Summer is Here, Woodgate Tips Spurs to Crack Top Four [next year]

The annual summer speculation that THIS will indeed be the year Spurs finally breach the Top Four has begun a bit early. The studly Jonathan Woodgate is the first to broach the topic in 2009, some 3.5 months ahead of next season's opener. With current form that would have Tottenham in the 5th position if the campaign had not begun until New Year's... and at least a few new "established" players set jump on the Harry bandwagon before 2009-10 kicks off, I'd have to say he won't be the last either.

Quoteth Woody:

"I want to finish as far as we can up the league," Woodgate said. "The aim is always to get in the top four and the Champions League... We'll see how we do. It's going to be a better team next year, you can see how the team has changed under the manager we have now."

Sounds good to me.

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Jonathan Glassgate

The BBC article on England's training for their upcoming friendly with the Czech Republic is pretty standard stuff. Ashton and Carrick are hurt. Bent and Crouch are off. Ho hum.

But, hello?, what's this with Jonathan Woodgate?

The 28-year-old defender was excused a session at Arsenal's London Colney facilities because of his history of fitness problems.

What's this? He's excused, not because he's hurt, but because he gets hurt a lot? What, he gets hurt so easily that he might get a knock in training? Whaaaa?! Couldn't they at least give him one of those "don't hit me" red jerseys quarterbacks wear?

Now, certainly, Woodgate has a history of injury problems at Newcastle and Real Madrid. And he has a wide, if perhaps unfair, reputation for being fragile. But he's avoided those issues for the most part his last two seasons with Middlesbrough and Tottenham. So I guess this caution is for his injury problems from years back?

Why is Jonathan Glassgate even on the squad? If you can't risk him in training, why risk him in a friendly? Jonathan assures the staff that he will be available against the Czechs. You know, because he's not actually hurt or anything. Just, um, resting up. Kicking back. Taking it easy. Avoiding any unnecessary risk is all.

Spurs supporters, currently licking their wounds after a comprehensive loss to Middlesbrough to start the season, are counting on a back line anchored by Mr. Glassgate and Ledley King (who has his own, and more recent, history of injury)...

Good luck with that! (Spurs supporters may feel free to have at me for the Carling Cup Final. Johnny certainly wasn't hurt that day.)

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