Following on from Tottenham Hotspur’s sterling victory over Manchester City in our last game, fans will be hoping for the same kind of attacking nouse and defensive strength when we face Ludogorets Razgrad this Thursday in our next Europa League Group J clash.
I’ve been tardy this week but PhysioRoom list five doubts. Erik Lamela isn’t expected back until the weekend following his knock, and both Matt Doherty and Toby Alderweireld are listed as having no return dates just yet. However, both Japhet Tanganga and Harry Winks are potentially expected back for Thursday – but I’d imagine both would be touch and go.
With Razgrad yet to pick up a point in Group J, there’s every confidence we can take our third victory and ideally Antwerp and LASK would share a point to give us a small advantage as we go into the final games.
As ever though, it’s not about relying on others, we know we can get the job done ourselves – we just have to avoid another slip up.
Ludogorets...
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I hope your feelings regarding Dele are correct HT, I’ve thought myself that it could be that the coaches and physios have been giving his body the time it needs to recover from what has clearly been a number of niggling long term injuries. I think we sometimes forget how young he still is and the level of stress his body has gone through already in his career.
That said……I still believe he needs to develop his game to offer more flexibilty in the positions he can play, his style of play just doesn’t suit Jose’s current setup.
I’m leaning towards Belgian’s line up and I really want to see what Vinicius can do given a full 90 minutes with some decent service. I agree, we don’t have another holding mid in the same class as Hojbjerg (who should be rested for the weekend) but Winks should be good enough for a home game against Ludogorets, a poor side who may be even poorer due to Covid.
HT – in a way, it makes sense that the better the team is doing, the quieter it gets. There just isn’t as much to discuss, because Jose’s choices are turning out to be justified. There is no point second-guessing something which is working well. Aside from giving credit where it is due, which most Spurs fans are, what more is there to say, really?
This being said, I wonder how anti-Mourinho fans are coping with the current situation. Someone like TK has been very quiet lately.
HT……won’t Jose need one of Bale, Lucas, and Bergwijn to start up front with Son and Kane on Sunday? This being the case I don’t think he would start all three in this game unless he planned to replace one of them at half time or soon after.
Me BS, I have an over active Spursy-like brain. I always think there is plenty to discuss, win lose or draw. 🙂
Even so, in the past, I have tended to go quieter when we lose. It helps me get over it more easily if I just move on as quickly as I can… Usually straight away I’m looking to the next match… And, it’s much more fun dwelling on the good rather than the bad.
PY, I put Tanganga or Aurier at RB not LB. I have Davies for that. 😉 But like I said it’s Jose’s choice I’m predicting.
So, for good measure, I’ll choose a team to suit me. Whilst not knowing how well players have faired in training or their fitness levels, etc…
Hart
Doherty Sanchez Davies Tanganga
Winks Sissoko
Bale Lucas Bergwijn
Vinicius
Given that this is not Antwerp, we are at home, they have a weakened line-up and are not the best of teams to start with.
I get what people are saying about it being quieter on here when the team is doing well, and it is quite noticeable, but there are all sorts of reasons why it can be that way sometimes. Being retired I am able to spend as much time on here as I like but yesterday, for example, I spent the whole day dismantling a kitchen at my daughter’s house so didn’t have time to come here and comment. I’m sure everyone has commitments that prevent them from spending time on here every day.
TQ
Much the same as you yesterday. Unfortunately over here we are going from a 5 week partial lock down to total lock down for 2 weeks. So getting our Crimbo tree etc bout a week early. (Ho ho fekin ho)
HT
Your last selection for me was spot on, considering they “may” be weakened due to COVID.
Is Doh available?
I asked at the end of the last session, and, regarding BS ref to TK’s anti Mourinho.
Do any of you think that this pandemic has been an unlikely boost for JM.
Given the way he came to Spurs and who he replaced.
Given that at the tail end of last season we were not the most entertaining watch.
And perhaps without the baying crowds there he has actually had a chance to instill his tactics with less pressure and if crowds do reappear he will be in a decent “supportable” position.
I find it hard enough picking a team for myself, given all of the considerations about the upcoming games, fitness levels, who is qualified for what… I won’t even try picking for Jose!
We’ll all have our opinions, but for me, regardless of the actual team selection, here is what’s important going into the next few games:
1. Positions where we have little cover, namely CB and DM, should be managed carefully .There is no obvious like for like replacement for Hojbjerg in the squad, so I’m reluctant to over-use him, especially against what should be very weak opposition. The same can be said about Dier, given Toby’s injury (although I agree with jod that this doesn’t make me 100% comfortable). So my choices there are mostly done to preserve those 2 players.
2. In games where the opposite team will likely park the bus, as we have previously discussed, I feel Sissoko is wasted. On the other hand, I expect us to have far more space against Chelsea, which is the sort of game where Sissoko can shine. It makes sense to me to save Sissoko for the weekend, if we only play him once this week. And even if his current fitness levels allows for Jose to start him twice. I still think he’s a passenger against teams who park the bus.
