****OMT- TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS Chelski**********

[ArcspacE]

Not sure what the odds are on Lampard scoring his super-dooper-Skyfest record breaking goal but I think it's NAILED ON to be against us - the true Spurs way

 

[Mumorn]

We didn't have Bale, Adebayor, Lloris or Dembele at The Lane and a midfield two of Sandro/Hudd I believe and they KILLED us for the first 45 minutes. We woke up for about 15 minutes of the second half but I think Gallas' early goal just sort of took them back a bit which allowed us to get the second, even at 2-1 up though I knew we weren't going to win with what we had at our disposal. Lennon was on FIRE that day though and needed to be.

I don't think it's IMPOSSIBLE to win there, even if we are without our best central midfield partnership. I mean Bale has shown he is capable of the spectacular. We have shown we are capable of defending REALLY well against the top guys (Arsenal at home, Man Utd at home and away etc), I'm defintiely worried about our high line, especially when they have players like Oscar, Hazard and Mata who can thread a ball through the eye of a needle.

If it's 0-0 at half time, my confidence will grow even more to be fair, then it's anyone's game (obviously). I hope our support is fudging brilliant because that will really spur the players on. I really hope Lennon is back though, he gave Cole a torrid time at The Lane and don't see why he can't do the same this time round, plus his helping out in defence down a left hand side which could involve Hazard will be crucial.

 

[braineclipse]

We will suffer without Mousa for sure just as we did at WHL when we played them.

Chelsea have lost to Man Utd, Swansea in the cup and QPR at home.

Against Utd they were down to 9 men. Against Swansea and QPR they were absolutely dominant but were done by sucker punches and mistakes.

We shouldn't feel too disheartened if we are under the cosh a fair bit tomorrow, but I would feel better about that if we were not so fragile when teams do attack us. It's going to need to be one of our most disciplined performance ever, up there with the 1-0 in the san siro. We have so many reason to want revenge here. The players have to show us just how much it hurt to miss out last year. This is a PERFECT stage to gain that much sought after revenge on a team which cost us CL and humiliated us in the FA Cup semi with a match swinging phantom goal.

I think we need to try and match them up as best we can. If we leave them to overrun our midfield I think we could get battered. Discipline is so key, especially when we have a match winner in Bale, who like last Saturday may look like he is ineffective and then BANG!

There's hope, the longer the game goes on at 0-0. I think if it becomes an open game we'll be in trouble.

I agree fully. Was thinking earlier that if it's still 0-0 after 70 minutes we would have done well. Not to say we should just sit back, but we need to keep it tight at the back and flood the midfield.

Hudd, Parker and Holtby as the central 3 for me if injury speculations are right. Perhaps Bale and Sig on the flanks, Lennon to be an impact player as he doesn't look 100%. Coinflip for Ade and Defoe.

 

[Mumorn]

Not sure what the odds are on Lampard scoring his super-dooper-Skyfest record breaking goal but I think it's NAILED ON to be against us - the true Spurs way

Lampard 1st scorer: 15/2
Lampard anytime: 2/1
Lampard 2 or more: 14/1

 

[diego_maradona]

I agree fully. Was thinking earlier that if it's still 0-0 after 70 minutes we would have done well. Not to say we should just sit back, but we need to keep it tight at the back and flood the midfield.

Hudd, Parker and Holtby as the central 3 for me if injury speculations are right. Perhaps Bale and Sig on the flanks, Lennon to be an impact player as he doesn't look 100%. Coinflip for Ade and Defoe.

I like the idea of Siggy playing this one. I just got a feeling about him tomorrow. Also as much as I love Benny, I too can see the merit of playing Vertonghen at LB for this although he wasn't great v Chelsea in the same position at home... hmmm. I do think Benny tends to raise his game for the big ones.

-------------------------Lloris----------------------------
Walker------Dawson-------Vertonghen----------Ekotto
-----------Huddlestone-----Parker----------------------
-----Lennon---------Bale----------------Siggy----------
----------------------Adebayor--------------------------

It's a tough one. Not sure if the 3 man midfield would be better. Tough choice for AVB.

 

[braineclipse]

I like the idea of Siggy playing this one. I just got a feeling about him tomorrow. Also as much as I love Benny, I too can see the merit of playing Vertonghen at LB for this although he wasn't great v Chelsea in the same position at home... hmmm. I do think Benny tends to raise his game for the big ones.

