Spurs/Arsenal Champions League Spot?

[NeilMcD]

You are a wind up. I know spurs are crap in relation to Barcelona and Chelsea and Man Utd etc. They are about the 5th or 6th biggest team in the Premier League and thats where they have finished so thats fair enough for any Spurs fan.

So tell me gonzo using facts are proper knowledge of football to back up your argument. What should Spurs have done differently on the morning of a game when 10 of their players were hit down with food poisoning and were vomitting as they came back from their warm up in the dressing room. Have you ever had food poisoning.

Also I am happy with Spurs performance this season so there is nothing to get over. its just a little unlucky on the mornign of the game to get it. But Arsenal are a better team and club than spurs so fair play to them.

[NeilMcD]

Its no big deal and notbody is making a big deal about it. They are showing progress and fair play to them. But they should have been there or thereabouts for a long time but the club was badly run to be honest. Now they have a decent chairman and a very good manager and a good policy in place of recruiting young English talented players.

When did spurs have end of season parties in February. I am not sure where Spurs are over hyped. Also if you dont like the English game why are you commenting on a thread about 2 teams in the English League. Maybe you are just trolling which is the practice of the ignorant.

[londonirish17]

You can't take the "food poisoning" as an excuse for failure. Surely it comes at a bad time but as far as this episod is concerned there is no proof yet.
There have been many points dropped against opponents normally within Spurs's reach (West Brom, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Newcastle)

[NeilMcD]

Its not an excuse its a fact. The players were vommitting in the dressing room just before the game. Spurs were just a little unlucky that it happened on the last day of the season. There is proof that they were sick.There is no proof that it was malicious. But all the 10 players who were sick ate the same thing and the ones that were not sick did not eat the same as the 10 players. No excuses have been made from Spurs other than saying it was an unfortunate thing to happen on the last day of the season. i would say the same if it happened Ireland, England, Arsenal France, Barca or whoever.

[londonirish17]

Just meant to say that there was no proof that it was malicious. Sadly enough it all happened at the worst moment for Spurs...

[NeilMcD]

Nobody is saying that it was malicious.

[NeilMcD]

The players struck down by illness before Sunday's clash at West Ham are improving, but feeling the effects of the game.


Martin Jol described the lads as ‘heroes’ after their efforts but it was a sad end to the season as we lost 2-1 and therefore missed out on fourth place.

Club doctor Kalpesh Parmar said this afternoon: “Given the nature of such infection, it is incredibly difficult to determine the origin. It could be passed by food contamination or human contact. In respect of the tests that have been conducted it will be at least 48 hours before we have those results. Early indications are that it is going to be extremely difficult to pinpoint accurately the origin.

“The most badly-affected players were Michael Dawson, Michael Carrick, Lee Barnard and Edgar Davids but the list goes on.

“Teemu Tainio called today to say he had diarrhoea and vomiting, the same symptoms as the other players. He was told to stay at home.

“I had a look at the players today and they are all still feeling a bit rough and very tired after the game.

“They have a lot of muscle soreness, which is to be expected.

“We’ve basically told them that they need to re-hydrate themselves, they are feeling better in terms of their symptoms with the medication we gave them to clear up the sickness and it’s a question of letting whatever they had work out of their system.

“They are feeling better symptom-wise but they are also feeling the effects of the game more than they normally would.

“I don’t know how they got through it to be honest - Michael Dawson playing 90 minutes after the state he was in and Michael Carrick, who had to come off, it was unbelievable.”

[geysir]

Nobody is saying that it was malicious.

As long as we don't know, it can't be entirely ruled out
i'd keep an open mind.

[NeilMcD]

I did not say I was ruling it out either.

[mypost]

Its not an excuse its a fact. The players were vommitting in the dressing room just before the game. Spurs were just a little unlucky that it happened on the last day of the season. There is proof that they were sick.There is no proof that it was malicious.

As a neutral, given the challenges both clubs faced on the last day of the season, it appears that Arsenal claimed 4th spot in highly suspicious circumstances, which takes the gloss off their "achievement". Can you imagine the uproar there would be, if a food poisoning issue on the last day had settled a relegation issue, instead of the difference between CL, and Thursday night football in front of 6 men and a dog???

[Karlos]

Karlos, the fact that you were on here crying like a spoilt child when Spurs beat Arsenal, and are now gloating uncontrollably suggests that you haven't quite grasped the concept of Karma.

Hate to be pedantic but Spurs didn't beat Arsenal, let's put that one to bed early.

I think if you check back I was debating my belief that the goal was scored by a direct opponent in an unsporting manner. If by crying you mean, arguing my point and backing it up with quotes & evidence then spot on mate. At least my percieved whining was due to a direct conforntation with the opponent unlike the pathetic attempt to somehow blame Arsenal Football Club for Spurs getting ill.

As for the alleged 'gloating uncontrollably' - way wide of the mark, friendly banter in my eyes but it obviously touched a raw nerve!

