So it’s one of these games again for Tottenham Hotspur. Fresh from what can only be described as utter embarrassment against Brighton and Hove Albion where they played us off the park, we now go into a midweek clash against a Chelsea side looking to impress their new manager.
I know we were without talismanic Harry Kane as he recovers from his latest injury knock, but the less said about the joke performance on Sunday is probably for the better. We have to move forward, dust ourselves down (insert your own preferred cliche) and absolutely not let that low, now define and derail what had otherwise been a good (but occasionally inconsistent) season.
We have home advantage as we welcome Thomas Tuchel (Thomas Tickle/Treacle? I’m not 100% on the pronunciation yet) to White Hart Lane, but his achievements in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 speak for themselves from the little I know of him, so we have to hope we catch him cold and still adjusting to the PL.
There should definitely be a reaction from the players, and Jose Mourinho, after that shambles though and fingers crossed that takes us to the three points.
We shouldn’t expect to see Kane, Sergio Reguilon, Dele Alli or Giovani Lo Celso back for this one.
Remember when people used to get excited about being the first name on a VS thread Well ….. FIRST! This might be the only way any of us can get a top position this season. I think the first comment on every new thread should receive a trophy.
Thanks for another opportunity for us to win something, Danny. : – )
LOL Geof…in fairness, I could have this competition sown up or is that sewn up. I might win if I can ever work that out.
being first never counted if you wrote the thread. lol. but writing the thread gains in a different way: it makes the rest possible.
Ahhh so you mean I can’t cheat then! lol
JM’s Bus-Parkers Eleven 3-1 Tuchels Back-Track Attackers FC!
Optimism at it’s best!
COME ON YOU SPURS!
If Tuchel does lose this, will he be sacked by the following morning?
If Jose loses this, should he be fired and Lampard hired?
If Dele plays will he be MotM? Only to be dropped for the rest of the season…
Is football great? Or is it slowly dying a death? Or is that slow and painful death only happening in N17?
Is Son shit without Harry?
Is Dier really Dire? Is Winks Division 1 material? Is Aurier in hiding? Can Vinicius last more than 5 minutes? Is Bale buggered? Is Hojbjerg a nasty little shit? Is Lamela injured yet?
Am I just talkin’ crap again?
Ht …. If you’re talking about football and the football we are watching is crap, then we have to talk crap. So, you’re on the ball! : – )
Talking about tennis (which we were not), I will spend most of today watching Osaka (such an amazing player), Barty, Kennin and Halep, playing in a lead-up competition to the Australian open. I’ll be entertained all day!
Spurs v Chelsea is a favourite game for Dele. He loves scoring goals against them everytime. Some were brilliant.. remember at stamford bridge a few years ago.. Dier a long ball fwd over the top to dele running and he dropped the ball over his shoulder on the turn, shot in off the post. So this could be a game for Jose to start dele in a central position of a 352 tactical shape, or at least bring dele on at half time.
I agree that we need some players to show energy and commitment in this game, and jose to be a bit more humble, and connect with the players.
Geof….British interest will no doubt end early as usual but I think I heard that Heather Watson beat the hot young Coco Gauff in a pre-open tournament which was a bit of an upset.
TQ … Gauff is certainly a rising star (and rising rapidly). And, yes, she did lose in the current tournament. I watch all of the WTA tennis competitions as well as the four major Slams …. I probably watch more tennis than football over the course of a year. I subscribe to Optus to watch football and to WTA to watch tennis. It keeps me fit (lol).
block……I think it’s more likely Jose will play a back 5 to cope with Chelsea’s pace in attack so I’m predicting a 550 formation. :- )
Seriously though, isn’t Dele still ‘reportedly’ injured?
Reg, Harry, and Lo Celso are all definitely out… I’m concerned about Ndombele possibly being out after getting kicked about v Brighton and going off.
As for Dele, I doubt he will be up for contention, even if he has recovered from his supposed “small tendon injury”… We’ll no doubt hear what Jose has say about him (or not) later today.
I hate feeling so negative about upcoming games but honestly can’t see us getting anything from this game.
Why is Jose on the picture for this thread – he’s been fired hasn’t he? Or is that just wishful thinking on my part.
It’s only a matter of time anyway.
Morning all and thanks Danny for another match thread.
Some talk of “must win games” I normally do not but I believe this is a “must win game” looking at other fixtures of teams around us, if they do not go our way and we lose, we are then getting even deeper into the mire, so a “must win” comes in, even if its only to keep those others behind us.
