We're off to Wembley cause we beat the Arsenal !!

22 January 2008

CARLING LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd LEG

SPURS v WOOLWICH ARSENAL 5-1

(aggregate 6-2)

Tuesday 22 January 2008 will forever remain one of the best days in the history of Tottenham Hotspur FC. We not only beat our rivals in a cup semi-final- we destroyed them, out paced them out thought them and played them off the park. Watching the game there was one thought that kept crossing my mind, and that was WE GOT OUR TOTTENHAM BACK.

This is the style we want- this is what Tottenham is about- style and panache- so a big thanks to the players who fought till the end and a round of applause to Mr Juande Ramos who, slowly but surely, is getting us back where we belong.

Of course many Arsenal fans, including Arsene "I didn't see it" Wenger will say this was not their priority and they played with reserves and "children". Well lets debunk this myth- take a look at the following stats (taken from COYS):

Sagna - (24yrs)- £4.5m - 4 years playing in European club competition, full French international

Gallas - (30yrs) - £5m - 4 years at Marseilles, 5 years at Chelsea, 50 caps for France

Gilberto (31yrs) £4.5m - Brazil captain 2007, 59 caps Diaby - full French international started. 3 champions league this season

Denilson - Current Captain Brazil u-20

Hleb (26yrs) - £11m - Captain Belarus, 3 times player of year Walcott - £12m - started 4 champions league, played 9 premiership this season, full English international

Fabregas - 175 games for arsenal, full Spanish international

Adebayor (23yrs) - £3m - 184 games for monaco and arse - full international

Eduardo (24yrs) - £8.5m - started 9 premier league, 3 champions league this season, full Croatian international

The average age of the gooners 14 players used was 22.8, for spurs 25.8. So yes they were a little younger.

The goon starting XI cost £51m to Spurs £39m. including the 3 subs used this becomes £62m arse to £53m spurs.

The 14 players used by spurs have started 279 games between them this season, the gooners 14 have started 214 between them.

There were 11 players out of the 14 for Arsenal who have full international caps. Spurs had only 10. 5. The total caps held by the 14 goons is 261 (hardly kids eh!) to spurs 341.

2 players for the goons have won the world cup, thats pretty good for experience.

AND THIS IS TAKEN FROM AN ARSENAL MESSAGE BOARD. THIS IS WHAT THE ARSENAL FANS WERE SAYING BEFORE THE GAME:

"it's an embarresingly strong squad!!- we gotta win now or else we wont have the 'we definately only played youngsters' excuse- the main dif will be the strength of the bench probably.......

it's ghood that we're taking it seriously i spose

"It is a very strong squad indeed. Flamini is also in there. I wonder if he'll start"

"I can hear the spurs fans crying already. lol."

"Very strong squad. I think this match means more to Wenger than we think. Apart from it being a North London Derby and the fact he doesnt want Ramos to get a pscyhological edge if Spurs win for the long run, I think he sees it as a realistic chance of us gaining silverware this season. Wenger knows he cant go this season without winning a trophy so why not get the one we have the best chance in at the moment."

"So, looks like we'll have no excuses if we lose tonight. We'll just have to thrash em."

"When we win i can't wait to hear the Spurs fans crying and complaining that we didn't play a youth squad. Like it makes any difference whether we play them with kids or our first team its always the same result."

We beat, no slaughtered, a good Arsenal team. Not their best, but a good Arsenal team, peppered with experience, that cost "the greatest transfer bargain hunter in the world, ever, in the history of football that started the careers of every great player from Pele to Rooney" ( over £60m to assemble)

SEMI FINAL PICTURES