Venue: White Hart Lane
Date: Saturday, 17 April 2010
Kick-off: 1730 BST
Remember when today’s fixture used to be fondly regarded as a trip to three point lane? Well, that’s not the case these days, with us failing to get a win at White Hart Lane since 2005 after a run of 17 meetings unbeaten. And whilst we all no doubt enjoyed their recent defeat to Pompey and may even have grudgingly accepted their win against Arsenal – for selfish reasons – midweek, we could have done without the boost they’ve got from the latter.
Of course, our own form of late has seen us put a 4-point gap between us and United (although that may well be back to just a point before we kick off tonight) but that just means that with five straight wins and 18 goals to live up to, the pressure is well and truly all on us today.
MANAGERS’ VIEWS
Going into this evening’s game off the back of that win over Arsenal midweek, a giddy Harry Redknapp says “If we can knock Chelsea over and Man United have won, which is vital for us, it opens the whole thing up again. But it will be a tough game. Chelsea are the strongest team in the league. They’re strong, big, powerful, with ability as well. They are a handful. They didn’t look great against Bolton Wanderers in midweek, but they were too strong for United. When we got beat by Portsmouth, I was suicidal. We win against Arsenal and I am lifted. That’s how life is. That’s why you’ve got to enjoy the good days. It will be a lot clearer after today.”
The slightly less excitable Ancelotti however, says “I don’t have to work on the players’ focus and motivation any more. My work is very easy, because they know what they need to do. We never speak about the Double. That’s not the right way to prepare at all. They are concentrated at the top level. They know that we are very close to winning. My job is focused on the tactical situation of the match. We want to maintain a good philosophy against Tottenham and try to win the game. That would be the best thing. The same mentality, the same philosophy. We want to put pressure on them immediately. I don’t know if it’s possible because Tottenham will want to do the same. But that is the right way to get a good result.”
SQUAD NEWS
On the Spurs injury front, Cudicini (broken wrists), Lennon, Woodgate (groin), Kranjcar (ankle) and Jenas (groin or ill depending which report you read!) are all said to miss out. Corluka (ankle) Ledley King and Rose (knee) are given as doubtful, whilst Palacios misses out through suspension.
For us, Michael Essien (knee), Ricardo Carvalho (ankle) and Jose Bosingwa (knee) all remain out although Ashley Cole has finally recovered from a fractured ankle and will start on the bench. Off the bench for this one though are Deco, Cole and Malouda.
TEAMS
SPURS (from): Gomes, Alnwick, Kaboul, Walker, Assou-Ekotto, Bale, Dawson, Bassong, King, Dervite, Livermore, Huddlestone, Modric, Bentley, Rose, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Gudjohnsen, Crouch.
CHELSEA (from): Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, A Cole, Kalou, Alex, Drogba, Malouda, Terry, Borini, Lampard, Obi, Deco, Anelka, Zhirkov, J Cole, Belletti, Ballack, Kakuta, Sturridge, Ferreira, Bruma, Ivanovic.
LAST MEETING
Chelsea 3-0 Spurs (20 September 2009)
PREDICTION
Looking at this one in terms of statistics, we know Spurs went a laughable 32 games without a win against us in the league before November 2006. That ridiculous run has seen us win more games (21), score more goals (66) and gain more points (75) against them in the Premier League than any other club. Since the turn of the century, Spurs have also managed just four wins from 62 games against us, United and Arsenal in the league, so you’d assume the odds were stacked against them. Having said that, they’ve just beaten Arsenal, to stretch their unbeaten home run to nine, winning the last four. And whilst we might be the Premier League’s top scorers, Spurs (along with United) have conceded fewer goals at home (11) than any other club in the Premier League this season.
So, which way will this one go? Well, the pressure’s all on us, there’s a title to be won – and I’m just waiting for it all to come crashing down.
REFEREE
Phil Dowd
REMAINING FIXTURES
CHELSEA: Today: Tottenham Hotspur (a). April 25: Stoke City (h). May 2: Liverpool (a). May 9: Wigan Athletic (h).
UNITED: Today: Man City (a). April 24: Tottenham (h). May 2: Sunderland (a). May 9: Stoke City (h).
Blue is the colour
