Premier League Match Preview: Spurs vs Wolves
Tottenham Hotspur made history by making it to the 4th spot last season in the English Premier League, and earned the right to play in the Champions’ League for the first time. However they have not had the best time
in the league this season. Spurs’ last match ended in a 1-1 draw against West Brom and 2 weeks before that a shocking 1-0 defeat at the hands of Wigan increased the worries for Harry Redknapp.
Tottenham have managed to win just one of their 4 Premier League matches this season, and have managed to knock in just 3 goals. Currently they lie on 11th spot in the Premier League table and manager Harry Redknapp
will be keen to lift his side back to the top half of the table.
Wolves like their next opponents have also managed just 5 points from 4 games this season; they too will be looking to return to winning ways after losing last weekend to Fulham.
Wolves have also been on the receiving end of some criticism from football pundits, after they were given 14 yellow and one red card in their last 2 Premier League games.
Surprisingly Wolves managed to do a double over Tottenham last season, both matches home and away ended in 1-0 win for the Black Country Club. Wolves manager Mick McCarthy said that last season is history and he knows that Spurs
would be ready for them this time.
"I think they will be waiting for us this year having beaten them twice and taken six points off them," McCarthy told Wolves' official website.
"There's another side to that as well. Teams don't under-estimate us.
"Last weekend, Fulham didn't just treat us like some second-rate team that were going there to get beaten. So we know it's going to be a good tough game at Spurs."
As far as the team news is concerned, Luka Modric is expected to return to the squad for Tottenham. He suffered a leg injury last week against West Brom and did not play in the midweek UEFA Champions League match against Werder
Bremen.
Modric is expected to replace Dutch midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart who did get a slight knock on his calf against Werder Bremen in midweek. Spurs after leading 2-0 at half time ended the match at 2-2, Redknapp was very disappointed
and said that bouncing back quickly is the best thing to do.
Heurelho Gomes and Jermain Defoe are both still on the injury list for Spurs. Michael Dawson is also out who was stretchered off while playing for England in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. Jonathan Woodgate is still haunted by the
long term career threatening injury and Jamie O'Hara is also not available.
For Wolves, defender Christophe Berra will not be part of the team, as he is serving a suspension following the red card that he received against Fulham. Richard Stearman is expected to step in to replace the suspended Berra who
got 2 yellow cards against Fulham. Steven Mouyokolo was impressive while playing for the reserves and is expected to feature in the match. While Ronald Zubar is also expected to be back after a hamstring injury forced him out of the Fulham game last week.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is expected to go out with a traditional 4-4-1-1 formation. The tall English striker Peter Crouch, will be the target man making full use of his 6 foot 7 inch frame. The impressive Wilson Palacios
will be the man behind the striker. Modric, Huddlestone will be marshalling the centre of midfield, while Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon will be on the wings on either side. Carlo Cudicini will be in goal, while the backline will consist of Corluka, Kaboul,
Gallas, and Assou-Ekotto.
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