The side from N17 put on a great show of attacking, flowing football. Gareth Bale on the left wing and Aaron Lennon on a normal day would be vying for the man of the match award, however they were over shadowed by the young English keepers performance. Were another keeper in goal, the score could well have been three or four by the half time whistle. But Hart pulled off a string of fine saves to deny Defoe, Disco Benny and Tom Huddlestone, earning himself a mild round of applause from the Paxton road end as he walked out to take his place in the second half.

The second half was slightly less one sided with City finding a more suitable shape for themselves allowing them to better contain Tottenham’s attacking threat. Shots at goal however still eluded the Sky Blues and they always looked edgy. It was the kind of game that saw home fans frustrated and worried. Supporters around the stadium have seen it plenty of times, the home side dominating only to lose to a scrappy undeserved goal against the run of play, and today could have been one of those days were it not for a City team lacking in ideas and completely without any bite up front at all.

Redknapp became proactive however and swapped Defoe for Keane and Crouch for  Pavlyuchenko in the hopes of once again increasing his sides attacking threat. It worked with Spurs again forcing the Manchester side back into their own half but the goals still didn’t arrive and even adding Mexico’s World Cup star, Giovanni Dos Santos, Tottenham failed to capitalise on attractive attacking football they showed.

So that was Saturday but now we must look to Tuesday, with the first of our two legged affair with the Young Boys of Switzerland coming up. The opening fixture is an away tie, to be played on an artificial pitch the type of which the Premier League does not allow. This means the home team are at a distinct advantage from the outset as they’ll have a better understanding of how the ball should run and how the ground will feel underfoot. Redknapp has already highlighted this as a problem, and will hopefully be doing all he can to overcome the issue.

Ledley King has already been ruled out of the game, likely due to knee complications which plague his career, so the honour to lead the team out into the Clubs first Champions League qualifier falls to Michael Dawson. The rest of the line up should remain unchanged from Saturday, though the option of changing one or both of the front two will possibly prove too tempting for Harry to resist.

Join the discussion on our upcoming tie against Young Boys FC HERE. Membership is necessary but free.

Manchester City visit in what Sky are hoping will be a knock-out first fixture of the season. Last season Spurs manager to perform a double over the Eastlands side beating them home and away, with the away victory effectively acting as a playoff tie for the 4th Champions League spot. Peter Crouch lept like a tall awkward looking 6′7″ marrionette puppet to head home in the closing stages of the game,  securing the 4th place finish for Tottenham, and a place in Europes elite contest for the first time in the clubs long history (unless you’re a pedant and you don’t count the qualifier’s as the Champions League).

Tottenham ended last season with a terrible defeat to relegated Burnley in the last game, but previous to that they had a run of three valuable wins over Arsenal (for the first time in over a decade in the league), Chelsea and the previously mentioned victory over Manchester City.

Manchester City’s late form wasn’t great, and pre-season games have seen them struggle, despite spending nearly £100m in the transfer window. While Tottenham’s only signing so far has been Sando from Brazillian club Internacional, who has yet to actually turn out for the Lilywhite’s due to a previous commitment to the South American side in their FA cup the Copa Do Brazil.

Expectations for fans of both sides are running high, with some newsmedia tipping City for a run at the title, and others making them odds on favorites to clinch a top four spot.

Whilst Tottenham’s own manager Harry Redknapp has taken time off from not commenting on players belonging to other teams, to claim Spurs have a real shot at the title if they can make two or three more signings (of players under contract at other teams).

Whatever happens on Saturday the game let us hope the match is at least somewhat entertaining, which could reignite the countries waining hunger for football after a poor World Cup and a highly unexciting transfer window.

Spurs’ first choice keeper Gomes was all that was left from what was originally a long list of Tottenham names.

Perhaps most disappointingly for many of the Tottenham faithful was the loss of our England stars in the first knock-out stage as the Three Lions fell to a strong Germany side in a 4-1 (two if you count Lampard’s goal which some book-makers paid out on) defeat. Lennon started Englands first two games, but was dropped for the sides only victory of the tournament as Fabio Capello opted for James Milner on the right instead. Defoe started the final two games, scoring one goal, while Peter Crouch was limited to coming on from the bench. Ledley King, started against the USA before coming off injured at half time, while Michael Dawson didnt feature at all as Capello opted for the experience of Carragher or Upson in favour of the actual talent that and defensive awareness that Dawson may have provided.

Out also in this round went starlet Giovanni  Dos Santos. Dos Santos had impressed in the group stages as he provided much of Mexico’s attacking threat, using his pace to good affect and a great menace on the counter attack.

In an interview with Talk Sport on Friday the 2nd of July Harry Redknapp was quoted as saying that he would like to see Giovanni stay with the Tottenham, and he could have a future, if only he could curb what Redknapp alludes to as an excessive drinking habit with the quote “if he could pass a nightclub as well as he could pass a ball, he’d be dangerous”

Honduras and Wilson Palacios never escaped the group stage.

