· This season's home game - Spurs 3 Ipswich 1, 19.08.2000
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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Ipswich Town

Premier      Pl  W  D  L   For-Ag  Pts
Home         4   2  1  1    7 - 4   7
Away         3   1  2  0    6 - 4   5
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Total(Prem)  7   3  3  1   13 - 8  12
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Football Lge
Home(Div 1) 20  12  3  5   40 -24  31
Away(Div 1) 20   7  2 11   26 -36  18
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Total(Div 1)40  19  5 16   66 -60  49
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Total(Prem)  7   3  3  1   13 - 8  12
Total(Div 1)40  19  5 16   66 -60  49
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Grand Total 47  22  8 17   79 -68  61
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We have played Ipswich Town in the FA Cup.
The details are:

FA Cup Rd H/A Result Goalscorers

64-65  4   H   5-0   Greaves 3 (1p) 
                     Gilzean 2         
93-94  4   A   0-3

Tomorrow morning's match has to be in doubt because of the weather as Ipswich is in East Anglia, where the weather conditions are likely to get worse if the Met Office forecast of more snow comes off.

Coming on top of the defeat by Southampton, this will be a game that Tottenham will not relish. Ipswich are a side full of confidence and are looking to be a side likely to qualify for next season's UEFA Cup if they continue to make an impressive start to Premier League life. Theirs is a largely very young side that can only get better as their experience of the top flight lengthens. It is ironic that whilst Tottenham are plagued by a problem on their left flank that a former member of their reserve team is starring for Ipswich. Jamie Clapham never had a chance of an extended run in the team, making only one appearance before departing for Ipswich, where it has been galling to see him playing so well.

Tottenham have so many problems at the moment it is difficult to see where to start. Sergei Rebrov's confidence has collapsed and he was substituted on Wednesday night and will not play tomorrow morning. The problem for Rebrov is obvious. Spurs persist in flighting the ball overhead when he has not got the height for it but seemingly refuse to play to his feet, which is his preferred strength. Then there is Darren Anderton, still a law unto himself, ignoring the tactical reality of playing wide on the wings, imagining himself to be a better player than David Beckham.

A further problem is that we do not have a midfield worthy of the name and this from Tottenham who have seen such graceful players as Tommy Harmer, the late great John White, the seemingly ponderous Alan Gilzean, who could also score goals, and, of course, Ossie Ardiles and Glenn Hoddle. And, of course, we do not have any strikers at present. Steffan Iversen is unlikely to be back before March 2001 as he has to undergo a further operation. Les Ferdinand was concussed against Middlesbrough and was not risked against Southampton and will probably not be risked tomorrow morning. Chris Armstrong seems to lack confidence but that is probably due to the malaise and lack of confidence of the players around him.

I know many supporters will be wondering just how long it is going to take to get out of our present position. The last season comparable to the present one was 1964-65 when we won 18 and drew 3 of our 21 home games but won only 1 game and drew another 4, losing 17 games. Yet by 1966-67 we finished third in the table, after going 24 matches without defeat, and won the FA Cup at Wembley, beating Chelsea 2-1. The turnover of the playing staff was such that few of those who played against Sheffield United on the first day of the 1964-65 season were in the Cup Final team that beat Chelsea at the end of the 1966-67 season.

Ron Henry, Maurice Norman, Phil Beal (through injury), Cliff Jones (who was a substitute) and Terry Dyson had all left or retired. Only Alan Gilzean, Mike England and Terry Venables had been purchased to strengthen the side. So parallels can be seen in that situation. I remember that Frank Saul led the line during 1964-65 but lacked the confidence to be a good striker in much the same way that Chris Armstrong does today. We did not have a midfield at that time as Alan Mullery was still lacking in confidence because he was seen as unfit by the supporters to wear the shirt that Blanchflower had once graced. In a nutshell, spectators had to be patient.

It is difficult to see how tomorrow's game will go because there's only the prospect of another away defeat as far as I can see. But Ipswich can be beaten at home. If we somehow improbably manage to snatch the lead, who can say what will happen. Certainly Gary Doherty deserves another run out after coming on and showing some intelligent running up front on Wednesday night.

Those who travel to Portman Road tomorrow will no doubt be singing "COME ON YOU SPURS!" Let us hope their faith in travelling to Ipswich is rewarded by a shock Spurs victory!

Cheers, Brian

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