Match preview; Spurs v Leicester City, Sunday 4.15pm.
On Sunday we will be all glued to the set, radio or the drums in our collective support of our club against Leicester City (who are in 4th place). But not only that, other games are playing this weekend that can make a difference to our position.
For instance, Liverpool will be playing the team that held us to a draw (Palace), and palace are at home. Manchester City are creeping up the table – stopping and stuttering all over the place, like an old model car – and will play Southampton at St Mary’s stadium. On Sunday, the same day we play, another creeper, will be playing Leeds at Elland Road; yes, United, the weaker half of the City of Manchester. And on the Monday Chelsea will get their gloves off for a London derby against the bubble blowers of Stratford. And then there are Arsenal (they won’t have any effect on us), whose only challenge is death; yes they are fighting relegation, and face Everton. So, let us wish Everton well.
Talking of Arsenal, and as it is Christmas, a few jokes:
Q: What do you call 100 Arsenal supporters at the bottom of a cliff? A: A good start! Q: What do you call a dead Gunner Fan in a closet? A: Last years winner of the hide and seek contest.
Q: What do you say to a Gunners supporter with a good looking bird on his arm? A: Nice tattoo
Q: What do you call an Arsenal fan that does well on an IQ test? A: A cheat.
Q: You’re trapped in a room with a Lion, Cobra snake and an Arsenal Fan. You have a gun with two bullets. What should you do? A: Shoot the Arsenal Fan. Twice.
Q: What is the difference between Arsenal and a cup of tea? A: The tea stays in the cup longer!
Let us hope they get relegated as they are where they are unfairly. If you know your Spurs history, you know what I am talking about. But back to real football.
Oh… for the hell of it, let us have one last crack at Arsenal:
Primary A Primary school teacher explains to her class that she is an Arsenal supporter. She asks her students to raise their hands if they were Arsenal supporters, too. Not really knowing what an Arsenal supporter was, but wanting to be like their teacher, hands explode into the air. There is, however, one exception. A girl named Mary has not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. “Because I’m not an Arsenal fan.” “Then,” asks the teacher, “what are you?” “Why I’m proud to be a Liverpool supporter.”, boasts the little girl. The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Mary why she is a Liverpool supporter. “Well, My Dad and Mom are Liverpool supporters, and I’m a Liverpool fan, too!” The teacher is now angry. “That’s no reason,” she thunders. “What if your mom was a moron, and your dad was a moron, What would you be then?” A pause, and a smile. “Then,” says Mary, “I’d be a Gunners supporter.”
Now back to the matter in hand, our game on sunday (really!):
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham Hotspur
Gareth Bale is back in training and could be involved on Sunday after a two-match absence because of illness.
Erik Lamela and Japhet Tanganga remain unavailable.
Leicester City
Timothy Castagne and Daniel Amartey are both in contention to return to Leicester City’s matchday squad after recovering from hamstring injuries. Defender Jonny Evans will play after serving a one-match suspension during Wednesday’s defeat by Everton.
My thoughts and prediction
Leicester’s away form is excellent, with five wins from six league games so far and only one defeat, which was at Anfield.
As you will probably know, Leicester are a counter-attacking side – like us. So, who will attack first will determine the end result? Therefore I am interested in how both sides approach this game. Leicester’s best players are all forward-thinking so will they just sit back and try to invalidate the game entirely like we can do? That is the question.
Where we have an advantage is that we can adapt if things aren’t working, and we did that against Liverpool when they changed their shape and, although we lost against them, we had created enough chances to win it and take the spoils home.
Jose Mourinho is experienced enough to b able to mix things up a bit. Like I said, concerning the game against Liverpool, this won’t be a high scoring game. Saying that, there is a history of a lot of goals between the two clubs, mainly in our favour.
My Prediction: 3-1 or higher.
Harry Kane has 16 goals in 14 games against Leicester
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
We have lost just one of our past nine home league games against Leicester (W6, D2), a 1-0 defeat in January 2016.
There have been 31 goals scored in the past seven Premier League meetings, at an average of 4.4 per game.
Tottenham Hotspur
Our team have won seven of our last 10 Premier League home games, including each of the previous three.
We had 24% possession against Liverpool on Wednesday, our lowest figure since Opta began recording such data in 2003-04.
All but five of our 25 top-flight goals this season have been scored by Son or Harry Kane, who have 11 and nine respectively.
Kane and Son have scored and assisted 12 of those goals, one short of the all-time record for goal combinations in a Premier League season, set by Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton for Blackburn in 1994-95.
Leicester City
Leicester have lost three of their past five top-flight games.
However, the Foxes have won five of their six away league matches this season.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have conceded seven Premier League goals following corners, two more than their final total last season.
Rodgers has recorded victories in six of his last seven Premier League matches as a manager versus us. Still, he is winless in seven previous games against Jose Mourinho-led sides.
Jamie Vardy has scored five goals and assisted three more in his last 10 Premier League games against Spurs, with four of his five goals coming away from home.
That is it folks, be safe and take care, Glenn COYS!
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
I am currently a Premium Season Ticket holder (West Stand) in the new stadium. Before that – at White Hart Lane – a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground (mainly in the North stand).
Before becoming a season ticket holder, I stood on the shelf and various other parts of the ground since the 1950s. In 1987 I became one of the first to hold a Spurs Membership card. I was also a life long member of the Spurs supporters club (now defunct).
I go to all home, away and abroad matches.
I was born in 1955, Edgware, London (it was in the late 50s – as a baby – that my dad took me to Spurs to initiate me). I currently live in Berkshire.
I also collect all Spurs books (and have everyone printed), Spurs handbooks (from 1920s onwards, Spurs programmes (since the 40s).
Previously, I wrote for Spurs Fanzines: The Spur, Spur of the Moment, My Eyes have seen the Glory and various other Spurs fanzines’. I also wrote for the SpursWeb app & its website.
I currently write and work for spursnetwork.com and its website. I write its Reviews & Match reports and a lot more.
My other interests are; reading, history, social history, Politics, going to the gym, wine, going out for a meal, music (all sorts), writing, theatre, concerts, going on holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”