Also falling in the first round were our representatives for  Cameroon, Disco Benny and Seb Bassong as Ghana became the only African team to make it through the group stages with former Tottenham player Kevin Prince Boateng amongst their ranks.

 Harry Redknapp has spent nearly £40 million on assembling a strike force he believes is capable of firing his side back into the top six this season, so it was somehow quite fitting that two defenders found themselves on the score sheet as Spurs produced a hugely promising display to see off title contenders Liverpool this afternoon.

Robbie Keane squandered two glorious chances to score against his former club before Beniot Assou-Ekotto rocketed Spurs into a deserved half-time lead. In contrast to the home sides attacking verve and adventure, Liverpool were insipid, struggling to find there rythym and barely registering a shot from open play all match.

Both sides spent the opening twenty minutes going through the motions, with Liverpool enjoying the majority of the possession but setting the tone for the rest of the game by doing very little with it. It was not until Luka Modric expertly teed up Robbie Keane for what looked like a certain goal, only for the forward to head straight at Pepe Reina, that Spurs really began to assert themselves on the game.

As his side slipped into gear, Redknapp watched as Modric, Palacios and an impressive Tom Huddlestone took control of the match, and held his head in his hands when Reina came to Liverpool’s rescue again. Modric, who had drifted in-field, slipped Keane through on goal only for the Irishman’s chipped effort to be palmed away by the Spaniard when he should have done better.

Yet our midfielders’ growing dominance was built on the foundations of a confident defensive display, with debutant Sebastien Bassong showing early signs of an encouraging understanding with Ledley King. On either flank Vedran Corluka and Beniot Assou-Ekotto were coolness personified.

The lead our first half display deserved came minutes before half-time. Huddlestone, who mistakenly believes he can take set-pieces, fired his second free-kick into the wall only for the ball to fall to Assou-Ekotto, who took one touch to steady himself before firing a half volley through a crowd of players past Reina’s despairing lunge.

As positive as the first half display had been, it was difficult to escape the feeling that Liverpool surely could not be as bad again. Yet brief early pressure quickly gave way to a flurry of Spurs attacks, with Aaron Lennon cutting through the Liverpool midfield only to forget the need for a final ball as he approached the area. Seconds later, Wilson Palacios’ thunderous shot forced Reina into another splendid save.

Yet Liverpool were not done and they found their way back into the match courtesy of a darting run by new £18m full-back Glen Johnson, who was rashly brought down by a desperate Gomes. Steven Gerrard confidently slotted home the penalty to give his side the parity they barely deserved. It wasn’t to last.

Barely five minutes later and Bassong, enjoying a debut to remember, capped an encouraging first appearance with a goal. The Cameroon international met a pinpoint Modric free-kick and arrowed a header past Reina, sending the home crowd into raptures.

If there is to be any criticism of the players today it would be how they reacted to finding themselves back in front. The home faithful at White Hart Lane are not strangers to seeing their side retreat deeper and deeper in their attempts to hold on to a lead and for the last 15 minutes Redknapp’s side struggled to hold on to the ball. Wilson Palacios was particularly guilty of a few unecessary flicks and tricks which wasted possession, but the introduction of O’Hara, for a tiring Modric, was a smart move by Redknapp.

As the minutes ticked on Liverpool came forward and we survived two penalty shouts, first for a push by Assou-Ekotto, then for a handball by the Cameroon full-back, but both would have been soft penalties, giving Rafa Benitez’s side a point they did not merit.

As the final whistle marked one of the most encouraging opening day performances in recent memory, Redknapp punched the air and Sebastien Bassong entertained the crowd with a little jig on the big screen. Who can blame him; some 30,000 people in the stands, and a fair few watching at home, probably wanted to dance a little jig as well.

Man of the Match: Sebastien Bassong. A superb performance from the debutant who, on this evidence, could be a key player this season.

But, what about the rest of the midfield and, of course, the strikers? What can we realistically hope to achieve this season? Well let’s find out.

Didier see him go…

It’s a credit to the clubs revised transfer policy that few of the players who have left this summer, either permanently or on loan, will elicit much disappointment from among the fans.

The most high profile departures are Didier Zokora, who endured a largely disappointing spell at the club, and Darren Bent, the club’s record signing, whose face just never seemed to fit.

The goodwill Zokora enjoyed since joining from St Etienne was mostly creditable to the, ultimately misguided, hope he would turn into the box-to-box, ball winning central midfielder we had been crying out for. Yet the voices advocating more time for the Ivorian grew quieter after Wilson Palacios’ arrival, until the only question on most fans’ lips was how much we would get for him when he made his inevitable exit. It is now up to the former Wigan enforcer to shoulder the burden of fans’ expectations, with early signs showing that, if he can tidy up his passing, he could well become the anchor of a solid midfield.

