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DEEP IN MY HEART
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Middlesbrough, 12th April 2008, White Hart Lane, Premier League
James Keen
When we fly we soar but when we fall we plummet. Typical Boro!
Sunday was yet another wonderful, spectacular and unbelievable example of Boro doing what they do best: Inconsistency.
We have the best home record against the top four in the last three years and the second best record against them this season.
Yet we still languish beneath our North East rivals with absolutely no idea what to expect this week.
As Mr Gareth said last week, and as I hinted towards in my column, Alves was due to spark and he did in emphatic style.
What we will get against Spurs is anyone's guess.
Spurs, like Boro, have been superbly unpredicatable this season. They have had a woeful start, a promising middle and a low key end to the season.
They have the finest of all trophies sat in their cabinet, the League Cup, but they went quietly out of the UEFA Cup and have been battered by Newcastle very recently. They have also drawn 4-4 with Chelsea.
Typical Spurs!
We venture south to White Hart Lane with our players keen to show that we are better than our current placing suggests. They also have a determination to put things right.
Yet we only have one win since that day against Cardiff and we need to look at fixtures like this as winnable.
Jonno Woodgate will line up against his 'beloved' Boro for the first time since his low key £7million transfer and he will be looking to impress.
Let's hope Afonso and Jezza are on form and run him into the ground.
Spurs aren't the side we expected them to be and despite of the arrival of Juande Ramos, they still haven't set the world alight.
They are playing a brand of football more akin to the Keegan inspired Newcastle of the Nineties rather than Ramos' old charges at Sevilla.
A lot of column inches have been given to the number of goals scored in Spurs games this season. They can't help but score goals but they concede like troopers.
It should, in theory, be a high scoring spectacle but will in likelihood be a low scoring draw.
I am pleased with Boro's response since the mauling at the hands of Cardiff and the fans have regained some respect for the Boro and for Mr Gareth. He has used the negativity of the FA Cup to our benefit, inspiring us to be much more resolute in the games that have come along.
We will come up against some quality opponents and some firm pressure, with players like Berbatov, Lennon and Keane running at us.
Wheater, Taylor, Young and The Player Formerly Known as Mad Dog (TPFKAMD for short) will have to be on their best behaviour and their most concentrated form to keep these boys out.
But we do have threats of our own.
Stewart Downing has been on good form and with O'Neil suspended, it's likely that Jinky Johnson will get a chance to impress on the other wing. So we will have plenty of width and plenty of service for our forwards.
After our awesome and unlucky display last week, this is a good test of the true mentality of the Boro players.
After the United result and performance we should be able to beat a team like Spurs. We now have to turn that possibility into a reality and dispatch them.
I have faith and am looking forward to the remainder of the season.
We could also set the ball rolling for next season. A few shrewd buys, a full pre-season and a settling in period for both Alves and Tuncay, and Boro could be in amongst the Euro challengers again.
Let's have faith and let's start at Spurs this weekend.
C'mon Boro!
The Outcome: My head tells me that Boro will come away with another 2-2 draw but my heart wants a win and a 3-2 victory could be on the cards. More Alves goals anyone?
Last Season: Tottenham 2-1 Middlesbrough, Berbatov 48, Keane 84, Huth 80 (5/12/06)
Boro Form (most recent result first): DLWDDL
Spurs Form: DLWDLW
Probable Teams:
Boro: Schwarzer, Young, Taylor, TPFKAMD, Wheater, Johnson, Arca, Boateng, Downing, Aliadiere, Alves
Spurs: Cerny, Hutton, Chimbonda, Woodgate, Dawson, Huddlestone, Malbranque, Jenas, Lennon, Berbatov, Keane
Man to Watch: Robbie Keane
RETURN TO DEEP IN MY HEART INDEX HERE
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