Tottenham Hotspur Match Preview 12

Match Preview: Tottenham Hotspur v Stoke City

White Hart Lane, London N17 - The World Famous Home of the Spurs

Saturday 24th October 2009, Kick Off 15:00

Premier League, Match 10

Tottenham Hotspur: 3rd in Premier League, 19 points from 27

Stoke City: 9th in Premier League, 12 points from 27

Referee: Lee Probert

Assistant referees: Andy Newbold & Ron Ganfield

Fourth official: Andrew Penn

COMMENT:

Tottenham Hotspur face Stoke City in the 10th Premier League match of 2009-10 fresh from a hard-fought win at Portsmouth in which Ledley King and Jermain Defoe were the goalscorers. The victory gave Spurs 19 points from their first 9 League games - a new club record, beating the total of 18 points set in season 2005-06. Defoe was sent-off against Pompey, so he will miss this match through an automatic suspension. Stoke City meanwhile had a good 2-1 home win against West Ham United last time out, their goals coming from a James Beattie brace but they have yet to win an away League match this season (3 draws and 1 defeat).

Last season's corresponding fixture resulted in a 3-1 win for Spurs with Lennon, Defoe and Dawson all netting while Stoke's goal was scored by James Beattie. Stoke had previously won their home match against Spurs 2-1.

Both clubs are still active in the Football League (Carling) Cup this season and after this game Spurs will face Everton at White Hart Lane while Stoke travel to Fratton Park to play Portsmouth. Stoke's only Major Honour in their 146-year old history came in 1972 when they beat Chelsea 2-1 in the League Cup Final at Wembley.

TEAM NEWS:

Jonathan Woodgate is back in contention for Saturday's clash against Stoke City at the Lane. The defender - out since pre-season with a groin problem - played a full 90-minute shift in Tuesday's training ground friendly against Dagenham & Redbridge and Harry Redknapp reports that he's now available again for first team action. "Jonathan came through the friendly okay and it was great to get a full game into him," said Harry on Friday. "Michael Dawson also played 90 minutes in that match and both of them are ready to play."

Harry will be without Jermain Defoe, who serves the first of a three-match suspension following his straight red card at Portsmouth last week. Giovani dos Santos (ankle) and Luka Modric (fractured fibula) remain sidelined.

Stoke's Robert Huth starts a three-game ban so Andy Wilkinson is ready to take his place in defence. Glenn Whelan should return, but fellow midfielder Liam Lawrence is doubtful after missing training with a virus.

Tottenham Hotspur

Suspended: Defoe (3 games) Doubtful: Woodgate (groin)

Injured: Giovani (ankle); Modric (broken leg)

Stoke City

Suspended: Huth (3 games)Doubtful: Whelan (calf); Lawrence (virus)

Injured: Faye (back), Sidibe (knee)

MATCH FACTS:

Head-to-head

• Tottenham have won five and lost only one of their last seven league meetings with Stoke City.

• The overall record between the clubs in all competitions is 37 wins for Tottenham, 21 wins for Stoke and 17 draws.

• Stoke have only beaten Tottenham once in 29 attempts at White Hart Lane - a 2-0 win in 1975.

Tottenham Hotspur

• Ledley King's goal against Portsmouth made him the 11th player to score in the Premier League for Tottenham this season.

• Manchester United are the only away side to score more than once in the league at White Hart Lane in the last year and Arsenal are the only away side to keep a clean sheet at White Hart Lane in 2009.

• Four of Tottenham's nine Premier League matches have ended in a 2-1 scoreline in Spurs' favour.

Stoke City

• No midfielder has scored for Stoke this season.

• The Potters have never scored more than twice away from home in the Premier League and they have gone over 50 top-flight away games without scoring more than two goals.

