- Jul 27, 2004
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- Staff
- #1
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We are only 90 (maybe 120) minutes away from a wembley final. :grin: So for all you lucky people going tonight I want you all to sing at the top of our voices for the entire game and send the scum back down the road with their tale between their legs.
The Official Site Team News:
Steed Malbranque comes back into the reckoning for Tuesday night's Carling Cup semi-final, second leg against Arsenal at the Lane.
The midfielder was suspended for Saturday's 2-0 win against Sunderland after accumulating five yellow cards.
Darren Bent's knee problem is improving but he's not yet ready to return. "Darren's training again and worked well on Monday," reported coach Gus Poyet. "It was a medial ligament problem, so you have to be careful with the recovery. He's very close but not quite ready yet."
Longer-term injuries Gareth Bale (foot), Anthony Gardner (ankle) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) remain out.
Setanta Sports Preview:
North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham enter battle once more on Wednesday evening when they face off at Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.
The two sides have a tangled love (or hate) history in the competition having met each other at the same stage last season, when their two-legged encounter produced 210 minutes of scintillating action.
Julio Baptista comically got himself on the scoresheet three times at White Hart Lane despite the final score in the first leg being 2-2, and The Gunners proved too strong for Martin Jol’s side in the return leg at Emirates with Jeremie Aliadiere, now at Middlesbrough, and a Pascal Chimbonda own goal deciding the tie in extra time after goals from Tomas Rosicky and Mido had left it all square after 90 minutes.
Juande Ramos, while not personally seeking revenge, will be looking to guide his side to some sort of vengeance but everyone knows that Arsene Wenger’s side will provide more than a tough test for the Premier League flutterers.
Tottenham have the added incentive of having been duped twice in the league already this season by their arch-rivals.
The Gunners welcome Robin van Persie back into the fold following a muscle strain after a three-and-a-half week absence, and Theo Walcott is also fit and available for selection. Bacary Sagna and Gilberto have also been named in Wenger’s 16.
Ramos has a couple of injury worries, with Younes Kaboul (ankle) and Darren Bent (knee) doubtful.
Tom Huddlestone begins his three-match ban following his red card in Spurs’ FA Cup third round draw with Reading, and Didier Zokora is away on international duty with Ivory Coast.
Recent signing Chris Gunter is cup-tied having already featured for Cardiff in the competition this season, and Anthony Gardner (ankle), Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) all remain long-term injury victims.
Prediction: 3-2
BBC Match Squads (take with a pinch of salt):
Tottenham Squad (from): Cerny, Robinson, Chimbonda, Lee, Stalteri, Dawson, King, Kaboul, Rocha, Huddlestone, Malbranque, Jenas, Boateng, O'Hara, Tainio, Lennon, Berbatov, Defoe, Keane, Rose, Taarabt.
Arsenal Squad (from): Fabianski, J Hoyte, Gallas, Senderos, Traore, Diaby, Denilson, Gilberto, Eduardo, Walcott, Bendtner, Mannone, Sagna, Rosicky, Randall, Gibbs, Lansbury, G Hoyte.
Team:
Subs: Robinson, Huddlestone, Boateng, Defoe, O'Hara.
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Right, that's enough fuel for this fixture, don't forget to check [thread=25887]Geez's Media Coverage Thread[/thread] for watching and listening options.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
[SIZE=-4]Lots of information courtesy of the BBC and Setanta Sports[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-4]Don't forget to head over to SC's live chat during the game. For more info click the banner below.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=-4]Lots of information courtesy of the BBC and Setanta Sports[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-4]Don't forget to head over to SC's live chat during the game. For more info click the banner below.[/SIZE]
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