Spurs Home Record against Wigan

Tottenham's home Premier League record goes from one extreme to another - from the 9 - 1 victory in November, 2009 to last season's one goal defeat.  The clubs first met in season 2005 - 06 following Wigan's promotion and Spurs will be looking to complete the 'double' over Wigan for only the second time after their 2 - 1 success last September.

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Feb. 2006  PL  Draw 2 - 2  Mido, Defoe
The first game between the two sides had taken place the previous November with Spurs achieving a 2 - 1 victory with goals from Robbie Keane and Edgar Davids' first for the club.  The home game ended as a draw with Spurs having to come from behind on two occasions.  Wigan had gone ahead after ten minutes but midway through the first half Mido levelled when he touched in Paul Stalteri's low, hard cross.  Spurs had had the better of the first half chances but Wigan regained the lead after 67 minutes only for Jermain Defoe to bring Spurs level once again a minute later. 

Nov. 2006  PL  Won 3 - 1  Berbatov, Defoe, Lennon
Spurs had started brightly but it was Wigan who again took the lead after twenty five minutes and it was only two goals in a minute just before half-time which relieved the situation for Spurs.  Defoe equalised from a pass from Dimitar Barbatov and a minute later Berbatov took a long ball from Assou-Ekotto and cut inside to hit a great shot past the goalkeeper.  Aaron Lennon made victory secure with a goal in the final minute after good work by Berbatov.

Nov. 2007  PL  Won 4 - 0  Jenas (2), Lennon, Bent
Three first half goals set up Spurs for this comfortable victory.  Jermaine Jenas scored twice in the opening twenty five minutes and Lennon added a third nine minutes later.  Darren Bent scored the fourth with eighteen minutes remaining for only Spurs second Premier League win of the season.


Sept. 2008  PL  Draw 0 - 0 
This was only Spurs second point of the season in their fifth match and was to be the last gained by them under Juande Ramos, leaving the way open for the arrival of Harry Redknapp and his mantra for the season 'Two points from eight games'.  Spurs had won in the  UEFA Cup the previous Thursday but in a disappointing, lacklustre performance simply couldn't score and as the game progressed it was Wigan who looked the more likely to snatch the win.

Nov. 2009  PL  Won 9 - 1  Crouch, Defoe (5), Bentley, Kranjcar
Peter Crouch put Spurs ahead inside ten minutes but Wigan then had a couple of chances to level but there were no more goals before half-time.  Early in the second half Defoe scored twice in three minutes only for Wigan to pull one back three minutes later.  The goalscorer, Scharner, had clearly used his hand to control the ball but the goal stood and Spurs felt aggrieved and responded as Defoe completed his hat-trick a minute later.  Lennon added a fifth after 64 minutes and Defoe scored his fourth with just over ten minutes remaining.  Spurs then scored three in the final three minutes - Defoe scored his fifth, Bentley scored from a free-kick which struck the post and rebounded in off the despairing goalkeeper.  Niko Kranjcar completed the scoring in the final minute as Wigan had completely folded.


Aug. 2010  PL  Lost 0 - 1
Wigan's first victory at White Hart Lane brought Spurs down to earth following a midweek victory in the Champions League.  Spurs dominated the game and had all the early chances but as time wore on they simply ran out of ideas as Wigan defended in numbers, determined to avoid another humiliation following two heavy defeats in their opening two matches.  Late in the second half Wigan realised that the game was there to be won as a couple of attacks had Spurs defence in disarray and ten minutes from time they scored their first goal of the season to take all three points while Spurs supporters were left waiting to see their team's first home League goal of the season.

Jan. 2009  FAC  Won 3 - 1  Pavlyuchenko (2), Modric
Played on a Friday evening Roman Pavlyuchenko produced two goals and the kind of performance that persuaded Spurs to pay £14 million for him.  The first came from a penalty early in the second half.  Luka Modric scored the second with fourteen minutes remaining but Wigan pulled one back with two minutes left only for Pavlyuchenko to complete the scoring in the final minute.  This was Pavlyuchenko at his best but sadly it doesn't occur too often, although he does appear to like scoring against Wigan with another 'double' in February, 2010 at DW Stadium.