Elsewhere the departure of Chris Gunter was only remarkable in that it was followed shortly by the signing of Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton, two other promising right-backs. Harry clearly had not seen enough from the young Welshman to believe he had the ability to make the step up, and it remains to be seen whether he feels the same way about his international colleague Gareth Bale. Nevertheless, Gunter looked a decent player in the few appearances he made, and is sure to do well for new club Nottingham Forest this season.

Thankfully, the other players shown the door, including Ricardo Rocha and the hapless Gilberto, were necessary sacrifices to trim the fat from the side. Hopefully sending Adel Taarabt, a serial trick-pony, out on loan to the Championship might make him come back a more selfless player, even though his move to QPR is more likely to be the prelude to a permanent transfer away from north London.

Central to Harry’s plans…

The departure of Zokora saw Redknapp streamline his options for the two centre midfield spots. Palacios, having shown his bullish determination and tackling prowess, is likely to be an automatic selection, regardless of which formation Harry chooses to adopt.

Alongside him, the ethereal Jermaine Jenas approaches yet another season having yet to fulfil his potential. At 26-years-old, he should be approaching the peak of his powers, but has done little to suggest that this will result in anything other than his confirmation as an average Premiership midfielder.

While it is true that his detractors are often too quick to point the finger of blame at our serial scapegoat, Jenas’ athleticism is undermined by his alarming lack of presence, which makes him an easy target. For a player who stands nearly 6ft tall, he should be suitably embarrassed that, for the majority of last season, the gnome like Luka Modric showed more steel, body strength and stature, than he did. Furthermore, a return of 20 goals from 120 appearances is not enough for Jenas to be considered a candidate to play in a more advanced midfield role.

Harry’s failure to find a left-midfielder must come as some relief, for as long as his manager scans the transfer market, Luka Modric, Jenas’ main rival, will be pushed out wide. This leaves the immobile Tom Huddlestone, and the useful Jamie O’Hara, as Jermaine’s biggest threats, but with the big man unable to match top box-to-box midfielder for pace, and not a strong enough tackler to be a reliable option as an anchorman, Jenas’ place is safe. Unfortunately.

Yet his critics might not have to wait long to see the back of him Rumours persist to link him with a move to Aston Villa, with Martin O’Neil an admirer of his talents. Redknapp remains unconvinced, and is actively seeking to strengthen in that area, with Celtic’s Scott Brown and Toulouse’s promising enforcer, Moussa Sissoko, on his wishlist.

A move for Patrick Vieira, on the cards a month ago, seems to have faltered, with the Frenchman looking to have one last shot at making the grade at Inter Milan, which is a shame, given the experience and leadership he would have brought to the side. Ex-Gooner or not, those are two qualities we lack across the board.

Modric in talent…

If Redknapp leads the club to a top six finish, which his side is capable of, then it is probably fair to assume that Modric will have had a lot to do with it. The Croatian play-maker was hardly alone in starting last season slowly, but it did not take long for his quality to begin to show. Eventually Redknapp was lauding Modric’s professionalism in training and his work ethic on the pitch. It was not difficult to see why.

Arsene Wenger infamously wrote Modric off last summer, claiming the former Dinamo Zagreb midfielder lacked the stature to succeed in the Premiership. But what Modric lacks in height, he makes up for in heart, a product, perhaps, of growing up in a country torn by civil war. Aged only six, Modric and his family were forced to flee their homes from a conflict that cost his grandfather his life. It was an experience, Modric says, that made him the man he is today.

While his best position is undoubtedly exploiting the space behind the strikers, Modric’s versatility makes him a useful winger, though the side does lose width when he, understandably, follows his instinct and drifts inside. Not that he is cheap with possession; he rarely wastes a pass. Our creative hub, Modric could thread a pass through the eye of a needle and could probably walk into any midfield in the country.

If there is one criticism of his game it is that his small stature doesn’t lend itself to propelling the ball with much velocity toward the opposition goal. As such, he does not find himself on the score-sheet as often as Redknapp would like. In fact, other than Huddlestone, our midfield is a little shy when it comes to trying their luck from distance.

A propensity for shooting outside the area was one string that David Bentley certainly did add to our collective bow. It is an aspect of our game we have lacked for a number of years and should not be underestimated. After all, once opposition players worked out Paul Robinson weakness from range, it did not take the long for them to start peppering his goal whenever they got the chance.

Whether Bentley, charged this week with drink driving, can save his Spurs career remains to be seen, but he will be buoyed by Redknapp’s restrained response to the controversy. The word is that Harry will offer him one last chance of redemption before flogging him, though he will struggle to recoup the huge fee we paid Blackburn only last summer.

A striking set of options…

As maligned as he is to some, and as galling as it is to see him return to the club for big money , having sold him in 2000 for £60,000, the signing of Peter Crouch could be Harry’s shrewdest summer move. It also represents a welcome change in the club’s transfer policy (which started with Wilson Palicious joining in January) in that Redknapp has identified a deficiency and signed a player to fix it, rather than trying to fit square pegs into round holes.

