It was all slightly akin to a chess game, n'est ce pas? And not one of those awesome chess games either, in which one lad loses his rag somewhat, dashes the pieces across the board and clobbers his opponent with the clock, leading to a mass brawl involving spectators and allsorts. This was one of those chess games in which white thoughtfully strokes his chin for a good seven or eight minutes, before moving his bishop a few diagonals backwards whence he came, prompting black to ponder for four minutes himself, hover his hand over his queen, retract hand, ponder some more, and then move his knight back into its starting position.

3pm ET, live in the US on espn2
Last four head-to-head:
0-4 Tottenham (a) 09.18.11
0-2 Tottenham (h) 05.15.11
1-2 Tottenham (a) 11.28.10
2-0 Liverpool (h) 01.20.10
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 3-0 Wolves (a); 2-1 United (h); 2-2 City (h)
Spurs: 3-1 Wigan (h); 1-0 Watford (a); 2-3 City (a)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Bellamy 6; Suarez 5; Carroll 3; Adam, Gerrard, Maxi, Skrtel 2; Henderson, Johnson, Kuyt 1
Spurs: Bale 10; Adebayor 9; Defoe 8; van der Vaart 7; Lennon, Modric 3; Assou-Ekotto, Kaboul, Walker 1
Referee: Michael Oliver
Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
Gerrard Spearing
Kuyt Henderson Bellamy
Carroll
With six days since the last match, there seems little need for drastic changes from the side which beat Wolves three-nil.

THFC1882 presents guest writer Kenny Palmer's report of Tottenham Hotspur versus Wigan:

A man of the match performance by Gareth Bale against obliging opponents Wigan helped reignite Spurs title challenge, as they now sit just five points behind the Manchester clubs following the leaders City's defeat to Everton.

THFC1882 welcomes back guest writer Kenny Palmer with a preview of Tottenham Hotspur versus Wigan.

A week is a long time in football, as Spurs two contrasting performances highlighted. Heroic in defeat against Manchester City earning plaudits for the character they showed in coming back from 2-0 down to level the scores before losing to an injury time penalty.

THFC1882 welcomes back guest writer Kenny Palmer with a preview of Tottenham Hotspur versus Wigan.

A week is a long time in football, as Spurs two contrasting performances highlighted. Heroic in defeat against Manchester City earning plaudits for the character they showed in coming back from 2-0 down to level the scores before losing to an injury time penalty.

It's been a long week for Harry Redknapp and the manager will no doubt be delighted to get back to football affairs as Spurs take on Watford at Vicarage Road tomorrow night. Reports today are confirming that Harry will be in the dugout and he will pick the team but who is available to choose from?

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is facing a four-match ban after being charged with violent conduct by the Football Association for his stamp on Scott Parker's head during yesterday's 3-2 win over Tottenham.

The FA statement read:

"The FA has today charged Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli with violent conduct following an incident in his side's home game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is facing a four-match ban after being charged with violent conduct by the Football Association for his stamp on Scott Parker's head during yesterday's 3-2 win over Tottenham.

The FA statement read:

"The FA has today charged Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli with violent conduct following an incident in his side's home game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Lets get the rant out of the way. Lescott should have been sent off for intentionally elbowing Kaboul in the head, and Balotelli should have been sent off for intentionally stamping on Parker's head. Turns out that the "loveable rouge" Balotelli who buys petrol for people, signs signatures for kids at an impromptu visit to schools and so on and so on, is actually just a nasty little **** who would stamp on a fellow professionals head.

We all know that Harry likes to throw Ledley King into the big occasions if he possibly can and if there is a remote chance of the club captain being fit for Sunday's match with Manchester City, you can be fairly certain that the manager will use him.

The early prognosis on King's troublesome Hamstring was grim and it was expected that he would be out for another six weeks at least but after responding well to intensive treatment, he could make the final cut.

('Dances with Wolves' dances with Wolves)We could have danced all night and still not scored the winner against Wolves The JimmyG2 Column In this Bumper Edition a legend resurfaces; Wolves recaptured; Man City fail to impress; transfer window ignored and all, like the National Health Service, free at the point of delivery and we're still six points clear in third.

THFC 1882 present Kenny Palmer with a report on Tottenham Hotspurs latest match.

After Wednesday's victory against Everton which propelled Spurs to just three points behind leaders Manchester City the team went into the game with expectations of going joint top with a victory over Wolves.

