please log in to view this image Thursday 22nd October 6pm Constant Vanden Stockstadion Europa League Group Stage Our Belgian contingent returns home for a replay of the 1984 UEFA Cup Final. Yep, that's Eidur Gudjohnsen's dad having his penalty saved at the end. Anderlecht currently sit 3rd in their domestic league and are only a solitary point off the top, but they've also only got one point in this group. Their previous home game against Monaco provide it, as they lost the subsequent trip to Qarabag. Like us, they've been picking up a few too many draws in the league and they've also only lost one game. The last trip that we had to this stadium was in the precursor to the current trophy. We traveled there in 2007 for an odd group game in the UEFA Cup, which ended in a draw. A Berbatov penalty tied things up after they'd taken an early lead via Bart Goor. It was the short-lived format when there were 5 teams in the group and you played each only once. Lineups for the last Europa League game: Spurs: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Alli; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli; Kane. Subs: Vorm, Fazio, Wimmer, Carroll, Winks, Townsend, N'Jie. Anderlecht: Proto; Najar, Mbodji, Deschacht, Obradovic; Gillet, Dendoncker, Defour, Praet; Okaka, Ezekial. Subs: Roef, Nuytinck, Conte, Sylla, Tielemans, Acheampong, Suarez. Who are Anderlecht's notable players? The one that jumps out is Steven Defour. Highly rated as a youngster, but never really fulfilled his potential outside of Belgium. Some people will also remember Anthony Vanden Borre from his short stint at Portsmouth. Youri Tielemans is being hailed as one to watch. He's an 18-year-old Belgian midfielder, so we'll probably buy him! Dennis Praet's another one of their local prospects. With our current spate of injuries, I'd expect Pochettino to make a few changes for this one. He switched the fullbacks for our last Europa League game and I think he'll do it again. Chadli's injury forces his hand in the midfield too, but Dier's return might mitigate it. A win would put us in a really strong position, but we've also got a trip to Bournemouth to consider. How many changes do we need to make? Should we prioritise this or the league game on Sunday? Does anyone need a rest or to be dropped?
I think it should be 2/3 changes tops. I'd go for: Lloris Walker, Toby, Jan, Rose Alli, Dier Townsend, Eriksen, Lamela Kane Dembele said he wasn't fully fit for the Liverpool game so presumably he shouldn't be risked again since we have Dier back. Chadli's injured so I'd give Townsend a run out and I prefer seeing Lamela on the left or through the middle as he seems to be too one footed to really work on the right.
"How many changes do we need to make? Should we prioritise this or the league game on Sunday? Does anyone need a rest or to be dropped?" As always, I expect the manager to take all the above + the quality of the opposition into account, and select the weakest possible team capable of getting a win.
The main changes I'd make (after consulting PhysioRoom...) is to give Wimmer and N'Jie starts, while retaining Dembele and Rose from Saturday (although at least one of them will make way against Bournemouth)
It's a long shot but I don't suppose anyone is going to this and has any spare tickets? 4 of us booked up to go out there last month for the game and a long weekend and my Cousin assured us his mate could get four tickets all seated together, sods law the guy was only able to get us two tickets as two of his mates had two points below the cut off amount and so we've been frantically looking for two spares but had no joy so far, I'm harbouring hope that people on the ferry or in Brussels may be carrying a spare but thought I'd ask on here too. We don't mind paying over face value within reason and we can meet either on the ferry (if same time) or once in Brussels somewhere. Anyway as for the game, I think we'll see some rotation. My guess would be: Vorm Tripps, Toby, Wimmer, Davies Dier, Alli Townsend, Lamela, N'Jie Kane Lloris, Jan, Walker, Rose, Carroll, Mousa, Eriksen Mousa's performance against Pool earns him a starting spot for Bournemouth in my opinion so I'd bench him for this seeing as he's supposedly not 100% fit and playing 3 games in quick succession probably isn't ideal. Wouldn't surprise me if some were completely rested and left at home, with the likes of Winks and Onomah making the squad.
I still love how the team and the crowd put their disappointment aside to look after Danny Thomas...was so proud to be a spur because of that as a 16 yr old and still am as an old git!
Idiots are at it again: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...after-belgians-threw-bricks-and-a6704106.html Hopefully SoS is alright out there, seems we can't go anywhere in Europe these days without mindless thugs and racists trying to pick a fight.
As I mentioned a while ago, there's a lot of antisemitic fans in Belgium: the Europa League qualifier between Charleroi and Beitar Jerusalem featured antisemitic chants and Nazi salutes, while last month Genk fans aimed chants about the SS and gas chambers at Anderlecht fans (something that Brugge fans have a reputation for doing as well) Come to think of it, stop me if this sounds familiar... * Anderlecht have a reputation for trying to play good football * Anderlecht is the traditional centre for Brussels' Jewish community * Supporters of clubs whose support tends to be of a lower class, such as Brugge and Genk, shower them with antisemitic chants as well as songs about the SS and gas chambers
Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dembele, Dier; Lamela, Eriksen, Townsend; Clinton Subs: Vorm, Rose, Wimmer, Alli, Onomah, Winks, Kane ...yes, the club Twitter account says that Rose starts while also being on the bench. What is he, Schrodinger's left back???
Delighted to see Harry getting a rest but we should've put Wimmer in too to rest one of our CB's. The Dier-Demebele partnership could be intriguing if the latter plays like he did at the weekend; perhaps Poch is trying it with the trio of back to back London derbies coming up in mind. Plenty of pace in NJie and Townsend, although I worry that Erisken is the only one out of that front 4 who is a good decision maker. The other 3 have an alarmingly frequent problem making the right decision and as a result often give the ball away. As for Rose...
Let's try that again, shall we? Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dembele, Dier; Lamela, Eriksen, Townsend; Clinton Subs: Vorm, Rose, Wimmer, Alli, Onomah, Winks, Kane
