Vital Spurs Debate Section

Match Thread – Spurs Looking To Out Think The Foxes

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Tottenham Hotspur still have slim hopes of reaching the Europa League this season, but with only two games now remaining in the 2019/20 calendar, it means manager Jose Mourinho simply has to take six points from both Leicester City this Sunday, and then Crystal Palace in a weeks time, if we are to have a European adventure in 2020/21.

Unbeaten in four, with back to back victories, should give us some confidence of achieving just that, and Harry Kane will certainly be in good spirits having crashed through the 200 goals marker – but we all know our play is far from perfect and massive questions remain about performances.

Leicester...

Win

Draw

Lose

Whatever does happen with the chase for Europe, we all know it’s mainly about taking some form, momentum and confidence into next season to try and put what has been a massively difficult, and extremely poor year, completely behind us.

Sensible strengthening to really freshen up the group and what many hope will be a major defensive rebuild would put us on the right track again, but until then, all eyes to the fourth placed Foxes as anything other than a win, simply won’t be good enough.

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  • PompeyYid says:

    Great chat on here regards how and what will happen tomorrow.

    Could it be 2 teams sitting deep and counter attacking, thus HT’s first post summing it up eloquently, or will the Foxes play possession slowly creeping forward football, whilst drawing us in then hit us with speed, will we sit back keeping it tight allowing the Foxes to do what they like and thus hitting them on the break, or will we simply play in their faces with pressure, for me I have no bloody idea, all I want is a win and 3pts, but then again so will they.

    So a very important game for both sides, could bore us all shitless as in very tactful or it could be a very good open game of football, again I have no idea which, win boring or win playing majestic entertaining football, at this moment in time I couldn’t careless just as long as we win. COYS

  • block 108 spurs says:

    Hello HT. Ok thanks I did not check about Aurier…. If Tanganga not fit, Foyth or Sanchez RB can’t really see anyone else ??? Moussa as he covers for Aurier when he moves upfield…Dier if not suspended… Urgently need a RB.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    It’s still possible that Aurier may return to play. I think it’s his choice…

    Foyth is a long-term injury. Dier is still suspended but will be available for the last match. I’d also suggest Bergwijn or Sissoko at RB.

    It’ll probably be Serge, just to make this conversation pointless…. 🙂

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    I expect Jose to sit back, let Leicester have the ball and hope that they miss all of the chances that will no doubt come there way. Hopefully we will then get something off of one of our long balls or a set piece. Maybe if the attacking players don’t get in each other’s way we may even score from open play. Jose really is a coach who has moved with the times.
    Park the bus, park the bus Tottenham Hotspur.

  • El Jefe says:

    Lloris

    Tanganga Toby Davy Davies

    Winks Sissoko

    Moura Lo Celso Sonny

    HK10

    With no Aurier (hopefully – maybe a bit harsh but genuinely had enough of his mistakes/errors), Dier, N’Dombele, Dele, etc – it’s pretty easy to pick the team really – the only conundrum as such is whether it’s Moura or Bergwijn that plays – the rest pick themselves easily for me!

    I’d still keep Moura as he’s been in good form recently and would start in his natural position on the right with Sonny the same on the left – although I accept they are constantly changing around. Harsh on Bergwijn who got a top notch assist on Wednesday v Newcastle but that’s actually a benefit not a hindrance of having good players as JM keeps banging on about lol!

  • Geofspurs says:

    EJ …. I think the Moura/Bergwijn choice is easy …. start either one of them and tell him to run his guts out and then replace him with the other with the same message.

  • Geofspurs says:

    Isn’t it great to see our posts appear in real time. I’m still getting used to it!

  • El Jefe says:

    Hi Geof, yes it’s quality to see the posts appearing immediately again finally – about time too lol!

    As regards Moura/Bergwijn – yes agree again – get each one to give his all and then if necessary replace, etc. Great to have option’s again and good one’s at that.

