Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Everton

please log in to view this image

Sunday 23rd December 4pm
Premier League
Goodison Park​

Our 2nd North London Derby of the season went a lot better than the first and we're in a semi-final, too.
Our weary squad looked pretty bright and they'll have to maintain that sharpness, as we're hitting a tough patch.
A trip to Merseyside opens our festive schedule and it's the first of four games in ten days.
We have seven matches in January, so this will heavily test the squad and our manager.
Can we give ourselves a slightly early present or will we end up being turkeys?

Everton started this campaign under new management, having seen off Koeman and Allardyce in the last one.
The Dutchman was a disaster and had them flirting with relegation, so Big Sam was brought in to steady the ship.
He did his usual solid if unspectacular job and dragged them up to 8th place, which is a pretty respectable finish.
His style of play was extremely unpopular with the Goodison faithful though, so he got the chop.
Marco Silva was swiftly ushered into the hotseat, having been fired by Watford in January after having his head turned.

Controversial Portuguese managers may be making headlines at the moment, but Silva's not one of them.
Everton's start has been very mixed, resulting in an almost symmetrical record of 6 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses.
Their squad had a major overhaul in the summer window though, so some inconsistency is to be expected.
Richarlison was their most expensive signing and he's lived up to his billing so far, rejoining his old manager.
Digne, Bernard, Mina, Gomes and Zouma have all been heavily involved too, though.

The Toffees currently sit in 8th position in a particularly congested section of the league table.
They're only 2 points behind Man Utd in 6th place, but they're also only 3 ahead of Brighton in 13th.
The club have invested heavily this year and will be looking to push on and cement a European place.
Their away form will have to improve if that's to be achieved and they'll need to maintain their home record.

Both of our matches against Everton last season saw good performances and impressive scorelines.
The visit to Goodison Park came first and it was a surprisingly one-sided affair.
Harry Kane opened the scoring after 28 minutes with a flukey goal, as his cross soared into the back of the net.
Christian Eriksen added a second before the break to make the scoreline more reflective of the action.
A second for Kane just after half-time killed any thoughts of a comeback and it could've easily been more than 3-0:

The second match saw a second coach in the Everton dugout, but largely the same result.
An early Wayne Rooney header had the visitors believing that they'd taken the lead, but it was ruled offside.
They didn't manage another attempt on target, as a sloppy, lazy performance was punished badly.
Son turned in Aurier's cross for the first, before turning provider for the second, as he teed up Kane.
The England striker bagged a second shortly after that and a lovely team goal was finished by Eriksen to make it 4-0:

Aurier, Dembele, Dier, Vertonghen and Wanyama all miss out again, but Sanchez returns.
Everton will test Gueye, but he should be available. Neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Davies, Rose; Sissoko, Skipp; Lamela, Alli, Moura; Kane.
Subs: Gazzaniga, Walker-Peters, Eyoma, Winks, Eriksen, Son, Llorente.
League form: WWLWWW.

Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Zouma, Keane, Mina, Digne; Richarlison, Gomes, Sigurdsson, Bernard; Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Stekelenburg, