I wrote a little something on the plane home yesterday evening. About the Dutch Masters. Because I know how much you love a good pitcher, a nice Rembrandt, bit’a Vermeer class. The Johann Cruyffs of the paintbrushes. Right?

But then in the taxi home from the airport something happened. That not only changed the intended content of today’s blog, but probably changed my life. Forever!!!

Never one to resort to mild exaggeration when rabid hyperbole is an available tool.

I was following the football on my phone. Yes, like a teenage tosser; glued to the screen. And Harry Kane scored a goal. 9 minutes gone and, according to the texts that flowed onto the BBC site, it was (to quote Robbie Savage? that’s never happened before) “a brilliant, brilliant goal from a brilliant, brilliant player…”

Tears welled in my eyes as we sped along the M40. The driver, in turn, was glued to his little screen, the sat-nav. And you couldn’t even get Spurs vs Stoke on that. But as he obviously had not the faintest glimmer about where he was going I left him to his screen. Which led him/us on a wildly circuitous route round the motorways to the west and northwest of London. But I kept schtum in part because I was ‘engaged’ with the football and in part because his ‘detour’ of about 40 miles did manage to avoid the roadworks shit currently clogging up Neasden.

We arrived home for the second half. I ran into the house, Mel is quite capable of sorting out a few suitcases, paying the driver, remembering the ruck-sacks, my mind was elsewhere. It was at the Britannia.

And that second half turned into an exhibition of the beautiful game at its most beautiful as Spurs relentless pressure and high speed counter-attacks produced three more superb goals. Ok, Stoke aren’t the prettiest team in the league, but they stood no chance. Pochettino’s tactics were so wonderfully deployed that it became almost cruel. Almost.

So I’d like thank:
Hugo Lloris; the best goalie in the world
Kyle Walker; the best right back in the country
Danny Rose; the most improved left back the world has ever known
Jan Vertongen; the masterful Belge
Toby Alderweireld; player of the year
Eric Dier; best holding midfielder in the land
Mousa Dembele; brilliant everything
Christian Erikssen; classist player around
Eric Lamela; most improved player on any planet anywhere
Dele Alli and Harry Kane; simply the best.

I’d also like to thank:

Arsenal football club for failing to play to the best of their abilities and for not beating Palace on Sunday.

Leicester City football club for dropping points, at last, and for losing Jamie Vardy for now probably two games.

Mauricio Pochettino for being remarkable and lovely.

Do we still ‘believe’? Have this weekend’s results rekindled that ultimate of dreams? IS THIS OUR FUCKING DESTINY?????

Come on you Spurs

A xxxx