Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion

Called it last week.

Slut(calling it again)

 

One for the Hammer Watch thread??

 

Or from 1961? Let's all celebrate the Chinese New Year in a couple of weeks and welcome in the year of the Chicken. Hopefully it will make the Cockeral extremely happy.

 

Someone suggested that she is just desperate for column inches, but frankly that's a private matter for her and Paul Peschisolido and we shouldn't descend to that level

 

I’d been thinking that even though Wimmer is good, and filled in very well last year, Davies may be a better fit now. He is, like Vertonghen and Dier, able to play CB and fullback. Also, he doesn’t look like a good fit as a winger. Would Pochettino give N’Koudou time there? I wonder.

 

PhysioRoom has Vertonghen down as being out until March 11th, which means he will miss at least 10 games (could be more depending on FAC progress). Very similar timing and duration to his injury last year against Palace. It's a real blow as I think he has stepped up a level from last season, answering a number of critics in the process. Let's just hope Wimmer slots in as capably as he did last year (I don't like the idea of Davies filling in).

 

Most reports are saying up to ten weeks, which in context means he won't be back until the Europa League quarter finals, FA Cup semis, or when the number of league games we have is down to single figures.

 

Jan tweeted this just under an hour ago, so would suggest he's out for a spell:

If PhysioRoom is right and it is around March until he returns, that's a real blow. I think it will be Wimmer that replaces him, Davies does have experience of playing in that three for Wales but Wimmer is much more like-for-like, plus, he's an actual CB!

 

I'm ok with Wimmer deputising. He was excellent last year and despite a few wobbles early this year, was really impressive (for different reasons) against Arsenal and Chelsea away - probably our two hardest games of the season. Him having a run in the team also drastically increases the chances of him staying beyond the summer. There were plenty of rumours doing the rounds back in June/July, and the player himself gave an interview in Germany intimating that he was desperate for first team football. He is one of the few squad players who I really don't want to lose, as I simply don't think we'll find a like-for-like for £5m.

 

"Wimmer to the Bundesliga" is a bone the papers just won't let go of - just like the other bones they won't let go of, such as the Oily Rat returning to Old Trafford, Benzema to Arsenal, or West Ham getting any benefit from being Seb Coent's willing submissive.

 

I wonder. Wimnmer is definitely the choice for four at the back, but I can’t help thinking Davies, who would be the choice for fullback in the 4-2-3-1, is the better choice for outside CB in the 3-2-3-2--where he isn’t the choice at wingback. Like Alderweireld and Dier, he’s played both CB and FB.

Of course, I can’t believe Wimmer will go anywhere in January. But we may need a backup CB less than a backup left wingback at this point--unless Pochettino has N’Koudou in mind for that role.

 

Davies for me, no thrills but gets his jobs done on the pitch. He also has experience in this role at international level. Wimmer for me seems like he's got mistakes in him...and finding him too be a gear behind the rest during games. Fair enough, he doesn't get regular game time, but nor does Davies. Yet when Davies plays, granted you get no exciting moments, but he slots in well and sees the team through.

Our defensive record is important...sometimes I'm fuming for weeks after the goal conceded in a 4-1 victory. I just find Davies more reliable currently.

 

KWP

 

The young Brazilian, Guilhereme Arana was at Hotspur Way a few months back and we're definitely interested in a player whose playing style is identical to Danny Rose. There's no problem in having to choose the best out of a large pool of talent.

I just wish we could say that about strikers. Even when Vincent Janssen comes good, we're still one player light there.

 

I think Kev will be fine alongside Toby, as he's very likely to be getting a decent amount of games and has time to gel in again. I think some of the mistakes we've seen have been him trying too hard to impress once he's got his chance. - which have been few and far between.
nice to have the choice of Davies and Wimmer though, despite losing on of our best defenders!

 

Should definitely be Kev in my opinion.

Was immense when deputising for Jan last season and has barely had a sniff this campaign which must have been hard after leaving such a good impression and getting a new deal in the summer, so he deserves a shot.

To be honest if he doesn't get the nod then I hope for his benefit we sell him, it'd be unfair to keep him here if he can't get in to a back three with his first choice counterpart out injured.

 

MP has said that Jan's injury is not as bad as first feared and his absence may be six weeks. Sounds pretty good to me.

 

Didn't they say that when Alderweireld was injured?

 

And Lamela is still out and having further scans......................

 

Yes...Poch saying that they still don't know what the diagnosis is after 2 months out is extremely worrying.