Our Head-to-Head record against this lot isn't any better than our record against Liverpool. Played them the same 47 times (not counting the last weekend's game) but out of those 47 games, we have lost 25 times to them (while against Liverpool we have only lost 20 times). But then on the other side we have won 15 against Spurs (compared to only 10 against Liverpool - 11 now after this last weekend). It's the draws that are the difference, only 7 out of the 47 ties against Spurs (while against Liverpool that stands at 17). This is basically a tough fixture for us traditionally ... home or away, as the Recent Meetings record shows as well.
The last time we played them was when they went top of the league and all those "Mourinho's Back" stories surfaced while everyone wrote us off as we were languishing mid-table (albeit a game in hand even back then). Only a couple of months have passed and how the tables have completely turned. Here's the recent Form Guide (in the league) and Season So Far for the two teams.
Must We Win?
I won't mind if we lose this ... wait wait, hear me out ... I'd take a loss ... IF you guarantee a trade-off win in the Carabao Cup Final against them.
Because in the bigger scheme of things, that one would mean a trophy while we'd still be OK in the league whatever the result here. They're way behind us (14 pts less with same no. of games played) to directly affect anything in the title race for us and if anything their win would actually add pressure on our title rivals in their top-four race ...
With that hypothetical out of the way which inevitably pops up every time one plays the same opponent in the league and cup close together (although the cup final isn't close anymore and has been pushed away to the end of April), I thought I'd still raise it given that cup game is a Final.
It's nice to go into a big game with no pressure ... it is however a must-win if you care about records and considering we lost to them in the reverse fixture so no one wants them doing a double over us ... and also a bit for that upcoming Final as well as we won't want to go into that having lost both league games to them earlier in the season and them getting any confidence out of it. Even if that worst case scenario plays out, I will especially not worry too much about that Final then as there is no way Pep is losing three in a row to Jose - just not gonna happen.
Talking of that loss in the reverse fixture at the end of November ... that actually was the last time we lost a game. It started our current unbeaten run that we are now on - 22 games in all competitions and counting.
Another Busy Week
While we have just finished our game in Wales, they play away at Everton in the FA Cup a little later on tonight. Looking at their line-up that's just come out in last few minutes, Jose's gone fairly strong for their tie (only Kane on bench, but most of the rest of first choice XI starting) ... I guess a successful season for Mourinho would be getting Spurs that long-awaited trophy ... it's been so long that ANY will do now. His Premier League dreams are pretty much done and dusted so either of the two domestic cups would be his best bet this season (or the Europa League). He knows the one Final he has already got them to (in the Carabao Cup) is against us so not a given and that explains his very strong line-up in the FA Cup tonight, as he would not want to end that cup run just yet. As for the league, if they keep languishing mid-table and his chances to fight for a top-four place goes as well, he might re-focus (as he did when he was at United) and put everything on Europa League instead; which is their next tie in the week after our game (albeit not till Thursday).
These are their (and our) games around this tie:
Tottenham Hotspur Wed 10 - 8:15pm - Everton (A) - FA Cup R5
Sat 13 - 5:30pm - City (A) - Premier League
Thu 18 - 5:55pm - Wolfsberger AC (A) - Europa League
Manchester City Wed 10 - 5:30pm - Swansea City (A) - FA Cup R5
Sat 13 - 5:30pm - Spurs (H) - Premier League
Wed 17 - 8:15pm - Everton (A) - Premier League
As for us, we are a lot more away in February than at home. This one comes after three consecutive away games. What follows after this is another three away games at Everton, Arsenal and Monchengladbach (which is now in Budapest) before returning home against West Ham. Tough set of fixtures if you put them all together in a line but if you pick them apart individually, this Spurs game is probably the toughest of them all on its own.
The Harry Kane Team
Their recent form proves that it is Kane who is pretty much carrying them rather than Mourinho's tactical genius ... he was out injured for a few games and they lost three on the trot ... he's just come back in and they have won their last game.
We all know how they'll set-up ... being away from home won't matter, as they even set-up like that at home. Park that bus and then wait and wait and wait and come at us at the counter when a long ball finds it's way up field. This is exactly what worked for them last time around in that 2-0 loss. But what worked then won't necessary work again ... Laporte chasing Kane out of position cost us then and angered Pep so much that he left him out the very next game. Stones took his chance coming in his place and the rest is history.
Despite a focus on the FA Cup for them (and a tough away tie) just before playing us, don't expect Mourinho to be taking us lightly. He's already won against Pep once and would want to do the double and also be the one to break our current record-breaking winning-run ... he's always well up for this kind of thing.
For us though, the fortunate thing is Pep is equally stubborn and would totally be up for this after losing the reverse fixture. This game will show that Mourinho is too predictable to change much, and Pep is too shrewd to let him get away with it again.
Really dislike Tottingham.
Went to both games in 81, and have never forgiven the soft cockney bastards.
The 2-0 loss to them earlier in the season was completely infuriating. We absolutely leathered them, but the shit bag Mourhino engineered his typical shitty, park the bus and rely on the break routine.
