With Kane Spurs are able to rule at the Britannia
Stoke v Tottenham Hotspur, Monday 8pm Sky Sports 1
It’s tough to play at Stoke on a wet Wednesday so they say.
I didn’t go so far as to check the weather reports but I did go back over the last five full Premier League seasons, as well as this season, to see if there is anything to the belief that it’s tougher to go to Stoke midweek than it is at the weekend.
It sounds like nonsense but turns out to hold more water than expected.
Going back to the start of the 2010/2011 season Stoke have a noticeably better record in their midweek games than their weekend games.
Midweek Stoke boast a win percentage of 42% and a respectable loss percentage of 21% in Premier League games. Over the same period the Potters have a weekend win percentage of 32.5% with a loss percentage almost double that of their midweek games at 40.5%.
Playing Stoke midweek means you’re about 23% less likely to win and 48% more likely to lose, give or take a few percentage points.
Monday, Bloody Monday
Don’t worry Spurs fans because we’ve drilled down even deeper and things swing back in your favour a little when we look at specific midweek days. On Mondays Stoke’s Premier League form couldn’t be more average over this period. It’s a straight 33.33% each for wins, losses and draws. Flip a three-sided coin and go with that.
The one midweek meeting at the Britannia Stadium between these two clubs in the Premier League era was a Carling Cup game which finished 0-0. Stoke did progress after a penalty shoot-out but 120 goalless minutes back in 2011 doesn’t tell us much.
Stoke not looking Form-idable
Stoke did fight back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at White Hart Lane at the start of the season. When Spurs weren’t playing as well as they are at the moment. With the Potters having won both Premier League meetings last season there’ll be many a Stoke fan who will be convinced their side can get something from this game. The limp second half display at Anfield last weekend being conveniently ignored.
Stoke have one win in their last five Premier League games and against Liverpool, especially after half-time, the players looked as though they have little left to play for this season. Which they don’t. Relegation has never been a real concern this season. A European place is mathematically still possible but realistically unlikely. They can still beat last season’s record points total of 54pts but no one really cares about that.
Spurs on the other hand are genuine title challengers for the first time since the 1966/67 season thanks to the guidance of manager Mauricio Pochettino. They come in to this game with three wins in their last four Premier League matches and just one defeat in their last twelve on the road. They have the second highest points total away from home this season, the best away defence and only Arsenal and Leicester have scored more goals on their travels.
Only Manchester United and West Ham have prevented Spurs from scoring away from home this season. While Stoke have failed to score in five Premier League games at the Britannia Stadium.
Harry On Scoring
Harry Kane has scored seven goals in his last six away games in the Premier League and twelve of his twenty-two Premier League goals have been scored away from White Hart Lane.
Over the past six seasons Stoke have been a little to tougher to play against on a weekday afternoon but this Spurs team are tough to play against any day. Recent history says this will be a tough game but more recent form says Spurs will take all three points back to White Hart Lane.