Tottenham Hotspur V Aston Villa

Tottenham Hotspur V Aston Villa

Date & Kick-Off: Monday, 21 November 2011 – 20:00 GMT

Venue: White Hart Lane

Preview

Enjoying their best ever start to a Premiership season, Tottenham go seeking a fourth consecutive league win when they welcome Aston Villa to White Hart Lane on Monday who themselves are keen to build on a very impressive opening.

Europe is the objective for both clubs this season. Tottenham are setting their sights firmly on a top four finish and a brisk return to the Champions League, whereas Villa are at least hopeful of challenging for a top six finish that could reward them with a season in next term’s Europa League competition.

Neither have done their claims any harm in the early stages; both have suffered just two defeats so far, however Spurs (W7 D1 L2) have had a more ruthless side to their game – only four teams have plundered more goals than Harry Redknapp’s men this season (21) – and as a result go into the match sat prominently in fifth, despite having played a game less than virtually the entire league, seven points ahead of eighth in the table Villa (W3 D6 L2).

Does something have to give at White Hart Lane? Certainly not. What we have here are two teams who have done everything within their power not to lose games this season. This is also fixture which has swung either way in recent seasons – Spurs won last season’s encounter at White Hart Lane 2-1, and the reverse meeting at Villa Park by the same scoreline, but have been victorious just once at home to the Villains in the past four seasons.

Tottenham will doubtless fancy their chances at home, though, where they’ve lost only once in 21 Premier League matches, and on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run that includes seven wins, twenty goals scored and only seven conceded. However Villa have been very resilient on their travels, drawing four and losing one of their five road encounters, and will arrive in North London on a high following their enthralling 3-2 win at home to Norwich last time out.

Among the possible absentees on Monday include Spurs manager Harry Redknapp. The 64-year-old recently went under the knife for what he considered to be ‘minor heart surgery’ and, on the recommendation from doctors, is being advised to steer well clear of the dugout on Monday. Assistant Joe Jordan will take charge of first-team matters, and Jordan is hopeful top scorer Rafael Van der Vaart’s latest hamstring injury isn’t serious enough that he should sit this one out. Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone and Niko Kranjcar are all out injured.

Despite concerns earlier in the week regarding their conditions, Villa boss Alex McLeish is set to name both Stiliyan Petrov and Gabriel Agbonlahor in his starting line-up. The former limped off during his team’s 3-2 victory over Norwich a fortnight ago, complaining of a hamstring problem, while Agbonlahor, Villa’s joint-leading marksmen this season with five goals was forced to miss England’s recent internationals with Spain and Sweden due to a similar problem. Midfielder Jermaine Jenas is ineligible to face the club he is currently on loan from.

Match Pointers

Tottenham Hotspur

League Position: 5th

League Form: WDWWW

- Last season saw Tottenham win both league meetings with Aston Villa 2-1; all four of their goals were netted by Rafael Van der Vaart, the Dutchman who has six for the season, while both of Villa’s goals were scored by young Marc Albrighton.

- Spurs are unbeaten in eight Premier League games, home and away, winning seven, including each of the previous three.

- Tottenham have lost just one of their last 21 Premier League matches at White Hart Lane (W12 D8 L1), winning each of the last three, scoring nine and conceding two.

Aston Villa

League Position: 8th

League Form: WLLDW

- Aston Villa have won once at White Hart Lane in their last eleven lague visits; a 2-1 victory during the 2008/09 season – Darren Bent, then of Spurs, scored in that match.

- Villa are without an away win this season, drawing four of five so far (W0 D4 L1), though they have scored in four consecutive away games.

- Darren Bent scored twice in his last match against his former club, Tottenham, doing so in Sunderland’s 3-1 victory at the Stadium of Light two seasons ago.

Betting

On this spectacular run of theirs, having won seven of their last eight in an unbeaten sequence, many will view Tottenham winning this contest as merely a formality. I wouldn’t be so sure. Villa are a much more balanced side under Alex McLeish and although they aren’t playing the sort of expansive, exciting football fans demand, results have been positive.

Having conceded eleven in their last four matches, it would be fair to say Villa have lost their way a little at the back of late. You could also argue that going forward there has been a marked improvement; it’s now five in two league games following their 3-2 victory over Norwich at Villa Park a fortnight ago, while getting Darren Bent back amongst the goals couldn’t be more timely ahead of a fixture he looks forward to more than most – facing his former employers, whom, in his honest assessment, never gave him a fair crack of the whip during his time in North London.

