chrissivad
Staff
- May 20, 2005
- 51,646
- 58,072
- Staff
- #1
Tottenham Vs Blackpool
Barclays Premier League
Venue: White Hart Lane Date: Saturday, 7 May Kick-off: 1730 BST
Coverage: Watch live on ESPN and highlights on Match of the Day; listen on talkSPORT and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
For more on live coverage please visit Geez's Live Media Thread
2[ar]
Basement battlers Blackpool travel to UEFA Champions League chasing Tottenham in a crucial match as the end of the season approaches.
Spurs face an uphill struggle to sneak into fourth place, having dropped to sixth in the table behind Liverpool following their 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.
They trail Manchester City by seven points with four games remaining, including a trip to Eastlands on Tuesday that they will have to win to be in with a shout of usurping Roberto Mancini's team.
All this is likely to be in vain, however, if they fail to beat the Tangerines on Saturday at White Hart Lane, but their poor form going into the run-in may not make this game the home banker it would appear.
Harry Redknapp's team have won just one league game in eight, a run that started with a 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road in February.
Everything went against Spurs that night, with them somehow wasting a host of chances and being put to the sword by Ian Holloway's men who finished them off in clinical fashion.
Redknapp will be hoping there will be no repeats in this encounter, but he got no favours against Chelsea, with Frank Lampard's effort deemed to have crossed the line despite firm evidence to the contrary and Salomon Kalou's late goal looking suspiciously offside.
Since that victory in February, Holloway has seen his side pick up just three points, and it is their only win since the start of January.
Strain
The Seasiders appear to be showing signs of the mental strain as D-day looms, but they are unbeaten in their last two having drawn at home to Newcastle and Stoke.
Holloway clarified this week that he wants to stay at the club even if they are relegated, but after such a stunning start to life in the Premier League, he will be desperate to finish the job and keep his team up.
It looked a certainty that they would spend a second season in the top flight, but with the goals drying up and the defence leaking goals, they need a victory to keep their heads above water.
Team news
Spurs could be without Tom Huddlestone and Benoit Assou-Ekotto again after they sat out the match at Stamford Bridge, but Redknapp has no fresh injury concerns.
Midfielder Huddlestone is struggling with bruising on the ankle which went under the knife earlier this season, an operation which ruled him out for six months.
Left-back Assou-Ekotto was forced from the field in the early stages against West Brom the previous with a hamstring injury, so Vedran Corluka is likely to stay in his position.
Niko Kranjcar, Alan Hutton, Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Wilson Palacios all remain out.
Holloway has no new concerns for the match, with James Beattie now recovered from the illness that kept him out of the goalless draw with Stoke last weekend.
Holloway should be virtually full strength, with the only certain absentee being David Carney, whose season has been ended by a shoulder problem.
Possible starting XI:
2[ar]
Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone and defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto will both miss the visit of Blackpool due to injury.
Croatia international Vedran Corluka is unlikely to play after suffering a hamstring injury in last week's defeat by Chelsea.
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has no fresh injury concerns.
Striker James Beattie has recovered from the illness that kept him out of last week's draw against Stoke.
Tottenham
Doubtful: Corluka (hamstring)
Injured: Assou-Ekotto (hamstring), Huddlestone (ankle), Hutton & Palacios (both knee), Khumalo (foot), King (groin), Woodgate (calf)
Blackpool
Injured: Basham (broken leg), Carney (shoulder)
2[ar]
Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston said this week that he wants Ian Holloway to stay on as manager even if the club are relegated. With three games to go, including a trip to Manchester United on the final day of the season, Blackpool are just above the bottom three on goal difference and it is easy to understand why Oyston is contemplating a future outside of the top flight.
The Seasiders finished last season with a surge, winning six of their last eight Championship league games to clinch the final play-off spot. This season tells a very different story; Blackpool were ninth after beating Liverpool in January, but have won just once since.
That win was against Tottenham, who have also found victories hard to come by recently. Spurs went in to the Blackpool match in February in fourth place but a run of one win in eight games has all but ended their hopes of a Champions League spot next season.
Last week's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea was extremely unlucky though, given that Frank Lampard's equaliser did not cross the line. Spurs manager Harry Rednapp and Ian Holloway have both called for video technology to be introduced. "Let's get every decision right and we'll all be buzzing," Holloway said.
Head-to-head
• This is the 59th time these clubs have met. Tottenham lead by 30 wins to 14, with 14 draws.
• Blackpool are aiming to do the 'double' over Tottenham for the first time, having won 3-1 at Bloomfield Road in February.
Tottenham
• Tottenham have won just one of their last 11 matches in all competitions.
• Spurs have won only one of their last nine matches against promoted opposition.
• Only one team have beaten Spurs at White Hart Lane in the league this season - Wigan Athletic, back in August.
• If he plays, Jermain Defoe will be making his 200th league appearance for Tottenham.
Blackpool
• Blackpool are seeking a first victory in nine games. They have not won since beating Tottenham at home on 22 February.
• The Seasiders have picked up more points on their travels (18) than at home (17).
• Blackpool have conceded 70 goals this season - more than any Premier League club. Last week's clean sheet was their first of 2011.
• Keith Southern is set to make his 300th start for the club.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Tottenham:
Blackpool:
*Includes 1 goal (1 league) for Leicester
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Lee Probert
Assistant referees: Scott Ledger & Dean Mohareb
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
Please support Spurscommunity by buying from our affiliates.
[URL="http://www.amazon.co.uk/?tag=scforums-21&camp=1&creative=1&linkCode=ez"]
- Premier League. Spurs v Blackpool.
- Premier League. Man City v Spurs.
- Champions League. Outright Winner.
- CL Final. Barcelona v Man U. 90 Minutes.
- Premier League. Man U v Chelsea.
- Premier League. Fulham v Liverpool.
- Premier League. Everton v Man city
Links to live streams are not permitted.
Spurscommunity is not responsible for any links to live streams and all such links will be deleted.
Spurscommunity is not responsible for any links to live streams and all such links will be deleted.
