Spurs Odyssey

. Last season's game - Chelsea 1 Spurs 0, 03.04.25

. This season's home game - Spurs 0 Chelsea 1, 01.11.25

. Premier League Matchday 37 - last year

. See the current injury list for all Premier League Teams

. All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here!

Full League Record of Tottenham Hotspur -v- Chelsea

Premier Pl W D L For-Ag Pts Home 34 7 10 17 40- 60 31 Away 33 1 11 21 23- 62 14 =========================================== Total (Prem) 67 8 21 38 63-122 45 0.67 Pts per game =========================================== Football Lge Home (Div 1) 42 20 9 13 79- 57 51 Away (Div 1) 42 19 6 17 63- 50 46 =========================================== Total(Div 1) 84 39 15 30 142-107 97 =========================================== Football Lge Home (Div 2) 2 1 1 0 7- 4 3 Away (Div 2) 2 0 1 1 1- 4 1 =========================================== Total(Div 2) 4 1 2 1 8- 8 4 =========================================== Total (Prem) 67 8 21 38 63-122 45 Total(Div 1) 84 39 15 30 142-107 97 Total(Div 2) 4 1 2 1 8- 8 4 =========================================== Grand Total 155 48 38 69 213-237 146 0.94 Pts per game =========================================== Last Six Premier League results:- Chelsea - LLLLLD Everton 3-0 Chelsea Chelsea 0-3 Man City Chelsea 0-1 Man Utd Brighton 3-0 Chelsea Chelsea 1-3 Nottm Fst Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea Spurs - LLDWWD Spurs 0-3 Nottm Fst S'derland 1-0 Spurs Spurs 2-2 Brighton Wolves 0-1 Spurs A. Villa 1-2 Spurs Spurs 1-1 Leeds Pos P W D L F-A GD Pts 10. Chelsea 36 13 10 13 55-49 6 49 17. Spurs 36 9 11 16 46-55 -9 38

Our Premier League survival is in sight!

Thanks to Cassim Patel for capturing this image

West Ham's 3-1 defeat at Newcastle yesterday means that Spurs' Premier League status will be assured if we gain just one point from our final two games, thanks to a goal difference that is currently 13 better than that of "The Hammers", who looked crestfallen at the end of yesterday's proceedings. I don't think I have celebrated goals by another team as much as those of "The Toon" since "Nayim from the half-way line" against Arsenal in May 1995.

The question is - can we secure that point (or all three) at our least favourite ground - Stamford Bridge - where we have only managed one Premier League win in 33 attempts. That, of course, was the heady 3-1 win given to us by Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli on April Fools' Day 2018. Two years before that, in the "Battle of Stamford Bridge", Chelsea came back from two down to halt our tilt at Leicester's Premier League title.

Chelsea are out of the reckoning for Champions League qualification and had they won Saturday's FA Cup Final they would have secured entry to next season's Europa League. Having lost to Manchester City, Chelsea now probably need two wins to secure a Premier League qualification spot for the competition Spurs won on May 21st a year ago. Chelsea (whoever represents them) need no encouragement to beat us anyway as the club hates us with a passion.

Make no mistake, tomorrow's game will be a tough assignment. I desperately want us to be able to relax at home to Everton on Sunday.

Thanks to City's FA Cup win, eighth place is going to be good enough for a European place and both Chelsea and Everton are among the teams with (currently) a mathematical chance of reaching that position. Both teams will be going all out to beat Spurs.

Chelsea started the season with former Leicester coach Enzo Maresca in charge. He fell out with the executive and left in January. Maresca became thee fifth manager to win multiple major trophies in 1 season in English football only to be sacked, or leave by "mutual consent", in the next year. His predecessors were Mourinho (twice), di Matteo, and Thomas Tuchel.

Liam Rosenior took over as Chelsea's new head coach on a six-year contract. Rosenior had previously been in charge at Hull and most recently Chelsea's "associate" club Strasbourg.

Chelsea sacked Rosenior after 106 days in charge of the club after he managed just 11 wins in 23 matches across all competitions. When Chelsea were beaten 3-0 at The Amex by Brighton on April 21st, it meant they had lost five consecutive league matches without scoring for the first time since 1912.

Calum McFarlane who was Rosenior's assistant, took over as interim manager until the end of the season.

Now, Chelsea have announced the appointment of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso as their manager on a four‑year contract, starting in July.

The 44-year-old Spaniard was available after leaving Real Madrid by mutual consent in January, less than eight months into a three-year contract.

He previously spent three years in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, leading the German club to their first Bundesliga title in 2024, as well as the German Cup.

We have now lost five consecutive meetings with Chelsea in the Premier League for a third time: previously October 1996 to December 1998 (five) and January 2000 to March 2002 (six).

Spurs have won just one of their last 14 Premier League games against Chelsea (D2 L11).

Apparently, Guglielmo Vicario has now returned to training following his hernia operation. Personally, I'd be inclined to stick with Kinsky, who has made some vital saves in recent games. Dominic Solanke could return to the squad for tomorrow's game, but I do not expect the team or style of play to be different from that which beat Villa away two weeks ago. Let's hope we get the point we need tomorrow! (8.15pm - SKY)

Marvin Hinton, who died on 2nd December, aged 85, played for Chelsea between 1963 and 1976, making 344 appearances in all competitions. Hinton won a League Cup medal in 1965, FA Cup medal in 1970 and a Cup-Winners Cup medal in 1971 (as a squad member). Hinton was a versatile defender and played at centre-back in Chelsea's losing FA Cup Final side against Spurs in 1967.

Another member of that 1967 FA Cup side Eddie McCreadie, died aged 85 in January. McCreadie was in the 1970 FA Cup winning side and after retiring, had a two-year spell as manager, when he led relegated Chelsea back to the top tier. One of McCreadie's claims to fame was to make 18-year-old Ray Wilkins the club captain. The rest is history, as they say.

