I thought we played in a contained fashion. Without Lennon we lacked creative spark in the midfield and tried to fashion opportunities by passing balls through to the strikers. We did create a few chances and if it wasn’t for a wonder strike from Tugay we would’ve got out of Blackburn with all three points. I thought Mido looked a little off the pace. He’s had a frustrating start to his second spell with the club. Arriving short of match fitness didn’t help and nor did being shunted out on the left wing for his first couple of games. After his goal against West Ham we saw Mido at his best – looking strong and determined. Unfortunately, he picked up another injury after the West Ham game and he didn’t shoot confidently when given the chance against Blackburn. We defended pretty well but lacked a bit of quality on the ball in midfield. I was disappointed that Malbranque made little impact but I’m sure he’ll perform better when he gets back to full fitness. I would have liked to have seen Murphy come on when Blackburn were reduced to ten men, to try and add a bit of guile. All-in-all, I’m sure most Spurs fans would have taken a point before the game and it’s what we got there last season. Lennon’s injury couldn’t be helped and neither could Malbranque’s lack of fitness. If either player was fully fit and on-song, we could well have nicked the game.

I’m disappointed the FA didn’t rescind the red card Hossam Ghaly received. It did initially look like he was jumping with intent to hurt Gray but clearly lowered his arm and caught him around the neck with a floppy forearm. This was no better or worse than what Mido did for his booking in the first half and a three game ban is unjust. Although harsh, technically Tugay’s was a sending off. If it’s a penalty – which it was – then he had to go. This is one rule that needs looking at and I think a penalty is punishment enough.

I was surprised to read Martin (in MEHSTG) predict that Jol will be gone in twelve months. Yes, we have performed woefully on our league travels but I think there’s enough potential in the performances so far to suggest we’ll have a decent season. I think Jol’s recent signings have all shown in patches what they can do. Chimbonda has been by far the most consistent and is certainly our best right back since Stephen Carr. I’m happy for Assou-Ekotto to be given a season in the first team to see how he goes. He does lack composure going forward but is strong in the recovery and I think he’ll get better. Zokora and Berbatov have been frustrating. Both could be Premiership stars but need to string a run of performances together. Berbatov, in particular, is frustrating. His touch is glorious and his finishing in the UEFA Cup has been clinical. He is lazy, though, and either needs to ensure he finishes a higher rate of his chances or offer more to the team - we’ll forgive his laziness if he scores more often.

After last season expectations have been raised. I see us as having the fifth best squad in the league and we should, at least, finish high enough in the league to clinch UEFA Cup football again. We have an outstanding chance of reaching the semis of the League Cup and should progress to the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup. From thereon in, it’s a lottery.

I wouldn’t compare our recent form to the weeks preceding Hoddle’s departure. Prior to Hoddle’s sacking, we lost consecutive home games against Fulham and Southampton and had ended the previous season with heavy defeats away to Middlesbrough and home to Blackburn. By and large our home form is decent and, if anything, we’re due a bit of luck in games rather than riding it at the moment. Things are going for clubs such as Portsmouth and Villa at present but their good form won’t last the season and I think we should gather momentum and break into a UEFA Cup spot in the second half of the season. If we don’t, then the pressure will be on Jol next season. However, I think he’s done enough to earn a year’s grace from us. So, please, let’s concentrate on backing the players and hopefully all this potential will turn into productivity.  

With Spurs continuing to look impotent away from home, there is the need for different creative avenues other than Aaron Lennon.  It’s been quite a year for Lennon – twelve months ago he wasn’t even in the first team picture and now he’s arguably our key player.  The way Spurs utilise him reminds me a bit of the days of David Ginola, where team mates would give him the ball and then say, “Go on, then.”  With the advent of technology in football, and good old-fashioned scouting, opposing managers have twigged the Lennon tactic and are double-banking on the boy.  Spurs need a plan B for creating tactics. And, hopefully, something a bit more subtle than Paul Robinson booting the ball down the pitch.

