Tottenham's Joy of Winning the Cup 4 (2008)

Tottenham's last Cup winning performance in 2008 came in unusual circumstances as Martin Jol was replaced as manager by Juande Ramos in late October after his team had reached the 4th Round of the Carling Cup which was Ramos' first game in charge.  Victories over Arsenal and Chelsea made it a very special Cup campaign. 

2008 Carling Cup Final
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Chelsea 1 (aet)

Woodgate's Header Wins Cup for Spurs 

Woodgate Celebrates Win

Tottenham recorded their fourth success in the League Cup (Carling Cup) in a season that saw them appoint a new manager in late October and with new players who had only joined the club during the January transfer window.  Victories over 'top-4' London rivals in the semi-finals and Final helped to create a positive feel at the club that Spurs had at last started to close the gap on the the clubs at the head of the Premier League.  It was their first trophy since winning the Worthington Cup in 1999 and fans were over-joyed at the opportunity of another trip to Wembley and another European 'Tour'. 


Road to Wembley:
3rd Round v Middlesbrough (h) Won 2 - 0 Bale, Huddlestone
As they had qualified for the UEFA Cup by finishing 5th in the Premier League the previous season, Spurs were exempt from the competition until the 3rd Round.  It took two goals in three minutes late in the second half to see Spurs into the next round.  The introduction of Robbie Keane with twenty minutes remaining livened up Spurs' attacking options and within three minutes he had set up Gareth Bale for the first.  Three minutes later Tom Huddlestone scored the second and Spurs had overcome Middlesbrough's stubborn resistance.

4th Round: v Blackpool (h) Won 2 - 0 Keane, Chimbonda
The first match for Ramos as manager and an early goal from Keane set Spurs off against Blackpool, newly promoted to the Championship.  It required a hard-working performance from Tottenham and the second goal was scored by Pascal Chimbonda with just under an hour played.

5th Round: v Manchester City (a) Won 2 - 0 Defoe, Malbranque   
Jermain Defoe gave Spurs the lead on five minutes but Didier Zokora was dismissed after twenty minutes putting the team under added pressure.  However, they reorganised well and held City at bay and eight minutes from time Steed Malbranque secured victory.

Semi-Final (1st Leg): v Arsenal (a) Draw 1 - 1 Jenas
For the second successive season these two teams were drawn to meet at this stage of the competition.  Ramos decided to omit Paul Robinson for the first time, Radek Cerny taking his place.  Spurs started well and went ahead through Jermaine Jenas eight minutes before the interval.  They should have added to their lead in the second half but with ten minutes left Arsenal levelled.

Semi-Final (2nd Leg): v Arsenal Won 5 - 1 Jenas, Keane, Lennon, Malbranque, Opp. o.g.
What a way to reach Wembley!  Jenas started Spurs off with a goal after three minutes.  The second came courtesy of an own goal from a corner after half an hour.  Arsenal were losing it.  Keane scored early in the second half, Lennon added the fourth on the hour.  With twenty minutes left Arsenal pulled one back (Adebayor) but Malbranque added extra salt in the wounds with the fifth in the final minute. 

Final: v Chelsea (Wembley) Won 2 - 1 (aet)  Berbatov (p), Woodgate 
Ramos restored Robinson to the team and new signings Alan Hutton and Jonathan Woodgate, replacing the injured Michael Dawson, made their first appearances in the competition.  Tottenham started with a purpose taking the game to Chelsea and surprising their opponents.  Slowly Chelsea came more into the game and following a number of free-kicks around the Spurs box, Didier Drogba gave Chelsea an undeserved lead late in the first half.  Spurs continued to create chances and on seventy minutes were awarded a penalty for a handling offence.  Dimitar Berbatov remained calm and slotted home.  Chances continued to be created but missed until in the fourth minute of extra-time Woodgate scored with a header from Jenas' free-kick.  It was then all hands to the board as Tottenham held out to win their first trophy in nine years.


Team: Robinson; Hutton, King, Woodgate, Chimbonda (Huddlestone); Lennon, Jenas, Zakora, Malbranque (Tainio); Berbatov, Keane (Kaboul) Subs: (unused): Cerny, Bent

Tottenham looked to this win under their new manager as a stepping stone to breaking into the top four having overcome both Chelsea and Arsenal to win the trophy.  However, it didn't work out like that - their form dropped off alarmingly after the Final and they finished in mid-table, in the summer they lost both of their Cup winning strikers, Berbatov to Manchester United and Keane to Liverpool and by the following October Ramos was gone and Harry Redknapp had been recruited to ensure the team avoided relegation after taking only 'two points from eight games'.

