Yet another in my continuing trend of half-arsed match threads for games that aren't Premier League ties. Feel free to jump in at any time, people! Disappointing results and performances for both teams recently. We've struggled in the league badly, but they're on a 10 game run without a win, too. Relegation might be on the mind of Sami Hyypia, so he may be tempted to leave out a number of his first choice players and I expect we'll do the same. I'm hoping to see something like this: Vorm Naughton Chiriches Fazio Davies Lennon Stambouli Dembele Townsend Kane Soldado Unfortunately I think we'll see another 4-2-3-1 side with inverted wingers and someone unsuitable at right-back, assuming Naughton's not passed fit. It's a competition that I'd like to see us win, but we need to try something different, as our Plan A isn't working.
If Naughton is fit then I say give him 30-45 mins to get up to speed and then play Dier or an Academy player there so he is ready for the weekend. We need a real RB in the league team. I'd like to see a proper 4-3-3 on Wednesday with wingers providing width which, seeing as Bentaleb is still out injured IIRC and Capoue and Mason should be rested ahead of the weekend, means that my favourite Brazilian no. 8 would be making a rare appearance in my Spurs team on Wednesday. Start Soldado as Kane needs to be fresh for a serious shift against Villa. In reality we will get 4-2-3-1 with Townsend on the right, Lamela will probably play again, Kane will start and then be benched again for the weekend, Naughton won't be fit and we'll go down 1-0 at home in the 93rd minute to a dodgy pen or a 40 yard screamer. The players won't press or work hard and the same team will trudge on to the league fixture.
I am going with my daughters...we have been to the qpr, basiktas, forest and the match last Thursday....4 matches won 3 drew 1...scored 13, conceded 3...so if you all club together so we can go more often then things might improve
I'm debating as to what team I'd like to see play, do we go for a complete change, resulting in the team today likely starting against Villa, or do we somewhat "punish" today's players by playing most of them Wednesday, resulting in a shake-up for the Villa game?
All well and good winning cup games but ultimately we are unlikely to win any cups so why do we keep sacrificing the league for a cup run?
1981, 1984, 1991. 1999 and 2008 were all trophy winning years and we were **** in the league in each of those seasons...81, 91, 99 and 08 we were not in the top 10 at the end of the season so there is a pojnt in a good cup run as we could win one. I ain't sure we are sacrificing the league tbh...we have no excuses for performances like today...playing thursday and then Sunday is no different to playing wed and then Saturday...the players need to be dropped if they aint performing.
Personally I would start dropping players....adebayor out and kane in, lamela out and townsend out lennon and dembele in...thaf would be a start in my opinion...some of the first team no they will play regardless and that aint right
In the best news we've had for a couple of days, Naughton is back from injury. 12 months ago who'd have thought we'd have missed him so much eh? http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/brighton-team-news-281014/
Count me out on this one, news of Naughton's possible return will keep me awake tonight. Dreadful news.
Really? Naughton is far from perfect but I'd rather have him at RB than Dier, not least because the latter looks like he's flagging a bit having played a lot of football so far this season. Bringing Naughton back isn't going to magic us into being a better team overnight but it'll go a way to addressing the balance between the flanks IMO.
oh no not another team coming to the lane in a poor run of form, I'm sure spurs will be generous hosts as usual!
I think it's a poor reflection on how far we have gone backwards that we are welcoming the return of an average player like Naughton.
Speaking for myself, and presumably a few others besides me, I'm thankful that we won't be playing a centre back out of position at right back for a change, so we might start playing with a little width once more. It's typical that, after addressing the issue of lacking cover at left back in recent seasons, we have two right backs injured and a third won't be arriving until January at the earliest.
Chiriches?! Surely after the Besiktas game he deserves to be seeing the door? I genuinely wouldn't play him again, even in league cup matches. Last 3 games all been poor
