Rio Ferdinand's Twitter Account Explains it Clearly

@rioferdy5 "Linesman was saying it was handball, ref never gave it. Play on...."

Why was Clattenburg overruling the very linesman who explained to him that he'd seen the handball?

I've replied to Rio and asked him what gave him the right to shout at the ref and linesman while all the Spurs players were told to walk away.

Rio sent a general reply to all via Twitter:

"By the way I went over to the referee just 2 clarify that he never blew his whistle for anything,I never swore so what's all the fuss about?"

Mr. Ferdinand proves his worth with another reply:

"All a u askin what I said 2 gallas I told him if they had scored when the ball went out 1st half would they say NO GOAL the ball was out? NO"

If the shoe was on the other foot, do you think the goal would have been given? That's not a trick question either.

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Spurs Could Go 3rd

The City result went our way today with them slipping up against a worked up Wolves side. The Goons beat the Spammers and Chelsea won against Blackburn.

If we can beat Manchester United, and it's more than likely that we can, we will go 3rd in the Premier League. We are in 5th at the moment with 15 points.

I watched the Wolves vs. Manchester City game and once again, City showed me that they are a manager short of making the big time.

Harry Redknapp has opted for Robbie Keane instead of Peter Crouch as our lone striker with Rafa van der Vaart playing off him. Modric and Jenas will hold the central midfield roles, whilst Lennon and Bale will be on the wings. Kaboul and Gallas will hold our central defence together, with Assou-Ekotto and Hutton as fullbacks, and of course, Gomes will be in goal.

Come On You Spurs!!!

You can follow our commentary on Twitter.

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Winning at Old Trafford

Well, it's been a while, so what makes this time round any different? Well to start with, the Manchester United side we will face today is not the one of yesteryear. Gone are all the world class players and more importantly, their world class mentality.

United used to win even when they weren't winning. They had the "look at us, we're winners" mentality. In my opinion, that's gone to.

Sir Alex Ferguson isn't the same. I've definitely seen a change in him. He's not as hustle and bustle as he once was. His demeanor has slacked and that may be rubbing off on his squad.

What about us? Have we changed? You wouldn't think so after watching last seasons game against them at Old Trafford. We bottled it, or should I say Harry did. All water under the bridge in my book.

This is a new Tottenham Hotspur. We have Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Rafael van der Vaart and Kevin Bond.

If only we could start to believe in ourselves when we face teams away like Manchester United, maybe we could go the distance. Maybe not.

At the moment, our only weakness is our centre-back pairing. Oh how we miss King and Dawson. Sandro may start in place of Huddlestone. Hasn't the young lad impressed you? I know he has come on farther than I anticipated at this stage in the season.

Jaymes was interviewed on the RedCafe podcast and he gave us the thumbs down, saying that we would lose 2-1.

I disagree. I can see us maybe nicking a result, although a 0-0 wouldn't go down to badly in my book.

For those that haven't seen the below video, I implore you to do so. I personally found it hilarious.

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Where has our Bentley gone?

With the season entering November, David Bentley has had just one Carling Cup appearance in which to persuade Harry Redknapp he's worth a place in the Spurs first team. Bentley can't afford to have another season playing reserve team football and if things don't improve on the field, maybe our midfielder will be on his way out of White Hart Lane in January.

We know that Bentley's got talent, and we all know that the the lad has some temperament issues that have put him in the papers for all the wrong reasons in the past. Last season, Bentley was accused by Harry for showing a lazy attitude in training, contributing to his lack of first team action.

Bentley missed out to Aaron Lennon for the role on the right side of midfield for much of last term and this season looks set to be a similar story, and the Betfair rumour mill suggests he could be moving on soon.

On his day Bentley can be a match winner and when given a run in the first team he has the ability to change a match. He showed that during his three years at Ewood Park, where Mark Hughes brought out the best in the precocious talent.

If Harry does decide to sell Bentley in January then there is sure to be a host of clubs interested in the player. Transfer rumours suggest Fulham have been monitoring the situation since last season and may decide to make an offer in the New Year.

Some see it a shame for us Spurs fans to lose Bentley after never really seeing the best of him? I don't view it like that. If a player isn't willing to give his all, he knows where the door is. There is enough talent in our squad to cover his departure. Aaron Lennon has started to produce the form he showed in the early parts of last season and behind him are the likes of Niko Kranjčar (who needs a game or three) and Giovani dos Santos, who could and has played on the right.

Spurs must keep in mind Bentley's knack of coming back to haunt his old clubs. Arsenal fans can vouch for that after seeing the midfielder score a 45-yard half-volley in the 4-4 draw two years ago. If he does move, Bentley would love nothing more than to prove Redknapp wrong. David would be forgetting that you can't technically prove your former manager wrong by performing well for another club.

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Questions need to be answered

Not by Harry Redknapp, but by us, the fans.

I was watching the game in a pub that was packed to the rafters with fellow Spurs fans, yet all I could hear were chants of "Redknapp's rubbish!", "What is he playing at, he hasn't got a f***ing clue how to manage a club in the Champions League!", and my favourite, "If we had only two points in this group, Harry would win it for us".

