Chelsea Away - Take the Bridge!

Leinstersqspur

I can feel the nerves building already!

"Injury wise, Scott Parker slightly twisted his ankle prior to the Southampton match and in a late fitness test prior to the game, felt some pain and so was rested. AVB added that Lennon and Dembele both felt some tightness, but neither have torn anything and all will be in contention for the game at Stamford Bridge."

I guess if the above are all fit then the team pretty much picks itself, choice between Siggy/Dempsey and Ade/Defoe..

Although the little fella would probably get chopped by Luiz, Ramirez et al this article makes a good argument for him to play (or why Huddlestone & Holtby shouldn't).. http://www.cartilagefreecaptain.com/2013/5/6/4304810/chelsea-vs-tottenham-2013-epl-tom-carroll?

tom1ie

wow that article has me convinced! bring on the carroll! His stats are impressive.

irishmover

I love Carroll, I really thought we were gonna go on to win that Fulham match when I was there once he came on. I was sat beside a Mayo Spurs fan (never met before) and both of us couldn't believe how much he changed the game once he came on. He was the only positive I could take from the match as I left. My poor girlfriend was sick of hearing his name by the time we got back to the hotel..

He reminded me alot of VDV from his always wanting the ball, literally all the time. He demanded it. For a young lad to do that and be able to lay the ball off positively after they've received it, you must feel like jumping on the band wagon.... He's an exciting prospect.

However, starting him against Chelsea is madness. It could destroy the guy if he started the match and had an awful game thus having to be hauled off and we go and lose. He's never played in a game with so much pressure, and away from home? Bring him on in the second half if things aren't going well. There'll be alot less pressure on him.

Cianan2

So nervous for this... 1-2 to us (again)?

Here Precious2

Lads anyone know who is the ref for tomorrow night? please not Webb just No...the bastard never gives us anything.

we don't want Atkinson either after his sham of a performance at wembley in the FA Cup last season.

Antisocialiser

I think we will need 3 goals to claim the full 3 points tomorrow night. Sad to say that it's up to Bale to give a worldy.

2nd Row Donkey

In the last 5-6 games we have been very poor, but for whatever reason we turned it on for 20mins when it really counted against city. I'm just hoping we can do the same tomorrow night.

Here Precious2

Mike Dean is the ref.

Hatch99

Win or bust...need a massive performance from all

2nd Row Donkey

Lads, here a link to the home fixture 6 months ago, well worth a read.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056781065


That day we were missing Bale and Dembele (injured)
We also played Frediel for some reason (Lloris still settling in)

Walker had an absolute 'mare of a game. Mata made a fool of him.
Gallas was poor as fook too. Hudd was totally outplayed in midfield in that game.

This was only AVb's 8 league game in charge and back then we where playing very defensive and deep lying formation (even at home). Chelsea bossed 75% of the game but there were plenty of positives too and this time around we have Bale!

Deise Vu

Hopefully Chelsea's win on Sunday will have both taken something more out of their legs and also given them a cushion. They can afford to lose and it is still in their hands. Hazard has a bit of a knock and if he doesn't make it it means yet another game for Mata which is something Benitez would probably prefer to avoid.

I still think a point might be enough. It would mean Arsenal would require two wins against two teams in the relegation mire whereas no points for Spurs would mean a win and a draw would do due to Arsenal's goal difference. However, they really have to go for a win. The Gunners have had Utd 6 days after they won the league, QPR after they were relegated and now Wigan 3 days after a cup final that will inevitably go to extra time (my nap bet for the weekend). If they win that, we are hoping a currently awful Newcastle team can do something on the last day. I would rather not be depending on that scenario.

White Heart Loon

I'm quietly confident, lately we seem to able to pull out the big performances against the big teams.

irishmover

White Heart Loon wrote: »

I'm quietly confident, lately we seem to able to pull out the big performances against the big teams.

Like this one?? Ok it was at home but still...

KingdomYid

Hatch99 wrote: »

Win or bust...need a massive performance from all

Exactly, only a win will do now. Just want the players to give it all and leave nothing on the pitch. COYS!

Sugarlumps

Give Chelsea credit they've done amazingly well considering there backlog of games, no one expected them to perform so well. We've Bale so we've a chance of a miracle happening, pack the midfield and take our chances when presented. What I would give for Mata to be in our side. Didn't think we’d ever beat Utd especially at Old Trafford, that wish was granted. Anything is possible…

Here Precious2

Spurs EPL record at The Bridge



P 19 W 0 D 6 L 13 For 12 Ag 37

2nd Row Donkey

Here Precious2 wrote: »

Spurs EPL record at The Bridge



P 19 W 0 D 6 L 13 For 12 Ag 37

Our record at OT was something along those lines until very recently.

As Jon Bon Jovi* once said to me at about 4am in the morning outside coppers - "keep the faith, everybody keep the faith"

* may not have been the real Jon Bon Jovi

irishmover

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Give Chelsea credit they've done amazingly well considering there backlog of games, no one expected them to perform so well. We've Bale so we've a chance of a miracle happening, pack the midfield and take our chances when presented. What I would give for Mata to be in our side. Didn't think we’d ever beat Utd especially at Old Trafford, that wish was granted. Anything is possible…

Sorry... Gonna be a bit over the top here...

