So there I was headed out for my first ever Champions League game. I live about 60 miles from White Hart Lane and I usually leave about three hours before kick off with the hope of getting to my parking spot about an hour before the game, enough time to get my son some food and have a good read through the programme. Unfortunately heavy rain and a painfully slow M25 meant I missed kick off for the first time ever.
I hate people who turn up late and here I was making a whole row of fans stand up, including a man on crutches, to get to my seat, I really hate to inconvenience people. I am far too polite at times. Very Kindly, Spurs had provided everybody with flags, although mine was upside down, it was much appreciated. Even at my age I don't mind waving the odd flag.
No sooner had I taken my seat Tottenham took the lead. The atmosphere in the ground really took off. Even in the Paxton end there was singing aplenty. The Young Boys fans sang "You only sing when you're winning", I thought this strange as we were winning from the 4th minute. Of course the Spurs fans were singing, "we're all going on a European tour", again a little strange as we would have been regardless of the result!
I was very impressed with the Young Boys support, they didn't stop singing all night. Less impressed I was with the football their team played. Much of their play consisted of spoiling, blocking and late lunges. They were not the same team that played Spurs the week before.
It is strange to say, but I didn't think Spurs played all that well. A better side would have scored a few against Spurs. Dawson, Corluka and Palacios were sloppy all night. Bale and Lennon were well marked for most of the game, although Bale played a part in the goals, he wasn't given much space all night.
I don't think we have our tactics right, especially when we play two deep/defensive midfielders and two strikers who like to sit on the shoulders of the last line of defence, there is a massive whole in midfield which means we concede easy possession. Maybe we would have set up differently had Modric or Dos Santos been fully fit.
However I digress, it was a good result for Spurs and the crowd enjoyed it. So we now have Inter Milan, Werder Breman and FC Twente to look forward to. More nights of crawling down the High Road through Edmonton and waiting a good 40 minutes to get back out of the car park and crawling back up the High Road to the North Circular.
These are the glory days back again, where we should always be. I only hope my son appreciates the moment like I do.
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