Spurs v Coventry OPTA Preview

Fri 16 March 2001, 12:00|Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) Football Club is located in North London. The club is also known as Spurs. Tottenham's home ground is White Hart Lane. The club motto is Audere est Facere (To dare is to do).

Tottenham Hotspur	White Hart Lane Saturday 17th March, 2001	Coventry City
29	Games	29
	ATTACKING
33	Goals scored	26
1.14	Ave goals per game	0.90
42%	Shooting Accuracy	39%
11%	Goals to shots %	9%
	PASSING
11416	Passes	9361
69%	Pass completion %	62%
	DEFENDING
71%	Tackle success rate %	78%
38	Goals conceded	48
1.31	Ave goals conceded per game	1.66
	DISCIPLINE
441	Fouls	395
39	Yellow cards	53
2	Red cards	3

Tottenham v Coventry

Tottenham return to White Hart Lane on Saturday, just six days after their glorious FA Cup quarter-final win at Upton Park. And even their notoriously fickle fans should give the team a rousing reception as they look forward to a forthcoming FA Cup semi-final with near neighbours Arsenal next month.

Meanwhile for Coventry, Saturday's game is vital if they are to stave off the threat of relegation from the top flight for the first time in their history. The Sky Blues are four points from safety and with just 10 games remaining, now is the time for Gordon Strachan's team to stand up and be counted.

Coventry will be boosted by their 2-1 win over Spurs back in October and online betting group www.SpursBet.co.uk offer 4/1 on the Sky Blues securing their first league double of the season with a win in north London.

One man hoping to claim his first win since his arrival at Highfield Road is striker John Hartson. The powerful Welsh international will be eager to impress after a £5 million switch to Spurs fell through last season when he failed a stringent White Hart Lane medical.

George Graham, who made Hartson the country's most expensive teenager when he signed him for Arsenal for a fee of £2.5 million in January 1995, is fully aware of Hartson's strengths and weaknesses and will instruct his defence accordingly.

Hartson is certainly capable of boosting Coventry's poor shooting accuracy of 38% which is the second lowest tallies in the Premiership and www.SpursBet.co.uk offer 15/2 on the former Wimbledon man grabbing the game's first goal.

Tottenham's shooting accuracy of 41% is only marginally better than Coventry's, but in striker Sergei Rebrov they possess a striker who is growing in confidence after a shaky start to his Spurs career.

The pocket dynamo may have a disappointing goals to shots ratio of 17% this season, but in addition to his two goals at an over-cast Upton Park last weekend, Rebrov was also on-target in the match between the two teams at Highfield Road back in October. And his sharpness in front of goal may well continue into this Saturday' s game.

Nevertheless the Ukrainian will not find it easy, as he will be up against a team who can boast the best tackle success rate in the Premiership. Coventry's ratio of success rate of 78% is seven percentage points greater than Spurs and it could prove to be a telling factor in Saturday's outcome.

Benji Romaner

Matchday Referee: G Poll

UEFA official Graham Poll is one of the most high-profile referees in the English game after twice sending off three players in a game this season. But his handling of matches is usually superb and he earns the respect of the players for always making strong decisions. Usually blowing up for a foul every 2.67 minutes in the Premiership, both Spurs and Coventry will know that Graham Poll will not let them get up to any nonsense on Saturday.

Referee's Name	Fouls	Penalties	Yellow Cards	Red Cards	Ave Disc points
G Poll	572	2	51	7	45.47

PLAYER HEAD-TO-HEAD
click below for in-depth comparison

Rebrov v Bellamy

TEAM NEWS
Spurs midfielder Darren Anderton is out because of an Achilles injury. Coventry boss Gordon Strachan is likely to stick with Welsh strike duo John Hartson and Craig Bellamy up front.

FIRST GOALSCORER ODDS
click odds to place bet

Tottenham:

Rebrov	9/2
Ferdinand	9/2
Korsten	8/1
Iversen	8/1
Anderton	10/1
Sherwood	10/1
Doherty	14/1
Clemence	14/1
King	20/1
Davies	20/1
Young	20/1
Etherington	20/1
Freund	33/1
Campbell	40/1
Thelwell	40/1
Perry	50/1
Gardner	50/1
No Goalscorer	17/2

Coventry:

Hartson	15/2
Bellamy	8/1
Aloisi	9/1
Boothroyd	10/1
Thompson	16/1
Hadji	16/1
Telfer	20/1
Chippo	20/1
Eustace	25/1
Carsley	25/1
Quinn	25/1
Strachan	33/1
Shaw	40/1
Hall	40/1
Breen	50/1
Williams	66/1
Edworthy	66/1
No Goalscorer	17/2

For all these bets + goalcasts go now to www.SpursBet.co.uk

ODDS click odds to place bet
8/13 Tottenham win	4/1 Coventry win	12/5 Draw

Tottenham

Correct
Score

Coventry

6/1	1-0	9/1
11/2	2-0	22/1
7/1	2-1	16/1
10/1	3-0	66/1
10/1	3-1	50/1
28/1	3-2	40/1
25/1	4-0	100/1
25/1	4-1	100/1
50/1	4-2	100/1
66/1	5-0	-
50/1	5-1	-
100/1	6-0	-
100/1	6-1	-
17/2	0-0	17/2
6/1	1-1	6/1
16/1	2-2	16/1
50/1	3-3	50/1

Half-Time/Full Time

6/4	Tottenham	Tottenham
16/1	Tottenham	Draw
45/1	Tottenham	Coventry
7/2	Draw	Tottenham
4/1	Draw	Draw
9/1	Draw	Coventry
25/1	Coventry	Tottenham
16/1	Coventry	Draw
9/1	Coventry	Coventry

For all these bets + many more specials go now to www.SpursBet.co.uk

By Road:
Download directions to White Hart Lane in Microsoft Word format:		- Tottenham.doc
PLAN YOUR ROUTE WITH RAC ROUTE PLANNER
By Rail:
The Railtrack.com website offers travel information and an easy-to-use journey planner:		Railtrack Website

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Spurs v Coventry OPTA Preview