So there is plenty going for the visitors, who do nevertheless face an uphill task nullifying Spurs’ wonderful array of attacking riches. Gareth Bale has been in terrific form on the left-wing, Scott Parker leads by example with his worth ethic and endeavour in the middle of the park while Luka Modric always has a chance or two in him. Rafael Van der Vaart has six in his previous seven appearances but does carry a knock, and is thus doubtful, which almost certainly means he won’t finish should he start. Emmanuel Adebayor is a constant threat up front, an ever-present outlet, but hasn’t netted since Spurs’ 4-0 hammering of Liverpool on 18 September.

The fantastic thing about Tottenham, what endears them to the average neutral, is they approach every match looking to score plenty of goals. They have done precisely that this season, especially at home where they’ve recorded three wins on the bounce in the league, notching nine in the process. However, Villa will try to counter the host’s offensive orientation by setting up a defensive barrier in front of Shay Given, the Irishman who provides a reliable last line of defence between the posts, and something tells me there could be a gargantuan performance in the Villains.

On the counter, making full use of Charles N’Zogbia and Gabriel Agbonlahor, who both boast pace in abundance and the ability to go past their marker, Villa will be a threat throughout. Darren Bent will also be doubly determined to make an impression at his former stomping ground, against the team he scored twice against for Sunderland in his most recent appearance versus Spurs. The visitors are definitely value, in my honest opinion, though a draw is perhaps a more realistic outcome for them – a high-scoring one, however.

Match Outcome: Draw – 10/3 VictorChandler

Value Bet: 2-2 Draw (Correct Score) – 20/1 Boylesports

Match Odds

Tottenham Hotspur – 4/7 PaddyPower

Draw – 10/3 VictorChandler

Aston Villa – 13/2 WilliamHill

Tottenham Hotspur V Aston Villa

Saturday, 2nd October – 15:00 GMT
Venue: White Hart Lane

Tottenham Hotspur

League Position: 8th
League Form: LWDLW

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from their hugely disappointing outing in the Premier League last weekend, when losing their first away game of the season 1-0 to West Ham United, as goals from Rafael Van Der Vaart, Gareth Bale and a Roman Pavlyuchenko braced ensured Tottenham picked up their first ever win in the UEFA Champions League, a momentous occasion made even more memorable by the fact it came at an atmospheric White Hart Lane.

However, now it’s back down to business for the Spurs players and it remains to be seen just how much their midweek exertions has taken out of them, as believe me Harry’s boys worked their socks off on Wednesday and didn’t have it easy against Dutch champions FC Twente for one minute. Furthermore, Van Der Vaart was dismissed in the second half, so that rather bizarre occurrence may have knocked his confidence, although fans will be gutted if it has as the Dutch play-maker has been nothing short of sublime since joining the club on deadline day for a bargain price.

There’s little doubt that of the two teams it is Tottenham boasting all the momentum right now, as while Villa have been doing well under Houllier so far, there’s nothing quite like winning a game in the Champions League. However, I cannot stress enough just how much Wednesday’s game took out of Tottenham and a Villa side with quick, nippy players isn’t the ideal fall-back for Tottenham, who lost on their previous return to league action following Champions League commitments in midweek. Vulnerable would definitely be a would I would best describe Tottenham right now, although after Wednesday’s heroics they may well be running off adrenaline at this moment in time.

Harry Redknapp will have been chuffed to bits with the performance from his players in midweek, with every single player pouring their heart and soul into a game which could ultimately pave the way to bigger and better things for the team further down the line this season. Redknapp, though, will be more concerned about the present and how he will somehow put out a team on Saturday. The delighted manager has major problems at the back ahead of the weekend’s home clash with Aston Villa, with Michael Dawson obviously out for the long-term, Ledley King a major doubt after an exhausting night in Europe four days ago, William Gallas is definitely our with injury while Younes Kaboul is also a big doubt. Seriously worrying time for Tottenham in defence.

Aston Villa

League Position: 5th
League Form: WDLWL

Gerard Houllier’s 100% record as Aston Villa will come under serious threat when he takes his Villians to the capital to face a Tottenham side perhaps feeling the strain following their midweek exertions in the UEFA Champions League, something the Frenchman should be all too aware of from his time spent in European competition with Liverpool and Lyon.

Tottenham’s form following midweek action in Europe has been indifferent to say the least so far, and it’s down to Aston Villa to ensure Spurs don’t have it easy on Saturday, that they up the tempo from the outset and make the next 90 minutes as exhausting and testing as physically possible. Managers at the top clubs have bemoaned weekend fixtures following European games in midweek for years now, with Harry Redknapp the latest to come out and seek sympathy from the public at how hard a job it is leading a top club into battle in the most exciting club competition on the planet. I’m sure the Aston Villa will be quick to sympathise with Harry, a group of supporters so desperate to see some Champions League action that they’re willing to swallow their pride and give their full backing to a Frenchman which, judging by his previous trends in the transfer windows, is likely to bin Villa’s search for England’s next star approach and revert back to his homeland.

