Sunderland - A glamour tie?

Will Sandra Redknapp get the nod up front as Spurs' front line continues to lack incisiveness?

Tomorrow, Spurs take on a resurgent Sunderland team at the lane in what many Spurs fans are already declaring a "must win". It'll be my first league game of the season and I'm taking my girlfriend along too to, hopefully, soak up the magical White Hart Lane atmosphere and our t'riffic fans. Granted, she may have wildly varying expectations as the last match she went to (her first footy game) was England v Montenegro at Wembley in the Club seats. As our cabbie said on the way, "Monte-who? I wouldn't pay to watch that!" Don't worry I didn't. It was corporate, and yes, we missed the first 8 minutes of the second half because we were drinking but they took so bloody long to serve us as the ridiculous champagne and seafood bar (really? Roy Keane had a point...) that it wasn't really our fault.... Anyway, she'll be expecting posh nosh, good drinks juxtaposed with boring football, zero atmosphere, booing and the ever present and ever awful England band playing "Vindaloo" in the minor rather than major key... badly (I'm allowed to say that as a musician!)

How wrong, I hope, she will be. The atmosphere at White Hart Lane is second to none and other than Liverpool you probably don't get as much of an electric atmosphere at any other ground. How many Spurs chants are there? Tons. How many spare seats will there be? None. How many will Crouchy score? No... well...

So, no disrespect to Sunderland, I conducted their Symphony Orchestra for a time as well as some other musical stuff up there and they are passionate fans, but, it's not exactly a North London Derby is it? And that is where I turn to footballing matters.

Van Der Vaart looks likely not to be risked which would be a great shame because he has a passion to work hard for the fans and shirt on a level that, at times, only Michael Dawson and Gareth Bale seem to exhibit. With Lennon also out, we lack the option of pace on both wings which we have been blessed with so far this season. It is the right wing, for me, that requires most attention against Sunderland. I thought Niko Krancjar looked jaded against Bolton whilst Wilson Palacios still hasn't found the form, or first touch, that made him the backbone of our team last year. For me, David Bentley might start on the right - just hear me out here. His excellent crosses from the right, and any that Bale gets in from the left in between being hacked to death, should give Peter Crouch and excellent opportunity to score either a header or a toe-poker. If it doesn't work by the hour mark then I'd bring Pav on instead. The back four picks itself, with Hutton enjoying a renaissance on the right with some excellent work of late although he was at fault for giving Eto'o too much space to score last week. Gallas took a knock and if he doesn't play, or even to freshen things up, Sebastian Bassong may get a start but it looks unlikely. In VDV's absence, Modric should hope to start behind the striker with, hopefully, Huddlestone and Jenas (who I felt may have added some pace we lacked against Bolton) anchoring things in the middle of the park.

Maybe its the ravings of a madman but with the pace of Modric, Jenas and Bale, and the passing of Huddlestone and Bentley, it would suit our gung-ho approach at home. Starting quickly, which we used to be black-belts at, is essential. It should be a good game if we go at it, I feel Steve Bruce will set up fairly defensively so concentration must be high to cover any counter attack's if and when they come.

My line up would be:   

                                                           Gomes

Hutton                           Kaboul                              Gallas                          BAE

Bentley                           Jenas                           Huddlestone (c)                 Bale

                                                           Modric 

                                                           Crouch          

I'll be singing my little ginger heart out tomorrow in the freezing cold and hoping for another great night at the Lane. My prediction is 3-1 to Spurs although this may be a chance to keep a first clean sheet since the Manchester City game at the start of the season.