BLACK CATS BRING THEIR OWN BAD LUCK ? 02.12.2005
By Stephen Baker
When Mick McCarthy brings Blunderland Football Club to White Hart Lane this weekend he will be trying to repeat a feat that the Black Cats managed 27 years ago. That was the last time Sunderland turned over Spurs.
Frankly with the kind of class player now stalking the Lane Mick really doesn?t stand an earthly. Sunderland and their manager have fallen into a trough of apologies and excuses that is very likely to drown McCarthy and despatch them back to the first division.
Spurs on the other hand have shown they are in the ascendant with a relatively comfortable win over Wigan last week – and the main feature of that match was watching a bespectacled, dreadlocked, 32-year old driving right through the Wigan defence like a speedboat whilst the youngsters looked on grinning. There?s no doubt Edgar Davids impact on this developing team is going to progressively define the new Spurs and their class.
To add to Mick?s bad luck he is missing three first team players Julio Arca?s toe, Stephen Wright?s calf and Alan Stubbs groin have all gone on strike. Spurs look as though they will recall the potent ex-Palace winger Wayne Routledge for at least a part of the match. He has been out for six months but nobody noticed too much because he was replaced by Aaron Lennon and his wonderful dancing feet; this is a young man who fulfils all of the dreams of the classic Spurs supporter. What the Lane would love to see is Routledge on one wing and Lennon on the other, tormenting the Sunderland defence like Dyson and Jones.
Well we may not see Mido too much during the next couple of months as he is going to go to the African cup. Jol wants him to commute but that has to be a joke. Perhaps he will bag himself a hatful before he goes. My advice to Jol is to get Defoe on for at least part of the match. One because he needs goals for confidence and there will be a few on offer on Saturday. And two because he might start wondering about those lucrative offers from Italy.
It?s a no-brainer chaps. If we lose I shall eat my program.
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