Matthew Curtis
Bio
Queen Margaret University graduate (Theatre and Film studies).
Currently trying to write a book.
Lilywhite, Pokemon master, time-lord, vampire with a soul, Virgo.
Likes space and dinosaurs. And Binturongs. I'm very cool.
Achievements (1)
Stories (34/0)
Drowning in Shallow Waters
First thing's first, floating to the heights of back-to-back London derby victories before the titanic sink to the depths of elimination from the FA Cup to lower league opposition is nothing unfamiliar. It is a whiplash every Spurs fan has experienced. Its the same pendulum that never ceases to swing. Good to bad, great to terrible, ecstasy to dismay. Last season's rendition was a well-fought win at 1st place Manchester City followed up by a 1-0 drubbing at the hands of a Burnley side sitting 20th in the table. As a club, we shamble from disaster to disaster, sprinkling memorable performances and victories over the ashes, flashes of brilliance in amidst the settling dusts of a storm. What could have been, what should have been.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
Mission: Improbable
Play it at Wembley. Play it at the old White Hart Lane. Play it at Stamford Bridge. On a normal day, the venue doesn't matter. Tottenham don't beat Chelsea. Put aside the context that we are two awkward teams (one with a little more luck than the other) wrestling with our imperfections. The context never seems to matter. Form goes out the window in a derby game some try to tell me. Maybe for some. But for Spurs, our best teams, our worst teams, our new ones and our old ones all lose to the Blues. It was a Chelsea team on its knees that ended our title hopes in 2016.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
The Power of the Bench
Another week, another exciting fixture awaiting Tottenham Hotspur. Its a local derby, a team in the bottom three, a chance to move into the top 4 and the opportunity to condemn our rivals to another week spent in the relegation zone. Yet, on our part, I didn't sense much in the way of enthusiasm before the match. Recent hammerings have sucked some of the fun out of our game and with West Ham coming to town, the first team not just to breach our defence, but beat us outright at our new stadium, the same West Ham that stole a draw here 3-0 down with 10 minutes to play, the negative headlines had begun to write themselves. On our part, I detected only antipathy leading up to the game. That was until 3.30 in the afternoon.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
Blue Valentine
If you are one to watch sitcoms and films on the regular, you might be forgiven for concluding slapstick, as a genre, had been somewhat on the way out since the days of Laurel and Hardy. But football fans know better. Especially those who support Tottenham Hotspur; a club who's own brand of defensive haplessness is its own sub-genre of comedy. One keeping visual gags and physical farce well and truly alive in the roaring 2020s.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
Outfoxed
Leicester - Tottenham is a special fixture. There is some form of a rivalry there. One that started in 2016, with Tottenham's ill-fated title chase and Leicester's infamous title win. Since then, the fixture has produced an inordinate number of goals (62). No doubt you'll remember Kane's haul in the 6-1, Son's cameo in the 6-2, the 5-4 at Wembley, Bale's 4-2 and Bergwijn's miracle last year. Its a match of goals, drama, error and entertainment. 25 minutes into this one and it was clear today would be no different.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
Its The History...
Poch did it in 2019 as part of that infamous and dramatic Champions League tie in the Quarter Finals in 2019. Then Jose did it twice 2-0. Even Nuno managed it on his debut. And now Conte's done it. There's nothing quite like a shut-out at home to, what used to be, the best team in England. Its tradition. Its like Spurs going to Stamford Bridge for our annual humbling. But nobody does it to City quite like Tottenham.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
Smile Time
This was the most important of our matches post-NLD. As is the case for whomever we will play in the next round, and so on and so on, at least we hope. In truth, I never contemplated defeat. Not because we're so much better than Preston, but because it could not be allowed. Top 4 is no prize if we are willing to show commitment to Conte and his demands for patience. The Champions League is not a winnable competition. All our eggs were in tonight's basket. Defeat would have been apocalypse now. Thankfully, the eggs and this particular cockerel march on.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
Win Win Bang Bang
At half-time Tottenham were 2-0 up. In the second half the team from Manchester scored a hat-ful. The commentators for my coverage took a moment to discuss what Pep Guardiola could possibly have said during the break to inspire such a comeback, but as a Spurs fan, I think I know. A certain legend of the red side of their city found the magic words eons ago. Words that, until tonight, might have struck a familiar sense of foreboding for this Manchester City team.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
- Runner-Up in the Improbable Paradise Challenge
The Virtue of Patience
I said on Friday that if Tottenham Halfspur lost this match that we'd be a very glum group going into the new week. Defeat to Arsenal sees us lose crucial ground for top 4. Fulham away and City twice on the horizon? The picture might look very different in a month's time and not in a good way. The FA Cup is a winnable prize, so long as our betters are too engrossed in their fight at the top of the table. And February provides us with a chance to pad our wallets in Milan. Arsenal have avenged their heartbreak in May; they've resigned us to near-apathy. Let's skip the wallowing (and try not to kick Aaron Ramsdale in the head too many times) and get straight into it.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats
Tottenham vs Arsenal: Calm Before the Storm
What can I say about Tottenham? Arsenal have a word for us, but I won't repeat it here. Are they right? On occasion. Gennaro Gattuso, a man Tottenham fans took to social media to reject as a potential manager, ironically might have had us sussed out the best; sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe... what Arsenal said.
By Matthew Curtisabout a year ago in Cleats