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Two words, “at” and “least” are getting me through the process dealing with this result.

They can go before any of these sentences:

…we didn’t lose.

…we’re no longer bottom of the table.

…we’re out of the bottom three.

…we scored our first Premiership goal in four games.

…Defoe got his first goal since his return.

…the goal we conceded was a fluke.

…overall we had the better of the play.

When I read that lot over and over it does actually serve as consolation.

And in some ways, it helps me forget Darren Bent’s miss of the season which could sadly be the last thing Spurs fans remember of the player if he is transferred away in the coming weeks.

I do have one particular query for Mr Redknapp, by the way.

Just HOW BAD are Cesar Sanchez and Ben Alnwick in goal that he felt forced to play a half-crocked Gomes who can’t even kick a dead ball?

I don’t think he could have blamed the players this time if, as seemed likely, the Brazilian’s disability actually led to a goal for the visitors![

If that’s the case, our squad is indeed in dire straits and I’m not sure how much we can do to rectify all our problems in this particular transfer window.

With King out long term, no creativity to speak of coming from the midfield and Bent seemingly on the way out, that means we need at least one new player in every area of the park, and expecting the signings to gel with the existing players in time to pull us up to mid-table in the next 16 games is quite a big ask.

It would be hard to pinpoint poor individual performances on the day here. Fans around the web seem to be singling out Gareth Bale, but I reckon that’s a bit harsh. We actually created more chances than usual on the day, and in the most part we were tidy at the back.

It was just the finishing that was lacking.

At least we have a couple of cup games, one of them which could see us return to Wembley, to take our minds off it.

I think my Spurs have reached a crucial point in their season so comment is necessary.

Our next three matches read thus; Portsmouth at home in the Premiership on Sunday, Burnley away in the Carling Cup semifinal on Wednesday, and Manchester United away in the FA Cup the following Saturday. Here is how I would approach that series of matches…

First, I would of course have to acknowledge that the Premiership is a priority. Eleven defeats in twentyone matches is absolutely awful for a club like Tottenham. Sure, it can be argued that just three points could send us as high as 11th, but the fact remains that we’ve had matches with Stoke, Hull, Fulham, West Brom, Middlesbrough, Sunderland to name but a few and we haven’t been able to take three points.

So I guess it’s not a case of “all we have to do”. It needs to be worked at.

And so I'd try to put out what I consider to be my best available team for the Portsmouth clash. At the moment that reads like this.

Gomes

Corluka Woodgate King(capt) Assou-Ekottu

Lennon Zokora Modrić O’Hara

Pavlyuchenko Defoe

Before the match I would say this to the players…

“Right lads, you’re what I consider to be my best team, but that doesn’t mean any of you are irreplacable. There’s still a couple of weeks left in the transfer window, so get out there on Sunday and play like you want to help me get this club back up the table to where it’s fans demand we be.”

Meanwhile, in another room, I would assemble this team…

Cesar

Gunter Rocha Dawson (capt) Bale

Bentley Tarrabt Huddlestone Ghaly

dos Santos Campbell

…and I would tell them this…

“You lot are what I consider right now to be my Second XI. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have a chance to make it at this club. To prove it, I’m picking you for BOTH the Carling Cup semifinal 2nd leg at Burnley AND the trip to Old Trafford. You will have 180 minutes to show me and the Spurs faithful what you can do. We have a reasonably comfortable 3-goal cushion against Burnley and with UEFA Cup matches around the corner we’re literally on a hiding to nothing against United. Let’s see which one of ye are up for it.”

You may notice that I have left out both Jenas and Bent. The reason is I’ve heard rumours they’re being lined up for transfer out of White Hart lane and to be honest I think we could do without the pair of them.

When the final whistle blows at Old Trafford, there will be eight full days left in the transfer window (it is extended to midnight Feb 1st). Following my plan should give us enough info as to what areas we need to sign players together with enough time to do it.

But then again I’m not Harry, so it will be interesting to see what he actually does. We all said that it was Damien Commolli that put us where we are; now is Redknapp’s time to prove us right.

This was taken from my blog ...and STILL Ricky Villa!!! 

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Hotspur FC Formed in 1882

From the Official Tottenham Hotpsur history book

Scroll down to view the history of the club Year by Year:

1882
Club formed by boys from Hotspur cricket club and from the local grammar school. The name of 'Hotspur FC' was adopted.

1883
Club reorganised under the presidency of Mr John Ripsher. Club colours - navy blue. Matches played on Tottenham marshes.

1884
Club re-named 'Tottenham Hotspur Football and Athletic Club'.

1885
First competitive match versus St. Albans in the London Association Cup. Spurs winning 5-2. Colours changed to light blue and white halves. First credit balance nine shillings.

1887
First meeting with Arsenal - then Royal Arsenal. Match abandoned 15 minutes from time 'owing to darkness' with Spurs leading 2-1.

1888
Spurs move to private ground in Northumberland Park, where the first admission charge of 3d was made.

1890
Colours changed to red shirts and navy blue shorts.

1895
Spurs adopt professionalism.

1896
A record crowd of 6,000 spectators watch the friendly match with Aston Villa. Spurs elected to the Southern League Division One. Club colours changed to chocolate and gold.

1897
We reach our first Cup Final, losing 0-2 to hosts Wellingborough in the local Charity Cup competition.

1898
The Club becomes a limited company and a match against Woolwich Arsenal attracts a record crowd of 14,000 spectators. Change of colours to white shirts and blue shorts.

1899
The Club moves to present site, originally a market garden. Accommodation for 35,000. Ground almost named 'Gilpin Park' but instead gradually became known as 'White Hart Lane'. First match staged was a friendly versus Notts County - gross receipts £115.

