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· Spurs 4 Blackburn 2 - 13th November, 2010
· Blackburn 1 Spurs 2 - 23rd October 2011
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 36 2010-11
· See the current injury list for all Premiership Teams
· All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats
Full Record of Spurs -v- Blackburn Rovers
Prem Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 17 9 3 5 25- 22 30
Away 18 8 4 6 21- 15 28
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Total(Prem) 35 17 7 11 46- 37 58
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Football Lge
Home(Div 1) 24 16 4 4 63- 30 36
Away(Div 1) 24 5 5 14 23- 50 15
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Total(Div 1) 48 21 9 18 86- 80 51
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Football Lge
Home(Div 2) 6 5 0 1 22- 8 10
Away(Div 2) 6 2 2 2 9- 7 6
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Total(Div 2) 12 7 2 3 31- 15 16
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Total(Prem) 35 17 7 11 46- 37 58
Total(Div 1) 48 21 9 18 86- 80 51
Total(Div 2) 12 7 2 3 31- 15 16
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Grand Total 95 45 18 32 163-132 125
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Last Six Premiership results:-
Spurs
Spurs 1-1 Stoke
Chelsea 0-0 Spurs
Spurs 3-1 Swansea
S'derland 0-0 Spurs
Spurs 1-2 Norwich
QPR 1-0 Spurs
Blackburn
Bolton 2-1 Blackburn
Blackburn 0-2 Man Utd
West Brom 3-0 Blackburn
Blackburn 2-3 Liverpool
Swansea 3-0 Blackburn
Blackburn 2-0 Norwich
Pos P W D L F-A GD Pts
5 Spurs 34 17 8 9 57-39 18 59
19 Blackburn 35 8 7 20 47-73 -26 31
Once revered, once feared, now simply respected
The last time we faced Blackburn at home ( Spurs 4 Blackburn 2 - 13th November, 2010) Gareth Bale led us back into winning ways after we had endured a run of 4 league games without a win. That run of games though had been interrupted by a magnificent home win against Inter in the Champions League group stage, so we had some joy amongst the pain. There has been little joy in our recent run of 9 league games with only one win.
In that 4-2 win, we played in a 4-4-2, with Pavlyuchenko and Crouch up front. Both of them weighed in with a goal, and Gareth Bale scored two. The win took us into a rich vein of form, where we went undefeated for the remainder of 2010 in ten games. How we need such form right now.
As a result of our 2-1 win at Ewood Park last October (Blackburn 1 Spurs 2 - 23rd October 2011), we climbed up to fifth place, as we were in the middle of that magnificent 11 game unbeaten run that took us up to third place. Rafa van der Vaart scored both our goals, with two classy touches.
Now we find ourselves outside the top four again, needing to get back to winning ways in an effort to reclaim a Champions League place. Morale amongst the fans has been as low as at some of the worst times in our league history, as they have watched their team throw away a commanding hold on third place. Chelsea's Champions League win this week, and a place in the final has done nothing to improve that morale. With Arsenal potentially moving 9 points ahead of us before we play, our chances of grabbing that certain qualification have been diminished to a near impossibility. Now, should we manage to finish fourth, we would have to wait till May 19th to see if Bayern Munuch can stop Chelsea from winning the Champions League. First though, we must finish fourth.
Over the course of the history of the Football League, Blackburn have been a team revered, feared, but now simply respected by Tottenham Hotspur. In the mid 1880s, Blackburn won the FA Cup in three consecutive seasons. The fledgling Tottenham Hotspur lads would go along to Kennington Oval and watch Rovers beat the likes of Queens Park from Glasgow. That's why Spurs had that commemorative strip in 2007-08, worn in a momentous 4-4 home draw against Aston Villa.
In the mid-1990s, Blackburn Rovers were a team to be feared with Alan Shearer & Co in their 1994-5 Premiership winning team. Our development coach Tim Sherwood was captain of that side, of course. Spurs did beat Rovers in our home game that season though with three of the "Famous Five" (Klinsmann, Anderton & Barmby) scoring our goals, whilst Sherwood got the Blackburn goal. Maybe we didn't fear them that much! Incidentally, Martin Bodenham, who was a highly rated Premier League referee, and refereed that game, went on to become a first class cricket umpire.
These days, Blackburn have not managed to beat us in 9 Premier League games. That win came in October 2007, with Clive Allen looking after the Spurs team after Martin Jol had been sacked in disgraceful fashion after the preceding UEFA Cup game against Getafe. Virtually everyone except Martin Jol seemed to know of the fate of that honourable manager who we look forward to greeting on May 13th. Juande Ramos looked on as Spurs took the lead through a Robbie Keane penalty, but Rovers took the points with goals by McCarthy and Samba. (Spurs 1 Blackburn 2 - 28th October, 2007)
Despite their current precarious bottom three position (and Blackburn have spent most of the season in that bottom three), Steve Kean's side will show no fear in coming to White Hart Lane. After all, they've seen Spurs succumb to newly promoted Norwich and QPR in their last two league games, and they've seen the nose-dive in form and confidence. There will be respect, but no fear. They might have only managed 8 league wins this season, but their last victims were that Norwich side that had beaten us. One of the goal-scorers was Canadian-born David "Junior" Hoilett, who has been a star for Rovers this season with 7 league goals to his name. Spurs are only one of several clubs who would no doubt seek this player's signature, should Blackburn take the drop to the Championship. Hoilett is Rovers' top scorer this season.
Rovers might have to face their former captain and central defender, Ryan Nelsen. There can be no confidence about the fitness levels of either Ledley King or William Gallas from game to game. I was under the impression that Younes Kaboul had joined Michael Dawson on the injury list until the end of the season, but the good news is that he has trained today (27.04.12) and is in the frame to play, along with Adebayor. It is interesting to note that young defender Kevin Stewart featured quite prominently in this week's training pictures from The Lodge. Stewart was un-used substitute in two of our Europa League games this season. It has also emerged this week that Benoit Assou-Ekotto will also be out for the last four games, so that will give Danny Rose a chance at left back. Emmanuel Adebayor is hoping to be fit, after a hamstring strain, and he will be needed to give some impetus to the attacking ability of the Spurs team. As mentioned above, Adebayor did train today.
It's a must win game for both teams, which arguably gives the best scenario to the paying and viewing public (the game is on Sky Television). After this, Rovers have a local derby at home to fellow strugglers Wigan, then they'll have to play their last game at Stamford Bridge. Spurs are likely to start the game in sixth place, so there will be desperation on both sides. Perhaps recklessly, I'll predict a Spurs win - 3-1.
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