The club has struggled away from White Hart Lane for as long as anyone can remember and while that is by no means solely down to the lack of a player who can hold on to the ball, our inability to retain possession results in the side spending most of its away games camped in its own half. Too many of our attacks were falling by the way because we push the ball forward quickly, but couldn’t hold on to it long enough to get the numbers forward to regularly trouble the opposition. Crouch can be that go-to-guy, the player who can take the ball out of the air and bring others into the game. Keane can’t do it, neither can Defoe. Berbatov could but he wasn’t always interested in cold night at the Reebok.

Factor in the World Cup, plus a well documented understanding with Defoe, and Harry could be onto a winner. Robbie Keane, however, could well be in for a difficult season.

Since his return to the club in January, it is safe to say that Keane has had more of an impact inside, rather than outside, the dressing room. Signed as much for his ability to unify players as his goalscoring talents, Keane has excelled in one role and flattered to deceive in another. Five goals from 14 games since his big money move does not tell the whole story, and several lacklustre performances toward the end of last season led to disquiet among the fans and rumours that Keane was, yet again, angling for a move away from the club.

Now, with a pre-season under his belt, Keane knows he faces a tough task if he is to hold down a place in the first team, with Jermain Defoe in imperious form for England in midweek and Redknapp known be an admirer of his partnership him with international colleague, Crouch. An appearance on the left-side of midfield during one pre-season friendly may be an ominous sign of things to come for the Irishman.

Yet Harry gave him the captain’s armband for a reason and he will be tempted to gamble on Keane’s thirst for revenge when selecting his team for today’s match. Robbie scored in the 3-1 defeat at Anfield at the end of last season and Redknapp will know he tends to do well against his former employers. That said, you could say the same for Peter Crouch, who could make his debut nine years after leaving the club without a first team appearance to his name.

The situation is as uncertain for Keane as it is bleak for Roman Pavlyuchenko. The Russian endured a slow start to his Tottenham career before finishing with a promising haul of 15 goals in all competitions, but his poor first touch and, at times, his questionably work rate, saw him drop out of favour.

Now he finds himself as fourth choice striker, which goes to show the strength available to Redknapp. On his day Pavlyuchenko rivals Defoe’s predatory instincts and makes more of a nuisance of himself than Crouch. As an option, he’s a superb player who it makes little sense to sell (we would just have to sign another striker who would have to make do with a role on the periphery). If the first few matches pass without an appearance, however, then he could well leave the club before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.

Not that any of this should matter to Defoe, who is currently basking in the warmth of glowing praise from his international coach, team-mates and even former manager, Martin Jol. Defoe has looked very sharp in pre-season and enjoyed his best game in an England shirt on Wednesday. Redknapp says he would be surprised if Jermain does not grab at least 20 league goals this campaign and has tipped him to be the Premiership’s highest scorer. Let’s just hope he thrives on the pressure.

Conclusion? A sixth sense…

Given the talent at his disposal and promising performances since he took over, Redknapp should expect the club to improve on last season’s eighth placed finish and 51 point haul. By how much depends on whether his side can avoid the awful start which cost Ramos his job, whether Defoe and Crouch renew the burgeoning understanding they developed at Pompey and whether King, Bassong and Woodgate can stay fit.

If he can do this, and the gods of chance are on his side, then Harry is one or two signings away from a side that could realistically challenge for fourth. Yet this is the ideal, and if there is one lesson both the fans and players must learn from recent seasons, it is that expectation is a burden rather than a blessing when it comes to Tottenham Hotspur.

Instead Harry will know he can finish fifth or sixth. His side will be difficult to beat at hom and, with the addition of Crouch, will pick up more points on the road. Yet I, like most fans, would be happy with a season characterised simply by steady improvement and a good run in the FA Cup. After all, I think we would all welcome a little respite from the nerve-racking drama of recent years

By Gareth Davies (TDL)

Now no one likes to read a massive essay, so our preview has been broken down into manageable chunks for your reading pleasure. First up, a look at our how squad is shaping up before tomorrow’s big kick-off.

Unsung Heurelho…

Every team has a player who goes through a sticky patch and has to endure both the fans, and the media, writing him off. Unfortunately for Heurelho Gomes, his came during his first few months at the club, so his critics had no previous record of good behaviour on which to fall back (his record breaking stint at PSV is easy to dismiss, given the poor regard in which Dutch football is held in this country).

So Gomes quickly became “Gomess”, a tag he has found difficult to shake off. Whilst he will be known to opposition fans, unintelligent pundits and a small section of our own ignorant faithful as a blundering buffoon, his performances in the latter half of the season, characterised by superb saves in the draw against Manchester United and victory over Chelsea, played a significant role in the club finishing the season having conceded just 10 goals at home, the lowest figure in the league.

