*** SPURS v MAN CITY *** Official Match Thread

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We go into this Sundays match with an excellent record recently against Man City but, my pessimistic side is saying that all that means is that City are due a result. Shaking off the pessimism for a second my heart still says we win but, my head just can't see past our defense conceding at least 2 so a 3-2 win for me.


The Official Site Team News:

Gus Poyet reports that Pascal Chimbonda and Young-Pyo Lee should be fit to face Manchester City at the Lane on Sunday.

The defensive duo were injury concerns after Thursday night's UEFA Cup draw against Anderlecht.

Young-Pyo was stretchered off 10 minutes from time after a clash of heads while Pascal was helped off the pitch by medical staff after picking up a late knee injury.

"Pascal had a knock to the knee, nothing too serious and we expect them both to be okay for Sunday," said first team coach Gus on Friday afternoon.

Robbie Keane will have to sit it out as he serves the first of his three-match suspension following his dismissal against Birmingham.

Gareth Bale (foot), Anthony Gardner (ankle) and Benoit Asou-Ekotto (knee) remain out.

Skysports.com Preview:

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to put their worst ever start to a Premier League season behind them as they host Manchester City at White Hart Lane.

Spurs have recorded just two league victories all season, while City have enjoyed a terrific start to the 2007/2008 campaign and are chasing a 10th victory.

Juande Ramos would be over the moon if his side can keep a clean sheet on Sunday - Tottenham's defence has been frail to say the least.

Plight

To highlight Ramos' plight; Spurs have dropped more points (19) from winning positions than any other team this season.

The Spaniard can take heart from City's woeful away record though, as Sven Goran Eriksson's men have won fewer away games (one) than any other team in the top half of the table.

Anthony Gardner (ankle), Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) all missed Thursday's 1-1 draw against Anderlecht which saw Spurs qualify for the last 32 of the Uefa Cup.

Elano

Ramos will leave it late to see if the trio are available, while Sunday's game comes too soon for Ledley King and Ricardo Rocha.

Pascal Chimbonda and Young-Pyo Lee picked up knocks during the encounter against Anderlecht and face late fitness tests.

Furthermore, Robbie Keane is suspended meaning summer signing Darren Bent should partner Dimitar Berbatov up front.

City are likely to be without Brazilian schemer Elano (hamstring) for the trip to North London and have midfielder Dietmar Hamann unavailable (suspended).

They will, however, be boosted by the return of England U21 midfielder Michael Johnson after his recovery from a groin injury.

Also in contention are strikers Darius Vassell and Emile Mpenza.

skysports.com prediction: Spurs 2 Man City 1

BBC Match Squads (take with a pinch of salt):

Tottenham Squad (from): Robinson, Cerny, Chimbonda, Lee, Stalteri, Dawson, Kaboul, Zokora, Jenas, Huddlestone, Malbranque, Lennon, Bent, Berbatov, Defoe, Tainio, Boateng, Taarabt.

Man City Squad (from): Isaksson, Hart, Corluka, Sun, Dunne, Richards, Garrido, Ball, Ireland, Johnson, Geovanni, Fernandes, Elano, Petrov, Mpenza, Bianchi, Vassell, Samaras.

Interesting Stats:

Having qualified for the knock out stages of the Uefa Cup, we now prepare to meet Manchester City in a dress rehearsal for the Carling Cup quarter-final nine days later.

We have made their worst ever start to a Premier League season, and have gained only two wins to date; Manchester City have made their best start and are chasing a 10th victory.

We have scored seven more goals than City but find themselves in the bottom five, while our opponents are in the top five.

We are yet to beat a top half club this season; the Citizens are yet to lose to a bottom half side.

We have won their last six Premier League matches against Manchester City and are unbeaten in eight. Last season's corresponding fixture was their last game of the campaign when we needed a point to secure Uefa Cup football, and in the event took all three to finish fifth.

Lineup:

Subs: Cerny, Tainio, Boateng, Defoe, O'Hara

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Right, that's enough fuel for this fixture, don't forget to check [thread=23981]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 SkySports[/SIZE]


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[sammyboyspurs]

the way we are at the moment this has got a City win written all over it ... (even tho they are pants away ) ..

we are always someone's stat ...

 

[SpurSince57]

We've lost just twice to City in the league since the Premier League started, once at home and once away. Not that one should read too much into that after last weekend's debacle. Good omen is that nineteen years ago to the day we beat Blackburn 2-1 away in the then Worthington Cup after a pretty abysmal league run.

I think we can do this.

 

[joey55]

They are without their main creative threat (Elano) and the player who is the heartbeat of their team (Hamman). They are poor away. We should win this one. Even half the City fans are expecting to lose:

http://smf.citymancs.com/forum/index.php?topic=7487.0

 

[gooch]

there is no doubt we can win this and should win and would normally win...but i just dont know. we tore birmingham apart and lost and had the worst luck. anything can happen. if berbatov scores we win!

