Ian Holloway and Willian Have A Re-Think As Tottenham Win In Tbilisi

Tottenham score five in Georgia against Dinamo Tbilisi but there’s some disappointing news as Willian has a re-think with other clubs taking an interest.

Alan’s 2013/14 Season Diary No. 2

Wed 21 August

As expected Ian Holloway has been charged by the FA.

Penalty against Crystal Palace [Photo: Alan Hill]Seriously, how can he complain? Here is a picture of the distance between Aaron Lennon and Dean Moxey during the penalty incident. Ian Holloway called it half a yard in his after match whinge at Palace. That’s Moxey’s left hand on the left edge of the picture and the ball on its way across the 6 feet gap towards him. It then passed across his chest, and under his nose before it hit his left arm which was up in the air, spread-eagled.  Plenty of time to get your hand out of the way there. 18 inches Ian? Give me a break.

Thurs 22 Aug

Well, blow me down, big respect to Ian Holloway. Honesty means a lot for me. I’ll forgive many things like anger and frustration in the heat of the moment but not dishonesty. Today he has appeared on Sky following two charges this week saying,

"Listen I gotta learn, that’s all I can do. I’m not very good when I don’t get what I want. You ask me Mum, I was horrible really."

That’ll do for me mate. I hope the FA give you no more than a slap on the wrist now you have held your hands up (just like your defender – sorry). Although you must understand that in any business, repeated minor breaches have to eventually be treated as major ones. Paul Lambert had a point when he commented on Ivanovic, Terry and the ref in the Chelsea game last night but it seems to me he was committing the same offence as Holloway. Will he be charged in the same way?

Willian (see what we did here? Well laugh then)

Willian – where’ his hair? [Photo: Alan Hill]I have a bad feeling about this transfer. He seems to have been taking a medical for the last two days. Now he has passed it, his representatives say he is considering his options. I’d give him until close of play today to sign the contract or we should withdraw the offer and send him on his way. They say Liverpool are still in for him. It wouldn’t surprise me if even Arsenal or Chelsea slide him out from under our nose with their Champions League bait, especially now Arsenal have performed their usual trick of hauling themselves back from the brink last night. We need at least a glimmer of an indication that it’s not just the filthy lucre he is coming for, otherwise they’ll only be tears at bedtime. I don’t think it’s a good indication of his character that he chased the money to a previously unheard of club that is being used as the plaything of another Russian billionaire and is now jumping ship as the finance has been pulled. He should be grateful for the opportunity to rescue his career and that we have stayed in for him after being rejected previously.

Dynamo Tiblisi vs. Spurs.

We have just gone 1-0 up as I type, with a goal from Andros Townsend. He ran half the length of the pitch with the ball, cutting in from the right and slotting it home.  A couple more will do nicely, please lads. Still typing, still scoring. Second goal from Paulinho.  A header almost on the penalty spot from a cross on the right. Tony Pullis points out at half time from  the ITV4 studio how Spurs are making good use of overlapping full backs. Sigurdsson drifting infield from the right, dragging the defender with him, leaving space on the outside for Danny Rose to run into. It just get better in the second half, with Spurs running out 5-0 winners and it would have been six but for a Kane header coming back off the post. Danny Rose’s goal was a peach of a strike, not unlike his debut goal against Arsenal. Two goals for Soldado. One of them a classic poacher’s tap in. A bit Lineker-like.  Just what we have been missing.

There you go Willian. Guaranteed European football until Christmas on top of the astronomical wages, first class team mates and a 5-year contract. If that’s not enough to make you want to sign for Spurs, I don’t know what is. Sign now or be gone. Mr. Levy /Mr. Baldini, perhaps the guy at Roma is the better option after all…