Ray Wilkins was Chelsea's young captain and McCreadie the coach, on 19th April, 1975 when Spurs beat Chelsea 2-0 in a must-win game for survival. Steve Perryman and Alfie Conn scored our goals. Pat Jennings made two stupendous saves. That was the same season when we beat Leeds 4-2 at home to survive. Chelsea were relegated.

Stuart Attwell referees us for the 27th time and the second time in Roberto de Zerbi's brief reign. Mr. Attwell last refereed us when we drew at home to Brighton. A good omen is the fact he refereed a 2-0 home win against Chelsea in February 2023.

Did you know? - On Saturday, Chelsea became the first side to lose four consecutive FA Cup final appearances since Leicester between 1949 and 1969. Reece James became just the second player to play in four FA Cup finals and lose them all, along with Paul Bracewell.

. Spurs record in London Derby League matches since 1997

Follow @spursodyssey

. Last season's game - Aston Villa 2 Spurs 0, 16.05.25

. This season's home game - Spurs 1 Aston Villa 2, 19.10.25

. Premier League Matchday 35 - last year

. See the current injury list for all Premier League Teams

. All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here!

Full Record of Spurs -v- Aston Villa

Prem Pl W D L For-Ag Pts Home 31 15 7 9 50 -35 52 Away 30 11 8 11 41 -33 41 ====================================== Total(Prem) 61 26 15 20 91 -68 93 1.52 Pts per game ====================================== Football Lge Home (Div 1) 47 25 6 16 99 -77 62 Away (Div 1) 47 17 11 19 72 -75 48 ====================================== Total(Div 1) 94 42 17 35 171 -152 110 ======================================= Football Lge Home (Div 2) 2 1 1 0 4 - 3 3 Away (Div 2) 2 0 1 1 1 - 3 1 ====================================== Total(Div 2) 4 1 2 1 5 - 6 4 ====================================== Total(Prem) 61 26 15 20 91 -68 93 Total(Div 1) 94 42 17 35 171-152 110 Total(Div 2) 4 1 2 1 5 - 6 4 ====================================== Grand Total 159 69 34 56 267-226 207 1.3 Pts per game ====================================== Last Six Premier League results:- A. Villa - LLWDWL A. Villa 1-4 Chelsea Man Utd 3-1 A. Villa A. Villa 2-0 West Ham Nottm Fst 1-1 A. Villa A. Villa 4-3 S'derland Fulham 1-0 A. Villa Spurs - LDLLDW Spurs 1-3 C. Palace Liverpool 1-1 Spurs Spurs 0-3 Nottm Fst S'derland 1-0 Spurs Spurs 2-2 Brighton Wolves 0-1 Spurs Pos P W D L F-A GD Pts 5. A. Villa 34 17 7 10 47-42 5 58 18. Spurs 34 8 10 16 43-53 -10 34

Mission - not impossible?

Thanks to Eugene Gasper for this picture

Robert de Zerbi's mission with four games remaining is to gain sufficient points to lift Spurs out of the bottom three, and to ensure a 50th consecutive season in the top flight of English football. If he fails, his squad might self-destruct at the end of the season.

It is hard to believe that in May last year when we played this fixture, both teams were challenging for the Champions League. Villa beat us 2-0, but lost their last game at Old Trafford to miss out on a Champions League place on (substantial) goal difference. Spurs beat Manchester United in their next game which was the Europa League final, thus gaining their Champions League place.

This year, United (currently third) look likely to regain entry to the elite European competition. Villa are fighting again for a Champions League on two fronts. They sit in fifth place in the league, eight points above their closest challengers Brighton. Our match (moved to Sunday night at 7pm on TNT) comes between the two legs of Villa's Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest, who are currently five points ahead of us, but not yet out of the relegation battle. Our match was originally planned for Saturday lunchtime.

Villa lost 1-0 at Forest's City ground last night and with the second leg to be played next Thursday, we must hope that Unai Emery will make adjustments to his side in preparation for such a big match. On those terms, and bearing in mind Villa's recent inconsistent league form, perhaps Roberto's mission to get something from this game is not impossible. A point, at least, is desirable.

Spurs, of course, have been further hampered by a season ending injury to Xavi Simons at Molineux last week, and potentially the same situation (although a less serious injury) with Dominic Solanke. It means we still have at least seven players out through injury, plus James Maddison, who seems fit for cheerleader and morale duties only. Sarr, Udogie and Vicario missed last week's game and might still not be fit. (This preview is being posted before the official team news) Who else has had to cope with injury levels on the scale of Tottenham Hotspur over the last two seasons?

Tammy Abraham, who played on loan for Villa in the 2018/19 season, was signed from Besiktas in January, having previously spent three seasons with Roma. Abraham has made just one Premier League start plus 10 as substitute and with a very slight touch, scored Villa's winning goal in their recent 4-3 win over Sunderland.

Ollie Watkins has been in top form recently, scoring seven goals in his last nine games for Villa. Morgan Rogers, Buendia and McGinn remain a threat to any defence.

None of the last 21 Premier League matches between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have been drawn (14 Spurs wins, 7 Villa wins) since a 1-1 stalemate in May 2012. Villa have won five of their last seven Premier League games against Spurs (L2). Previously, Spurs had won six of the seven Premier League meetings between the clubs. Spurs have eight wins from their previous ten Premier League visits to Villa Park, losing the other two.

Micky van de Ven was our captain for our last two Premier League wins - away to Wolves and on December 28th, away to Crystal Palace. Let's hope he can manage a third on Sunday. I'll say it's not impossible, but I am more hopeful of a draw. I expect Lucas Bergvall to start in place of Xavi, and Richarlison to lead the line.