• Stoke have drawn their last three away games, their longest unbeaten run on the road in the Premier League

LEADING GOALSCORERS:

Tottenham Hotspur

Defoe: 7 goals (6 league); Keane: 6 goals (5 league)

Stoke City

Kitson: 3 goals (2 league)

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS:

Tottenham (W 2-1 v Portsmouth, a):

Gomes, Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Jenas, Huddlestone (Dawson 87), Kranjcar (Palacios 66), Defoe, Keane (Crouch 56).

Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Hutton, Bentley, Pavlyuchenko.

Stoke (W 2-1 v West Ham, h):

Sorensen, Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross, Collins, Delap (Lawrence 68), Diao (Whelan 78), Whitehead, Etherington, Fuller, Beattie (Kitson 83).

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Higginbotham, Sanli, Wilkinson.

MARK LAWRENSON'S PREDICTION (BBC):

Stoke are now looking more comfortable in the Premier League and have had some quite good results. Questions are still there to be asked about the team on their travels.

This weekend they are facing a free-flowing and confident Spurs side who create plenty of chances. No points for Stoke.

Verdict: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Stoke City

PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

Saturday afternoon's match will be the 77th meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City.

Here are the results of all the previous 76 games with Spurs' score shown first:

01-Feb-1896

F.A. Cup 1

6,000

0 - 5

25-Feb-1899

F.A. Cup 3

25,000

1 - 4

Bradshaw

05-Mar-1900

Friendly

6 - 0

Cameron, Pratt (4), Kirwan

03-Apr-20

Division 2

36,000

2 - 0

Grimsdell, Dimmock

10-Apr-20

Division 2

12,000

3 - 1

Seed, Cantrell (2)

17-Mar-23

Division 1

30,000

0 - 0

24-Mar-23

Division 1

20,000

3 - 1

Lindsay, Handley, Dimmock

27-Oct-28

Division 2

15,333

0 - 2

09-Mar-29

Division 2

26,760

1 - 0

O'Callaghan

09-Oct-29

Division 2

8,545

3 - 1

Osborne (3)

03-May-30

Division 2

6,560

0 - 1

20-Sep-30

Division 2

10,252

1 - 2

Cook

26-Jan-31

Division 2

10,927

3 - 0

Lyons (pen), Messer, Harper

25-Mar-32

Division 2

26,503

3 - 3

Evans T (pen), Hunt GS, O'Callaghan

28-Mar-32

Division 2

15,042

2 - 2

Greenfield, Evans W

03-Sep-32

Division 2

12,366

0 - 2

01-Jan-33

Division 2

43,711

3 - 2

Davies, Hunt GS (2)

30-Mar-34

Division 1

32,912

0 - 0

02-Apr-34

Division 1

32,665

0 - 2

08-Dec-34

Division 1

31,082

3 - 2

O'Callaghan, Hunt GS, Bellamy

20-Apr-35

Division 1

11,574

1 - 4

Hunt DA

11-Jan-47

F.A. Cup 3

65,681

2 - 2

Ludford, Bennett

15-Jan-47

F.A. Cup 3 Replay

38,631

0 - 1

07-Jan-50

F.A. Cup 3

47,000

1 - 0

Baily

21-Oct-50

Division 1

54,124

6 - 1

Walters, Bennett (2), Duquemin (2), Medley

10-Mar-51

Division 1

26,236

0 - 0

15-Sep-51

Division 1

27,154

6 - 1

Ramsey (pen), Walters, Bennett, McClellan, Medley (2)

19-Jan-52

Division 1

45,976

2 - 0

Duquemin, Harmer

03-Apr-53

Division 1

35,606

1 - 0

Harmer

06-Apr-53

Division 1

25,346

0 - 2

24-Aug-63

Division 1

40,638

1 - 2

Smith R

14-Dec-63

Division 1

36,776

2 - 1

Greaves (2)

09-Sep-64

Division 1

36,329

0 - 2

17-Sep-64

Division 1

34,821

2 - 1

Greaves, Saul

27-Nov-65

Division 1

26,406

2 - 2

Gilzean, Robertson

23-Apr-66

Division 1

19,112

1 - 0

Greaves (pen)

