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· Last Year's Spursometer - 68%
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 16 2005-6
· Spurs beat Portsmouth 3-1
· NEW! - See the current injury list for all Premiership Teams!

Full Record of Spurs -v- Middlesbrough

Prem          Pl  W  D  L   For- Ag  Pts
Home          11  4  4  3   12 - 13  16
Away          11  2  4  5   11 - 17  10
=======================================
Total(Prem)   22  6  8  8   23 - 30  26
=======================================
Football Lge
Home(Div 1)   25 15  4  6   62 - 40  36
Away(Div 1)   25  3  6 16   25 - 52  13
=======================================
Total(Div 1)  50 18 10 22   87 - 92  49
=======================================
Football Lge
Home(Div 2)    1  0  0  1    2 -  5   0
Away(Div 2)    1  0  0  1    0 -  3   0
=======================================
Total(Div 2)   2  0  0  2    2 -  8   0
=======================================
Total(Prem)   22  6  8  8   23 - 30  26
Total(Div 1)  50 18 10 22   87 - 92  49
Total(Div 2)   2  0  0  2    2 -  8   0
=======================================
Grand Total   74 24 18 32  112 -130  75
=======================================

Spurs

Watford    0-0   Spurs
Spurs      2-1   Chelsea
Reading    3-1   Spurs
Blackburn  1-1   Spurs
Spurs      3-1   Wigan
Arsenal    3-0   Spurs

Middlesbrough

Man City   1-0   M'brough
Watford    2-0   M'brough
M'brough   1-0   West Ham
M'brough   0-0   Liverpool
A. Villa   1-1   M'brough
M'brough   1-2   Man Utd

Pos          P  W  D  L  F -A  GD  Pts
12 Spurs    15  5  4  6  13-19 -6  19
15 M'brough 15  4  4  7  12-19 -7  16

Luton manager Mike Newell inspired his ailing Luton side to a 2-0 victory over Championship promotion contenders Preston North End, with a rendition of Rudyard Kipling's IF on Saturday. What poem would you offer to Martin Jol to gee up whoever represents Spurs tomorrow night against Middlesbrough?

Rumour has it that the Spurs squad was called into The Lodge on Sunday for a "de-brief" after their failure on Saturday at "the other place". If that's the case, who called in Martin Jol, who is not beyond criticism himself?

One would hope that whoever has the privilege of donning a Spurs shirt against Middlesbrough will not need to be inspired and motivated any more than to know that mos of the 34 - 35,000 in the ground will be baying for them to satisfy their craving not just for victory, but for a performance too.

The trouble is that Middlesbrough won't need much rallying after feeling cheated by Ronaldo in their home defeat to United on Saturday evening. The additional midweek fixture (presumably a hangover from the delayed start to this season) does no favours for the Teeside followers, but not many of them would have bothered to travel anyway.

"Boro" were in the same position this time last year, when they were struggling with the distraction of the UEFA Cup. They made it all the way to the final, of course, but lost quite sadly (4-0) to Seville, for whom Fredi Kanoute scored the fourth goal. Kanoute, incidentally, is scoring for fun this season with 10 league goals in 13 games.

Middlesbrough have been struggling again this season, with no European distraction, but a number of injury problems. Mark Viduka has missed a few games with a broken toe, but could make his return tomorrow. Defender Abel Xavier, given a chance after his year-long suspension for drug use - has already played a couple of games, and may feature here. "Boro" also have former Chelsea centre-half Robert Huth, and Jonathan Woodgate in their squad. There is plenty of talent in that squad, but Like Spurs, Middlesbrough have also failed to win on their League travels. "Boro" even lost at Watford, and Sheffield United. Remember though - they did beat Chelsea again, and have taken all three points from White Hart Lane more than once in recent years!

Despite Saturday's disaster, the form book must be on Spurs' side for this game, and Jermain Defoe must surely get a start. His pace can be devastating, as can be his ability to create a goal from nothing. Jermain scored in the corresponding game last year, as he did the year before. (Incidentally both goals were scored in the 49th minute. Both matches were won 2-0, and the other goal was scored in the same 76th minute!)

Stalteri has been declared fit for this game, but Jenas and Davids join Gardner and Mido on the injured list. Benoit Assou-Ekotto ought to make way for Young-Pyo Lee at left back. A rest for Zokora and a start for Tom Huddlestone would not be a bad idea either, in my view.

Spurs must show no mercy tomorrow, nor on Saturday against Charlton. I'll go for another 2-0 for Spurs, with Defoe scoring again! After all, there is so much angst amongst Spurs followers that must be assuaged!

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