 

[rem01]

The SkySports preview seems to suggest that Ramos "will leave it late to see if the trio are available," with "the trio" seeming to be Gardner, Bale, and BAE. That's clearly not true - BAE's out for the rest of the season. I can't imagine Gardner's closer to a return than King or Rocha, or we would have heard something about it. Anyone know anything about his timeline, or Bale's?

 

[Class1987]

We will win this one and with a clean sheet too. We will dominate the game and Berbatov will score a brace. City have been poor and never looked threatening away from home all season.

Come on people!!! We are the mighty Spurs and long overdue of a good run and this game is the start of a 10-game unbeaten streak. Mark my words.

 

[white_knights]

tough game for spurs..i guess defeat

 

[Black]

Hope Tarrab plays

 

[yusrisafri]

We lost to Birmingham at home......and this is Man City.

 

[SpurSince57]

On the other hand, after a poor run in autumn 2004 we suddenly clicked and took 20 from eight (and it would have been 22 had it not been for a blind ref and linesman). We are Spurs. Anything is possible.

 

[Hoowl]

They are without their main creative threat (Elano) and the player who is the heartbeat of their team (Hamman). They are poor away. We should win this one. Even half the City fans are expecting to lose:

http://smf.citymancs.com/forum/index.php?topic=7487.0

Thanks Joey, that makes me feel a lot more confident about today

 

[DC_Boy]

So much depends of course on our defensive line up

time and again I think it's obvious play Salty at RB and Chimbonda in the middle - but for whatever reason (and for sure he knows a hell of a lot more than me) JR doesn't seem to rate PS -

There's a lot to be said for playing Zoko in a back 4 - but assuming City have the capability of playing two strikers decent in the air we'd be in trouble - even one can give us grief by targeting Zoko - unles we really get our act together.

There's a part of me that thinks we should risk RR at RB - but again what do I know? very little on these matters -

It's all a mess - and while we have plenty going forward - our sorry defence makes everything a lottery -

Here's hoping JR can solve it - and in the long run the powers that be never make such an almighty mess of our transfer policy again (yes we have been unlucky with injuries - but TG & Leds are famous for being injury-prone)

We needed experienced cover

I remember suggesting picking up Jagielka when he was on a free/low price - oh no the sages told me and others who felt the same - he won't take us top 4 - well maybe he wouldn't - but he's sure been helpful to Everton who are doing a lot better than us - and his versatility sure would have been helpful to us.

I guarantee that if there'd had been web boards when Mabbsy signed for us - there's had been all sorts of sages saying what do we want with him - a versatile journeyman from Bristol Rovers - doesn't have a best position etc

Of course Mabbsy was a better player than Jagielka - but he sure wasn't any superstar when we bought him - and he sure is a club legend now

I saw his debut BTW - played up front scored 2 and we beat Notts Forest (from memory)

 

[camaj]

We will win this one and with a clean sheet too.

Kids, don't do drugs.

Hope Tarrab plays

I hope Tainio plays, we need a fighter

 

[SpurSince57]

So much depends of course on our defensive line up

time and again I think it's obvious play Salty at RB and Chimbonda in the middle - but for whatever reason (and for sure he knows a hell of a lot more than me) JR doesn't seem to rate PS -

There's a lot to be said for playing Zoko in a back 4 - but assuming City have the capability of playing two strikers decent in the air we'd be in trouble - even one can give us grief by targeting Zoko - unles we really get our act together.)

City's strikers are still complete rubbish. Any City supporter will be only too happy to give you chapter and verse on this. Between the five of them they've scored three goals all season. This is actually even worse than last season.

 

[chrissivad]

The SkySports preview seems to suggest that Ramos "will leave it late to see if the trio are available," with "the trio" seeming to be Gardner, Bale, and BAE. That's clearly not true - BAE's out for the rest of the season. I can't imagine Gardner's closer to a return than King or Rocha, or we would have heard something about it. Anyone know anything about his timeline, or Bale's?

For diffrent ITK's ir ranges from a month to 6 months :|

not heard anything official though.


Im getting pissed off with the defeatist attatuede that is around. We might not be at our best, but i will never write us off like i have seen many do to us before games already.

 

[Class1987]

Kids, don't do drugs.

Our odds from a betting shop to win are 2 to 1 while City 4 to 1. If you're scared of losing so much, why don't you go support those top four? :shrug:

Have you seen City playing away from home? They have been so ordinary. Our attacking plays should earn us a few goals, and cutting out individual mistakes we should do ok defensively. I'd like to see Kaboul start and show what he's made of. He's a confident lad and technically better than any of our CDs. I'm sure he will come good in the near future.

I'd say 2-0 to Spurs. :beer:

 

[Class1987]

Im getting pissed off with the defeatist attatuede that is around. We might not be at our best, but i will never write us off like i have seen many do to us before games already.

Cheers to you!!! :clap: Enough of pessimism. All we need now is cutting out those individual mistakes and we should be fine.

 

[spurdownunder]

Anyone know of a pub showing the match live?

COYS - we can win this. Hopefully Berbs and Bent are firing.

 

[chileanspursfan]

we will win, ledley will bounce back and this is going to be the inflection point of the season. berbatov man of the match and dedicating one goal to ramos.