 Suddenly his seemingly misguided willingness to fling himself, fist first, from his goal line became a strength, rather than a hindrance, and thanks to his own reserves of will, coupled with the faith of manager Harry Redknapp, Gomes has become an integral part of a defence that began, whisper it, to look dependable in the latter stages last season. For his strength of will alone, Gomes deserves the support of the dwindling numbers of boo-boys in the stands; after all, dramatic dips in form and calamitous blunders cost us the services of Paul Robinson, a previous White Hart Lane favourite.

If Gomes does go the same way, then Redknapp will call on Carlo Cudicini, who must have cursed his luck when his arrival from Stamford Bridge coincided with Gomes rediscovering his form (coincidental, probably not). In the games that the Italian has played for the club he has shown an understandable lack of match sharpness, but while not looking at his formidable best, he is certain and able understudy and a signing that showed Redknapp at his wily best.

Beyond that, however, the club continues to look thinly spread and one of the players Harry might look to bring in over the next few weeks is a promising young goalkeeper, as Ben Alnwick, on loan at Norwich, does not look the required standard.

The King is dead, long live the king…

Defensively, the club is stronger than at any point during the Premiership era. Despite injuries to Michael Dawson, Jonathan Woodgate and, of course, Ledley King, the signing of Sabastien Bassong, recommended to Redknapp by Alan Shearer, is a shrewd piece of business. In the short term, the Cameroon international will cover for injured colleagues, in the long-term Harry believes he has the ability to succeed King as the club’s most reliable defender.

Bassong has remained largely impervious to the understandable criticism levelled at his Newcastle team mates during the club’s descent toward the Championship. Despite the odd rash decision, and several red cards, he showed enough during a handful of assured displays that, given a more reliable wingman than Coloccini, he might shine. He’s an unfinished article, for sure, but his athleticism should compensate for his suspect positioning.

Elsewhere, Harry will enjoy starting the new campaign with a wealth of options at right-back, having signed Kyle Naughton from Sheffield United. The England Under-21 international has impressed in pre-season and has done enough to suggest he will see his fair share of first team football, particularly in the League Cup. His arrival confirms the feeling that Redknapp has not been overly impressed with Alan Hutton since the former Rangers man returned from injury and while his forays forward have been promising, question marks remain about his defensive qualities and wayward positioning. In the short term, Corluka will remain his first choice, but expect Naughton to challenge the Croatian when Redknapp needs a more athletic foil for Aaron Lennon.

If there is one area in which the club’s defensive strength in depth remains questionable it is on the left-hand side of the quartet. Beniot Assou-Ekotto, fresh from enjoying his best season for the club, will retain his place in the first team, but beyond that Harry’s options look limited. He has lost faith with Gareth Bale, who promised so much before several nightmarish performances last season and may have to rely on Naughton to fill in when needed, with the former Blades youngster performing the same role for his home town club in the final few games of their run into last season’s Championship play-offs. There are rumours of a move for Nadir Belhadj, who Harry signed for Portsmouth in September 2008, but he would be no improvement on Ekotto.

Left short…

If Harry is struggling for options on the left-hand, he has also been unable to end our perennial search for a left-footed winger. If that record was getting old this time last year, then it’s now sitting in the attic gathering dust, waiting for a re-release five, ten, twenty years from now.

Villa beat us to the signing of Stewart Downing, which is probably lucky given he had been written off long before his proposed arrival. Slow and average, perhaps, the former Middlesbrough winger would have at least offered balance to a side that faces starting yet another season without a naturally left-footed midfielder. He is also no slouch from set-pieces, a string to our bow that has been missing since Christian Ziege left in 2004.

Still, time remains, even if the options available to Redknapp are hardly obvious. One suspects he would rather start with Luka Modric on the flank, than risk signing an injury prone but talented player like Manchester City’s Martin Petrov, who I personally think would be worth the risk on a short term contract. Failing that a move for West Brom’s Chris Brunt might be the solution. The Northern Irish wingman impressed in flashes for the Baggies last season and would benefit from playing alongside higher quality midfielders at a team who like to use the flanks. Yet, desperate as we might be, let’s hope that recent rumours linking us to a move for Sunderland’s Keiran Richardson prove just that.

It’s a big year for…

Aaron Lennon. With the World Cup fast approaching and none of his rivals for a berth on the right-hand side of England’s midfield covering themselves in glory, there has never been a better time for Lennon to force his way into Fabio Capello’s plans. There is no doubt that the diminutive winger has the potential to make a name for himself at international level, but to do that he needs to dramatically improve his final ball.

In terms of his consistency, last season was by far and away Lennon’s best for the club. Such were the strength of his performances that he managed to confine big money signing David Bentley to long stints of warming the bench. The season showed he has made significant strides in many aspects of his game, particularly to his defensive responsibilities, but time after time his good work was undermined by a wildly misjudged final ball.

