It's difficult to pinpoint exactly where it went wrong for Ramos, but although he can feel bitter about the way his best players were picked off and not replaced in the summer, the warning signs were there before Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov left the club. After the Carling Cup triumph, and the massive, publicised booze fuelled celebration afterwards, the hangover lasted for the rest of the season. Three wins in twelve matches hinted at the problems to come but most ignored the ominous storm clouds gathering above. Give him time, they said.
At the time Ramos saw the Carling Cup as our one way back into Europe, and how ironic it is that the same can be said of Redknapp this year, days after he sacrificed his place in the Uefa Cup to give us a better chance of qualifying for next year's competition. The logic, twisted though it is, makes sense, especially considering we are in a noticeably worse league position than we were 12 months ago. Harry and his players believe a win today will provide the springboard from which the club ensures its survival.
Not that a win is very likely. If we went into the Chelsea game as underdogs then we face Manchester United in a clash not dissimilar to David and Goliath. Despite confirming that he will field several youngsters this afternoon, Sir Alex Ferguson's side start as overwhelming favourites. In public Redknapp talks of an upset, in private he will be hoping to avoid a morale sapping drubbing.
That may sound overly dramatic but the gulf between the two sides has rarely been so big. Yes we held a lacklustre United side to a goalless draw at White Hart Lane earlier in the season and, yes, in the corresponding fixture last year we were the better side and would have claimed a first victory since 1999 were it not for conceding a late, late, goal, but those two results aside, United are a class apart.
But it's hardly a revelation. Sir Alex's team are the best in Europe, after all and sport a blend of precociously talented youngsters, some world class players at their peak and experienced veterans belying their years. An irresistible combination which probably represents the best squad they have ever had.
Yet all hope is not lost. A lot will depend on the squad that we face. Needless to say whoever Sir Alex opts for will present a formidable challenge but, having already confirmed that youngsters Darren Gibson and Danny Welbeck will start, and that the league trip to Newcastle is his priority, now might be the best opportunity we will have to reverse years of misfortune. At the very least we're still owed a bit of luck from the Pedro Mendes goal that never was.
Not that we will be at full strength. Robbie Keane and Wilson Palacios are cup-tied and Jermain Defoe is denied through injury. Ledley King faces a late fitness test and Darren Bent will be the only back-up striker as Fraizer Campbell can't play against his parent club.
If we are to have any hope of winning then one would think two players in particular must be at the top of their games - Luka Modric and Roman Pavlyuchenko. If these two click then we will pose a threat, if not, Pavlyuchenko will be left completely isolated and we don't have a hope in Hades.
In the run up to the game much has been made of the contest between Pavlyuchenko and Nemanja Vidic, with most pundits calling it something akin to a "mismatch". On the face of it, that is a fair assessment. Roman cannot hope to match vidic in a physical contest, be that strength or pace, but as he proved in the FA Cup defeat, he can out think the Serbian.
In that game we started brightly and Pav showed his quickness of thought by ghosting past a flat-footed Vidic to glance a header past Ben Foster, who is likely to start today. However as the match wore on he became increasingly isolated and that cannot be allowed to happen today.
SpursMad's suggested team:
GK: Gomes - A no brainer given that Cudicini cannot play. It's a massive match for Heurelho, who was excellent during the draw at White Hart Lane earlier in the season. A few confidence building catches early on should stand him in good stead and much will rest on his ability to keep a cool head and dominate the box against Vidic, Berbatov and Ronaldo's aerial prowess.
DL: Assou-Ekotto - Has been one of our most improved performers this season. Helped by the poor form of Gareth bale, which has allowed him a run in the team, Ekotto has undoubted quality going forward and can deliver a good cross. However, doubts remain about his defensive qualities and he must concentrate on not getting pulled out of position against whoever United throw at him.
DC: Jonathan Woodgate - Another guaranteed to play and rightly so given his commitment to the cause of late. Needs to be as vocal as possible and also present a threat from corners and free kicks. Must try and win the physical battle with Rooney, which is easier said than done.
DC: Michael Dawson - If fit, Ledley King would be in the team without question but if there is any doubt about his condition, Redknapp will not risk him. Dawson has been much improved this campaign and he contained Berbatov at White Hart Lane. Aerial power could be key.
DR: Vedran Corluka - A cool customer who makes up in strength and technique what he lacks in pace. Will need to be at his best to cope with United threat on the flanks but has the experience and the guile to be able to do it. Needs to offer a bit more going forward so that we aren't constantly under pressure.
ML: David Bentley - A pick that will probably surprise some but I've opted for Bentley over Jamie O'Hara because I would personally want us to take the game to United early on, as we did against Chelsea. Bentley has not been on form but he is a big game player will hopefully rise to the occasion. If we are a goal up with 20 to play, then bring on O'Hara to add some bite to the midfield. Resting Bentley against Shakhtar suggests Redknapp may agree.
MC: Didier Zokora - Despite a poor miss, Zokora had one his best games for the club in the final last year. Has the energy and the drive to make a difference against the inexperience of Gibson, but needs to hone his passing game as we cannot afford to concede possession cheaply.
MC: Tom Huddlestone - Given that he started against Shakhtar it looks like Redknapp has little intention to start the burly midfielder. However, I would opt for his range of passing over Jenas' athleticism any day of the week. Showed his ability as a "quarter-back" style player on Thursday and, if he can pick out Lennon's runs, he could make the difference.
MR: Aaron Lennon - another player guaranteed to start, much will lie on whether Lennon has his crossing boots on this afternoon. At his best he can be a game winner, but he can also be bullied out of matches. Likely to face John O'Shea who is not blessed with pace but has the height advantage. Keep it on the deck or behind the Irishman and Lennon could prosper. In the air and it's a non-contest.
AMC: Luka Modric - Redknapp has his critics for keeping faith in the 4-5-1 system but it's probably the right way to go against United. Modric continues to grow in stature and its probably not an exaggeration to say that his performance will go a long way to indicating whether we have a realistic chance of retaining the trophy. May well be up against Gibson and if he can exploit the youngsters inexperience and find the gap between defence and midfield, we could be on to a winner. Needs Pavlyuchenko to make the runs to open up space for him to drive into.
FWD: Roman Pavlyuchenko - The one frustrating thing about Roman is that he has struggled to convert his Carling Cup form into league games. He has scored in every round in the competition and it is is probably fair to say that if we are to have a hope this afternoon he will most likely have to continue that record. Has to work his socks off and not give their back four a minutes peace. We haven't seen enough of his nuisance value since he joined but this might be the stage on which he makes his name in English football.
So there you have it. It's a line up selected to take the game to United in the first 20-30 minutes but one capable of closing ranks and soaking up some pressure if need be. If we sit back and let the likes of Rooney and Ronaldo take control, then we might as well kiss the cup goodbye.
The Jonathan Woodgate Potential Hero Award: Jonathan Obika. With Campbell out and Bent struggling for form, there could be an unlikely place on the bench for 18-year-old Obika. He looked likely against Shakhtar and was unlucky to to get on the scoresheet, and reminds me a little of Jermain Defoe in build and movement. Could come off the bench and make himself a highly unlikely hero.
Prediction: Tottenham 1 Manchester United 2
It will be a closer affair then at Old Trafford in the FA Cup and as long as we don't repeat that lacklustre second half, which was devoid of fight or passion, I'll be happy. I could see us taking the lead again but I don't know if we have enough to hold on to it. Much will depend on how we react to conceding if they grab an early goal. Should be a good game though, full of attacking football, so who knows.