Team & Match Thread - Spurs

[Jan-Erik]

I just hope Riise will play LB. Aurelio is better on the wing.

[Guest]

Frederic Ferre

What's your problem you midget ?



:bird:

[Chris]

Spurs: Robinson, Chimbonda, YP Lee, Davenport, Dawson, Malbranque, Zokora, Huddlestone, Ghaly, Mido, Defoe. Subs: Cerny, Gardner, Murphy, Ziegler, Berbatov.

[Rocket]

aaron lemon isn't playing

[kurtangle01]

Spurs line up.

Robinson
chimbonda
dawson
davenport
young-pyo
huddlestone
ghaly
zokora
marlbranque
defoe
mido

Subs
berbatov
murphy
gardner
ziegler
cerny.

[lfc4ever]

offal:

Dirk Kuyt, Luis Garcia and Fabio Aurelio are all recalled to the Liverpool side for this afternoon's clash at Tottenham.
Peter Crouch and Mark Gonzalez are both relegated to the bench while Sami Hyypia isn't included in the 16.

David Martin replaces Jerzy Dudek among the five substitutes.

The team in full is:

Reina
Finnan
Agger
Carragher
Aurelio
Garcia
Alonso
Gerrard
Riise
Kuyt
Bellamy

Subs:

Martin
Gonzalez
Crouch
Pennant
Paletta

[kurtangle01]

aaron lemon isn't playing

Berbatov only on the bench as well. He can't be fit or he would've started against us.

[lfc4ever]

BBC Match ****:

BIG-MATCH FACTS

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR and Liverpool are positioned next to each other in the Premiership table. The Londoners have been climbing steadily, and a victory here would put them level on points with the Merseysiders. But being the highest placed club with a negative goal difference, Martin Jol's side would need a clear seven-goal victory to leapfrog their opponents.

Both these clubs have scored the bulk of their points on home turf. The Merseysiders top the Premiership's "home" table with 26 points - 18 more than they've gained on their travels. Spurs have bagged 19 more points at home than away (25 at White Hart Lane, six on the road). The north Londoners have won their last 12 in League and Cup at the Lane - seven of which were in the Premiership.

Spurs have lost only one of the last nine home Premiership meetings against Liverpool. Since being on the wrong end of an 2-3 scoreline on 16 March 2003, the Londoners have won one and drawn the last two against the Reds at the Lane.

LIVERPOOL thought they had banished their away-day blues, but old habits die hard and their first two victories on the road this season have been followed by a 1-0 defeat at Blackburn on Boxing Day. It was the first goal the Anfield club had conceded in eight League outings. The reverse at Ewood Park also ended a seven-match unbeaten run in the Premiership and saw them drop from third to sixth. Victory at the Lane would put them back on course for a Champions League spot.

The Merseysiders have kept more clean sheets in this Premiership season that any other club, with the exception of Chelsea (10 each). Spurs have managed just four - no club has kept fewer than that.

The Reds are unbeaten in five Premiership meetings with Tottenham, winning the last two including this season's reverse fixture 3-0. That sets up the possibility of a third Premiership 'double' over the North Londoners and first since 2002-03.

REFEREE

Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Premiership referees' table
Mark Halsey's 2006-07 Premiership card count

SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Club stats
Fixtures
7th 31 points
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 7th
Lowest could fall: 8th

1. Won six of the last seven in all competitions - four of the last five in the Premiership.

2. Undefeated in eight home Premiership matches. Won seven and drawn one since their only defeat on home turf (0-2 to Everton on 26 August).

3. Third in the "home" Premiership table (25 points out of 30).

4. Need to score once to total 450 Premiership goals at White Hart Lane. One draw short of totally 75 all-time at home in the Premiership - and one defeat short of 75 at the Lane in the Premiership era.

5. Won all five League matches in which ahead at half time, against Sheffield United (h), Portsmouth (h), West Ham (h), Wigan (h), Charlton (h) and Manchester City (a).

6. On the longest current run in the Premiership of 10 matches without a clean sheet.

7. The New Years Day fixture is away to Portsmouth.

LIVERPOOL
Club stats
Fixtures
6th 34 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could realistically fall: 6th

1. Won three of the last four Premiership matches.

2. Conceded one goal in 730 minutes (12 hours 10 minutes) of Premier League soccer.

3. Won all nine top flight matches in which they've opening the scoring.

4. Holding a 100% record when leading at half time - six matches against West Ham (h), Newcastle (h), Aston Villa (h), Reading (h), Wigan (a) and Charlton (a).

5. Won twice as many Premier League matches as lost under Rafael Benitez (won 52, lost 26).

6. Beaten only Wigan (0-4) and Charlton (0-3) in Premiership matches away from home this season.

7. Hoping to add to 100 Premiership victories away from home all-time.

8. Failed to score in eight away matches in this top flight campaign.

9. The New Years Day fixture is a lunchtime kick-off, home to Bolton.

[El Jefecito]

Spurs line up.

Robinson
chimbonda
dawson
davenport
young-pyo
huddlestone
ghaly
zokora
marlbranque
defoe
mido

Subs
berbatov
murphy
gardner
ziegler
cerny.

Some interesting mactchups there. Will Riise be able to cope with Chimbonda? Can a subdued Stevie and Xabi hold the midfield against Zakora and Huddlestone?

Defoe and Mido are complementary and I think Carra-Agger will have their hands full.

Can see us conceding but going to win anyway

[kurtangle01]

Some interesting mactchups there. Will Riise be able to cope with Chimbonda? Can a subdued Stevie and Xabi hold the midfield against Zakora and Huddlestone?

Defoe and Mido are complementary and I think Carra-Agger will have their hands full.

Can see us conceding but going to win anyway

This'll be a tough match, no doubt about it. I do think that our central midfield partnership should be able to cope with theirs. I think we should've played speedy today though because he could've gotten in behind Chimbonda when he's going going forward.

A win today is a MUST!

[lfc4ever]

Bolton 0 - Pompey 1

[kurtangle01]

Off topic but it's Bolton 0-1 Pompey already!

[Flake]

great touch from garcia

[kurtangle01]

Blu****e up 1-0

[kurtangle01]

great touch from garcia

Lead to anything positive?