 * 31st January, 2012 PL Spurs 3 Wigan 1 Bale (2), Modric March Report *

Carling Cup Semi-Final

It Never Really Looked Like Happening for Spurs

Arsenal 3 Spurs 1 (aet) [1 - 1 after 90 minutes]

While we all made optimistic noises that it was only half-time and that Spurs could still win the 2nd leg of the Carling Cup semi-final at the Emirates Stadium to become the first visiting team to win there, in reality, on the day it never looked like happening.

At no point during the two hours did it feel that Spurs had the upper hand and were really putting Arsenal under such pressure that they would be able to re-gain the advantage in the two-legged tie.

Spurs' opportunity had gone a week earlier when Berbatov, the scorer of their goal, went off injured. At that point Spurs were one goal ahead and putting the Arsenal defence under such pressure that they were in considerable disarray - so much so that from the free-kick shortly after Berbatov left the pitch, Baptista conceded an own goal. That unfortunately was as good as it got for Spurs.

The re-organisation when Robbie Keane came on, while the Spurs' management maintain it was 4 - 3 - 3, in my opinion, it became 4 - 5 - 1, with Defoe as lone striker and Keane wide on the left, gave Arsenal time to re-group. While Spurs continued to have the better of the first half, this change allowed Arsenal to get back into the game and where they had looked ragged, they started to settle and made some forays on the Spurs' goal from which they could have scored.

However, after half-time Arsenal came out and took control and could have won the game - Spurs had lost that early dominance and momentum and were glad to hold on for a draw. As Arsenal brought on players with greater experience, Spurs had no response.

Similarly, in the second leg, while Spurs competed all round the pitch, they didn't look like taking the initiative - it was all about holding on and not giving Arsenal anything. Robbie Keane missed an early scoring opportunity when through one - on - one against the goalkeeper but didn't look like he was going to score.

Spurs' cause was not helped by the continuing absence of Ledley King, and Berbatov and then Aaron Lennon who took ill just before the game, so close to kick-off that he had to be included on the substitutes' list even though he would not be able to play. Spurs' game was all about containment, even though a draw would not take them through because of the away goals' rule. When Arsenal scored late on in the game it looked as if it was all over but Spurs did rally and for a few moments one wondered if Mido was going to become the unlikely hero. It is well known that Spurs had been trying to sell him during the January transfer window and he has been pilloried incessantly by supporters but he managed to score to level the game and in the final moments another shot just went the wrong side of the post. It wasn't to be!

After that, in extra time Spurs were a spent force although it was Spurs' usual unforced error against a top side that brought about their demise. Arsenal went ahead with the last kick of the first half of extra time when new signing Rocha tried to head a ball that was inches from the ground. He had come on to replace Gardiner and his missed clearance fell nicely for Arsenal to take the lead.

After that although a second Spurs' goal would have taken the game to penalties, they never looked like getting it and another Arsenal goal confirmed the defeat.

Spurs still have a long way to go and while they competed and gave it everything, apart from the opening quarter at White Hart Lane, they never looked like progressing to play Chelsea in the Final at Cardiff. Spurs can't afford to play wthout their three top players - King brings solidity to the defence, Lennon brings pace and creativity to the midfield and Berbatov brings a touch of class to the strike force. Elsewhere, while they were fully committed - the Spurs' players came up short - too many couldn't make any impact on the game - Keane and Defoe rarely had a sight of goal, Jenas and Zokora who had looked so pacy and energetic against Southend at the weekend just couldn't raise their game when faced with higher class opposition while Ghaly and Malbranque were mostly anonymous. The defenders stood firm but those around them were unable to give them relief from the Arsenal pressure which eventually bore fruit.

Spurs are still in the FA Cup and UEFA Cups but if there is to be any success and silverware adorning White Hart Lane this season, they will need to have all their best players recovered from injury and available because the others just aren't capable of raising their game to sustain a challenge at the highest level when faced with the top teams.

Spurs haven't won a League game since Boxing Day and need to put together a run of results in the Premiership to lift them from their current mid-table position, to be able to challenge for European place next season - that starts with this afternoon's game against Manchester United, no easy task following the disappointment of the mid-week defeat.