THFC 1882 present Kenny Palmer with a report on Tottenham Hotspurs latest match.

After Wednesday's victory against Everton which propelled Spurs to just three points behind leaders Manchester City the team went into the game with expectations of going joint top with a victory over Wolves.

THFC1882 presents another guest writer. This time it's a guy I've known on Twitter for a while and he's always got something to say on our beloved Tottenham Hotspur. It gives me great pleasure to present Kenny Palmer with a preview of this weekend's game:

Wednesday's victory over Everton in the postponed game in hand from the start of the season has left Spurs level on points with Manchester United and 3 off leaders Manchester City.

The title race got really interesting this week with Spurs win over Everton. Now it is a three team race, and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp wasted no time laying into big-spending Manchester City.

"City are where they are because of Sheikh Mansour and Chelsea thanks to Roman Abramovich" said Redknapp.

One of the most pleasing aspects of Tottenham's play at the moment is the number of clean sheets being recorded. While new goalkeeper Brad Friedel has played his part in these statistics, our occasionally patched up defence deserves most of the praise so does it really need reinforcements this month?

First Paul Scholes and now bearded volleyball whizz, Terry Henry. Two mammoths of the game busting open the crypts of their Premiership careers for one last undignified waltz under the lights; with every possibility of coughing up something unsavoury into the laps of their adoring fans and making a mess of everything that was once good.

Michael Dawson declared that he was delighted to be back in the fold after his contribution helped Spurs to a 3-0 win over Cheltenham at the weekend. However the news was tempered with reports that club captain Ledley King has suffered yet another injury setback.

"It was great to be out there playing again," said Dawson after the match.

So the Premier League season is finally here, it's Tottenham Hotspur's opening game versus Everton..........

That's how the preview for this one should have started, but the unfortunate and unseemly rioting of early August put paid to Spurs opening fixture. Now this is the game in hand it's vital that Spurs get maximum points if they want to be taken seriously as title challengers.

It's hard not to mention the ‘T' word this week, particularly after last night's defeat for Manchester United leaves Spurs with the opportunity to draw level on points with the second place side if they beat Everton next Wednesday.

Many Spurs players have been asked for their comments about a possible title challenge and Jermain Defoe is one who insists that our lofty position is not bringing any added pressure to the players.

There are injury concerns over Scott Parker ahead of tonight's match with the Baggies but our midfield general is just one of a host of players that Harry may take a chance on this evening. It's thought that both Ledley King and Aaron Lennon are in with a chance of returning to the side tonight as Harry looks to put a bit of impetus back into Spurs' league campaign.

Merry tidings and whatnot. I trust you're all in good spirits? If not then I suggest you vamoose down to your local retailer and get your hands on some as quickly as is humanly possible. If anything it'll make reading this hogwash a darn sight easier.

To Carrow Road we head, then. A late evening kick-off with Norwich and the cold turkey leftovers of a hectic Christmas schedule in the old Premier League.

After the defeat to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium recently, it was important for Spurs to get back to winning ways. White Hart Lane has been a fortress for us in recent seasons but the Martin O'Neil factor was always likely to threaten our chances last Sunday against Sunderland.

In the end a moment of magic from Dutchman Van der Vart and an emphatic finish from forgotten man Roman Pavlyuchenko secured the points.

Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland, White Hart Lane, Sunday 18th December, 3pm Kick off

So on Thursday night Spurs European adventure for this season came to an end, despite a 4-0 win at Shamrock. The perceived wisdom is that this is a blessing in disguise and can leave Harry Redknapp and his team to concentrate on getting Spurs back into the Champions League.

Harry's pre-match comments have pretty much given us the starting line up for tonight but there are still some gaps to fill in,

"I was doing a little bit of work with them this morning and there's seven internationals in there," said Harry.

"Defoe is here, Gio Dos Santos, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Kaboul, Pienaar, Niko, Sandro, they will all play.

THFC1882 present a guest preview by Rob:

Shamrock Rovers v Tottenham Hotspur, Thursday 15th December 6pm KO ITV4

So here we are, at the last match in the laborious group stage of the Europa League. A competition that is supposed to be the second best European competition to win but in my opinion is just plain second rate as shown by the fact that not that many teams are interested in playing in it.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is among the last of the Premiership bosses to point the finger at the referee but even he couldn't stay silent after yesterday's display by Chris Foy in the 2-1 defeat at Stoke.

