Match Preview: Leicester City v Spurs (last game of the season)
Venue: King Power Stadium at 4pm on the 23rd May (Sunday).
The referee: Anthony Taylor
You can watch it on Sky Sports.
The question is, what are we, the supporters expecting from this game (realistically). Usually, I would go for a Spurs win, however, of late, nothing really surprises me where Spurs are concerned. Games we should have won, we lose, but not only lose, but also get humiliated in the process. The reality of the situation is, if we fail to beat Leicester City and Everton and Arsenal win their games, we drop to 9th. And on our current form, I can’t see us beating the Foxes. This will also mean no European competition, not even the UEFA-European failure competition called Europa Conference. And that will be a failure of a team of our supposedly a rich elite ranking.
If that does happen; Kane leaves, along with other players, and we get a second rate manager/ failure, then there should be protests demanding the resignation of the board and the removal of Levy and Lewis from the club. We’ve had twenty years of failure under Levy & Lewis. If Levy & Lewis went, somebody once said we could get not as good owners as we’ve currently got (“so be careful what you wish for”). Can we really get any worse?
To add a nail into Levy’s coffin, 37 years ago (on 23rd May), we beat Anderlecht to win the UEFA Cup. Yes, in 1984, I was there. The first leg was 1-1. In the second leg, at White Hart Lane, the game finally went to penalties, where our goalkeeper Tony Parks became the hero of the night by saving a penalty and thus putting his name in our history books. A bit like Levy going into our history books as a failure where the team is concerned. Then again, as Levy is a businessman, the building of a luxury new stadium trumps anything the team can win on the pitch. He makes more money out of the building than he would do out of the team.
Team News and more
Leicester City
Leicester defender Jonny Evans remains out with a heel injury. Wes Morgan and Christian Fuchs could make a final appearance for the club.
Spurs
Japhet Tanganga suffered an ankle ligament injury in midweek.
As for this weekend’s must-win game, we are still without Ben Davies, who has been struggling with a calf issue since March, while Serge Aurier is also a doubt due to a groin injury.
My thoughts and prediction
The Foxes need to win, but not only that, they need to score a few more goals than Liverpool if they and Chelsea are winning too. I can’t see any of that happening. As for us, we need a win, as well, to hold on to seventh spot, and my biased thinking is that we will sneak this. If I got a pound for every time I said Spurs will win and didn’t (this season), I would be a very wealthy person. However, and allowing for my optimism to kick in, I am going for a 1-2 win to us.
Prediction: 1-2
Leicester’s previous results: DWWWL
It’s been an exciting times for the Foxes; they won FA Cup triumph on Saturday for the first time before succumbing to a potentially costly defeat against Chelsea on Tuesday evening.
Spurs previous results: LWLWL
It has been a disappointing campaign on and off the pitch for us; the mood was spoiled even further following reports that Harry Kane wants to leave. Kane’s request has linked him with the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea
My predicted Lineup;
Spurs: Lloris; Doherty, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon; Hojberb, Ndombele; Son, Alli, Bale; Kane
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Leicester won the reverse fixture 2-0 in December and could complete a top-flight double over us for the first time since 1998-99.
We have scored in all but one of our past 24 away fixtures against Leicester in all competitions. The exception was a 3-0 Premier League defeat at Filbert Street in September 1997.
Only one of the 101 league meetings has ended goalless – a second-tier fixture at White Hart Lane in March 1948.
Leicester City
The Foxes will qualify for next season’s Champions League if they win and Chelsea or Liverpool slip up, or if they draw and either Liverpool lose, or Chelsea lose by at least a three-goal margin.
Leicester have only taken 20 points from their last 13 league matches (W6, D2, L5).
They can record more than 20 top-flight victories in a season for only the fourth time, after 2015-16 (23), 1928-29 (21) and 1965-66 (21).
Eight of Leicester’s 11 Premier League defeats in 2020-21 have come at King Power Stadium. They haven’t lost nine home games in a season since 2001-02.
The Foxes haven’t won their final Premier League match of a season in five attempts since beating QPR 5-1 at home in 2015.
Kelechi Iheanacho has scored 16 goals in his past 19 appearances in all competitions.
Tottenham Hotspur
We have 59 points after 37 matches, equalling our final total for last season.
We have suffered seven straight defeats in fixtures against teams currently above us in the table.
We won our opening four Premier League away games this season but have only managed three more victories in our subsequent 14 attempts on the road.
Harry Kane has scored 220 goals in 335 appearances for us in all competitions. He’s the club’s second all-time top scorer behind Jimmy Greaves, who scored 266 goals.
Kane is level with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool on an unsurpassed 22 Premier League goals this season. Both players are two-time winners of the Premier League Golden Boot.
Kane has scored 14 goals in 11 Premier League appearances against Leicester.
Well, that is it, and now it is in the lap of the Gods. All we can do is watch and keep our fingers crossed that we pull it off… but I have this sneaking feel…
Take care and be safe,
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”
Hi Glenn, lovely to hear from you, I wan want to start by saying that I have found all the media BS, Harry kane saga, who the new manager is going to be very draining. I now genuinely depressed, but just want to be positive, I have a relationship broken down which is not helping. I will be renewing my one hotspur membership soon, and will be returning back to the spurs temple (tottenham hotspur stadium) 🏟️next season. I travel to London by supporters coach from Worcester. Worcestershire spurs supporters group. Lead by Darren attwood. We have a agm in July. Coys
Hi Peter, sorry to hear about your relationship. As for Spurs, I am glad you are renewing as I hope things will get better. Well, we all do. As for the Harry Kane saga, it could do some good and make our board think… I am sure they don’t want bad publicity, which they are getting for the tight fisted approach.
I am sure I will get a newsletter about your AGM. I might even try to come.
Hi, continue from the end of the last comment. I pray for 3 points today v the foxes. Even though we get conference europa, it will be better then nill. Any hope Harry gets a couple of goals, and gets the golden boot, from mo salad. COYS
It will be a hard game. What worries me is if we lose and Arsenal and Everton win, then we will drop to 9th place. Take care and hope to see you soon.