Spurs Home Record against Stoke City

After three consecutive defeats in the Premier League Tottenham are looking to get their season back on track by retaining third and the Champions League place it assures.  Having shown recent defensive frailties, the team Spurs would least like to face in such circumstances is Stoke City.  That, however, is exactly what the football fixture computer has decreed for the men from White Hart Lane.

Stoke City are always a difficult side to play with their high energy and forceful style, both defensively and offensively.  Their use of long, high ball tactics are always a source of worry for Spurs and in the first half of the match at the Brittania Stadium in December it was such play that caused Spurs to be two goals down at the interval.  Spurs recent defensive errors and poor marking at set-pieces will be an encouragement to Stoke who prosper at all set-pieces, including throw-ins near the penalty area, with their tall defenders making life very difficult for the defending team.  Former Spurs players, Peter Crouch and Matthew Etherington, will again be looking to do well against Tottenham.

Spurs' greatest motivation for a win, however, will be the way in which they were denied the opportunity to make a fighting comeback after the interval at Stoke and so lost their long unbeaten run as numerous questionable refereeing decisions went against them.

Last Meeting at White Hart Lane:

Apr. 2011  PL  Won 3 - 2  Crouch (2), Modric
Peter Crouch scored twice as Spurs won their first League game since mid-February.  All five goals were scored in the first half with Spurs two ahead through Crouch and Luka Modric within eighteen minutes.  Etherington then ran from the half-way line to pull one back for Stoke after twenty seven minutes.  Crouch scored his second eight minutes later, only for Stoke to score again, four minutes before the interval.  Relief for Spurs to have the win but it didn't mark the start of an exciting end to the season as Spurs struggled to beat teams in the lower regions of the League.

Home League Record against Stoke:

P  36  W  28  D  6  L  2  For  80  Ag  30

Premier League Record against Stoke at White Hart Lane

P  3  W  2  D  0  L  1  For  6  Ag  4

As can be seen, White Hart Lane is not Stoke favourite ground, with only three wins in thirty nine previous visits.  

Previous Games in PL:

Oct. 2009  PL  Lost 0 - 1

Stoke defended in depth with their reserve goalkeeper, Simonsen, who was only drafted in at the last moment, having a match to remember.  Spurs had many opportunities to score but as time wore on they ran out of attacking ideas and with four minutes left Stoke snatched the win. The only other home defeat was in February, 1975 when Stoke won 2 - 0.

Jan. 2009  PL  Won 3 - 1  Lennon, Defoe, Dawson

In their first League game at White Hart Lane since October, 1984, Stoke were three down after twenty five minutes.  Spurs dominated the first half with Aaron Lennon scoring after eight minutes. Jermain Defoe added a second after twenty one and Michael Dawson scored the third four minutes later.  In the second half with over half an hour remaining Stoke pulled one back.  Carlo Cudicini made his Premier League debut for Spurs.

Previous Meetings:

Oct. 1984  1st Div.  Won 4 - 0  Roberts (pen), Chiedozie, Allen, C. (2)

It was Peter Shreeves' first season as manager.  Glenn Hoddle and Clive Allen returned to the Spurs team against bottom club Stoke.  Within six minutes they had combined with Allen putting Spurs ahead.  A few minutes later John Chiedozie scored after a good run and shot.  Stoke were reduced to ten men before the interval and in the second half, Allen scored his second with Graham Roberts scoring a late penalty after a foul on Mark Falco.  The four goals brought Spurs total of League goals at White Hart Lane to 19, from five matches, more than any other team in the four divisions of the Football League.  This is Spurs largest home win over Stoke.

Mar. 1984  1st Div.  Won 1 - 0  Falco (pen)

Spurs were without Hoddle and Steve Archibald but did all the early attacking.  Late in the first half they had their reward when Falco scored with a penalty awarded for a handball offence.

May, 1983  1st Div.  Won 4 - 1  Brazil, Archibald (3)

Oct. 1980  1st Div.  Won 3 - 2  Hughton, Archibald, Taylor (pen)

Mar. 1978  2nd Div.  Won 3 - 1  McAllister, Lee (2)

Oct. 1972  1st Div.  Won 4 - 3  Pratt (2), Gilzean, Coates