New Season, new manager, what are your thoughts on the new boss?
A manager who thinks tactics are more than just foreign mouth fresheners, and who refers to us as 'we' instead of 'them'? I'm quite pleased ,actually.
How worried are you about Villas-Boas' apparent preference for playing a defensive high line (something I believe he has deployed throughout pre-season, and something that helped cost him his job at Chelsea)?
Not too worried about it in the long term. We've got the speedy defenders to make it work, and unlike Chelsea, they're actually willing to give it a go. However ,short term, I foresee them struggling to adapt to it. Your forwards will definitely get chances this weekend. I hope Brad can keep them out.
What did you make of the Gareth Bale Olympics fiasco?
His injury was verified by both the club physios and the Team GB medics who saw the scans. This was verified, both at the time and after the media uproar when he recovered quicker than expected. The lad talked about his pride at representing Team GB for months beforehand, so why would he pull out at he last minute unless he had a due cause?
Redknapp - should never have got rid or had he taken you as far as he could?
I think he could have taken us further than he did. Without the England debacle, and the resultant tactical and motivational collapse, we would have finished third. Unfortunately, he let both of these things affect us to the point where it was impossible to recover from them, and by doing so destroyed our entire season. For that, he had to go. Unfortunate, but what can you do.
As it stands Modric is still a Spurs player, how important is he to the way you play and can you keep him long term?
He is vital to the way we lay. Without him, we look utterly lost more often than not. As for keeping him, he knows that he has to keep quiet and get on with it if he doesn't get his move; Daniel Levy's proved that he's not afraid to hold him to his contract, and I imagine he'll be happy to hold him to the rest of it (till 2016) if need be. So if Madrid don't stump up the cash we want, I see him staying at Spurs for all of next season. Don't think we can hold him much longer than that, though.
Which Spurs player do you predict will have a big season?
I'm going with Aaron Lennon. He's been a bit under the weather for these past couple of seasons. Still devilishly good, just not up to the truly blistering standards he set back in the halcyon days of late 2009-early 2010. He's due a return to form.
Which Spurs player do you predict will have a disappointing season?
Hmm. I'd have to say Dawson. I love the guy, and I'd be happy if he saw out the rest of his career here, but I suspect he might be a tad too slow for AVB's new system. Plus Vertonghen and Caulker are both going to provide some real competition.
What's a realistic aim for Spurs this season? Where have you strengthened to achieve this?
Realistic aim would be to finish in the top six playing good football and showing some progress on and off the field. Getting the new stadium underway would be the priority, though, and I hope it's finally sorted this year.
As for where we've strengthened, I feel central defense is now a strong point for us. With Caulker, Vertonghen, Kaboul, Gallas and Daws, we've got a great pool of centre-backs, even if the high line will tax them at the start. We've also signed Siggy, who I'm confident will notch at least ten goals this season, maybe more.
Who will win the Premier League this year and why?
City - too many fantastic players for them NOT to win it.
How do you see the top 6 panning out?
The Manchester sides will take the top two spots. Chelsea, if they get their act together after that community shield debacle, will probably have enough to secure third. Fourth, fifth and sixth will be too close to call. Arsenal, Liverpool and ourselves will probably be scrapping it out pretty fiercely for those spots. I'm not counting you guys out either, get your transfers sorted (Debuchy, Anita, etcetera; genuinely good players you're targeting.) and avoid embarassments like the Cardiff City friendly and I see you guys right in the mix as well.
Which teams will be relegated and why?
Swansea - I get the feeling that the combination of an unproven manager (In the PL, at least) and a group of players undoubtedly still feeling the effects of Rodgers' departure (and his subsequent poaching of their best player) will lead to them going down. I hope not, though.
Reading - Newly-rich they may be, but I still see big holes in their squad which I think they'll struggle to fill.
West Ham - for entirely obvious reasons.
Which new Premier League players are you looking forward to seeing?
Jimmy Kebe at Reading is one I think will come good. Steven Naismith as well, he's looked great in Everton's pre-season. Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana of Southampton are exciting players as well, as is Shinji Kagawa, who I think will be a hit at Old Trafford. I'm also quite interested in seeing if Sylvain Marveaux is any good, I don't know where he went last season.
Who will be your danger man/men against Saudi Sportswashing Machine?
Bale, as always, and....well, if the rumors of injuries to your defence are true, I'll say Defoe, he thrives in these sorts of situations.
Which Saudi Sportswashing Machine players are you worried about?
Cisse, if he plays. He's one I'm dreading. Cabaye as well, if we don't close him down quickly I fear for our high back line. Ben Arfa warrants a mention too.
Finally, what do you reckon the score will be?
Screw it, 7-6 Spurs, Defoe with seven for Spurs, Graham Carr and Shola Ameobi (who seems to like doing well against us and then bloody disappearing) with three each.