Michael Dawson's Wembley Jinx

Michael Dawson's Wembley
disappointments

In the past playing at Wembley Stadium was often regarded as the pinnacle of a footballer's career when the only opportunity to tread the hallowed turf came through a Cup Final appearance or an international match.  However, in this modern era there are so many games at the stadium - internationals, FA Cup semi-final and finals, League Cup finals, the Community Shield, Football League play-offs, random minor Cup finals and even pre-season tournaments, that to make an appearance there is not so highly regarded and for the top players it is common place.

However, for Michael Dawson, Tottenham's Player of the Year for last season, the new Wembley experience must be something of a disappointment.  Over the past three seasons he has had four opportunities to play there but they have not been as memorable as he would have hoped for and if he were a superstitious person he might be starting to feel that the place was jinxed as far as he was concerned.

2007-08 Carling Cup Final

Having helped Spurs reach the Final against Chelsea, appearing in four of the five games on the road to Wembley, including the famous 5-1 semi-final victory over Arsenal at White Hart Lane, Dawson cruelly missed out on the final through injury.  Two weeks before the final, he sustained an injury early in the league game at Derby County and was sidelined for a month.  However, as the team celebrated their stirring extra time success over Chelsea, Dawson showed his character and his pleasure for his colleagues and the club as he watched from the side-lines with a great smile, obviously enjoying the moment and not being overwhelmed by his own sense of disappointment at not being in the team that day.

2008-09 Carling Cup Final

Twelve months later as Spurs endeavoured to retain the trophy, Michael Dawson made it on to the pitch, partnering Ledley King in central defence.  This time he played his part as the defence held firm against the strike power of Manchester United but after extra time the match remained goal-less and Dawson could only watch helplessly as United took the game on penalties.  Another disappointment at Wembley for Dawson who had again played in four of the five games on the way to the final.

2009-10 F A Cup Semi-final

Spurs were looking good for another FA Cup final appearance, their first since Gazza and the 1991 success over Nottingham Forest, especially as they were playing Portsmouth whom they had defeated twice in the Premier League and who were facing relegation and were in serious financial difficulty.  However, the match didn't go as Spurs would have hoped and Portsmouth displayed much commitment and determination and were proving difficult opponents.  With no goals after ninety minutes the match went to extra time and looked to be heading for a penalty decider when the highly criticised Wembley turf played a crucial role in proceedings.  Unfortunately, it was Michael Dawson who was to suffer as he slipped at a vital moment when he was about to clear the ball in the centre of the penalty area.  The ball fell invitingly for Portsmouth who accepted the gift and went on to secure a two goal victory.  Once again Dawson was left to rue his Wembley experience.

August, 2010 - England Debut 

After enduring a long summer in South Africa, without getting a game at the World Cup, Michael Dawson finally made his long awaited England debut.  Having appeared in a number of England squads, Fabio Capello gave Dawson his first full cap as a second half substitute for John Terry in the friendly against Hungary.  In the early moments of the half Dawson looked nervous but with the game goal-less he was settling into the match when he moved to intercept a through ball but missed it allowing Hungary to progress into the penalty area.  As the England defence covered the attack, Dawson recovered to try to make amends and when a deflected shot came across the goal, Dawson stretched to clear and prevented it from crossing the line.  It was a close call but then the French referee's assistant decreed that the ball had in fact crossed the line and a goal was awarded.  Television evidence shows that the ball didn't fully cross the line but Dawson had made the initial mistake which had allowed Hungary to create the goal scoring opportunity. Of course, he was wearing the England shirt with number '13'.  Fortunately, as it was a friendly international and as England recovered to win the game, the press didn't make too big an issue of Dawson's blunder on his debut and hopefully he will have the chance to add to his international appearances in the future and avoid being a 'one-cap wonder'.

A great former Spurs stalwart, Gary Mabbutt, endured Wembley heartache before being able to enjoy the sweet taste of success at the stadium.  Mabbutt had appeared at the ground on a number of occasions both for Spurs and England - he actually made his Spurs debut in the 1982 Charity Shield defeat by Liverpool.  Howver, his greatest disappointment will have been the memory of the own goal which enabled Coventry City to wn the FA Cup in 1987.  In extra time a cross came into the Spurs area, the ball hit Mabbutt on the knee and looped over the reach of Ray Clemence.  Spurs had been clear favourites and it was the first occasion that Spurs had suffered defeat in an FA Cup final.  David Pleat's team had come so close to success in all three competitions but in the end had fallen at the final hurdle.  It was not until 1991 that Mabbutt avenged this disappointment when he held aloft the FA Cup as captain of the victorious Spurs side who had overcome many difficulties both on and off the pitch to secure their trophy and possibly the very existence of the club.  Ironically, it was as Mabbutt challenged for the ball from a corner that Des Walker headed into his own goal to put Spurs ahead.

Hopefully, in the not too distant future Michael Dawson will be able to set aside his Wembley disappointments and have some exciting memories to tell his grandchildren in the years to come.