Our almost forgotten about August signing, Steed Malbranque, is closing in on full fitness.  He did get an hour in the Carling Cup against Port Vale and showed some nice touches and a willingness to run with the ball.  Encouragingly, he cropped up on both flanks.  I think Martin Jol is right when he says he wants Lennon to do for us what Ronaldo does for Manchester United.  Ronaldo switches wings regularly and thus doesn’t allow a full back to settle.  If this is the plan with Lennon, then we need another player in the midfield who is happy to swap flanks.  Currently, Hossam Ghaly is our other wide player.  He’s neat and tidy but doesn’t look particularly dangerous when in possession – a bit like Jermaine Jenas.  Ghaly is still young and has done reasonably well, but I fear won’t ever become a first pick for Spurs.  Therefore it looks like there is a vacancy in the team and it’s likely Malbranque will soon get the chance to stake his claim.

The rumours are already flying about of potential January signings for Spurs, mainly left wingers.  It’s true we don’t have a natural left winger in the squad – there is Ziegler, more of a wing back, I think, and Jol appears reluctant to give him a run in the side.  If, as is likely, Malbranque gets a run in the team, he could end up saving us millions.  Seeing as his Fulham contract was up next summer, we got him for around £1.5 million.  I think most experts would price him at £5 million, so it was pretty good business to buy him.  I think his debut for Spurs was encouraging, albeit against lower league opposition.  He is comfortable on the ball, has scored goals at Premiership level and likes to beat players.  My only reservation about having Malbranque in the team is I’ve always thought of him as being best in a midfield three, with him being handed a freer role.  Whether he can adapt to a slightly more disciplined wide role remains to be seen.  It’s fine to have freedom to switch wings going forward, but wide midfielders do still have to support their full backs and getting up and down in this manner may not come natural to Malbranque.  It’s true he could play through the centre – possibly in place of Jenas but I think Jol purchased him to play wide.  The way Premiership teams are lining up now is to have strong, athletic players through the centre of midfield and for the creative players to play wide.

I hope Malbranque gets fit quickly enough to have a decent run in the side prior to the opening of the January transfer window.  He’ll certainly add creative options to the team and, I think, be a player the fans like to watch.  However, time will tell if he can bring balance to the often lopsided Spurs midfield and possibly save us having to splash out come January.

One Christmas I travelled up to White Hart Lane by car with a friend. We normally caught the train but they don’t run from Hampshire up to London on a Boxing Day. We parked in a random car park near the ground and grizzled about the exorbitant cost to do so. As we got out of the car, an elderly gent was getting out of an old Cavalier or such-like vehicle. My friend and I looked at each other and then back at the man. It was Bill Nicholson.

We were too stunned to say anything stronger than ‘hello’ and that was the only time I’ve met him. All through the 4-0 defeat of Watford – Ginola was rampant that day – we mused about the absurdity that our greatest ever Manager and current club President didn’t take up his right to have the best car parking space at the ground. Let alone that he quietly joined the throng of supporters strolling to the ground.

Upon reflection and with the all the evidence surfacing in the past few days, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised at all.           

In all the years I’ve been regularly going to Spurs games my eyes have only seen the glory of the Worthington Cup. Successive Managers have tried and failed to emulate the silk and steel of the sides that Bill Nick sent out to play for Tottenham. In fact, it’s been more enjoyable to read the literature and what video coverage there is of the days of yore than to watch the contemporary action. The legendary names of the 60s and early 70s roll off the tongue as do the great European sides that visited the Lane pre Champions League. It may be common place for sides like Benfica, Feyenoord and AC Milan to play in England now but it wasn’t back then. Those names were reserved for teams that deserved to face them and Bill Nick’s Spurs teams were one of them.

Having not seen any of Bill Nick’s teams’ play I can’t add any first-hand anecdotes about them. All I will say is that he gave us a history to be proud of. It’s somewhat ironic that our closest rivals are playing a brand of football that’s quoted as being closest to that of our double-winning side. Spurs fans have often been criticised for harping on about the glory glory days but that’s because we’ve not had it so good since and probably never will again. We owe the majority of our proud history and our world wide reputation to Bill Nicholson.