Sam Barrott referees Spurs for the sixth time since we first encountered him in the middle in January 2024. Mr. Barrott has been in charge of 21 Premier League games this season and had charge of Villa's last win against Sunderland.

Please note that due to personal commitments the Spurs Odyssey match report (by Declan Mulcahy) is likely to be delayed.

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Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Tottenham Hotspur - stats, team news, line-ups

Tottenham Hotspur travel to the West Midlands for Saturday afternoon's must-win Premier League contest against already relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium.

Roberto De Zerbi was robbed of a first win as new Tottenham manager against his former employers Brighton & Hove Albion, who snatched a point with a last-minute leveller.

Meanwhile, Wolves are coming off a 3-0 defeat against Leeds United and will now be playing for pride after their fate was sealed on Monday night.

Tottenham's latest fixtures and results have been a bit depressing (that's putting it mildly!), but as long as we have a fighting chance, there's room for hope. Plus, the upcoming showdown against Wolves gives the team an ideal platform to turn things around (it's now or never).

Match Preview

Wolves were officially relegated from the Premier League on Monday night after West Ham United secured a point in a goalless draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

It's been a long time coming for the Old Gold, who have been the Premier League's whipping boys for months. There was a brief resurgence after Rob Edwards' arrival, but it was all smoke and mirrors.

Wolves have picked up some impressive victories under the Welshman, including back-to-back wins against Aston Villa and Liverpool.

However, they have failed to win any of their subsequent four games in all competitions (D1, L3), a run that saw them crash out of the FA Cup fifth round following a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool.

Edwards has managed to put together a cohesive unit, but it would have taken a miracle to reverse their fortunes. Now playing for pride, Wolves will be keen to bow out on a high, which could spell trouble for Spurs.

De Zerbi came agonisingly close to securing Tottenham's first win of 2026 last time out, but was cruelly denied in the 2-2 draw against Brighton.

Kaoru Mitoma cancelled out Pedro Porro's opener with an absolute belter on the stroke of half-time.

Xavi Simons restored Tottenham's lead late in the second half and should have been the matchwinner but for a lapse in concentration at the back that allowed Georginio Rutter to snatch a point for Brighton.

Nevertheless, Tottenham will head into Saturday's clash with Wolves knowing they need to pick up a win to salvage their campaign as they sit just two points behind West Ham in the table.

With five games left, Tottenham's games in May could decide their Premier League fate. They still have a fighting chance, but their recent form against Wolves should be a worrying sign.

Tottenham have failed to win any of their last six games against Wolves (D2, L4) and have also come out empty-handed in each of their most recent three visits to Molineux.

Team News

Wolves came off their 3-0 defeat against Leeds with a double injury quandary as Mateus Mane and Hee-Chan Hwang were forced off injured on either side of half-time.

Edwards' side already had a sizable chunk of the squad stuck in the infirmary before kick-off, so both Mane and Hwang will now join Enso Gonzalez, Sam Johnstone, Jose Sa, and Matt Doherty on the sidelines. Yerson Mosquera has to serve the second match of his suspension this week, following his tenth booking in the defeat at West Ham.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have established themselves as the injury capital of the Premier League, but they've received some late-season respite, particularly with James Maddison nearing a comeback.

Whether he would play again this season remains to be seen, but on the plus side, Tottenham came away from the gut-wrenching draw against Brighton unscathed.

That said, it's as you were for the North Londoners, who may once again be without up to seven players, including Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Ben Davies, and Mohammed Kudus.

Wolverhampton Wanderers potential line-up:

(3-4-2-1): Daniel Bentley; Santiago Bueno, Toti Gomes, Ladislav Krejci; Hugo Bueno, Joao Gomes, Andre, Jackson Tchatchoua; Angel Gomes, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde; Adam Armstrong.

Tottenham Hotspur potential line-up:

(4-3-3): Antonin Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Archie Gray, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall; Xavi Simons, Dominic Solanke, Randal Kolo Muani.

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Spurs fans were partying in the streets of North London after beating Man Utd 1-0 in the Europa League final last year. Ten months later, they're staring down the barrel of relegation following a less than satisfactory season thus far.

Two coaches have already been sacked, and the Spurs stats for this season make grim reading: no league wins in 2026, 13 successive league games without a victory, and a team sitting just one point above the relegation zone, it's not been a fruitful campaign.

The newly appointed Manager, Roberto de Zerbi will have his work cut out in the remaining games, but there's a possibility that Spurs will see a new manager bounce at the right time to keep them in the Premier League.

However, the season will end eventually, and when it does, Spurs will need to rebuild. Whether that's in the Premier League or the Championship remains to be seen, but the process will be broadly the same: identify the players worth keeping, move on those who aren't up to scratch, and make some shrewd additions in the transfer market.

Rebuilding The Squad

The Keepers

Spurs should rebuild their defence around Micky van de Ven. He's just 24, and he has the pace and composure to develop into one of the world's best centre-backs. The red card against Crystal Palace was a low point, but his talent is undeniable. Provided they stay up, the club must do everything in their power to keep him.

Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro are both worth keeping. They're young and dynamic, and they could thrive under Roberto De Zerbi. Teenage stars Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall have shown glimpses of real quality too. They have the potential to develop into elite midfielders.

Dejan Kulusevski's injury record is poor, but Spurs have badly missed his creativity this season. He should also be central to any rebuild if he can prove his fitness.

Conor Gallagher has only just joined, and he should stay, while Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus deserve a chance to prove themselves – again, provided we stay up.

The Question Marks

It might be time to move Cristian Romero on in the summer. The Spurs captain is a ferocious competitor on his day, but he's too inconsistent, and his disciplinary record is abysmal. If a Spanish heavyweight makes a bid, Spurs should cash in.

James Maddison is another player that could be on the chopping block. He's brilliant when he's fit, but unfortunately, he's very injury-prone. Spurs can't keep both Maddison and Kulusevski, so it might be time to put him on the market.

