Flatter Clatter

Spurs are beginning to exhibit the symptoms of Chelsea syndrome. A tendency to be massively overrated by people whose knowledge of football exceeds only their own expectations.

Take Paul Robinson, for instance. Still looking a bit broad in the beam, still fumbling and still the England goalkeeper – though anyone who has followed David James’s consistently brilliant performances since Harry Redknapp signed him for Portsmouth must be wondering why.

Then in midfield there’s Taino, who struggles to improve on the commonly held view that he is little more than a clogger and Malbranque who, surprisingly and disappointingly, is increasingly giving the impression that he is learning how to become a clogger.

But above all, Spurs have Tom Huddlestone – the current golden boy and a sort of lofty Peter Shilton lookalike with huge feet. As his reputation balloons out of control, he has been compared to Glenn Hoddle – a bracket that seems extremely damning to Hoddle. Frank Lampard would be a much more appropriate analogy (and ironically one that would no doubt please). Both of them are dedicated professionals. Both of them move like greased fog. Both have good vision and technique marred by a marked preference for moving the ball sideways or backwards. Both can hit the ball hard and score goals if defenders are foolish enough to give them time. And, judged by the highest standards, both have already over-achieved in terms of status on an enormous scale, despite showing little real flair and absolutely no genuine pace. All of which indicates, rather depressingly, that we may be entering the golden age of the jobbing midfield player.