Tottenham's problems this season have been stopping goals rather than scoring them and injury problems mean that could continue against FC Twente in the Champions League.

Spurs are preparing for Wednesday's match — its first ever at home in the Champions League — with just one fit central defender. Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul and William Gallas are all injured, leaving only Sébastien Bassong available for selection.

Vedran Corluka is likely to play alongside Bassong rather than in his regular role at right back, giving Twente an opportunity to exploit a weakness in last season's fourth-place Premier League finisher.

But Tottenham has shown it can compete in Europe by drawing 2-2 at German champion Werder Bremen two weeks ago. Spurs were 2-0 ahead after 18 minutes before conceding two minutes before and two minutes after halftime.

"The way we played in the first half was the best I've seen us play since I came to Spurs," midfielder Jermaine Jenas said. "We were so on top, dominated possession and could have scored one or two more, it was a top performance.

"Obviously the goal they scored at the end of the half gave them hope and put them on the front foot for the second half, then they scored straight away after the break. We could have crumbled and lost that game but we didn't, we stayed strong."

With its lengthy list of injuries, Tottenham has won just three of 10 matches this season and only one of those came in the London club's last six games.

But at least all the defensive problems aren't on Tottenham's side.

Twente, which drew 2-2 with defending champion Inter Milan on its Champions League debut, is missing defenders Dwight Tiendalli and Bart Buysse.

Tiendalli has not fully recovered from a thigh injury and Buysse has an ankle injury, but forward Luuk de Jong said Saturday's 2-2 draw with Dutch league leader Ajax on Saturday had given his team a lift.

"If we reach our usual level as we did in the second half against Ajax, great things could happen," De Jong told Voetbal International magazine.

In-form midfielder Theo Janssen, who scored both Twente's goals against Ajax and netted a free kick against Inter two weeks ago, said he is expecting a tough match.

"Spurs was fourth last season and that shows you are a quality team," Janssen said. "They've also added Rafael van der Vaart."

The Dutch playmaker has set up two goals and scored one in four matches since joining from Real Madrid last month.

"He's always on the move and always looking for the ball," Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said. "He can receive the ball when it's tight and use his body to shield it, and if he's marked he can still receive the ball.

"That's a fantastic ability to have. He sees a pass, has a great left foot. He's a real quality player."

Van der Vaart is likely to start Wednesday, with Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Robbie Keane also vying for a place in attack.

"He wasn't playing at Real Madrid, so he came here not really having played any games," Redknapp said. "He's done well to come in and play the games he's played in such a short space of time."

Key battles

Sebastian Bassong v Bryan Ruiz: Bassong could end up being Tottenham's most important player against Twente if captain Ledley King fails to recover sufficiently from knee and groin problems.

It would mean the defender would be Spurs' only recognised centre-half on the field and he will need to perform better than his three appearances this season, all of which have ended in defeat. Ruiz could start in a wide attacking role at White Hart Lane with a licence to drift inside.

The Costa Rica international was an instant hit at Twente last season, helping them win the Dutch title.

Aaron Lennon v Theo Janssen: Lennon has endured a poor run of form since returning from a four-month injury lay-off in April. Manager Harry Redknapp has promised to go on the attack against Twente, which should see him keep faith with the winger.

In stark contrast, Janssen has been Twente's outstanding performer this season. A big-game player, he scored both goals in their 2-2 draw with Inter Milan and against Ajax on Saturday.

Peter Crouch v Peter Wisgerhof: Crouch has picked up in the Champions League with Tottenham where he left off at Liverpool, causing defences no end of problems and scoring a hatful of goals.

If Twente fail to deal with the lanky striker, they are in for a long night. The job of marking Crouch will likely fall to Wisgerhof, who helped Twente clinch the Eredivisie title last season. He and partner Douglas may be detailed to double up on the England striker.

Match

[size=5pt]cant believe i did a match thread for  spuuddiees  [/size]

Its good to support our neighbour in europe and thrash them at home. UP SPUDS

Me support Spuds? God forbid bad thing.

I want twente to spell spuds sef

up spurs, check my pay off line, 'to dare is to do', been a spurs supporter for 4 seasons running, really love the regular wipping they give them blue chelsea boys, every season, spurs for life, twente is going down,

up spurs, see my spurs boys, 2-0 already,and more still coming, said it earlier, to dare is to do, go spurs,

haba now, pompey why allow an away goal now, 2-1! go spurs, no shaking, !

Entertaining stuff.

2 - 1

Tottenham are now 2 nil up. First Goalscorere was Van Der Vaart while the second goalscorerer was Pavlyuchenko.

Van der Vaart has to be along with the likes of Milos Krasic, one of the 'Bargains' of the season.

. . . . . Meanwhile, Chadli scores. Game on!!!

A very harsh decision. The linesman is a DISGRACE!!! or was it the REF?

Why didn't he give a penalty to Twente when it struck Crouch's hand?

FBS:

A very harsh decision. The linesman is a DISGRACE!!!

Why didn't he give a penalty to Twente when it struck Crouch's hand?

We call it 'Home Team Advantage'

succes has many brothers, this place was some moments ago quiet, very lonely, with my humble and loyal spurs fan commentating, now its alive, thank you pompey 3-1, lets go spurs, God bless paluvychenkokokoko,

No problem in watching an interesting match.
You should be happy we are here.

chic2pimp:

We call it 'Home Team Advantage'

I call it bad officiating. Disgusting.

@ FBS am happy u guys are here, wateva name u call it, my spurs are knocking them out, i love the spurs, to dare is to do, 4-1

No worries man. Entertaining match even though the score line may be a little flattering.

Goodluck to Spurs.

GOALLLL Gareth Bale.

thank you Bale, history will have it that i voted for spurs to knock out twente, and my prediction came true, octopus valacious,

at least man u scored an away goal, not bad, nice penalty enyeama, but not enuf to salvage the damage.

By to tomorrow we will hear spuds are better than Arsenal with this victory

are they not, no controversy with dis victory at all, see the voting line sef?, one to a 100 %, spurs rules,

4 1 to spurs & we even manage to miss a penalty and score two goals after having a player sent off.

The ref and the linesman just help una win rubbish

mukina2:

The ref and the linesman just help una win rubbish

The day u say one good thing about spurs i go consider converting to islam

wetin?

dem cheat for una to win jo.

useless penalties

manmustwac:

The day u say one good thing about spurs i go convert to islam

No be truth she talk? 3 penalties in a single match? Twente fans should send threatning mssgs to that official.

valacious:

are they not, no controversy with dis victory at all, see the voting line sef?, one to a 100 %, spurs rules,

Arsenal beat FC Twente a couple of seasons ago, home and away, with huge margins too. So no be historic thing!

This was a fixed match! 3 penalties given to the spuds!!

manmustwank, how many brown envelopes did Harry the twitch pass to the ref?

Vieira:

This was a fixed match! 3 penalties given to the spuds!!

manmustwank, how many brown envelopes did Harry the twitch pass to the ref?

viegra its called home advantage. Besides that was not a sending off for our guy now.

MMW, come on now Van der vart was lucky not to go a few minutes earlier.

They were yellow cards, he cannot complain about that.

The annoying thing for me is that I predicted a maximum point haulage of 3 for the spuds, you now already have 4!

i did not account for wheeler dealer Harry and corrupt officials.

Spurs, IMHO, has sufficient quality to go the distance in this competition. . . . .with the exception of usual suspects like chelsea, barca and

inter, spurs are on par with the rest of the big boys in terms of squad depth and quality. their lack of experience will be the main and obvious factor that

might count against them. I actually want them to do well