· Brian Judson's Preview
· Last Year's Game -
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 8 2001-2
Last Six Premiership results:-
Spurs
Spurs 1 0 Aston Villa
Charlton 0 1 Spurs
Spurs 2 1 Southampton
Fulham 3 2 Spurs
Spurs 3 2 West Ham
Man Utd 1 0 Spurs
Middlesbrough
M'brough 2 2 Fulham
M'brough 1 0 Blackburn
Man Utd 1 0 M'brough
M'brough 3 0 Sunderland
Everton 2 1 M'brough
M'brough 1 0 Birmingham
Pos. Pl. W. D. L. F-A. GD Pts
4 Spurs 7 4 1 2 11-9 2 13
7 M'brough 7 3 2 2 8-5 3 11
This will be a tricky, but important fixture for Spurs. Will they continue their drop towards what many will consider their rightful mid-table position, or will they win and maintain a challenge to stay in the upper echelon of the league? Middlesbrough have scored just one goal on their travels, and have yet to win away, but Steve McLaren has got them looking more exciting. The north-eastern side know that if they win, they would go above us in the table.
Spurs once again (and this is beginning to sound boring, I know) have their injury problems, and we will be lucky if we have any crocks returning this week. So, Simon Davies will probably have to play at right back again. We all want to see Robbie Keane score his first for us of course, but we will have to look out for Middlesborugh's star signing - Italian 23 year old striker - Massimo Maccarone, who cost 8.5 million, who has scored three goals so far this term.
Gareth Southgate is hopeful of playing, as is Boateng, who has a hamstring problem, but may be lucky to make this game. Personally I think Taylor was wrong to let this midfield player leave, as he has always been a thorn in our side in the past. Another of McLaren's summer signings - Nemeth will definitely miss this game.
Middlesbrough have been a bit of a bogey side to us in recent years, having beaten us at the lane too often. This will be our last Saturday game at home until 2003 (Crazy, but it is true), so let's make the most of it, and see a rousing win. I'll go for a 2-1 with Robbie getting his debut goal.
