EPL - Chelsea vs Tottenham
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Chelsea vs Tottenham
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Channel 27: 11:00 pm "Live"Premier League - London DerbyTOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp claims his team will not 'park the bus' at Stamford Bridge this weekend and play for a point.
Ex-Blues boss Jose Mourinho famously accused Spurs of playing for a goalless draw when the teams met in 2004.
But Redknapp insists his side will go into the London derby with all guns blazing.
He said: "We have to be aware of that they have a great strike force but we have good players as well.
"We're full of internationals and we have to believe that we can cause more problems than them.
"We can't go there and nullify them for 90 minutes - we haven't got the players to do that.
"I have attacking players who like to play and express themselves. We'll attack them and give it our best shot."
Redknapp is certainly not underestimating the task at hand. He has been impressed with Carlo Ancelotti's diamond formation and predicts Chelsea will finish in the top two this season.
He added: "I would expect them or Manchester United to be top come May, it will be between those two.
"Chelsea play a system which is difficult to play against. They get width from their attacking full-backs and they get extra bodies in midfield.
"Ancelotti played that way in Italy and I'm sure he will be a great success in England. He has a great record and he has great players."
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Harry Redknapp is unfazed by the past as Tottenham look to end their Chelsea hoodoo
No time for history: Harry Redknapp
First the good news: Tottenham were the last team to beat Chelsea in the league. Now the bad news: they have not won at Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool or Arsenal in 63 attempts.
Tottenham's last away win over one of the modern top four was at Liverpool 16 years ago - Teddy Sheringham's goals earning a 2-1 victory. Also, Spurs have not won a league game at Stamford Bridge since 1990.
Just as well Harry Redknapp puts little store in what has gone before. And if such statistics are irrelevant to Redknapp, the same goes for many of his team - a case of ignorance is bliss.
He said: 'If you ask Wilson Palacios about Tottenham's record with Chelsea he wouldn't have a clue, would he? Sebastien Bassong wouldn't have a clue.
'Benoit Assou-Ekotto wouldn't even have a clue who Chelsea are! I don't think it will be "We can't beat Chelsea". It's another game, against a top, top team.'
Redknapp has not been banging the top-four drum despite Tottenham's impressive start to the campaign - with the loss to Manchester United the only blip. But, if he considers his side to be a work in progress, then he has little doubt about Chelsea's claim to be the finished article.
That said, he dismisses the notion that Carlo Ancelotti has had it easy after inheriting a quality team. 'Nah, he's a terrific coach as well,' said Redknapp. 'He's got really good ideas. I know Frank Lampard is impressed with him. It's about good players but you have to get the best out of them.'
The renaissance of Didier Drogba under Ancelotti is a case in point, so Redknapp is hoping that Ledley King can defy his chronic knee problem again.
'When Drogba is playing as he is, he really is an unbelievably powerful striker,' said Redknapp. 'But Ledley's in great form and strong and quick as well. I'm sure Drogba will know he's in a game.'
For Chelsea, Joe Cole may return after eight months out with knee ligament damage. 'Joe will overcome his injury,' said Redknapp. 'He's fearless. He was always going to be a top player, just the most amazing kid I've ever seen.'
Given that reference, Redknapp could be forgiven for hoping his former protégé will be on the bench for one more game as Spurs look to make it 64th time lucky.
Chelsea are chasing a club record 12 successive league wins and Ancelotti is unconcerned about the goalscoring form of Jermain Defoe. He said: 'When a striker like him scores in every game you have to pay particular attention. But we will do a job on him.'
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Tottenham:
Cudicini, Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Jenas, Huddlestone, Palacios, Defoe and Keane.
Subs: Gomes, Hutton, Bentley, Crouch, Naughton, Giovani and Kranjcar.Chelsea:
Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Malouda, Anelka and Drogba.
Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Mikel, Kalou, Belletti, Hutchinson and Borini.1 Petr Cech (G) (G) Carlo Cudicini 23
6 Ricardo Carvalho (CD-L) (CD-L) Sebastien Bassong 19
26 John Terry (CD-R) (CD-R) Ledley King 26
5 Michael Essien (DM) (LB) Benoit Assou-Ekotto 32
3 Ashley Cole (LB) (RB) Vedran Corluka 22
17 José Bosingwa (RB) (CM-L) Tom Huddlestone 6
8 Frank Lampard (AM) (CM-R) Wilson Palacios 12
15 Florent Malouda (LM) (LM) Jermaine Jenas 8
13 Michael Ballack (RM) (RM) Aaron Lennon 7
39 Nicolas Anelka (CF-L) (CF-L) Robbie Keane 10
11 Didier Drogba (CF-R) (CF-R) Jermain Defoe 18
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Wah... After the Manchester derby, we now watch the London derby...
Can Cudicini even keep a clean sheet?
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former chelsea golden glove.. lol
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should be a chelsea win ba. worst should be a draw at the very least. if chelsea loses, I will be very surprised.
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chelsea dont think will lose.. their confidence is sky high and drog is 5 for 5
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wah hit the post sia.
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cech nearly did a foster..
Tottenham shld not score first, chelsea never fails to win if they trails first. -
bosingwah always like to do sudden strikes.
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Rattle crossbar. Sibeh sian
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Originally posted by ChingAlvin:
cech nearly did a foster..
Tottenham shld not score first, chelsea never fails to win if they trails first.first 2 matchs.. chelsea conceded first goal
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defoe should have scored when in the clear damn
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Originally posted by Y_Shun:
first 2 matchs.. chelsea conceded first goal
yeah thats y tth cannot score first -
cech is brilliant
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corluka daring man
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jenas denied by cech a brilliant piece of play by tottenham..
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Wah... If only Man United had a keeper like Petr Cech... Good and young... VDS is getting old already and Foster... just not there yet... Hope he picks up soon or he could cost them at least 8 points this season...
Today had it not been for Owen, 2 points would have been loss cos of him...
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like not much people watching chelsea match here ah
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chelsea pushing high... but then tth's offside trap like very solid..
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Wah... If only Man United had a keeper like Petr Cech... Good and young... VDS is getting old already and Foster... just not there yet... Hope he picks up soon or he could cost them at least 8 points this season...
Today had it not been for Owen, 2 points would have been loss cos of him...Cec
Cech is 1 Goalie i really salute.. He defends between the posts with his life... -
although im a chelsea fan. i get zzzzz when watching chelsea games.
referee don't like chelsea - is a fact.
2ndly chelsea playing like shit.
untill recently not bad to watch.
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Originally posted by Shao Wei:
although im a chelsea fan. i get zzzzz when watching chelsea games.
referee don't like chelsea - is a fact.
2ndly chelsea playing like shit.
untill recently not bad to watch.
Only 1 reason, and the reason is better far off... At inter! -
Originally posted by ChingAlvin:
Cech is 1 Goalie i really salute.. He defends between the posts with his life...thats a difference between a good and a great goalie. a great goalie can win you a match that can qualify you to the CL finals or a mistake that is going to costs you the league title.
any lesser goalie than schmeical in 99 CL final against bayern, bayern would have won the final handdown, if not got schmeical heroics that kept utd in the match.
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But have got to say, in 99, PS is very solid, but its giggsy who won them the match