Spurs (h) build up

[Sarb]

Should go unchanged. Win the midfield battle win the game

[SB]

Moses must be pissed off with this season, what a waste for him

Victor Moses. Unless I am being wooshed here?

[Kenneth]

Every, single game. It's taking some getting used.

I presume you get desensitised a bit after a few consecutive title challenging run ins. I hope so anyway, I'm not sure I could take it every year.

[banditos]

I presume you get desensitised a bit after a few consecutive title challenging run ins. I hope so anyway, I'm not sure I could take it every year.

The fact its been 24 years makes winning it again so much more meaningful/stressful.

[Yozza]

Give them a yard and not even 25 men would stop Liverpool's SAS - Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/give-them-a-yard-and-not-even-25-men-would-stop-liverpools-sas--luis-suarez-and-daniel-sturridge-9220945.html

Deadly duo: Spurs will need to find a way to stop the Reds' strike pair

Good luck with stopping the Liverpool charge, Tottenham. The squad who arrive on *Merseyside this weekend not only face a side who have won seven consecutive Premier League games but one blessed with the best strikeforce in the country.

SAS is the moniker Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have assumed across a season in which Liverpool have scored in 21 consecutive Premier League games, a sequence way ahead of the next-best seven-game run by Swansea, and have only twice failed to net in the top flight.

The pattern at Anfield is generally an early blitz: Tottenham have scored only 13 first-half League goals this season — Liverpool have scored 13 in the first 16 minutes of games.

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, an intelligent strategist, sought strength in numbers to quell Suarez and Sturridge on Wednesday night. He deployed a five-man defence which he had tested only in the week leading up to the Anfield fixture and the smothering plan, backed up by doughty defending, frustrated Liverpool.

But 25 defenders won’t be enough against the SAS if one of them drifts deeper than a yard away from either of the pair.

When the deadly duo is allocated space in excess of that — as Sturridge was when he ran at Sunderland’s Andrea Dossena early in Wednesday’s second half — there will be consequences. Sturridge’s moment of liberty allowed him to lift his head from the ball and strike Liverpool into a 2-0 lead.

Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino, the only coach to win at Anfield this season, limited Suarez and Sturridge’s opportunities in September — just like Poyet — by pressing from high up the field. His players reduced Liverpool to playing the ball long and their defence that day — “like rocks” as Adam Lallana described them — were ready for them.

Southampton were also helped by one of the less successful of Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers’s experiments — the use of four central defenders — which allowed them in. The defence remains the punishable component of the Liverpool team, which is Tottenham’s crack of light on Sunday.

But there can be no margin for error — not so much for Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen as for Nabil Bentaleb and Sandro, if Tim Sherwood anchors the midfield with them. It was Arsenal’s looseness in central areas which enabled Liverpool to wreak such havoc in their 5-1 annihilation of the Gunners in February, six weeks after Tottenham had shipped five against Rodgers’s players.

Suarez and Sturridge — the first Liverpool strike partnership to hit 20 goals each in a season since Ian St John and Roger Hunt 50 years ago — are a duo unlike either of the other two pairs to have reached that tally in the same Premier League season: Peter Beardsley and Andy Cole in 1993-94 and Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard from 2009-10.

They are individualists, “soloists” as Rodgers like to call them; to you and me just plain selfish when they need to be.

But two lone rangers are a more complicated danger than one pair, as Arsene Wenger will tell you.

The Frenchman’s eminently sensible plan of attack for Anfield — “to master the ball and to have the ball and to dominate the game” — was reduced to dust in the 20 minutes it took Liverpool to go 4-0 up.

[Yozza]

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor's chances of facing Liverpool look slim

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-striker-emmanuel-adebayors-chances-of-facing-liverpool-look-slim-9220841.html

Fitness struggle: Adebayor has not trained with the rest of the squad for nearly two weeks

Emmanuel Adebayor's chances of returning to the Tottenham team are being hampered by a wound on his Achilles tendon that has left him unable to wear a football boot.

The club’s top scorer has not given up hope of being available for Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Liverpool at Anfield, but Standard Sport understands that, as of today, he had not trained with the rest of the squad for nearly two weeks.

Adebayor sustained the injury in a collision during the 1-0 derby defeat by Arsenal on March 16. Since then, he has struggled to run without opening the wound again, and the swelling has not reduced sufficiently for him to fit comfortably into a boot.

The 30-year-old is, however, understood to be more optimistic than at any time since sustaining the injury that he will be able to feature at Anfield, and has had regular treatment this week to try to ease the swelling.

Without Adebayor, Tottenham’s task at Liverpool is likely to be more difficult, as his pace, strength and ability to hold the ball would be crucial to a team who are expecting to have to defend for long periods.

In Adebayor’s absence, Roberto Soldado would continue as the lone forward after an encouraging display in the 3-2 win over Southampton.

Meanwhile, record signing Erik Lamela faces a race against time to play again for the first team this season. Standard Sport revealed earlier this month that there were doubts about Lamela’s chances of recovering from a back problem in time, and he was not due to feature in tonight’s Under-21 fixture against Arsenal at White Hart Lane.