Dominic Solanke is in a similar boat. He arrived with a big reputation, but he's only scored 12 league goals since joining the club in the summer of 2024. Much may depend on what the new manager thinks of him. Ditto Djed Spence and Wilson Odobert.

Who Should Go?

The list of departures should be extensive. Spurs on course for another pitiful points tally, and most of the players aren't up to the required standards.

. Guglielmo Vicario has had an alarming drop in form, and it's time to sell the error-prone keeper to an Italian club. Antonin Kinsky has also looked shaky, so he could go out on loan.

. Radu Dragusin often looks out of his depth. He's on big wages and is contracted until 2030, so he'll be hard to shift, but he shouldn't be a starter at a club with Spurs' ambitions.

. Richarlison is the team's top scorer this season, but his overall return has been modest, and he also has a bad disciplinary record. If an offer comes in, it would be wise to accept.

There seems little appetite to make Joao Palhinha's loan move permanent. Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr have all underperformed and could be moved on. Randal Kolo Muani has a few admirers on the continent, and he could also go.

How Can Spurs Rebuild?

The squad is clearly in need of a major overhaul. It won't be easy to move on more than a dozen players, but we clearly need to be very active in the summer.

Of course, avoiding relegation will make things much easier. Simons, Gallagher, Tel, Porro and Spence could all flourish under De Zerbi. The Italian coach loves intelligent, versatile forwards, so Kulusevski should fit right in. Players that rely more on physicality than technique will need to move on, so Bissouma's days could be numbered. The same is true of Bentancur and Richarlison.

Recruitment has been woeful for the past few years, so we need to be much smarter when dipping into the market. In an ideal world, Spurs will stay up and then bolster the squad with proven Premier League players like Bart Verbruggen, Adam Wharton and Andy Robertson.

Yet they'll probably need to look overseas for most of their signings. Exciting talents like Nico Paz, Samu Aghehowa, Kenan Yildiz, Edmond Tapsoba and Johnny Cardoso could be available for the right price. Man City may also be rebuilding, so Spurs could try to sign Omar Marmoush or Savinho.

The main priorities are a new goalkeeper, a strong centre-back, a holding midfielder with an eye for a pass, and a prolific striker. If they can get those four transfers right and bring in some more exciting youngsters to complement the likes of Gray and Bergvall, Spurs could return to competing at the top of English football.

. The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the webmaster

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Many thanks to Declan Mulcahy for this report:-

Thursday 1 January 2026, 8:00pm

FA Premier League

Brentford (0) 0 Tottenham Hotspur (0) 0

Brentford (4-3-3): Keith Andrews

Subs not used: 12 H Valdimarsson, 2 A Hickey, 4 S van den Berg, 5 E Pinnock, 26 Y Konak, 24 M Damsgaard, 45 R Donovan

Booked: J Henderson (58 dissent)

Tottenham Hotspur:

Subs not used: 31 A Kinsky, 40 B Austin, 4 K Danso, 33 B Davies, 3 R Dragușin, 52 C Olusesi, 44 D Scarlett

Booked: Palhinha (60 foul on Yarmoliuk), Vicario (69 time wasting)

Gtech Community Stadium, Attendance: 17,141

Referee: Andy Madley

Assistants: Lee Betts, Simon Bennett

Fourth Official: Simon Hooper

VAR: Alex Chilowicz

Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood

No New Year's cheer for either side

Thanks to Cassim Patel for this picture

Prior to today Brentford had accumulated two-thirds of their points from home fixtures whereas Spurs had gained a similar ratio from their away matches. So in theory both sides should have been at their best today. Neither team rose to the occasion and it turned out to be a scoreless dull game.

Spurs made three changes from the team which beat Crystal Palace 1-0 away. Romero returned from suspension in place of Danso. Bergvall hadn't recovered from the injury which saw him substituted three days ago and was replaced by Joao Palhinha. Odobert was chosen over Kolo Muani. In the absence of Bergvall and Simons (suspended) there was very little creativity in the team. Johnson was expected to be available but there was no sign of him. (Ed:- A transfer to Crystal Palace looms)

Brentford made one change from the team which thumped Bournemouth 4-1 five days ago with Henderson replacing Jensen.

It was Thomas Frank's first return to the Gtech Community Stadium since moving to Spurs. He went out onto the pitch before the teams emerged and received a standing ovation.

Brentford won the first corner of the game after four minutes. Janelt's corner was parried by Vicario. Schade, who had scored a hat-trick against Bournemouth in the last game, put the ball in the net but was clearly offside. Brentford haven't scored a goal from a corner in the Premier League this season.

That was the only notable event of the first thirty minutes. Brentford had more of the ball but neither team created any clear-cut chances.

Richarlison created a chance for Gray but his shot was blocked. A Kayode long-throw into the Spurs box fell to Yarmoliuk but his attempt was high.

Richarlison tried a shot from outside the box which was off target and an Odobert effort was blocked.

Despite the lack of productivity neither side made any changes at half time.

The second half continued in a similar manner to the earlier period.

Kudus had two efforts, one too high and the other saved by Kelleher. Yarmoliuk crossed into Spurs box but Lewis-Potter's end-product was weak.

The two main events of the game happened within a minute of each other around the 56th minute. Romero and Thiago had an aerial challenge for a ball outside the Spurs box. Romero didn't make contact with the ball but did catch Thiago. He was the last defender. Referee Andy Madley didn't stop the game.

Spurs then countered and Archie Gray went down in the Brentford box in a sandwich between Collins and Schade. Again Madley allowed play to continue.

VAR reviewed both decisions and decided that there had been no obvious errors in either case. During the process Henderson was booked for dissent.

