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· This season's game at West Brom - 1-1
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 34 2003-4
Full Record of Spurs -v- West Bromwich Albion
Prem Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 1 1 0 0 3 - 1 3
Away 2 1 1 0 4 - 3 4
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Total(Prem) 3 2 1 0 7 - 4 7
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Football Lge
Home(Div 1) 45 22 11 12 79 -46 55
Away(Div 1) 45 12 7 26 54 -94 31
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Total(Div 1) 90 34 18 38 133 -140 86
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Football Lge
Home(Div 2) 8 3 3 2 12 -10 9
Away(Div 2) 8 1 1 6 14 -20 3
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Total(Div 2) 16 4 4 8 26 -30 12
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Total(Prem) 3 2 1 0 7 - 4 7
Total(Div 1) 90 34 18 38 133 -140 86
Total(Div 2) 16 4 4 8 26 -30 12
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Grand Total 109 40 23 46 166 -174 105
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Last Six Premiership results:-
Spurs
S'hampton 1-0 Spurs
Charlton 2-0 Spurs
Spurs 2-1 Man City
B'mingham 1-1 Spurs
Spurs 1-0 Newcastle
Liverpool 2-2 Spurs
West Bromwich Albion
West Brom 0-0 S'hampton
West Brom 2-0 B'mingham
Chelsea 1-0 West Brom
Charlton 1-4 West Brom
West Brom 1-0 Everton
A. Villa 1-1 West Brom
Pos P W D L F - A GD Pts
7 Spurs 33 13 8 12 41-37 4 47
17 West Brom 32 5 13 14 31-52 -21 28
NB:- This preview was written before Tuesday night's games involving Middlesbrough (v Fulham)and Southampton (at Bolton), which may affect the positions of Spurs and West Bromwich Albion going into Wednesday night's game
Should Spurs win this game, the three points would take them to 50. The last time Spurs reached that figure was just two seasons ago, and it was with a win against West Brom that the mark was achieved on that occasion in our 35th game. Robbie Keane (not a friend to the Baggies' fans) scored two that day, and Teddy Sheringham scored his 97th and last league goal for us in a 3-2 win. Spurs were then 8th, but way off the pace for Europe, and slumped to three end of season defeats to make it a miserable end to Glenn Hoddle's last full season as Spurs boss. By the time we played that game at The Hawthorns, West Brom's fate was sealed, but they were playing relaxed football.
In 1996 (when Spurs last made a serious challenge for League qualification for Europe), Spurs finished the season in 8th place on 61 points. They reached the 50 mark in Game 30, with a 3-2 win at Bolton. Spurs had a great chance of making a UEFA Cup place, but could only manage 2 wins and 4 draws in the run-in. A last day 1-1 draw at St. James Park put paid to Spurs (by then) slender chances, as they finished 2 points behind Arsenal (5th), and behind Everton and Blackburn on goal difference. (It was the year of Newcastle's title capitulation to Manchester United and Kevin Keegan's "I would love it" interview. How time flies)
Three points would be lovely for Spurs, but more precious to Bryan Robson's team, who have made a great fight of it since Christmas, losing just three of their last 13 league games after a 5-0 Boxing Day drubbing by Liverpool in front of their own fans. Then, the pundits reminded us that no team bottom at Christmas had ever avoided Premiership relegation, but now, with 6 games to play, The Baggies have found themselves dragging themselves out of the bottom three, with a great chance of survival. We only have to think of the FA Cup 4th Round meeting of these two sides, to realise what improvement Robson has managed, after a dodgy start to his latest posting.
Jonathan Greening was a star of the home Cup tie, but will be missing this match due to his suspension for violent conduct in West Brom's game at Villa Park, where they gained a dramatic injury time equaliser. There are other flair players available though, and Zoltan Gera shocked Spurs with his early goal in the League match at The Hawthorns in August. Gera has been involved in 32 of West Brom's Premiership games, scoring 5 goals - one of them a dramatic winner against Everton early this month.
Kevin Campbell was a good acquisition for Robson, and has scored three goals in 10 league games so far. Rob Earnshaw is top scorer with 10 (helped by a hat-trick at Charlton), but may have to settle for a start on the bench, as Geoff Horsfield has been getting the nod. Ex-gooner Kanu has not been such a regular for Bryan Robson.
The stage is set then for a hard fought thriller, where West Brom really have to get a result, with games against Arsenal and Manchester United included in their run-in. As always, Spurs will have choices, including the availability of Thimothee Atouba, who has served his three match suspension following the stray elbow in the game at home against Manchester City. Will he play though? If he does, where will it be? Carrick and Sean Davis are likely to continue in the middle, and it would be no problem if Michael Dawson partnered Ledley King again. There will be the usual questions about striker selection, with Defoe having sat out most of the last game. The biggest questions for Martin Jol would appear to be who to play at left back and left wing. I'll leave it to him, but I fancy Atouba and Ziegler to start.
With West Brom likely to be having a go at Spurs, I'll take us to take advantage and win 3-1. Don't bet on it though!
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