NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 530
Submitted by Norman Giller

Perhaps it was something to do with my meds, but while watching Spurs steamrollered yet again by the Chelsea juggernaut my mind kept turning to a song Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan used to sing together: "Passing Strangers." You would have thought the players had never met before.

And what made it all more painful, unforgivable even, is that Tottenham accepted their defeat - as they had at Newcastle - with barely a whimper.

It was when the final whistle blew that things became almost like a traditional Christmas pantomime. This is when the more vociferous of our fans would have turned on the dethroned Daniel Levy as their panto villain, but instead aimed their higher and higher ire at the players.

I quite understood VdV and Spence's reluctance to obey Thomas Frank's instructions to applaud a lynch mob who were in the mood to string them up from the nearest crossbar.

But can you imagine them ignoring Bill Nicholson like that? The brief snippet suggested that our Thomas is not yet in full command, which is a worry.

Those of us of a certain age will be wondering whatever happened to the spirit of Mackay? Can you imagine Dave surrendering the points to that lot from Stamford Bridge without a roll up of the sleeves and a touch of the Battle of Bannockburn defiance? Bravehearts we weren't.

Everybody is wondering what sort of players Spurs can bring in during the January transfer window to turn things around. What nobody is mentioning is that what they need is a LEADER, a Mackay, a Mullery, a Perryman, somebody who can brandish a fist, bark a command and make eleven men feel like twelve. Somebody who cares.

Micky van de Ven could yet be that man, but he went into his shell on Saturday after being the player mainly responsible for gifting Chelsea a lead they never looked like losing. In fact 4-0 would have been a more realistic scoreline, which would really have given my 'flu bug the Blues.

Our Spurs Odyssey guru Paul H. Smith gives an eyewitness account of the sorry surrender HERE, and provides the stats that tell the sad story of Chelsea's humiliating hold over Spurs.

Like me, Paul was perplexed by Tottenham's lack of bite and fight, and there were huge question marks over the anonymous performances of Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons. But it's pointless picking out individuals. Our home form is the problem and only the rekindling of the spirit of Mackay can solve it. We need a team of Bravehearts. Home, sour home.

It would take a Guy Fawkes bonfire to rid us of the Chelsea curse ... but first there's another vital Champions League date tomorrow against Copenhagen followed by two 'easy' Premier League encounters with Man United and then at Ars-cough-enal, oh, yes, and then a little date with PSG in Europe.

I'm going back to bed.

COYS!

Spurs select - A book to read and play

Just 52 days to Christmas and a reminder that my 122nd book has gone off to the Printer: Spurs Select, in which you are challenged to pick a Tottenham Team to Play for Your Life. A donation for every book sold will be made to the Tottenham Tribute Trust, who help our old heroes who missed the gravy train.

Spurs Odyssey readers can save a fiver by ordering the book NOW. If you are interested please contact me at normangiller@gmail.com ... or mention you would like details when entering the Spurs Odyssey Quiz below. It's a book that you play as well as read and is guaranteed to revive memories of your most memorable matches. Please join me in playing the Selecting Game.

Here we go with the 11th week of our quiz that tests your knowledge of Tottenham players and the club's history ...

Who has won 46 caps for his country, came to London from Ajax and against which club did he score his first goal for Spurs after signing from West Ham?

Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 11. Deadline: midnight this Saturday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous 11 seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact. This is when I lose what few friends I have.

This season's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2026, plus three signed books to be revealed at a later date.

Last week I asked: Which player won nine England caps before becoming a renowned coach at Tottenham after winning Second and First Division medals with them, and against which team was he twice on the losing Spurs side in FA Cup semi-finals?

Answer: Eddie Baily/Blackpool

See you back here on Monday.

COYS!

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