Source: FOOTYMAD
Portsmouth vs Tottenham: FA Cup Semi-Final Preview
Relegated today but FA Cup Finalists tomorrow? You never know with this club. The inevitable was confirmed today when West Ham's 1-0 win over Sunderland finally saw Pompey officially relegated to the Championship, but tomorrow is a day to put all the suffering in the league behind us and book a place in the FA Cup Final.Team NewsAvram Grant has hinted that he is willing to take risks if it means having a better chance of defeating Tottenham tomorrow. So, it may be that the likes of Kevin-Prince Boateng and Hassan Yebda start at Wembley despite not playing for a while.Nadir Belhadj, Steve Finnan and David James should all be fit to take their places in the starting XI too, whilst Aruna Dindane or John Utaka will partner Frederic Piquionne up front. Jamie O'Hara is ineligible to play against his parent club.It is likely that Harry Redknapp will start with ex-Pompey trio Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar. However, Spurs have worries over their many of their players with Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddleston and Vedran Corluka all doubtful.Younes Kaboul is cup-tied having played for Pompey in the earlier rounds of the competition and Kyle Walker is also cup-tied. Aaron Lennon and Jermaine Jenas will definitely miss out but Tottenham have such a strong squad these days and so are able to replace quality with quality.The MatchRelegated today, Pompey have a chance to put that fact and all the feelings with it behind them with an upset victory over the manager who so easily walked out on us and took some of our best players with him.If Harry Redknapp is to justify that controversial move to Spurs, then he needs to start seeing some success fairly soon, so how ironic that it's the club where he won his only major silverware what stands in his way tomorrow.But for me, and most other Pompey fans, this about a lot more than getting one over Redknapp. We have suffered this season, arguably more than fans of any other club in the country. We could have gone (and might still go) bust, we're in administration, we've suffered countless awful defeats and now face the prospect of next season in the Championship, unsure of how many players we'll have or how many points we'll start on.In short, it has been a far cry from what Tottenham fans have served this season.Yet, despite all of this, as the match has drawn closer I have gained more belief that we can actually win this game. Sure, we're massive underdogs and bottom of the Premier League for a reason but we're getting players back and Spurs have problems themselves.If you still don't believe we have a chance, then watch a replay of today's match between Scottish giants Celtic and First Division highland minnows Ross County. The underdogs had their day with a well deserved 2-0 win, so if they can do it then why can't we? After all, they are only Tottenham, not Real Madrid - to borrow a phrase from Mr Redknapp himself.I still think that we're going to need some luck to win and every single player in a blue shirt will have to play at their best. If I was Avram Grant I'd be telling Michael Brown to buzz around the midfield and unsettle the likes of Kranjcar and Modric, I'd be telling the other players to hit more direct passes if possible to get at their weakened defence.We need to keep it tight but I expect we'll concede as our defence simply isn't good enough to keep the attacking quality of Tottenham under wraps for ninety minutes. I also think that we have to score first to have any chance of winning, as we've never been good at comebacks in the past and heads could drop if we let one in.The bottom line is that we have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. The league is nothing but a chore for us now and so we need something to keep us going until May.The players have plenty of fight in them and I'm sure Avram Grant will have them fired up for this one-off game at Wembley. I'm sure they'll will give it their all and the supporters going to Wembley will also give it everything they have vocally. If there was any justice in football, Redknapp will get what he deserves for his disloyalty and Pompey fans will get what they deserve after all we have been through this season.Tomorrow, we will find out just how much magic there is in the FA Cup.Play Up Pompey!Predicted Starting Line-UpsPompeyGK: David JAMESRB: Steve FINNANCB: Aaron MOKOENACB: Ricardo ROCHALB: Nadir BELHADJDM: Michael BROWNCM: Angelos BASINASCM: Richard HUGHESAM: Kevin-Prince BOATENGCF: Frederic PIQUIONNECF: Aruna DINDANETottenhamGK: Heurelho GOMESRB: Benoit ASSOU-EKOTTOCB: Ledley KINGCB: Sebastien BASSONGLB: Gareth BALERM: David BENTLEYCM: Wilson PALACIOSCM: Luka MODRICLM: Niko KRANJCARCF: Jermain DEFOECF: Peter CROUCHPundit WatchLawro: Tottenham Win (1-0)Soccernet: Tottenham WinMy Prediction: If we can flood the midfield, frustrate Tottenham and sneak a goal then who knows? There is a small part of me that fears a humiliating thrashing but the romantic in me feels that there is one of the greatest FA Cup stories in history to finish here, and that Avram will face his former club in the final come May.Portsmouth 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Pompey win on penalties)
