Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Stoke City

please log in to view this image

Sunday 26th February 1.30pm
Premier League
White Hart Lane​

Rather a mixed time since our last league game, as our cup fortunes dramatically differed.
Embarrassment and defeat against Gent, but a gentle stroll at the Cottage against Fulham.
Here's hoping for more of the latter and less of the former.

Our visitors have had quite a mixed time recently too, as they've made it to what's become their usual league position.
They've finished 9th in the last 3 campaigns with only 4 points separating their final totals in those years.
Mark Hughes has achieved stability while changing their style of play and club image, but is it enough?
There can be a fine line between respectability and boredom, especially in this game.

They had their traditionally slow start under Hughes again this season and there was some talk of a relegation battle.
A series of wins against bottom half sides saw them steadily climb the table and aims are far higher now.
Improvement on 9th is probably their main target, as Everton and European football still look too far ahead.
It's very tight below them though, so another 9th place finish would be far from a disaster.

This fixture last season was our first at the Lane and it looked like being a successful start.
We came out quickly, dominated and quickly took the lead, as Erik Dier headed home from a corner.
Nacer Chadli doubled the score before half-time and we were coasting.
A couple of substitutions changed the game and earned the Potters an unlikely draw, though.
Arnautovic scored from the spot and Diouf leveled things up, as we threw away the lead.

The game at the Bet365 Stadium earlier this season echoed our visit there for the last campaign.
Stoke started quite well, but quickly fell away and it was no surprise when Son put us ahead before half-time.
Mark Hughes had already been dismissed for reacting badly to Arnautovic's caution for a clear dive.
His day didn't get any better, as Son doubled the lead with an excellent finish after the break.
Alli put it beyond them swiftly, before Kane got his first of the season to put the final nail in the coffin.

No suspensions for this one, but Lamela and Rose will miss out, again.
Stoke also have no bans, while Butland and Ireland are absent and they have doubts about Walters and Cameron.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies; Wanyama, Dembele; Eriksen, Alli, Son; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Trippier, Wimmer, Winks, Sissoko, N'Koudou, Janssen.
League form: WWDDWL.

Stoke: Grant; Bardsley, Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters; Whelan, Adam; Arnautovic, Allen, Sobhi; Crouch.
Subs: Given, Muniesa, Johnson, Imbula, Afellay, Berahino, Diouf.
League form: WWDDLW.

Referee: Jonathan Moss.

TV: Sky Sports 1.

Which system should we use for this one, following the switch in our last two games?
Does anyone need to be rested, after playing for about an hour with ten men?
How should Alli be used, following his indiscipline against Gent?

 

Moss? Ffs, haven't we had enough ****e refs?

 

To clean the players boots in my opinion.

 

Paul Stewart (would have looked great in either teams kit had he) played for both.

 

Erm...

please log in to view this image

 

Played for both: Chris Foy

...no. wait, he only played for Stoke. Cockbadger.

 

Paul Stewart .

 

I win either way !!! <LDL>

 

You posted this early today.

Garth Crooks

 

A little. Doesn't make me Garth Crooks, though.

 

I move that after the first verified <LDL> of these articles, the match day article name must
be changed to append "(Paul Stewart league)" .

 

That would involve me doing something. Move denied!

 

Match day thread : Please not PNP.

 

My team
352

Lloris
Walker Toby Vertongen Davies
Wanyama
Winks Dembele Eriksen
Dele
Kane

 

Could we go three at the back with Son instead of Davies at LW? I'd be tempted to play them both--they seem to work well with Davies underlapping Son--but that would mean one of Alli, Eriksen or Kane sits--unless we pair Eriksen with Wanyama and give Dembele the day off, or vice versa...or drop Dier...

 

Liverpool v Arsenal next week makes this a must win.

....which of course means we'll draw.

 

I would seriously consider dropping/resting Eriksen. yes he pops up with a goal or a couple of assists but is that really enough. maybe someone else could do that. I just don't think he is contributing enough other stuff and as for his set pieces, the less said about them , the better.

 

I'll go against the flow and say that I would actually play Alli. Thursday may well have been the wake-up call that he has needed since arriving at the club. The retrospective ban after the West Brom game wouldn't have done the trick, it doesn't compare to being given your marching orders in a crunch match in front of 90,000 hope-filled supporters, ruining the game with an hour still to play. I think (I hope) he has reflected on his actions over the past 48 hours and has come to the resounding conclusion that if he continues to display this petulance, he will end up an average player who never fulfilled an outrageous potential. He'll be well up for it against Stoke and after a disappointing run of games will have plenty of points to prove.

On an entirely different note, I also think that Davies just doesn't work as a WB. Not nearly a good enough athlete to justify persisting with him there. I also really don't like Dier at CB. That said, I'd like to see (won't happen):


Hugo
Walker Toby Jan Davies
Wanyama Winks
Eriksen Alli Son
Kane

 

Just to let everyone know, this game is also being broadcast on "Sky Sports Mix/Hd". you don't need to have a sky sports package to be able to watch this channel.

 

cheers