    Now we need to make sure we can do the same in other position’s on the pitch. So we need a good DMC, a good RB and a good STR and furthermore a good LCB also!

    I wouldn’t mind keeping Vert’s for another season but certainly want Aurier sold that’s for sure! The same goes for Rose, CCV and Amos and probably KWP and Foyth too unfortunately – we need space and money for the new signings.

    Anyway back to today lol – as I said in my last post – surely an easy pick for JM later – pretty much just go with the same team as he did against Arse and Newcastle barring Tanganga at RB hopefully for Aurier – God willing lol! They’ve had a few days rest now so should hopefully be able to recover and handle later OK – then they’ve got a whole week until Palace and then it’s summer holidays lol!

    Even though we’ve got a few missing still can’t see Vert’s or Sessegnon coming into the defence nor Fernandes or Skipp in CM so the only possible un-forced change (with Aurier hopefully being away, Tanganga would have to come in if fit surely) is literally either Moura or Bergwijn – for me Lamela is 4th choice on the wings so starts on the bench but still a good option to have in the squad and I’m for keeping him as I’ve argued for a while now.

    Anyway here’s hoping for a win whoever we put out – with them seriously depleted and us at home and on top chasing that EL spot – I think that we should win although not necessarily going to be easy but we surely should have to do it – fingers crossed lol!

  • Ekkaboy says:

    Have to agree with Doncaster. Not expecting to see any exciting or attractive football from Spurs. I expect Jose has had the team practising rolling the ball back to Lloris – make sure you kick it his left hand side boys – so he can hoof it up the field, and then hope for the best. Heaven knows I hope I am wrong!

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Play poorly and win or, play poorly and lose?

    But, I am to be positive today. So…

    Play really well and win or play really well and not win?

    My positive spin is; that I prefer the latter. I’m positive about positivity. Positively positive!

    So, I predict some sensational attacking football from Spurs against a severely depleted Foxes defence and team. And, we may win, lose or draw. Just the same as if we play overly defensively and negatively against a severely depleted LC defence and team… We still may win, lose or draw… Easy!

    It’s controversial I know and maybe a little weird for some. But I’d be happier playing great, exciting football today and losing than playing poor, boring football and drawing or losing… I’d rather say oh well we didn’t get the 3 points, but that was a great game of football. Than oh well, it’s good to get the 3 points but I’ve just been bored senseless for 90 + minutes of my rapidly depleting life! And, I may as well have just sat there looking at a live page of the PL table, waiting patiently to hopefully see the 3 points added to our tally…

    My life doesn’t need just 3 points from Spurs to make me happy.
    My life doesn’t need Spurs to be in the EL next season to get me over the moon. Whatever happens, whatever the result, I’ll still be watching and I will still be supporting.

    And, I’ll still be defending and supporting certain Spurs players despite them not being seen as world class. And I’ll still be exclaiming…

    Up the Spurs!

    Cockerels 5-0 Foxes!

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Anyway………

    Hugo
    Tanganga Sanchez Toby Davies
    Sissoko Winks
    Lo Celso
    Bergwijn Son
    Kane

    Bench: Jennings Mullery Knowles Perryman Roberts Hoddle Ardiles Greaves Soldado

    Manager: Tim Sherwood. Chairman: Mao Zedong

    Tea Lady: David Pleats Mum

  • TQ2Spurs says:

    That’s some bench HT…….if only! lol

    • Hot Tottingham says:

      Yeah… But I’m not sure about putting Greavsie on the bench. I mean do we really need both him and Soldado?

  • PompeyYid says:

    I think we will win today and I do not care how, a win is a win thus 3pts.

    Off topic I watched the Gooners beat MC last night, playing, yes! you got it, according to some! old fashioned out of date football, defending like their lives depended on it and according to the pundits “Gooners played very well” I have not seen the stats but basically I think it was 80%/20% possession to MC, ditto the same when the Gooners beat L’pool.

