Tottenham v Burnley: Match Thread

[chrissivad]

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Tottenham v Burnley
Barclays Premier League
Venue: White Hart Lane Date: Saturday 26 September Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day





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Tottenham will hope to bounce back from a brace of Premier League defeats when they face Burnley on Saturday.

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Spurs made such a fantastic start to the season, winning their opening four games, that talk of a UEFA Champions League finish no longer seemed fanciful.
But expectations have been tempered by losses at home to Manchester United and away to Chelsea and they have already slipped back to sixth in the table.
Tottenham responded in style with a crushing 5-1 victory over Preston in the Carling Cup in midweek, a performance that raised a number of selection dilemmas for Harry Redknapp.
Peter Crouch scored a hat-trick at Deepdale and could keep his place alongside Jermain Defoe against the Clarets, with Robbie Keane dropping to the bench.
Heurelho Gomes also caught the eye with a number of fine saves after being given the chance to impress following injury and Redknapp must decide whether or not to restore Carlo Cudicini to the starting line-up.
While the Spurs manager has plenty of competition for places in goal and at up front, he has less available options in defence.
Michael Dawson returned from injury on Wednesday but Jonathan Woodgate has suffered a setback in his recovery from a groin problem, while Sebastien Bassong and Ledley King were forced off the field against Chelsea.
Bassong's injury turned out not to be as serious as initially feared but King is still struggling with a hamstring problem and is facing a short spell on the sidelines.
Burnley news

Burnley are just three points adrift of Tottenham after a fine start to their first Premier League campaign, although there has been a huge difference between their home and away form.
While the Clarets have won all three of their games at Turf Moor, they are yet to pick up a single point on the road, conceding nine goals and scoring none.
They will be desperate to put that right at White Hart Lane, where they lost 4-1 in the first leg of last season's Carling Cup before staging a thrilling but ultimately unsuccessful comeback in the second leg.
Burnley have already been knocked out of this season's Carling Cup, having been shocked 3-2 by Barnsley at Oakwell.
A bad night was made worse with the news that Martin Paterson would be out for three months after twisting his knee and later undergoing surgery.
Chris McCann will also miss a large chunk of the season with a knee problem but goalkeeper Brian Jensen could be in contention despite being substituted against Barnsley following a heavy collision.
David Nugent, ineligible for Burnley in the Carling Cup, is also back in the squad as he aims to build on his match-winning contribution against Sunderland last weekend.



PREDICTIONS:

Skysports.com prediction: 3-1

SKY BET odds: Spurs 4/11, Draw 7/2, Burnley 8/1

One to Watch: Peter Crouch

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BBC Preview


Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has selection headaches following his side's impressive win over Preston.
He may start Peter Crouch upfront and displace Carlo Cudicini with Heurelho Gomes in goal, while Sebastien Bassong could return in defence.
Burnley have been rocked by the news that Martin Paterson and Chris McCann are out with serious knee injuries.
The Clarets hope keeper Brian Jensen, who suffered a dead leg in midweek, will be fit to play at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham
Suspended: None Doubtful: Bassong (head and knee), Pavlyuchenko (Achilles)
Injured: Giovani (ankle), King (hamstring), Modric (broken leg), Woodgate (groin)
Burnley
Suspended: None Doubtful: Jensen (dead leg)
Injured: Caldwell (groin), McCann (knee), Paterson (knee)


MATCH PREVIEW

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Big boys Manchester United and Chelsea have taught Tottenham a lesson in recent weeks, but to seasoned followers of the Lilywhites it should come as no surprise that the results dry up once once the kids go back to school.
Saturday's match with Burnley marks the fourth anniversary of the last time Tottenham won a Premier League match in the month of September.



It is a bizarre record that Harry Redknapp's men will want to chalk off against Owen Coyle's Burnley, who remain pointless and goalless on the road.
The Clarets are following the well-trodden path of newly-promoted teams, turning their home ground into a fortress, yet finding Premier League away wins the most elusive of commodities.



Despite this, Redknapp is well aware that they cannot be taken lightly as the Spurs boss is probably still having nightmares at how close his side came to going out of last season's Carling Cup semi-final at Turf Moor, despite holding a 4-1 first-leg lead.