Im desperately hoping we tear them the new one they utterly deserve. Come on you blues !!
Our Head-to-Head record against this lot isn't any better than our record against Liverpool. Played them the same 47 times (not counting the last weekend's game) but out of those 47 games, we have lost 25 times to them (while against Liverpool we have only lost 20 times). But then on the other side we have won 15 against Spurs (compared to only 10 against Liverpool - 11 now after this last weekend). It's the draws that are the difference, only 7 out of the 47 ties against Spurs (while against Liverpool that stands at 17). This is basically a tough fixture for us traditionally ... home or away, as the Recent Meetings record shows as well.
The last time we played them was when they went top of the league and all those "Mourinho's Back" stories surfaced while everyone wrote us off as we were languishing mid-table (albeit a game in hand even back then). Only a couple of months have passed and how the tables have completely turned. Here's the recent Form Guide (in the league) and Season So Far for the two teams.
I won't mind if we lose this ... wait wait, hear me out ... I'd take a loss ... IF you guarantee a trade-off win in the Carabao Cup Final against them.
Because in the bigger scheme of things, that one would mean a trophy while we'd still be OK in the league whatever the result here. They're way behind us (14 pts less with same no. of games played) to directly affect anything in the title race for us and if anything their win would actually add pressure on our title rivals in their top-four race ...
With that hypothetical out of the way which inevitably pops up every time one plays the same opponent in the league and cup close together (although the cup final isn't close anymore and has been pushed away to the end of April), I thought I'd still raise it given that cup game is a Final.
It's nice to go into a big game with no pressure ... it is however a must-win if you care about records and considering we lost to them in the reverse fixture so no one wants them doing a double over us ... and also a bit for that upcoming Final as well as we won't want to go into that having lost both league games to them earlier in the season and them getting any confidence out of it. Even if that worst case scenario plays out, I will especially not worry too much about that Final then as there is no way Pep is losing three in a row to Jose - just not gonna happen.
Talking of that loss in the reverse fixture at the end of November ... that actually was the last time we lost a game. It started our current unbeaten run that we are now on - 22 games in all competitions and counting.
Another Busy Week
While we have just finished our game in Wales, they play away at Everton in the FA Cup a little later on tonight. Looking at their line-up that's just come out in last few minutes, Jose's gone fairly strong for their tie (only Kane on bench, but most of the rest of first choice XI starting) ... I guess a successful season for Mourinho would be getting Spurs that long-awaited trophy ... it's been so long that ANY will do now. His Premier League dreams are pretty much done and dusted so either of the two domestic cups would be his best bet this season (or the Europa League). He knows the one Final he has already got them to (in the Carabao Cup) is against us so not a given and that explains his very strong line-up in the FA Cup tonight, as he would not want to end that cup run just yet. As for the league, if they keep languishing mid-table and his chances to fight for a top-four place goes as well, he might re-focus (as he did when he was at United) and put everything on Europa League instead; which is their next tie in the week after our game (albeit not till Thursday).
These are their (and our) games around this tie:
Tottenham Hotspur Wed 10 - 8:15pm - Everton (A) - FA Cup R5
Sat 13 - 5:30pm - Manchester City (A) - Premier League
Thu 18 - 5:55pm - Wolfsberger AC (A) - Europa League
Manchester City Wed 10 - 5:30pm - Swansea City (A) - FA Cup R5
Sat 13 - 5:30pm - Tottenham Hotspur (H) - Premier League
Wed 17 - 8:15pm - Everton (A) - Premier League
As for us, we are a lot more away in February than at home. This one comes after three consecutive away games. What follows after this is another three away games at Everton, Arsenal and Monchengladbach (which is now in Budapest) before returning home against West Ham. Tough set of fixtures if you put them all together in a line but if you pick them apart individually, this Spurs game is probably the toughest of them all on its own.
The Harry Kane Team
Their recent form proves that it is Kane who is pretty much carrying them rather than Mourinho's tactical genius ... he was out injured for a few games and they lost three on the trot ... he's just come back in and they have won their last game.
We all know how they'll set-up ... being away from home won't matter, as they even set-up like that at home. Park that bus and then wait and wait and wait and come at us at the counter when a long ball finds it's way up field. This is exactly what worked for them last time around in that 2-0 loss. But what worked then won't necessary work again ... Laporte chasing Kane out of position cost us then and angered Pep so much that he left him out the very next game. Stones took his chance coming in his place and the rest is history.
Despite a focus on the FA Cup for them (and a tough away tie) just before playing us, don't expect Mourinho to be taking us lightly. He's already won against Pep once and would want to do the double and also be the one to break our current record-breaking winning-run ... he's always well up for this kind of thing.
For us though, the fortunate thing is Pep is equally stubborn and would totally be up for this after losing the reverse fixture. This game will show that Mourinho is too predictable to change much, and Pep is too shrewd to let him get away with it again.
i think a main newspaper will be giving you a call soon to write for them. this is much much better than the plain vanilla shit we read in their previews. all saying the same thing which is nothing most of the times. any MEN people here?
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