All the above is still a million miles away, but in the meantime there’s plenty to be cheerful about at Villa Park. Houllier has ensured the club are still going in the Carling Cup, a competition Villa came so close to winning last term only to be thwarted by Man Utd, while the team’s 2-1 victory over locals Wolves at Molineux lifted Villa up into fifth place, one position off those elusive Champions League berth and just five points off leaders Chelsea, who they face later in the month. So it has been the perfect start for the former Liverpool tactician, although the most spectacular feat so far has been his miracle work with Emile Heskey, a former player of his at Anfield who he has know seen score twice in his last two starts, while he’s played a pivotal role in the majority of Villa’s attacks as well. A reborn player you might say.

One area where Villa will need to get right on Saturday is in midfield, where the likes of Nigel Reo-Coker, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young will need to assert themselves and avoid being overrun in the centre of the park, as many sides are when at White Hart Lane. However, a problem area has been in the defence, with Villa having not kept a clean sheet since beating Everton 1-0 at Villa Park at the end of August. In their previous three league games Villa have conceded four goals, all of which were through poor positioning from the defenders and a lack of communication. It is early days in Houllier’s reign but the defence is his first big task and he’ll need a mammoth performance from all four at the back, including Brad Friedel in goal, if Villa are to come away from White Hart Lane with something to shout about.

Match Prediction: Aston Villa – 4.00 PaddyPower

The question we and many punters are asking ourselves is will four days be enough time for Spurs to recover from their vigorous workout in the Champions League on Wednesday. I haven’t seen a side work as hard as Tottenham did for the full 90 minutes in a long time, so it will be interesting to see how they recover, especially as Harry Redknapp is restricted with his options at the back following a host of injuries.

Aston Villa should be licking their lips at the prospect of facing Tottenham right, with Spurs undoubtedly one of the better teams in the league but if you are to face them then what better time then directly after an enthralling Champions League encounter. The pace and agility of Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, possibly even Agbonlahor should he recover in time, could cause a makeshift Spurs defence all sorts of problems and we reckon they’re definitely worth a punt.

Highlighted Bets:

Over/Under: Over 2.5 Goals – 1.83 Bet365
First Goalscorer: Ashley Young – 10.00 Bet365
Correct Score: 2-1 Aston Villa – 15.00 BetFred

Match Odds:

Tottenham Hotspur – 2.05 Boylesports
Draw – 3.45 bWin
Aston Villa – 4.00 PaddyPower

Tottenham Hotspur V Aston Villa

Saturday, 6^th February – 17:30 GMT (LIVE on ESPN)

Tottenham Hotspur

League Position: 4th

Recent Form: WDLWD

After slipping up last weekend, Tottenham try their luck against another top four hopeful as they welcome Aston Villa to White Hart Lane in a clash that will provide us with some inkling into which side, if either, are ready for the challenge that could await them next season in the Champions League. However, the pressure will be on the home side more than the visitors on Saturday because Spurs lost their last clash with one of their top four rivals, losing at Liverpool, and so, defeat on Saturday would not only harm their chances of finishing in the Champions League places but it could also have an adverse affect on the players mindsets heading into the final half of fixtures.

Harry Redknapp was a busy bee during January as he welcomed Eidur Gudjohnsen to Tottenham, but at the same time waved goodbye to Robbie Keane as the Republic of Ireland international joined Celtic on loan until the end of the season. Surely this ‘one in, one out’ process of theirs will be greeted with mixed thoughts from the fans as Gudjohnsen hasn’t been in the sort of form that seen him win the title at Chelsea for a long while now, while Keane is the closest thing the Spurs fans have to a God. To be fair, Keane hasn’t been at his best this season and his departure was due to Redknapp growing fond of his former Portsmouth striking duet of Jermain Defoe & Peter Crouch. The pair have featured prominently for Tottenham in recent games, even in Tottenham’s recent midweek success in the FA Cup, so even a former Premier league champion in Eidur Gudjohnsen may struggle to get games under Redknapp.

As far as this game goes and Tottenham’s chances of claiming all three points, they remain high after an impressive display in the FA Cup on Wednesday. Spurs were forced into a replay by a hard working Leeds United and Wednesday’s clash at Elland Road was a real test of character. However, the Tottenham players passed this test with flying colours as they dominated proceedings from the word ‘Go’. They must have created something like a dozen clear cut chances during the course of the 90 minutes and quite how they only managed three goals is unbelievable. They did, nevertheless, get the win they craved and, in the process, celebrated a Jermain Defoe hat-trick as the pacey England forward aims to end the season with a good vein of form in front of goal in order to enhance his chances of playing in South Africa.

