please log in to view this image Saturday 11th March 3pm Premier League Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Lloris, Bissouma, Sessegnon and Bentancur are all still out. Dier returns from his European ban. Neither side has any suspensions. Lineups for each side's last league game: Spurs: Forster; Romero, Lenglet, Davies; Porro, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Perisic; Kulusevski, Kane, Son. Subs: Austin, Emerson, Dier, Tanganga, Sanchez, Sarr, Danjuma, Moura, Richarlison. League form: WWLWWL. Forest: Navas; Aurier, Worrall, Felipe, Lodi; Colback, Freuler, Shelvey; Gibbs-White, Johnson; Wood. Subs: Hennessey, Williams, Toffolo, Yates, Mangala, Lingard, Ayew, Dennis, Surridge. League form: DWLDLD. Ref: Craig ****ing Pawson. VAR: Darren England. TV: Not televised in the UK. How would you like to line up for this one?
Conte: "Emerson didn't have training today because he had a kick and today he wasn't able to train. Tomorrow morning we'll try him and see if he's available at least for the bench. Another situation we have to monitor is Perisic. "He had a training session today but tomorrow I have to speak to him and see if he's available. Then some injuries, Lloris, Bentancur, Bissouma and Sessegnon out." Via Ali Gold on Twitter.
I’d rather have Porro and Davies starting anyway. Forster Romero Dier Lenglet Porro Skipp Hojbjerg Davies Kulu Kane Danjuma
I’d pretty much go for this too, with perhaps Sarr in for Hojbjerg. Despite having 5 midfielders this season we’ve still managed to run the Dane into the ground. Richarlison or Lucas will likely start before Danjuma though.
Agree with this. Hojbjerg was abject the other night and is getting shirty with his teammates. Whether he is run ragged or just struggling for form is another matter. Maybe a combination?
Hojbjerg played 3,986 minutes for us last season, missing six matches. He's already played 2,993 minutes for us this season, as well as six full games for Denmark. He's missed four games, two of which were in the FA Cup and one was a suspension. He finishes virtually every game too, being subbed off three times for a total of 22 minutes. We've got a large squad that we don't use and when we do call on backup players they're rusty. There's no squad integration and no bridge from our academy. Burnout, injuries and dead confidence regularly does us in.
I truly have no idea on what should be done here. IMHO formations are not as much the issue as the mental mindset disease that seems to compel the team to play slow-slow sideways slow passing. I cannot expect most of the squad to suddenly become more accurate in their passing, be able to bypass an opponent or not lose the ball in the tussle. If I could make the team believe that if they did not win 6-0 tomorrow, they will be spending the next 3 years of their career at a club in the league below, I would do it.
That certainly supports the 'burn out' theory. And I imagine, with the team generally struggling for cohesion - even when winning games - that will add further weight to his already overburdened shoulders?
The longer the Milan match went on the more poisonous the atmosphere got...glad I couldn't afford a ticket for tomorrow... could be nasty
Beating Nottingham Forest in the Carabao cup, Sheff United in the FA cup and overturning a 1-0 deficit at home to a bang average Milan side does not require a "miracle". I am so, so done with him.
Not a problem. We just need to get off to a bright, brisk and positive start in the match. Oh, hang on a minute... [Cooper knows it won't take much to turn the crowd and will play to that.]
I want Conte gone, but I am going to be charitable and state that the combination of the following : 1. his physical health (surgery etc) 2. his mental state (the deaths of close professional colleagues, the cloud hanging over the current DoF) means that the chances of him repeating the PL levels of the final third of 2021-22 while putting in a decent foray in the CL, are near zero. And so as a kindness + with no ill will I wish him well in whatever future endeavours he may undertake.
