Can Harry Redknapp boost Spurs? Yes, but not against Arsenal…

What a change a manager can make. While Tottenham are clearly not out of the woods yet, they do seem to have sorted their heads out. Daniel Levy has finally come to his senses and realised that having an idiot in charge of transfer policy (sell, sell, sell - oh and spend it all on just two players) is numbskullery of the highest order and dispensed of the 'continental' system.

And who - in the whole wide diaspora of British football - has ever succeeded with a 'continental' management system? Not bloody Spurs, that's for sure, who, barring the odd cup win here and there, have barely scratched the surface of the Premiership since its inception. With Harry in charge, they will surely head back up the league with a dose of common sense here and a dash of bravado there. However, the number of people lumping on Spurs to win at Arsenal in midweek is just madness of the Daniel Levy style.

And what of Ramos? He's likely to head back to Spain where he will no doubt be given a job at the first opportunity. I feel sorry for Juande - I remember writing an article for the much-revered Daily Shame a year ago saying that Spurs were already searching for his replacement (just before his job was confirmed). How true it sometimes is of the short-sighted Spurs.

Ramos was the victim of that prat Comolli who decided to sell all three of his strikers and replace them with just one; the man who decided to sell Steed Malbranque and not buy a left-sided player to replace him. Ramos, of course, is responsible for results, and he admits that in a results-based game, he ultimately must pay for them. But he wasn't fully in control.

So what of Pompey? They'll be feeling rudderless without Harry in charge and the talk of Sam Allardyce coming in should be reassuring, but knowing fickle fans, it might not be. Big Sam is a top coach who was hard done to by another bunch of idiots at Newcastle - and sorry, but they deserve everything they get, and they didn't deserve Allardyce. If they can get him in by midweek, then Pompey might put up a good fight at Anfield - where the draw would be good value.

The top bet this midweek has to be Everton at 7/4 to beat Bolton - that's great value for a team that suddenly remembered how to fight. Everton do turnarounds very well - think Kevin Brock's backpass at Oxford - think Joe Royle's dogs of war - and then think Marouane Fellaini's header against Manchester United. Everton woke up and showed that they're not a bunch of hapless goal-leaking girls. They don't have a bad record at the Reebok so they're good value for a midweek win.

Sunderland are also 7/4 to win at Stoke - as most teams seem to be capable of doing this season - and after their morale-boosting win over Newcastle, they're a side very much on the up. Stan James is also offering a £25 free bet on the midweek football if you sign up today... Free £25 bet!

published: 27th October 2008 by Free Bet Bookmaker

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