Ben & Rob talk Spurs - Hammers, Blues, Blades and Motty

N17 Live presenter Ben Haines and Club commentator Rob Daly look back at West Ham, ahead to Chelsea and Sheffield United and pick a favourite John Motson moment after the legendary commentator sadly passed away this week.

You can join the pair on a packed N17 Live ahead of the Chelsea game on Sunday (1.30pm KO), where they’ll be joined pitchside by a number of special guests including Clive Allen, who will also be back alongside Rob in the commentary box.

The programme begins at 12.25pm and is available free-to-air on our official You Tube channel and SPURSPLAY.

West Ham

Ben: “It’s the best thing when you’ve one game to reflect on, and everything went right in that game! We had a regulation 2-0 win in a London derby. It’s just so nice! It’s one of those rare weeks where you can enjoy the calm. It was great to see Sonny back on the scoresheet, and everyone is buzzing for Emerson and Ben Davies, the game changers. It was lovely to get Ben talking about it on N17 Live. I loved what he had to say about Sonny, and not needing to prove anything to anyone. He’s a legend, he’ll be remembered at our Club forever, and sometimes you just go through a tough patch.”

Rob: “It was a great result. At half-time, the game had gone how you expected, West Ham sitting in deep and making things extremely difficult, trying to nick a goal on the counter or a set piece but, ultimately, a moment of quality from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Ben Davies and Emerson Royal undid them, and Spurs were much better after the break. Dejan Kulusevski’s pressing was key, forcing errors and unsettling West Ham. The wing-backs then came to the fore for the opening goal, then a classic piece of Kane-Son link-up play, plus a solid performance from Oliver Skipp. All in all, a good day.”

Watch - Ben Davies joins us on N17 Live

Chelsea

Rob: “Chelsea are going through a tough period - one win in 10. They’ve signed a number of new players, six are in the first team squad now, so Graham Potter is trying to find the right balance. David Datro Fofana made his first start in the home loss to Southampton, and they’ve had lots of injuries, no doubt about it. Joao Felix has looked really good, scored against West Ham, creative, sharp and Enzo Fernandez has settled in instantly after his British record transfer from Benfica.”

Ben: “I really don’t like this fixture! Growing up, they always seemed to have our number, even when we were the better side in games, like when we led 3-1 in the FA Cup in 2007, I remember Hossam Ghaly scored, but they came back to draw 3-3, then won the replay. It was nice to get that rub of the green at Stamford Bridge at the start of the season, we soaked it up, took our chances and nicked a 2-2 draw. This time, they come here as the team out of form, and we’re in a pretty good slot, but that doesn’t matter against Chelsea. They will be ready, and we have to be prepared.”

FA Cup

Rob: “I think we all know how important the Sheffield United game is... win, and it’s into the quarter-finals, but this won’t be easy, Bramall Lane will be up for an evening kick-off against Spurs. They are second in the Championship, although they have just lost a couple in a row. They are near Premier League quality with players like Sander Berge, have a lot of experience, many players from that peak Chris Wilder team (finished ninth in 2019/20). Olly McBurnie is scoring plenty of goals, he’ll try to cause problems but, ultimately, Spurs should have enough.”

Ben: “I love the FA Cup and this year... it’s our best chance in a long time. I just hope we go out there, show the best version of ourselves and come away with a win. Then it’s the quarter-finals...”

FA Cup highlights - Preston 0-3 Spurs

A Motty moment

Ben: “There’s one when a guy called Raddy Antic scored a goal for Luton to save them from relegation (at Manchester City, 1983), it’s just such a memorable commentary. I’ll also go for a different one, a goal from our 1991 FA Cup run, Notts County at White Hart Lane. Gazza scored the winner, and Motty did a fast bit of comms, ‘Mabbutt, Walsh, Sedgley, Gascoigne... goal’ and it’s so, so good. He’s saying what you’re thinking while you watch it, so sharp and punchy, brilliant. He’s one of the greatest of all time.”

Rob: “Sadly, I never met John Motson, one of the most respected figures in my industry. I was at his last game for the BBC, Palace against West Brom at Selhurst Park. He was on the cover of the matchday programme, but I didn’t get to meet him that day. There are so many moments, and it’s been interesting listening to colleagues talking about working with him and their favourite moments. The famous 1988 FA Cup Final line, ‘the Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club’, when Wimbledon beat Liverpool, is inspired, genius. I remember being on a school trip, in a youth hostel in Norfolk, with a load of us huddled around a TV watching David Beckham line-up the free-kick against Greece in 2001 to send England to the 2002 World Cup. Just the simple, ‘Beckham, yes, he’s done it, fantastic, it’s 2-2’. Apparently, he didn’t know at the time if that definitely sent England through to the World Cup, which it did, but a brilliant commentary on a real redemption moment for David Beckham.”