24-Aug-66

Division 1

34,683

0 - 2

31-Aug-66

Division 1

37,908

2 - 0

Greaves (pen), Gilzean

28-Oct-67

Division 1

27,144

1 - 2

Venables

23-Mar-68

Division 1

29,530

3 - 0

England, Robertson, Jones

02-Nov-68

Division 1

33,308

1 - 1

Greaves

11-Jan-69

Division 1

21,729

1 - 1

Jenkins

25-Oct-69

Division 1

19,569

1 - 1

Gilzean

21-Feb-70

Division 1

29,976

1 - 0

Mullery

24-Oct-70

Division 1

36,238

3 - 0

Gilzean, Chivers (2)

05-May-71

Division 1

14,019

1 - 0

Peters

30-Oct-71

Division 1

28,540

0 - 2

19-Feb-72

Division 1

32,841

2 - 0

Chivers (2)

07-Oct-72

Division 1

31,951

4 - 3

Pratt (2), Gilzean, Coates

14-Mar-73

Division 1

23,351

1 - 1

Pearce

08-Dec-73

Division 1

14,034

2 - 1

Evans, Pratt

20-Apr-74

Division 1

20,189

0 - 1

02-Nov-74

Division 1

24,667

2 - 2

Duncan (2)

08-Feb-75

Division 1

22,941

0 - 2

15-Nov-75

Division 1

25,698

1 - 1

Jones

03-Jan-76

F.A. Cup 3

26,715

1 - 1

Duncan

08-Jan-76

F.A. Cup 3 Replay

29,751

1 - 2

Perryman

21-Feb-76

Division 1

17,110

2 - 1

Hoddle, Duncan

27-Nov-76

Division 1

22,500

2 - 0

Osgood (2, 1pen)

23-Apr-77

Division 1

15,644

0 - 0

29-Oct-77

Division 2

21,012

3 - 1

Pratt, Armstrong (2)

22-Mar-78

Division 2

30,646

3 - 1

McAllister, Lee (2)

25-Aug-79

Division 1

22,832

1 - 3

Perryman

29-Dec-79

Division 1

28,810

1 - 0

Pratt

04-Oct-80

Division 1

18,614

3 - 2

Hughton, Archibald, Taylor (pen)

11-Mar-81

Division 1

28,742

2 - 2

Ardiles, Brooke

10-Oct-81

Division 1

30,520

2 - 0

Ardiles, Crooks

27-Feb-82

Division 1

20,592

2 - 0

Crooks (2)

11-Dec-82

Division 1

15,849

0 - 2

14-May-83

Division 1

33,691

4 - 1

Brazil, Archibald (3)

05-Nov-83

Division 1

14,726

1 - 1

Falco

03-Mar-84

Division 1

18,271

1 - 0

Falco (pen)

27-Oct-84

Division 1

23,477

4 - 0

Roberts (pen), Chiedozie, Allen C (2)

02-Mar-85

Division 1

12,552

1 - 0

Crooks

16-Oct-2008

FA Prem

27,500

1 - 2

Bent

27-Jan-09

FA Prem

36,072

3 - 1

Lennon, Defoe, Dawson

24-Oct-09

FA Prem

20-Mar-10

FA Prem

LAST TIME WE MET...

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Stoke City

27th January 2009, Premier League, White Hart Lane

A superb three-goal first-half display earned Tottenham a deserved win over fellow relegation strugglers Stoke.

Aaron Lennon opened the scoring in the eighth minute from 12 yards before Jermain Defoe doubled the lead on 21 minutes after a fine passing move.

Michael Dawson added the third three minutes later when he headed in Luka Modric's left-footed cross.

Stoke clawed a goal back when James Beattie beat debutant Carlo Cudicini with a well-struck shot from 12 yards.

The first-half performance was exactly what Spurs fans have been demanding all season, although their team took full advantage of a Stoke back four incapable of coping with the movement of Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and the outstanding Modric.

