Spurs in dire straits

LONDON – When Arsenal lost to Hull City last week they responded by thrashing FC Porto but if Tottenham Hotspur fall at home to the Premier League new boys on Sunday they will have two weeks to suffer the consequences.

Tottenham are bottom of the standings with two points from six games, their worst start for 53 years, and share with fourth division Grimsby the dubious honour of being the only teams yet to have tasted a league victory. In fact, since they won the League Cup in February they have managed only three league wins from 18 attempts and Spanish coach Juande Ramos, who guided them to victory over Chelsea at Wembley last season, is under intense pressure.With the international break next weekend it would be a long two weeks if Spurs were to fail again on Sunday and there is always the chance that he might not be around by the time the team run out again at Stoke City on October 19.”At this difficult time we have to be positive and optimistic,” Ramos said this week.”We have young players but players with quality and I have every confidence in the team.However, they are young, the pressure is on and it’s possible the confidence is low.I’m sure when we win two or three matches that situation will change.”A turbulent close-season saw the departure of strike trio Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe while Roman Pavlyuchenko and midfielder Luka Modric were among the incoming group.Ramos, brought in when Martin Jol was sacked for overseeing what was then considered a bad start last year, has been unable to knock his new squad into shape.Worryingly, and incomprehensively for most fans, assistant manager Gus Poyet said after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth that Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent were too similar and might not be able to team up as a striking duo.On paper a home game against Hull would appear the ideal time to chalk up that first win and begin building confidence but the promoted team have shown already that they are not in the top flight merely to admire the sights.Their stunning 2-1 victory last week was only Arsenal’s second defeat since they moved to the Emirates and left Hull in sixth place in the league and with an unbeaten away record after beating Newcastle United and drawing at Blackburn Rovers.Arsenal visit Sunderland on Saturday, one of only three games that kick off at the traditional slot of 15h00 local time.Manchester United, who lost Paul Scholes and probably Wayne Rooney to injury in their Champions League win over AaB Aalborg, are at Blackburn Rovers in Saturday’s evening kick-off.On Sunday leaders Chelsea host third-placed Aston Villa while second-placed Liverpool are at Manchester City.Nampa-ReutersIn fact, since they won the League Cup in February they have managed only three league wins from 18 attempts and Spanish coach Juande Ramos, who guided them to victory over Chelsea at Wembley last season, is under intense pressure.With the international break next weekend it would be a long two weeks if Spurs were to fail again on Sunday and there is always the chance that he might not be around by the time the team run out again at Stoke City on October 19.”At this difficult time we have to be positive and optimistic,” Ramos said this week.”We have young players but players with quality and I have every confidence in the team.However, they are young, the pressure is on and it’s possible the confidence is low.I’m sure when we win two or three matches that situation will change.”A turbulent close-season saw the departure of strike trio Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe while Roman Pavlyuchenko and midfielder Luka Modric were among the incoming group.Ramos, brought in when Martin Jol was sacked for overseeing what was then considered a bad start last year, has been unable to knock his new squad into shape.Worryingly, and incomprehensively for most fans, assistant manager Gus Poyet said after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth that Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent were too similar and might not be able to team up as a striking duo.On paper a home game against Hull would appear the ideal time to chalk up that first win and begin building confidence but the promoted team have shown already that they are not in the top flight merely to admire the sights.Their stunning 2-1 victory last week was only Arsenal’s second defeat since they moved to the Emirates and left Hull in sixth place in the league and with an unbeaten away record after beating Newcastle United and drawing at Blackburn Rovers.Arsenal visit Sunderland on Saturday, one of only three games that kick off at the traditional slot of 15h00 local time.Manchester United, who lost Paul Scholes and probably Wayne Rooney to injury in their Champions League win over AaB Aalborg, are at Blackburn Rovers in Saturday’s evening kick-off.On Sunday leaders Chelsea host third-placed Aston Villa while second-placed Liverpool are at Manchester City.Nampa-Reuters