PREVIEW: Spurs v West Ham

If it wasn’t for Gareth Bale’s left foot, we probably would have taken three points from Spurs last season. There we were, wishing that Gareth Bale wasn’t as good as he was and, if all else failed, that he didn’t play for Tottenham.

Well, we got our wish, but at the expense of them spending the £80million Real Madrid paid for him on a group of players that, arguably, make them a lot stronger this time around.

And after what may one of the best starts Spurs have had to a Premier League season in several years, it’s littler surprise that we visit White Hart Lane on the back of five top-flight games without a win and a serious problem with sticking the ball in the all important onion bag.

There’s no real point in trying to dress this game up as one that we could “snatch” or by suggesting we might “catch Spurs on a bad day.” The facts are there for all to see: We haven’t scored an away goal since April and have failed to win at White Hart Lane for 14 years. Doesn’t look promising, does it?

One positive we can touch upon, though, is our shrinking injury list. Stewart Downing and Joe Cole are back fit and raring to go, leaving just Alou Diarra and Andy Carroll (groan!) as our only remaining long-term absentees.

So what can we expect on Sunday afternoon? It’s certainly going to be a long 90 minutes for us if you go buy the current form of both sides, but you can expect the players to give everything they’ve got. Although, on recent evidence, that probably won’t be much. Don’t get me wrong but, if we can’t score away to Hull City, what chance do we have of scoring away to Spurs.

Jussi Jaaskelainen may, just may, keep the score modest enough for us to come away with our heads held high and looking forward to Manchester City at home (gulp!).

Ravel Morrison faces the biggest test of his professional career and he’ll want to prove that he can perform against the Premier League’s top clubs as well as the ones lurking around the middle of the division, particularly after he was deservedly called up to the England U21 squad in mid-week.

Lastly, I apologise for the negativity throughout this preview. Normally I’m full of optimism ahead of games like this but, there’s only so much optimism you can have before you concede that there’s really little chance we have of getting something on Sunday.

Verdict: If we avoid defeat it’ll be something of a miracle. I’ll use the last bit of optimism I have left to predict a goalless draw.

Team News:

Tottenham Hotspur (3rd, 13 points)

Younes Kaboul will miss out after picking up a knee injury in Spurs’ Europa League win over Anzhi on Thursday night.

Danny Rose, Aaron Lennon and Etienne Capoue are not expected to return until after the international break.

Jermain Defoe’s goal scoring form in the Europa League may go unnoticed, though, with Roberto Soldado expected to get the nod up front.

West Ham United (17th, 5 points)

Joe Cole had returned to full-training and is expected to be in the squad, while Stewart Downing could start after he returned from a dead-leg last week against Hull.

Andy Carroll and Alou Diarra are West Ham’s only long-term injury problems.

Last five meetings:

Possible Starting XI:

Match in Numbers:

14 – Fourteen years have passed since the Hammers recorded a Premier League victory at White Hart Lane.

13 – Spurs’ start of 13 points from their opening six Premier League matches is their joint best start to a top-flight campaign.

2 – Spurs have lost just two of their last 25 top-flight London derbies at White Hart Lane (W15, D8, L2)

69 – Andre Villas-Boas’ side have attempted more shots from open play than any other top-flight side this season.

8 – The Hammers are without a win in their last eight away matches in the Premier League.

1 – Only one of the five Premier League goals West Ham have conceded so far this season has come from open play.

7 – Since the turn of the year, Sam Allardyce’s men have won just seven of their 25 Premier League games.

8 – Spurs have won eight of their last 10 meetings with the Hammers in all competitions.

6 – West Ham failed to score in six of their last eight Premier League away matches.

Head-to-Head (all competitions):