Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United

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Saturday 23rd November 12.30pm
Premier League
London Stadium​

The international break was a little more eventful than usual and not because of any actual football.
A draw and an awful performance against Sheffield United saw Pochettino's reign come to an end.
Mourinho's time at the club starts in the same way that his predecessor's did, coincidentally.
That match saw two red cards and a last minute winner from Eric Dier, of all people.
Will history repeat itself or will our terrible form continue?

West Ham have had a rather mixed start to Manuel Pelligrini's second season at the club.
Opening day battering by City aside, they'd got off to a pretty good start.
Three wins and three draws followed and there were understandably optimistic noises from the fans.
That third draw came at a heavy cost though, as last season's Hammer of the Year picked up an injury.
Lukasz Fabianski was consigned to the treatment table and their form went with him.

Adrian's summer departure to Liverpool left the club in need of some backup.
Former Espanyol stopper Roberto was brought in to fill the gap and he's had a fairly torrid time since.
He conceded 4 goals to Oxford in the League Cup and has yet to be on the winning side in the league.
The four losses and two draws that he's played in have seen his side plummet down the early table.
5th place has been swapped for 16th and there are various murmurings about the manager now.

Our visit to the former Olympic stadium last season wasn't an amazing one, but we took the points.
A fairly comfortable first half ended with Erik Lamela heading us into the lead from a Sissoko cross.
The second half was a far more ragged affair though, as Arnautovic lead the search for an equaliser.
He was denied repeatedly by Hugo Lloris, who put on a Man of the Match performance to keep him out.
Hernandez thought he'd stolen a point late on, but the offside flag went up and it remained 1-0:

The reverse fixture was one of our more disjointed home performances of the campaign.
A flat and rather turgid display saw the sides go in level at the break with little to speak about.
A break from them saw Antonio give them the lead and it was rarely tested.
Diop and Antonio had other opportunities to add to the lead, but they spurned them and were nearly punished.
Vincent Janssen's late introduction could've grabbed an eqauliser, but his header was cleared off the line:

Lamela, Lloris and Vorm all miss this one through injury, while Ndombele and Vertonghen face late tests.
Lanzini and Fabianski are out for the hosts. Neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Gazzaniga; Aurier, Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Sissoko, Ndombele; Lo Celso, Alli, Son; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Foyth, Alderweireld, Sessegnon, Winks, Eriksen, Moura.
League form: WLDLDD.

West Ham: Roberto; Fredericks, Balbuena, Diop, Cresswell; Snodgrass, Rice, Noble, Anderson; Fornals; Haller.
Subs: Martin, Ogbonna, Zabaleta, Sanchez, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Ajeti.
League form: DLLDLL.

Ref: Michael Oliver. VAR: Andre Marriner.

TV: BT Sport 1.

How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Sheffield United game?
Would you stick with the same lineup, make a couple of changes or go for a wholesale switch?
Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting West Ham to go with?

 

Thread’s been up since yesterday evening and no one has the bollocks yet to predict the XI or even mention a Paul Stewart-related joke

It’s actually so hard to predict to be honest. Fast or rigid FBs? Three in midfield or two? ****house Dele to return or not? Lucas revival? Will the under-performers now perform if selected?

I just hope to see a committed performance tomorrow, in theory whoever plays should wanna impress the new manager so here’s hoping it’s enough to finally get an away win in the Prem.

 

Thanks Deschamps!

 

Gazza
Foyth Dave Toby Rose
GLC Dier Alli
Lucas Kane Son

 

I hate this match with the same passion that I hate the NLD, they always turn up for this one and its their fans cup final. Add to that I know few spammers and they will bombard my social media whenever they win (then again so do I when we win)

Very hard to guess the team for this one, all form has gone out the window and I guess the Jose will pick the team on what he has seen in training - I have a feeling he will set up differently even though the formation may look similar to Pochs 4231

Best Guess -
Gazzaniga
Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Rose
Dier, Sissoko (or Winks)
Lo Celso, Alli, Son
Kane

 

I haven't commented pre-match for months. There's little pleasure in writing...

"I can't see us winning, no matter who plays and it seems like it's just a matter of how much worse it can get?"

...over and over again.

For now, I'll take us looking like a team and defending so that I don't have to hide behind the sofa during the game and bury my phone in the garden after............................Oh yeah, and ****ing beat that lot!!

 

It's true...I rarely put a team up but thought I'll try yesterday

Gave up after Gazza and thought better of it

Was going to go for this for the bantz :

Gazza

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Kane

COYS

 

Mourinho's been in the job for two days and we've already reached a cup final.

 

Why was Ndombele allowed to go on international duty if there are still doubts about his injury? Ridiculous.

 

OH NO!

 

Switch Sissoko for Dier and that's what I'd like to see, assuming Ndombele can't start.

 

Ndombele's hamstring hasn't healed yet

So thanks a bunch, Deschamps, for calling him up for internationals saying he was perfectly fine. I'm sure he wouldn't have been better served remaining with us rather than get dragged to Tirana to sit on the bench...

 

Who isn't back yet? That's ****ing ludicrous.

 

Paul Stewart never ever played for West Ham.

 

Haven’t seen anything of Sanchez or Aurier yet.

 

Maureen is making Sissoko do shooting practice

 

Talk on Twitter is that Tanguy misses out. Now Jose’s here maybe the club will grow a backbone and find ways to prevent semi-injured players going off to internationals to only then return fully injured.

 

I've had my bitch and moan, which I stand by but I have to say Jose does seem to be saying the right things, hope we really do see a new side to him.

COYS