please log in to view this image Tuesday 24th September 7.45pm Carabao Cup 3rd Round Colchester Community Stadium Another Premier League away game passes without a win and we're back to the cups, again. This time it's a trip to Colchester in the League Cup, as our search for silverware continues. We'll definitely see some rotation and this is a potential banana skin, especially given our recent form. Our hosts may be mid-table in the fourth tier, but they already have one Premier League scalp to their name. Pochettino needs to get this one right or there will be a lot of questions to answer. This is John McGreal's fourth season as Colchester manager, but he's been at the club for nearly a decade. The Liverpool-born defender spent his playing career at Tranmere, Ipswich and Burnley before going into coaching. He worked through the academy there for a number of years until he was given a chance at the helm. His time there is probably best described as solid but unspectacular with roughly as many wins as losses. Colchester had a bit of a rough start to the campaign, failing to win any of their first four league fixtures. Two wins and two draws sounds pretty poor, but they were all tight games and each loss was by a single goal. Their next six saw a marked improvement, as they won four, drew one and lost one, again by only one goal. Some cup success also came their way, as they beat Swindon in this competetion and Gillingham in the EFL Trophy. They also overcame Crystal Palace in the 2nd round, holding them to a goalless draw and winning on penalties: Our only competitive meeting came around 3 and a half years ago in the FA Cup 4th Round. Both of their centre-halves had to leave the field early due to injuries and it left little doubt as to the outcome. A Chadli brace and a goal from Dier made it 3-0, before a Davies OG pulled one back for them. Tom Carroll added a fourth almost instantly to save any late worries: Lo Celso and Sessegnon continue their rehabilitation, but we have no new injury issues. No reliable news on Colchester, unfortunately. Lineups for each side's last league game: Spurs: Gazzaniga; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Winks, Sissoko, Ndombele, Lamela; Kane, Son. Subs: Whiteman, Dier, Davies, Wanyama, Skipp, Eriksen, Moura. Colchester: Gerken; Jackson, Eastman, Prosser, Bramall; Sarpong-Wiredu, Comley; Senior, Nouble, Poku; Robinson. Subs: Ross, Sowunmi, Lapslie, Stevenson, Brown, Norris, Cowan-Hall. Referee: Jarred Gillett. He's English football's first overseas ref. Joined this year from Australia. TV: Not televised. How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Leicester game? Would you stick with Aurier at right-back or rotate and use a different option? Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting Colchester to go with?
No Tanganga or Parrott tonight for the U23s so could be a competitive first team debut awaiting them.
I think we’ll see something like: Gazza KWP, Dave, Tanganga, Davies Skipp, Dier Lucas, Eriksen, Son Parrott
I think that Dier will partner Dave at the back Wanyama will play alongside Skipp with Dele in place of Son
Re Jared Gillett, he is an honest hard working ref will be good for the English game, the A League has really struggled for decent refs since he left.
Colchester have already announced their game plan... Give us a goal or two head start, look defeated and then slap us around until we look as punch drunk as Geoff Boycott's ex. We have not won away to an English team since January 20th 2019...so Colchester are hoping they do not bottle this certain victory like Arsenal and City did...the only two teams who failed to beat us in that time. Pochettino took us to the semi final of this cup last season and the second leg was the beginning of this terrible run we've been on so he has come up with a tactical masterstroke of playing an actual full back in both full back positions and the centre back pretending to be a a full back will be kept far far away from the pitch! It has been pointed out that my contant referrals to Danny Rose inhaling Mars Bars is wholly inaccurate...he scoffs scones and clotted cream too Colchester is somewhere I have never been to so I feel it rude to say anything negative about it so I will only say that it's the only Council with a Latin motto of ... townus pitis armsweat sakeus saviour diem ... which translates to "FFS GET ME OUT OF THIS SWEATY ARMPIT OF A TOWN" While most towns are twinned with a European town Colchester has a suicide pact with Hartlepool James Fairweather is Colchester's most famous son and is a British record holder...he became Britains youngest serial killer at the age of 15! As you can see, this is a fitting place for our dream of winning this much sort after trophy to die
Anything less than a massive win is failure Give the fringe players and a couple of youngsters the chance to impress and put Colchester to the sword
What I'd like to see: Gazza KWP Dave Tanganga Davies Dier Skipp Lucas Alli Lamela Parrott What I think we'll see: Gazza KWP Dave Jan Davies Wanyama Dier Skipp Alli Son Eriksen
Actually MP has said that it will be a mix of youngsters and experience , so I think your former suggestion is more likely
Given Pochettino's record of only bringing in youngsters as sub's initially, I expect Tanganga and Parrott won't start. It's also a balance of whether we want to field a strong team and look to get back to a winning feeling, or whether to keep them rested and away from injury in what is ultimately an unimportant game. I'd hope that we go something along your lines(though I'd rest Son and give Ndombele another run out) but I expect we'll probably see something in the middle where senior squad players are brought in to compliment a few who have been regularly starting this season.
Nearly spot on! That means I'm blaming you for the Skipp/Dier/Wanyama midfield even though you didn't pick it. It's gonna be like watching Barca in their prime with that midfield
