please log in to view this image Sunday 20th March 4pm White Hart Lane Premier League Our Europa League run has ended with a rather large disappointment and we've got one thing left. 8 games left and we'll certainly need to be at our best to stand any chance of winning the title. Our first opponents in that run started the season with their eyes on the other end of the table. Staying up was Bournemouth's ambition and they've virtually achieved it already. Eddie Howe's team started the season quite badly. They struggled with a series of serious injuries and had a couple of heavy defeats in a poor run. The adjustment to the top-flight was tough, but they struggled through it and are doing well. The form table since December makes for quite surprising reading: Our game earlier in the campaign at the Vitality Stadium was a bit of an odd one. The hosts took an early lead on a windswept pitch as both keepers struggled with the low sun. Matt Ritchie scored one of the quickest goals of the season, as Danny Rose misjudged a cross into the box. Artur Boruc proceeded to have an absolute nightmare though, conceding five and making several errors. Kane equalised from the spot, having been brought down by the keeper. Dembele and Lamela made it 3-1 at the break before two more goals from our striker sealed a hat-trick. http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/...h-vs-tottenham-hotspur-highlights-full-match/ This will be the first time that Bournemouth have played a league game at the Lane. The pressure is largely off them now, but I'm sure they'll be looking to make it over the 40 points mark. It's a big day for some of their players too, having started their careers either at Spurs or Arsenal. Charlie Daniels and Adam Smith came through our ranks, while Benik Afobe was a Goon. Ben Davies will play no part in this game, as he's being treated cautiously following his head injury. Erik Dier also faces tests before the game, as he picked up a knock in the defeat to Dortmund. Vertonghen and N'Jie remain out, but are back in training, thankfully. Harry Arter is a doubt for Bournemouth. He may join Stanislas, Mings and Wilson on the treatment table. Lineups for each club's last league game: Spurs: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dier, Dembele; Lamela, Eriksen, Alli; Kane. Subs: Vorm, Davies, Trippier, Mason, Carroll, Chadli, Son. League form: WWWLDW. Bournemouth: Boruc; Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Gosling, Surman, Gradel; King; Afobe. Subs: Federici, Elphick, Distin, O'Kane, Pugh, Iturbe, Grabban. League form: LLDWWW. Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Do we need to make any changes to the side that won at Villa Park last weekend? Are any adjustments needed to the set-up or system to deal with Bournemouth? Did anyone do enough to earn a start from the Dortmund game or does anyone need a rest?
A must win game indeed. Normally I would have this down as a reasonably safe home win, but the brilliant job Edde Howe continues to do, plus the way Bournemouth have stuck to thir beliefs all season, makes me very wary about this one.
No Dier no win me thinks. We have a number of great troops but Dier is the General. He takes control of the battlefield. Akin to Vincent Kompany at his best.
No idea, my comment relates to my personal view that he is what make Spurs tick. We were awful in Germany without him and most successful teams need a mid-field General, Kompany has had a poor season by his standards plagued by injury and Citehs results have reflected this, Ar5ena1 have been a shadow of their former selves since they lost Vierra. To me Dier is the most important player in the Spurs line up and without him we will struggle. Back to your first question, Bentilab played in last nights 3-0 U21 victory over Leicester, if Dier was out I'd be surprised if they would have let Bentilab play.
Bentaleb has hardly featured for the 1st team since returning from injury but seems to play a lot for the other teams. Dier has been excellent this year but Bentaleb was a key man for us in Poch's first season. Either he's really struggling for fitness or he's had a falling out somewhere that hasn't come to the surface...I hope not the latter as he has so much potential and you'd have thought we'd have seen more of him as the season has gone on. Then again he has a bit to learn n order to play exactly like Dier does so maybe its just a matter of extreme caution and not wanting to upset the balance of the team before he is ready.
Whenever I see him on the subs bench, he has a face like thunder and doesn't appear to be a happy chap.. I fear personally there has been some falling out but hope I'm wrong.
Maybe he's annoyed he's not playing, after all he was one of the first names on the team sheet last year. But we all know how Poch will react if Bentaleb takes Dier's new prominence badly rather than knuckling down. I really hope that isn't the case as he's a hugely talented lad and seems the type to get his head down and work rather than getting grumpy.
I don't think it's just Dier, it's Dembele too. The pair of them have been unreal this season. We badly miss Dembele too when he's not playing.
A win tomorrow is an absolute must in terms of the title...a loss will make me nervous about top 4 (after our previous mess ups)
With 3 Monday night games in the last 7 we're gonna have to get used to playing when knowing exactly what our closest rivals have done. I know in theory this shouldn't matter but there must be a psychological effect. We're more nervous today because of how results went yesterday. Could offer the reverse if Leicester drop points though.
Either way, it would indicate the squad are not yet mentally equipped to deal with either scenario (winning to prevent a gap opening or to reduce it) .
More concerned that Lawro is predicting Spurs to win (obviously with the PL title at stake he has realised his 'Spurs to lose' voodoo ain't working) .
We should be used to this though. We've often played on a Sunday due to the Europa league, knowing many of the results on a Saturday.
