Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

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Sunday 27th October 4.30pm
Premier League
Anfield​

Our recent awful form took an unexpected and sharp upturn during the week in the Champions League.
It may have been a less than stellar side that we were facing, but we needed a boost and that was one.
The need to translate that sort of performance into some regular domestic results is obvious, though.
We could probably have done with an easier fixture to carry it into, but the motivation should be easy enough.
Can Pochettino turn things around rapidly or will Klopp get another one over him?

Our hosts have started the campaign in exceptional form, following a relatively quiet summer in the market.
Some questions about depth in certain positions went unanswered, but they're yet to have any impact.
8 wins and a draw in the league, a routine League Cup win at MK Dons and 2 wins from 3 in Europe, so far.
The only question mark came against Napoli away, where a penalty and a goalkeeping error caught them out.
Probably not much for us to learn from that, though I'm sure Llorente got a couple of phone calls anyway.

Their last league game may have provided something to think about, as they drew with Man Utd.
Solskjaer got his starting tactics right, for once and they paid dividends.
An aggressive approach caused them problems and they went behind to a controversial goal.
Dropping off too much cost Utd the win though, as they allowed Lallana to equalise late on.
Can we take anything from this into the game, barring the knowledge that VAR is crap?

This fixture didn't end well for us last season, but it wasn't a bad performance and we could've won it.
An early Firmino header gave them the lead and both sides spurned chances to score before the break.
This carried on after half-time until Son's introduction with about 20 minutes to go.
Moura scored almost instantly and the momentum seemed to go our way, as we created several chances.
Sissoko missed a glorious one and a goalkeeping error lead to an Alderweireld own goal and a loss:

The game at Wembley was a far worse display, which ended with similar late nonsense.
The visitors deservedly went in ahead at the break, as a Vorm error ended up over the line from Wijnaldum.
Firmino added a second and made the scoreline more reflective of the play, as Vorm spilled again after half-time.
They missed several chances to put the game to bed before a late rally saw Lamela pull one back.
There was still time to steal an unlikely equaliser, but Mane's foul on Son in the box was ignored:

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Lloris is still out, but there's no news on any other injury problems at the moment.
Shaqiri and Clyne are out for Liverpool, while Matip and Alexander-Arnold will be tested late on.
Neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Gazzaniga; Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen; Aurier, Sissoko, Winks, Rose; Moura, Ali; Kane.
Subs: Austin, Foyth, Davies, Dier, Ndombele, Lamela, Son.
League form: DWLWLD.

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Mane, Firmino, Origi.
Subs: Adrian, Gomez, Lovren, Keita, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana.
League form: WWWWWD.

Referee: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Paul Tierney.

TV: Sky Sports.

How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Red Star game?
Would you reintroduce any of those left out of the squad or stick with a winning side?
Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting Liverpool to go with?

 

Paul Stewart

 

In a way I'd rather have this fixture then a park the bus team. If we are to get anything from this, and I think we can, then we will have to play football in a fast aggressive manner. Slow and cautious a la AVB will not cut it.

 

Please beat these bastards.
So the other bastards have a better chance of winning the league.
I really recommend masochistic schadenfreude.

 

Anthony Taylor.........at least it`s not Michael Oliverpool, though I suspect it will make little difference.

 

Same. Team. As. Tuesday.

 

Agreed. I was humming and hawing about swapping Foyth and Dier for Aurier and Sissoko, but they are so lacking in proper match fitness that throwing them in it at Anfield would be suicide. Same team as Tuesday but I doubt we'll see it. He'll do something stupid like this:

Gazza
Sanchez Toby Jan Rose
Winks Dier Sissoko
Lucas Kane Eriksen

 

I’d go with Tuesday’s line up and hope Aurier remembers to bring his brain with him.

I’d like to see Lo Celso given longer than 10 mins too.

 

About 6 yrs ago, a game against the Poool that saw Spurs get
spanked 5-0 also saw the end of the then manager : AVB.

I wonder if we are about to see a repeat of that (both on and off pitch) .

 

Yes. Lo Celso looked sharp when he came on midweek. I'd also like to see Sess on the bench so that Rose doesn't even get a seat on the team bus.

 

I think Sess will make a big difference to the team's quality when he finds form. I'm looking forward to it.

 

Mike "****" Dean is the fourth official, so at the very least he's going to ignore us motioning to make a substitution for 25 minutes

 

I’ll throw a sock of piss at RCL if that happens.

 

I agree too, but I wouldn't mind Lucas starting for Dele, the best way to beat them is to attack them, and I wouldn't mind Harry dropping a bit deeper almost behind Son & Lucas in the hope that Van Dijk maybe drawn out to him leaving space behind. Also 3 games in a week for Dele is probably pushing it just now fitness wise we do need to protect him a bit.

 

Yeah generally that’d make sense but my worry would be how Lucas gets utilised. Poch has this obsession lately to have Lucas playing off of/ alongside Kane and it’s just horrible. Neither player plays well when it happens. If Lucas does start, keep him RW, have Coco as the 10 and Son LW. None of this obscure formation nonsense.

I would still prefer the same XI though, agree that it might be a strain on Dele but I just want some continuity.

 

The best chance we have is is we keep their full backs pinned back, and to do that we need to do the following
1. NO ****ING DIAMOND, PLAY 4231 SO WE HAVE SOME ****ING WIDTH
2. Son is a nailed-on starter to keep TAA occupied, but the right flank is more tricky: Lamela pressing and generally ****ehousing Robertson would keep him occupied but between Dele and GLC's lack of fitness and Eriksen's lack of bothering, that would leave a potential gap in the middle - but Lucas on the right would keep Robertson occupied and, if Lamela was through the middle, there's the possibility of the two switching or doubling up
3. We definitely need Sissoko in the pivot as the FBs will need cover
4. If all else fails, when we get near the penalty area, chip the ball at chest-level and hope it hits the opposition player's armpit, as that's apparently a handball and definitely grounds for a penalty...

 

Good analysis. The key to stopping Pool is definitely stopping those bloody fullbacks. They'll still create chances, but their midfield isn't mobile enough to truly stretch a team on its own.

I don't rate Lucas at all as a starter but you're right: he'll keep Robertson thinking twice before pushing forward. The only other thought I had would be to actually mirror Pool's 433 formation and drop Dele deeper to play in a similar position to the one he occupied for large stretches on Tuesday:

Gazza
Aurier Dave Jan Davies
Sissoko Tanguy Dele
Lamela Kane Son

 

I don't understand it at all. Son can play pretty much everywhere across the front, but Moura's not as versatile.
Pochettino either tries to use him like he's Defoe or he puts him on the left, for some reason.
Let him get wide, drop deep and run at people, either with the ball or getting untracked runs onto through balls.

 

OS reporting no injuries other than Hugo.

There are no more excuses: members of the squad who do not want to play for the badge should no longer be part of the match day squad. Rose, Eriksen, Toby, Wanyama et al. can give Bale a call and ask him to recommend some golf courses memberships.