Chelsea and Spurs will roll back the years by filling Wembley Stadium once again on Sunday. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton preview a rematch from 41 years ago.

Rick begins the look at an all-London affair.

Let's begin with a remarkable fact: in modern times, just like Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur have never defeated a full complement of 11 Chelsea players. Their two victories in the long barren spell since February 1990 - in January 2002 and November 2006 - were both achieved against 10 men in blue. Don't get too upset, Spurs fans - it may be the only time your team is mentioned in the same breath as the Spanish giants.

Well, not quite. Once Chelsea had seen off Everton and Arsenal were demolished and the League Cup final pairing for Wembley was decided, thoughts turned to the 1967 FA Cup final tie at the same venue, where Chelsea and Tottenham met in the first 'cockney cup final'.

Back then Spurs had two former Chelsea stars in their ranks. One was the great prodigal son, Jimmy Greaves. The other was former our schemer and skipper, Terry Venables, who manager Tommy Docherty had eased out in favour of Charlie Cooke during a series of Fairs Cup semi-final matches, the year before, against ? Barça.

Venables and Greaves weren't star performers in the 1967 final. They didn't have to be. Chelsea defeated themselves, and the hurt from that day hasn't lessened for many fans over the four decades since.

'It's a long time to wait for revenge,' says all-time top goalscorer Bobby Tambling from his home in Ireland. He won't be over for the game but will watch it on the TV surrounded by family and friends, rooting for the Blues.

He's also hoping Chelsea's groundwork is a little better than it was 41 years ago at Wembley. Back then the Doc, a young manager, had a novel approach to the club's first FA Cup final since 1915. He had seen how Chelsea had frozen in semi-finals over recent seasons and resolved to remove all stress from the build-up.

Fun-loving Doc never had a problem putting people at their ease, and with nothing to fight for in the league, his players prepared for the last match of the season simply by being kept fit and happy. Yet Chelsea's bustling style depended on confidence and sharpness, and having lost their final league clash at Leicester, the squad spent the 10 free days before Wembley without adequate mental or physical preparation for the biggest game of their lives.

As the big day approached, harmony was destroyed by an argument over match tickets. The players - minus the injured Peter Osgood - were seething at the club's supposed failure to deliver on a promise of a large ticket allocation for them.

Worse, Chelsea's laid-back approach extended to travel arrangements: Bobby doesn't remember staying in a hotel the night before the game, but was picked up by friends and driven to Stamford Bridge, where a coach drove them across London to Wembley.

The players enjoyed the wonderful pageantry of fans on Wembley Way, but the purpose of their visit had not yet sunk in. It was only when they walked out on to the pitch for kick-off that Bobby and others realised how ill-prepared they were for the emotions of the event.

There was, he says, a sudden 'This is it' moment. 'I couldn't have been more shaken if people had jumped out on me at a birthday party yelling "Surprise!",' he laughs. Unfortunately, on the day the Doc's best-laid plans had turned men to mice.

Even though it had been five years since their last Wembley appearance, Tottenham's focus was superior and decisive, and the high profile derby finished 2-1, Bobby scoring Chelsea's consolation goal.

Nowadays it is Chelsea who are the more regular finalists. No Blues fan should need reminding what a run we are in. This is the ninth final in 11 years, we are current holders of both domestic trophies, and we were last out/first back either side of the famous stadium's renovation.

If Chelsea win the League Cup on Sunday, we move into second place on the all-time list of winners of this competition, level with Aston Villa on five. (The Football League have confirmed that we don't unfortunately, get to keep it.)

Spurs have not figured in a final for six years when they lost in this competition to Blackburn Rovers. It's their first visit to England's national stadium since 1999 and a last-minute 1-0 win over Leicester.

Yet this Tottenham side under Juande Ramos and Gus Poyet is a more serious proposition than it has been for years. They have supposedly dumped the biscuits and shed the lard, and look a sharper, better organised unit.

The 5-1 semi-final victory over a weak Arsenal team put Poyet, the former Chelsea midfielder, at the centre of a triangle of famous five-goal wins, the other two happening when he scored twice in Chelsea's slaughter of the Gunners 5-0 at Highbury in November 1998 and played for Spurs in the 5-1 defeat of the Blues previously mentioned.

