Kick-Off: Sunday 11 April 16:00 BST, Wembley Stadium,
London
A ‘day out for the fans’ or an ‘escape’ from financial turmoil, this match means so much more than that.
The FA Cup semi-final between Tottenham and Portsmouth is a massive fixture. Perhaps deemed the lesser of the two contests, with Chelsea and Aston Villa taking much of the limelight, Sunday’s match will be overlooked by many – expecting a dull contest with only one outcome.
Well, they’ll be surprised.
The magic of the FA Cup aside, this fixture has so much back-story and undercurrent emotion, that the sound inside Wembley will be deafening.
Supporters will jeer former favorites, managers and coaches will remember past haunts and glories, expelled players will look to put one over their former employers, while others will become heroes.
Come kick-off, Portsmouth’s Premier League relegation could be confirmed. The side’s off-field turmoil is widely publicized, but what often goes unnoticed and unreported is the commitment, endeavor and personal pride shown by the players and managerial staff. Sunday is more than ‘Pompey’s cup final’.
Sunday is an opportunity for the south coast club to shine, in a competition which they have embraced this season, and they truly deserve their Wembley showpiece.
Without the pressures and strains which have hung over them in every league match, Portsmouth have shown their qualities in the FA Cup this season. Ridiculed every other Saturday, and with a squad hampered by injury, top-flight inexperience and a lack of numbers (both in terms of personnel and finances), their appearance at Wembley is in many ways a fairytale – a fitting return to where many fans feel the ‘Pompey magic’ was both won, and lost, in 2008.
Their cup final victory over Cardiff City seems longer ago than it should due to their plight; as if the celebratory fireworks fell back to earth before exploding inside Fratton Park. Players and staff have left, and many will feature for Spurs at the weekend, but Sunday’s match is an achievement for the current Pompey family, not the pasts.
For Tottenham, this will be their third competitive Wembley visit in as a many seasons, having featured in the previous two League Cup finals – and like Pompey, they also triumphed in 2008.
Spurs hold the nickname of an ‘FA Cup side’. Winners of the competition eight times – with only Manchester United (11) and Arsenal (10) having won more, their tradition stands them in good stead.
However, for many of their supporters, this season could offer them their first opportunity to experience the wonder of an FA Cup final appearance with a win on Sunday, having not appeared in English football’s showpiece event since their 1991 victory over Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest.
Under Harry Redknapp, Spurs appear tantalizingly close to creating a new and successful era for the club. A victory over Portsmouth would be warmly received, and present the club with their third successive domestic cup final appearance.
The FA Cup may have lost some of the appeal and glamor to its European counterparts, but none of that will be noticeable come kick-off at Wembley. Both Spurs and Pompey know how massive this competition is.
Route to the Semi-Finals
Tottenham
January 2: Tottenham 4-0 Peterborough
January 23: Tottenham 2-2 Leeds United
February 3: Leeds United 1-3 Tottenham (Replay)
February 14: Bolton 1-1 Tottenham
February 24: Tottenham 4-0 Bolton (Replay)
March 6: Fulham 0-0 Tottenham
March 24: Tottenham 3-1 Fulham (Replay)
Portsmouth
January 2: Portsmouth 1-1 Coventry City
January 12: Coventry City 1-2 Portsmouth (Replay)
January 23: Portsmouth 2-1 Sunderland
February 13: Southampton 1-4 Portsmouth
March 6: Portsmouth 2-0 Birmingham
Team News
Tottenham
Spurs’ injury concerns are yet be fully resolved, and Redknapp faces some big decisions ahead of kick-off with his side facing an important north London derby against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Late fitness tests will determine the involvement of Vedran Corluka (ankle), Michael Dawson (Achilles), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and Ledley King (thigh), while Jermaine Jenas will certainly miss out (groin).
It has been widely reported that Aaron Lennon could return from his groin injury after resuming full training this week, but expect the England winger to find himself amongst the substitutes at best.
Redknapp’s defensive problems are worsened with both Younes Kaboul and Kyle Walker cup-tied, and he’ll be hoping that at least one of his doubtful players can feature – with Dawson the most likely.
Possible starting line-up: Gomes; Assou-Ekotto, Dawson, Bassong, Bale; Bentley, Palacios, Modric, Kranjcar; Crouch, Defoe.
Portsmouth
Avram Grant has been boosted by the knowledge that Aruna Dindane is available to selection, after fears that the Ivorian’s participation would trigger a crippling financial weight on the club.
Like Redknapp, Grant has numerous doubts ahead of Sunday’s match with questions surrounding the participation of Tal Ben-Haim (groin/pelvis), Steve Finnan (thigh strain), Tommy Smith (broken nose), Marc Wilson (hamstring) and Hassan Yebda (knee).
Nadir Belhadj, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Papa Bouba Diop are set to return to the side, while goalkeeper David James could also make a comeback (calf strain).
Certain absentees include Hermann Hreidarsson (calf/shin) and Danny Webber (cruciate knee ligament), while Jamie O’Hara is cup-tied. Anthony Vanden Borre is suspended after being sent off during the goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers.
Possible starting line-up: James; Rocha, O’Brien, Mokoena, BelHadj; Boateng, Brown, Hughes, Utaka; Piquionne, Dindane.
Players who could shine at Wembley
Gareth Bale has been an inspiration for Tottenham since his return to the first-team set-up, and the former Southampton man will look to punish Pompey’s beleaguered backline with his careering rampages down the left flank.
Having appeared in all seven of Spurs’ FA Cup matches this season, the Welsh international has contributed four assists. Not bad at all for a full-back.
His dribbling speed is electric, and the balance he others when overlapping Luka Modric could prove vital for Spurs on Sunday. He can provide a variety of crosses, and his driven deliveries will favor the sharpness of Jermain Defoe.
David James’ involvement will be invaluable for Portsmouth. The England goalkeeper’s exceptional agility will provide confidence for his defenders, while his ability to pull-off a wonder-save with inspire the crowd.
James kept goal during Pompey’s 2008 final triumph, and with his professional career seemingly coming to a close the former Liverpool stopper will want to bow out in style at this summer’s World Cup, and a strong appearance at Wembley on Sunday could secure him his place in Fabio Capello’s squad.
Match Prediction
There’ll be a cagey start to the match, and expect to see both sets of defenders on the ball early to ease any nerves – especially if the experienced players fail their pre-match fitness tests.
However, the cup-tie atmosphere and somewhat patched-up line-ups will see the game open up, and expect the game to become an attractive contest.
The game will be tight, but unlike most Wembley contests I foresee there being plenty of goals in this one; but Spurs’ attacking power will see them edge the tie against Grant’s wholehearted charges.
Tottenham 3-2 Portsmouth (AET)
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