    Also! if memory serves me correctly, the Goons had 4 clear cut chances of scoring, 3 by one player who did score 2 out of the 3, how many clear cut chances did MC have? all that possession and could not break down a resolute defence, as has happened to us, leading to moaning and groaning, though only right in some circumstances.

    So I ask would we like to be in a final playing as the Gooners did or not? for me if it got us to the final I could not careless, even a couple of Gooner fans I know are saying we are there! brag brag, as far as I can tell they do not care.

    It comes back to a win is a win no matter how its done, whether! it is in the views of some, old fashioned/dated football, it worked.

    I have realised the final will be played between to rookie Prem Lge managers, 3 in the semi’s, all 3 are ex long term players of the club they are now managing, makes you think wonder.

    Back to today…..Come On You Spurs.

  • El Jefe says:

    PY I guess as a share-holder what should really matter to me is the result so a win is all that really is important however it comes but as a die hard fan I must say I still want to be entertained along the way – hmm conflict of interests possibly lol?!

    I’ll take a win over the performance today and next week because it will help build confidence hopefully and then there’s the matter of the EL spot but I think long term both of these issue’s tend to go hand in hand – play well and normally you should win, play badly and you’ll usually lose and I think that’s pretty much how it should be anyway quite frankly.

    No reason whatsoever why we can’t put in a good performance today leading to the correct result – let’s wait and see and analyse the fall-out after – for now let’s all try to be positive and hope for the best – I mean look at JM – he’s telling the boys win 2 matches and next year’s EL is already sown up LOL!

    We should have already beaten them away this season and that was with all their regulars and at home, so today with them missing atleast 4 crucial players (Ricardo, Soyuncu, Chillwell and Maddison) plus us being at home this time – there really should be nothing to fear and everything to go out and play for! Here’s hoping for good performance and the right result also!

  • El Jefe says:

    Was earlier actually looking at the top 4’s squads – naturally Liverpool and Man City will be the one’s to beat again surely next season but I reckon Man Utd might give them both a good fight depending on how their transfers go this summer! If they get a top class CB to partner Maguire and a top class STR finally to spear-head the attack along with 1 or 2 others – they will be bloody dangerous for sure! These 3 could very easily pull away next season and leave all the other’s for dust!

    I think our best bet of returning to the top 4 again would have to be Chelski not making it. Fair play Werner and Ziyech should prove to be good signings but they will probably be losing Willian and Pedro who have been top performers for them over the years, aswell as having lost Hazard last year who was their talisman so it’s swings and roundabouts really! Furthermore I think they desperately need defenders myself not so much attackers! No wonder they want Chillwell and maybe Ake back aswell or another top CB – indeed I don’t really rate any of their defenders apart from maybe Azpilicueta and pushing it Alonso – and my viewpoint is backed up by the fact they have conceded 49 goals this season in the Prem which is a ridiculous amount for a top 4 side even more so a top 3 side where they currently sit – it just shows how poor a season it has been from the usual top 6 crowd apart from Liverpool obviously!

    IF we hadn’t started so bloody badly and also but for all the injuries JM had to endure from the start pretty much I reckon we could have reasonably been top 4 again this season – even the point’s total will prove this – Chelski are 3rd with only 63 points and there’s only 2 games left! I might add Abraham and Mount and Odoi, etc have disappeared and only Pulisic of the younger lot is really pulling his weight currently! I think we’ll be in with a shout of top 4 next season but we’ll need some clever signings in the summer and for all to gel quickly and also as me and Jod were/are discussing on another thread – some great team spirit/comradery but I think Chelski above all will be there for the taking – I guess though they’re still not finished this summer so depending on what else they get upto I might have to change my opinion again! Hope not though, it would be a sign that top 4 is still viable because if Chelski get the likes of Chillwell, Ake, Havertz, etc – we might aswell kiss goodbye to top 4 already and accept we’ll be fighting for a EL spot at best again regularly – which is not what we want or need!