In 1967 Chelsea's lack of inches at the back was ruthlessly exploited through Alan Gilzean's aerial prowess. Although some have detected a similarity between the Scottish forward and current star Dimitar Berbatov, the tall Bulgarian has some ground to make up. He has only scored once against Chelsea in five games.

Our only meeting since Ramos moved in from Seville was the routine 2-0 home win last month, days after the League Cup semis. Crucial to the Spaniard's relative success has been a shoring up of his team's famously porous defence, beginning with central midfield. As at Seville, the aloof, disciplinarian manager demands his middlemen protect the centre of defence before thinking about breaking forward. He has them fired up and tackles can fly in from Jamie O'Hara and Jermaine Jenas, with widemen Steed Malbranque and Aaron Lennon asked to double up on tricky wingers. The aim is always to force opponents wide and away from danger areas.

In defence, he has experimented with converting big Tom Huddlestone, a talented but unwieldy midfielder, into a centre-back who is comfortable on the ball. Ramos's rationale is that he needs to find a solid partner for the inconsistent (and injured) Michael Dawson when Ledley King is out.

He will be desperate for the influential King and Dawson to return for this game after Thursday's exertions in Europe, although Jonathan Woodgate has often performed well against Chelsea in the past. Another recent signing Alan Hutton, cup tied for the UEFA Cup, is also available.

Chelsea's injury list is now almost empty, but not everyone is fully fit. The side that played in freezing Athens on Tuesday looked to have been picked with Sunday's silverware in mind, but no one is second-guessing Avram Grant just yet.

When José Mourinho made his team selection for the first trophy of his reign in February 2005, he picked the strongest available, knowing opponents Liverpool would do the same. That 3-2 win meant an awful lot to fans, but more importantly it welded the players and management together for bigger challenges to come.

If Spurs are anxious to see the Chelsea teamsheet, one name should worry them more than most. As we know, Frank Lampard completed his extraordinary century of goals last weekend. Analysing who he has scored his 101 goals against is interesting (full details below).

He's notched three goals against the likes of Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool. Four when playing Newcastle and Pompey, and five past Villa, Everton and Southampton.

But his real whipping boys come next. Frank has scored six against Bolton, Fulham and, you guessed it, Tottenham Hotspur.

The only team with greater reason to fear him than Spurs are Blackburn Rovers, who have witnessed the well-known kiss-and-point celebration on seven occasions.

Here's to another finger towards the moon on Sunday, and the purging of 41 years of hurt in the process.


CHELSEA V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - Paul Dutton with the facts and figures to get you in the Wembley way.

Chelsea are competing in our ninth cup final in 11 years and third League Cup final in four seasons.

Tottenham are appearing in their first final tie in six years.

It is 18 years and 43 games since Tottenham last beat an 11-man Chelsea. It was in February 1990 at Stamford Bridge when Gary Lineker and David Howells scored for the visitors to secure a 2-1 victory. John Bumstead replied for the Blues. Bobby Campbell and Terry Venables managed the teams.

Spurs' two wins against us since that time came when we were down to 10 men. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was sent off in our 5-1 League Cup semi final drubbing in 2002 and John Terry suffered the same fate in November 2006 when we lost 2-1 at White Hart Lane.

It is an extraordinary fact that Chelsea and Arsenal's long unbeaten runs against Tottenham both ended in a 5-1 defeat in a League Cup semi-final second leg at White Hart Lane. Chelsea's was 26 games between 1990 and 2002 and Arsenal's 21 matches without defeat ended four weeks ago. William Gallas was on the receiving end of both of them.

A win against Spurs will ensure a 22nd FA Cup and League Cup game without defeat and beat Arsenal's 21 game unbeaten domestic cup run set between 1992 and 1993. Only Blackburn (23 games, 1883 to 1886) have a better record in English football history.

Chelsea are unbeaten in 16 (12 wins and four draws) since our defeat at the Emirates before Christmas.

