There’s no other way of saying it, Tottenham Hotspur’s start to the 2020/21 campaign has been mixed but on Sunday, we put in a performance and raised a result that did inspire confidence as we go into another quick fixture against Leyton Orient in the EFL Cup Third Round.
A hugely disappointing defeat to Everton on the opening day, a woeful attacking display against Lokomotiv Plovdiv where the ‘proverbial’ got out of jail became ‘literal’ and then all change for Southampton as our second half performance rightly put them 5-2 to the sword.
We can expect plenty of first team changes from manager Jose Mourinho as we go into our trip to Brisbane Road, and although some youngsters may come in, I would still expect a pretty strong squad in reality as we have to build on Southampton now and get some momentum and consistency.
Orient...
Win
Draw
Lose
Of course, it’s another of those banana skin Cup ties, so you don’t expect it to be a comfortable 90 minutes, but it’s an opportunity to show we can make life easy for ourselves, even if not at our flowing best.
Hopefully with another win under our belts, we can go into Thursday clash with Shkendija and summarily dispatch them.
After yesterday’s game we can expect teams to play deeper against us. Perhaps they may do park the bus defending. Orient having seen Plodiv and soton games will, I expect do this and counter attack. However we should have too much for them.
Looks that media rumours of dele going stepped up, by Man Utd player Lingard coming in to replace him.
Another away win.. Orient 0 Spurs 3. COYS
One comment Bale said in his interviews… He can help our players in games and when progressed to finals he knows what to do and win ! Thats what we need, some medal wining experience, enthusim and football ability
Danny, thanks for the Match thread article, our programme of games is certainly keeping you busy lol!
Yes I agree with b108spurs, Orient will park the bus, but hey! we have got to start getting used to that and learn to break them down, for me 0-2. COYS
https://www.thesportsbank.net/football/tottenham/starting-xi-leyton-orient/
Actually a decent shout and be good to see the likes of Foyth, Sess, Fernandes, etc get a run out finally – still plenty of good solid experience with the likes of Hart, Aurier, Toby and Sissoko at the spine of the team (defensively and centrally) and a very good and strong attack of Dele, Lamela, Bergs and Moura – one surely has to hope these are more than enough to get the job done?!
Give all the other’s a rest and try to get them as fresh as possible for Thursday/Sunday, etc (Lloris, Doherty, Davy, Dier, Davies, Hoj, Winks, N’Dom, Lo Celso, Sonny, HK10 – hopefully Reguila can also come into the fold finally, etc) – although next week even tougher if we do we get through this week OK not just because of naturally mounting fatigue, etc (and of course based on and hoping for no injuries) but because on top we’re probably facing Chelski in the 4th round of the Carabao, then the EL decider and finally Man U away on the Sunday – it just gets harder and harder in every bloody way indeed crikey LOL ……..!
Let’s see how we cope – not a time for JM to be moaning about too big a squad either LOL – indeed get that STR and CB in finally ASA-bloody-P LOL………!
if we push them back, we will be in control, rather them pushing us back with possession footie, push up press pin them back, let them defend and make mistakes
Would be nice to think that (assuming we get past Orient) Chelsea would play a weakened team in the 4th round but, unlike us, they haven’t yet begun their european campaign and therefore have the luxury of playing a very strong team to help gain match fitness and integrate their new players if they so wish. I know this competition is regarded as the easiest to win a bit of silverware but with the odds stacked against us due to our schedule you have to wonder if we might as well just play the youngsters on Tuesday.
I expect us to win this, of course. I want us to win this. But, we made hard work of our match vs Plovdiv with a strong starting 11. I expect this to be largely a reserve team and so anything can happen. But, I’ll not be too disappointed at losing, if there very few “1st team” players involved.
I won’t pick a side as I haven’t got a Scooby who Jose will play… But in the scheme of things, this has to be much less of a priority than the EL match on Thursday and, the upcoming PL games…
Up the Spurs!
Hmmmm……seems the game might be in doubt following covid testing after Orient’s weekend game. I understand they would forfeit the game if they are unable to field a side tomorrow.
I’m a little bit vague on this. But last season I seem to remember that Klopp had a similar dilemma with a busy schedule. He played a reserve team in a Carabao quarter-final no less, and even appointed someone else at the club as manager for the day…
They lost, 5-0 to Villa!
“FORFEIT, FORFEIT, FORFEIT” – FORTUNE IS ALREADY STARTING TO SHINE ON US FINALLY LOL …………………!
Fortunate in the respect that weekly Covid testing isn’t mandatory at the moment and so THFC. are lucky that Orient chose to test their staff after the weekend. But very unfortunate for Leyton and the players that have tested positive… This would prove a major problem for them in the next few games they have scheduled…..
Not to mention that Covid is one helluva nasty disease and not to be taken lightly. This is just a football match after all……
Agreed there HT – very fortunate – imagine we played and some of our’s caught it also as a result, etc – we’d probably end up having to forfeit EL, Carabao and God knows what would happen with regards to the Prem?!
Then maybe you have to start making insurance claims (if you’re even lucky enough to have such and be covered on top, etc) for 1 reason and another, etc – very bad in every possible way really……..! Fair play Orient and TOTAL RESPECT – hope they get some really good luck in the future to compensate for this and of course a speedy and complete recovery for all affected – wouldn’t wish it on anyone for sure so GOD help them end of ……..!
And so, EJ; it’s not really a thing to be celebrating and “Laughing Out Loud” about.. imho…
No indeed – fair play HT – I did try to correct my position with the 2nd post and thought had done so – just got carried away in the moment of thinking 1 bloody less game for us to face in this ridiculous and unrelenting schedule ATM whilst still getting a WIN/BY to the next round – purely heart over head there for an instant as a die hard fanm etc …… – tongue in cheek of course and no offence was naturally meant whatsoever!!!!!
Like I say wish Orient lad’s a speedy and full recovery and wish them some good fortune in the future to comepensate for all this now………!
HT, am with you there, Yes, Covid is nothing to laugh about, I know peops are trying to be light hearted, but there are way to many very frightened people about, Mrs PY for example. COYS
Word has it Dele is definately playing tomorrow night. COYS
That’s fair, EJ. I wrote that without seeing your follow up post.
It’s just that I work with very vulnerable (high risk to Covid) adults (young and old) and so along with the great responsibility I have for them, I am also at risk being in the higher risk range myself….. It makes me extremely sensitive to it all…..
They are adults that have severe learning difficulties (as well as many physical problems) and what makes it so extra tough on them is their non understanding of the whole situation. And their whole daily life routines have been turned upside down which is one hell of a nightmare for them…
But, I accept that this is not so comprehensible for those that are not involved directly in how this disease can severely affect people in a way that is so extreme and beyond their understanding…
Sorry folks for putting a downer on it all……. I do try hard not to take my work home with me…. Honest!
No probs mate, don’t see how you cannot take your work home with you, if you do not care, then yes!, but I doubt you are that type of geyser, keep on caring mate. Cheers. COYS
Looking at the UK news (which I do every day) there does seem to be a lot to be concerned about in the British Isles, as well as elsewhere. I do get the impression that this virus is spreading at an alarming rate in the UK. Apart from the effect it is having on so many people’s everyday lives I do wonder how long football will be able to last. If it does hit PL clubs (as it has with orient) I imagine the season will pretty much be over for those clubs affected. Stay safe people.
No problem HT….for some of us this is the only place we have to offload some of the crap life throws at us! 🙂