-------------------------Lloris----------------------------
Walker------Dawson-------Vertonghen----------Ekotto
-----------Huddlestone-----Parker----------------------
-----Lennon---------Bale----------------Siggy----------
----------------------Adebayor--------------------------

It's a tough one. Not sure if the 3 man midfield would be better. Tough choice for AVB.

Ekotto has been far from his best recently, but moving Vertonghen out of the centre for this one should be a no no in my opinion. Would also mean bringing in Caulker who hasn't started in a long time. Nauhgton has been shaky and is at a disadvantage being right footed, he's also seemed a bit nervous in some games this season and I'm not sure he's ready to start this one. Ekotto for me, despite not being in form, is the best choice.

We really need to get men into the central midfield battle, I love Bale, but he's not going to help out Parker and Huddlestone much from that role. Holtby will run around until the earth stops moving and will allow us to keep it tight. For me at least it's a pretty obvious time to for for the 4-3-3.

Tough choice between an out of form Lennon and Siggy. Could go either way.

 

[spurspinter1]

-------------------------Lloris----------------------------
Walker------Dawson-------Vertonghen----------Ekotto
-----------Huddlestone-----Parker----------------------
-----Lennon---------Bale----------------Siggy----------
----------------------Adebayor--------------------------

.

If Dembele's out and Parker's fit that'd my team of choice most certainly

 

[billyiddo]

any word on Dembele?

 

[ArcspacE]

Lampard 1st scorer: 15/2
Lampard anytime: 2/1
Lampard 2 or more: 14/1

Money on option 2 - NAILED ON

 

[Rorschach]

I'd go with three in the middle to try stop the little midgets runnings rings around us. Hudd - Parker - Holby maybe.

What we could do with do with tomorrow is a some luck. Chelsea have had the devil's luck for so long now that I almost expect something goes for them in every game they play. I'll be disappointed if we lose, sure, but if we get fudged by fate again it will be very hard to take.

 

[diego_maradona]

Ekotto has been far from his best recently, but moving Vertonghen out of the centre for this one should be a no no in my opinion. Would also mean bringing in Caulker who hasn't started in a long time. Nauhgton has been shaky and is at a disadvantage being right footed, he's also seemed a bit nervous in some games this season and I'm not sure he's ready to start this one. Ekotto for me, despite not being in form, is the best choice.

We really need to get men into the central midfield battle, I love Bale, but he's not going to help out Parker and Huddlestone much from that role. Holtby will run around until the earth stops moving and will allow us to keep it tight. For me at least it's a pretty obvious time to for for the 4-3-3.

Tough choice between an out of form Lennon and Siggy. Could go either way.

Good point about Holtby and the midfield. I just feel Chelsea have so much talent in that midfield it'd difficult to suppress. I could see him thinking about Naughton unfortunately as he'll be up against a player who likes to go inside.

Ramires is such an athlete. I just really hope Bale is more than in the mood and just finds space. Azza too. fudge I'm nervous now.

 

[Mumorn]

I just wonder if Ekottos poor form has coincided with Bale moving from left wing, I thought them two always linked up well.

 

[braineclipse]

Good point about Holtby and the midfield. I just feel Chelsea have so much talent in that midfield it'd difficult to suppress. I could see him thinking about Naughton unfortunately as he'll be up against a player who likes to go inside.

Ramires is such an athlete. I just really hope Bale is more than in the mood and just finds space. Azza too. fudge I'm nervous now.

Difficult to suppress, but all the more important that we try our best and that we don't leave too much space for them to exploit centrally.

I hope Hazard is still injured at least...

Bale doesn't have to be in the mood, he just needs that one moment with a bit of space to exploit Or three moments for the hat trick

I'm getting nervous too mate, not going to be easy that's for sure. I take some comfort in how we've performed against big teams this season and how we've performed away from home this season though.

 

[Jordinho]

Put Ramires on Bale and have him channel his runs into Luiz and we're good. Dembele is doubtful for the game which is a big boost. I think Defoe/Lennon too? Can't remember which right now.

Spurs have been really really bad lately. We should knock them over by a couple of goals if we play to our standards.

I think the best thing will be to avoid papers/radio for the next three days. The obsequious bigging up of Gareth Bale before this game is going to be positively nauseating. I fully expect endless BBC interviews with old Spurs players from Argentina and Tyneside telling us how Bale is already "a legend" at the club who represent the "spirit of English Football". Then it will be David Pleat telling us Gareth Bale is not only the world's greatest player but that Spurs is exactly the kind of club that can live up to his ambitions. Frankly, you might as well bet on the Welsh national team for the World Cup. So it goes.

