Consent Preferences Spurs Odyssey Preview Pack - Spurs v Chelsea - 22.12.11
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Spurs Odyssey Preview - Spurs v Chelsea - 22.12.11

· Spurs 1 Chelsea 1 - 12th December, 2010
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 17 2010-11

· See the current injury list for all Premiership Teams
· All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats

Full Record of Tottenham Hotspur -v- Chelsea


Premier      Pl   W    D    L    For-Ag  Pts
Home         19   3    7    9    19- 33  16
Away         19   0    6   13    12- 37   6
===========================================
Total (Prem) 38   3   13   21    31- 70  22
===========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 1) 42  20    9   13    79- 57  51
Away (Div 1) 42  19    6   17    63- 50  46
===========================================
Total(Div 1) 84  39   15   30   142-107  97
===========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 2)  2   1    1    0     7-  4   3
Away (Div 2)  2   0    1    1     1-  4   1
===========================================
Total(Div 2)  4   1    2    1     8-  8   4
===========================================
Total (Prem) 38   3   13   21    31- 70  22
Total(Div 1) 84  39   15   30   142-107  97
Total(Div 2)  4   1    2    1     8-  8   4
===========================================
Grand Total 124  43   29   54   181-185 123
===========================================

Last Six Premiership results:-

Spurs

Fulham     1-3   Spurs
Spurs      2-0   A. Villa
West Brom  1-3   Spurs
Spurs      3-0   Bolton
Stoke      2-1   Spurs
Spurs      1-0   S'derland

Chelsea

Blackburn  0-1   Chelsea
Chelsea    1-2   Liverpool
Chelsea    3-0   Wolves
Newcastle  0-3   Chelsea
Chelsea    2-1   Man City
Wigan      1-1   Chelsea

Pos         P  W  D  L  F-A   GD  Pts
3 Spurs    15 11  1  3 31-18  13  34
4 Chelsea  16 10  2  4 34-19  15  32

This should be a Christmas Cracker!

It's the closest to Christmas that Spurs have played Chelsea since 1985, and the first time we've met them in a superior league position since October 2000. On that occasion (Chelsea 3 Spurs 0 - 28.10.2000), we started in 8th place and Chelsea were in 11th. With the win, Chelsea overtook us, and finished the season in 6th place, whilst we finished 12th. We've been close behind them several times in the last three seasons, of course, and have been on quite even terms with them in terms of results over our last 13 meetings, including that Carling Cup win at Wembley in February 2008.

It all started with a famous win on fireworks night 2006 (Spurs 2 Chelsea 1 ) when Aaron Lennon famously split John Terry and Ashley Cole for a glorious winning goal, which brought to an end that dismal 19 year run without a league win. Since then we have beaten Chelsea in two other home games, and we haven't actually lost to them at home since August 2005.

The focus was of course on LUka Modric throughout the summer and right up until transfer deadline day, with Chelsea gradually upping their bid for Spurs' player of last season to some £35-40 million. All credit must go to Daniel Levy for sticking to his summer promise that Luka would not be sold to Chelsea. Hopefully, Luka feels differently about things now, especially with us above them in the league and strong challengers for Champions League next season, if not even more before this season ends!

Luka Modric scored a fantastic winning goal in our game against Chelsea on 21st March 2009. In April 2010, Modric was one of our star players in the 2-1 win over Chelsea. That was the week when we also beat Arsenal at home, and that was the season we qualified for the Champions League. (All Spurs Odyssey match reports from games over the last 13 seasons can be found via the Spurs Odyssey Archives page)

On 3rd November 2002, when we met Chelsea at White Hart Lane, we were actually level on points after 11 games, but one place below them in 5th on goal difference. (Spurs 0 Chelsea 0 - 3rd November, 2002). We had a marvellous start to that season under Glenn Hoddle and actually topped the Premier League after 4 games. Carlo Cudicini had a fantastic game for Chelsea and held us at bay, and sadly our season deteriorated from that point, including early cup exits in both competitions (to Burnley and Southampton) and a final day 4-0 home defeat to Blackburn. We did draw at Stamford Bridge too though, but finished tenth in the league that season.

In last season's games, most of the focus fell upon Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who in the home game (Spurs 1 Chelsea 1 - 12.12.10) failed to hold Drogba's 70th minute equaliser, then conceded a last minute penalty, but saved Drogba's kick to preserve the draw. At Stamford Bridge, Spurs were well and truly cheated when Gomes was adjudged to let Lampard's shot slip over the line, when replays showed this was not the case. (Chelsea 2 Spurs 1 30th April, 2011)

There won't be too much Christmas spirit in or around the stadium though tomorrow. Not least because of the likely presence of John Terry, despite his injury scare earlier in the week, and following the CPS announcement earlier today that Terry has been summonsed to appear at court in early February regarding a charge of racially abusive conduct in the recent QPR v Chelsea game, and the incident involving Anton Ferdinand. Spurs Odyssey can say no more about that, and fans going to the game have already been advised that stewards will be wearing headcams, and also reminding us all about offensive, racist and homophobic behaviour and remarks.

Terry does of course have an excuse not to appear, because of that injury story, but I suspect he'll be out there to face the flack.

The Spurs team news is not great with Lennon definitely out with his torn hamstring, and Bale, Defoe and King described as doubtful. Ledley was said to be 50/50, and I don't know whether or not that makes Bale and Defoe better or worse than that percentage. Adebayor also has a foot injury, but I think is likely to play. In recent weeks, a lot of the Spurs team news has been a case of mind games anyway, and a lot of it could be taken with a pinch of salt.

Any midfield absentee will give Sandro a chance to partner Parker, surely, with Van der Vaart and Modric and one other playing ahead of them, and Adebayor up front. Who will be that one other? I'd love to see Andros Townsend get a chance down the left if Bale doesn't make it, but I suspect that either Kranjcar or Pienaar will get the nod.

I'm sticking with my Spurs 2 Chelsea 1 prediction, which would make it a very Happy Christmas for Spurs fans.

Tomorrow's referee is Howard Webb, and the fourth official is Spurs' fans' favourite Chris Foy, who performed so poorly for us at Stoke on 11th December.

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