Romero committed a number of needless fouls in the second half. One of them set up Lewis-Potter for a free kick from a dangerous position but the Spurs wall did its job. Henderson set up a good opportunity for Janelt but Vicario saved his header. Janelt had scored for both sides previously in this fixture.

Each side only made two substitutions which is a fairly low number for a Premier League game. Frank didn't have many attacking options on the bench but did introduce Tel and Kolo Muani. None of the changes on either side had any impact on the game.

During the last quarter of the game it looked like both sides were content to settle for a point. Each side had a late opportunity. Vicario punched a cross away under pressure from Ajer. Richarlison had a late effort saved by Kelleher.

This was a dull game however Spurs and Brentford were far from the only guilty parties. There were four Premier League matches today and two Premier League "lows" were equalled.

This is the second time in Premier League history (after 29 April 1998) where at least four matches were played and only two goals were scored in total. It is also only the second time (after 11 April 2010) when there were three 0-0 draws in four games played.

Going into this game Spurs had four players on four bookings, Pedro Porro, Micky van der Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison who would have faced a one-game suspension had they been booked today. They weren't and as the half way point of nineteen games has been reached this jeopardy falls away.

The last time that Spurs were involved in a goalless draw was at home to AC Milan in the Champions League in March 2023. The last scoreless game in the Premier League featuring Spurs was this same fixture in April 2022, 138 games ago. In the seven seasons the teams have been in the same division Brentford have only won the home fixture on one occasion in March 1948 when they won 2-0 at Griffin Park the first season the teams had met in the league.

Spurs entertain Sunderland at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. Hopefully Bergvall will return from injury to bring some creativity as Simons still has to serve one match of his three-game suspension.

There was a nice gesture at the end of the game when two Brentford supporters presented Thomas Frank with a gift. It was possibly a bottle of wine as he is known to have a taste for that beverage.

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. Spurs record in London Derby League matches since 1997

. Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers

. Read the preview for this game.

. All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here!

NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 536

Submitted by Norman Giller

Tottenham go into the holiday and New Year programme with Thomas Frank just about avoiding the Christmas sack, while privately wondering whether he should strip Christian "Cuti" Romero of the club captaincy.

Despite Saturday's defeat by Liverpool, Spurs emerged from a helter-skelter match with a semblance of pride. They very nearly salvaged a point against the reigning Premier League champions after being reduced to nine men. But the stark reality is that this was Tottenham's 11th home defeat of 2025, and the Lewis family will have noted that it was the fifth setback at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for their under-fire Danish manager.

What will concern the increasingly harassed-looking Frank most is that his skipper lost the plot at precisely the moment Spurs needed calm leadership. Romero's first booking - for angrily disputing Liverpool's second goal after he had been clearly pushed - was avoidable. Once on a yellow card, the Argentine knew he was walking a behavioural tightrope. Yet instead of showing discipline and restraint, he allowed emotion to take control and surrendered his right to remain on the pitch.

For many seasons I have watched the likes of Ron Burgess, Danny Blanchflower, Alan Mullery and Steve Perryman lead Tottenham with passion allied to responsibility - always setting the tone for how to compete without crossing the line.

Sadly, Romero - an exceptional centre-half - has a self-destruct button that is too easily pushed. If I were Thomas Frank, I would be giving serious thought to handing the captain's armband to his far more controlled defensive partner, Micky van de Ven.

As for the first dismissal in a match that took an hour to come to life, I thought VAR was right to upgrade the initial yellow card to a red for the enigmatic Xavi Simons. Those Spurs fans disputing the decision would surely have demanded a sending-off had such a reckless challenge been committed by a Liverpool player. What we continue to crave, however, is consistency - so players know exactly where the line is drawn.

Our guru Paul H. Smith provides his eyewitness account of this strange encounter HERE. Meanwhile, on behalf of Paul and the Spurs Odyssey team, may I wish every one of you the merriest of Christmases - and a New Year that is rather less "Spursy".

I found that quite a bruising sporting weekend. After Tottenham's self-inflicted ordeal against Liverpool, I stayed up to watch England's denouement in the Ashes in Adelaide, following Anthony Joshua's unlikely "triumph" on Strictly Come Dancing in Miami. My Child Bride, Joyce, remains convinced that I am quite barmy.

COYS.

Here we go with the 17th week of our quiz that tests your knowledge of Tottenham players and the club's history ...

Which Frenchman joined Spurs from Turf Moor in 2024, scored his first Premier League goal for Tottenham at West Ham and what number squad shirt does he wear?

Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 17. Deadline: midnight this Saturday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous 11 seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact. This is when I lose what few friends I have.

This season's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2026, plus three signed books to be revealed at a later date.

Last week I asked: Who once played with Alf Ramsey for Tottenham and was selected by him in his first match as England manager, and what number Spurs shirt did he usually wear?

Answer: Ron Henry/No 3 (for those who answered Bobby Smith, he never played for Spurs with Alf Ramsey, who joined Ipswich as manager in 1955 while Bobby was still at Chelsea).

See you back here on Monday.

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NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 535

Submitted by Norman Giller

It was Gerry Francis who said in 1997, when finally throwing in the towel, that managing Tottenham Hotspur was "the Impossible Job." After yesterday's spineless 3-0 capitulation at Nottingham Forest, Thomas Frank may already have that quote bookmarked - if not framed.

From the first whistle yesterday there was that sinking, unmistakable feeling known only to long-suffering Tottenham supporters: this was going to be a demanding afternoon. A yard short, a step slow, a side waiting for inspiration to arrive by special delivery.

Tottenham just never got started. The passing was sloppy, the movement static and the defending alarmingly generous. I strongly defended goalkeeper Vicario against the boo boys last week, but he hardly helped himself against Forest with some glaring errors that sapped the confidence.

Forest, meanwhile, looked like a team with a plan. They pressed with purpose, attacked with conviction and played as though the result actually mattered against a team consistent only in its inconsistency.