Tottenham will need to make a bright start at White Hart Lane. Much like their high tempo start at Elland Road on Wednesday where Spurs could have been over the hill and far away within the opening 30 minutes. However, the problem now arising for Tottenham is their annoying habit of passing up glorious goalscoring opportunities and they’ve been in a wasteful mood for some time now. If we’re honest, Tottenham need to strike while the irons hot and they need an early goal in this fixture to gain some early confidence in front of goal. This season Spurs have proved they can go 90 minutes without scoring a goal, even though they create so many chances. Jermaine Defoe especially needs to be far more clinical and his four goals in two games should be the catalyst he needs to regain his scoring form.

Aston Villa

League Position: 7th

Recent Form: LLDDW

Villa got back to winning ways at the weekend when they brushed a-side Fulham at Craven Cottage a week ago. That victory in London, where Villa will travel this Saturday, ended their four match drought without winning a Premiership fixture but it won’t get an easier as they travel to the capital to take on one of their top four rivals in Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. However, it’s worth pointing out that Villa did beat Tottenham in London last season, although their victory did come at a time when Tottenham were in serious trouble with form and confidence, and Villa won’t have the luxury of playing the same Tottenham side this Saturday.

This is a big game for Villa as defeat would see them fall five points behind their match day opponents. Their form isn’t great either, with just one win to their name in their last five, but Villa did finally get that much needed victory last weekend when they overcame what should have been an awkward Fulham side at a tough venue at Craven Cottage. A stadium where some of the biggest teams in the country have fallen this season. However, that is one hugely positive factor with Aston Villa in that no arena intimidates them any more, and where they would curl up into a ball at the big stadium’s in past seasons, they are instead pulling sensational performances out of the bag and have been reaping the rewards all season.  

It appears nothing scares this Villa side any more and they need look no further for away inspiration than their victories over the country’s two most prolific clubs in Liverpool, beating the 18 time league champions 3-1 at Anfield, and Manchester United, also beating an 18 time champions at Old Trafford; 1-0. Both encounters saw Villa produce two colossal performances, outplaying two of England’s glamorous sides for most parts, and there is no doubt that Villa have the credentials to register yet another big away victory and claim yet another away scalp.

For Villa to win this encounter they will need to produce a performance as good as the ones when they beat Liverpool at Anfield and Manchester United at Old Trafford. In both, Villa were magnificent throughout. They were dangerous in attack, quick to break and were outstanding at the back. They worked hard in closing down their opponents and rushing them when in possession but they will also need a bid shot-stopping display from one of their heroes of the season in Brad Friedel, whom has kept them in the big games this season with some stunning saves. The American has been Villa’s last form of defence and he’s arguably been the best goalkeeper in the Premiership this season, up their with Joe Hart. The proof is literally in the pudding as Villa haven’t conceded a league goal in 270 minutes of play, while four of their five away wins this season have been to NIL. So, a solid defence has been the key to Villa’s away exploits this season and another workmanlike shift is needed on Saturday from the Villa defence.

Head-to-Head:

Tottenham Hotspur W: 3 Aston Villa W: 2 Draws: 5

•  There’s not a lot separating these two in the h2h counter, with five of their last ten meetings ending in a share of the spoils. 

•  Last season, the away side claimed all three points on both occasions, with Villa winning this same fixture 2-1 at White Hart Lane in 2008 and Tottenham then avenging the defeat with a 2-1 win at Villa Park. 

•  Villa have won two of their last four meetings, both of which were by a 2-1 scoreline. 

•  The last encounter between them finished 1-1 but four of their last five clashes have produced at least three goals or more.

• The highest scoring league games between the two came in 2007 when the pair played out an enthralling 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane, with Villa having a 4-1 lead at one point before Tottenham clawed their way back into the game with three second half goals.

Match Verdict: Tottenham Hotspur to WIN – 2.20 Boylesports

Tottenham have been a risky bet this season as they go through lean spells in front of goal where, try all they might, they just can’t seem to hit the net. However, so long as they’re creating plenty of chances they’re a good bet in our eyes but they will need to take the golden ones that do come along on Saturday if they are to record a big victory over one of their closest competitors for a top four finish. They need a bright start and we think they’ll get it as Villa won’t look to open up too early on. If Spurs do get the first goal then we fancy them to go on and win this encounter. However, our bet goes straight out the window if Villa land the first blow as anything can happen with a Villa lead.

Match Odds:

Tottenham Hotspur – 2.20 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Aston Villa – 3.65 Expekt

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Tottenham Hotspur to be leading after 30 minutes – 5/2 WilliamHill