However if it's gloating you want to see, just have a look back over this thread, there's plently on view although some of those lads unsurprisingly enough aren't here today but will be back out in full force if Barca win the Champions League. I expect the 'Henry doesn't do it in big games' crew to be on show too!

As for karma, I'm fully aware of my own personal karma, have no fear of that. 'Not just singing when I'm winning' is also a mantra I hold dear - you can read the last 16 pages or so for proof of that. I've maintained Arsenal are a better team than Spurs and would prove it in the league. They have done that, and I'm as content as I can be after having our worst league season in 10 years

[DmanDmythDledge]

I've maintained Arsenal are a better team than Spurs and would prove it in the league. They have done that

I'd have to disagree with you there Karlos. I think that Spurs have been better than Arsenal this season. The old cliche that the table never lies is wrong here me thinks. Spurs have been more consistent than Arsenal this season- Arsenal had to rely on a late run of form to move close to Spurs, although I have to give them credit for hitting form at the right time.

I think it would have been foolish to expect Arsenal to finish in the top 4 this season, even though they did. It was clear that their side this season wasn't as strong as other years and missed Vieira, as any team would have. I think it was a fair assumption to make that with many of Arsenal's squad inexperienced 4th place could have been a bridge too far for them. But fair play to them for proving me wrong and for making the necessary transition earlier than many people expected.

[Karlos]

To be honest Karlos your signature says it all you seem to more in hate of Spurs than you do love Arsenal.

a) my signature is a joke and has been on line for about 2 weeks now and b) you obviously haven't a clue about my love for Arsenal.

. I dont see how as an Irish man local rivalry should even come into it. I wanted Spurs to qualify for Robbie Keanes, Andy Reids and Stephen Kellys sake They all played yesterday.

Ah the old Irish chestnut....Surprised you bring this up Neil after all the support you were giving to the right people have to support who they want. Now your telling me for you it's all about because there are Irish players at Spurs. Interesting, very interesting.

I don't need to justify anything about this to you but Im disappointed you threw this out as you have known for a long time now that I have deep family roots in Islington, North London. I'm not sure what type of dig you are trying to land with this.

The fact of the matter is that Spurs were 2 points ahead of Arsenal yesterday.

Spurs were one point ahead Neil.

Basically there was no way they could win a game that they had to win under those conditions.

This I honestly don't agree with.

What happened at Highbury was not against the rules

Likewise with what happened at West Ham yesterday. Sportingly West Ham offered to delay the game. Good to see such gracious action from their opponents in my opinion but they were right to refuse to move to a Monday game which would have only benefited Spurs and not them.

If you were going to go on about Karma i think robbing peoples grounds might come into it.

you seem to hate Arsenal more than you love spurs, Neil

[Karlos]

I'd have to disagree with you there Karlos. I think that Spurs have been better than Arsenal this season. The old cliche that the table never lies is wrong here me thinks. Spurs have been more consistent than Arsenal this season- Arsenal had to rely on a late run of form to move close to Spurs, although I have to give them credit for hitting form at the right time. .

I do take you point on this. Arsenal have had a poor season by their own standards. Their worst in ten years just happened to coincide with Spurs best season in 10. I'm obviously biased but I always felt that while Arsenal may have been struggling they more than had the capabilities to put a run together. I said on this thread back in March-ish (I think) that Spurs needed to be 10 points ahead coming out of a run of easier games they had, to seal forth. I think they came out 7 clear and I always felt that the Arsenal squad with players returning from injury and into good weather form would catch them.

The table really doesn't lie - more wins, less draws means more points. Consitancy over the season maybe not but I do believe the better team finished in front.

As they say it's a marathon not a snickers....eh, sprint!

[Marked Man]

If by crying you mean, arguing my point and backing it up with quotes & evidence then spot on mate.
As for the alleged 'gloating uncontrollably' - way wide of the mark, friendly banter in my eyes but it obviously touched a raw nerve!

You mean like this?:

Classy Martin didn't see the incident and neither did his players it seem. Is he fu*king serious!

Not enough class to admit he's a cheat!

You don't earn the right to cheat by your performance earlier where you didn't get any luck

Spurs are claiming they didn't see the incident which the tape clearly proves otherwise. Carrick & Davids have told Henry (according to him) that they weren't aware of the incident and if they had they would have put the ball out. So Spurs themselves are secretly admitting they should have put the ball out without really admitting to it. It's a cop out.


Fat chance of any type of honesty down the seven sisters road.


Really dispassionate logical argumentation there alright.

By the way, As a Bohs fan, and thus a neutral in the whole spurs/aresnal thing (as is clear from the fact that I didn't even remember the score of the match between them), I'm not sure why you think you touched a nerve with me. I'm just pointing out the unseemly difference between your gloating now and your crying then.

[Karlos]

Really dispassionate logical argumentation there alright.

By the way, As a Bohs fan, and thus a neutral in the whole spurs/aresnal thing (as is clear from the fact that I didn't even remember the score of the match between them), I'm not sure why you think you touched a nerve with me. I'm just pointing out the unseemly difference between your gloating now and your crying then.

