There was a time when it was really depressing to be a Spurs fan. A time when waiting up to watch Match of the Day was an arduous task and we were generally wedged into what is nowadays the West Ham/Stoke City slot. However, today Spurs aren’t that team. Today we are a top four/five side, who have lost four league games since December 2012 and despite not playing the most wonderful football in our history sit three points off top spot.

I am not going to start waving my flag and say everything is ok with Spurs, as its clearly not, but I would rather be here today than witnessing Spurs of a decade ago or when we played Hull at home in 2008.

At White Hart Lane on Sunday Spurs didn’t send out a message to the PL that they are challengers, but what they did do is collect three points in a game that not so long ago would have yielded one, possibly none.

Hull City came with a plan and for the most part they were successful. They slowed the game down, feigned injuries and occasionally looked threatening on the break. AVB deployed Sandro alongside Paulinho for the second successive PL game, and as the first half wore on, it was clear that a defensive midfielder wasn’t needed.

However, instead of opting for the brave approach of introducing Christian Eriksen, and perhaps dropping Lewis Holtby deeper, AVB brought on safe Mousa Dembele, yet we still won, so are we wrong to judge AVB’s apparent lack of bravery?

At full-time though, AVB showed bravery is something he doesn’t lack as he spoke rather candidly to the BBC and SKY about the negative atmosphere at White Hart Lane on Sunday. To be fair he had a point, however, this wasn’t the worst atmosphere I have experienced at White Hart Lane, it wasn’t even the worst AVB has seen.

I would rather be here today than witnessing Spurs of a decade ago or when we played Hull at home in 2008

The reaction of the fans on Sunday was a festival of love compared to the backlash after the West Brom and Norwich games early last season. AVB had a point that we could have done more, but in an age where we have seen our fans attacked by Neo-Nazi’s, had words ripped from our song list and have pockets of the stadium filled by anyone willing to pay £200+ for a ticket, he picked the wrong time to make his stance.

As the game started there was a sense of expectancy around the ground, which then morphed into one of anxiety and stress, but that is a natural side affect of human beings reacting to what they are witnessing. It brings us back to the old conundrum, is it the support who lift the players or the players who lift us?

As a crowd we do need to be more supportive and vocal, but it’s difficult when before us 11 individuals fail as a unit to sparkle and inspire. When West Ham came to White Hart Lane and emerged with a 3-0 win, a heinous precedent was set. For the rest of the season we need to brace ourselves for more bus parking, injury feigning and slow motion goal kicks, and find some way to counter it, this also applies to Andre Villas-Boas and his players.

With Spurs sitting in the top four a few points off the leaders, some have decided to look back and reminisce about a a time when a wheeler-dealer had has playing this amazing brand of football. Apparently, we were the most exciting team in the country, a team bristling with talent, ready to explode, yet we didn’t, in fact we imploded.

in an age where we have seen our fans attacked by Neo-Nazi’s, had words ripped from our song list and have pockets of the stadium filled by anyone willing to pay £200+ for a ticket, he picked the wrong time to make his stance

There was no silverware, there were no open top bus parades, and there was only a solitary Champions League campaign, served up with some indigestible FA Cup semi final defeats. It’s pointless to look back, it serves no purpose, what we need to do, is look forward and hope we start adding some flair to the three points that more often than not we collect.

However, in the modern Premier League this is extremely difficult. It seems every week with a reactionary media every single game is a cup final.

“Our rivals have won!! We have to win!! This is the most important game ever!!” When in reality it isn’t.

A by-product of being relatively successful over the last few years has created a consensus amongst us that the opposition should arrive at WHL prepared for a spanking. They should set their team out nice and open and allow us to play pretty triangles at pace. As West Ham and Hull showed, life isn’t like that.

Every game is a battle. Points are just as precious for us as they are for Hull. No team will roll over and let us tickle them into submission. We have to fight for everything, and at times it won’t be pretty.

The next two home games are both 1882 events, it’s time to sing up and show AVB and his players that we have turned up, now it’s their turn

What we must remember is Tottenham aren’t finished yet, the season is only nine games old, there is time for the team to improve and for the support.

The next two home games are both 1882 events, it’s time to sing up and show AVB and his players that we have turned up, now it’s their turn. If we are going to do anything this season, we need outstanding performances on and off the pitch.

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