Believe it or not, it was a year ago that we famously ended our Arsenal hoodoo by thrashing them 5-1. In doing so we advanced to Wembley and our first cup final in 6 years. Following that game there were delirious Spurs fans everywhere claiming a new dawn under a certain Mr Ramos. We played some fantastic pass and move football and we did it against our most famous, hated rivals who like to pride themselves on that style of play. We felt we had finally put one over them.

However, as we all know, this was a brief high in what has been a pretty miserable and frustrating year for us. Our league form suffered awfully, Ramos lost his job, expensive new signings flopped and some old faces left, albeit for a lot of money. Once again, Spurs are in a transition phase. We seem to be permanently in this transition phase, unable to get a settled squad, a long term manager and consistancy on the pitch.

This season began terribly. 2 points from a possible 24 was not acceptable, the club reshuffled drastically and brought in Redknapp. His arrival brought immediate success and we strung together some fantastic results. We also played some decent football. Once again, this idea of a new dawn appeared on the lips of Spurs fans across the globe. Once again, it seems to early to tell. Form has dipped, goals have dried up, injuries are all too frequent and the footballing ability levels have deteriorated rapidly.

Despite all this, somehow, a year on, we have dragged ourselves through the rounds to another Carling Cup Final. The semi final second legs from last year to this year could not contrast more if they tried: winning 5-1 against Arsenal or very very nearly throwing away a 3 goal cushion and crashing out to Championship Burnley. Regardless of this, both matches resulted in the same thing - a trip to Wembley for a cup final. Winner takes all, form goes out the window. It is something to look forward to, a chink of light in what has so far been a miserable, dark season. Hopefully it will be the start of something. Another new dawn for a club who seem to be eternally on the verge of a new dawn? Who knows. But for now all that is important is that we are going to Wembley and have the chance to retain our Carling Cup.

1. UEFA Cup becomes an irrelevance for clubs like Spurs | Soccer News Info on February 20th, 2009 at 2:24 pm

   [...] The fact they fielded a ‘B’ team was not surprising. Manager Harry Redknapp had already stated several times that Premier League survival and the League Cup were his priorities. After the game Redknapp said: “I had a 17-year-old playing tonight and I will probably have four playing next week.”   The reason they will play with an under-strength team in the return leg next Thursday is that it comes three days after a crunch league match at Hull City and three days before their League Cup final against Manchester United. [...]

2. UEFA Cup becomes an irrelevance for clubs like Spurs | Sports 40 on February 21st, 2009 at 12:24 am

   [...] The fact they fielded a ‘B’ team was not surprising. Manager Harry Redknapp had already stated several times that Premier League survival and the League Cup were his priorities. After the game Redknapp said: “I had a 17-year-old playing tonight and I will probably have four playing next week.”   The reason they will play with an under-strength team in the return leg next Thursday is that it comes three days after a crunch league match at Hull City and three days before their League Cup final against Manchester United. [...]