US Spurs Fan: Injuries a Worry for Tottenham as Spurs Prepare for Chelsea

Posted Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

The injuries just keep on coming for Tottenham Hotspur as the club prepares for what will be, so far, the most important game of the season, a showdown with Chelsea at White Hart Lane.

Spurs defeated Sunderland 1-0 on Sunday, but the win came at a price. Winger Aaron Lennon injured his hamstring midway through the first half, and, after trying to walk off the pain, was subbed off for Roman Pavlyuchenko. A day later, we know how serious the injury is. Manager Harry Redknapp told reporters on Monday that Lennon suffered a torn hamstring during Sunday's contest. Sources such as the Telegraph quoted the Spurs boss as saying "Lennon felt the hamstring tear - he's got no chance for Thursday. It'll be weeks if it's a tear."

Redknapp also provided injury updates on Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe, two players who missed all of the Sunderland contest. It seems that Bale, who twisted his ankle in training last week, will be a match day decision for Redknapp. Defoe, like Lennon and, previously this season, Rafael Van der Vaart, was dealing with a hamstring problem, one that shouldn't be an issue this Thursday when Spurs host Chelsea.

Redknapp has been unable to start his first choice back line all season long due to being without what would otherwise be several lineup mainstays. Ledley King, who constantly deals with knee problems, returned to the Tottenham lineup on Sunday. As of Monday afternoon, it is believed he will be fit and ready to go this Thursday evening.

It will be interesting to see the entire Tottenham lineup at kickoff against Chelsea. Pavlyuchenko filled in nicely for Lennon against Sunderland, and the Russian striker buried what ended up being the game-winning goal. With that said, Pavlyuchenko is not a full-time fill-in for the speedy winger, and the wantaway striker will likely remain behind the likes of Van der Vaart, Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Having the in-form Jermain Defoe back in the lineup is the shot in the arm the Tottenham attack will need against Chelsea. While Spurs dominated much of the possession against Sunderland, they were somewhere between not good enough and terrible in the final third of the field. "Close but not close enough" attempts from Van der Vaart, Adebayor, Luka Modric and others won't cut it this Thursday. Defoe has been scoring goals left and right as of late, and his ability to find himself in the right place at the right time every game is a significant reason Spurs are currently in the top three of the league table.

Gareth Bale, who has looked more and more like the player from the first half of last season over the past month or so, is the biggest concern. Spurs can beat Chelsea without the speedy Lennon in the lineup. Bale makes Tottenham that much better, and a squad that is without Bale, Lennon and potentially King may struggle to earn even a point against Chelsea, regardless of the match taking place at White Hart Lane.