A stray cat could pick out 4 lines of text from my 20 something posts on this & convieniently leave out every single quote I used. Profoundly logical, eh?

After going to all the effort of actually finding my posts, it's a pity you ignored 99.9% of the actual content.

If your selective use of quotes to highlight my lack of 'logical argumentation' is the benchmark for 'logical' debating, then there's something really really wrong.

[Stuttgart88]

Very funny reading all of this having been away.

For a start, food poisoning or no food poisoning, I'm sorry to say Stephen Kelly was badly at fault for WHAM first goal.

Also, no one can deny that Spurs have made great strides this season, and I've been especially glad to see Robbie do so well (did anyone see how they analysed him on MOTD?).

But in the cold light of day if you can't finish above a team that loses 11 games a season you don't deserve to be 4th or in the CL. I personally think that 4th place shouldn't get ANYONE a place in the CL but that's another story. I also think that Sunday's result was one of the few times this year that "marginal" games haven't gone Spurs' way. Sure, it's the sign of a good team to win narrowly when not playing well but overall I don't think Spurs can complain too much, it's just the manner that must be frustrating.

That said, the Arsenal / Spurs scrap for 4th was just about the only remaining issue on the last day and given the local rivalry I found it enthralling. Tough luck on Spurs, but as Thierry Henry said, nobody had any sympathy for Arsenal when they had 9 players out injured.

People have been saying that Spurs aren't that big a club. I think many people forget that Arsenal actually aren't either - they've just been a very successful club. The "send off" given to Highbury illustrated exactly what Arsenal is: a thriving local club that belongs for the most part to local people. Some of its employees let the club down sometimes I think but in all respects Arsenal is a thoroughly classy institution. Chelsea take note, with their Spackman & Speedie Gates and all that.

[NeilMcD]

I cant believe people can analyse the Spurs West Ham game as a contest. The minute Spurs were diagnosed with food poisoning I put €100 on West Ham to win. Spurs were never going to win that game. You cannot possibly expect a team to win a match against another Premiership side when you have players vomitting in the dressing room just as they are about to go out and play. This is not an excuse its a fact of life. Spurs did not deserve to finish 4th cause they didnt but nobody could deny me that they were unlucky on the last day of the season to be hit down with food poisoning.

Nobody on here is suggesting that it was malicious so Karlos I am not sure who is making the pathetic attempt to suggest that Arsenal where involved in the incident.


Karlos you are doing to me what you have slagged others doing to you which is selective quoting. I have no problem you or anybody irish supporting Arsenal but I dont buy into an Irish person getting involved in the local rivalry. Its like Irish Liverpool fans calling Irish Man Utd Fans, Mancs or vice versa calling them Scousers. Arsenal are a great club and Spurs were a great club who look like they are getting things back on track.

In my view there is not much between the 2 sides but Arsenal have one of the best players in the world and he is worth at least 12 points a season extra to them in my view. It will be interesting to see what happens during the summer with Henry. I think Arsenal are better equippped than Spurs in the Champions League at the moment but it would have been a great learning experience for the Spurs players. Most of all I am gutted for Robbie Keane who deserved to be playing Champions League football. As a fan of the Irish national team and an observer and someone with a soft spot for Spurs I wanted Keane and Reid and Kelly to be playing Champions League football. If Arsenal had 3 Irish men and Spurs had none I would have liked Arsenal to make it through. I am not so sure other people could say the same.

[NeilMcD]

Nothing to do with 'trolling' .....raw nerves maybe? It's all just banter. Btw, I forgot, Sp*rs had their end of season party in January this time round.
Just don't generally rate Tottenham & never will.....just ano.aspiring middle-ranking club who happen for once to have finished above mid-table.

& in case you were interested, I do agree with most of the Arse.fans who are putting forward a more credible argument. Though I do hope, as the Best side in Europe this season, Barcá. win the CL.

Sorry what are you going on about end of season party in January. Please reference what you mean here.

I love the quote I dont rate Tottenham and never will. What happens if they win the Treble will you still not rate them. That sort of ignorant comments says it all and gives an insight into why you posted the previous ignorant comments.

As for banter I dont believe the forums are the place for banter in my view. Its a place for intelligent debate on footballing issues. I have banter with my mates and brothers and work colleagues. I dont come in here to have banter with strangers.

[NeilMcD]

As Far as I know Ireland were not in the FAC this season so I am not sure what you are saying about you were knocked. I do know that Spurs were knocked out of the FA Cup by Leicester this season though. There may be little chance of Spurs evere winning the treble but to say you never will is sloppy as nobody can predict the future. What happens if an a Russian Billionaire comes along and bankrolls the club. It was very close to happening with Spurs so no reason why it could not happen again.


As I said earlier I could not give a **** if Spurs won a trophy or not I wanted Robbie Keane to be playing Champions League football as I think most Ireland supporters should have been. Arsenal have no Irish players in their 1st team squad so it was not within my interest for them to qualify for the Champions League.

Also I have checked many media sources and could not find anything in quotes that suggest that Spurs are whinging or that they want the game to be replayed.