Croatia international Modric was at the heart of Tottenham's industry, providing encouraging signs of recovery as Spurs moved clear of the bottom three.

The defeat, however, leaves Stoke languishing in the relegation zone and still searching for their first away victory of the season.

With new signing Cudicini in the starting XI in place of injured keeper Heurelho Gomes, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp brought back Jonathan Woodgate, Lennon and Defoe, who all missed the 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Manchester United on Saturday.

Stoke, who were unchanged, could have taken the lead after a minute when Beattie stole in front of Woodgate, but the former Everton striker failed to make contact with Glenn Whelan's free-kick.

With David Bentley reverting to his favoured right midfield berth, Redknapp switched Lennon to the left flank.

And the fleet-footed England winger broke the deadlock in the eighth minute, taking advantage of Andy Wilkinson's reluctance to commit a challenge, advancing into the 18-yard box before firing a left-footed strike through the legs of Thomas Sorensen.

The jubilant Spurs fans were given a glimpse of the abundant - but so far mercurial - talent of their side on 21 minutes.

Modric, dictating the tempo of Spurs' slick passing game, fed Pavlyuchenko, whose defence-splitting pass was latched on to by Defoe to finish from 12 yards.

The home side were rampant and added a third three minutes later from a short corner, with Modric once again the architect.

The midfielder sent a pinpoint left-footed cross onto the head of the unmarked Dawson, who powered home a header from six yards.

Stoke's back four were run ragged as Defoe's pace and movement, combined with the intelligence of Modric and Pavlyuchenko, continued to cause havoc.

Only Wilkinson's desperate lunging goal-line clearance from Defoe's 12-yard strike on 28 minutes kept Stoke from going four goals down at the interval.

The impressive Pavlyuchenko rolled off his marker and fired a left-foot strike just wide of Sorensen's right-hand post on the cusp of half-time, although a defensive header from Dawson almost crept past the redundant Cudicini in the dying seconds.

The visitors replied 11 minutes into the second half when Dawson's careless pass was intercepted by Rory Delap.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder found Matthew Etherington, whose cross was brilliantly controlled by Beattie before his second touch slid across the body of the diving Cudicini into the bottom right corner of the goal.

The goal galvanised Stoke's resolve as substitutes Ricardo Fuller, Ibrahima Sonko and Andy Griffin added fresh impetus and fight.

Striker Richard Cresswell could have set up an enthralling final five minutes, but his header from Griffin's cross went wide.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp:

"In all honesty we could have been six-up at half time, we were that dominant.

"But suddenly from being in complete control we turn the ball over and they hit us on the break. But we kept the ball after that, it was a good all-round performance.

On rumours that Spurs are keen to sign Robbie Keane:

"I don't want to upset Liverpool and talk about one of their players. He's one of their players and it's not a goer.

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis:

"The first 25 mintues we were inept, we never got close to Tottenham.

"(Luka) Modric ran the game. When you allow him to have the space to pick passes and let (Jermain) Defoe and (Roman) Pavlyuchenko come off you and work patterns, it's very poor.

"We were better (in the second half) but it's no use being better when you are 3-0 down. We played so well against Chelsea and if we could do it there, we could do it here."

Tottenham Hotspur:

Cudicini, Corluka, Dawson, Woodgate, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Huddlestone 90), Zokora, Modric, Bentley, Pavlyuchenko (Campbell 90), Defoe.

Subs Not Used: Alnwick, Bale, Taarabt, Rocha, Giovani.

Booked: Bentley, Woodgate.

Goals: Lennon 8, Defoe 21, Dawson 25.

Stoke City:

Sorensen, Wilkinson (Griffin 46), Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye (Sonko 46), Higginbotham, Delap, Amdy Faye (Fuller 49), Whelan, Etherington, Cresswell, Beattie.

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Lawrence, Kitson, Pugh.

Booked: Higginbotham, Cresswell, Whelan.

Goals: Beattie 57.

Att: 36,072

Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Tottenham Hotspur's Jermain Defoe