The Big e-Spurs Preview: Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace

After a slightly subdued start to the season at Goodison on Saturday, Mauricio Pochettino will expect to see more from the side as we make our first home appearance of the season.

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Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace - Venue: White Hart Lane.

Crystal Palace also made a less than impressive start to the season, losing at home to West Brom. Combine this with the loss of Yannick Bolasie and you can understand the pessimism felt by many Palace fans this season.

Spurs will be hoping to see improved performances from the likes of Eriksen, Dier and Alli this week. Erik Lamela put in another solid performance on Mersyside and has suddenly become one of the first names on the Tottenham teamsheet.

At the time of writing Crystal Palace are on the verge of sealing the £32m transfer of Christian Benteke from Liverpool and Spurs are reported to be close to the signing of Espanyol goalkeeper Pau Lopez.

The Opposition

Full name: Crystal Palace Football Club

Nickname(s): The Eagles, The Glaziers

Short name: CPFC

Founded: 10 September 1905; 110 years ago

Ground: Selhurst Park

Capacity: 25,456[1]

Owners: Steve Parish, Joshua Harris

David S. Blitzer, Jeremy Hosking

Martin Long, Stephen Browett

Chairman: Steve Parish

Manager: Alan Pardew

League: Premier League

2015–16: Premier League, 15th

Website: Club home page

The Last 5 - Tottenham

Premier League - Everton 1-1 Tottenham

ICC - Tottenham 6-1 Inter Milan

ICC - Tottenham 0-1 Atletico Madrid

ICC - Juventus 2-1 Tottenham

Premier League - Newcastle 5-1 Tottenham

The Last 5 - Crystal Palace

Premier League - Crystal Palace 0-1 West Brom

FA Cup Final - Crystal Palace 1-2 Man Utd

Premier League - Southampton 4-1 Crystal Palace

Premier League - Crystal Palace 2-1 Stoke

Premier League - Newcastle 1-0 Crystal Palace

The e-Spurs Podcast says.....

Jason's View @e_spursthailand

A point on the opening day away to Everton has been described as a good point. It certainly was after such a poor first half showing, and when Deulofeu was heading down one on one with Vorm! Vorm made the save and the game turned. A much improved second half performance could have seen us end up with all 3-points, but in fairness, after that first 45, we would not have deserved it.

For me, it’s always dropped points at Everton. We’ve now lost just 5 of our 25 games in the PL at Goodison, and I don’t think Everton will field such a weak side again this season. They are a good side, but not a great one, and not yet a top-6 contender. It was a missed opportunity to pick up all 3 points.

Palace visited WHL twice last season, both games finishing 1-0 with both sides claiming a win. Son, who returned this week from Olympic duty giving us the PL win, and Dele Alli’s effort that hit both posts summed up the FA Cup defeat. There is no better tactician in the game than Pardew, (in his own mind anyway), and I’m sure he saw that day as a masterclass.

Bolasie who has impressed on his visits to WHL has now departed, and as I write, we don’t yet know if they have been able to invest the money in Benteke as they hope to do. It will make a big difference to them if they do sign him and he plays, although, he has hardly had much pre-season football. However, I’d still be happier if he doesn’t sign in time.

What Palace will do is make sure Jedinak and Ledley try to stifle Eriksen and Alli, and look to exploit the spaces vacated by Rose and Walker with Zaha and Townsend on either side. I certainly don’t want to witness ledley and his ridiculous dancing!

Townsend has played really well since departing, and has admitted he now realises how poor his form at Tottenham had been. He played well in that infamous horror defeat on the closing day last season at St. James, and I’m sure will be keen to reach these levels again. He is of course a Spurs boy through and through, and I hope overall, he can have a good season and regain his England place. Let’s just hope he has a quiet one this weekend, but beware the curse of the old boy.

Our choice will be Dier and Wanyama again, or leave one out to allow Kane and Janssen to start together, and if so, as a genuine 2, or Kane as the 10 behind Janssen. Doing that shifts Alli from his best position and pushes Eriksen even wider, and we’ll end up Hodgson style with square pegs in round holes. Janssen did all the normal work of the usual Kane last week, whilst Harry looked like the Harry of the Euro’s. I myself may well go with Janssen up front and Kane on the bench and keeping the centre of midfield with Wanyama and Dier, so when the full backs go forward, those midfielders can shuffle across to plug the gaps. However, I’ll predict Poch will keep the same starting line up, at least for the first 55/60 mins.

Hugo will always be missed, but as Palace will look to exploit the flanks rather than through the middle, his sweeper keeper skills shouldn’t be necessary for Vorm to attempt. Good luck to Vorm for the next month, he’s a very capable keeper, who with regular game time should be fine. He’s not Hugo for sure, but as a back-up, probably as good as you can get.

I doubt this will be one of those thrilling games, Palace will do everything to stop that happening, including those niggly fouls that disrupt the rhythm of the game, but, I do fancy us to come through in the end with a 2-1 win.

The Stat Attack

- Four of the seven Premier League meetings between these sides at White Hart Lane have been draws (two wins for Spurs, one win for Palace).

- Crystal Palace have lost four of their last six league games against Tottenham, drawing one and winning the other in Alan Pardew's first game as manager.

- Erik Lamela has had a hand in seven goals in his last seven Premier League appearances (three goals, four assists).

Teams News - Tottenham

Spurs will be without Hugo Lloris for roughly a month after the France international injured his hamstring against Everton.

Mousa Dembele is still suspended so Victor Wanyama and will continue alongside Eric Dier in central midfield.

Harry Kane will start up front but Pochettino could be tempted to partner Vincent Janssen alongside him and sacrifice a midfielder as he searches for a first win.

Teams News - Crystal Palace

Expect all eyes to be on Townsend as he attempts to prove his worth against his former club after being ruthlessly frozen out by Pochettino.

Yohan Cabaye could start after featuring for the development side in midweek but the trip to north London is still expected to come too soon for James Tomkins.

Joe Ledley will be vying for a place in central midfield following Mile Jedinak's midweek move to Aston Villa - if the Wales international is passed fit.

Our prediction: Tottenham 3-0 Crystal Palace

Let us know your thoughts on tonight's game including prediction and scorers below!

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