INFLATING THE HYPE BUBBLE

Something feels different about Tottenham this year. I've been pondering it for a couple of days now and I think I know what it is. This could possibly be the first August in as long as I can remember where [nearly] all the faces in lily white looked familiar. The usual "sell 8 players, buy 10 players" policy has been reigned in - and don't we look better for it? It appears as though we've built a team, and now we're just tweaking it here and there and actually giving them all a chance to grow together. About time too.

Dare we hope that Sunday's performance against Liverpool is a taste of things to come? Tottenham Hotspur were, to a man, magnificent. I have read a few "wasn't a great game" comments - well maybe I was more pissed than I realised because I thought it was bloody brilliant! I concede that I could have been over-excited mind you.

Despite what you saw, you may be surprised to learn that Tottenham won, not because they outplayed Liverpool, but because I managed to convince a Scouse supporting friend of mine to watch the game in his "unlucky pub". It did take me most of the morning, but I gave it 110% and eventually got my tactics spot on by ridiculing his nonsensical superstitions. He damn near got up and left at half time which brought out a world class save from the Spurs Club keeper - from there on in the result was never in doubt. Can't see him falling for it again though.

Contemplate Wilson Palacious for a moment: Back in January £14m for a player who had not long since cost Wigan £1m seemed like a questionable bit of business. I mean, we knew he was alright, but £14m? Eyebrows were raised, but is there anyone out there now who thinks he's worth a penny less than double that? On his day the boy is immense, even off his day he's better than most. My only remaining worry for this season is that we have yet to secure the services of an understudy. Two weeks and counting...

BAE, wondergoal and all, continues to inexplicably annoy me. Maybe I need to just let it go. Bassong was superb, playing alongside the miracle of modern science that is King Ledders will show him what being a proper centre half is all about. Looking forward to seeing him alongside Corluka tomorrow as no doubt Ledley will be given the night off.

Anyway, it's not worth going through the team man-by-man, my rating for each of them: Triffic.

Wouldn't be right to get out moan free, so here are two very, very minor ones.

1. Defoe and Keane. They played well enough, but were they a partnership?
   
2. The Beanpole. Cue longballs from defence - even when not being pressed. God help us if that happens constantly when he gets a full 90.

Three points tomorrow would put us in dreamland. Looks doable on paper but Hull, despite being widely tipped to go down, are no mugs at home. I think we'll see Hutton so that Charlie can move into the middle. I'd love to see Pav up front with Defoe - even if it's just to prove that Keane isn't undroppable. Apart from that, more of the same please.

Talk of the top 4 is still a bit premature, but if we do have any pretensions on breaking it then away days at Hull are exactly the sort of game we need to be winning. Confidence is up, we're playing well, I think we'll do it - 6 points from 2 games all sounds rather nice.

Follow that with a result against the Spammers on Sunday and the hype machine is going to explode...