Chelsea v Tottenham

We should just go and park the team bus in front of their goal....

We need to put out a team to be hard to break down and not a team to play football as we may get a spanking. Keep it tight with O`hara in the middle and Bentley on the right and Play Bale LB and the rest picks itself. we can get a draw but we must frustrate Chavs..watch us go and win now.

i think its negative thinking thats got us into this 2match losing streak to start with. we are spurs we are meant to go all out attack and try for a win everytime. thats how are squad should play, if not why have we brought in all these attacking mids. we need to stop being cautious and go for it. squad for chelsea should be. gomes-zakora-dawson-woodgate-bale(back 4) king(DM) bentley-modric-dos santos(attackin mid) then 2 of either berbatov/pav/bent

Agree Othello, we will get ripped to shreds if we keep the same midfield of JJ and Luka and BAE will be taken to the cleaners..Dawson...we might as well concede defeat before the game starts if he plays. No one is expecting us to win so lets frustrate them and nick a goal

all this hype sayin we have no chance which is prob is true but we still have to go there with no fear, an go for it, it will see what we are made of an also ramos etc. be a nice suprise if we ended ther run at him coys

I know you didn't mention the lone striker... I was responding to the "i think its negative thinking thats got us into this 2match losing streak to start with" line.

i think king in DM would help dawson and woodgate no end. almost like a back 3 so bale and zakora can get forward and frustrate chelsea

played 3 lost 3 bottom of the league lol makes grim reading, tbh i rxpected to lose both our away games anyway. Anything from this game will be a massive bonus even if its just a good performance. Villa at home next week is the big one.

King is struggling at Cb let alone the demands of DM, I cannot see Jr doing that in fact I can see him playing the same players in the same formation in the same positions and playing for a win if it pays of all will be forgiven if it does not he won`t be too bothered he has a system and style and he will not compromise IMO.

lets hope the players r as positive as you lot. i would never say we was gonna win. cos would'nt want2put the mockers on us. but on the othert hand would never be as pessimistic as you lot.COYS

I don't expect many changes from last week, but I would like to see Gunter play Right Back instead of Zokora. I don't know why he hasn't started the other two games, so would be about time. King and Woody at CB, Bale Left Back. Bentley RM, Gio LM. JJ will start whether some of you guys like it or not and will play CM with Modric. I'd like to see either Hudd or O'Hara play DM and Bent up front alone to start. We need to keep it fairly tight. Berbatov is gone so dream on johna. If the new boy Pav is signed in time he should be on the bench with Lennon. Don't understandwhy we let Pekhart go out on loan. Give these guys a bloody go! Trying to be positive, but realism keeps kicking in and telling me we're in for the roughest ride so far. We don't have the same belief as we had in Feb for the CC final and a lot of that is to do with Keane going as he was great for keeping others buzzing. Ledley doesn't seem the same and appears to be still finding his way back. Therefore his motivation in regard to others is missing. JJ is not a leader, so someone else needs to step up and in a team of lots of new boys that's a big ask. Ramos needs to prove himself over the next few weeks. Learning the language would be a good place to start!

I’m with JR 100%, we need to go there with No Fear and win. Vital Spurs won’t publish my article on how Spurs can defeat Chelsea, but they are not the only ones who lack bottle. Terry clearly bottled it when the Wigan bloke took a header over him. Not much of an enforcer if he’s scared of hurting his face. Chelsea hide all kinds of weaknesses behind the brilliant keeping of Cech, but look at the Turan and Taylor goals and you’ll discover that he literally has an Achilles Heel. Kick it hard and low, straight at his feet, then charge it down to put the fear in him. Cech is the ruler of the air, but since his head injury he’s slightly hesitant to go to ground, and therefore not unbeatable. Then there’s Ashley Cole protecting his hamstring. Lennon can run him until it snaps. We can bully these mugs if we go there breathing fire. COYS!!!

def agree jus a matter of time, glad to see en dof it

You maybe right Royston, you maybe right but at the moment he is still a Spurs player and until I see him wearing and Manchester Utd shirt he will remain one.

We must go and try and play our own game thats what we must do. Like ramos is saying, we have not played the football we have showed we can play and for me going there to make it tough to score against isnt the answer, not under the Ramos regime and style. We will have our fair share of the ball im sure of it. Need to get over our anxieties and trust eachother and this game could kickstart our season.

We had ten men in our first two games. Let's hope we have eleven this time. In short, drop that cr_p who wears the armband, and I don't mean Ledders.