    Last year by no means a vintage year but still we finished 4th with 71 points and only 39 goals conceded, Chelski 3rd with 72 points and again only 39 goals conceded! Like I say it’s a poor year this year and Chelski’s end stats for example will certainly help prove this and give us hope for next season but I guess as usual let’s wait and see what the summer brings for starters – they look like they want to spend plenty more money and that tends to mean better quality and better results………..!

  • El Jefe says:

    Just my take on top 4 for next season as that will surely be our aim indeed JM has blatantly implied this all along from when he first took over but unfortunately there are other viable candidates as I alluded to above – naturally we’ll have to wait and see – but anyway let’s get back to this season which has still to finish and we are still playing for something – typical of me getting ahead of myself lol…………!

    Will be back later most probably tonight to see what’s what on here and discuss the match/performance/result, etc!

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    We could give up the main possession today and still play good football. We can defend like troopers and still entertain with a speedy attack. We could play on the counter and still thrash them. But, even a 1-0 scoreline could still be enjoyable…

    I will love beating the Foxes. But I want to enjoy it too… That’s not a rare thing for a Spurs supporter. Or most supporters of most clubs…

    I will be happy after the 90 minutes, if we get the three points. I will be much happier if it was fun in getting those three points. Surely that’s what all supporters want…

    And today may well be a very good one for all of us Spurs supporters and for all kinds of reasons… I’m positive. I’m up for it!

    I actually genuinely believe we can beat them and beat them well……

    After all, this is a severely weakened Leicester City and not a fully fit (we score for fun), Man City.

    Up the Spurs!

  • PompeyYid says:

    The very good posts by the 2 of you HT & EJ still comes down to one thing I believe, a Win is a Win, no matter how attained, a majestic game of possession football, yes, is required, but feel it isn’t going to happen, esp as today’s modern football, tactics etc is all about one thing, winning!, no matter the style or the way you get it, winning is what brings in money, trophies etc, yes 2 of the prem teams play that all entertaining football, and are very good at it, again this is where money comes in.

    I do agree “if it was fun” to watch a win, and yes fans want that, but if we were to win the league or any trophy for that matter, on the back of say dated negative/defensive/break away football, said by some, would we really be upset by it, I know I certainly wouldn’t.

    I know what Mr Blanchflower once said, but can that really be equated to the modern game of the most important thing is a Win is a Win, maybe I have ranted a bit here, so am sorry, must have donut head on lol!

    I also agree we have to believe and believe well.

    Ok! today 2-1, mind HT’s thrashing prediction sounds and would be a lot better Lol! Come On You Spurs.

    • Hot Tottingham says:

      PY… I’m not right and you’re not wrong. It’s just a personal thing.

      But personally I do of course always prefer a win to a loss. But I am less annoyed in losing if we at least gave a good showing. But I do get frustrated when watching, if it’s dull…. But only because I believe we have a good enough set of players for it not to be dull….. Sometimes it will be dull. I can accept that.

      And it’s not always just down to the manager, either way…

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    When we played Arsenal recently we gave up over 60% possession to them. We won.

    I enjoyed that match. I thought Spurs played well as mostly a counter-attacking team.

    I have never said that counter attacking football is inherently boring or that possession based soccer is always thrilling.

    What I said was the the most successful teams tend to be the in the latter category , tactically and that the less successful teams tend to be those that regularly give up possession and play a more negative brand of football. But this is because those, most successful teams, have the best footballers. And it follows that they tend to play the best football. We have better footballers on the whole than the Foxes and therefore I would expect us to be able to play the better football… And with a certain freedom for our players to express themselves on the pitch. To show us their flair. As well as their muscle…

    We may well see this today… I hope so.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Lloris (C), Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Lo Celso, Lucas, Son, Kane.

    Subs: Gazza Tanganga Vert Foyth Sess Skipp Gedson Lamela Berwijn Greaves….

    I thought Foyth was still injured but there he is on the bench….

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