Tottenham Hotspur F.C. season 2007–08

Infobox Football club season
club = Tottenham Hotspur
season = 2007–08
manager = flagicon|ESP Juande Ramos (since 27 October 2007) [cite news |title=Tottenham make Ramos head coach |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/7064928.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2007-10-27 |accessdate=2007-10-27 ]
flagicon|NED Martin Jol (until 25 October 2007) [cite news |title=Jol sacked as Tottenham manager |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/7063013.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-04-09 |accessdate=2008-04-09 ]
chairman = flagicon|ENG Daniel Levy
league = Premier League
league result = 11th
cup1 = FA Cup
cup1 result = Fourth Round
cup2 = Carling Cup
cup2 result = Winners
cup3 = UEFA Cup
cup3 result = Round of 16
league topscorer =
Dimitar Berbatov (15) & Robbie Keane (15)
season topscorer =
Dimitar Berbatov (23) & Robbie Keane (23)
highest attendance = 36,178 vs Chelsea (19 March 2008)
lowest attendance = 35,504 vs Wigan Athletic (11 November 2007)During the 2007–08 season, Tottenham Hotspur participated in the English Premier League.

eason 2007-08

After two consecutive 5th place finishes, Tottenham were earmarked by many as the team to finally break the top four, this was intensified by heavy spending in the summer with new recruits Younes Kaboul and record signing Darren Bent the most notable in terms of cost. After winning all of their pre-season matches, The Premier league 2007-08 season started badly with a 1-0 loss to newly promoted Sunderland. Tottenham continued to demonstrate poor form in the league picking up only 7 points from their first ten games.

This disastrous start and the improved form of other European hopefuls such as Manchester City, Portsmouth and Blackburn, amongst others, meant that a top 4 finish was impossible and even a finish in European places would be a great achievement. Tottenham's woeful form continued and the pressure of Martin Jol continued to increase until eventually during Spurs' loss to Getafe in the Uefa Cup, It was revealed that the game would be Martin Jol's last. After a match with Clive Allen and Alex Inglethorpe in caretaker charge, Juande Ramos was employed as the Tottenham manager having previously managing successfully at Sevilla. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was widely criticised for his treatment of Martin Jol following revelations that Juande Ramos was approached to replace Jol during the summer which many thought undermined his leadership and ruined his credibility as an authoritative figure. [cite news | title = Levy admits Jol mistakes | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 28 October 2007 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/7066055.stm ]

Juande Ramos's reign began with a 2-0 win over Blackpool in the League Cup, Immediately following Ramos's appointment, it was made clear in the public forum that he was very unhappy with the fitness and weight of the team and instigated a new diet and fitness regime. Tottenham's league form began to improve but Tottenham's progress in the Carling cup began to be noted with a 2-0 win over Manchester City, ending Citys' 100% home record.

On January 27 2008 Spurs went out of the FA Cup Fourth Round to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford. Tottenham took the lead through Robbie Keane but eventually lost to Manchester United thanks to goals from Carlos Tevez, a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and the 68th minute sending off of Spurs centre-back Michael Dawson. [cite news | author = BBC | title = man utd 3 - 1 Tottenham | publisher = BBC | date = 2008-04-09 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7197729.stm | accessdate=2008-04-09]

Tottenham's run in the Carling Cup continued with a convincing 5 - 1 win over fierce rivals Arsenal which booked a place in the final against Chelsea. Tottenham managed to win the match 2-1 thanks to a Jonathan Woodgate header in extra time securing Tottenham's first trophy since they won the league cup in 1999. It also guaranteed them UEFA Cup qualification for the third season running.

On 13 March, Tottenham were eliminated from the UEFA cup in the last 16 round by PSV, The first leg, played at White Hart Lane, heralded a 1-0 defeat for tottenham following a mistake from Gilberto. Dimitar Berbatov scored in the second leg, played at the Philips Stadion, to take the game to extra time and penalties where tottenham lost 6-5 when Pascal Chimbonda missed during sudden death. [cite news | author = BBC | title = PSV 0 - 1 Tottenham | publisher = BBC | date = 2008-04-09 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7285143.stm | accessdate=2008-04-09]

During the March 22 fixture, Tottenham's 2-0 win over Portmouth, Darren Bent struck the 100th goal scored at White Hart Lane in the 2007-08 season. Jamie O'Hara followed, two minutes later, with the 101st. [cite news | author = BBC | title = tottenham 2 - 0 portsmouth | publisher = BBC | date = 2008-04-09 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7298225.stm | accessdate=2008-04-09]

After earning a point in the April 19th 1-1 draw against Wigan, Tottenham made themselves mathematically safe from relegation with, at least, 42 points and with the 6th minute Dimitar Berbatov strike, it marked the 100th goal Tottenham have scored in all competitions, with 64 in the Premier League and 36 in cup competitions. [cite news | author = Spurs | title = Ton Up, Again! | publisher = Spurs | date = 2008-04-21 | url = http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/tonupagain210408.html | accessdate=2008-04-21]

The 2007-08 season ended on May 11th, 2008, with a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool. It marked the end of a very indifferent campaign with Tottenham's achievements ranging from terrible football, and losses to teams which Spurs were expected to beat, to scintillating attacking play, personified by the Carling cup final win. With the 2008-09 season set to begin, Tottenham are, once again, being tipped as a team to challenge the top 4, and with the signings of Luka Modric, for a start, will mean the Tottenham fans, and indeed the club itself, will be expectant of that also, but if one thing is for sure, that is Tottenham will be adamant that they vastly improve on their mid-table finish of this season.

Premier League Table

*As of End of 2007-08 Season

eason Honours

Team kit

The team kit for the 2007-08 season is produced by Puma and the main shirt sponsor is Mansion, an Internet gambling establishment. Also a special 125 commemorative kit was produced for a one-off match against Aston Villa to mark the 125 year anniversary of the club.

Loaned Out

Match results

Friendlies

"Eliminated"

H/A = Home/Away;

Final update: 27 February 2008

Group G final standings

"Eliminated"

H/A = Home/Away;

Final update: 13 March 2008

Player statistics

[cite news | author = Spurs | title = First team Players | publisher = Spurs | date = 2008-04-09 | url = http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/players/players_firstteam.html | accessdate=2008-04-09] [cite news | author = Spurs Odyssey | title = 2007-08 stats | publisher = Spurs Odyssey | date = 2008-04-09 | url = http://www.spursodyssey.com/0708/apps.html | accessdate=2008-04-09]

Head coach Statistics for 2007 - 08 Season

Stats correct as of the End of 2007-08 Season

External links

* [http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/ Official Club site]
* [http://www.spursodyssey.com/ Spurs Odyssey]
* [http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/matches/matches_frr.html/ Tottenham Match Reports]
* [http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/players/players_firstteam.html/ Tottenham First Team]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/default.stm/ BBC - Tottenham club news]