensured we ran out 4-0 winners, with a brace from Defoe and added goals from Dzeko and Bassong to seal the win.
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Next up we faced Everton at Goodison Park, where an efficient performance saw us comfortably overcome the hosts 4-2. Dzeko got two, with Kranjcar converting from the penalty spot and Defoe adding to the tally. Some questionable goalkeeping from Ben Foster saw us concede our first goals of the season, but Ochoa will be back soon so I am not too worried. Another classy performance saw dos Santos named man of the match again.
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Continuing our good form, as we demolished Newcastle 4-0 at White Hart Lane in the Premier League, turning our dominant possession into a dominant scoreline. Dzeko, Defoe, Kranjcar and dos Santos all netted for Spurs, as we comfortably saw off another opponent.
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Spurs first ever Super Cup appearance was next, as we traveled to the Stade Louis II to square off with Italian club and Euro Cup winners Juventus. A very even game was played, with the aggressive play from Spurs countered as Juventus dominated the flow of the game and had more of the chances on goal. Both Ochoa and Buffon put in good performances, as after 90 minutes the score was still 0-0, so we would have extra time.
The bianconeri thought they had taken the lead on 110 minutes, but the strike was flagged for offside. With 3 minutes left in extra time, Carlos Vela ran into space onto a perfect through ball, and slotted past Buffon for the 1-0 lead. Juve were unable to reply, and so we secured our first every European Super Cup victory!
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The start to the season was a good solid one, as we continue our scoring streak in the Premier League and maintain our winning record.
A long Super Cup final is at the perfect time, with 14 days of rest before the next fixture. We have been playing football for a month and already collected two trophies!

I have been inactive in the transfer market, selling more than I spent, with notable departures in Steven Caulker - my top youth prospect a couple of years ago, but is now past 21 and is lacking the skill to get near the first team; and Peter Crouch on free transfer. Sad to see Crouch go, but his best days are well past him, and hopefully he can find some lower division football to play out his career.
In I brought Ustari on a free for goalkeeping depth, along with a host of young players to boost the reserve and youth ranks with potential.
Due to being thin at the back, I signed experienced centre-back Leandro Rinaudo from Napoli to provide depth and a little bit of extra security.

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A promising start and hopefully it can continue!

COME ON YOU SPURS!
​

 

[undertheray]

SEPTEMBER

We continued our run of form through September, as we strode easily to the top of the Premier League and our Champions League Group H.

First up was at home in the Premier League against Aston Villa. Villa took the early advantage, but a Defoe hat trick and a fourth from Dzeko secured the 4-2 win over a solid Villa squad.
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Then was another home match, but this time in my first Champions League match, in my group H against Leverkusen. Despite actually being dominated in terms of possession and shots by the Germans, our finishing was far better and our quality shone through, with an early advantage from Leverkusen overturned on the stroke of halftime, before Vela stole the points 3 minutes from time and Afellay drove the nail into the coffin in injury time.
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Next on the schedule we traveled to the Molineux to play against high flying Wolves (who are playing Champions League football, and playing it well). Carlos Vela took the lead after 22 minutes, and we never looked back, controlling the flow of the game and leaving happy with a 1-0 victory.
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Then came a League Cup Third round fixture against Newcastle, squeezed into the fixture list. Despite us clearly dominating the game, my reserves couldn't find the breakthrough, and even the introduction of Dzeko couldn't break the tie, as he was largely ineffective. It went to penalties, where we missed more than we scored, and bowed out of the competition. We are happy with the performance, and it was just an unlucky game for us.
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Now came the reason for resting players in the midweek, a trip across London to Zola stadium to take on rivals Chelsea. A fairly even game, with Spurs edging the shot shot count, but Chelsea dominating the possession. Ultimately Rodwell made the difference, with his superb brace the only goals in the match as we saw of the hated rivals 2-0.
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Wanting to continue our streak (our only loss of the year has been in the League Cup, there has only been wins, no draws) we traveled to Moscow to vs CSKA Moscow in the Champions League Group H fixture . Bale, Vela and Modric combined to more than comfortably take the points from an even game, and we were happy with the 3-1 win.
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A solid September, picking up the Manager of the Month award and leading the league and group for Champions League. I will be signing some young 15-16 year old talents to develop for the future, and won't look to be spending big this January. I am happy with squad, harmony is excellent and we go into every game expecting to score and expecting to win!

