18th Oct 2012 | Football
Tottenham v Chelsea Tip
It's been 1-1 in this fixture the last two seasons and something along similar lines looks likely on Saturday.
Based on past experience I was expecting Spurs to be at enticingly long odds to beat Chelsea on Saturday but a best price of 8/5 (PaddyPower) doesn’t seem great against table-topping champions of Europe. The Blues (P7 W6 D1 L0) will surely fancy their chances of taking at least a draw at 12/5 (Bet365).
That looks a solid value bet but I think we can sweeten the deal by discounting a goalless encounter. At best odds of 7/2 (Boylesports), a third consecutive score draw in this fixture looks like the optimal option.
Blues fans will point to the fact that Tottenham have won just three of 40 Premier League clashes between the London rivals. That’s all very true, however, Chelsea are winless in their last six (D3 L3) at White Hart Lane. Proof if ever there was that statistics can be spun to make either case.
Two noticeable absentees will encourage Spurs fans heading into this one. Firstly, Didier Drogba is no longer around to torment as he did in last year’s 5-1 FA Cup semi-final demolition. Secondly, John Terry begins his ban and the Blues still tend to look more brittle without their controversial skipper.
The problem for Andre Villas Boas, up against his old club, is that the hosts also look unlikely to keep a clean sheet. There has been only one in seven Premier League matches so far and that at home to Villa, which almost doesn’t count!
Odds correct at time of publishing: 23:45 18th Oct, 2012 but subject to change