I'd be gobsmacked if they have it in them to come and win away to us in the crunch time part of the season. They're bottlers and an inferior team, we'll win.

I was confident about winning at United until our line-up was released minus Hazard etc. and my faith wobbled a touch. Unnecessarily, in hindsight.

But even that confidence was nothing compared to what I have regarding this Spurs game. We are going to smash them.

Spurs will have a stronger team out than United did today that's for sure. I think home advantage and the pressure they are under to win will be too much for them. Even if they win top four still won't be in their hands, psychologically that's huge.

It will be in their hands though.

1. Run of wins inspires confidence

2. The importance of the game will bring out the best in our players (our biggest problem this season having been a failure to turn up for the "routine" games)

3. It's at Stamford Bridge

4. We will probably have a full squad to pick from, minus Mikel and Romeu

5. The following game is Aston Villa which, while not a given, is at least not a game to which either the players or Benitez will be keeping "one eye on" during their performance or team selection respectively

6. It's Chelsea versus Spurs, do I need an excuse to be confident?

Haha great post! Chelsea step up when it comes to the big games. Plus Spurs have looked pretty weak in the games I've seen of them recently. They were brick against Wigan and not much better against Southampton.

Keep the annoying Chimp quiet and Chelsea should have too much for them.

Just read an interview from AVB and they mentioned what type of reaction he will get on Wednesday from the crowd. What do you think? Indifference is my bet.

AVB who?

Psychologically easier game for them. They have no choice but to try and win.

A draw would be a good result for us, so do we attack them from the start or let them come at us and counter attack? I wouldn't be surprised if we don't wake up until going one behind.

We have had a couple of games now without major decisions going the wrong way, and it can be seen by the results. Let's hope for another decent performance from the refs. (Webb didn't give us anything first half but the linesman was pretty generous. In the second half he discovered there was another team than the red one he could give free kicks to. Correct sending off btw, wouldn't have given it without the linesman though I think.)

All this talk about bale doing this and that, yet they have got to deal with Mata and Hazard, plus Oscar, Luiz, Moses, Ba depending on who is selected.

Hazard fit for tomorrow, Mikel + Bertrand probably out, Romeu could make a return to the bench.

.

 

[Mumorn]

I remember the 0-0 at the Bridge at the back end of last year, how we didn't win that one I'll never know, we hit the post, VDV missed a chance on the line, Adebayor had a shot cleared by someone off the line too if I remember correctly.

 

[diego_maradona]

I remember the 0-0 at the Bridge at the back end of last year, how we didn't win that one I'll never know, we hit the post, VDV missed a chance on the line, Adebayor had a shot cleared by someone off the line too if I remember correctly.

We had a very good side last season when I look back.

 

[paxtonwolf]

Lampard 1st scorer: 15/2
Lampard anytime: 2/1
Lampard 2 or more: 14/1

Lamp on this (see what I did there?). Guaranteed banker they will get a penalty tomorrow night. their players will go down at the first oppurtunity when in the box.

What is it this season? 17 penalties to 1

 

[Jordinho]

Andre: "This is a game against a team fighting for the same objectives and it’s a fixture that can put destiny in our hands. It’s more than a difficult game, it’s a wonderful opportunity. Everyone is very motivated to achieving the result and we go there with that ambition. Chelsea arrive at this game having beaten United, with great quality. It’s a challenge but as I said, a chance to show our level. Mousa and Aaron will be selected (in the squad), whether or not they will be available is something we prefer to hold onto. Jake Livermore has recovered but we still have Sandro, William Gallas and Younes Kaboul out."

 

[Mumorn]

We had a very good side last season when I look back.

We did, and Chelsea are stronger this year.

Plus di Matteo didn't give a fudge about the league last year, he focused all his attention on the FA Cup and Champions League and won both.

 

[braineclipse]

Andre: "This is a game against a team fighting for the same objectives and it’s a fixture that can put destiny in our hands. It’s more than a difficult game, it’s a wonderful opportunity. Everyone is very motivated to achieving the result and we go there with that ambition. Chelsea arrive at this game having beaten United, with great quality. It’s a challenge but as I said, a chance to show our level. Mousa and Aaron will be selected (in the squad), whether or not they will be available is something we prefer to hold onto. Jake Livermore has recovered but we still have Sandro, William Gallas and Younes Kaboul out."

Some hope of Dembele being fit then, would be a massive boost.