Dear Forever United and assorted gimps, I am a strong supporter of freedom of speech, however please feel free to :- 1) Pass your GCSE's. 2) TYPE IN CAPS 3) Get your return ticket to Hampshire, if you can find the National Express Office. Twunts

well i think on sunday most spurs fans are in for a shock as jj will be our second striker, well link up man between midfield and bent as listening to interviews from last week i think he impressed poyet and ramos, this then leaves space for hudd toi come in beside modric, so my team for sunday(not that its worth a damn) gomes-zokora-woodgate-king-bale-huddlestone-modric-bentley-o'hara-jenas-bent, and no berbatov he won't even be on the bench

I think this particular game will be more suited to Darren Bent, Chelsea will be playing a higher line than our previous oppositions hence that should give him the space to exploit behind there back line, lets hope so anyway

As long as we don't lump high balls to him like against Sunderland, then Bent may thrive. Despite his height, he's not a target man.

just got newcastle away in the carling cup, tricky game we never do well up there, well this season goes from strength to strength

Alex are you suggesting JR drop our vice-Captain..I agree with your line up 100%

Why drop Zokora and play Gunter in such a high-pressure game such as this? Has Zokora really played that badly, because from what I have seen, he's done very very well at right back so far this season.

Gunter made his debut for us at Manure in the cup and played well. We lost, but it wasn't down to him. Any game in the prem these days is pressure, so when will we ever play him. He was signed as no.2 to Hutton and he IS a right back. Zokora wins some people over because he's wholehearted, but he aint good enough and never will be. The manager obviously disagrees though as he keeps playing him. Come to think of it, it's been a while since Zokora actually played as a midfielder!

We need some happy news! Toon away in the Lager Cup and now they've just extended Zok's contract! Where's the news on new players? It's been a week now! Do we always have to wait until 11:55pm on deadline day? I have chewed my nails down to stumps....!

By the way, I wish I could tyep proprely! (Beacuse???)

right, somebody explain to me, please how come Defoe and Kaboul are now good enough to play 1st team football under "arry and are actually playing very well???...

Zok just signed new contract...was hoping someone would come in for him,KPB wanted by Celtic on loan could be perfect for all parties that.

*striker*

I appreciate Defoe was not playing as long as we had Keane but my point was we knew Berbs was leaving sooner rather than later

Agree with hiano, Defoe was good, but not good enough to get in every week with keane and Berbatov. He wanted to go in Jan to get a game every week. No one at the club could have anticipated that Keane's boyhood heroes were about to come in for him at the end of last season. They turned his head and that's the only reason why we let him go. Kaboul is not suddenly playing great for Pompey, Distin and the traitor are having to cover for him all of the time and 'arry's boys haven't exactly made the best of starts have they?

well, not sure how we are going to feel come the end of the season if we are under Pompey again..... I for one would be devastated

Welcome Pav,hope it works out,hope Arshavin signs to keep you company,along with Veloso and Corluka!

Has he signed to late to play tomorrow?Ah ****

let's hope it's a good clean game :-)

Welcome Pav, so will he be a Rebrov or a Berbatov? We really need at least a point on the board tmrw! COYS

unless berby gets his head out of his arse!!! we're going to have a slamming, i can't see our new signing pav welcome to a magnificant club by the way, getting the pace of the premier league on his first game, that's if he's eligable play. Fingers crossed for tomorrow..... that's all i hope is that we actually play and get some shots on goal coz the last two games we were abismal when it came to take control and actually shoot at the bloody target! COME ON YOU SPURS!!! i don't another week of ribbing..

I fear we're going to gift Chelsea an easy 3 points today with another bizarre team selection. That'll be nine points out of nine for them and well on their way to the title. So why not mix it up a bit anyway and see if Gunter has what it takes? We can't protect the lad forever. My team: Gomes / Bale, King, Woodgate, Gunter / Hudd / GDS, Modric, Bentley, Lennon / Bent. God help us if Bent picks up a knock early on. Ramos XI: Zokora / Zokora, Zokora Jenas, Zokora / Zokora / Tea lady, Ball boy, Zokora, Poyet / Assou-Ekotto.

Assou-Ekotto isn't a bad player, and Zokora gets too much stick ... he isn't an amazing player but he isn't as totally useless as we make out ... he is a full blown 1st team player for Ivory Coast (who are head and shoulders above England IMO).

Watched Dads Army last night and everytime Frazier said " We are Doomed" i just couldnt stop thinking about todays game.......

Hope the news gets better this evening, i have just played in a Vets game out here this arvo and i think ive done my ACL, I refuse to go to the hospital as i want too make sure ime around to watch the game this evening [Perth time] Bloody painfull tho. I will have to get more than a few throthy ones down my kneck to dull the pain, then have tomorrow off.

