EPL: Tottenham vs Chelsea (19.3.2008) - TalkSoccer.net

**bandini** · 19-03-2008, 02:58 PM

Robinson looks like he's out and Chelsea will be looking to thwack us after losing in the CC final. This is going to be a rough one.

Quote:

Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson has an ankle problem and is doubtful for the Barclays Premier League clash against Chelsea tomorrow.

Ledley King has recovered from a calf complaint but Robbie Keane has a knee injury, although Spurs are hopeful of him recovering.

Ricardo Rocha (groin) has been struggling, while Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) are out for the season.

Spurs defender Jonathan Woodgate believes Avram Grant's men will be seeking revenge for their Carling Cup defeat when the two sides meet again on Wednesday.

Chelsea need the points for their title bid, while Spurs are looking to bridge the gap with 10th place and eventually break into the top half for the first time this season.

Woodgate, who scored the winner at Wembley against the Blues, said: "It will be a harder game than the final without a doubt and they will want to put that right.

"They are going for the league title, they've always been there and thereabouts and the race is still wide open. They've top players who are hitting form at the right time.

"But we always fancy ourselves to beat anyone, home or away and this is no different. We also want to put matters right after losing at Manchester City.

"When you are a professional footballer you want to win as many games as you can and keep pushing up the league. We don't want to be in the bottom half of the table.

"We've nine games left, 27 points to play for and we'll be looking to win every game.''

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech could be fit enough to return to first team action against Tottenham at White Hart Lane tomorrow.

Cech has virtually recovered from his ankle problem and should be included in the squad.

Chelsea have no fresh injury worries but Grant must decide whether to choose Nicolas Anelka or Didier Drogba to lead the attack.

Meanwhile, the Blues coach has taken the pressure off his misfiring strikers by insisting he is unconcerned by the lack of goals from Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Anelka has only scored twice since he arrived at Stamford Bridge for £15million in the January transfer window while Drogba's only goal after returning from the African Nations Cup came in the Carling Cup final defeat to Tottenham at Wembley.

"I'm not worried as long as the team are scoring goals,'' said Grant.

"Anelka, when he played against West Ham and against Derby, played like a team player. We won because of him. He played well.

"If he plays well and the team scores four or six goals, it's still good even if you do judge strikers by goals.

"I'm sure he and Didier will score goals. Our game is that we play with three forwards and the players behind come forward and provide goals. The team score, not one player.''

Chelsea's capitulation to Spurs at Wembley gave Grant a rare taste of defeat and yet the 52-year-old Israeli is adamant that `revenge' is not a word that features in his vocabulary as far as tomorrow's game is concerned.

Grant said: "I don't live in the past. When we came to the Carling Cup, I didn't think about us having beaten them in the league a few weeks before.

"I don't think it will be relevant in this game. We are trying to build a style of the team - some basic things, how we move, how we build an attack, how we defend.

"In that game at Wembley, we didn't play. Winning this game would be good. It's always good to win.''

source: ESPNsoccernet - Preview: Tottenham vs Chelsea - English Premier League

keano10 · 19-03-2008, 06:12 PM

I really hope I'm wrong, but I don't have a good feeling about this one. Chelsea need to win, we don't and they will also be after revenge from the CC Final. You only had to look at their players faces after the whistle. I will be very surprised if we beat them again.

Come on you Spurs, surprise me!

**jec1** · 19-03-2008, 09:54 PM

Bandini's boy berbatov scoring a goal, spurs are giving it to them.

**Mighty T.A.L.** · 19-03-2008, 10:39 PM

Unbelievable how many goals Spurs are involved in.

**Vargas_4** · 19-03-2008, 11:10 PM

Wow.

4-4

Must have been an incredible game to witness.

**bandini** · 20-03-2008, 05:18 AM

Berbs is just a genius. The guy is amazing. What I love to see is that they are not giving up in these games. And yeah TAL they really are scoring a lot of goals although still letting in too many as always. This is what sets Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool miles above us still, but we're getting there...

If anybody can find video highlights please post them. I've tried to look around but haven't found anything yet and I missed the game

WhoCares · 20-03-2008, 03:15 PM

Awsome game. To bad it was overshadowed by that childish brat Cashley Cole and a spineless Mike Riley.

But great game that went on 'till Rileys last blow. Should have been 5-4 in overtime except Cuducini pulled out a incredible save when Berbatove was through.

**Vargas_4** · 20-03-2008, 03:32 PM

^ Yeah, really. Saved Chelsea's ass there.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 20-03-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandini

Berbs is just a genius. The guy is amazing. What I love to see is that they are not giving up in these games. And yeah TAL they really are scoring a lot of goals although still letting in too many as always. This is what sets Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool miles above us still, but we're getting there...

If anybody can find video highlights please post them. I've tried to look around but haven't found anything yet and I missed the game

Try here man
http://usuarios.lycos.es/redesphp/ph...r&id_prod=1645

**kyan** · 20-03-2008, 04:51 PM

English Premier League and UEFA Champions League Highlights: Tottenham 4-4 Chelsea 03/19/2008

here are the goals & highlights, Keane's was amazing...

I still can't believe Berbs missed that 1 on 1 afterwards though

Dellas · 20-03-2008, 07:01 PM

Really disappointed by this result. We were leading 3-1 and we have the 2nd best defence in the league and to concede so many and nearly lose it at the end just really annoys me. TBH it is another reason that Grant should be sacked. He just cannot seem to win the big games for some reason and the way that we are going we will nothing.

**bandini** · 20-03-2008, 09:16 PM

I read a great article recently about exactly that point which is winning the big games. His record in general has been great but those big games are key. When you watched Ramos and Grant in the cup final they were a league apart and I don't think anybody can question that he has the better tools to work with.

Thanks for posting the vids guys.