Those of us of a certain age will remember how Jimmy Greaves gathered the little matter of 25 goals against his 'rabbit' club Forest during his career, but Spurs were always second best yesterday ... as our Spurs Odyssey guru Paul H. Smith reports HERE.

Most worrying of all is that Thomas Frank's better players are not playing like better players. Whether through fatigue, confusion or quiet dissent, too many performances suggested footballers going through the motions rather than buying into the mission. This is not a squad short of talent - it is a squad short of spark.

I have been, and remain, a chief cheerleader for Frank. But faith, like form, is not infinite - and displays like this one drain it rapidly.

His growing army of 'Doubting Thomases' were worried about his substitutions, particularly Ben Davies for the energetic Djed Spence. It felt like change for the sake of it, not change with intent.

The uncomfortable question arises: is the manager still dictating the game, or merely reacting to its slow, painful unravelling?

Frank is walking a tightrope and next up a friendly little home date with the reigning champions Liverpool on Saturday. We Spurs fans will greet that fixture with the gallows humour of people who have seen this film before - and know how it usually ends.

I remain convinced that if Daniel Levy was still in power, Thomas Frank would already be on his bike. Many supporters, bruised and weary, would greet his departure with weary acceptance rather than outrage.

But perhaps the Joe Lewis family prefer a different path. Perhaps they still believe that sacking a manager is not, in itself, a strategy. I admit I lean towards that view. Football could use a little more patience and a lot less panic.

Gerry Francis knew exactly what he was talking about all those years ago. Managing Tottenham is still 'the Impossible Job'.

Ask Thomas Frank for his view ... after the Liverpool match on Saturday.

COYS

Spurs select - A book to read and play

Just 10 shopping days to Christmas and a reminder that my 122nd book is available: Spurs Select, in which you are challenged to pick a Tottenham Team to Play for Your Life.

I shall be plugging the book on the always informative Spurs Show from today, and a donation for every book sold will be made to the Tottenham Tribute Trust, who help our old heroes that missed the gravy train.

Spurs Odyssey readers can save a fiver by ordering the book NOW from normangiller@gmail.com.

If you prefer, you can mention you'd like purchasing details when entering the Spurs Odyssey Quiz below. It's a book that you play as well as read and is guaranteed to revive memories of your most memorable matches. Please join me in playing the Selecting Game.

Here we go with the 16th week of our quiz that tests your knowledge of Tottenham players and the club's history ...

Who once played with Alf Ramsey for Tottenham and was selected by him in his first match as England manager, and what number Spurs shirt did he usually wear?

Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 16. Deadline: midnight this Saturday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous 11 seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact. This is when I lose what few friends I have.

This season's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2026, plus three signed books to be revealed at a later date.

Last week I asked: Which England international started his career at The Dell and to which country did he first move after scoring 174 goals for Spurs?

Answer: Martin Chivers/Switzerland

See you back here on Monday.

Follow @spursodyssey

. See the current injury list for all Premier League Teams

. All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here!

Spurs' record in Europe:- U.E.F.A Champions League P W D L F - A 58 24 14 20 100 - 82 (Finalists 2019) European Super Cup Finalists 2025 European Cup P W D L F - A 8 4 1 3 21 - 13 (Semi-Finalists 1962) European Cup Winners Cup P W D L F - A 33 20 5 8 65 - 34 (Winners 1963) UEFA Cup/Europa League P W D L F - A 168 98 40 30 343-147 (Winners 1972, 1984, 2025 Finalists 1974) Europa Conference League P W D L F - A 7 3 1 3 14 - 9 + Forfeited one game due to Covid - 09/12/21) Total P W D L F - A 274 149 61 64 541-285 . Champions League standings Pos P W D L F-A GD Pts 16. Spurs 5 2 2 1 10-7 3 8 31. Slavia 5 0 3 2 2-8 -6 3 Slavia Praha results to date:- Slavia Praha 2-2 Bodo/Glimt Inter 3-0 Slavia Praha Atalanta 0-0 Slavia Praha Slavia Praha 0-3 Arsenal Slavia Praha 0-0 Ath. Bilbao

Spurs must win this one!

Spurs host Czech league leaders Slavia Praha (Prague) tomorrow night in our sixth and last Champions League game of the year. We have two more of these league phase games to play in late January. Last year, 16 points were needed to finish in the top eight (qualifying automatically for the Round of 16). Realistically to reach such heights, we need to win all three of our remaining games, which is a big task and probably too much of a challenge.

Two wins in those last three games should enable us to finish in the second group of 8 teams and thus be seeded for the play-off round. We must take one game at a time though and first deal with Slavia, who are struggling in 31st place without a win, and seemingly heading for non-qualification.

Slavia are five points ahead of their City rivals - Sparta - after 18 league matches. They have one more domestic game before a winter break and then host Barcelona in January. Slavia's final Champions League game is in Cyprus against Pafos, who sit 24th at the time of writing.

Slavia have won the current version of their league eight times, seven of which have been this century, including last season. I suspect there is no correlation between their domestic form and that in Europe this season.

Our number two keeper Antonin Kinsky signed for us in January from Slavia Praha, and was born in Prague. No doubt he will be hoping for a start. Another former Slavia keeper - Radek Cerny - signed for us on loan in 2005, and played for us against his home side on St. Valentine's Day 2008, when we won 2-1 with goals by Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane.

I have fond memories of trips to Prague in September 2006 and February 2008. We won both games and in fact won three of the four UEFA Cup matches when we met. The final game was drawn and preceded our successful League Cup Final against Chelsea in 2008.

Incidentally, after 5 years with QPR, Radek Cerny returned to finish his playing career with Slavia in 2013-14.

