Match Preview: Spurs v Sheffield United (… round and round we go)
When I was a kid (that was many years ago…), there was a nursery rhyme my mum used to teach me; “round and round the garden, like a Teddy Bear, one step-two-step tickle you under there”. That rhyme comes back to haunt me where Spurs is concerned. “Round and Round the Tottenham circle Levy’s managerial circus goes, one-step-two-step but nobody know where it emerges.” Poor, I know. But it does seem we are going around and around Levy’s garden of tricks, where it will end, nobody knows.
Usually, I am optimistic, but nowadays, just deflated. I don’t think we deserve to be in the Champions league with our performance this season, and nor do I want to be in the Europa League. And maybe none of them if UEFA has a say over our Superleague conduct.
I was at the League Cup Final, and even though I had a brilliant day out, the performance on the field was predictable and awful. Nobody was shocked by the result. Granted, our hearts said we could win it, but reality said we would get thrashed, but escaped with a one-goal defeat. Since then, Kane has commented about winning trophies (not at Spurs he won’t, unless Levy changes his policy and competes with his other top-six wealthy rivals).
Usually, our game against a team that will be relegated at the end of the season would be quite easy to predict, a win for us. But nothing is straight forward at Spurs anymore. You’ve got a child-man managing a team that has a great history behind it. God knows what Levy was thinking when he decided – in his wisdom – to put an inexperienced person in charge of players worth millions and have talent (allegedly). Rather insulting to the team and fans, wouldn’t you say?
Anyway, we are 7th in the league, five points behind the Russians. Not impossible to overtake them, but I am sure that we can cock that up. So many times this season we’ve relied on the results of the other teams so that we could be in shouting distance of a place in the champions league.
Hopefully, other results will go away (provided we beat the Blades).
Leicester Titty take on Southampton, away (today), Chelski take on their London rivals Fulham, while Everton face Villa, on Saturday. Then the day we face the Blades, Man United and Liverpool battle it out. On Monday, Burnley take on the Spammers. So, whatever we do, we need to look at the other clubs in whether we smile or not (that is if we beat Sheffield United).
TEAM NEWS
Spurs
Ryan Mason confirmed Harry Kane is fit to face Sheffield United, having felt no ill effects from his comeback last weekend. Ben Davies remains Tottenham’s only injured player. Apart from these players, everybody should be fit.
Sheffield United
Sander Berge will be in the matchday squad for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury before Christmas. Chris Basham could also return, but Oli McBurnie, Jack Robinson, Jack O’Connell and Billy Sharp remain out.
My thoughts and prediction
Nobody was really surprised how poor we were in last weekend’s Carabao Cup final. Mason got his tactics all wrong.
We couldn’t get the ball off the City-slickers in the first half and couldn’t even get out of our own half. The second has slightly different. However, the City-Slickers battered us without scoring a goal before the break, and even in the second half, we never looked like winning the game. So, that was then. Of course, the Blades are no Sky Blues, but that won’t stop them from trying to humiliate us (again).
This game should be a lot easier for us – in theory – and we should create some chances (my optimism is returning).
Sheffield United had a good win against Brighton last time out, but the Seagulls still had plenty of chances to get something out of that game. I am hoping that we will find a way through (we’ve got to).
My prediction: 3-1 (that is to us)
Their scorer, David McGoldrick, has scored 39% of Sheffield United’s league goals this season. It’s the highest percentage of any player for his team in the top flight
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
We won the reverse fixture 3-1 and are looking to complete our first league double over Sheffield United since 1976.
Sheffield United’s most recent away victory in this fixture came in 1991.
Spurs
We have only lost one of our 17 Premier League matches this season against teams in the bottom half of the table.
A sixth home league defeat of the season would equal our most in any of the past 12 seasons, having finished with that many losses in 2014-15.
We have scored at least once in each of our last 10 Premier League games, the longest current run in the competition.
Forty-four of our 56 goals have been scored or assisted by either Harry Kane or Son Heung-min.
Sheffield United
Sheffield could win consecutive Premier League fixtures for the first time since July.
Before beating Brighton last Saturday, they had only taken two points from their previous 23-weekend games.
The Blades have lost 14 of their 16 games on the road this term.
United have won just one of their last 25 Premier League games in London, beating Crystal Palace 1-0 in February 2020.
They have equalled the club record of 26 league defeats in a season.
Aaron Ramsdale has failed to keep a clean sheet in any of his last 26 top-flight away starts. If he fails to do so in this match, it will be the longest run by a goalkeeper in Premier League history.
So, I’ve left you with a bit of disparagement and ended with optimism, all rolled up in a heartache. Even if we win this game, we’ve still got a mountain to climb and hope that the other teams start falling well short of their potential.
Has your eye’s seen the Glory? If yes (or even no) click HERE and follow the link, then they will and for those that are longer in the tooth…. be prepared to be dazzled all over again!
Until we meet again, take care and all the best, 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, holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”