Match Preview: Spurs v Watford (another victory?)

Match Preview: Spurs v Watford (another victory?)

 29^th August 21 at 2pm

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

After three good victories (our away game against Pacos was an Academy exercise) we are – hopefully – on a role. Granted, we can't take Watford for granted, but I am feeling good for this Sunday(I am constantly feeling good at the start of any season).

It is great to be back at our ancestral home after nearly two years of isolation and pandemic lockdown, meeting old and new friends and enjoying the fruits of Tottenham's highs and lows. After all, I've been going since the late 50s.

TEAM NEWS

Spurs

Harry Kane, who scored twice for us to win against Pacos de Ferreira on Thursday, is all set for his first Premier League start of this new season. We will remain without injured Joe Rodon and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Watford

Watford will assess Juraj Kucka. Nathaniel Chalobah, Dan Gosling and Joao Pedro are still sidelined. Their new signing Ozan Tufan is not yet available. Ben Foster suffered a hamstring injury in midweek and is expected to miss the Sunday game.

My thoughts and prediction

All the fandango about Harry Kane staying or going can now be laid to rest – at least for this season – and will be a big plus for us and give the whole team a tremendous boost (that doesn't mean we don't still need a few more players and at least another striker). I was at the game, away, last Sunday when we all gave Kane a fantastic reception when he came off the bench against Wolves at Molineux. He got the same treatment again when he started on home turf against Pacos.

Our main problem is that we look outstanding at times and then suddenly have a run of bizarre results. Our new coach Nuno Espirito Santo has made an excellent start. Still, we know we are not favourites to finish in the top four [on that matter, my WhatsApp group put a £50 bet on us being in the top four… last season we placed a bet that we would win the league… you can't win them all, certainly not the league]. However, I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be our year and we will get a sniff at some trophies, plus a top-four place.

As for Watford, well, they are back in the Premier League, having been in and out of the top flight. Much of their season will hang on their home form because I can't see them picking up too many points away from their ground.

So far, I've predicted we would win all our games (including Pacos away, however, that was before I knew we were going to send out Academy kids for that match), and I am going for another win over Watford. It is just a matter of what score should I go for? So, how about another 4-0 win?

Line up possibilities

Kane is in line to start with Steven Bergwijn set to drop out from the side that faced Wolves. Son and Lucas Moura are expected to join Kane in a three-man attack, while I expect Alli will keep his place in a forward-thinking midfield function, playing just in front of Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Hugo Lloris, Sergio Reguilon and Japhet Tanganga are all set to return after being rested in midweek. As for record signing Cristian Romero, he will be hoping for a start ahead of either Davinson Sanchez or Eric Dier.

My possible starting lineup:

Lloris; Tanganga, Romero, Dier, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Skipp, Dele; Lucas, Kane, Son

Prediction: 4-0

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

WW

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

WLWW

Watford Premier League form:

WL

Watford form (all competitions):

WLW

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

We have lost just one of our last 16 league games against Watford (W9, D6).

Watford have been beaten in nine of their last 10 visits to our ground, drawing the other game.

The Hornets' last top-flight away win against us was a 5-1 victory at White Hart Lane in May 1985.

Tottenham Hotspur

We have lost just one of our last 27 home league fixtures against newly-promoted sides (W24, D2).

We are seeking a 300th home victory in the Premier League.

Nuno Espirito Santo could become just the second Spurs boss to win his first three league games in charge. The only other man to do so was Arthur Rowe in 1949 (he then went on and won the Division One League Trophy in season 1950/51).

Son is set to make his 200th Premier League appearance and will become the first Asian player to reach that milestone.

Dele Alli scored his first top-flight goal for 533 days last weekend against Wolves.

Watford

Watford have lost seven consecutive Premier League away games, failing to score in five of those matches.

The Hornets have won just two of their last 22 away league fixtures in London (D4, L16).

However, they have only lost their opening two Premier League away games once before, in the 2006-07 season.

Watford head coach Xisco Munoz played for Dinamo Tbilisi against Spurs in a Europa League play-off in 2013. The Georgian side lost 5-0, and Xisco was substituted late in the first half.

Well, that is it, folks; enjoy the game and see you soon.

Glenn

COYS!