Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea

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Sunday 20th August 4pm
Premier League
Wembley Stadium​

Our first home game at Wembley and we face the same opponent as our last trip to the stadium.
Very different circumstances and hopefully a very different result.
Our recent record at the ground is far from stellar and we need to hit the ground running.
It's a big game normally, but this one is very important to both sides.

The two best sides from last season's Premier League campaign have had a fairly stable summer.
Minimal transfers on both sides, no managerial changes and they've kept their most important players.
All good then, right? Not really.
Spurs have still to make a single signing, while Chelsea have missed a lot of their targets and Costa's gone on strike.
Injuries have disrupted the preparations of both too, while Conte's side also faces a spate of suspensions.

This fixture was one of our most impressive performances last season.
Chelsea were on a record-breaking run of 13 wins and had stormed to the top of the table.
Our own results had picked up well before this one, but a win here would make them look invincible.
A controlled and disciplined performance saw us disrupt all that and take the points.
A goal in either half from Dele Alli headers was enough to maintain our own unbeaten run at White Hart Lane.

The game at Stamford Bridge didn't go as well, unfortunately.
One of our best first halves of the campaign saw us take the lead from a vicious Eriksen strike.
We were dominant, totally running the game and completely in command, looking very comfortable.
Right at the end of the half Pedro changed all that with a spectacular goal from nothing.
A poor start to the second half saw Moses put them ahead and an equaliser was always out of reach.

We have no suspensions for this one, while Chelsea will lose Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas to bans.
Trippier, Lamela, Rose and N'Koudou all look likely to miss out due to injury.
Pedro, Bakayoko and Hazard are probably out for our opponents.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Walker-Peters, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Dembele; Sissoko, Eriksen, Alli; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Carter-Vickers, Wimmer, Wanyama, Winks, Son, Janssen.

Chelsea: Courtois; Rudiger, Luiz, Cahill; Azpilicueta, Fabregas, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Boga; Batshuayi.
Subs: Cabellero, Christensen, Tomori, Kenedy, Scott, Musonda, Morata.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.

TV: Sky Sports.

Son and Wanyama started our last game on the bench. Should either return to the side and if so, for who?
Should we stick with the 4-2-3-1 from our victory at St James' Park or go with three at the back?
Should Chelsea's missing players have any influence on our approach to the game?

 

"No, it is true. We will play 3 at the back, or 4 at the back, we have that option. The players are focused on the important things." -- Poch

That's what I think he'll say later today

 

As I said in the predictions thread, the potential for a Spursy draw is worryingly high for this one.

 

Yes a depleted Chelsea lost to Burnley and yes a depleted Newcastle were beaten BUT as it's a London derby nobody should take anything for granted. Just because we face a depleted Chelsea doesn't mean to say we'll win it. I mentioned last week that they came back to within one goal with 9 men so they're dangerous. One pundit said we must blow them out of the water, I strongly disagree, let's just win it. A strong defence is a must for this one.

 

Let's be honest, Luiz making it 3-2 isn't the first time a Chelsea player who should've been sent off scored a goal - but that little detail was completely overlooked by people who are paid to not overlook details such as this.

Best hope that the Chavs' Wembley hoodoo that nobody is talking about even though it clearly exists has some weight to it...

 

Still some tickets available for this one, but only available to members who've been registered since July 1st or earlier.
Some reports of 20,000+ but it doesn't seem like it's that high to me.
The lower tier's sold out, the middle tier only has two tickets available and there are sections of the upper tier that are full, too.
There'll definitely be some gaps though, plus a number of Chelsea fans sneaking in around the place.

 

Hack reports are saying that if the capacity is 80K, there
will only be up to 60K attendance for this game.

Given the complaints last season about the Wembley acoustics,
if the above is true, the home support is going to have to sing
very loud indeed.

 

Probably all the Chelsea fans boycotting the match as their club has "only" signed Morata, Bakayoko, Rudiger and Caballero this summer...

 

AFAIK, they only got a ticket allocation of 3500 max.

 

<ES>
So far, Spurs have sold around 70,000 tickets, including 3,000 in the away end, for the first League game at their temporary home - some 20,000 short of the national stadium’s capacity. But following talks with the safety advisory group, made up of representatives from Brent Council and the police, fire and ambulance services, the club have not been permitted to put remaining tickets on general sale for fear of Chelsea supporters buying in the home end.

Spurs are only able to sell tickets to fans registered on their database prior to July 1
</ES>

I wonder how many more than 67000 odd are registered on the
database before or after July 1 ??

 

I must admit I missed that one HBIC.

 

https://www.clippituser.tv/c/bwnpbl
Very lucky not to have got anything for that. Brady helped him out a lot by being honest.

 

So did the ref, in spite of the fact they were literally stood right in front of Luiz when he should've got a straight red
https://www.clippituser.tv/c/bwnpbl

 

And every press report
Completely glossed over

 

I hate this fixture. Just hate it. More than the NLD.

 

So do I. No club I hate more than Chelsea. Arsenal might be our rivals, but that's just it. They are our rivals.

Chelsea are just scum.

 

Wasn't going to go as living in deepest South London means I have to fight (literally on occasions) my way back home through their charming supporters.

Having heard that we're somewhat short of a full house - Bollocks to that! I'm going just so that there's a couple more seats filled. COYS!

 

We'll ****-punch those chavs back to Stamford Bridge. Actually back to the Etihad, who they'll no doubt be supporting this season if Pep's money millions begin to look the real deal.

 

Don't underestimate the scuminess of Arsenal

 

Sorry guys but nothing matches the NLD. Losing to them is the worst football feeling topped only by losing a cup final imo.
I was over the semi final loss to them almost immediately but had it been the goons that beat us I would still be hunting small fluffy dogs to kick\stamp on.