Just a quick reference to Eze's brilliant NLD hat-trick, the first one since Alan Sunderland's at WHL 58 years ago.
My best mate in the 1970's was a season ticket holder at White Hart Lane and we used to play golf at weekends. If spurs were playing at home he would often invite me to join him for the game after golf, that's how I happened to be at the game in December 1978. Arsenal won 5-0 that day thanks to the Sunderland hat-trick, Frank Stapleton, and last but not least, Liam Brady's memorable effort from about 20 yards with the outside of his left foot.
The best part of Brady's magnificent goal was that spurs fans had to relive it over and over as it was featured on the intro to MOTD for the best part of a decade.
I was really nervous leading up to the NLD and even watched most of the first half through my fingers and with butterflies in my stomach. Those two goals in the last five minutes of the first half settled me down considerably, and I managed to almost enjoy the rest of the game. I cannot really explain how much these games put me through the wringer. I'm sure other diehard footie fans will understand.
The Bayern game on the other hand, I was totally relaxed about. It felt like a glorified exhibition match with very little at stake qualification-wise, although having lost 4/5 of the last half-a-dozen times we'd played them, there was certainly a score to settle, especially with their #9 who has been a thorn in our side for a decade or more. It was was very pleasing to see us not only measure up but totally dominate them in the second half, as they are one of the top teams in Europe.
Looking forward to putting myself through it all again at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
It feels different this year and I'm definitely starting to believe in a cautious kind of way..
