My friend, you should understand, is a committed Southampton fan, but that wasn't why he was depressed. Instead he had just sat through 95 minutes of the high drama that was West Ham against Tottenham at Upton Park last year. Despite not previously having any affinity for the Hammers, this Saints addict was absolutely devastated that West Ham had somehow managed to lose one of the most thrilling matches in the history of the Premiership. However few in the bar shared his pain. The pub we were watching it in, The Windsor Castle in Gosport, is owned and run by Spurs fans. The bar is adorned with an impressive variety of Tottenham related memorabilia, from Jermain Defoe banknotes to a family of Russian babushka dolls wearing Tottenham kits. Unlike my friend, I had plenty of people to share my elation with.
The match itself was the very epitome of what the pundits would have us believe the Premiership is all about - Fast paced, passionate, heart on your sleeve football, complete with flashes of skill, controversy and more drama than your average Hollywood blockbuster. It was a game worthy of a DVD, and the footage still takes pride of place on my computer. In fact, during the low points of the last few months, when the club seemed determined to make a mockery of itself on and off the field, I watched the game as a reminder of the better times and, as the camera pans over a hauntingly focused Berbatov standing over a last minute free-kick, I still hold my breath and the hairs on my neck still stand on end as the Bulgarian arcs the ball beyond Robert Green and Paul Konchesky with one swing of his mercurial right foot. And don't get me started on Paul Stalteri's winner because I'm pretty sure my hand still hurts from where I punched the ceiling of the pub in unbridled ecstasy. One can only hope for the same level of excitement, and a similar result, when Tottenham travel to the Boleyn Ground this tomorrow.
The 111th match between the clubs sees Tottenham hoping for their first away win in the league whilst West Ham are unbeaten in their last four matches. Despite poor away form Ramos' men have scored as many goals on their travels as West Ham have at Upton park but have been let down by their much publicised defensive problems. Although Tottenham completed the double against the Hammers last season, the Irons have managed more points against Tottenham in the history premiership than against any other team and go into tomorrow's game as favourites to take all three points. Today's results amongst the clubs languishing in the bottom of the league have been reasonably favourable to Ramos, however the Spainard has had to endure another day of watching clubs in the top half of the league racing away into the distance, putting all thoughts of a finish in a European place firmly to the back of his mind.
Both sides go into tomorrow's match with substantial injury problems. Ramos is still missing Ledley King, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Anthony Gardner, whilst Gareth Bale, Steed Malbranque and Younes Kaboul are all doubtful. This leaves us with a threadbare defence, with last year's hero Paul Stalteri likely to plug the gap at the back. Despite injuries to Craig Bellamy and Lee Bowyer, Alan Curbishley welcomes back Mark Noble, Scott Parker, Dean Ashton and Hayden Mullins who have all recovered from injury and are available to be picked.
Considering injury problems continuing to hamper a dodgy backline, we definitely go into tomorrow's tie as underdogs and Ramos will be hoping Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Jenas and Robbie Keane continue their impressive form. Lennon in particular looks to be getting back to his explosive best and with Berbatov actually breaking sweat against Wigan (though he didn't really need to) we'll certainly pose an attacking threat going forward. Hopefully Paul Robinson will be buoyed from missing out on England's debacle in midweek and will return, full of confidence, to shore up a defence that will need to be on top of it's game if it is to contain the physical presence of Ashton and Carlton Cole.
Match Prediction: West Ham 2 Tottenham 2 With two teams that like playing attacking football and two defences that aren't the most reliable, this game has goals written all over it. Make no mistake, Ramos will have to inspire a gritty and passionate performance if we are to escape from Upton Park with all three points as we did last year but the signs have been positive in recent weeks, with the new manager's substitutions and attacking ethic being reasonably pleasing. Though it is still too early to begin to analyse the effect he has had since joining the club he has so far produced acceptable results. It is in 'pressure cooker' matches such as these, however, that Ramos will really be judged. Gus Poyet, his assistant, will have made him all to aware of the heated rivalry between the two clubs and the Tottenham faithful will be unforgiving if they don't get the performance they expect.