Preview: Tottenham vs. Stoke City
This Sunday the Potters are travelling down south to match up against Spurs.
Saido Berhanio is expected to get his first start for Stoke this weekend at White Hart Lane after looking sharp in training during the mid-season training camp in Dubai.
The lads spent a week away in Dubai, due to a lack of FA Cup action. This is the third successive season in Dubai following Hughes’ takeover at Stoke. Each training has been followed by an increase in form. In 2014, the following twelve fixtures produced seven wins, two draws and three loses. 2015, the next sixteen games produced seven wins, four draws and five losses. Last season there was four wins, three draws and five losses. A mixed bag of results but the management are adamant that the trip only produces positive effects.
This week The Bear Pit Pod spoke to @Flav_Bateman from Spurs Fanzine @LoveTheShirt. Make sure you check that out to hear the opposition views and other interesting stuff from the lads. Available via iTunes, Soundcloud and Acast.
The last time the two sides met with at the Bet365 Stadium on the 10th Sept, where we were at the receiving end of a 4-0 spanking. A few months before on 18th April we also were at home and lost 4-0. I don’t know about you but I’m not looking forward to this. However, saying that, we haven’t lost a game at White Hart Lane in two seasons. Drawing 2-2 last year and winning 2-1 the season before.
Tottenham have been performing well again this season and find themselves in third. Thanks to in-form youngsters such as Kane and Ali. They average 2.67 points per home game and 26 of their 46 goals this season being at home. They aren’t winning by just outscoring opponents. They’ve only conceded 5 at home in the Premier League! The strongest defense in the league, having one conceded 18 overall, compare that to our 36. They’re also in pretty good form too, only losing one in the last eight league games. The loss was their last outing, which was a 2-0 defeat at Anfield.
Kane has bagged 14 goals this term and looks nowhere near done yet, he’s not just shooting for the fun of it and hoping to hit the back of the net. 61% of his shots this season have been on target. Ironically our best shooter is Geoff Cameron, with all six of his shots this season being on target, but ignoring that, Crouch has 44% of his shots on target.
On the road, Stoke has been mediocre this season. Three wins, three draws and six losses. We’re currently in 12th place on the Away Table. We’ve won one out of the last four away games, which was of course against Sunderland. However, two of those losses were at the hands of Chelsea and Liverpool. Both being 4-1 and 4-2 respectively. We have averaged 1 point per game this season though. Not bad for away ties.
We find ourselves lying in 9th, again, but only five points behind rivals West Brom, who face Bournemouth on Saturday, at the Hawthornes. Two months ago, Hughes targeted 7th place, following out exit of the FA Cup to the hands of Wolves. Fans are becoming split over of this target, asking is still achievable, and if not, what does this mean and what are we hoping for this term. Personally, I don’t think we will fit 7th, but aiming for 8th and a UEFA Europa League trophy for Manchester United could mean a Europe trip for us. But that’s just wishful thinking right now.
Mark will stick to what he knows, and attempt to grind out a result. I don’t hope for fancy football this weekend, as long as it helps us avoid another possible embarrassment.
What’s your score predictions? Tweets us at @TBPTV or Follow us on Facebook.
By @BenitoSCFC
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