How Harry must wish that his side could play all their matches away from home on a Wednesday - in their midweek games on the road so far this season they have trounced Hull, Doncaster and Preston all by the same empathic scoreline of 5-1.

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MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Spurs and Burnley met in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup last season and both games saw five goals scored (second-leg after extra time).
• The last time they met in the league was in the second tier (old Division Two) in the 1978-79 season - Tottenham won 3-0 at White Hart Lane and Burnley prevailed 2-1 at Turf Moor.
• The overall record between the two sides is: 40 wins for Tottenham, 39 wins for Burnley and 24 draws.
Tottenham
• Spurs have gone eight league games without a clean sheet and Carlo Cudicini has been the busiest 'keeper in the Premier League this season, making 5.4 saves per game on average.
• This is only the sixth time in 18 Premier League seasons that Tottenham have conceded 10 or more goals in their opening six games.
• Tottenham's record of 12 goals after six games is their best in Premier League history.
Burnley
• Burnley have committed only 50 fouls so far this season - fewer than any other team.
• The Clarets haven't won a top-flight away game since beating Newcastle in April 1976.
• Burnley haven't won at White Hart Lane in the league since October 1974.




LEADING GOALSCORERS

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TottenhamDefoe: 6 goals (5 league); Crouch: 5 goals (1 league)

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Burnley
Fletcher: 3 goals (0 league) Nugent: 2 goals (2 league)

Referee: Mike Dean
Assistant referees: Ceri Richards & Simon Beck
Fourth official: Andrew Penn


2008/09 League Cup
Burnley 3-2 Tottenham, (21 January, 2009)
Burnley scorers: Blake 34, McCann 73, Rodriguez 88
Tottenham scorers: Pavlyuchenko 118, Defoe 120

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[chrissivad]

More stats, this time taken from COYS


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Taken from the dossier prepared for sky's commentators and studio guests. You will be able to tick them off as they tell you

. If Tyler is commentating no doubt he will get through them all

iro Spurs

·Lost their last 2 PL games – this after making a 100% start to the season – 4 wins out of 4.
·Not lost 3 successive PL games since the final 3 games under Juande Ramos, Sept-Oct 2008.
·This is their best PL start for 7 years, since taking 13 points from first 6 games in 2002-03. If they win today, it will be their best start for 18 years, since 1991-92.
·Only 3 teams in PL history have won opening 4 PL games and not finished in top 4 – last being Charlton in 2005-06.
·Had poor starts in previous 3 seasons – won 1 of opening 6 in 2006-07, 1 of 12 in 2007-08 and none of 8 last season.
·Their 6 PL games have produced 22 goals – averaging almost 4 per game. Won 5-1 in 3 different games.
·Not kept a clean sheet in last 10 games in all comps.
·8th last season – 3 places higher than in 2007-08. Were bottom of table on Jan 17 with 20 points from 21 games.
·Won 12 of their last 19 PL games.
·Won 26 of 50 games (18 of 36 PL) since Harry Redknapp replaced Juande Ramos in Oct 2008.
·3-1 defeat v Man Utd on Sept 12 ended a run of 8 successive PL wins at White Hart Lane – their best run for 22 years. It was also their first defeat in 18 home games in all comps.
·Not lost back-to-back home PL games since 3 straight defeats, May-Sept 2008.
·Last 7 home PL wins have been by the odd goal.
·Lost just 2 of last 24 home games in all comps.
·Best home defence in PL last season – conceded 10 goals – a club record.
·Won 4 of their 5 away games in all comps this season. Three of those 5 wins have been 5-1.
·Won just 4 of last 14 PL games on the road.
·Jermain Defoe has scored 9 goals in 10 games for club & country this season – 6 in 6 for Tottenham. Scored 10 goals in 17 apps since returning to the club in January.
·Peter Crouch has scored 5 goals in his last 5 apps for the club, including a hat-trick at Preston on Wednesday.
·Defoe & Crouch scored 18 of Portsmouth’s 38 PL goals between them last season.
·Roman Pavlyuchenko has played just 11 minutes of PL football this season. Scored just 2 goals in his last 20 PL apps. Out recently with an Achilles injury.
·Robbie Keane is 1 goal short of scoring 50 PL goals for the club at White Hart Lane. Scored 7 goals in 21 apps since returning to Spurs.

