Vital Spurs Debate Section

Match Thread – Can Dinamo Harry Upset Zagreb’s Firm Or Will A Sonny Gareth Moura Bale Out Spurs

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Although the Fulham clash proved to be a bit tight and tricky for Tottenham Hotspur, there is little doubting we have better found our attacking groove again with 13 goals coming in our last four games.

The latest awesome foursome being the 4-1 demolition of Crystal Palace last Sunday, but Thursday evening’s Europa League test will be a different story as we face Dinamo Zagreb on home soil in our first leg of the Round of 16 tie.

The players should certainly continue to be in good spirits after our return to winning ways lately, but we can undoubtedly expect manager Jose Mourinho to again make changes. The only question is how many changes as plenty of fans would like to see him continue with our forward line as they are now really developing a better understanding with Gareth Bale, and it’s no surprise to see our upturn in form linked with his own personal improvements.

So do we go strong and hope to establish a lead and then use our substitutes to the full in the second period to rest people, or do we rest people now and think longer term and for example, get decent minutes into Giovani Lo Celso who may return for this one following his spell on the sidelines.

With confidence and optimism boosted recently, it’s all to play for again and let’s just hope, regardless of any changes, we see a continuation of our attacking threat.

Apologies for the headline, I’m in one of those moods.

Dinamo Zagreb

Win

Draw

Lose

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  • TK says:

    el jefe, absolutely right. we either bring in some better players on the CB and FB areas or the superb attachers we have will not win major trophies. And we need something more than Winks and Sossoko and Dier in the middle of the pitch. (Actually, I’m not sure who Dier is in terms of position that he should play.) They’re fine for the reserves, but should not be players on whom we depend with any regularity. Winks seems to have lost all self confidence. Playing only to avoid making mistakes and that’s no way to play. But up front, wham bham. we can beat anyone up front.

  • Allan says:

    Um not quite sure about the performance . Yes we won but felt only Lamella in the first half was up for it . Our crossing was poor , perhaps diabolical and it was a pity that we didn’t have enough in reserve to win convincingly without having to bring on Bale , Moura and sub Kane much earlier ? How many times did we test their goalie ? I felt Dele was poor and virtually non existant . Son looked knackered . The penalty which ought to have been given would have given us a comfortable cushion for next week . However an away goal will do it .
    I just hope that we have a strong ref out there because they will put us under pressure and continue to foul to break up our play . We didn’t really see what they could do on their performance tonight .
    However a win is a win and hope our recent good Prem form will be sufficient to defeat Arsenal .

    • TK says:

      Allan, I’m relieved to see someone else thinking that Dele Alli was a bit off the pace. I didn’t think he was terrible, but he seemed a half step behind all the time.

  • jod says:

    Decent result but but the jobs not done, unfortunately. People don’t seem to give the opposition much credit. They were organised and focused and were never going to give away easy goals. At this stage of the competition most of the teams that were easy to beat are already out. Its going to give Jose a problem. He can’t afford to play a reserve side any more, the opponents are going to be too good for that. But if he plays people twice a week, Pochettino style, he’ll burn them out.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    It’s funny how we can see games so differently as supporters.

    Allan, I thought that we put in a lot of very good crosses last night. More than usual. Especially Aurier, who I thought had a very good game. I thought Son was very lively, worked hard and looked good, in tandem with Davies. And that Dele also played well. Making some great runs and always creating space for others. Which is a knack he has always had .He just wasn’t as fully sharp as he could be. But I think that is totally understandable, given his lack of game-time all season.

    We were not outstanding but we were very professional and positive in our play, from start to finish, from back to front. And, as jod pointed out, we should consider the opposition as well and give credit when due. They really were a solid outfit in defence and made it very tough for us to get through them.

    Still plenty of work to do at their gaff, but, advantage Spurs….

  • 123spurs says:

    Good result but yet again for such an experience manager, who knows when to rotate why was kane still in the pitch @80 mil. Kane is ran to the ground as it is, and a big NLD. Just baffles me

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    I know where you’re coming from 123. But I think Jose felt that we needed to finish them off with another goal or two. And Harry was looking very sharp and on his game last night. As he did versus Palace. And, he was by far, the MotM for me…

    And, as I’ve said on here many times in the past, star players like Harry will tend to play more often than most. Especially if they are the main goalscorer and goal provider. (Which Harry is this season. Assisting so much more than ever before).

    Anyway. I’m certain he’ll be fit and more than ready for the Gooners on Sunday. But will they be ready for him?!

    If I have any criticism for Jose and his substitutions last night, it will be his choice to put on Hojbjerg. He then got needlessly booked and is now suspended for the away game. But I suppose that JM wanted to keep it as tight as possible defensively and not concede any late goals.

  • jod says:

    Dele’s problems getting back in the team are getting harder. Moura has shown himself as a really effective 10 and last night Lamela put on an impressive performance and could clearly play that position too. For Dele its really the only position where he’s able to fully show his capabilities so I doubt he welcomes the competition.

    The Holberg booking is all about not having two players for each position. If Jose wants to shut down a game he has no other option but to bring on Holberg. Hopefully next season Skipp will show himself to be a capable DM and that problem will disappear.

    The rotation issue is not going to go away. I am guessing Jose will start Kane and Son again on Sunday but surely if he then tries to play them again the following Thursday we will start seeing the same drop in performance levels we’ve seen in the past. But if he doesn’t play them will a two goal lead be enough ? I’m glad I’m not a manager.

  • PompeyYid says:

    Well I have to add I thoroughly enjoyed the game, except maybe the first 5mins, after which I thought there is only going to be one winner, but I must admit I was slightly upset that we didn’t score 2 or 3 more goals, the chances were there, but what will be will be.

    In general I thought the team played very well, even with 7 changes, the squad is becoming a threatening team, may it long continue.