Now then, my thoughts….
We could go out tomorrow night and comprehensively win.
We could go out and get bloody mullared
We could go out and draw.
Pretty simple really lol! those are our 3 choices, so anything could happen, think am talking tripe here, my I am bored. COYS
Beating Chelsea should be a stroll in the park for Spurs.
As long as we can nick an early goal, then sit deep on the edge of our penalty area with a back 5 and a bank of 4 just 2 yards in front of them. And if we can manage to lob the odd long ball up to to Son, when their back 4 are occupied in looking more like a front 4 for Chelsea, we might pinch another 1 or 2 if we are lucky…
Jose knows this!
I’m afraid I feel the same as TQ. No great anticipation for this one. Come on Tottenham, surprise me!
Really no idea what to expect. Its similar to the Liverpool game in that you don’t want to be outnumbered in midfield, so I’m not sure a back three and wing backs is smart. Better to go with a back four and have the extra body in the middle. The fundamental problem is no matter what you do you can’t compensate for the absence of Kane. The timing isn’t great, when a new manager takes over there’s normally a short term boost in performance levels so we might be catching Chelsea at their best. At the end of the day its just a weird season, anyone see Wolves v Arsenal ? The commentator said “its a farce but no one in North London is laughing”. He was wrong of course, a lot of people in North London were laughing including me.
jod, yes I watched the game, and heard that statement lol! I was laughing so much I nearly pissed myself lol! COYS
It’ll be a fair exchange of tactics. We give them plenty of shooting practise and our defence gets another much needed work out to keep them on their toes for the up coming battle v Albion.
I think I know exactly what to expect in this match.
We’ve played Chelsea twice this season, home and away. And at home in the C Cup we gave up the lions share of possession, kept it to 1-1 during the 90 minutes but only after a late equaliser from Lamela. (Winning on pens).
And we drew 0-0 at SB after once again parking the bus.
I expect much of the same from Jose. Except that I can’t see us defending as well as we did in those 2 matches. Not going on our current form anyway…
Park the bus in this game and we will be going nowhere this season- in the league at least.
Just shows what a weird season this is.
Man U beaten by Sheffield last week, batter a supposedly in form S’oton
Out of form Wolves beat Arsenal just after Arsenal’s best run in the league this season.
The fekin leagues all over the place.
The way its, going Burnley will put 5 past City tonight and Fulham will blatter Leicester.
Who knows any more.
Hoping for a decent game Thursday night.
Niall, if I am correct Scum, Saints, made loads of changes and had 5 x 17 yr old’s on the bench, and were down to 10 men after 82secs, then later down to 9, VAR also denied Scum a pen, but Martial Flying Swan impression got MU a pen, make your own mind up.
Wolves did beat 9 men, makes a slight difference lol!
The other 3 games, MC = Win, Fulham = Win, and Wham to lose at Villa, would do us even if we get a lesson tomorrow night. COYS
Bit of a correction Niall. The Saints PL form has been poor in recent weeks. The worst in the PL, top to bottom…
And I think that City will batter Burnley and the Foxes will easily beat Fulham.
I can see Pool thrashing Brighton and Villa getting the better of WHU……
But I won’t be placing any bets. 😉
What I do honestly believe, is that not one of those teams playing tonight will be as negative with their football as Spurs will be tomorrow……
I forgot, there’s 1 more match later on….. Leeds United 3-3 Everton! But I’ll be rooting for my second favourite PL team tonight, and that’s Leeds…
Maybe soon to be my favourite PL team…. And that’s a team I remember that everyone loved to hate, way back in the days of Bremner and Lorimer and Revie…
haha HT, I also forgot the Leeds v Everton game when I replied to Niall, yes agree it may just be a high scoring draw. COYS
Jose’s press conference is due very soon. And I expect him to be saying lots of nice things about Dele. LOL!
Why? Because Spurs and Jose are desperate to get back on track. Desperate for some of Dele’s flair. And desperate for PL points. Desperate for winning our next two cup games and desperate not to get humiliated by City…
We are a desperately seeking Spurs!
No doubt Dele has been working hard and been the perfect pro in all of this (Jose will inform us)……. Now he just needs to be fit…
Or am I taking yet more crap?
HT,
Apologies re S’oton last I payed attention to em was coming up to Christmas, they were doing OK and coming up on top 5 or 6,
I know City will do Burnley, but it was with their just scraping past Sheffield.
But it is a funny old season.