Key stats iro Burnley

·Lost all 3 PL games on the road this season – scored none, conceded 9. Worst away defence in PL.
·Only side in the country without an away League goal this season.
·Without a win in last 6 away League games, losing 4. Last away win in top flight was 1-0 at Newcastle in April 1976.
·Kept just 1 clean sheet in last 25 League games on the road.

Head to head

·Met in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup last season. Tottenham won 4-1 at home in the first leg but Burnley went 3-0 up in the return leg and were 2 minutes away from reaching the final in extra-time before Roman Pavlyuchenko & Jermain Defoe secured Tottenham’s 6-4 aggregate win.
·Last 7 meetings have come in the League Cup – 3 wins each.
·First League meeting for 31 years, since Burnley won 2-1 in an old Div 2 game at Turf Moor, April 1978. Kate Bush was at number 1 in the charts with Wuthering Heights.
·First top flight meeting for 33 years, since Tottenham won 2-1 at Turf Moor, March 1976. Tina Charles was at number 1 in the charts with I Love To Love.
·Burnley’s last top flight win was 3-2 at Turf Moor in April 1975. Bay City Rollers were at number 1 with Bye Bye Baby.
·Tottenham have won 7 of the last 9 League games at White Hart Lane.
·Burnley’s last League win at White Hart Lane was 3-2 in a top flight game, Oct 1974 – the same month the Rumble in the Jungle took place, Muhammed Ali knocked out George Foreman in 8 rounds. Carl Douglas was at number 1 in the charts with Kung Fu Fighting.

iro the ref

Referee: Mike Dean. In 3 PL games this season, he has shown 18 yellow cards. Sent-off Benoit Assou-Ekotto in Tottenham’s 2-1 PL win at Man City, Nov 2008.

 

[Delboy10]

coyfs!!

 

[hellava_tough]

I would imagine this will be a tough game for us. An early goal would do wonders for our confidence, but if we do get an early lead we can't sit on it - we need to finish off the opposition in the first half.

That said, I think we'll win this one 3-1

 

[Coyboy]

I have missed Saturday 3pm games at the Lane. That said, I do like the tea time games-allows you to have a few more before and still go out. I am hoping this will be our first clean sheet today but it will be tough.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

After our good start, everyone goes on about how Man U and Chelsea were the real test of how far we've come. Bollocks to that, those are games that greater teams than us will lose this season, teams with first XI's worth over £200m, teams who have won countless trophies, domestically and in Europe. At the end of the day, we have 12 points from 6 matchs, that's 2 points a game, with fixtures than included last seasons top 3 sides.

Today is far more of a test of how far we've come. We've just lost twice, and are expected by all to bounce back today against an unfashionable side who have just come up. In the past this is the sort of game where our players would show up with some misguided superiority complex and expect to win without even trying. Whoever is in todays line up, from number 1 to number 11, I want to see them treating Burnley with respect, running their hearts out and focusing on everything they do.

I want Defoe to drop back and put the ball out to the flanks just as he did the other day v Burnley. I want to see Jenas picking the ball up, running at the defence and taking shots just as he did when he came on v Man Utd. I want Crouch giving us the same mix of brain and brawn that he's given us so far. I want to see Gomes, at least one of Kranjcar and Bale, and a starting forward line of Crouch and Defoe. However, whoever we put out should have their wits about them, be determined and make sure that we get the right result.

Even with a poor performance we might win, and we could be unfortunate and lose even with a great showing, so while the win at the end is what I ultimately want, today I am far more interested in seeing the players roll their socks up, take no prisoners and perform to their utmost ability. If they do that, the result should hopefully follow.

I am also looking for bravery from the manager today. I've got mainly praise for Redknapp, but I will be upset to see Keane on the left, or a Keane and Defoe strikeline. I want him to either drop his captain, or his top goalscorer. I'd hope that Defoe wouldn't be dropped, but I'd accept the decision more than I'd accept Keane on the left or Crouch being left out.