[Yozza]

Liverpool v Tottenham (Sunday, 4pm Sky Sports 1)

I saw enough in Liverpool's game with Sunderland on Wednesday to suggest the title pressure is getting to them.

They were OK in the first 30 games because nobody was really talking about them; they could score goals for fun and people were just talking about them getting in the top four. All of a sudden they are in the title picture and it's so different to play like that.

A lot will depend on how they handle the nerves. Chelsea and Man City both play on Saturday, so they may need to win this game just to stay where they were - and that's a disadvantage.

This will be a hard game for them, particularly if Emmanuel Adebayor is fit because he's got a lot of pace and Liverpool's defence is not the best. I

think Roberto Soldado is a good player, but if he plays then they won't have as much threat over the top - and that will allow Liverpool to squeeze and suffocate the game and win easily.

I don't think this will be that easy, however, and I think Liverpool will just about keep this title push going.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1

[Yozza]

Is there any hope for Spurs this week-end?

Liverpool have, for a considerable time this season, been a team bang in form. They are Premier League title contenders for the first time in years. They have won their last seven league games, and haven't been beaten in a league game this year. Their last Premier League defeat was on 29th December at Stamford Bridge.

The "Reds" have not one but two top league goal-scorers in Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. The team has already exceeded their Premier League goal-scoring record with 84 so far after 31 games. They've won 13, drawn 1, and lost just 1 of their 15 home games. Liverpool are just one point behind Chelsea, and two points ahead of Man City going into the week-end. Okay, City have two games in hand, but the fact is that with Arsenal slipping away, Liverpool are one of three real title hopes.

Our home game against Liverpool was, of course, Andre Villas-Boas's last game in charge, and was a horrible debacle of a 5-0 defeat. On that day, Liverpool were missing Sturridge and Gerrard, who between them have scored 31 of the team's league goals this season. 8 of Gerrard's 11 league goals have been penalties, conceded by teams struggling to stem the red tide of attacking play.

Some of Liverpool's recent scorelines resemble an era of football from years gone by. That comment also refers to several scores in games between other teams this season. It's a shame that Spurs have usually been the victims and not the perpetrators of such high-scoring games.

In Liverpool's case, just a week ago they won 6-3 at Cardiff. Five weeks ago, when Swansea visited Anfield, the score was 4-3 in favour of the home team. The "Reds" beat Arsenal 5-1 on February 8th, with four goals in the first 20 minutes. Liverpool have not failed to score in a game since November, and that event has only occurred three times all season.

So, is there any hope for Spurs on Sunday?

Well, firstly, Tim Sherwood, who has been under siege for much of his short time in charge, will be keen to better his predecessor's result against this team at White Hart Lane. A draw would be an excellent result.

Secondly, the word last week was that Sandro was rested for the Southampton game. he lasted just half an hour of the home game, and didn't feature in the side again until the home game against Dnipro at the end of February. A physically fit Sandro, able to give a committed but mature performance, would be a great blessing, if not essential to Spurs.

Thirdly, Emmanuel Adebayor should be available for this game. Michael Dawson is also apparently in the reckoning with Vlad Chiriches on the verge of a return. I suspect Chiriches will not make it, and I worry about Dawson's ability to match the speed and guile of Suarez and Sturridge.

Sherwood will take heart from Sunderland's gutsy midweek performance, but they did survive plenty of close shaves, and arguably benefited from leniency by the referee when issuing cards. Tim surely needs to come up with a defensive game plan that does not include the high line, and over-committing our full backs.

Liverpool still have Chelsea and Man City to visit Anfield this season. Confidence is high, and the Kop must be relishing the football being presented to them this season.

Spurs have reverted to type, losing badly to those three title contenders, and also at home and away to Arsenal. This is our last chance to get a decent result this season against a top four side (apart from the home draw against Chelsea). With Everton also flying, despite the fact that our last six games are "winnable", we are going to struggle to retain a top six place and a place in the Europa League. Some Spurs fans would rather avoid The Europa League and point to Liverpool's success this season, without involvement in European football. Personally, I feel that Spurs have to be playing in Europe, even if that does mean the second tier event.

Of course, Sherwood will not have lost belief that top four is possible, and he needs to convince our players that the dream is achievable. It is bound to be an attacking and entertaining game on Sunday. I fear the mass of red-shirted fans will be satiated. I just hope defeat is not as disgraceful as at White Hart Lane.

Phil Dowd referees Sunday's game. Spurs have won their last six games with him in charge. There is hope!