Gunter in Zokora & King start! Lennon & BAE dropped and no Berbs looks like he may be history. COYS!!!!

Chelsea have put Bosingwa on right wing, essien back in the middle with Lampard, Cole on the left. Also playing 4-4-1-1 with Deco supporting Anelka. Should make for an interesting match

zokora to have a blinder!!!!!!COYS

anbyone have a link to watch online ...its not on ifutbal....please

for this game play: gomes, Zokora, Dawson, Woodgate, Bale...King, Jenas...bentely, Modric, GDS..Bent( well prob. be hemmed back alot so bent and GDS speed will be vital on the break). Having said this would berba not be willing to help out his dream team. Then bring in corluka for dm then start with: gomes...Zokora,King, Woodgate, Bale...Corluka, Jenas, Modric, Bentley...Pavlychenko,Bent

Zok imo is having a top game, Gunter doing really well aswell, we are sitting too deep tho, were just inviting trouble.

now we have JJ at right back? what is JR thinking?

Aussie, not sure if i was watching the same game as you m8, i thought Zokora was poor, couldn't hit a barn door with his passing and was clumsy in the tackle. On the other hand, have we found Jenas' position finally? RB - thought he was great there, plenty of pace, good tackiling and height to boot.

Good battling performance away from home, at least we can go into the international break without 0 points

End of the day its a very well deserved point against the probable champions. Thought Gomes was terrific, there is no way Robbo would have come and claimed so many crosses, i know he is a mistake waiting too happen, but i would rather that than a mistake in the making.

hc-s. Spot on mate, if we had of had Berbs playing i think yes we could of won it, but saying that i thought Bent did a good job up there on his own, just wish he could hold it up a bit more so others can join in instead of laying the ball backwards 10-20m nearly every time

Gomes was really solid today and made some crucial saves and interventions. King and Woodgate are starting to get an understanding, and apart from the odd occasion really kept Anelka and Deco quiet. Zokora played DM for 60mins and did a good job, he pressurised the ball, made some good tackles and even managed to pick out a couple of passes. Santos struggled but did create a good oppurtunity, Bentley was quiet, Jenas was Jenas, Bale seemed to struggle with Santos ahead of him Belleti and Bosingwa were weak though so that was a let off, but Gunter was sound, stopped the Coles doing anything of worth IMO

Apart from that Gomes was great and what a throw that boy has!!!

Oh and Bent did well poaching his goal, but other than that struggled to control the ball, ended up heading it on into no-mans land a lot of the time.

Manila, Bentley was quiet, but part of that is that JR seems convinced he should play on the left wing. Mind you, there was no point in him crossing the ball when Bent was the only guy to receive it.

Bent worked hard and didn't get a 'killer' pass from anyone except Fat Frank for the goal, which he did very well to bury. All in all quite alot of positives to take away...........roll on midnight monday!!

Lily, So you reckon that switching a left foot player from the left (Gio) and vice versa with Bentley is the way to go? I thought we all were unanimous about how bad that worked in the last two disasterous games

I'm all for mixing the play up for a bit each game, it can for the opposition defence to reshuffle and create a hole or two, but not as a proper formation that JR seems to play for whole halves of matches. BTW a certain Mr Capello seems to like playing players out of position and its worked for him as well as JR so far............

Still he supported Gunter well enough, and to be fair it looked like our both teams tactics cancelled stopped both teams using the wings, with a lot of the play coming through the middle

Sorry m8 JR switched Bentley and Gio at half time so was again a diliberate tactic he favours. I agree with you on Bentleys deliveries tho, he usually is better than that, next game......

SS either Flank didnt matter Bentley wasnt gettin it done sometimes when things arent workin on the right you move to the left and really chelsea's left flank was exposed Hell even O'Hara created Chances on that flank I agree Manilla he's dead ball was great but we noe it can be

wasn't*

Lily, this isnt for me a case of a problem with the flanks, this is a tactic that JR has used in all three games this season!! Why?? Have you got one instance where it has delivered? Do you personally think it ever will??

Scott im with you, I was so pleased to see Bentley back on the RW at the kick-off but we still don't have a backup/proper left winger so when Dos Santos struggles Bentley is always going to be the one moved to the LW thats why I wish we would go back for Capel

Capel would be a great signing and Bentley i'm sure prefer to shoot from the left anyway, but we had O'Hara and Gilberto on the bench, coupled with Bale gives us a solution for the left. BTW, Arshavin if he does come played on the left for Zenit, may be a solution also...