Oh how fickle a lot of us are. Not all, but the majority. I even found myself feeling extra uncomfortable when the fourth goal went in and thoughts of "Redknapp is so very tactically naive in Europe" crossed my mind.

Thing is, as a club, we are at the Genesis of what could be a flourishing series of campaigns in the Champions League. I do believe that we have the squad and manager to make our entry into the competition a regular occurrence. Although based on the Italian TV directors guidelines, Clive Allen might just be than man to steer us to Champions League glory.

We are on a learning curve and as curves go, we are slowly, but surely, bending towards getting out of this group.

I am not doubting that we looked like fluffy rabbits stunned by oncoming headlights in the first half. In the second half however, we were the boy-racer in the GTI, bombing down towards the shocked, soon to be road-kill.

I doubt there's any need to go on about just how good Gareth Bale is, for his class shines through easily enough for all to see.

As regards our naivety, I advise you to reminisce Manchester United's first exploits in this very competition back in the early nineties. Remember how long it took them to figure this competition out?

I was going to ask you all to give us time, but I have a sneaky suspicion that Inter won't be knocking down the same lilywhite, fluffy-tailed rabbits in two weeks when they visit Tottenham.

We've got the GTI and Gareth's driving it.

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The Mercenary in the Corner

Have I missed something here? As far as I am concerned, Wayne Rooney has every right not to sign/accept a new contract if, and that's a big "if", he and his advisers feel he can get more elsewhere.

It seems as though the media have been camped in the North-West for far too long, and with the impending implosion of Rooney's demands, it seems the media wagon will have to extend its lease for the foreseeable future.

Let's put it another way; if I am head-hunted by a competitor firm and they assure me that I will earn nearly double to what I am earning right now, I would be a fool if I didn't give the offer the time of day.

A few moronic former footballers have said that it really doesn't make a difference if you are on £150,000 a week or £200,000 a week. You what? Oh, let's not forget that these are the same guys that have gone on record and said "present footballers do not comprehend the value of money". It looks as though these former players, turned financial comedians, are the ones that know nothing.

I can understand the frustration of the Manchester United fans, for if Rafael van der Vaart was to suddenly state that he wanted to leave and would not sign a new deal, I know how I would feel. Thing is, each and every person needs to look out for themselves. If Wayne Rooney thinks he can get a double-your-money deal at City or at another club, surely he has every right to look at all possible avenues.

What I do disagree with however, is the way Mr. Rooney has conducted himself since the World Cup. Fair enough mate, you want a better deal, but for heaven's sake, act like a footballer that deserves one.

Unless you have been living in a cave since June, you would have heard and/or seen reports that Wayne Rooney has been missing. Whether he has an ankle injury or not, the way he has performed of late has been nothing short of pitiful.

No matter what you think of Wayne Rooney, he is a world class footballer, although his recent performances would state otherwise. He needs to get back to what he does best, be it for Manchester United or another club. Unfortunately, that may not be so easy, for getting your head straight can take a lot time.

According to reports in relation to the West Brom game last Saturday, the fans chanted Rooney's name as he came on as a second half sub. However, the supporters chants turned silent as Wayne's introduction collapsed all hope of a revival. "The United players became despondent and the game turned flat", were some of the remarks (cheers Chapper's).

So then, when will Harry and Levy get the cheque book out?

It's an amazing situation that Rooney could become a free agent, someone who is worth £50-60 million.

He's in a situation whereby if he does not want to sign a contract then in 18 months he is a free agent. He's in a position where if someone gives him personally £30 million then he is still a cheap player. He can go down that road and Man United can do nothing about it.

Those were Harry's quotes.

And why not? It's obvious that Rooney wants to earn as much as possible. If no offers are forthcoming, he may just play out his contract, although I can't see Sir Alex Ferguson allowing that to happen.

All in all, I wouldn't like to be a United fan at the moment.

Come on you Spurs!

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Spurs Priorities

Despite the fact Tottenham are clearly in with a massive chance of making the knock-out stages of the Champions League, Harry Redknapp and his side have shown they are fully focused on matters back home.

It's clear to me that domestic dominance is a more important quest than pursuing what the Champions League betting suggests would be an unlikely European triumph.

It's a tough balancing act to pull off. Harry Redknapp and the Spurs players will want to do as well as they can in the Champions League, but at the same time, ensuring they qualify to play in it again next season.

The fact Redknapp was prepared to play Ledley King against Fulham, rather than at the San Siro, is a clear sign of which competition he wants his side to be stronger in this season. Either that, or Harry's already played the match in his head and we have lost.

Our win against Fulham came despite us not being at our best. I suppose this shows that the team is able to dig deep in order to achieve the sort of result that few Spurs teams in recent years would have been able to pull off. A glance at the Fulham betting will tell you they're a tough side to beat at home, plus, they were unbeaten all season, until we came along.

