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DEEP IN MY HEART
Middlesbrough vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 2nd November 2007, The Riverside, Premier League
James Keen
There aren't many seasons where a game between Boro and Tottenham could be classed as a relegation six pointer. But by jingo this one is!
Both sides have a chance to drag themselves out of the proverbial mire and in the process, leapfrog several places and out of the pundits' relegation prediction shortlist.
It is really that big a game!
This is the one where someone will be left behind as two sides who have built up differing levels of Premiership experience and pedigree are now looking at relegation battles.
Spurs, I have no doubt, will fight their way out of it fairly easily and Juande Ramos is a very good man to do that. Boro, meanwhile, need this win as with it we can really prise ourselves away from the bottom of the table and start to build our confidence and our severely damaged pride.
The advantage Spurs have is that they have Robbie Keane scoring goals and a new manager to inspire the rest of the team.
In comparison Boro have lost five on the bounce, our top scorer has only scored three goals and is a left winger and our manager is looking as confused as a Neanderthal with a Rubik's cube.
Not good signs.
But, we endeavour. And if anything good can be taken from last weekend's game with Manchester United then it has to be that Tuncay had a good game and Jeremie Aliadiere scored a goal that will hopefully take a monkey off his back.
And so two positives to take into the Spurs match - perhaps we have the right players but maybe they were simply underperforming.
Tuncay came to England with an immense reputation and being a man of immense pride I cannot see him wanting to leave this country of ours without having proven himself.
I believe that Saturday was the start of big things to come from our Turkish Superstar and if he does turn it round he will truly be our Braveheart!
Boro's problems have been discussed in many quarters and it is very true that these injuries have hampered our attempts to build on what was achieved last season.
The chance to pick from a fully fit squad would be a wonderful fillip for Southgate - he'd think all his Christmases had come at once.
Our defensive frailties are obvious. Woodgate hasn't been playing that well but I get a feeling that he doesn't have much confidence in his keeper and his central defensive partner.
Put simply, he pines for Poggy. A player with a culture vulture style like Woodgate needs an enforcer alongside him, someone to do the horrid work. This is something that neither Riggott nor Wheater will do.
Spurs are having similar problems. They're missing a key defensive player in Ledley King and their keeper hasn't had the greatest of seasons either.
Their forwards haven't been great either. Their former star man, Berbatov, is having a poor season and has thrown his toys out of the pram a few times in recent weeks.
Let's face it, they're below us in the league, so there is no real reason to be fearful.
We are now in a position where we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We are in a dogfight. We won't be looking at a European venture again so at the moment all we need to think about is those survival points. Forty is the target, eight is the current total. We need to get up to eleven this week but if we don't then we take it out on Bolton.
We have good players, we have fantastic fans, but we have lost our way somewhat.
Collectively we need to start believing we can achieve great things. Until then we will never do anything.
This week my boss said to me that without the right attitude you can never reach your goal, whether it's climbing everest, making a big sales target or winning a game of football. Without the correct attitude and the required belief in your team-mates you will never reach your target.
There seems an apparent lack of belief around the Boro at the moment, but belief is exactly what got us to the UEFA Cup Final, The League Cup win and three cup finals in a twelve month period.
We all believed in 2004. We all believed in 2006. We all believed in 1997 and 1998. We must all believe again in 2008.
The Outcome: My heart tells me we will get the better of our relegation rivals 2-1, but my head says we will have to settle for a 2-2.
Last Season: Middlesbrough 2-3 Tottenham, 21/4/07, Premier League, (Viduka 66, Pogatetz 89)
Boro Form (most recent result first): LLLLLD
Spurs Form: WLLLDD
Probable Teams:
Boro: Schwarzer, Young, Taylor, Woodgate, Wheater, Rochemback, O'Neil, Downing, Cattermole, Tuncay, Aliadiere.
Spurs: Robinson, Chimbonda, Young-Pyo, Kaboul, Dawson, Zokora, Malbranque, Huddlestone, Lennon, Berbatov, Keane
Man to Watch: Robbie Keane
RETURN TO DEEP IN MY HEART INDEX HERE
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