I guess when we get a settled squad this sort of stuff will works itself out, solid display tho.

wentworth nice to see Spurs fan have the guts to say they were lucky.Any how wish u all the best for future.

Who said we were lucky!!! Well fought battle there and your goal was as lucky as ours!!

laters all..........

Yes!

I said we wer lucky cos they had about 20 shots on goal with at least three sitters missed and a couple of top saves as well.We had one shot.

damn we were good!!! even better when Jenas was moved out of the midfield, add Pav to Bent and we'll rock!! This game was another example of how important a goog goalkeeper is for the whole team spirit and overall results

Sounds good! So we've finally sorted RB out... Next is the JJ puzzle... Judging by the article in the Guardian yesterday he's a guaranteed starter for the whole season. You know that expression "somebody up there likes me"? JJ seems to have requisitioned about a million people's ration of that. Football's biggest mystery. What do Ramos, Jol, McClaren and Capello see that we don't? I don't get it. But then I have no idea why Lampard starts for England every game either, so I guess some things are over our heads. Or something.

Great game from Spurs! Since everyone is on a high, why don't jus slide Berba down into Carrington......

I cannot believe what I am reading..Zokora was good, Gunter was poor, Bent was good,.... Zokora was shocking as was Luka and King was not himself and Gunter did OK. Lets not paper over the cracks here I am delighted we drew but we were one very lucky team. We scored a well taken goal just before half time form a lucky deflection which lifted us in a game we never looked like scoring. Lampard had 3 shots in the first 10 mins when he was unmarked where was Zokora.? We were extremely lucky the Chavs had an off day and we were damn lucky. We only came alive when O`Hara and Hudd came on. O`Hara first contribution was a to split Cashley Cole in half what commitment I did not see anything like that tackle for Zokora in 90 mins also JJ was shocking too. Gomez, Woody, Hudd, O`Hara and Gunter were the best players for us. We need options up front and fast and Luka is proving me right as he looks lost without the ball. A few peeps are not going to like it but it`s my opinion and that`s the way I saw it.

Cockeril: It sounds to me like that Hudd + O'Hara central midfield partnership is the way to go. Slowly, slowly, the best eleven are picking themselves... A proper right back at right back, fancy that! (Some) players in their proper positions, and we get our first point. QED.

Yippee--were not bottom.

kalou had a sitter as well Lampard had 3 shots in the first 10 mins and Zok lost his man loadsa times he cannot pick up runners but I thought Luka was a 2/10 he was shocking and as of yet he looks a 6 million player not 16! Allen your right but I doubt Ramos sees it that way. For me the first name on that team sheet would be O`Hara who did not lose possession once in 30 mins and Hudd would be second. I know I am not crackers but Zokora was pants along with JJ and Luka why can people not see that. maybe if we lost by 2/3 goals which we easily could of then they would be more finger wagging. Vila next at least Pav will be on board-and it should help the midfield more.

******** = b o l l o c k s

Gomez was brilliant today - took total command of he area. Defence looked OK, midfield saw a lot of the ball but didn't do a lot with it but at least we stopped them playing. I thought Gunter played well. Shut Cole up for most of the game. Although Chelsea didn't ply well I think a lot of that was down to us getting the tactics right. Still worried about defensive cover and our midfield looks very 2nd rate. JJ reminds you of kids at school playing football, always willing but never getting a touch.

hey, not on subject, but do you win anything by winning the head to head in the fantasy league cause i am drilling everyone in mine.

Finally, Ramos selected the right team in correct positions and look at the result. A draw against the best team in their country on their home patch is a great result, even if you forget about the fact that they are our bogey team. Modric looked much better playing in his correct, AM position. As for Bent a great poachers goal and not much else but he was playing against the best CB pairing in the Premiership.

zokora didnt play well gave the ball away too much! happy with a point but need to start playing a bit better in midfield.

I though I was going bonkers for a minute at last some reality1 I was not the only one who thought ZOk was awful and JJ was next with Luka. Our Midfield barring Bentley were shocking. How can views be so different as some fans and I would say the majority on here thought Zok was MOM!!...LOL!! ASTOUNDING!!

I wish people will lay off zokora and jj. They contributed massively today and still they get crucified. we made a very good team look quite ordinary and had it not been for those *****s keane and berbacock who unsettled us with there departure(s), then we could have done much more in this game. How would any other team cope if they lost 3 of their top 4 strikers within a short period? so lay off the aggro or if you really want to then slag off the ones who really deserve to be slagged such as keane and berba.

