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Spurs have four players available for selection who featured in our last League Cup Final. One of those four played for the opposition that day - Kasey Keller! The other three are Darren Anderton, Les Ferdinand, and Steffen Iversen. The last two played crucial parts in the last gasp winner by Allan Nielsen, although I do not expect Iversen to start on Sunday. Whilst the team news is awaited, I expect the Spurs team to be Sullivan; King, Perry, Gardner; Taricco, Anderton, Sherwood, Poyet, Ziege; Sheringham, Ferdinand, with Keller; Thatcher; Davies; Iversen & Rebrov keeping the bench warm. However, Glenn Hoddle may have a surprise up his sleeve - who knows? Team News will be posted nearer the game. Don't forget to look at the Spurs Odyssey Preview Package
Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game
Our FA Cup results have been as follows:
S'SON RD H/A RESULT
06-07 2 A 1-1
2R A 1-1
2nd R VP 2-1
10-11 2 A 0-0
2R H 0-2
24-25 3 H 2-2
3R A 1-3
37-38 3 H 3-2
59-60 5 H 1-3
Our League Cup results have been as follows:
S'SON RD H/A RESULT
88-89 3 H 0-0
3R A 2-1 [AET]
93-94 4 H 1-0
The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff may not have the aura that Wembley had
before it was so disgracefully allowed to run down and become decrepit but
a Cup Final is still a Cup Final. This will be our fifth League Cup Final.
We were winners in 1971, 1973 and 1999. Many of us were there to see the
agony of Archibald as his shot bounced off an upright in 1982 against
Liverpool. Many will recall Allan Nielsen's goal three years ago and so
there is no need to recall that Final.
The 1971 Final was against Aston Villa, then competing in the surreal (to
them!) surroundings of the old Third Division following relegation from
the top flight. Villa played really well against Spurs, who were often
sluggish. It was not until late in the game that Spurs grabbed control. I
still remember Neighbour, then a cheeky 19 year old kid, taking the ball
to the bye-line and whipping a centre in for Chivers to lazily stretch a
long leg to put us ahead. Soon afterwards, Mullery sent Chivers away,
twisting and turning, before thumping the ball home. This final enabled us
to compete in and win the UEFA Cup the following season.
Two years later, Spurs played Norwich City. Without a shadow of a doubt,
this has to be the most boring final Spurs have ever played in. The
unlucky John Pratt limped off with an injury after 9 minutes. Neither side
looked like scoring in a month of Sundays until Coates completely
miskicked the ball which flew past Kevin Keelan to his astonishment.
Keelan had Coates' original line of shot perfectly covered. Little wonder
Coates set off whooping with delight! This final enabled Spurs to compete
in the UEFA Cup again but that foray ended in the riot in the Final that
thoroughly disgraced and sullied Spurs' name.
Against Liverpool, Spurs had scored an early goal through Archibald after
only 11 minutes. Whelan snatched an equaliser with just three minutes left
to play and Whelan and Rush scored the goals that killed Spurs' hopes off
in extra time. Neither Hoddle nor Galvin played particularly well that day
and Ardiles seemed to be the best of the Spurs players, some of whom
looked tired after a long season.
Blackburn's last major Cup Final was as long ago as May 1960. This was in
the days of no substitutes and teams having to struggle with 10 men if an
injury occurred. Wolves, their opponents, had been pipped to the League
Championship by a single point by Burnley, otherwise they would have
completed the League and Cup Double the year before we did. During the
season, they had also competed in the European Cup where Barcelona had
taught them a lesson in football, losing 4-0 in the First Leg and 5-2 in
the return. But domestically, Wolves had thrashed Fulham 9-0, Luton and
Chelsea 5-1, West Ham 5-0, Manchester City 6-4 and Burnley, the ultimate
Champions 6-1. So Blackburn were not expected to win the 1960 Final.
Blackburn had won only one of their last eight fixtures when they arrived
at Wembley. They had beaten some tough opposition on the way to Wembley,
including Spurs 3-1 at Tottenham a couple of weeks after Spurs had
trounced Crewe 13-2.
Once the Final got under way, Blackburn initially looked likely winners as
Wolves were nervy under the huge expectations they would win. Bryan
Douglas was soon mastered by the Wolves defenders and Dougan made little
headway against Slater, the former schoolmaster, who had succeeded Billy
Wright as captain after Wright's retirement. Just before half-time,
disaster struck for Blackburn. Stobart centred from the left wing, Leyland
dived to intercept the low cross but McGrath poked the ball into his own
goal under pressure from Deeley. Almost instantly, Whelan, the Blackburn
left-back, collapsed in agony and broke his leg when tackling Deeley. His
career was over. It took Wolves until the 68th minute to score their
second goal. It was Horne who set the goal up with a run and a pass to
Deeley, who made no mistake. Two minutes from the end, Deeley struck again
when Woods made an unforced error when he failed to clear the ball and
Deeley was able to thump the ball home.
The outcome of Sunday's match will depend on how quickly the two sides
settle down. Blackburn have worries concerning relegation but Spurs have
little to play for in the League as they are unlikely to qualify for
Europe by finishing in the top six. On their day, as we all know, Spurs
can sweep the opposition aside but sometimes they allow themselves to be
distracted from the matter in hand. However, I think Spurs will be too
good for Blackburn, although the game may well require extra time to
settle the outcome of the match. Penalties should not be needed despite
ITV's habit of picking matches that end in a goal-less draw!!!!
COME ON YOU SPURS!
Cheers, Brian
· Cup Final Team News
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