Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

Yeah you might as well be the Champions of England. Could you imagine?! (I can't)

 

You've just drawn with the CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND. Where were you last season? Ah yes gutless and bottling it as usual. Typical Londoner, self deluding and arrogant. If Mahrez and Vardy are awful then what does that make your lot?
At least you've got another hour tonight before you have to put your toys away.

 

Disappointing result but we are desperately missing Kane. Walker and Rose superb. For all the Soldado stick he's getting, despite the fact that it was a penalty, that goal was crucial for Vincent and will be a massive confidence boost ahead of Kane's return.

I know that a lot of people like to do fixture-to-fixture comparisons, but I personally feel that the PL is such an 'anyone can beat anyone' league that changes so much year on year, that a direct 'this time last season' comparison is just as informative. Of the 10 games played so far, we'd also faced: Everton, City, Sunderland, Stoke, Leicester, Palace, Liverpool and B'mouth this time last year. The only teams we haven't yet faced from that opening sequence are Swansea and United. So, all in all a direct comparison could be pretty interesting. That said:

First 10 Games, 2015-16

P10 W4 D5 L1, Pts = 17
F16 A8

First 10 Games, 2016-17

P10 W5 D5 L0, Pts = 20
F14 A5

All things considered, especially injuries to 3 of our best players in Kane, Dembele and Toby, that comparison is comforting. Looking at it this way, defensively we've been vastly improved whilst up front we haven't done too badly at all, considering 9 of last season's 16 goals came from 2 matches.

For all the negativity and justified concerns, we are much, much tougher to beat than at this stage last year, and seem far better equipped mentally and practically to cope with multiple and overlapping injuries to key players. I've spent the weekend at a bit of a reunion - a whole mixture of supporters of rival sides were there. And although it meant that I had to sit through the Liverpool game listening to the media fetish with Klopp, the general consensus out there is that rival fans are very worried that despite lacking our best player of the past 2 seasons, we simply don't seem to be going anywhere. A win next week at the Library with Kane and Toby back could well be the spark that ignites our season.

 

Yes.Cheers to the 1-0 kings. Bloody boring for you lot wasn't it? But you wouldn't know any better.Shame really.

 

Typical Midlander Boring and Ignorant!

 

Actually I'm very interesting and extremely knowledgeable.

 

That will be a first for a Leicester Fan here then

 

And modest.....

 

You're right. I am / was being slightly negative. It's just frustrating when we all see the problem. To hear Pochettino now say that we may need to strengthen the squad to challenge on as many fronts as we are now called to, when we knew this last season. I'd like to think we can win at the Library, but that looks like a draw at best when I consider how the Gooners have strengthened and how they seem to step up against us these days. I'd love to be proven wrong.

Liverpool are giving us a great lesson in how the attacking part of a squad should be balanced. Where we've finally got the defense somewhat sorted.

I get it, Mane might not have wanted to come, but Dembele who went to Celtic, why could we not get him and Janssen?

Is it too much to as that we finally put the attacking cherry on top of the cake, sooner rather than later?

Or are we going to wait until Mourinho sorts his problems out, Conte finds form with Chelsea and Real Madrid start firmly knocking on the door for Pochettino?

 

That doesn't parse very well at all.
Are you trying to say their concern is that without Kane playing nor Spurs playing
close to their best of last season, those other teams have not managed to distance Spurs ??

 

You're quite right. I should've ended off with 'we don't seem to be going away'.

 

Too hungover to write a proper review, was drinking since midday and then went to my mates for a little leaving do after the game as he flies to Aus next Saturday for a year... Didn't get home til 5:30

**** game but should've won, still lacking that killer edge.

Good to see Huth's wrestling finally punished.

Their goal was awful to watch, Wanyama's first mistake since joining and it gifts them an equaliser although Walker could've perhaps been more alert but that'd be harsh to put any real blame on him, he had another great game with that bit aside, typically think that was their first shot on target too, maybe their only one?

Rose, Jan, Walker and Janssen impressed, as did GKN in his cameo. Dembele, Wanyama (because of mistake) Eriksen and Son didn't.

Move on, better performances in that final third needed.

 

Kane and Janssen?

 

Kane is supposed to be back this week as well isn't he? Think Poch said it's 50-50 for Bayer, which would suggest he should make the bench for Sunday at least. Eriksen should definitely be looking over his shoulder, been so disappointing so far.

 

I would love to see Poch use Kane as a number 10 with Alli and Lamela/Son/Sissoko behind Janssen. I think that would be our strongest front 4.

 

Yes, I think Kane would enjoy playing off Janssen, can see lots of chances coming his way if he pushes up higher than Eriksen.

 

Personally feel;

Lamela, Eriksen, Alli
Kane

Is our best four if all were on form and fit but seeing as most of them, especially Eriksen, are pissing about with their form lately there's definitely scope for Janssen to change that. I think he'd probably be a better 10 than Kane too, as his hold up, work rate and unselfishness would go well behind a natural finisher like Harry. He could probably do a job off the right as well, cutting in on his left foot and getting shots off.
Poch likes players who can mix it up and there's a few possibilities in that mix to do so.