I have briefly read through these comments and i totaly agree with COCKERIL 'S comments Zok is like a headless chicken. mod is lightweight. what game were some of you lot watching!!!

Remember we were playing Chelsea at the Bridge, one of THE hardest fixtures on the list, and they have arguably one of the best midfield 4 in the world, so Zok must of done something right to stop them dominating us

Got too disagree with Cockeril and some others, Zokora imo had a good game, he broke up play well and in general used the ball quiet well. Its sad that when some people dislike certain players,and thats fair enough as we all have our own opinions, its just that sometimes we only see the negatives in that player and struggle too see anything positive, I am not one of Zoks biggest fans but credit where credit is due

It's funny, Lampard always seems to get a big help from deflections. But this time it back fired on him and gave Bent a chance to score.

BMF, not being funny mate, but are you a Spurs fan ? Serious. Some of your posts indicate to me that you follow someone else, yet you post on here quiet regularly.

No, I'm not a spurs supporter, I'm a dirty, dirty, Arsenal fan. :) Got some mates who are spurs fans that why I'm more nicer than some of the Arsenal fans. I'm a person who believes spurs and arsenal fans can live in harmony that's why I post here.

LY are you sure mate, firstly yes i agree that Bent did win some headers but the headers were hardly directed into space for a supporting midfielder to exploit, mostly the headers went harmlessly up in the air or straight down Carvahlo or Terrys throat, and as far as holding the ball up dont make me laugh, bent does not have the correct technique to be able too hold the ball up, he merely controls it back towards his own goal, imo the only way he will hold the ball up is if he physicaly picks the bloody thing up but even then he would probally drop it, dont get me wrong i thought he did a sterling job up there on his lonesome but i think you and many others aer expecting him too do things he is not capeable of doing. As for your suggestion that we wont finish any higher than last, ffs now even i am starting to believe you may be KB or P and R or most likely both. And with regards to your interpretation and opinion that the 4-2-3-1 is "a great system" its only as good as the players that are employed to play in that system, on some topics you do know your s*** but on others quiet frankly you strike me as being quiet clueless.

LY he will prob be played with bent because everyone has seen how isolated he has been on his own so pav will give him that support.

i agree with Aussie, bent is woeful !! his touch and control are terrible not to mention his final ball , all you hav3 to do is look at the goal , he missed his control completely thankfully and it ran on sweet for him (or was it a missstroke of genious) i think not !!!!! one time modric give him the ball and the wee man didnt even look for a return pass cause he knew bentyballs was gonna mess it up

I would like to see Bent actualy control the ball then shield it with his body then lay the ball off to not only one but two supporting players, just as Berbs did but as i have said previously Bent is not capeable of that, if we are to rely on long balls and flick ons to a second striker then god help us, reminds me of Watford with Blissett and the tall bean pole of a striker [Kenyon ?] they had. we are Spurs not Watford. And yes South L/D Spurs, his first touch after Franks through ball was terrible but he was quick enough to get away with it.

He a spur Mission.

grapes: yes.

so who else we gonna get if anyone?

i read in the paper yesterday we were going to get pompeys diarra because pompey had no money and we offered 12m. he would be a bargain. I hope manchester city sign berba but he will just not agree personal term so he wont go. why would he go man city when they cant offer him anything we cant apart from more money. It might make manchester united up there bid, that would be the best possibility wouldnt it. I would also like to see arshavin come to the lane finally. I also heard that fraiser cambell could be part of the deal for berbatov which could be intresting. We are apperently going for a double deal for milito and garcia. what does everybody else think?

Ly, i do not have the privelage of watching MOTD and i do not dispute there views but TV technology can be misleading "A little learning is a dangerous thing" Sure they can "shade" all the areas they want where THEY think Bentley, Moddy and Gio COULD have run, did they by any chance shade any areas where THEY thought that Bent could or should of played the ball or should of held the ball up ? Were the pundits on MOTD aware of Ramos's instructions, NO of course they was'nt, you talk out of your a*** a lot of the time, and what happened to 11th posi ffs, we have just shot up the league 10 f*****g places in half an hour, in your previous post you said "I cannot see us finishing higher than last" Make your mind up is it bottom or mid table ?? Another KB trait, changing your facts around.

AussieSpur I see where the misunderstanding has occured. When I said "but I am afraid I saw little to suggest we will finish this season any higher than last", I meant as in 'last season'. I certainly don't think we'll finish in the bottom three. Regarding Keane, I thought many sensed he didn't fit into Ramos's plans. I've heard several people remark that.