    4 of the “hate”, to some, players, came in, Aurier, Dier, Davies and Sissoko, well for me they all did their job, no complaints from me, I was generally please for them.

    JM made his subs, no change in dynamics, yes DZ came out a bit more, but even after the subs we could quite easily have got 2 or 3 more goals, on another day.

    NLD next, bring em on. COYS

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    I was surprised Son started last night. He is not the same player at the moment. The good news is that South Korea have no games in the upcoming international break so he will at last get a rest.
    Regarding Skipp I am convinced that he will be part of the first team squad next season which hopefully will give us cover for Holjberg.
    I see Chris Wilder has left Sheffield United – Wilder for Spurs anyone!!!
    COYS

  • jod says:

    DoncasterHotspur – According to some people on this site any manager would be better than Mourinho so presumably they would welcome Wilder with open arms.

  • Stan Rosenthal says:

    Good result bearing I mind this was not our first eleven, which I think must include Reg, Toby, Hojbjerg, Lucas and Bale to start. Most of the subs were adequate but the game proved to me that Dele and Bergwyn are not really up to it at the moment while Lamela is now definitely a first eleven player and Aurier is probably our best RB.

  • PompeyYid says:

    It just goes to show how we all see’s things differently after reading through the comments. COYS

  • block 108 spurs says:

    Spurs did a decent job against a well organised team. Dinamo were strong tackling / fouling, a classic way to disrupt a better skilled team. HK10 did what he does best and 2 more goals. Spurs team are playing much better than 5 weeks ago, more confident and attacking.

    Now onto to gooners at London N5… Spurs win 2-1 or 3-0 Bale to score..

    • PompeyYid says:

      b108s, exactly and you could almost call last nights team the “B” team lol! COYS

  • El Jefe says:

    If 2-0 ain’t pretty much good enough already then we bloody well deserve to go out basically (of course could have been more comfortable – where was the bloody penalty on N’Dom for 1 already?!). Even sending in the likes of Winks, Bergs, Vinny, etc next Thursday should be more than enough quite frankly – would still expect us to win and not have major trouble either in doing so, especially with a 2 goal cushion on top – no major reason to be risking the likes of Reggie, Hoj, N’Dom, Sonny, Bale and HK10 in the main – what’s the point of having a big squad and full of international players – either they’re good enough or they’re not – if not then sell off basically and replace appropriately but I actually think the squad IS actually very good and capable and doesn’t need that much tweaking anymore – basically just a couple in defence above all if we can keep Bale and Vinny for next season, etc.

    Lloris, Aurier, Davy, Toby, Reggie, Hoj, N’Dom, Lamela, Son, Bale, HK10 for me for Sunday – tough on Moura for sure but Lamela playing really well ATM, but if it’s Moura instead of Lamela then fine by me also as he’s also been playing well.

    Keeping our heads and playing as we can and should, I think we’re better and too strong – but full respect has to be given – they are much better now than they were especially under Arteta – so have to make sure we’re on form even top form for sure – it’s a NLD and away after all and they had a great result last night and recently beat Leicester away, etc and the only really negative result in the last month was a 0-1 loss to Man City – some crisis LOL!

    On specific players – till hoping Doh comes good properly – maybe next season now if being realistic and very interesting what happens at RB this summer for sure with Aurier only having 1 year left on his contract on top, etc and Tanganga probably 5th choice at CB currently and probably got more chance of getting minutes at RB to be perfectly honest.

    Also will be interesting as regards the CB position’s and what happens here especially if tweaking going to happen and then if Skipp does indeed get brought back in and maybe even also Sess as well.

    Hopefully plenty to look forward to both now and in the off season in preparation for the next one too!

  • TQ2Spurs says:

    One advantage that pleases me in respect of Sunday’s derby is that there is sufficient daylight points wise that the gooners don’t have the additional incentive of overtaking us even if they win. 🙂

  • Geofspurs says:

    TQ …. How dare you consider the possibility of losing a NLD …. even from the opposition’s perspective! Get on your knees and say three hail Jose’s.

  • TQ2Spurs says:

    Sorry Geof…..my knees are knackered so I’ll have to do it standing! 🙂

  • Niall D says:

    Just throwing a thought out there, just watched Kane last night, and, over the latter half of this season.
    Re last night For me B 108 summed it up pretty well. And much agree with HT on Dele who with a few more minutes under his belt could certainly give JM one of those (good) headaches re selection.
    Back to Kane, hopefully some will think I’m sort of right here.
    At present I think Harry Kane is just about the most complete footballer in the world today.
    Whilst a year or so ago he was as good a goal scorer as Aguero, Salah, and Vardy but now whilst those guys have sort of stayed at that level, Kane has moved on and become, I can’t even describe it just more complete. We know about this “psychic link” between him and Sonny, well just look at it between him and Bale and how quickly it has developed, one of the top goal providers in our league as well as one of the top goal scorers.
    I just don’t see another player in the world at present at this calibre.

    • PompeyYid says:

      Niall, totally agree there mate, he’s one of out own! God Hod n Crouchie were drooling over him last night. COYS

  • El Jefe says:

    HK10 = best player in the world currently – end of! Absolute pleasure and dream that he’s doing it all for us at the same time!

  • El Jefe says:

    Obvious who the closest rivals are = Lewandowski, Mbappe, Ronaldo, Messi, maybe a little less so: De Bruyne, Haaland, Lukaku, Salah, Suarez, Fernandes, Kimmich, Ramos, SONNY (LOL – why the hell not?!), and less so: Mane, Neymar, Sterling, Aguero, VVD, Hazard, etc, etc, etc!

    Feel free to add anyone I’ve missed but either way – HK10 tops them all ATM simple IMHO of course!!!!!!

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