I have gone for Winks as the main deputy to Hojbjerg under Jose, and Lo Celso because I expect Jose to start Tanguy against Chelsea, but it could be the opposite: Tanguy tonight and Gio against Chelsea.
3. As TQ2Spurs has said, I think it makes sense to save one of Bergwijn, Lucas or Bale to start against Chelsea. Bale’s fitness has to be managed carefully given that he wasn’t spared with Wales, and Bergwijn is only just coming back from injury. I don’t see either being able to start twice in a week. Lucas, perhaps.
4. If saving one of those 3 players for Chelsea opens up an opportunity for Dele, all the better. Playing him makes sense regardless of his future. Either it’s an opportunity for Dele to showcase his talent in view of a future move, or an opportunity to show Jose that he belongs at spurs. And if he struggles again, with all respect to Ludogorets, I don’t expect it to backfire.
PY…….who is ‘Rodders’?
TQ….the Welsh CB machine we signed from Swansea. COYS
Ah…ok, unfortunately he isn’t able to play tonight as he didn’t join us in time to register for the Europa League squad.
Niall D – I understand what you are saying but I’m not sure the situation would really matter with Mourinho. He knows what needs to be done and will do it regardless of what anyone else thinks. Add to that the fact Levy isn’t a hire and fire chairman and doesn’t respond to fan pressure and there would have to be a truly catastrophic meltdown before Jose felt the heat.
Hi, ND. Yes Matt D is available but Jose said yesterday that he has work to do with him before knowing if he will start or be on the bench. I’m hoping he is fit to play. ………………..
I think there could be some truth in that about Jose/covid/no crowds etc.
I think that in normal circumstances and with supporters in the grounds a lot of them would’ve been very unhappy at him up until just recently. I was. But I am always supportive when at a match. I have never jeered or booed. I always believe that when the team is not performing well that they need supporting more than ever. Not the other way around.
The reason I haven’t chosen Dele in either line-up is very simple. He wasn’t seen training with the rest of the first team an d squad, in prep for this game.
But maybe he is JM’s secret weapon!
As for TK? He has a very strong personal dislike for Jose regardless of the football being played. Personally, I don’t have a problem with Jose the person. Even if there are traits in him that I don’t much like. But, they are related to the football and not to him as a living person.
I don’t actually know the fellah and he has never slept with any of my lovers! (As far a I know) 😉
HT….Dele can be seen participating in a ‘noughts and crosses’ game in training in a video on the Spurs website, looks like they were all enjoying what was clearly a combined training/teambonding exercise.
Regarding rotation, it is a great skill. I still think Klopp got it right last night, in this season of all seasons with fixtures more condensed than ever you have to rest players even if there is some risk involved. Liverpool are still odds on to top their group.
From my memory of Jose at Chelsea, he likes to play his strongest team as often as possible. The biggest dilemma will come in February when presumably we are in the knockout stages of the Europa League. Jose will be looking to progress in that competition and he won’t want to rest too many players for the Thursday game irrespective of who we will be playing on the following Sunday. Looking at potential Champions League teams dropping into the Europa League and some of the teams already in the Europa League it looks like a really difficult competition to win this season. Quite rightly, he wants to win every game but it is an incredibly difficult balancing act this season.
The entire squad were involved there TQ. I was referring to ‘proper’ training and prep footage I watched, for the match. And Dele, along with others not expected to start today were not involved, as far as I could see…
Of course I could be completely wrong. It just stood out to me that he wasn’t shown in that particular footage.
Its sods law though that when for the first time this season that I don’t hope or think that he will get to play, will be the time he does actually start again. ;-).
Hi folks
Sorry again Danny thanks for the post.
Jod good points Re JM and Levey not easily pushed around but a crowd baying for blood can make a managers’ time at a club less comfortable.
I was perhaps suggesting that his transition is now more acceptable given our recent results and current league position.
DH 100% rotation of team and JM’s tactics, he got burned around 4 weeks ago trying to rotate the squad, so does he play strong in the hope we can score 2 or 3 in the first 45 then bring a few squad players on to close off the game.
The trouble is, as you say come February and HK’s now “ritual injury” what do we do then, its the pointy end of the season it’s compressed and no winter break.
I would at this stage opt for a team similar to HT’s selection tho’ they are a weakened side and a weaker side with little but pride to play for.
HT…sorry about that, I realised I had put RB instead of LB, after I had posted, I am a silly boy lol! COYS
My team for to night…maybe.
Hart
Aurier – Tanganga – Sanchez – Davies
Lo-Celso – Winks
Lucas – Alli – Bale
Sid Vicious.
The fact we don’t really have any cover for Hojbjerg does highlight what a bonus it would be if Skipp made the grade next season. He’s the one player we’ve got, other than Hojbjerg himself, who looks to me as if he is comfortable in that DM position. He doesn’t have to be as good, just good enough to deputise against weaker teams. The centre half spots are more frustrating. Nobody really seems to have much confidence in Sanchez even though with his pace he should be a much better defender than he is. Its a question of how good Tanganga and Rodon can be and how quickly they can improve.