Tottenham v Watford: Factors may mean a home grind for Spurs

CHRIS Graham (@chrisgraham79) gets us underway on Saturday with Tottenham’s home game against Watford.

Tottenham v Watford | Saturday 12:30 | Sky Sports 1

My god, I’ve got a crush on Tottenham. How can you not?! They’re just a wonderfully fun team brimming with attacking verve and youthful potency.

Managed by a man who looks a thoroughly decent human, I’d love if Spurs won the title this year. Alas though, there’s just too much ground to make up over Chelsea with time rapidly running out.

Existing without living

On Saturday, Spurs host Watford, a side I’ve found it impossible to having any strong feelings for. They simply exist in my mind without ever making me passionate for them or against them.

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This season they’ve been the epitome of a mid-table side. Never looking like relegation candidates while Top 8 claims have been well beyond them.

They’ve been chalked up at 23/2 with 888 Sport for this game on Saturday (11 and a half to 1) which looking at Tottenham’s record at White Hart Lane this season is fair.

Spurs’ home form in the 2016/17 Premier League has been near perfect. 15 games, 13 wins, with the other two games draws. They have four left at the old stadium to close out an unbeaten home season.

On Saturday they go for an 11th straight home league win and while it’s hard to see them slipping up, I can’t see them blitzing past Watford.

Weary Spurs?

This will be their fourth game without Harry Kane and while the 2-0 win at Burnley last weekend was exemplary, the two other games have been less comfortable.

A 2-1 win over Southampton in March was deserved but was hardly a walk in the park, while Wednesday’s night’s late salvage win over Swansea was sweaty in the extreme.

Spurs won this opposite match at Vicarage Road 4-1 on New Years Day, but I’d be surprised if they’re able to reach those kind of gears on Saturday. Kane is out, the season is get old, the legs are getting tired and Wednesday may have left it’s mark.

For me, the call has to be a Spurs win in match with three or fewer goals. That’s been priced up at a shade of odds against and it’s good enough for me.