Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Royal Antwerp

please log in to view this image

Thursday 29th October 5.55pm
Europa League Group Stage
Bosuilstadion, Antwerp​

Not our greatest performance against Burnley, but we got the three points and kept another clean sheet.
Now we're back on the road in Europe again, though it's not the longest trip abroad.
Newcastle's further away than Toby Alderweireld's hometown.
We had a comfortable start to the group with our win against LASK and this is a big opportunity to build on it.
Can Mourinho navigate another Europa League journey or will the Belgians add to their 3 points?

Our hosts are the oldest club in Belgium, having started as a cricket club by English students in 1880.
They didn't start playing football until 1887, which is rather similar to our own origin, if a few years behind.
This earned them the nickname The Great Old, as they predate the Belgian FA and their leagues.
They aren't the most successful club in the country, but they've spent the second most years in the top flight.
Anderlecht and Brugge have the most titles, but they have won 4 themselves as well as 3 Belgian Cups.

Antwerp are currently managed by former Croatian international Ivan Leko, who joined the club in May.
His predecessor, László Bölöni, left the club to join Gent after reaching a cup final, which was postponed.
His time with his new club ended after only three games, as he lost to his former club and was sacked.
This allowed Leko to sweep in and beat Brugge in the cup though, a club which he was very familiar with.
He played for them and managed them, winning the cup as a player and the league as a manager.

You may notice a few familiar faces amongst their ranks.
Ritchie De Laet spent time at Man Utd, Leicester, Villa and others before rejoining his local side.
Experienced Congolese striker Dieumerci Mbokani was on loan at both Norwich and Hull.
They also have Romelu Lukaku's brother Jordan on loan from Lazio.
A very cosmopolitan squad contains no less than 17 nationalities, including one Korean.

Antwerp finished 4th in the league last season and qualified for the group stage via their cup win in August.
They overcame a slightly nervous start to the campaign, winning only 1 of their first four and now top the table.
They're unbeaten in six matches and won five of them. They do face Anderlecht on the weekend, though.
Their only match in the competition so far was their trip to Ludogorets last week.
They won 2-1, despite going behind just after the break. I've been unable to find highlights, unfortunately.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Doherty, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies; Sissoko, Hojbjerg; Moura, Ndombele, Son; Kane.
Subs: Hart, Rodon, Reguilon, Lo Celso, Lamela, Bale, Vinicius.
League form: LWDWDW.

Antwerp: Butez; Seck, De Laet, Gelin; Miyoshi, Haroun, Hongla, Juklerod; Gerkens; Refaelov, Mbokani.
Subs: Matijas, Buta, Lausberg, Verstraete, Boya, De Pauw, Benavente, Ampomah.
League form: WDWWWW.

Ref: Maurizio Mariani (ITA). A relatively young Italian ref, who took charge of his first European game last season.

TV: BT Sport 2.

How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Burnley 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 Antwerp to go with?

 

No videos for the match thread and no press conference yet, so have our most memorable match against a Belgian side, instead:

 

Rest time between yesterday, Thursday and Sunday means I'd imagine we'll make a solid amount of changes for Antwerp, a lot of those who missed out on the squad and were on the bench against Burnley will likely feature.

I think we'll see something like:

Hart
Aurier, Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon
Winks, Lo Celso
Bale, Lamela, Bergwijn
Vinicius

It was noted Bergwijn had a slight knock for Burnley - and Jose quite rightly said he didn't need to risk him due to the options he now has - so I'm presuming he'll be ok for Thursday but could start from the bench, if so I'd love to see Clarke given a start. I'd imagine Dele will play a part too although like against Linz, it'll likely be from the bench. Tanganga may be in with a chance too, though not sure Jose will go with Sanchez and Tanganga as a pairing, could be wrong.

 

It might be a blessing in disguise that we only have Europa and not Champions league. The games are not so challenging and we can make wholesale changes, which is what I expect. We have to think about Brighton, and who we can rest for that game. With that in mind I go for:
Hart
Aurier, Sanchez, Rodon, Reg,
Sissoko, Dele, Winks
Bale, Vinny, Bergwijn

 

Great seeing that again, the joy of Graham Roberts equaliser and the tension of the penalty shootout! I could hardly bare to watch our pens and would put my hands over my face and then open my fingers to peep through

 

That wouldn't work as Rodon isn't in our registered squad

 

Thanks for matchday reports PNP. I enjoy reading them but I feel your pain in having to write so many! Let's hope for your sake spurs don't win the quadruple this season.

 

poor guy is going to be writing one up for the Super Cup and Community shield next season

 

Watched all of that again lovely to hear the two Brians commentating

 

I don't really mind the European ones, especially in the Europa.
It's interesting to see things about clubs that we've never played, even fairly well known clubs like Antwerp.
The story about their last manager tickled me this week, I must admit.

 

Poor show misspelling Tony Galvin's name on the team sheet!

 

Probably spent ages making sure he got names like Czerniatynski and Vandereycken right, then ballsed up an easy one!

 

please log in to view this image

 

Bully

 

Forget remember, Spurlock you go for it

He can't even come bottom of the league

 

Luckily I noticed they were spelled rght

 

Someone will find something to pick out of this.

 

I kind of agree but also think Jose is seriously targeting winning this competition and will always pick a strong side. Winning this competition a third time in 3 attempts with 3 different clubs would give him a record that probably will never be matched, it would also end Spurs long trophy drought and also guarantee Champions league football next season again so I don’t think we will see too much of a weak side in any of these games

 

As Jose would say .... I'm a failure in failure huh?