COME ON YOU SPURS!

 

[undertheray]

OCTOBER

This month had our first game at White Hart Lane where we played Portsmouth in the Premier League. We completely dominated this game, releasing shot after shot, but the Portsmouth defence was brave and managed to block about half of our efforts on goal. Vela opened the scoring after 7 minutes, before former Spurs play John Bostock equalized with what proved to be Portsmouths only shot on target. However in the second half Dzeko gave us the lead, before dos Santos extended it, and we finished comfortable 3-1 winners.
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Next up we traveled to Old Trafford, to play one of the stronger Manchester United teams in recent years since Ferguson had left. A fairly even game, with Spurs having the slight edge in possession and shots, but no one could find the breakthrough as we finished the game at 0-0.
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Not wanting to let the draw affect us, we returned to White Hart Lane to dominate Wigan in a 3-1 win, in a game we never looked like losing. Granero, dos Santos and Vela managed to find the net, before Sturridge scored some late consolation for Wigan. We dominated possession and shots, but the late goal should not have happened, and we will not be able to afford lapses like that later in the season.
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To the Champions League in midweek, as we hosted Girondins Bordeaux in our group H match. Defoe took the lead on 36 minutes, and we never looked back, cruising to a 1-0 win which qualified us for the next round. Now we were just playing with Leverkusen to determine first and second place in the group.
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Back in the Premier League, and it was time for the North London derby, as we traveled to the Emirates Stadium to take on arch-rivals Arsenal. Ironically, Spurs goalkeeper made the first mistake, flapping on a cross which fell to Fabregas, who easily tapped in on 7 minutes. Meanwhile at the other end Stephane Ruffier was in form, denying us any chance of a way back into the match, as we suffered our first league defeat of the season, 1-0.
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Not a team to lose twice, we hosted Liverpool in the Premier League next, and we were burning after the loss to Arsenal. dos Santos came out blazing in the first minute, beating two defenders and curling a shot past Reina to give us a great start to the match. We never looked back, as Dzeko added two more before Rodwell tacked on the fourth, as we were clearly the better team in a 4-0 victory.
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A good month for Spurs, with us qualifying for the next round in the Champions League, and still sitting atop the Premier League, although Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are close behind and all have the quality to compete.
I am lining up some youth targets, quality 16-18 year old players that I will bring in over January to strengthen my future chances and help develop some quality homegrown players. Centre-back has been a problem position, with Evans capable of starting, but Diakite and Bassong in shaky form. My experienced back up Rinaudo is still on the sidelines with a torn hamstring, and he will most likely be available for first team action at the earliest around mid-December.

COME ON YOU SPURS!

 

[undertheray]

NOVEMBER

November kicked off with a 1-0 win over Girondins Bordeaux in my fourth Champions League Group H match up. Still jostling with Leverkusen for the first place in the group, this win would help us greatly. Despite dominating the match, it took a late goal from sub Jermain Defoe to secure the victory.
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Traveling to the Stadium of Light in the Premier League, as Sunderland was our next opponent. We were off to a flyer after just 4 minutes, when Giovani dos Santos skinned the defence and bent a shot in to put us ahead. Despite controlling much of the game and getting more shots, Sunderland pulled it back with a solid second half through Frazier Campbell on the hour, and just 13 minutes later they had the lead as Campbell got his second. An unexpected loss looked set to hit us, until in the third minute of injury time Jack Rodwell blasted the ball into the back of the net to get the equalizer and steal us a 2-2 draw.
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Our next match was in the Premier League again, as we hosted Manchester City at White Hart Lane. An even match in terms of shots and possession, with Spurs holding the slightest of edges. An absolute rocket from Edin Dzeko put us up by one at halftime, as we looked fairly solid, but shaky at the back. I decided to replace Diakite with Bassong during the interval, but this proved to be a disastrous decision, as Demba Ba grabbed two to put the Citizens ahead. Another screamer from Dzeko put us on level terms, but it wasn't to be, as Tevez had an easy finish after less-than-stellar marking and goalkeeping to sink us to a 3-2 defeat.
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In our fifth Champions League Group H fixture, and we were playing for first place in the group. Despite absolutely dominating the game in all aspects, Helmes managed to guide the only shot on target from the hosts past Ochoa, to take a 1-0 victory. This puts us equal on points, with us leading on superior goal difference, and a win in the final game against CSKA should give us first place.
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Next up was a trip to St Andrews in the Premier League, where mid-table Birmingham were our opponents. Another dominating performance, but with very little to show. out of 23 total shots, a MISERABLE 3 were on target, all saved. Our only goal came in the 31st minute as dos Santos converted a penalty after Modric was brought down in the box. A 1-0 win, and the three points, but our lack of finishing is becoming distressing.
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Looks like I need to take a serious look at some tactical changes to get more shots on target, or getting the best out of my players! Looking at a rebound in December, hopefully the goals will come.

