Time to Get Volcanic With Pompey

Crumbs.

Apparently ‘Arry’s ticker might not last the distance. To be honest, boss, I’m not convinced any of ours will, either. I’m still recovering from the festivities of midweek. The garden still looks like a minefield; the mines in this case being much smaller and looking remarkably like squat Heineken cans. It’s all a bit of a blur, really. All I can safely assume is: it was a performance worth toasting. Jen-yoo-wine Cup magic of the like we haven’t seen since…well, I don’t know when.

A great deal of credit must go to Redknapp; more than willing to juggle tactical hand-grenades when things weren’t going to plan, a trait that many of his critics would earmark as his most notable blind spot. No sign of it on Wednesday night, though, as he was positively rabid with his tinkering. Some brave decisions, too. A three-wired attack with Palacios filling in at right-back had a certain smell of lunacy about it- but it was exactly the kind of shift in dynamism that we and our hopes of advancement needed. Suffice as to say, Bentley and Pavlyuchenko changed the game.

Super Awesome Captain Dawson. If there was ever any doubt; the F.A Cup is one he fancies. You can hear the fire burning in his belly- it rumbles every time leaps skyward to win yet another header or throw himself in front of oncoming projectiles. That armband may as well be a tattoo now. You try and take it off him.

Spurs are on their way to Wembley. And we found ourselves some heroes. Rejoice.

But more of that later. For now, there’s other business at hand. Time to reel ourselves in from the edge of the stratosphere, and back into the brawl that is Champions League qualification. So what’s on the menu? Portsmouth as it goes. The team who could potentially reduce our season to rubble and mortar should they find form at just the wrong time. Saturday, as with the majority of the games remaining, is a must win. You should be used to that phrase by now- and we’re not about to stop saying it anytime soon. It really is crucial. Really.

Elation was increased ten-fold in midweek as results in the League went spookily in our favour. Villa drew while Man City found Everton to be particularly (apologies in advance) sticky customers. Mancini was so distressed he even took his scarf off; presumably with intentions of strangling David Moyes with it. Sidetracking entirely, I do like Everton’s away kit. It shouldn’t work- but somehow it does. Hmm.

Aaanyway. We all know we’ve got plenty in the locker to beat Pompey. If they’ve got bills piling up at home, then we, if asked, have the skills to pay them. Tight as a screw at the back and keeping the ball for longer periods than they do should be enough to see us through. Elbows to the side please, folks. I’m not sure I can bare another blood bath as we saw at Fratton Park on Wednesday. We’re not Chelsea.

Other than that, smash ‘em to pieces.

3-0 Spurs (Bale, Thudd, Bentley)

COYS!