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· Away fans! Find a hotel near the ground here!
· Last Year's Game - 1-0 to Spurs
· Last Year's Spursometer - 72%
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 18 2004-5
· Spurs beat Southampton 5-1
· Birmingham beat West Brom 4-0
Full Record of Spurs -v- Birmingham City
Premier Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 3 3 0 0 7 - 2 9
Away 3 0 2 1 2 - 3 2
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Total (Prem) 6 3 2 1 9 - 5 11
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1) 28 20 4 4 63 -22 47
Away (Div 1) 28 10 4 14 31 -39 25
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Total (Div 1) 56 30 8 18 94 -61 72
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Football Lge
Home (Div 2) 4 1 1 2 6 - 4 3
Away (Div 2) 4 1 2 1 4 - 4 4
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Total(Div 2) 8 2 3 3 10 - 8 7
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Total (Prem) 6 3 2 1 9 - 5 11
Total(Div 1) 56 30 8 18 94 -61 72
Total(Div 2) 8 2 3 3 10 - 8 7
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Grand Total 70 35 13 22 113 -74 90
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Last Six Premiership results:-
Spurs
Bolton 1-0 Spurs
Spurs 1-1 West Ham
Wigan 1-2 Spurs
Spurs 3-2 S'derland
Spurs 3-1 P'tsmouth
M'brough 3-3 Spurs
Birmingham
B'mingham 0-1 Everton
Newcastle 1-0 B'mingham
S'derland 0-1 B'mingham
B'mingham 1-2 West Ham
B'mingham 1-0 Fulham
Man City 4-1 B'mingham
Pos P W D L F -A GD Pts
4 Spurs 17 8 7 2 25-16 9 31
19 B'mingham 15 3 3 9 10-19 -9 12
Since winning promotion three years ago, Birmingham have managed respectable finishes in 13th, 10th and 12th place respectively. Most people, especially their own fans, will have expected a similar mid-table position for Steve Bruce's side this term, but those fans have been lucky to see even a goal, let alone a home win, as the Blues have managed one solitary Premiership win at St. Andrews, and that by just one goal, over Fulham. Birmingham's two away wins have come by one goal margins at West Brom and Sunderland. The Brummies had a disastrous run of five consecutive defeats, with not a goal scored between October 2nd and November 5th.
Steve Bruce has been prompted to make highly derogatory comments about the performances by his team, not least their last league game - a 4-1 thrashing at Manchester City, aided by goals from Bruce's ex team-mate at Old Trafford - Andy Cole. No wonder Bruce's own fans took exception to their manager acknowledging the demands of Man Utd fans for a wave in Tuesday night's Carling Cup defeat.
It is hard to put a finger on any clear reason for Birmingham's loss of form. In theory, the squad is as good, if not improved from last season. They now have Chelsea's Jiri Jarosik on loan (who shares top goal-scoring honours). Mikael Forssell does seem to have lost his form, since making his move from Chelsea to Birmingham permanent. David Dunn missed the early part of the season through injury, and right back Melchiot is out injured. Nicky Butt does not seem to have the impact of a few years ago.
Nico Vaesen was given a go in favour of Maik Taylor at The City of Manchester Stadium, but got sent off, so Taylor will return for this game. Muzzy Izzet has been a big miss for the St. Andrews side, and there is no date for his return as yet.
We last played Birmingham at home in August 2004, and won 1-0 thanks to a 35th minute goal by Jermain Defoe, who may yet be fit for Christmas week, despite the rumours to the contrary earlier this week. Teemu Tainio, Wayne Routledge and Aaron Lennon are also expected to be fit for selection this week. Andy Reid will be absent till the New Year, but Martin Jol still has plenty of choices available in a stiff programme of three games in 6 days, which will probably demand some rotation. I expect to see Stephen Kelly play against either Birmingham or West Brom, judging by his excellent performance in the Reserves last Monday.
Spurs went third after that August 2004 victory, and with Liverpool facing a resurgent Newcastle team, I am hoping for a Spurs win to take third place again. However, Bruce will surely have wound up his team for a battling effort, and I do not expect this one to be easy, so I'll settle for a 2-0 prediction in favour of the home side.
It's a one o'clock kick-off, so don't be caught out after your Christmas festivities, which I hope bring you loads of joy.
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