1900
Success at last - Spurs become Champions of the Southern League.

1901
Spurs win the FA Challenge Cup to become the only non-League club, following the formation of the Football League in 1888, ever to achieve this honour.

1908
Entry secured to the Second Division of the Football League.

1909
Promotion to First Division gained at first attempt.

1915
Relegation to Second Division.

1920
Promoted again at first attempt with 70 points, a record under the old system of two points for a win.

1921
Second FA Cup triumph, Spurs beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

1928
Relegation to Second Division with 38 points.

1933
Promotion again, this time as Division Two runners-up.

1934
Building of the East Stand completed.

1935
Relegation to Second Division.

1938
The existing crowd record of 75,038 spectators established for the visit of Sunderland in the sixth round of the FA Cup.

1950
Promotion to the First Division.

1951
Football League Champions for the first time.

1961
Football League Champions and winners of the FA Cup. The first club to complete the 'Double' since Preston North End and Aston Villa did so in 1889 and 1897 respectively.

1962
Winners again of the FA Cup.

1963
Winners of the European Cup-Winners' Cup. The first British club to win a major European competition. Jimmy Greaves becomes Spurs' highest League scorer in one season with 37 goals.

1967
FA Cup winners for the fifth time.

1971
Winners of the Football League Cup.

1972
Winners of the UEFA Cup.

1973
Winners of the Football League Cup. The first club to have won the trophy twice.

1974
First English club to have played in three major European finals.

1977
Relegation to Second Division.

1978
Promotion again secured at first attempt.

1980
Old West Stand demolished to make way for new modern structure.

1981
FA Cup winners for the sixth time. Steve Perryman sets a new Club record of League appearances by passing Pat Jennings' previous record total of 472.

1982
New West Stand opened. FA Cup winners for the seventh time in the Club's Centenary year.

1983
By finishing fourth in the League, qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time since season 1973/74. First football club to float shares on the London Stock Exchange.

1984
Winners of the UEFA Cup for the second time.

1985
Playing strip changed to white shirts and white shorts.

1986
Steve Perryman transferred to Oxford United after making a record 655 League appearances for Spurs.

1987
Spurs reach eighth FA Cup Final. Clive Allen sets a new Club record with 49 goals in a single season. Kit returns to white shirts and navy shorts.

1988
First million plus signing Paul Stewart from Manchester City for £1.5 million.

1989
East Stand refurbished.

1991
FA Cup winners for eighth time and back in European competition. Alan Sugar becomes Chairman and steers club away from impending bankruptcy.

1992
Founder members of the new FA Premier League. Paul Gascoigne joins Lazio for £5.5 million - a record.

1994
'The Shelf' becomes an all-seater enclosure.

1995
New South Stand completed. Record signing of Chris Armstrong from Crystal Palace for £4.5 million.

1996
New Rights Issue raises £10.9 million to redevelop North Stand, complete hospitality areas in South Stand and reconstruct pitch.

1997
Record signing, £6million for Les Ferdinand from Newcastle United.

1998
New North Stand completed. Increased capacity to 36,257.

1999
Winners of the League Cup for the third time.

2000
New record signing, £11million for Sergei Rebrov from Dynamo Kiev.

2001
Glenn Hoddle took over as manager from George Graham. ENIC completed takeover, Daniel Levy became chairman. Teddy Sheringham rejoined the club from Manchester United and joined new arrivals Christian Ziege and Gus Poyet.

2002
We reached the final of the Worthington Cup in Glenn Hoddle's first season as manager but lost out 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. Jamie Redknapp signed in April before the £7m capture of Irish star striker Robbie Keane from Leeds United in August.

2003
We finished 10th in the Premiership in 2002-03, successfully toured South Africa, signed Helder Postiga and Bobby Zamora, Jamie Redknapp was named captain. We parted company with Glenn Hoddle in September. David Pleat took over in a caretaker capacity.

2004
We finished 14th in the Premiership in 2003-04. David Pleat departed in July 2004 as we formed a new, continental-style management structure. Frank Arnesen arrived from PSV as Sporting Director, Jacques Santini as Head Coach, Martin Jol as First Assistant and Dominique Cuperly as fitness coach. Santini left in November and Jol took over as Head Coach. In October, England started with three Spurs players (Defoe, Ledley King, Paul Robinson) for the first time since 1987.

2005
We were in the running for European qualification in 2004-05 via the Premier League until defeat at Middlesbrough in the penultimate game of the season. We ended up ninth.

2006
A memorable year! With the likes of Aaron Lennon and Michael Dawson coming to the fore, we held on to fourth place for most of the 2005-06 season until defeat at West Ham on the final day. However, our aim to return to Europe was achieved and we returned to UEFA Cup action at the start of the 2006-07 season. Four of our players went to the World Cup with England with Jermain Defoe and Dawson on stand-by and just missing out. Going into the 2006-07 season, we signed Bulgarian hitman Dimitar Berbatov, Ivory Coast midfielder Didier Zokora, left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto from Lens, Pascal Chimbonda from Wigan and Steed Malbranque from Fulham. Michael Carrick moved to Manchester United.

2007
We matched our exploits of 2005-06 with a fifth-placed league finish in 2006-07 and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. Going into the 2007-08 season, new arrivals included Gareth Bale and Darren Bent but following a poor start, Martin Jol was asked to stand down alongside coach Chris Hughton. Highly-rated Juande Ramos was appointed Head Coach with coaching assistants Marcos Alvarez and former Spur Gus Poyet.

The year marked our 125 anniversary.

2008
A magnificent start to the year saw us first beat Arsenal 5-1 and then topple Chelsea 2-1 to lift the League Cup at Wembley Stadium. We finished the league campaign in 11th place.