Christmas Cracker At Wembley Stadium On Boxing Day

Written by billythekid

Remember last season being in London Boxing Day morning and being stuck in a traffic jam on the M25 trying to get back for our game against West Ham at Dean Court. Luckily just made it and what a thrilling game it was. If this Boxing Day’s game turns out the same the crowd will be in for a treat.

After our 2-0 home win against Brighton, the Cherries and their fans make the trip up to London to face an in-form Tottenham (Spurs) side who are managed by Mauricio Pochettino. If the ‘rumour mill’ is to be believed, the Spurs manager is being linked with the Manchester United vacant manager post at the end of the season after Jose Mourinho was sacked the other day. This also then has our Eddie Howe in the frame for the Tottenham job.

Pochettino has been the Spurs manager since May 2014 after leaving Southampton after one season in charge. In his first season Spurs finished in 5th place. Since then they haven’t finished lower than 3rd. In the Summer his club made transfer history by being the first Premier League side to not sign anyone in a Summer transfer window since it was introduced.

Spurs are having another good season and sit in 3rd place on 42 points. They won their opening three games.
In August they beat all three sides they met. Newcastle U away 1-2, Fulham 3-1, Manchester U 0-3.
September started with two defeats, at Watford 2-1 and at Wembley Stadium against Liverpool 1-2. They then had a run of four wins. Beating Brighton away 1-2 and also away at Huddersfield 0-2.
October they beat Cardiff C 1-0 at Wembley Stadium and West Ham 1-0 at the London Stadium. They finished the month with a defeat at Wembley Stadium against Manchester C 0-1.
November was another month they won all three games. At Molineaux against Wolves 2-3, then two London clubs, Crystal Palace 0-1 and back at Wembley Stadium beating Chelsea 3-1.
December they met another London club, this time Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, Spurs lost 4-2. Spurs then won their next four games, back at Wembley beating Saints 3-1, then away at Leicester 0-2 and at home again beating Burnley 1-0. Last game before Christmas they thrashed Everton 2-6 away. It was the highest number of goals in a Premier League game this season so far. Spurs were in scintillating form.

AFCB haven’t got a very good record away against Spurs. Losing all games in the Premier League so far. 2015-16, 3-0. 2016-17, 4-0. 2017-18, 1-0. In all competitions, AFCB have Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 5.

Six Game Form Guide in the Premier League – Starting with the latest game first:

Spurs WWWWLW – AFCB WLLWLL

Home Form Table
Spurs – 7th P7 W5 D0 L2 GF12 GA6 Pts15

Away Form Table
AFCB – 13th P8 W3 D0 L5 GF11 GD14 Pts9

Spurs Team News
Eric Dier out with appendicitis, Jan Vertonghen thigh strain, Victor Wanyama knee injury, Mousa Dembele ankle injury, Vincent Janssen foot injury. In the game against Everton, Dele Alli went off with a thigh injury.

Spurs Player To Watch
Harry Kane, besides being leading scorer with 11 goals, he has had a number of assists in recent games, in and out of the Premier League. He and Son Heung-Min have a good scoring record against AFCB. Son was MOM against Everton.

AFCB Team News
Other than long-term injuries, no new injuries reported.

AFCB Player To Watch
After his performances in his last two games against Chelsea and Brighton, David Brooks has looked sharp and back to form and scored two very good goals against Brighton.

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