Having said all this, the fact that Spurs have spent such an impressive amount of cash to strengthen their squad in recent years means that we surely should have no worries when it comes to putting out a top side in either competition, even if this means we need to sacrifice the success we have achieved in previous years, especially when it comes to domestic cup competitions.

Wouldn't you prefer that we do well in the Champions League rather than Carling Cup success? It seems to me that Harry is doing the right thing.

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"Gareth Bale is too good for Tottenham"

Mr. Wise

talkSPORT employs quite a few buffoons, but none can beat the amazing Adrian Durham. This is the guy that said England had a better team than Spain and Argentina put together, prior to the 2010 World Cup. He also gave us some other golden nuggets such as "England will still win the World Cup" (that was after the draw against Algeria, and "Liverpool will win the league under Roy Hodgson this season".

So you understand this guy's levels of wisdom. Well, here is another one of his ultimate treasures; "It's a shame Gareth Bale isn't English and it's a shame that he's playing for Spurs, for a player of his skill should be at a big club".

What more can one say about Durham?

Firstly, let's flog Wales for producing such a player, and secondly, let's make sure he leaves Spurs and joins a club "that wins things".

Adrian Durham, you are a prat.

Also, congratulations to Gareth on winning the Wales Player of the Year award. If only he were English, eh Durham?

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Aaron Lennon Has Found His Form

For those that were at the ground on Saturday, how many of you actually kept your eyes on Aaron Lennon? I know I did and for the first time in what has seemed absolutely ages, the lad looks like he's getting back to his best.

Harry made the change in the second half against Villa, replacing Roman Pavlyuchenko with Aaron Lennon, and asking Rafa to slot in just behind Crouch. What may have looked obvious to a lot of us, proved to be the Redknapp masterstroke.

In the end, it all seemed too much for poor old Villa. With Lennon bombing up and down on the right, Bale on the opposite flank and Van der Vaart playing just off Crouch, Harry has shown us all that the 4-5-1 formation can work wonders.

I know everyone is ranting and raving about Rafa at the moment, but let's face it, the lad is world class and therefore performances like the one he put out on Saturday should be expected. I am more interested in the resurgence of Lennon. We have all craved to see Bale and Lennon on fire in the same game. On Saturday, we got a glimpse of things to come.

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Bargain of the Premier League

World Class

So tell me, which player was the best bargain signed in the last transfer window?

Some may argue that Arsenal's Marouane Chamakh, who came in on a free, could be branded as the best bargain of the summer. I've not seen him play live and therefore can't comment too much on him, unless it's to tell him than no matter what he does to his hair, he doesn't look like Ronaldo.

Could Rafael Van der Vaart be that player? After all, he has been simply sensational thus far. The Dutch maestro has taken to our Spurs team astutely and calmly. I certainly didn't expect him to hit the ground running and thought that it could take a good few months before he came good. However, since his debut, he has been performing as though he has been playing for us for several seasons.

It's not just his goals either, which he's now scored three in the Premier League and one in the Champion's League. It's not even his passing and vision. No, for me, it's his tenacity and passion. Watching him live today at The Lane, you could see that he always wanted the ball, demanded it, needed it.

His willingness to tackle also hasn't gone amiss. On at least ten different occasions today, he won the ball back and set up another attack.

It looks as though the rest of the lads have taken to him to, with them warming to his every attempt. What about us? Well, we absolutely love the fella.

As regards my original question; at just £8 million from Real Madrid, Rafael van der Vaart is that bargain.

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Daniel Levy vs. Karren Brady

Bitter?

In her diary, which can be found in the Sun, poor Mrs. Brady says that Daniel Levy has been a very mean man indeed.

"Oh well, it's amazing how friends can surprise you. Spurs have slipped into the AEG bid for residency at the Olympic Stadium.

"Their chairman Daniel Levy recently called me 'one of his closest friends'. But he hasn't mentioned the counter-bid. However, he wasn't at our Saturday match and hasn't been answering the phone to me. So perhaps that's why. If Daniel fancies going into the Irons' Den - Newham borough - that's up to him.

"No argument with competition but most importantly, he's forgotten the unwritten Premier League rule preventing clubs moving from one borough to another. But that, I guess, is in the detail."

Is that the same "unwritten rule" which allowed Woolwich Wanderers to move to North London, be it before the inception of the Premier League?

Also in the diary, we find an excerpt which says, "Prior to the game Harry Redknapp, probably after my comments about his public interest in Scott Parker, complains we tried to poach Jamie O'Hara in the summer. I wouldn't know Jamie O'Hara if I stood next to him at the bus stop."

And you're supposed to be a Premier League club Managing Director, yet you don't know who Jamie O'Hara is? First off, that's a tad disrespectful, and secondly, let's face it, you're lying. With Jamie's acquired taste in fashion, you would know it if he say next to you.

Going back to the Olympic Stadium bid; even if this is bid relates to us forcing Boris' and the Secretary of States' hand, so what! As Levy said, we've got to keep our options open.

When are the members of the West Ham board going to learn to keep their mouths shut?

PS. Karren, it's not always wise to discuss your own players personal information. We'll see how well Cole performs in his next game for you.

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