please log in to view this image Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa at White Hart Lane on Saturday 11th April 2015 (KO 15:00) in the 32nd round of the 2014-15 Premier League. Spurs come into the match in 6th place in the Table on 54 points with Villa in 16th place on 29 points. The match at will be the 169th time the two clubs have met. Tottenham Hotspur first played Aston Villa on 11th April 1896 when Spurs were still in the Southern League. The friendly match played at Tottenham Marshes ended with a 3-1 win for Aston Villa. Three more friendlies were played until the clubs met in anger for the first time in the old Third Round of the FA Cup (today's 5th Round) in March 1903 with Villa winning 3-2. The first Football League meeting came on 20th November 1909 in the First Division after Spurs had been promoted after their debut season of League football. Villa once again won 3-2. There have been two Wembley matches played between the two clubs. The first was in the 1971 Football League Cup Final which Spurs won 2-0 with two goals from Martin Chivers - Aston Villa were in the Third Division at the time. The second game at Wembley came in the 1981 Charity Shield with FA Cup Winners Spurs drawing 2-2 with Football League Champions Aston Villa. Mark Falco scored both Spurs goals and Peter Withe did likewise for Villa. The last time the two clubs met in a domestic cup tie was in the 5th Round of the League Cup in January 1994 with Villa winning 2-1. Both Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur were founder-members of the Premier League in 1992-93 and the two clubs, along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the only seven ever-present clubs during the competition's 23 season history. Spurs did the 'double' over Villa in 2010-11 winning both matches 2-1 with Rafael van der Vaart scoring all of Tottenham's four goals. Villa's two goals both came from Marc Albrighton at White Hart Lane in October and Villa Park in December, after Spurs had been reduced to ten men after Jermain Defoe's red card after 27 minutes. Spurs signed former Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel during the summer of 2011 on a free transfer. Alan Hutton made a move in the opposite direction and Jermaine Jenas joined Villa on a season's loan. The 2011-12 match at White Hart Lane last season took place on Monday 21st November and resulted in a 2-0 win for Tottenham. Two first half goals from Emmanuel Adebayor after 14 and 40 minutes were enough to see Spurs take all three points in a game marked by Harry Redknapp's return after undergoing minor heart surgery. In January 2012 former Spurs striker Robbie Keane had a loan spell with Aston Villa scoring 3 times in 7 appearances. The match at Villa Park in April 2012 finished 1-1 with Ciaran Clark putting Villa ahead with a 25-yard shot that deflected off William Gallas and Emmanuel Adebayor scoring a 62nd minute penalty to level the proceedings. This fixture at White Hart Lane in October 2012 resulted in a 2-0 win for Spurs. After a goalless first half, Steven Caulker put Spurs ahead after 58 minutes when he deflected-in Jermain Defoe's close range shot and Aaron Lennon added a second in the 67th minute with a powerful shot into the far corner of the net. Villa were in a very generous mood when they hosted Spurs on Boxing Day 2012 with Spurs coming away with all three points after a 4-0 win. Jermain Defoe opened the scoring and Gareth Bale added a hat-trick. The clubs met in the Football League (Capital One) Cup in September 2013 with Spurs coming away from the 3rd Round match at Villa Park with another 4-0 win, thanks to two goals from Jermain Defoe and goals from Paulinho and Nacer Chadli. Spurs beat Villa with a 2-0 Premier League win in October 2013 at Villa Park. Goals in each half from Andros Townsend and Roberto Soldado secured the three points for Tottenham. Tottenham's fine form against Villa (nine wins and three draws in the last 12 matches) continued with a 3-0 win in the final game of the 2013-14 season with Paulinho putting Spurs ahead after 14 minutes before Nathan Baker headed into his own net 21 minutes later. An Emmanuel Adebayor penalty in the 38th minute wrapped-up a 3-0 win before half-time. Andreas Weimann opened the scoring in the 16th minute at Villa Park in November 2014 but two late goals from Nacer Chadli and Harry Kane secured all the points for Spurs after Aston Villa had Christian Benteke sent-off after 65 minutes. Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood was appointed Aston Villa manager on 14th February 2015. Sherwood's last game as Tottenham's manager was a 3-0 win against Aston Villa on 11th May 2014. Overall, Spurs have the edge with 70 wins to Villa's 59 with 39 of the 168 matches having been drawn. please log in to view this image Full Record of Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa Matches 1896-2015 please log in to view this image They Played For Spurs and Villa Darren Bent Guðni Bergsson (Villa trialist) Danny Blanchflower Mark Burke (Spurs trialist) Colin Calderwood Jimmy Cantrell Billy Cook Peter Crouch Simon Dawkins Ronnie Dix Brad Friedel David Ginola George Graham (Villa player, Spurs manager) Andy Gray James Gray Steve Hodge Alan Hutton Bob Iverson (Spurs junior) Jermaine Jenas Robbie Keane Oyvind Leonhardsen Ernie Phypers Vic Potts Wayne Routledge Tim Sherwood (Spurs player & manager, Villa manager) Gordon Smith Cyril Spiers Tom Tebb Jack Treasadern (Spurs manager, Villa scout) Kyle Walker Frank Wilson Luke Young please log in to view this image Tottenham Hotspur Premier League Player's Squad Numbers 1993-94 to 2014-15 Aston Villa Premier League Player's Squad Numbers 1993-94 to 2014-15 please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Created by @THFC6061 Full Match Article on MyFootballFacts.com
If we can look after Benteke (big if) we should be ok. They are improved, but still poor in many games. Sherwood at least doesn't sit back and absorb, so should eb a decent game.
Can't we just buy Benteke now and not tell Sherwood about it? Villa's owners will probably agree to it, as they don't seem that bothered about the club. Stay up every year and they'll be happy. Sherwood's done a good job since he too over, but he didn't have much to follow. Lambert was far, far too negative with a side whose defence wasn't up to playing in that style and it curtailed their dangerous front line. Our midfield should be able to control this game, but it would be nice to have something resembling a defence available. We kept our first clean sheet in ages without the usual mob though, so perhaps I should be wary of what I wish for?
I'm dreading watching Benteke against our back 4. The way he's playing at the moment, versus the way they're playing, it could be carnage!...
Villa have scored 9 away goals in 16 matches including 4 in one half at Sunderland. Score and you tend to beat them. And you really should - they conceded 5 at Arsenal and 3 at Chelsea, Utd & Everton. They just ain't very good.
Sherwood looks like he's getting Villa to play like how we did with him, very open and attacking and therefore leaves the defence exposed but is generally working at the moment, or at least providing a bit of entertainment with Villa which they've lacked for about 3 seasons, so it should result in a good open game. He's got Benteke firing again which is worrying as he's a class player when on form. Team I'd play: Lloris (if fit) Yedlin/ Chiriches, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose Stambouli, Dembele Townsend, Eriksen, Chadli Kane Not sure if Walker will be fit but even if he is I wouldn't play him, he's been pony of late. I mentioned in the Burnley thread that I think Mason and Bentaleb have looked a bit jaded recently, so a weeks break could do them some good. Chadli needs a kick up the arse, I'd give him this game as a last chance before being dropped, Lamela has spent a lot of time on the bench recently and so I'd like to think he'd be keen to get a start and impress soon, though he hasn't done much to fill me with confidence he'll be much better if I'm honest.
I'd go with: Lloris; Chiriches, Fazio, Vertonghen, Rose; Stambouli, Bentaleb; Dembele, Mason, Eriksen; Kane. That's assuming everyone's fit. Chadli's form has been horrible since his bereavement, our midfield needs rejigging and the defence has been appalling. Kane and Eriksen are looking a bit jaded too, unfortunately. The international break probably didn't help.
i would go with Dier instead of Fazio,Dier played well last game,and i just don't trust Fazio,and he's up against Benteke
The officials can take some of that blame, too. Vardy was offside, yet it took ages to award it, resulting in the collision.
Lloris and Walker ruled out, Verts doubtful: http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/villa-home-team-news-100415/ The thing with Walker is that cloud has a diamond-studded lining, given he's needed to be rested since March.
I wonder if Spurs have a very good center half on their shopping list,or will we miss out (again!) and buy a plodder?
So will MP play Fazio or Davies in the middle given that Vlad will probably be RB. Or something we don't expect.
Verts could yet play to be fair, he was rated a 'doubtful' in the team news the other day. We'll probably see Davies at CB, although Fazio might be a good choice against Benteke's physical size. Chiriches at RB because I doubt we'll see Yedlin.