COME ON YOU SPURS!

 

[undertheray]

DECEMBER

Another successful year for Spurs fans, and the final month began with a solid 4-1 win over West Brom at White Hart Lane in the Premier League. Dzeko had two goals inside five minutes, and Modric added two more as we cruised to another win.
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Next was our final Champions League match for the group stages. We were at home against CSKA Moscow and thumped in five goals via Defoe, Granero, Toulalan and Lukaku with two. This 5-2 victory ensured we finished top of group H and should get a easier draw for the knockout stages.
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Back in the Premier League and we traveled to Bolton, where Lukaku's opener on the half hour was canceled four minutes later as Rangelov equalized for the hosts. It looked to be a grim draw, until injury time, when Evans header was pushed onto the crossbar by Ryan Hill's good save, only for Diakite to head in from close range. A 2-1 victory enough to keep us on top of the league.
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Shortly after the Bolton game we boarded the plane to head to South Africa for the FIFA Club World Cup competition. We entered the competition in the semi-final round, drawn against South African club Kaizer Chiefs. Despite telling the boys to take it easy, we still romped to a 7-0 win - with a stunning strike from Bassong on two minutes setting the tone for the rest of the game.
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Following this win, we had Mexican side America in the final of the Club World Cup. Ochoa's former club, and dos Santos played for them in his early youth, so we had an interesting game ahead of us. A terrific goal from Luka Modric opened the scoring in the 14th minutes, but this just tightened up the match and it looked like it could be a close one. However, four minutes before half time, Rodwell broke the resistance and by the 49th minute the game was sealed as we had a four goal lead. Just to rub salt in the wound, Modric completed his hat trick in injury time as we won the game 5-0 and were awarded the Club World Championship!!
View attachment 64947

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
2015
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP WINNERS
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Just three days later, we had to be back in London to play more football, as we had a Premier League match against Sheffield United. Despite the FA not moving the fixture, the jet lag did not affect us, as we rolled them with a stellar performance and had a 5-0 victory to show for it. Of note was Carlos Vela breaking his goal drought with the fifth goal of this game.
View attachment 64948


Following our streak of big wins, we thumped Ipswich away as we secured an easy 4-0 victory. dos Santos opened the scoring with an excellent run through the defense to slot the ball past the keeper, and Dzeko completed the scoring as he fired in a rocket from outside the penalty area to put an exclamation point on the victory.
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Final match of 2015 was in the Premier League against Everton. Giovani dos Santos capped a superb year with a hat trick before half time, and Lukaku added another after the break as we comfortably played out a 4-1 win.
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At the end of 2015, we are still in the running for the FA Cup, with our 3rd round match against Doncaster in the new year, and have been drawn against Sevilla in the Champions League first knockout round, with the 1st leg away. We are also still sitting atop the Barclays Premier League, with a couple of games in hand for security over second place Chelsea.

Premier League Table at the end of 2015
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Champions League 1st Knockout Round Draw
View attachment 64961
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And it was another successful year for Dzeko on awards night, and Messi managed to break Ronaldo's streak of World Footballer of the Year awards.


The World Footballer of the Year: Lionel Messi
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The World Player of the Year: Edin Dzeko
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The European Footballer of the Year: Edin Dzeko
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Dzeko also picked up the Striker of the Year:
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And was named a starter for the Team of the Year, along with Gareth Bale:
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And Ochoa was named 3rd best goalkeeper of the year:
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COME ON YOU SPURS!!!