Slavia have managed just two goals in the five Champions League games they've played so far, both of which came in their first game against Bodo/Glimt. Both those goals were scored by Senegalese left-back Mbodji, who hasn't scored since. Praha's top league scorers are Tomas Chory and Mojmir Chytil, both of whom have seven to their name. Chytil has scored four goals in Slavia's last two games, one of which was from the penalty spot.

Czech international keeper Jindrich Stanek is the current choice in goal and has played in Slavia's last 5 games.

Tomorrow's big event being promoted since last weekend is the visit of Heung-min Son, who left in pre-season, after a farewell game in South Korea. "Sonny" will be saying a personal farewell to the fans before kick-off, so early arrival is recommended. Son has been in good form for his new team Los Angeles, scoring 12 goals since his arrival.

Spirits are high of course after our win on Saturday. Destiny Udogie missed the Brentford game through a slight muscular injury, and it has now been confirmed he will be out with a hamstring injury until the New Year. Tomorrow's game kicks off at 8pm and will be televised on TNT here in the UK. The players rotated out of Saturday's starting line-up were Danso, Bergvall, Sarr and Johnson. Neither Bergvall or Johnson got on the pitch, so might be involved tomorrow, although Johnson's fitness has been described as "touch and go". Wait and see is the answer. 83% of respondents on the Champions League site think we'll win and I am one of those. Play like we did against Brentford and I fancy us to score three!

Referee Benoit Bastien and his on-field team are from France. We have seen Monsieur Bastien once before in a 1-0 Europa League defeat away to K.A.A. Gent in February 2017. This referee is kept busy at home and in both European and International matches. He's not shy of issuing red cards with eight straight reds shown since March when he was in charge of Manchester United's win against Real Sociedad.

Follow @spursodyssey

NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 533

Submitted by Norman Giller

Frankly, Thomas deserves that transfer window

Norman is suffering technical problems this week, so here's an image of him with Steve Perryman last season

Many Spurs supporters turned their anger for the defeat by Fulham on manager Thomas Frank, and the body language of his players suggests he has lost the dressing-room. If Dan "the axeman" Levy was still in power I believe Frank would have been counting his compensation by now, but I am hoping the Joe Lewis family have more patience and understanding.

In my view, Thomas deserves at least until the January transfer window to turn things around. First and foremost he must win the confidence and full support of his players. The way they gathered together at half-time after that bleak first-half clearly indicated they were looking for each others instructions and support rather than the guidance of their manager.

If ever there was a moment for Thomas Frank to steady the ship, it comes tomorrow night on Tyneside. St James' Park is not the place you would choose for a crisis-control mission, not with the Geordie crowd roaring like a jet engine and Newcastle rediscovering some of their swagger with that resounding victory at Everton.

But football has a funny habit of offering redemption in the most unlikely arenas.

For Frank, this is less about formations and more about foundations. The players need clarity, purpose and belief - and he needs to convince them he is the man to provide it.

As our Spurs Odyssey guru Paul H. Smith reports HERE, the second half against Fulham flickered with signs of self-help among the squad, but Tottenham cannot rely on huddles and hope. They need leadership, conviction and a clear plan that everybody buys into. As my Quiz regulars know, they need the spirit of Dave Mackay but that is like looking for a bonus in a Budget...or the purpose and passion of my old mate Steve Perryman, who never knew the meaning of the word surrender. Those were the days, my friends.

Newcastle will come at us hard and fast, particularly down the flanks, and our defensive concentration must be unrecognisably sharper than it was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. If Spurs allow the same space and confusion as they did in that dire first half, Eddie Howe's side will punish them without mercy.

But - and here is the eternal fascination of football - Tottenham have the talent to hurt Newcastle if they can only rediscover their front-foot identity. Perform with bravery and positivity and the tide can turn. Shrink into caution, and the night could feel very long indeed, particularly for Thomas Frank.

Tomorrow is not a season-defining match, but it is character-defining. A spirited, unified display would buy under-fire Thomas breathing space and rebuild trust with supporters who are rapidly losing faith. A limp repeat of Saturday, however, would deepen the fault lines and make that January deadline a date with destiny for Frank and his players.

I was in total agreement with Frank when he described the crowd booing Vicario as "unacceptable". I (patting myself on the back) have never jeered or booed a player in my life. They are just humans like the rest of us and deserve our full support and backing, even when an error is beyond stupid. How on earth does booing help anybody?

We now go into tomorrow's challenge with trepidation. Let's cheer and encourage all players wearing the Spurs shirt. They need every one of us behind them, not in their way.

Thomas Frank would call that as "acceptable."

COYS

Spurs select - A book to read and play

Just 24 shopping days to Christmas and another gentle reminder that my 122nd book has gone off to the Printer: Spurs Select, in which you are challenged to pick a Tottenham Team to Play for Your Life.

A donation for every book sold will be made to the Tottenham Tribute Trust, who help our old heroes that missed the gravy train.

Spurs Odyssey readers can save a fiver by ordering the book NOW. normangiller@gmail.com.

If you prefer, you can mention you'd like purchasing details when entering the Spurs Odyssey Quiz below. It's a book that you play as well as read and is guaranteed to revive memories of your most memorable matches. Please join me in playing the Selecting Game.

Here we go with the 14th week of our quiz that tests your knowledge of Tottenham players and the club's history ...

Who was born in Udine, has won five caps for his country and from which club did he join Spurs in 2023?

Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 14. Deadline: midnight this Saturday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous 11 seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact. This is when I lose what few friends I have.

This season's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2026, plus three signed books to be revealed at a later date.

Last week I asked: Who won 22 caps for his country, wore the No 6 Tottenham shirt and against which team did he captain Spurs to victory in an FA Cup final at Wembley?

Answer: Dave Mackay/Chelsea

See you back here on Monday.

