Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland
Black Cats Hoping To Purr
It is a well-known cliché in football that players returning to their former clubs will 'be out to bite the hands that used to feed them'. This fixture, particularly from the visitors', Sunderland's, point of view, will be one of those games where that particular piece of football terminology comes to the fore.
The red and white half of the north-east boast no fewer than five former Spurs players on their books but whether all of them will make an appearance or not remains to be seen.
Fraizer Campbell, signed by Spurs on-loan from Manchester United last season, will feel he was unfairly treated by the management hierarchy of the north London outfit during his stay. However, he couldn't help having to shoulder a share of the burden in Spurs' early season occupation of the Premiership's basement. He was viewed by many as a panic signing by Spurs' hapless former director of football, Damien Comolli, who was unable to find an adequate replacement for the then want-away crowd pleaser, Dimitar Berbatov. Campbell's appearances for Sunderland have once again been limited, however, should he be given the nod, he will no doubt want to show the home faithful some of the ability that he rarely had the opportunity to display.
Andy Reid will also be returning to a former club where he was blighted by injuries and questions over his mythical rotund gut. At the time this provoked something of a mini debate for managers and experts; is he fit or is he fat? Such was the unwanted hype his supposedly protruding midriff was receiving, it lead to Dennis Wise - who had played against Reid for Millwall - declaring on Match of the Day 2 that Reid was 'all muscle'. The football world appeared to collectively snigger at this point, but Reid appears to have put those problems behind him with some encouraging performances of late.
Steed Malbranque and Marton Fulop will also be hoping to pay a visit to their former employers, but the pre-match discussions will inevitably focus around the return of a certain Darren Bent, who endured a difficult, some would say controversial, two years at White Hart Lane. He has found some real consistency with his goal scoring form - something he struggled with during his stay with Spurs - and will want to prove that it was unjustified that he was part of the last January transfer window's most comical saga. If you're reading this thinking "all I can think of was a barmy, golf club-carrying Welshman pining for a cash motivated move from a debt ridden cockney establishment to a sickeningly rich club in Manchester", then cast your minds back to the start of this year. Spurs are hosting Portsmouth in what was seen at the time as something of a relegation 'six pointer'. The game is poised at a goal apiece, when a wonderfully weighted cross is dropping perfectly onto the lunging head of Darren Bent. With the whole of the goal to aim at, there appears to be only one outcome. However, typically of Bent and Spurs last season, a subversive approach was taken and the ball failed to hit the target from a mere two yards out. At the time, Harry Redknapp was understandably fuming - you wouldn't have had to be a lip reader to notice the colourful choice of language - and wondering what else could go wrong. Thankfully, he had a ready-made replacement in his wife ready to step into the wings as Sandra Redknapp could have converted that chance with ease, according to the Spurs boss. This very incident was cited by Bent as part of the reason he wanted to leave White Hart Lane as soon as he was able; he was quoted as saying 'I'll be glad to get away from Harry Redknapp… and his wife!' Needless to say, an infamous rant and attack on the Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, by Bent, via the art of social networking, was the catalyst for his move north becoming official.
Spurs will be looking to return to winning ways as soon as possible, having caused opposing fans to collapse in fits of laughter over the past seven days. Robbie Keane went on record as saying that Spurs 'have a better squad than Arsenal'. That grossly backfired as Keane and his team were put to the sword. It goes someway to proving one's theory that players, particularly at Spurs, should never under any circumstance give a bold statement to the media about how marvellous they think they are before a game; it's football suicide! Inevitably, a story is likely to unfold sometime in the not too distant future that will reveal what Robbie Keane really meant. It most probably means that Spurs have a bigger squad than Arsenal, in the sense that Spurs have players who should be shipped out but are viewed by opposing managers as poisoned chalices. One of those players most probably will be David Bentley, who was brought to Spurs for an astronomical price and known as the next David Beckham; Mr Bentley enjoys a bit of self promotion. He has endured something of a nightmare, from poor performances and attitude on the pitch and failing to live up to his billing as a superb crosser of the ball, to a drink-driving incident on the corner of a Hertfordshire street. This proved once and for all that he really can't take corners (sorry). This has lead to Harry Redknapp, who has openly been unimpressed with Bentley's attitude at times, to defend him. An interview was recently published where Redknapp stated that Bentley is 'not a flash Herbert and is in fact a decent lad.' For his own sake, one wishes he (Bentley) was more of a 'flash Herbert' on the pitch at times; it might go some way to improving his rapport with the Spurs faithful.
Spurs will be praying that Aaron Lennon's fitness will be back to peak condition, as the period in which Bentley has stepped into the speedy winger's boots has only highlighted what Bentley lacks; pace, skill, a work ethic, some form of trickery, the ability to cross the ball, the ability to pass the ball over ten yards and successfully find a team-mate, popularity with the fans… you get the picture.
The return of Jermain Defoe from suspension, coupled hopefully with the long awaited creativity of Luka Modric, will hopefully bolster Spurs' attacking options. However, no matter what depth of attacking options the hosts may possess, they will have to ensure that Ledley King can compensate for his nightmare against the old enemy the previous week, or that someone with a less volatile pair of knees can marshal the defence - perhaps Dave Mackay could be forced out of retirement on a zimoframe after all.
And finally, now Spurs 'keeper Gomes has learnt to catch the ball and dispensed of his previous 'punch at all costs' philosophy, is a bet of 50/1 on him mistaking some poor soul's head for the ball out of the question?
Premiership Prediction: 3-2 Spurs
Will Gannaway
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