TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR- STOKE CITY The revolving doors at the White Hart Lane entrance have been working overtime, with Carlo Cudicini and the returning Pascal Chimbonda the latest arrivals and any number of players set to be moving one way or another in this, the final week of the transfer window, which ends at 17.00 UK time on Monday. Happy Harry Redknapp loves this wheeling and dealing and would have probably been very happy as a used car salesman in a former life. Hopefully, when the doors stop spinning, Redknapp will have a side that can keep Spurs in the Premier League !
Personally, I have few, if any doubts on that score, but they really need to get another win on board asap, I strongly feel that will come tonight. These two clubs are amongst the five tied on 21 points at the foot of the table, so defeat for either, would leave them in trouble. Cudicini is a very good signing to my eyes, he will probably save Spurs 4-5 points between now and the end of the season, the error prone Heurelho Gomes, who has yet to come to terms with life in the EPL, would probably cost them the same. At the moment, those nine points or so ,are the difference between 20th and 8th place in the table.
City are pleased with what they have achieved so far and looking at various forums, they are a popular pick tonight, at what certainly appears a big price, but is it really ? Let's look a little at their recent form, firstly, they are without a win in ten starts (0-4-6), but, I hear you cry, they have been very unlucky and should have won at Chelsea, where they led with a few minutes remaining, but was that luck, or justice ? The Blues created 37 (!) attempts on goal, or one every 2.43 minutes, with an incredible 22 on target.
Ok, but they drew 0-0 at home to Liverpool before that.......... the visitors were dire that day, arguably their worst performance of the season, yet still City only enjoyed 34% possession and did not create a single attempt on target in 90 minutes play. Their only other start in 2009, was a cup defeat at struggling Division 1 side Hartlepool United, who completely dominated the game.
So, on reflection, they are not a side I would be rushing to back, their game plan is one dimensional and Cudicini will be a big asset in combating much of that aerial threat. Tottenham are going to thump someone soon, it is all going to fall into place and if, they can score first and settle any nerves, it could easily happen tonight, they will certainly get plenty of the ball and opportunities to do so.
6 points Tottenham -1 ball 2.12 asian line.
Back later.
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