It may be the speed at which he runs, or his low centre of gravity that causes him trouble, but if this issue can be overcome, through training or experience, then there will be no reason why he cannot book himself a place on the plane to South Africa, because, on his day, there are few full-backs in the world who can deal with him.

He will face competition in the shape of David Bentley, who despite enduring a turgid first season at the club and wrapping his £90,000 Porsche 911 around a lamppost just days before the start of the new season, may well still have a future at the club. Redknapp insists the former Blackburn star has shown a terrific attitude in training and, despite his questionable professionalism, it makes little sense to sell him to rivals Aston Villa, particularly because it would leave us short in depth on the another flank.

Coming soon, we talk Jermain Defoe, Wilson Palacios, Robbie Keane and whether Jermaine Jenas is a player or a figment of the imagination…

Welcome to the first edition of The Away End: a weekly chat with fans of our forthcoming opponents. This week Liverpool columnists from redandwhitekop.net talk Xabi Alonso, Peter Crouch and give their predictions ahead of Sunday’s Premier League opener at White Hart Lane.

Hi, thanks for taking part. How has the summer gone?

Kopite98: “Good and not so good I suppose. Losing Alonso was a pretty big blow because he’s been resilient for us over the past five years. But when one door closes…in came Alberto Aquilani and from what I’ve seen he looks like a decent lad who’ll hopefully fill Xabi’s place.

“Obviously [Glen] Johnson as well. He was a much needed signing and should do well.”

What do you think of the new faces and which of your signings has got the fans excited, and which of them are you not so keen on?

The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society: “Kenny Daglish’s return is the season’s coup for me, I think it will give the entire squad a lift.

“Player wise, Johnson looks an improvement in the attacking third compared to Arbeloa, who, whilst reliable, wasn’t the most adventurous.

“Alberto Aquilani is an unknown quantity for me, although the reaction of Roma’s fans is an encouraging testimony that the lad definitely has ’something’.”

Who were you sad to see leave?

BazC: “Alonso – one of the most talented central midfielders to play at this club, at least in my lifetime (I’m 20-years-old) and one of my favourite players.

“He made it look so easy; too easy in fact. Every time I’ve been to see the team play in the last few years, and he’s been in the side, I could always rely on Xabi to give me a ‘did you see that?!’ moment: be it a slick piece of control; a turn to make space in an area where space doesn’t seem to be there; an inch perfect pass over 50 yards or a brilliant goal.

“He was one of those who you’d happily spend the £30 ticket just to see him.”

Which single player should you have signed?

Gareth: “Tevez. His versatility would have been ideal for the three positions behind Torres.”

The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society: “If money was no object then Sergio Aguero would have been my choice. If I am being a little more realistic, then Van Der Vart or Huntelaar would have given Rafa more ‘possibilities’.”

Harry and Rafa seem to share an unusual weakness for full-backs. How do you think Glen Johnson will do?

Hinesy: “Well he knows the Premier League, he knows the teams at both ends of the table, but I’m worried if he was good, he would have made it by now.

Juan Loco: “I’m slightly less confident about him than I was when Alonso was at the club. I thought with the way Alonso helped the team dominate possession and keep hold of the ball, that he’d have next to no defending to do.

“Even without Alonso he’ll still have much less defending to do than at Pompey, and he’ll still get a lot more of the ball in dangerous areas of the pitch.

“I think he’ll come on leaps and bounds in a team that can actually afford to accommodate attacking full-backs.”

What do you think of Spurs?

E2K: “I think they might be the best-placed of the rest to challenge for fourth.

“Modric looks an outstanding player from what I’ve seen, and Crouch is a good signing who’ll benefit those around him (e.g. Keane and Defoe).

“There is maybe a question mark over Gomes and whether you can keep your best defenders fit, but I think they’ll do well, starting after Sunday hopefully.”

How did you rate Peter Crouch during his time at Anfield and how do you think he will do at the Lane?

The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society: “Brilliant player. Ironically I think his best all round performances were when he wasn’t scoring.

“He seemed to knit the team together, Jari Litmanen-like. The team revolved around him in his first season with us.

“I’d have him back tomorrow, if I’m honest. The success of his partnership with Defoe at Pompey will bode well for you.”

BazC: “I like him. He’s underrated by the masses and I don’t think we wanted him to go when he did (and he left the summer after one of the greatest strikers this club has seen had his first season here).

“He wanted out to get more football, though, and you have to respect that.

“He’ll do great for you guys I reckon. Might not get loads of goals, but he’ll hold up the play very well for players like Modric, Defoe, Keane and Lennon to get onto.”

If you could have one player from the Spurs side in Rafa’s team, who would it be and why?

Hinesy: “Lennon or Defoe. Or Ricky Villa.”

Juan Loco: “Don’t take it the wrong way but I’m not sure there’s anyone. Maybe Modric, but Yousi [Benayoun] finished the season so strongly that I’d be loathe to replace him.

