I'm following Spurs with interest after they were (with more than a hint of suspicion) robbed of ECL qualification a few years back, then again after they faltered late on in the UEFA last year, resting key players for the competition (what's the point of qualifying for it if you don't take it seriously?), as whatever happens to them this season, will surely be a model for what happens to us when we qualify next year. We have quite similar squad quality, albeit with a totally different management approach, and have made similar UEFA progression in the past. So the parallels are there.
Everton qualified a few years back, but immediately got stuffed by Villareal. Overconfidence was utd's downfall when they conceded 3 at home then went to Galatasaray in 1993ish and drew 0-0, losing on away goals. They obviously learned from that, but they still get caught out by "lesser" sides more often than you'd expect - but their usual route of qualification straight into the group stage usually gives them a lifeline. Spurs don't have that.
Spurs should do better than Everton, but last night's result in CH was a shock for them. Two away goals means they just need to win at home, but that's all we had to do at CoMS in April.... I wonder if they can pull it back at WHL.
My head says I hope they do well, for our and England's sake, as my heart hopes they still "Do a Narry" and lose interest late on in favour of PL success, just like they did in 2009. They and we wouldn't've got close to 4th spot last season were it not for Benitez' sudden implosion, so I still think they (and we!) are a cut below most ECL teams at the moment. If they get through the group stage I can't see them going more than one round. And with us in the ascendancy, they will view group stage qualification as very important to their purchasing power in January, and qualification for 2011-12 as very important to their purchasing power next summer. Above all, I'm surprised they haven't attracted at least one "big name" player but I suppose until the return leg nothing is remotely certain.