Foy was involved in a number of contentious decisions including the sending off of Younes Kaboul and a crucial offside flag on Emmanuel Adebayor.

Harry Redknapp has a few injury concerns ahead of Sunday's game with Stoke but the extra day could give Ledley King, Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale the time they need to get fit.

There is cover in place for King and JD but Harry will certainly be reluctant to take to the field without Bale, who is back to his best and scored both goals here in our 2-1 win last season.

Am I dreaming? If I am long may it continue! everyone's buzzing with positivity and we have our beloved Spurs back. I'm no longer looking across London and asking ‘why can't we play like that' or bemoaning the fact that we can't we grind results out like United.

From front to back we are functioning as a top class team; Brad Friedel is showing us that life begins at 40!

THFC1882 presents Siva's guest report on yesterdays action:

Tottenham: Friedel; Walker, Kaboul, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon (van der Vaart 72), Parker (Livermore 85), Modric, Bale; Defoe, Adebayor

Goals: Bale 7, Lennon 50, Defoe 61

Well that was easy.

The main question this weekend appears to be whether Rafael van der Vaart will return to the starting line up and reclaim his regular place behind the main striker.

According to manager Harry Redknapp, VDV is fit once again to challenge for his slot but there is a doubt over Sandro who has picked up a groin problem.

December is always an important month in the Premier League, as the lead up to Christmas hands all teams a frantic and testing fixture build-up, and gives an inclination into how the season will shape up. Spurs have impressed so much that a top four finish is being overlooked in favour of the a potential title contenders tag; a number of difficult games will test Harry Redknapp's men over the next month.

They seek him here, they seek him there. They luka everywhere for him.Relax he's ill. I'm sure it's nothing serious You know those Army training thingies where they do a 30 mile run; at night; in full kit; bags of cement in every pocket; live rounds zinging just above their heads; with both legs tied together; in their bare feet; blindfold?

The opening goal came from West Brom, we weren't quite awake when Assou Ekotto failed to close down Reid outside the area, the cross came into Mulumba who found himself unmarked in between King and Kaboul. The resulting header flew past Friedel and into the net. 1-0.
Great link up play between Adebayor and Lennon saw Aaron bust into the box, only to be clipped by Nicky Shorey, penalty Spurs.

THFC1882 present a writing debut from Twitters @Brettsayid reporting on yesterday's match:

West Bromwich Albion 1 (Mulumbu 10 ) Tottenham Hotspur 3 ( Adebayor 26 , 90, Defoe 81 )

Line ups : WBA Foster , Reid , Olsson, Mcauley , Shorey , Brunt , Mulumbu , Morrison , Thomas , Gera ( sub , Cox ) Long ( sub , odemwinge )

Spurs Friedel , Walker , Kaboul , King, BAE , Lennon , Sandro (sub, Livermore), Parker , Bale , Adebayor , Defoe .

There are injury doubts over Jermain Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart ahead of tomorrow's match with but it seems quite possible that Spurs will start the game with an unchanged side once again.

There are two schools of thought on this: On the one hand you can apply the ‘if it ain't broke don't fix it theory' or you could suggest that it's time for a little bit of squad rotation.

Saturday 26th November 2011, 3pm Kick-off. The Hawthorns.

It's a rare Saturday 3pm Saturday kick off for Tottenham Hotspur this week. Not that the game time should faze Harry Redknapp's dazzling Spurs side, on the face of it, not much could or should at the moment.

Rafa clearly believed in the power of his groin a little too much"Pay your tax, my lord, pay your tax," the Aston Villa fans sang to Harry Redknapp, to the tune of 'Kumbaya', during the second half on Monday night. Within seconds, the home crowd replied in near unison with: "2-0 down, my lord, 2-0 down, oh you're 2-0 down.

What a joy to watch that was. Full of life, effervescence and wonder. It moved, it didn't move, it moved some more; it made the opposition's efforts look like wet spaghetti in comparison. A shining light, a colossal effort. Disco Benny sported one of the finest haircuts in the history of, well, everything on Monday night.

There's a buzz about Spurs at the moment. Everyone is talking about Harry Redknapp's team electrifying the Premier League. There's even talk of a title challenge! After the first two games of the season, who would have thought that?

Brad Friedel has made the goalkeepers position his own by offering calm and confidence in place of Gomes panicky flappiness.