Match Preview: Spurs v Chelsea (predictable or a surprise in the offering?)

 

Match Preview: Spurs v Chelsea (predictable or a surprise in the offering?)

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. SUN 19 SEPT, 4.30 pm.

After our weird start to the season (three wins, one loss and draw), we meet second-placed Chelsea (but with the same points as United in first position). Having had conflicting results in both opening European encounters, Chelsea and Spurs prepare to do battle in the London derby. On Thursday, we played out a 2-2 draw against the French team Rennes in the Micky Mouse third-tier Europa conference league tournament, while Chelsea were in the prestigious Champions League competition getting a 1-0 result against the Russian bears of Zenit St Petersburg (their cousins).

Unlike the French trip,  which I was forced to miss because my documents didn't come in time, I shall be at the Tottenham stadium hobnobbing with my mates and enjoying a glass or two… helped down with plenty of what Tottenham Premium are offering in their Tupperware filled boxes (a cuisine fit for the poor... this time I believe it will be vegan to promote Tottenham's green policy and add more clients before going back to what it was before...  rides cynicism the white horse to cash-cow territory).

Team News

Spurs

We have lost Japhet Tanganga to suspension and most likely Eric Dier to injury, which might mean that  Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso and Davinson Sanchez may go straight into action following their returns to this country today (Saturday).

Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura had to come off against Rennes with blows to their ankles and were not expected to be ready for Chelsea. As for Son, he is hopeful of being passed fit to face the blues, while Bryan Gil should undoubtedly be handed a start alongside Harry Kane amid Spurs' absentee crisis, particularly if Ryan Sessegnon remains sidelined.

Chelsea

Chelsea have no new injury concerns but may rotate their squad after winning in the Champions League on Tuesday. N'Golo Kante is available following injury, but Christian Pulisic is out.

What I think might be our starting lineup:

Lloris; Emerson, Sanchez, Romero, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Skipp; Gil, Alli, Son; Kane

My thoughts and prediction

Usually, I am very optimistic when predicting our scoreline, however, we were so shite in our defeat at Selhurst Park last week and not that much better against Rennes that  I can't look past Chelsea without trembling. To be fair, they are a solid side and have enough to keep us out with plenty of attacking gumption; however, I won't bet against us, so if we should win, it will be by something like a single goal, a worst-case scenario would be a draw (ok, the worst-case scenario would be a thrashing… but I am trying to be optimistic here).

My Prediction: 1-0 or 1-1.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

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Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

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Chelsea Premier League form:

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Chelsea form (all competitions):

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MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

We have conceded a club record of 103 Premier League goals against Chelsea.

We have won only seven of the 58 Premier League meetings (D20, L31).

Chelsea can win three successive Premier League matches versus us for the first time since 2005.

Tottenham Hotspur

We are striving to open our campaign with three wins at home for the first time since 2002.

We also could equal our club record of 12 points after five Premier League fixtures.

We can keep a clean sheet in each of our opening three home matches of a league campaign for the first time.

We have won eight of our last 10 league games at our Stadium, keeping six clean sheets.

However, we also could lose three London derbies in a row for the first time in 16 years.

We recorded just two shots in our most recent defeat at Crystal Palace, our lowest Premier League total since 2005. We failed to score for the first time in 19 league matches.

Against Palace, Harry Kane failed to have a shot or touch in the opposition penalty area for the first time in a 90-minute Premier League appearance.

Kane has had only two shot attempts in his 200 minutes of Premier League playing time this season.

Nuno's teams have failed to score in the first half in 83 of his 118 Premier League games in charge.

Chelsea

Chelsea have only conceded one goal in the Premier League so far this season, their lowest total at this stage for 11 years.

They could win six successive London derbies away from home for the first time in their history. It has only been done by one other top-flight club: Arsenal, between 1988-1989 and again in 2013-2014.

The Blues' defeat at Aston Villa in May is their only loss in 11 Premier League away matches under Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel's 61% clean-sheet ratio in the Premier League is the best for any manager to take charge of at least 10 fixtures.

Romelu Lukaku has scored only one goal in 13 appearances against us in all competitions.

So, that is you prepped and ready for the encounter between 2^nd in the league (Chelsea) against 7^th in the league (us). But there is only one point between the two teams…with a goal difference of 8, in favour of the Russians. If we win – and a big if – we go two points above the Russians, lose, and they will have a 4 point advantage… draw, and everything stays the same between us. One other exciting game this weekend will see the Spammers at home and taking on the Reds of Manchester… unless we are going to get some giant-killing in the other games… and it has been know to happen, then our game and the Spammers game will be the highlight of the weekend.

Be safe, Glenn

COYS!