By Kev G
July 29 2004

There seemed to be an upbeat feeling with us as we headed to the ground, singing our usual yiddo songs on the way and getting a few rangers fans looking and staring..... Got in the ground and I strategically jostled for a seat behind si & co, we then gave the rangers fans some stick (as you do) and all the spurs lads were in good voice....

Before I begin, I would like to add that Rangers have got to have the worst set of fans I have ever witnessed at a football game, yes they were well behaved and they gave as good as they got, but what was really funny is that 40,000 rangers fans forget where they are sometimes and are only woken up by a prat playing a trumpet and a d1ck with a drum and that gets them singing for what it seems like 0.3 secs of a song.... dear oh dear rangers.....

Kick off....

Robbo - Had a few words with Si before the game about who we thought would start the match, I of course thought Keller. Robbo started and played, what I can only say a very very good performance, he had the shot stopping ability of Keller but was also very assured coming out for crosses and his distribution was first rate....He made 2 or 3 world class saves I must say.....8.5/10

Carr - Sometimes he looked solid and others he looked suspect and got skinned for the rangers 2nd goal. Didn't go forward much or run at the rangers defence, to me it looks as though his days of doing that are over, or he just doesn't seem to care. 5.5/10

Bunji - Surprised at him tonight, he played quite well defensively, seemed to be aware of the game around him and didn't get flustered at all.....What he did do time and time again was give the ball away, even the simple passes were going astray. Was cringing watching him at times but he played ok........5.5/10

King - He was good tonight, but I think he needs someone other than Gardner with him, they both need to communicate better with each other and were at fault for the rangers 1st goal as they both got a little mixed up with what each other was doing. A little more understanding is needed with them. Kings own performance was good, strong in the tackle and positionally very good and is maturing nicely. Novo was rangers danger man, and his mix up with Gardner led to his goal.....King, very kindly, let novo out his back pocket for his substitution around the hour mark. 8/10

Gardner - Handled prso very well, although he should have tracked him all the way back and not let prso score the 2nd, sometimes I get the feeling that he's too assured of himself and he sometimes makes silly mistakes (see king comments above) - He did make prso drop a lot deeper to get the ball I thought, which was good, but there's one thing I cant fault the big man for - that's his tackling, sometimes its superb. I can fault him for one thing however, he needs to realise that being 10ft tall, he should win all high balls that are hit into his area, he doesn't. Apart from the mis-communication for novo's goal and the non-marking for prso, he did a very good job on keeping him quiet. 6.5/10

Davis - He works his socks off, but he is definitely a yard off the pace and was out of position a few times tonight. Once he has match sharpness this boy will be very very good. Never gave away any silly passes, and seemed to always find a man. Plays a little more defensively for my liking though. Needs a few more games to get to know the lads..... 6.5/10

Mendes - Seemed to drift in and out of the game but he loves to get forward. You can feel the quality from him, solid performer, good passer of the ball but I think he's quite slow, burke ran past him a few times tonight, didn't like seeing that although he's a nippy little so and so. 6/10

Jackson - Got the impression from him that he was up for it at the start of the game, but then just died and played a very average game. I just don't think he has the extra quality that we need. Yeah he tried to get forward but I cant remember him putting in 1 cross all night...My reservations are still out for jacko I'm afraid. 5/10

Marney - Came on for the injured Mr Keane, he shouldn't have bothered. Came on as a sub then got substituted himself.... 3.5/10

Ricketts - Played up front with defoe, why ? couldn't see the sense in that but he was very quiet and when he did wake up he made a few good runs but nothing like what he is capable of, apparently, although I never seen it, he should have scored at the end..... 5/10

Keane - Looked like the Robbie we have came to know and love, he's always looking for the ball, his skill shines through and just loves going forward...when he got the ball you could see rangers flapping, was nice to see but his injury on the half hour mark made my heart sink. Didn't play enough of the game to get a very high rating but did more in his short spell than others did in the full match....he got boo'd a lot by the rangers fans when he got the ball but we gave them it right back !! 6/10

Defoe - What can I say about this guy, he's sharp and hungry as hell and gets very frustrated when he doesn't get the ball, wow ! I haven't seen the sort of hunger and determination from a spurs man (excl. Robbie) in a long time. Pass the ball to this boy and he's away, our very own pocket rocket. Always looked for the ball tonight, when he got it he sometimes tried to do a little too much, but I think that's just frustration, he continuously ran at the rangers defence and didn't give them any peace all night..he didn't get any clear cut chances as the rangers defence held their ground though. 8.5/10

The others that came on as subs didn't do anything much, we played a better game in the 2nd half but the damage was done in the 1st. The final straw for myself, Jon & co was bringing on Doherty and putting him up as a striker. We need to buck up our idea's and be more solid at the back. Silly mistakes cause us games. Rangers were the better team on the night, no doubt, but they aint all that by any means. Yeah, its a friendly and were slowly getting fitter, sharper but there's much more to do. We did have a lot of people out tonight and with Santini bringing on McKie still shows that he's in trial mode with him looking at players.... it would have been nicer to get more stuck in to them, have more determination and show a little bit more class (cause I think were better then rangers) but we were in friendly mode and as they say, a friendly is a warm up game and that's how it seemed to be carried out by the players.

Jon will add pic's later as I think he took a few. Sorry for the length of the post and hopefully it will paint a little better picture of the game.

On a final note, the Tottenham lads sang their hearts out, was very good to see and made me realise that im proud to be a spurs fan and sing amongst the fans that were there tonight.

My throats a little sore, heads thumping, still a little tipsy and ive been typing for what it seems like an eternity....I'm signing off.....