Our North London rivals have not been given any clues of what our line up might be at Wembley. We lined up against Huddersfield last Saturday and Olympiacos on Tuesday with two completely different starting elevens.

Chelsea have been beaten twice (Man Utd and Arsenal away) in 34 games in all competitions under Avram Grant in a run that has seen 24 wins and 22 clean sheets.

We are unbeaten in the last 52 games in all competitions when scoring the opening goal - 48 wins, four draws. The last occasion was at Tottenham in November 2006.

Chelsea have not lost with Ricardo Carvalho in the side since that November 2006 Tottenham defeat - a total of 58 games.

Tottenham are undefeated in five and have lost only two of their last 12 games.

This will be both Tottenham and Chelsea's sixth League Cup final appearance.

Tottenham's League Cup finals
1971 Aston Villa (Wembley) W 2-0 Chivers 2
1973 Norwich City (Wembley) W 1-0 Coates
1982 Liverpool (Wembley) L 1-3 after extra time Archibald
1999 Leicester City (Wembley) W 1-0 Nielsen
2002 Blackburn Rovers (Cardiff) L 1-2 Ziege

Chelsea's previous League Cup finals
Mar 15 1965 1st leg
Chelsea 3 (Tambling, Venables pen, McCreadie) Leicester City 2 (Appleton, Goodfellow)
Apr 5 1965 2nd leg
Leicester City 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea won 3-2 on aggregate

Mar 4 1972 (Wembley)
Chelsea 1 (Osgood), Stoke City 2 (Conroy, Eastham)

Mar 29 1998 (Wembley)
Chelsea 2 (Sinclair, Di Matteo) Middlesbrough 0 after extra time

Feb 27 2005 (Cardiff)
Chelsea 3 (Gerrard og, Drogba, Kezman) Liverpool 2 (Riise, Nunez) after extra time

Feb 25 2007 (Cardiff)
Chelsea 2 (Drogba 2) Arsenal 1 (Walcott)

Chelsea and Spurs have been drawn against each other on three previous occasions in the League Cup with Chelsea winning two and Tottenham one.

Dec 22 1971 Semi-final 1st leg
Chelsea 3 (Osgood, Garland, Hollins (pen) Tottenham 2 (Naylor, Chivers)
Jan 5 1972 Semi-final 2nd leg
Tottenham 2 (Chivers, Peters pen) Chelsea 2 (Garland, Hudson)
Jan 16 1991 5th round
Chelsea 0 Tottenham 0
Jan 23 1991 5th round replay
Tottenham 0 Chelsea 3 (Townsend, Dixon, Wise pen)
Jan 9 2002 Semi-final 1st leg
Chelsea 2 (Hasselbaink 2) Tottenham 1 (Ferdinand)
Jan 23 2002 Semi-final 2nd leg
Tottenham 5 (Iversen, Sherwood, Sheringham, Davies, Rebrov) Chelsea 1 (Forssell)

Our clubs have met just the once before in a final. Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-1 in the 1967 FA Cup Final at Wembley in front of 100,000 fans. The teams that day were:
Tottenham Jennings, Kinnear, Knowles, Mullery, England, Mackay (c), Robertson, Greaves, Gilzean, Venables, Saul. Scorers were Robertson and Saul.
Chelsea Bonetti, A Harris, McCreadie, Hollins, Hinton, R Harris (c), Cooke, Baldwin, Hateley, Tambling, Boyle. Scorer Tambling.
Jimmy Greaves and Terry Venables were Chelsea youth products scoring 163 goals in over 400 games for the Blues between them.

Tottenham's road to the final
Sep 26 (3) Middlesbrough (h) W 2-0
Oct 31 (4) Blackpool (h) W 2-0
Dec 18 (5) Man City (a) W 2-0
Jan 9 (SF 1) Arsenal (a) D 2-2
Jan 22 (SF 2) Arsenal (h) W 5-1

Scorers Jenas 2, Keane 2, Malbranque 2, Bale 1, Chimbonda 1, Defoe (now Portsmouth) 1, Huddlestone 1, Lennon 1, own goal 1.