Follow @spursodyssey

PREMIER LEAGUE

SATURDAY 29TH NOVEMBER, 2025

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0) FULHAM 2(2)

Spurs scorer:-

Kudus, 59

Fulham scorers:-

Tete, 4

Wilson, 6

Attendance:- 60,546

Referee:- Stuart Attwell

Assistants:- Constantine Hatzidakis, Nick Hopton

Fourth official:- Michael Salisbury

VAR:- Andy Madley

Assistant VAR:- Sian Massey-Ellis

Teams:-

Spurs (4-2-2-2):- 1. Vicario; 23. Pedro Porro, 37. Van de Ven (Capt.), 13. Udogie (sub 11. Tel, 85); 14. Gray (sub 28. Odobert, 60), 6. Palhinha (sub 30. Bentancur, 60);20. Kudus, 15. Bergvall (sub 29. Sarr, 77); 39. Kolo-Muani, 9. Richarlison (sub 7. Xavi, 60)

Subs not used:- 31. Kinsky; 24. Spence, 33. Davies; 22. Johnson

Booked:- Van de Ven (dissent after foul on Anderson), Udogie (persistent fouling), Muani (foul on Tete)

Fulham (4-2-3-1):- 1. Leno; 2. Tete, 5. Andersen (Capt.), 3. Bassey, 30. Sessegnon; 17. Iwobi (sub 21. Castagne, 87), 16. Berge; 8. Wilson (sub 20. Lukic, 68), 24. King (sub 32. Smith-Rowe, 68), 19. Chukwueze (sub 22. Kevin, 81); 7. Jimenez

Subs not used:- 23. Lecomte; 15. Cuenca; 10. Cairney, 11. Traore;18. Kusi-Asare

Booked:- Jimenez (deliberate handball), Leno (time)

Spurs have the losing habit

In a league where just about any team (barring Wolves at the bottom) can beat any opponent, Spurs have lost for the third time in a week and have also lost their third consecutive London Derby. Thomas Frank's team have certainly got the losing habit and will probably slip into the bottom half of the table later today (Sunday).

If they are not careful, Spurs will become one of those teams incapable of beating anyone. They certainly can't win a home Premier League game at the moment.

Most fans will have had optimism about the game after a good performance in Paris on Wednesday. The formation was similar with three twos in front of the back four. Clearly that style is far too open and Fulham cracked the code within six minutes, scoring twice. It's a long time since Spurs have gone two down in such a short space of time, and I believe the first time in the Premier League era. There have been plenty of single early goals against us.

Vicario was sorely culpable for Fulham's second goal and was booed by his own fans when he next touched the ball. That's something I cannot recall happening before.

A good crowd turned out on a cold night for this anti-social kick-off time. They fans' patience is wearing very thin, as might that of the executive with regard to their recently appointed coach.

Fulham kicked off and played towards the South stand. They had the lead within two minutes when Chukwueze's ball from the left reached Kenny Tete in too much space. Tete scored his first goal in two years with a low driven shot which took a deflection and beat Vicario to his left.

Spurs woes increased dramatically. Vicario came way out of his area to the left touchline and instead of kicking into Row Z, he tried a short pass down the line and gifted the ball to Harry Wilson. Wilson accepted the offer and temptation of an unguarded goal and hit a left-footed shot from distance into the net. The stadium was in shock, but angry with Vicario, who was roundly booed when he next came outside his area to clear.

There was to be no way back for Spurs, especially as they were outplayed on the first half with Fulham finding space and energy, coupled with good passing to feet. Spurs' style was hit and hope and full of inaccuracy and incapability.

If Spurs had played in the first half as energetically as they did the second, they might have done better, but it was too little, too late.

Things so nearly got worse for Spurs when Vicario punched out an Iwobi cross to the feet of Chukwueze, whose shot hit the outside of the keeper's right post.

Richarlison had a weak header picked up by Leno after a long ball from the right. Anderson went down dramatically when fouled by Bergvall in the Fulham area, but referee Stuart Attwell was happy to just have words with the Spurs man. Richarlison did win a corner on the right after a move which started with a good tackle by Danso in his own half. A cross by Kudus caused some confusion in the Fulham defence and Spurs had another corner.

Kudus hit a short pass to Archie Gray who tried a shot from distance, but that passed wide across goal.

Micky van de Ven came to our rescue after Chukwueze had bettered both Pedro Porro and our keeper before Captain Micky recovered with a brilliant tackle. Micky wasn't happy later with more histrionics from his opposite number and was booked for perhaps his reaction, rather than the foul.

David Pleat was the half-time guest, plugging his new book, and joined by Clive Allen, reflecting on events of nearly forty years ago when goals did come easily to Clive, and Spurs.

Spurs kicked off and looked far more lively in the second half. In particular, Muani impressed with his efforts. Kudus was now getting the better of former Spur Ryan Sessegnon.

Udogie took an early booking. Leno punched a Kudus cross away from under his crossbar. Muani nearly scored with a near post header after a Pedro Porro cross but hit the side netting.

It was Kudus who reduced the deficit with an excellent left-footed shot high into Leno's top left corner after Bergvall's pass from the middle. Leno might have got a touch, but it was not enough.

Frank made a triple substitution of Gray, Richarlison and Palhinha with Odobert, Xavi Simons and Bentancur.

Muani had another effort go close after a Kudus cross, and Xavi had a shot blocked after a successful Kudus-Pedro Porro combination. From the corner Bergvall's header was cleared off the line. Odobert headed over after good play by Kudu and Bentancur.

Fulham started to get forward again and Jimenez was booked for a diving effort at the back post where he pushed the attempt wide with his hand. Danso took a long throw and after Udogie's pass, Muani went close with a clever back-heeled attempt.

That was as close as we came, and Fulham celebrated their first away win of the season.

Our next game is another midweek trip to Newcastle on Tuesday. I don't fancy our chances.

Follow @spursodyssey

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