“It’s the same way I feel about Manchester City. There’s loads of players at both clubs I’d take for the squad but few for the starting 11. The guys that always strike me as your best players play in the same positions as ours.

“Maybe Palacios. He’s a great player but perhaps a little too similar to Mascherano for them to work together.”

Who do you see as our biggest threat and weak link?

E2K: “Sorry to keep harping on about Modric, but him. And Keane, who will obviously have a point to prove and is a better player than he showed at Anfield.

“Weak Link… is Gomes still your first choice ‘keeper? If so, maybe him.”

Gareth: “Threat? You might struggle down the wings, as our wide midfielders work hard to support their fullback and Mascherano also covers well too when needed. The threat for me might come down the middle from Keane and Modric.

“Weak link? Hmm. Tough one now Bent has gone. Bale is pretty average and your keeper still performs like a Brazilian David James.”

Score predictions:

Gareth: “Score draw.”

E2K: “Hopefully we’ll win, though I’m 50/50 on it, especially with some key players struggling for fitness. 2-1 Liverpool.”

Juan Loco: “1-1. I come across as a right negative bastard, but I just don’t think we’re going to win at the weekend.”

The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society: “I’ve got to go for a Liverpool win; 0-2 Torres and Johnson.”

Kopite98: “2-1 Liverpool.”

BazC: “Don’t normally predict the scores and it’d be even harder on the first game of the season! So… sorry!”

Hinesy: “3-1, but to who, I don’t know.”

A big thank you to all the writers from redandwhitekop.net who took part. Good luck for the rest of the season, guys.

We’ve signed up a host of talented, and opinionated, columnists for the new campaign, including Team Spirit who will be bringing you regular tactical and player analysis of forthcoming matches.

So without further delay, here’s his preview of this Sunday’s league opener against Liverpool. Enjoy…

So, the first match of the new 2009-10 English Premier League (EPL) season is finally upon us, and history will be made. Our opening day fixture against the most honoured club in English football will be the 1st time that two sides have played each other back-to-back in the EPL, after we sleepwalked our way to a 3-1 defeat on the final day of last season at Anfield, which will be more memorable as a final day celebration for Sami Hyypia, who thoroughly deserved the great send-off he received from the Kop for a decade of great service to the Reds.

Liverpool, in this writer’s humble opinion, were all set to lift the Premiership trophy next May, having come close last time out with a new found consistency not seen in the league under Rafael Benitez, and were in perfect position to pounce upon Manchester United’s loss of Cristiano Ronaldo , who left to spearhead Real Madrid’s new revolution for a staggering world record fee of £80 million.

That opinion was steadfast until their deep-lying playmaker Xabi Alonso was also enticed away by the thought of joining the new Galacticos project at Madrid for a cool £30m. Perhaps he was still irritated by Benitez’ s attempts to flog him a mere 12 months before, for around half of what he was eventually sold to Madrid for, thinking at the time that the England midfielder Gareth Barry, now having joined the Mega-rich blue half of Manchester at Middle Eastlands, was a superior player.

Alonso responded by delivering arguably his best season in English football for the reds, before indicating that he wanted out. The club have responded efficiently & immediately to Alonso’s loss though, bringing in highly touted Roma Midfielder Alberto Aquilani from Roma for two thirds of that price. Aquilani is talented but injury prone, so much so that he will miss the opening six weeks of the new league campaign, but he is certainly capable of filling Alonso boots.

Benitez, often criticised for not being expansive enough, has also gone against the grain by bringing in attacking right back Glen Johnson for £17m from Portsmouth, whilst dependable utility man Alvaro Arbeloa was to be the second Liverpool player to join Madrid this summer. Despite these changes, Liverpool remain a formidable, pressurising and organised outfit, with two bona fide match-winners spearheading their attack, surrounded by an underrated supporting cast. The start to our season could not be any tougher.

Head-to head analysis:

Heurelho Gomes vs Pepe Reina: The Spaniard is the main reason why Liverpool, despite not having an a quick centre-back, are able to play such a high line and not get punished.

Never shy to take charge of his area, constantly alert and blessed with enough ability with the ball at his feet that he could make a useful outfield player, Reina doesn’t have a superior amongst his gloved peers in the league right now.

A three time winner of the EPL golden gloves award, and the quickest Liverpool goalkeeper to reach 100 clean sheets, Reina now has a staggering 105 in 207 appearances in all competitons.

Gomes, despite having a very difficult opening to the new campaign, went from strength to strength after the arrival of new goalkeeping coach, UEFA Cup shootout hero Tony Park, and set a new Spurs record for least goals allowed at home in the top flight. He also made one of the saves of the season to deny Steven Gerrard in the corresponding fixture last year and we may need him to keep that form up on Sunday.