Chelsea's road to the final
Sep 26 (3) Hull City (a) W 4-0
Oct 31 (4) Leicester City (h) W 4-3
Dec 19 (5) Liverpool (h) W 2-0
Jan 8 (SF 1) Everton (h) W 2-1
Jan 23 (SF 2) Everton (a) W 1-0

League Cup scorers
Lampard 4, Kalou 2, Shevchenko 2, J Cole 1, Sidwell 1, Sinclair 1, Wright-Phillips 1, own goal 1.

Tottenham have played 42 games in all competitions this season. They have won 17, lost 12 and drawn 13 scoring 81 goals, conceding 57, have kept 11 clean sheets and have failed to score on four occasions.

Chelsea have played 42 games in all competitions winning 27, drawing 12 and losing three. We have scored 67 goals, conceded 26 and have kept 24 clean sheets. We have failed to score on nine occasions.

Spurs last six games
Jan 27 Man Utd (FA Cup a) L 1-3
Jan 30 Everton (a) D 0-0
Feb 2 Man Utd (h) D 1-1
Feb 9 Derby (a) W 3-0
Feb 14 Slavia Prague (UEFA Cup a) W 2-1
Feb 21 Slavia Prague (UEFA Cup h) D 1-1 (W 3-2 agg.)

Juande Ramos's selection for the away leg at Slavia Prague was: (4-4-2) Cerny; Tainio (O'Hara 59), Woodgate, Zokora, Chimbonda; Lennon, Huddlestone, Jenas, Malbranque; Berbatov, Keane (c) (Bent 66). Goals: Berbatov 4, Keane 30.

For the second leg at White Hart Lane on Thursday Ramos made four changes, resting several regulars and bringing in Robinson, Kaboul, O'Hara and Bent. The full team was: (4-4-2) Robinson; Chimbonda (Malbranque 61), Woodgate, Kaboul, Tainio; Lennon (Jenas 70), Huddlestone, Zokora, O'Hara; Berbatov, Bent.

Chelsea's top scorers are Frank Lampard 11 including two penalties and Didier Drogba nine. Tottenham's are Robbie Keane 20 (three pens) and Dimitar Berbatov 16.

We say hello again to Gus Poyet, one of our most outstanding midfielders. In four successful years at Stamford Bridge he won the 1998 European Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Super Cup and the 2000 FA Cup and Charity Shield. He scored 49 goals in 110+35 appearances.

There are no suspensions on either side.

Chelsea have Alex, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and John Terry one yellow card away from a one-match ban for reaching five bookings. They will miss our FA Cup clash at Barnsley if they receive a caution against Tottenham. This game is the last one where five cautions will result in a ban. Players will receive only a warning after the end of February.

The referee is Mark Halsey who sent off Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (in error instead of Mario Melchiot) in Tottenham's 5-1 semi final victory over us in 2002. He has officiated this season's Community Shield and our wins at Middlesbrough and Fulham.

If the scores are level after 90 minutes extra time will be played. If the scores are still level then penalties will determine the outcome.

Chelsea's overall record against Tottenham in all competitions is played 135, won 58, drawn 31, lost 46.

Our cup record against Spurs is: played 16, won 7, drawn 4, lost 5.

Most League Cup wins:
Liverpool 7, Aston Villa 5, Chelsea 4, Nottingham Forest 4, Leicester 3 and Tottenham 3.

In the Premier League on Saturday, Birmingham are at home to Arsenal kick off 12.45 and Man Utd visit St James' Park to play Newcastle at 5.15pm.

Here's a table of which teams Frank Lampard scored his 101 goals against:

Seven goals
Blackburn Rovers
Six goals
Bolton Wanderers
Fulham
Tottenham Hotspur
Five goals
Aston Villa
Everton
Southampton
Four goals
Newcastle United
Portsmouth
Three goals
Arsenal
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Charlton Athletic
Leicester City
Liverpool
Macclesfield Town
Manchester City
West Bromwich Albion
Wigan Athletic
Two goals
Huddersfield Town
Lazio
Manchester United
Norwich City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers
One goal
Anderlecht
Crystal Palace
Leeds United
Levski Sofia
Monaco
Reading
Sheffield United
Sunderland
Viking Stavanger
Watford
West Ham United