12 Jun 2019
“Well, it’s West Ham’s cup final, ain’t it?” uttered Tottenham fans after the Hammers became the first to score at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the first to come away with a victory on Saturday, thanks to Michail Antonio’s second-half strike.
Having pitched that comment, it was knocked out of the park by the retort: “Well, at least we won a cup final!”
A fair point. What have Tottenham won lately? For all the brouhaha about the genius of Mauricio Pochettino, the dust on the Tottenham trophy cabinet must be enough to have cleaners fearing bronchitis.
Tottenham’s 0-1 defeat proved frustrating. Son Heung-Min was lucky that referee Anthony Taylor missed his deliberate stamp on West Ham’s Robert Snodgrass, Dele Alli got away with a swan dive on the edge of West Ham’s box, and the strong team that Pochettino picked rarely looked like finding a way through, particularly in the second half.
The defeat barely dented their Champions League aspirations for next season, however. Arsenal lost again – conceding three goals for the third consecutive Premier League game – and Manchester United and Chelsea fought out a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. It leaves Spurs in third place on 70 points with two games remaining, two clear of fourth-placed Chelsea, four ahead of Arsenal and five ahead of sixth-placed United.
A win at Bournemouth on Saturday will seal Campions League football for Spurs next season and the Genting Casino Premier League soccer odds have them at 1/25 to finish in the top four. Chelsea, who face Watford (H) and Leicester (A), are 4/11 to finish in the top four, while Arsenal, on the back of three successive defeats, are out to 9/4. United are 8/1.
Tottenham looked jaded in the second half against West Ham, but had you offered Spurs fans a semi-final of the European Cup against Ajax at the start of the season, they would have taken your arm off.
Having beaten English campions Manchester City in controversial circumstances in the quarter-finals, Tottenham now have to face Dutch side Ajax in their first European Cup semi-final for 57 years.
Tottenham are 6/4 to win the first-leg at home on Tuesday and 7/2 to lift the Champions League trophy.
Ajax, who have already won at Real Madrid and Juventus this season, are 15/8 to take a first-leg lead back to the Johan Cryuijff ArenA and 9/2 to win the tournament. The draw is available at 12/5.
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham’s form has been slipping. Their Premier League title challenge has faltered and until Sunday’s results went their way, there was a danger they would miss out on a top-four spot.
They have lost seven of their last 13 games in all competitions and now the lack of investment in the team is starting to hurt.
Injuries and suspensions have taken a toll, with star striker Harry Kane nursing an ankle injury and Son, who has filled in brilliantly for Kane, is suspended for the first leg.
The impressive midfielder Moussa Sissoko could miss out with a groin problem, and the same is likely to be the case with Harry Winks.
Pochettino did leave Kierean Trippier, Victor Wanyama and Fernando Llorente out of the starting line-up against West Ham, and Jan Vertonghen will be fit to return, so that is a plus.
However, Spurs had a tough job breaking down Brighton and West Ham last week, so without Son and Kane, much of the focus will be on Lucas Moura and Christian Eriksen to do the damage. Moura is 2/1 to score at any time and Eriksen is 16/5 to find the net at any stage.
Llorente, who has been much maligned for most of his career at Tottenham, is likely to lead the line with Moura. Llorente was the hero against City and he is 5/1 to score the first goal.
Pochettino may also be without injured Erik Lamela and Serge Aurier.
Ajax have the benefit of having the week off – the entire Eredivisie programme was postponed at the weekend, so Erik ten Hag’s side will come to north London fresh.
Argentina defender Nicholas Taglifico returns following suspension and the visitors have a near fully-fit squad, with Carel Eiting the only injury concern.
The midfield battle will be key and Ajax will attempt to over-run Spurs in the centre of the park, with Frenkie de Jong one of the most sought-after youngsters in Europe pulling the strings. At the back, Matthijs de Ligt is a target for some big clubs, including Liverpool, and with former Southampton man Dusan Tadic banging in the goals – 21 in his last 26 games and 32 for the season in all competitions – Ajax will certainly be no pushovers.
Hakim Ziyech is a tricky wide man who also has been amongst the goals and he is 12/5 to score at any time. Tadic is 21/10 to net at any stage, along with ‘The Hunter’, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who may be 35 now, but still retains a poacher’s prowess. He is likely to come off the bench, however.
AJAX WIPE THE FLOOR WITH SPURS?
Ajax progressed past Real Madrid and Juventus with great displays on the road. Both were second-leg affairs, so it is questionable how attack-minded the Dutch side will be at Tottenham.
However, they don’t appear to know how to play any other way and they did not deviate from their philosophy in the first legs at home against either.
They are also unbeaten in eight Champions League away games this season and are 1/2 to win or draw the first leg on the Double Chance market.
Unlike Tottenham’s indifferent recent form, Ajax have won 13 of their last 15 games, and that includes seven of their last eight on the road. They are 7/2 to lead at half-time and full-time.
Tottenham have scored once in their last three Premier League games combined. They managed a late goal against Brighton and given their limited striking options, it is no surprise to see their odds as big as 10/11 to score the first goal.
Both of Spurs’ first legs in the knockout stage this season have failed to see a goal scored before half-time and the odds of 13/2 for the first goal to be scored between the 46th and 60th minutes and 9/1 between the 61st and 75th minute might appeal (the combined odds are just over 10/3).
However, Tottenham remain solid at the back and in midfield, and they have shown on the road against Manchester City that they can produce in big games when it matters – their 4-3 win the second leg of the quarter-final must go down as one of the games of the season.
Spurs are 10/11 to reach the final, while Ajax are 4/5, so there is not much between the two sides according to Genting Casino.
It would be no surprise to see Spurs win the first leg and there could be more goals than many are forecasting. A Tottenham win and both teams to score is on offer at 10/3, while an Ajax win (draw no bet) is available at Evens.
To see all the odds on this clash, click here.
