The Crow - London’s third club struggle to match Stratford appeal

Published: 20 January, 2011

ARSENAL
FA Cup history has some hard and fast rules: (1) players score against their former clubs, (2) centre forwards for non league teams are always, always part-time painters and decorators AND, here’s the crucial one, (3) lower league teams that let in a last-minute goal in the first match, miss the chance of an upset and have to go to a replay, always get thumped in that replay. It’s never not happened. Leeds were thumped this week and Arsenal’s quadruple dream remains intact. Chelsea can’t say that.

And speaking of Chelsea: it’s interesting that Stratford Hotspur beat them to the signature of Steven Pienaar. I’ve never been a great lover of Spurs but will say a big Ha! to Chelsea on their face. In. Your. Face. Chelsea glory boys.

What does the Pienaar deal say about these chequebook-based clubs? Stratford, as we know, collect midfielders like dweebs with stamps, hoarding them in some back office.

Already locked up back there, rusting, are Jermaine Jenas, Sandro, Jamie O’Hara and Niko Kranjcar et al. Pienaar will no doubt take the gap vacated by David Bentley. Chelsea might, meanwhile, step back and look at what’s happened to their bought-success operation. A few years ago the bottomless bank account was being used to buy the famous names of world football: Shevchenko, Ballack and Deco. Now, it's Yossi Benayoun and Steven Pienaar.

The target list sure isn't as glitzy as it used to be.
RICHARD OSLEY

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
COMING away from the Lane on Sunday evening after a goalless draw with Manchester United, I was undeniably vexed!

Crazy, isn’t it? To think it wasn’t so long ago I’d have been ecstatic with a result like that, but the team is better now. The stakes are higher, therefore the expectation huge – and we still haven’t beaten them.

Although Spurs supporters seemed distracted, with sections singing anti-Stratford songs, I was surprised at the lack of noise from the away fans, especially as their team have remained unbeaten in the league all season.

Through the protest songs, it struck me that north London is ours by right! If Daniel Levy and the powers that be decide we’re going to Stratford, there’s very little we can do about it. Would you refuse to go to the Olympic Stadium to watch the team you love play football? I wouldn’t.

I couldn’t! If we do go, no matter what the sponsors want to call the team, I’ll still be singing: “We are Tottenham from the Lane!”

So Steven Pienaar decided he wants to play for the Lilywhites instead of Chelsea. I haven’t quite made up my mind yet about why we’d possibly need yet another midfielder, but what a massive turn in the tide that he sees a better future with Spurs. Meanwhile, Ipswich beating the Gunners last week and hearing fans pressing the “boo” and “Wenger out” button was funny.
TONY DALLAS