View from a Spurs fan

Last updated : 14 August 2003 By Brian Cartlidge

Whether or not we get one will depend largely on how the front two of Robbie Keane and Helder Postiga hit it off in their first competitive game together and just how many players actually make it off the treatment table in order to take part.

Gus Poyet's missing through suspension, with a broken wrist just to be sure. Kazayuki Toda, Dean Richards, Darren Anderton and Ledley King are all struggling to be fit - and probably won't be, Freddie Kanoute won't have recovered from an abductor strain in time, Christian Ziege is apparently fighting to save his career ...so at least the Spurs injury curse remains intact.

Postiga has done well in pre-season, although somewhat lacking in pace his passing, awareness, finishing and first touch are all impressive - whether or not he can settle straight into the Premiership is another matter. Bobby Zamora will hopefully play some part, more than likely from the bench, and there could be a place for Rohan Ricketts whose performances in pre-season were excellent.

This fixture last season was, to put it mildly, a shocker...with terrible weather, bad performances and Jeff Kenna's first goal in sixty-three seasons combining to leave us with only a point from the trip north. While Birmingham brought in the likes of David Dunn to strengthen their midfield we, as yet, have done nothing - Bobby Convey should arrive from DC United in a couple of weeks but we're still looking more than a little lightweight and this could be our downfall.

If Glenn sticks to a 5-3-2 then we stand a decent enough chance with Stephen Carr looking at least something like the player he once was - injury could well force us into a 4-4-2 however, and that rarely serves us well.

All in all, while we're looking forward to the game and the beginning of a new season, our expectations of a win aren't too great - Steve Bruce has done an excellent job since taking over at St Andrews (seemingly his 43rd managerial post since retiring as a player) and we fully expect Stephen Clemence to score with a thirty-yard screamer.

I'll go with a 2-1 win to us all the same, a scrappy game in which Stern John grabs an early goal only for a couple of lateish efforts to give us a slightly undeserved win....I hope!

Thanks to Matt at http://www.glory-glory.net for providing us with this article.

We are hoping to get opposition fans' views of all Premiership games over the forthcoming season.