please log in to view this image Thursday 9th July 6pm Premier League Vitality Stadium Back to winning ways against Everton, even though it was one of the dullest performances of the season. A trip to Bournemouth is certainly an opportunity to push on, but we've dropped the ball too often in this position. Eddie Howe's side are in awful form and have been playing terribly, so a win for them would be massive. With City, Leicester, Southampton and Everton left to play, a loss here would be a disaster for them. Can Mourinho manage back-to-back wins or will we throw away more points? Bournemouth's summer was quite progressive, as they brought in a number of young players. Mings and Mousset were their only substantial transfers out and their settled squad added some depth. Their campaign started quite brightly, as they only lost 3 of their first 11 matches and sat in 7th place. Victory over Man Utd got them there and their fans probably had a reasonable expectation of a good season. Something went horribly, horribly wrong after that, though. There have been 22 games since then and they've won 3, drawn 2 and lost 17. The manager is clearly living on time bought from his previous achievements at the club, which is understandable. Eddie Howe is well regarded and was being eyed by other clubs in the summer. Whether that will continue may well depend on the fate of Bournemouth over these five games. Massive for the club and similarly important for the manager, in my opinion. The game at our place earlier in the season was Mourinho's second in charge and the results were identical. He followed his debut against West Ham by going 3-0 up and then allowing the opposition to pull it back to 3-2. Dele Alli scored twice and Sissoko added a third, before we capitulated badly and let them back into it. Harry Wilson, on loan from the Scouse, came off the bench to pull one back almost immediately. He then added a second in the 7th minute of injury time, to take the gloss off and add some nerves: Our trip to their ground in the last campaign came late on and was another one of our controversial ones. Son was dismissed at the end of a first half full of debatable decisions, as Craig Pawson took centre stage. Juan Foyth joined him after the break, following a very poor tackle, having been introduced at the break. Our nine men held on admirably for over 45 minutes, as the home side failed to create much to speak of. Nathan Ake scored in injury time to nick it though, as we stumbled to the end of the season: Foyth, Tanganga, Parrott, Alli and Malachi-Walcott miss out through injury, while Dier starts his suspension. Daniels, Mepham, Stacey and Simon Francis are out for the hosts, while Surman and Steve Cook face late tests. Bournemouth have no suspensions, as Callum Wilson returns. Lineups for each side's last league game: Spurs: Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies; Sissoko, Winks; Moura, Lo Celso, Son; Kane. Subs: Gazzaniga, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Cirkin, Skipp, Ndombele, Fernandes, Berwijn, Lamela. League form: LDDWLW. Bournemouth: Ramsdale; Smith, Ake, Kelly, Rico; Stanislas, Lerma, L. Cook, Brooks; King, Solanke. Subs: Boruc, Travers, Stacey, Surman, Gosling, Billing, Wilson, Surridge, H. Wilson. League form: DLLLLL. Ref: Paul Tierney. VAR: Michael Oliver. Seriously. TV: Sky Sports. How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Everton game? Would you stick with much of the same lineup, make a few changes or go for a wholesale switch? Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting Bournemouth to go with?
I expect wholesale changes with NLD coming up on Sunday so some of the players who have played very game will likely get a rest. I can see us lining up something like this Lloris, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Cirkin, Ndombele, Winks, Lamela, Bergwijn, Lucas, Kane
Pretty much same team as TCM for me. Although I’d like to see Kane start from the bench too. Really don’t think he should be playing another 90 mins with Sunday in mind. We’ve seen what overusing him has done in the past, repeating the same mistakes would be just stupid.
Mourinho justifiably slagged him off, so they have purposely given Oliverpool the opportunity to push the knife in deeper.
Why isn't skippy getting a game is he not fit. Apparently the game is on live on digital channel pick tv for those who don't have sky
Keep hearing about Pick TV but for me (non sky platform) it is on Sky One. Probably the same thing, but my Virginmedia TV doesn't have a channel called Pick.
Risky selection in my opinion. I get the idea of needing a win but I think we could end up being too jaded for Sunday. Happened last season under Poch, had Chelsea, Inter then Arsenal at the end and our performance against them was turd, selection weren’t great for that though mind. Think Skipp, Tanguy and one of Sess/ Cirkin could’ve definitely gotten a start. I guess there’s hope we can utilise the squad today if we manage to get a decent lead but that’s a big if based on how we’ve been playing.
Mourinho will definitely be talking about the two days less rest for that game, if that's what happens. He'll have a point, too. Completely avoidable.
We were so poor the other night that even without the fatigue factor I would have expected more changes, I really think that N'dombele should have been given a start and that at least one of the full backs should also have been rested. Once again I am not confident, Bournemouth have been frankly awful, but we have hardly set the world alight and we love to give winless teams a boost. If I was a betting man I think I might get my money on a dull 1-1 (in fact that reminds me I don't think that I have done my prediction yet!). I hope that we go out to take the game to them more than we have so far since the restart. C O Y S
They have a top goalie who I would like to try and buy if they go down. Also they have a very strong strike force. They have more strikers than we do so if it is close at the end they will just load the box with all of them thanks to the 5 sub rule.