Tottenham unbeaten against French sides in Europe

Tottenham has never failed to beat a French side at home in European competition and although the sample is small, that is the sort of statistic a coach can use as a motivating factor. It is just another unbeaten run to keep going, another small target to aim for in the bigger picture.

Success is achieved by having a goal and breaking that goal down into steps. It isn't possible to have the same motivation for every game, it would wane and become tired unless the desire was a passion.

Finding new motivations is, therefore, important, so a member of the analysis team collating information can bring a seemingly insignificant point to the fore. Such motivation may not appeal to some as much as it does to others, but if it works for one player then that is enough.

Our Home record reads: 
P93 W70 D17 L6 F241 A68
Of those 93 games, we have failed to score in just 7 and kept a clean sheet in only 41 which gives us a healthy +173 goal difference.
Source: My Football Facts

Our record against French teams reads:
TOTAL: P7 W3 D3 L1 F9 A 7
HOME: P3 W3 D0 L0 F7 A 4
AWAY: P4 W0 D3 L1 F2 A 3

You'll note we have never beaten a French side away from home in European competition, again a statistic that can be used to motivate next time we venture over the channel.

Our complete record against French clubs in Europe is:

20th European game 29 Nov 1967 
European Cup Winners Cup Round 2 Leg 1 (A) vs Lyon LOST 0-1
Jennings, Kinnear, Hoy, Knowles, Mullery, Mackay, Greaves, Venables, Robertson, Gilzean, Cliff Jones

21st European game 13 Dec 1967 
European Cup Winners Cup Round 2 Leg 2 (H) vs Lyon WON 4-3 (Greaves 2, 1 pen, Gilzean, Jones)
Jennings, Kinnear, Hoy, Knowles, Bond, Mackay, Greaves, Venables, Robertson, Gilzean, Cliff Jones

24th European game 20 Oct 1971
UEFA Cup Round 1 Leg 1 (A) vs Nantes DRAW 0-0
Jennings, Kinnear, England, Knowles, Mullery, Beal, Perryman, Peters, Neighbour, Chivers, Gilzean. Used Sub: Morgan

25th European game 2 Nov 1971
UEFA Cup Round 1 Leg 2 (H) vs Nantes WON 1-0 Peters
Jennings, Evans, England, Knowles, Pratt, Beal, Perryman, Peters, Neighbour, Chivers, Gilzean. Used Sub: Pearce

156th European game 14 Feb 2013 
Europa League Round of 32 Leg 1 (H) vs Lyon WON 2-1 (Bale 2)
Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto, Parker, Dembele, Lennon, Dempsey, Bale, Adebayor. Used Subs: Holtby, Sigurdsson, Livermore

157th European game 21 Feb 2013 
Europa League Round of 32 Leg 2 (A) vs Lyon DRAW 1-1 (Dembele)
Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto, Parker, Dembele, Lennon, Holtby, Bale, Adebayor. Used Subs: Dempsey, Sigurdsson, Livermore

185th European game 1 Oct 2015 
Europa League Group game (A) vs Monaco DRAW 1-1 (Lamela)
Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Alli, Chadli, Eriksen, Lamela, Kane. Used Subs: N'Jie, Townsend, Carroll

All-time Goalscorers:
Jimmy Greaves 2
Gareth Bale 2
Alan Gilzean 1
Cliff Jones 1
Martin Peters 1
Mousa Dembele 1
Erik Lamela 1

There is an opportunity for Dembele or Lamela to become our all-time leading scorer against French sides in Europe, a hat-trick from anyone else would do it also. Such a statistic could be used to motivate a goalscorer like Harry Kane, each little record adds to and builds an aura, adds to longevity in the clubs history books. Strikers by nature like adulation, they like their name to live on.

He may well not play. but if he does it is a record he can chip away at.
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CHRISTMAS GIFTS
For all your football gifts head on over to Football-Shop.net and grab a gift you know they will enjoy, no need for acting when you shop for a sports lover.
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You can read further TOTTENHAM NEWS, VIEWS from THBN, the site readers consistently say is the best Spurs site on the web, as well as articles covering areas of the game you won't find on other Spurs sites, at the links below.

Battle for Argentinian star - good to this morning seeing people adding to last night's story
Soldado's European stats are surprising - nothing wrong with his strike rate
Training - which type of trainers do we have, vanity or appeasement?
Harry Kane - link for a page full of Harry Kane statistics

Don't forget your Christmas shopping for the football fan you know. Pop on over to Football-Shop.net and select from a range of gifts for various teams and various other sports.