I should have known it was going to be a difficult weekend. It all started for me on Wednesday evening. In London on business, I decided to go to White Hart Lane to get the new Spurs shirt?s as they are not currently available in the North East. Although getting to Seven Sisters tube was fine, the train to WHL was problematic, mainly because I needed the toilet! Not been too familiar with the station, I had to ask four train stations guards where to go and it ate up about 10 minutes. When I eventually got to WHL at 5:31pm, the stores had all shut a minute a go! Back to Seven Sisters and a tube into Oxford Circus. Guessing which exit to take, I came out on the John Lewis side.

I tried there, House of Fraser, Footlocker and numerous other shops on my way up to Marble Arch. Nothing. Back down the other side and I finally secured the away shirt at JD Sports, which was right next to one of the other exits for Oxford Circus! Back on the tube to Kings Cross to the Hotel, well that was the plan. Somehow, I missed the stop and as I was on the Victoria Line, I end up at Highbury! With my Spurs shirt in hand, I quickly get across the station and back to the Hotel. A three-hour pilgrimage for a shirt my fianc?e describes as ?weird?!

As it approached 12:45pm on Saturday, I sat proudly displaying my new Spurs top and hoping for a decent performance. I did not expect a win but a draw would be a bonus. I had already checked the team line ups and noted that it was Keane and Defoe up front. They could not get past Grimsby last season in the Cup so I was very concerned however, I have faith in Martin! To be honest, I thought it was a very good game and that Tottenham were playing very well. There were chances, not too many clear cut, but chances. When Murphy whipped the ball in and King rose, it was one nil and I was screaming with delight. Well, that is what I expected. No connection and the ball goes out for a goal kick. It was tense and 0-0 at half time was good by my estimations. The first ten of the second half were key and again, we did not concede. Then football was summed up in about one minute. Davids screams into the box and squares it for Jenas. GGGooooaaaallll!

Err, no. Despite an open goal, it goes out for a goal kick, again! As Jenas picks himself up and Davids bites his knuckles, Steven Gerrard beats Assou-Ekotto, Bellamy hits the posts and Mark Gonzalez fires home. Heads drop, quickly and badly. The next two goals were in my opinion, unprofessional. Yes, everyone was disappointed we were a goal down but the way we conceded two more was criminal. Firstly, Robinson made no effort to play to the referee?s whistle and just watched as Kuyt fired home. Assou-Ekotto may well have been badly positioned but King, Dawson and Robinson should be shot for all raising their arms and failing to try and stop him. The same goes for Riise goal. It was one helluva strike but where was the midfield he should have had to go past? Why did Dawson leave him so much room? This game turned on its head the moment Davids was introduced, nearly for the better but ultimately for the worse, these are testing times indeed!

I am not sure if Alan Hylands is trying to generate discussion or if he was simply drunk but I cannot believe many people want Martin Jol replaced by Glenn Hoddle. It would, in my opinion, be a step backwards if we took the knee jerk reaction and got rid of Jol. For me, we have to give him at least another two years. It was always going to be harder this season, even if we had not bought or sold anyone, it would have been harder. Expectation levels have risen and Tottenham are now a scalp. Just how hard it was going to be has perhaps surprised a lot of people but can we really want Jol gone? Why have Manchester United and Arsenal stayed near the top of the Premier League for so long? Stability.

If you need further proof, Charlton is perhaps a better example. Having spent some of next season?s budget on signings this summer to back Iain Dowie, they find themselves second bottom and really struggling. Charlton are a nothing team. Sorry Charlton fans, but apart from Darren Bent, there is very little quality in the squad. However, Alan Curbishley done wonders with the club and made them a team. This can only happen in the long term and making short term decisions may be popular but not fruitful. If Jol is allowed to continue, at the present time, I really feel he will make us a consistent side and more importantly, a consistently good team.

A lot has been made of the new signings. Undoubtedly, they have had an impact on the start to the season but I am not sure the ?old? players would have made us any better. Jol has often commented that the World Cup caused him problems in pre-season because the players were not there. I would agree but our problems this season have been scoring. So I ask the following questions. Name the player(s) that played in the World Cup. Was it:

A: Jermain Defoe
B: Robbie Keane
C: Mido
D: Dimitar Berbatov

That?s right, none of them played in the World Cup so surely that cannot be an excuse? To be honest, I feel it is not the new players but those left over from last season that causing the problem. I wish, pray and hope Edgar Davids leaves us some time soon. We crumbled against Liverpool when he came on because he totally unbalances the midfield. It is no surprise that the goals came from our left side of defence. Gerrard skinned Assou-Ekotto alive for the first but there was no protection as Davids was tucked in the centre instead of holding his position on the left. Assou-Ekotto will get the blame for second as well but if you watch closely, Gerrard was able to make the run because again, Davids was too far in field. Defoe is also someone else I would like to see leave come January. Apparently a natural goal scorer, his record doesn?t reflect this. Although he has denied it, I think he is holding the club responsible for him missing the World Cup. Looks a shadow of the player he was when he first signed. Something has to give, and soon.

To be fair to Defoe and Davids, I do not think the tactics are working. In pre-season, we played, and had a lot of success, with a 4-3-3 formation. Lennon was at the World Cup and Reid was on his way out so no natural width. Jol saw this and adapted his system accordingly. Defoe, Berbatov and Keane looked very sharp and goals were flying in. However, as soon as the Premiership begins, back to 4-4-2 despite their being no Lennon, Routledge or Reid. As far as I can see, the left hand side has been the biggest problem. We have no penetration and no protection for Assou-Ekotto. Tainio is probably our best option as he is disciplined and stays in position.

Jamie Redknapp commented at half time against Liverpool that we were very well organised with two banks of four. That is exactly how I saw it as well. We were very organised and I was looking forward to the second half. It all changed when Davids came on. Not trying to repeat what I said above but we lost the bank of 4 in midfield and Liverpool took over. Would I have been saying something different if he had set up the first goal? We will never know but our shape would have still been a mess so we have might have lost 3-1! Missing out on Downing, or actually, any left winger, has costs us dearly.

When I wrote ?First Impressions Count?, I was hammered by one fan that called me an ?idiot? and asked if we really expected results at Bolton and Man U. He was right, I did not expect to win those games but, we are not achieving what we did last season. The table below hopefully highlights this

Game Home/Away 2005/06 2006/07
Bolton Away 1-0 2-0
Sheffield U Home 2-2 2-0 *(compared Wigan)
Everton Home 2-0 0-2
Man U Away 1-1 1-0
Fulham Home 1-0 0-0
Liverpool Away 1-0 3-0

Points 8 4
(n.b. I compared with Wigan as they came up 2nd as did Sheff U, not scientific I know!)

Last season we lost 9 during the course of the season. Already, we have lost 4. The next games are crucial, vitally important. In form Portsmouth and Aston Villa, West Ham and then Watford. If we get 12 out of 12, the season has really kicked off. However, only the most optimistic fan would expect this. In saying that, we have a team capable. We also have a team, currently devoid of confidence, that could lose all of them. I am nervous, very nervous.

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