Luka Modric vs.Glen Johnson: Both players can easily make hay in this battle – Modric may struggle to keep up with Johnson’s constant forays forward, whilst defending has never been the strong suit of Liverpools new £17m recruit. It will be hard for him to track our clever little schemers darts in off the left flank. Modric only needs a little bit of room to slice a defence open with a great dribble or pass.

Jermaine Defoe vs. Jamie Carragher: – Defoe has been on fire in pre-season and carried that form into his brilliant two-goal salvo in Amsterdam against the Dutch in midweek, and deserves to get the nod over Robbie Keane here.

Carragher has the dubious honour of scoring more own goals for Tottenham, than he’s scored for Liverpool over his career, including one in last year’s meeting at White Hart Lane.

Whilst Defoe will have the advantage on speed, and can beat Carragher if he gets him one-on-pone, the reality is that Carragher is very wily, a master at co-ordinating the offside trap (a chronic weakness in JD’s game) and will dominate in the air.

Peter Crouch vs. Martin Skrtel: In my opinion Roman Pavlyuchenko deserves to start. ‘Arry doesn’t have the same man-crush on him as he has on Crouch though, so he won’t. Skrtel is mobile, physical & niggly, he can easily get under Crouch’s skin and can limit his advantages, including his awkwardness, size & technique.

Aaron Lennon vs. Emiliano Insúa : Insua is inexperienced and whilst he shows a lot of promise going forward, he is naive defensively, and will almost certainly need help to contain our flying winger. Lennon should use Capello’s latest snub as motivation, though he hasn’t really shone against Liverpool in the past, this is a great chance to do so.

Jermaine Jenas vs. Javier Mascherano: The Argentine is one of the premier defensive midfielders in the world, but JJ will match him for effort if not quality. Our box-to-box runner is always capable of making an impact against the biggest sides.

Wilson Palacios vs. Lucas: No Liverpool player is under greater pressure than the Brazilian midfielder, who has a month to prove himself to Benitez until Aquilani returns to fitness. He may thrive in this sort of game where he won’t be expected to make the tempo.

Palacios galvanised the side after joining in January, is a fans’ favourite already, and will relish the challenge of facing a possibly nervy Lucas as well as tracking down the reds’ marauding talisman Steven Gerrard.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto vs. Dirk Kuyt:  Kuyt is Benitez’ dream player, and no player sums up the ethos of this current Liverpool team more than him. Effective and full of industry, if not blessed with spectacular ability, and a Duracell Bunny of a player, he finished with a creditable 12 goals last season, and is fresh off scoring against England in midweek.

“BAE” was a revelation last season, after an injury riddled first two seasons at the club, so much so that he is now a regular in the Cameroon national side. It will be a tough task for him, however, as Kuyt has got the better of him in the past, including scoring in last season’s corresponding fixture.

Vedran Corluka vs. Albert Riera: The Spaniard doesn’t seem to have an outstanding attribute, but he is reliable & consistent, and is capable of a cracking strike with his left peg.

“Charlie” oozes class, but will need to be alert to negate the Spaniard, and whilst Riera doesn’t have to worry so much about Corluka bombing on, he’ll need to pressurise the Croat to prevent VC playing quality outlet passes.

Sebastian Bassong vs. Steven Gerrard:  Home debuts don’t get any tougher than this. Gerrard is the main man for Liverpool and their premier “difference maker”, with killer passes or rocket shots. He has near unstoppable for 18 months at club level since being unleashed into his free role by Benitez. Bassong has the physical tools to keep up with him, and whilst quite raw, he has shown composure. He’ll also have a substantially better partner in defence than Fabricio Collocini to help him out

Ledley King vs. Fernando Torres: Though he gave up the armband, Ledders is still “the man” at Spurs, and despite his brittle knees the Tottenham defence still has a worrying over reliance on him. Torres also has injury problems, though nowhere near as extreme as King’s, and he is statistically the top dog among CF’s in the EPL, having taken to the division like a duck to water. The Spaniard is a world-class striker, but then big Ledley has shackled that calibre of player many times before.

Julian’s Prediction: A score draw, this fixture is a fascinating prospect which should result in quite an entertaining game.

Should we beat Shakhtar we will face the winner of either Aston Villa or CSKA Moscow.

The draw in full:

Paris Saint-Germain v Wolfsburg
FC Copenhagen v Man City
NEC Nijmegen v Hamburg
Sampdoria v Metalist Kharkiv
Braga v Standard Liege
Aston Villa v CSKA Moscow
Lech Poznan v Udinese
Olympiakos v Saint-Etienne
Fiorentina v Ajax
Aalborg v Deportivo La Coruna
Werder Bremen v AC Milan
Bordeaux v Galatasaray
Dynamo Kiev v Valencia
Zenit St. Petersburg v Stuttgart
Marseille v FC Twente
Shakhtar Donetsk v Spurs

Harry Redknapp has agreed to become the new Spurs Manager. Portsmouth have been paid £5 million in compensation.