Date: Monday 6th
November 2023
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Kick-off: 20:00 BST
I’m not sure I could dread a game much
more than this one, but it’ll be over soon enough I guess.
I hate this lot.
What I hate even more, is them doing well. So it’s abhorrent I have to
write about them beating Crystal Palace last time out to take them to the top
of the table, at least until City’s drubbing of Bournemouth at the weekend. It
fills me with absolute horror that a win tonight will see them back at the top,
however, such is the impact Postecoglou has had since his arrival, it appears
to be so. Not that we need to hear our own manager fawning all over them ahead
of the game though. Revolting stuff.
Anyway, the Sp*rs manager will be looking for his 11th game
unbeaten as we take them on tonight, and he’ll be safe in the knowledge they’re
banging them in at home and being as tight as you like defensively.
As for us, well we did what Chelsea do against Brentford in our last Premier League game and that 2-0 defeat left us around 11th spot, which probably flatters us on that showing. We managed a win against Blackburn in the EFL Cup after that but it wasn’t convincing. We’ve taken seven points from our last three top-flight fixtures on the road, but that certainly wasn’t against anyone we wouldn’t expect to be beating. Happy Days!
So, chances tonight? Well, there’s always an outside chance we could raise our game like we did against Arsenal but probably more chance we won’t.
Did I mention I hate this lot?
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
today’s game, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, says “I haven’t come across
him [Pochettino]. From afar, great admiration. I think the impact he had at
Southampton and at Spurs is unquestionable. He has taken on some pretty big
challenges post-Spurs as well, which I’m all for. I like managers who take on
big challenges, so great admiration and respect for his work.
It is undoubted that he had an unbelievable impact on this football
club. As all of us in our roles, that’s our ultimate goal and ambition that in
whatever doors we go through, we make an impact. He made an undeniable
impact on this football club. In his time here, he almost took the club to the
ultimate summit of the Champions League, and got close to the league. So his
work is unquestioned. Everyone I speak to around here, there are still people
who worked with him, they can’t speak highly enough of him as a person, as a
manager. I doubt there would be anything but respect for Mauricio from anyone
at this football club – supporters or people associated with it. That doesn’t mean he’s going to get a guard of
honor on Monday night because we want to win. And I don’t think he would expect
that. But his tenure and impact here is undeniable and will stand the test of
time. Whenever people think of Mauricio and his time as Spurs manager they will
only look upon it with respect and fondness. You look at Mauricio’s
track record and I’ve got no doubt he’ll get Chelsea on the right path, I’ve no
doubt about that. How he goes about that, he knows better than anyone else.”
Chelsea
manager Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, did nothing but kiss his former club’s
arse, so I won’t be writing any of that nonsense.
SQUAD NEWS
For Tottenham,
Ivan Perisic (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Alfie Whiteman (ankle),
and Manor Solomon (knee) remain on the sidelines, whilst Destiny Udogie and Ben
Davies are both doubts.
For Chelsea,
Wesley Fofana (knee), Christopher Nkunku (knee), Romeo Lavia (ankle), Ben
Chilwell (Hamstring), Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring), and Carney Chukwuemeka
(knee) are all injured. Armando Broja and Mykhailo Mudryk returned to training
this week and are available for selection.
.
TEAMS
TOTTENHAM (Possible line-up): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski,
Maddison, Johnson; Son
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo,
Gallagher; Palmer, Jackson, Sterling
LAST SEASON
Tottenham 2-0 Chelsea
(26th Feb 2023)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
TOTTENHAM: WDWWWW
CHELSEA: DLWWDL
OTHER STUFF
- Tottenham ended an eight-game winless run against
Chelsea in February.
- No team has scored more Premier League goals away
to Sp*rs than the 51 by Chelsea.
- Chelsea’s four wins at the Tottenham Hotspur
Stadium in all competitions is the most by any side.
- Tottenham’s 26 points from their opening 10 league
games is their best start to a top-flight season since 1960-61.
- Sp*rs are the 13th team to have 26 points or more
after 10 matches of a Premier League season.
- Sp*rs could win five Premier League matches in a
row for the first time since December 2018.
- The 15 Premier League defeats Chelsea have suffered
in 2023 is their most league defeats in a year since they also lost 15 times in
1994.
- Chelsea have won only eight of their past 39 league
fixtures.
- Chelsea have lost five of their past seven London
derbies in the league.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea
