[Archived] Tottenham Hotspur vs Blackburn Rovers

[booth]

On Phil Jones:

"With attractive suitors lining up for his signature, it seems only a matter of time until lowly, unglamorous Blackburn are forced to sell their rough diamond"

Tottenham journal.

Rough diamond, what does that make any of their defenders? Tool.

[67splitscreen]

Friedel makes a splash, more a never ending tsunami.

[G Somerset Rover]

Gallas and Kaboul have been playing like two strangers recently - see Gyan's goal the other night for proof. Someone like Hoilett could really ruffle their feathers.

I'm going with two yido's so really really really do not want to lose this one.

I'll go with 1-1.

[Exiled_Rover]

On Phil Jones:

"With attractive suitors lining up for his signature, it seems only a matter of time until lowly, unglamorous Blackburn are forced to sell their rough diamond"

Tottenham journal.

I've never understood how Rovers are considered as lowly and unglamorous.

We're an established Premier League team with excellent facilities and the best kit in the league. It's not like we're Blackpool or something.

[waggy]

i reckon spurs will be desperate for 3 points tomorrow,a little gap is opening at the top,the longer we hold them the better.we have a decent record at white hart lane so a draw may well be possible

[Beckenham Blue]

I'm taking my 8 yr old to his first Rovers away game but we're in the North Stand using a mates ST.

We use the pubs on the High Road between Seven Sisters and WHL, far from the best but pretty close to the ground. The Bell and Hare on the corner near the away end is usually Spurs members only.

[67splitscreen]

Keep um coming, hope they have another hard day in training today.

"Spurs could have an entire team ruled out through injury and be left with only one fit striker after a tough run of seven games in 25 days.Tom Huddlestone (ankle), Roman Pavlyuchenko (back) and David Bentley (calf) are all doubtful after starting Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Sunderland, while eight other players are definitely sidelined.

Robbie Keane (ankle), Aaron Lennon (hamstring) and Giovani dos Santos (groin) are still out, along with captain Ledley King (groin), Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson (both ligament damage), Jamie O'Hara (back) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin)."

[grizfoot]

I was under the impression we played that exotic 5-4-1 variation against Newcastle to counter-act the threat of Carroll and Ameobi. It wouldn't make much sense playing three at the back against a Spurs side that usually play one out-and-out striker with Van Der Vaat dropping deep. I presumed we'd be going back to our usually 4-5-1 formation for this game, but who knows we may stick with the Newcastle formation since it worked so well.

[Blue blood]

Well I've a feeling a comfortable win is on the cards but I'm not entirely sure which way.

On paper Spurs have a much better team than us (which given the funds is unsuprising) and we are obliging to teams who are struggling (which Spurs are). However two wins on the bounce our confidence will be sky high and with Spurs missing so many players and having played two games a week for a fair stretch of the season, perhaps it is a good time for us to play them.

Haven't managed a game since the Chelsea one, but if we can reach the levels that we performed in that game then Spurs will struggle against us.

[Mattyblue]

I've never understood how Rovers are considered as lowly and unglamorous.

We're an established Premier League team with excellent facilities and the best kit in the league. It's not like we're Blackpool or something.

Because we are from a provincial northern town and we don't get 30000+ crowds every week, simple as that.

The rest of the article was full of the ignorance you expect, Damien Duff was prised away straight away was he? Must have dreamt those 5 years!

Clubs like Rovers should be cherished, not belittled, but there you go.

[JAL]

On Phil Jones:

"With attractive suitors lining up for his signature, it seems only a matter of time until lowly, unglamorous Blackburn are forced to sell their rough diamond"

Tottenham journal.

Hope Sam and the boys see this. What better an incentive could Spurs provide than this, and if, there is a victory for Rovers come the end, then provocative celebrations have to be, simply have to be the order of the day, like a lap of honour around WHL. It would be extremely rude not to do so.

Let them know your there Rovers!

Arte et labore

[blue/white]

I've never understood how Rovers are considered as lowly and unglamorous.

We're an established Premier League team with excellent facilities and the best kit in the league. It's not like we're Blackpool or something.

Let those fools keep talking out their arse, E_R. We're Blackburn Rovers and we don't care.

[AHoyle90]

Going to be a really tough game whatever way you look at it. Team depends on El Hadji Diouf and if he is going to be fit enough to start.

Robinson

Salgado

Samba

Nelsen

Givet

Chimbonda

Emerton

Jones

Pedersen

Hoilett

Roberts

That would be my team and give that formation another go.

[chaddyrovers]

My team would be:-

Robinson; Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Givet; E.Diouf, Emerton, Jones, Pedersen, Hoilett; Roberts.

Subs:- Bunn, Hanley, Chimbonda, Dunn, Kalinic, M.Diouf, Goulan.

I think we will get a draw against Spuds. Only got Crouch has their only fit striker aswell. really hope we win tho. Perfect time to play them will the injures there have got.

COYB!

[LeChuck]

I'm trying to work out whether that formation would be good against Spurs, and I can't work it out.

Against Newcastle it made perfect sense; Newcastle play cross field balls into big front men, so a) pressing high up the pitch preventing these balls, and having three centre backs to challenge in the air made perfect sense.

Spurs play totally differently, they look to get in behind out wide using pace down the wings. Is 5-4-1 the best way to do it? I think Chimbonda and Salgado could get pinned back, meaning we'd struggle to support the front man like we did against Newcastle. On the other hand the performance was so much better that I want us to give it another try.

My gut feeling is that, on paper, it'll look the same, but we won't see the midfield pressing the ball high up the pitch.

[DP]

A back 3 against Spurs is asking for trouble as it will be too easy for Bale to get in behind the defence.

Robbo

Salgado

Samba

Nelson

Givet

Emerton

Jones

Peds

EH Diouf

Dunn/Hoilett

Roberts

With Benjani injured, playing 1 up away at Spurs it can only be Roberts.

[The Rover of Finland]

Will Sam play Salgado against Bale? Last season Bale won Salgado 100-0.

Robbo

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Emo Dunny Jones EHD (if fit)

MGP

Roberts

Bunn, Hanley, Junior, Niko, M.Diouf, Salgado, Goulon.

I would really like to see Goulon today. Spurs are missing several important players. It´s a really good chance for Rovers. Two wins under belt must be a great boost too. 1-2 for Rovers. Dunny from spot and J-Rob.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Will Sam play Salgado against Bale? Last season Bale won Salgado 100-0.

I saw it slightly different - Bale took him to cleaners first half - second half Salgado seemed to get to grips with him - or maybe Bale just respects his elders too much and thought it embarassing after the 1st half

For all their injuries - they will still put out a team not too far off their first team. Sam has to counter Bale and Van Der Vaart - and we also have to handle Crouch better than we have in previous matches. Prior to the last two matches I would have said a definite defeat - for some reason I am now more optimistic - cum on u blues

[Andy]

Although Bale did have a superb 45 minutes against us at WHL, it's important to remember that Salgado not only adapted and recovered for the 2nd half, but completely had Bale in his pocket for the return match at Ewood...

[jny]

Rude, Arrogant, Overrated, Over Publicised

that's spurs for you, I would love it if we hammered them, however my gut feeling is either a draw or could go either way by one goal

[Al]

I think the answer to the Bale problem is to let Emmo be the first into the tackle with Salgado picking up anything pushed past him. If that fails Samba needs to be close to Crouch to stop Bale's crosses reaching him.

[RoyRover]

Gareth Bale going up against Michael Salgado is obviously the big concern in this game. We've seen that Bale can be stopped when teams double up on him, like Bolton did last week. I wouldn't be surprised if Chimbonda did play this one, as he has more pace to deal with Bale. The stamina of Emerton on the right will also be crucial in helping to stop Bale. Despite their injury problems, Spurs will still be able to put out a very good team and I think it will be difficult to get a result. If we got a point I'd be more than happy.

[Amo]

I just hope we give it a go and play positively. I don't want the Newcastle game to be a one-off because of Sam's grudge-match on Geordieland.

[Tom]

Amazed at people putting Dunny in the team, on this seasons showings he's been more of a liability than an asset, I'd try Goulon before him.

I'd rest Salgado and give Emo a go at RB as he has the stanima to possibly deal with Bale

[den]

Bale needs space in front of him. Close that space down and does he have the same impact?