On top of that, I don't want to see Huddlestone, Jenas and Palacios all in midfield. Yes, we should respect the opposition, but not to the extent that we sacrifice our system. We won our first four matches, and both league cup games for that matter, with creativity on the flanks. Lennon and Modric, Bentley and Giovani, Bentley and Lennon. We have Kranjcar waiting patiently, we have Bale with probably our sweetest cross (useful with Crouch up top), if he's fit there's even Giovani. Much as I don't think he's deserving at present, there's even the option of putting Bentley on the right and Lennon on the left. I'd take all of these above either Keane on the left, or three central midfielders.

Then there's the centre of defence. I know Dawson is only just fit, while Bassong has been in the wars, but I'd rather see them together than see Corluka moved central (worsening him) and Hutton (on his current form) put at right back. If either Dawson or Bassong are unable to play then I'd actually prefer to keep Corluka at right back and put Hudd in, because at least that way we are only weakening at centre back instead of both centre back and right back.

Like I said, I expect some bold decisions from the manager today. He has the chance to do it, because we've just lost two matches so he has the excuse ready made. More than that though, I expect whatever team is put out to show us that our hopes of a high finish after game 4 were justified.

 

[milkman]

COYS!


Great match thread Chrissivad! It's developed quite a lot from last season, I took it forward a bit but you've made it fantastic!

I'd rep you if I could. :up:

 

[met was god]

Legin - Hope 'arry reads that, as it is spot on.

 

[markie]

I'm optimistic about todays game. I have the feeling that we will do a lot to win this one.
I hope Harry plays Kranjcar and that we have two fit (Actual) CB's.. Other than that I think we should play Defoe and Keane with a proper cameo from crouch.

COYS..

4-1 prediction. Keane, Defoe, Hudd, Dawson

 

[werty]

I think we will win this game easily enough. If we score early we could hammer them. If we don't score early, then the players, and especially the fans, will have to be patient. But we should have too much for them in the end.

As for the team, I'd probably start Crouch and Defoe. Both are in form and I think Crouch's height will be more effective than Keane's link up play because Burnley will pack the middle of the pitch, especially while it's 0-0. Hopefully Keane isn't picked left midfield, and I'd like to see Bale play there to supply the crosses for Crouch. I wouldn't mind seeing Bentley start right and Lennon on the left either, but I'm probably alone in thinking that. Would like to see Jenas start ahead of Hudd too. Other than that, the team picks itself.

COME ON YOU SPURS!

 

[chrissivad]

Spurs to Win 2-1, whats the odds?


So far our wins this season have gone:

Games that we have won so far:

2 - 1
1 - 5
1 - 2
1 - 5
2 - 1
1 - 5

 

[Welshiespursboyo]

Spurs to win 2-0

Crouch and Lennon

 

[jimtheyid]

Team I want to see

Gomes
Charlie Bassong Daws BAE
Lennon Jenas Palacios Bale
Crouch Defoe

Team Harry will probably play

Cudicini
Charlie Bassong Daws BAE
Lennon Jenas Palacios Keane

Crouch Defoe

 

[RussellYid]

Hate to spam a thread, but surely Chrissivad is the best SC'er around at the moment?

Great stuff mate! :up:

 

[TheChosenOne]

Good work again Chris

I'll take a win, any win = but a clean sheet would a bonus 'cos we need to boost that GD column.

Come on you Lilywhites !

 

[chrissivad]

Cudicini
Corluka, huddlestone, Bassong, BAE
Lennon Jenas Palacios, Kranjcar
Keane, Defoe!

Subs
Gomes,
Hutton, Bale, Dawson,
Naughton Bentley
Crouch

 

[werty]

Keane and Defoe up front. Hudd centre back. Kranjcar starting left mid

 

[werty]

Just realised no Gomes either! Not so confident now, but I still think we'll win

 

[ohnters]

Cudicini; Corluka, Huddlestone, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Jenas, Palacios, Kranjcar; Keane, Defoe. SUBSTITUTES - Gomes, Hutton, Bale, Dawson, Naughton, Bentley, Crouch.

 

[Kyras]

Glad to see Niko on the left, Crouch deserves a start but not complaining about Keane and Defoe.