[PTP]

he's such a cunt isn't merson...

they did OK for the first 30 games - OK??? o ****ing k - seriously, we've been ****ing outstanding for 30 games and arguably the best team in the league in terms of the football we play and the fact we are 2nd.

cunt

[PTP]

thats a better article from the spurs view point

it shows what other teams think - and i know we are getting a bit nervy as fans about the title and thinking **** - city and chelsea will win all their games, which means we have to win all our games...

but i bet you their fans are looking at us and thinking **** - these guys keep on winning and sturridge and suarez keep on scoring

[Sarb]

Dowd as Ref? No chance then

[Yozza]

Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood: Great teams have quality partnerships all over the field

Sherwood was one of four crucial pairings in Blackburn’s title-winning team and, as he faces the lethal Liverpool duo, wishes he could have fostered similar link-ups at the Lane

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-boss-tim-sherwood-great-teams-have-quality-partnerships-all-over-the-field-9221131.html

When asked for his opinion on the reasons for Liverpool’s improvement this season, Gylfi Sigurdsson’s response was pithy. “Suarez and Sturridge,” answered the Tottenham midfielder, as he wondered how his side might stop the prolific forwards at Anfield on Sunday.

Modern football’s ‘SAS’ have scored 48 times between them in the Premier League this season, eight more goals than Tottenham have managed as a team. Yet as important as it is to have a potent attack, the most successful sides possess much more than just a pair of in-form strikers.

Liverpool’s progress to second place in the table owes just as much to their settled central midfield, where Jordan Henderson has not missed a single League game and captain Steven Gerrard has featured in all but four. Look at other successful sides of this season, and of years gone by, and you notice a similar pattern.

Yaya Toure and Fernandinho have developed a superb understanding in the middle for Manchester City. At Chelsea, John Terry and Gary Cahill have combined superbly at the heart of the back four, with Petr Cech an ever-present in goal.

The Arsenal sides who prospered in the late 1990s and early 2000s counted on alliances like those between Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit, or Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry. Paul Scholes and Roy Keane dominated midfield for Manchester United, with David Beckham and Gary Neville similarly effective on the right flank.

Tottenham have rarely been able to find such consistency this season. For the recent Europa League tie at Benfica, for example, they had no fit centre-back available. Their head coach, Tim Sherwood, captained Blackburn to the Premier League title in 1995 and was a linchpin of a team who knew each other so well they could virtually play from memory.

“Partnerships are crucial,” Sherwood said. “It’s about appreciating players around you and being able to take responsibility and you need that all over the field. If you can keep people fit, you have continuity with players, which is very important and Liverpool have been able to do that this season.

“From the 1995 Blackburn side, there was the partnership between Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton up front but it was not the only one.

“Our left-winger Jason Wilcox had a telepathic understanding with Graeme Le Saux at left-back.

“On the other flank, it was the same between the winger Stuart Ripley and the full-back Henning Berg. I had a great relationship with both David Batty and Mark Atkins, who I played alongside in central midfield.

“I’d speak to David Batty before every game. ‘You do this today; I’ll do that’. We’d dovetail. Every opponent is different so you have to know how you’re going to go about it.”

Spurs’ injury list and their need to juggle European commitments with domestic ones has meant Sherwood has had to make frequent changes to both his team and his tactics during his three months in charge.

Perhaps the 45-year-old former England international might have sought more consistency of selection but his hands have often been tied by injuries to key players. Sherwood is still in the dark about whether he will be asked to continue in the job next season but if he is given the chance by chairman Daniel Levy, finding a core of players he can rely on every week will be his top priority.

Brendan Rodgers has been able to do that at Liverpool this season and now has a team with a strong chance of winning the title.

“It can be a snowball effect throughout your team,” Sherwood said. “If there are regular changes, your goalkeeper can’t get any relationship with the centre-backs because they all play differently.

“Then, from the midfielders’ point of view, some defenders might need protecting more than others, so they have to adjust their game accordingly.

“People say it’s not right to rotate centre-backs but the same can be said for forwards. Every player wants to receive the ball differently and if you get into the rhythm of playing with another forward, it’s massive. The Sutton-Shearer partnership was immense, as was the Dwight Yorke-Andy Cole one for Manchester United.

“Liverpool have been fortunate enough with injuries to be able to play Suarez and Sturridge regularly.

“Even if one isn’t firing, the other does. There was a period where Suarez scored only one in six games but Sturridge was still scoring. They also have goalscorers all over the pitch and they’re probably the best team in the League from attacking set-pieces.”

Sherwood is starting to have an idea of the men he wants in key positions. All will have to be on top of their form if Liverpool’s lethal pair are to be stopped.

[Bender]

[Muddled]

Naughton imo is one of the worst players in the division, Sterling would have a field day against him.

Yup, and on the opposite flank, Rose is dreadful.

The office chat from a couple of Spurs fans is that they fear the worst; one of them is putting a bet on us to get another five, he's that convinced that we will be like a knife through butter. They are dreading their high line, their ineffective defence and they just hope to be able to match our midfield to make a game of it.

I think our biggest threat will be fackin nerves.

[Shaggy]

Simon Peach @SimonPeach
Adebayor a doubt for #THFC's trip to #LFC with a heel complaint. Walker, Lamela & Capoue out. Chiriches absent, but playing for U21s tonight