I'll never give credit to Chelsea ever... £217m.. most expensive starting 11 in the league, with a massive wage bill. They finished 6th last season, they change managers way more than we do. They have players who run the club. Wont even start on the owner.

They won the CL last season having played terrible football, however won it nonetheless. They took our place in that group and failed to make it out of the group stage. The first team to ever win the CL and then be knocked out in the group stage of the following season.

A Joke of a club. It would be poetic justice for us to beat them tomorrow and then for them to finish 5th. One can only dream.

2nd Row Donkey

^^^ that's fighting talk!! And oddly motivational!

irishmover

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

^^^ that's fighting talk!! And oddly motivational!

Yeh... I think you'll find I'll be getting a little worse over the coming days...

irishmover

http://tottenhamlive.com/news/775-dembele-lennon-preview-chelsea.html

At todays pre-match press conference AVB’ only comment was:

Dembele and Lennon "are in the group" to face Chelsea tomorrow.

So apparently not certainties to play but looks positive.

2nd Row Donkey

Its hard to know who to hate more at the moment.

Do we want to oust Arsenal from the CL league places because they are traditionally our closest rivals and a spell away from CL football might also have longer term consequences for them in terms of funding, income, transfer etc

Or do we want revenge for last season and the calamity that was finishing 4th but not getting to kick a ball in CL qualifiers, not to mention the whole AVB/Chelsea history.

A season without CL football wont have any real impact on them long term, Abromovich will just throw more money at it next season.

A season or two without CL football could are a real impact on arsenal though, especially in the short to medium term.

Edit - getting a head of myself here. I'll have egg on my face within a week when we are the ones making plans for Thursday night football next season.

Leinstersqspur

"Siggy came on and did really well, Adebayor was absolutely amazing, great on the pressing, great on holding up the ball, which we needed," said Andre.

"Holtby as well, in a 4-4-2, a different position than the one he’s been playing, he showed great tactical awareness."

Expect Adebayor to start tomorrow, Defoe off the bench to grab the winner! 2-3 to Spurs

mickman

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

Its hard to know who to hate more at the moment.

Do we want to oust Arsenal from the CL league places because they are traditionally our closest rivals and a spell away from CL football might also have longer term consequences for them in terms of funding, income, transfer etc

Or do we want revenge for last season and the calamity that was finishing 4th but not getting to kick a ball in CL qualifiers, not to mention the whole AVB/Chelsea history.

A season without CL football wont have any real impact on them long term, Abromovich will just throw more money at it next season.

A season or two without CL football could are a real impact on arsenal though, especially in the short to medium term.

Edit - getting a head of myself here. I'll have egg on my face within a week when we are the ones making plans for Thursday night football next season.

It highely likely we will be playing europa league next season .

I dont see any point in getting "revenge" on chelsea for last season, they wont the champions league and that resulted in us not qualifying. To be honest, chelsea wouldnt have given a toss about whether we qualified or not, they just wanted to win the champs league.

Stop arsenal getting through any day of the week

slegs

Playing the predictor game on BBC website there are still lots of scenarios that could play out with us qualifying. Not least that Wigan need to beat Arsenal and Newcastle MAY need to beat them too.

A draw/win for Wigan tonight and a Sunderland win at the weekend would set things up nicely outside of whatever happens at Chelsea tomorrow night.

A win tomorrow night absolutely puts us in the driving seat but its not over if we lose (even if out of our hands)

I think it will end up an edgy game 1-0 1-1 or 0-1!

2nd Row Donkey

Remember the year of lasagne-gate and at full time, the camera's switched to the arsenal game and all the arsenal players where all huddled around in a circle and dancing and laughing and clapping after clinching 4th place on the very last day. Henry and his big stupid grin etc

Thats how I want it to be this year (but with the shoe on the other foot). I want a set of results over the next 2 weeks that for all purposes makes it looks like arsenal are a shoe-in for 4th place going into the last game but then right at the end, its snatched away from them. Like somehow, with 10 mins to go, there's a score in chelsea's match that changes things, and we score and then they concede an equalizer to Newcastle and it all falls apart from them, and ohh how we will laugh, and they will cry, and we will point and, and, and, ... well you get the idea.

mickman

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

Remember the year of lasagne-gate and at full time, the camera's switched to the arsenal game and all the arsenal players where all huddled around in a circle and dancing and laughing and clapping after clinching 4th place on the very last day. Henry and his big stupid grin etc

Thats how I want it to be this year (but with the shoe on the other foot). I want a set of results over the next 2 weeks that for all purposes makes it looks like arsenal are a shoe-in for 4th place going into the last game but then right at the end, its snatched away from them. Like somehow, with 10 mins to go, there's a score in chelsea's match that changes things, and we score and then they concede an equalizer to Newcastle and it all falls apart from them, and ohh how we will laugh, and they will cry, and we will point and, and, and, ... well you get the idea.

you are very vindictive :-)

i think its best to chill out and go with the flow! If its europa league then its europa league.

Here Precious2

Wish it was on tonight. I'm like a child at xmas!

Hatch99

COYS

Cianan2

Serious nerves today...

irishmover

We'll win this one. I'm bloody sure of it..