Tottenham: 6 Bold Predictions as Spurs Host Aston Villa

Tottenham's return to the Premiership will see the club face Aston Villa at White Hart Lane, and if history repeats itself, the trip back to England for Spurs players will be a smooth one.

Aston Villa didn't exactly come back to the league after last month's international break with all cylinders firing. In September, Villa traveled to Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City, and it was a game many fans would sooner forget. City dominated Villa, scoring three goals before the 53rd minute and holding possession for two-thirds of the game.

With similar circumstances acting as a prelude to this match, Tottenham is poised to earn a similar outcome—but only if a couple of bold predictions come true.

Adebayor Will Score Within First 15 Minutes of First Half

Emmanuel Adebayor started his season with a tremendous effort—scoring three goals and assisting three more in his first five appearances. But his production has dropped off since then, assisting just one goal in the three games he's appeared in since then.

I predict that Adebayor will get back on track against Aston Villa, and that it won't take that long.

Why?

Because Aston Villa has shown it plays tired after international breaks.

In October, Villa players returned from their respective national teams to play Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. City's Mario Balotelli scored early against a Villa back line that included Richard Dunne, who'd just returned from an exhausting two matches with Ireland, and Alan Hutton, who'd done the same with Scotland.

I see it happening again, and I see it happening early.

...and Within First 15 Minutes of Second Half

This one is a little less bold, because, unlike the previous prediction, this one happened in Aston Villa's last game returning from an international break.

Manchester City's Adam Johnson scored just two minutes into the second half and Vincent Kompany scored five minutes later.

Emmanuel Adebayor has shown he can still flick it into the back of the net more than once in a single match (just ask Liverpool), and I see that happening again tonight at White Hart Lane.

I'll even take my prediction a step further and say the goal in the second half will be in the air off of a Rafael van der Vaart set piece.

Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor Will See Red

Aston Villa players play a physical game—maybe too physical of a game. 

With 22 yellow cards, one red and over 100 fouls, Villa is the sixth-most penalized team in the league—behind only Chelsea, Blackburn, Arsenal, Bolton and Fulham.

Gabriel Agbonlahor is the poster child of an Aston Villa team that is careless in its play and gets cautioned because of it. He's committed 19 fouls so far (well...he's been called on 19 fouls so far), collected four yellow cards and earned his spot as one the most penalized players in the league.

He's also suffered 23 fouls, again one of the highest rates in the league. There's no denying that Agbonlahor gets tangled up in more physical play than most. 

Maybe he'll commit another needless foul like the one against Sunderland? Maybe he'll get called for diving? Who knows? All I know is that this is a game where the score could get out of hand early and cause players like Agbonlahor to go a bit too far.

Conversely, Tottenham has only 14 yellows, no reds, and is the least penalized team in the league. Maybe that's the place to start for Villa fans wondering why they've only captured three wins so far this year.

Ledley King Will Play All 90 Minutes

One of the greatest defenders in Tottenham's history is reaching the twilight of his career. Running on knees that are going from bad to worse, it's only a matter of time before Spurs fans will see Sebastien Bassong or Younes Kaboul (or maybe even Bolton's Gary Cahill) lining up in the center of the defense.

Until then, Ledley King is the definition of poise and professionalism. He is physical in the box, and has excellent tackling ability.

He's only played the full 90 minutes five times this season, but after over two weeks of rest, look for King to be marking up in front of goalkeeper Brad Friedel until the final whistle blows.

Tottenham Will Win 3-0

I see Tottenham making this look like a session on the training pitch before the final whistle blows—passing with relative ease and crossing the ball on Aston Villa's side of the field with little to no resistance.

But with all the goals, all the completed passes and all the attacks, Brad Friedel will be the biggest reason the game will look so one-sided.

Friedel, who is rested because he didn't play in an international game last weekend, will collect his third clean sheet of the season against a Villa offense that won't get more than three shots on goal at him.

White Hart Lane Will Sing a Tribute to Harry Redknapp

I have Tottenham going up 1-0 before the 15th minute and never looking back as they pounce on a tired (and overrated) Aston Villa side.

That means that this game will be out of hand in the waning minutes, and fans will have been celebrating their victory for quite some time.

White Hart Lane is one of the best places in England to watch a soccer match, and their fans are some of the classiest in the world. I see the celebration culminating in a stadium-wide song to manager Harry Redknapp, who will be returning to the touchline after missing the last two games due to heart surgery.

It'll be a great moment, and one of the highlights of the year. If you don't yet have your tickets, get them. This will be a game long remembered by fans in Tottenham.

With the win, and the improved goal differential from a 3-0 win, Tottenham passes Chelsea and Newcastle to reach third place in the league table. 

What do you guys think?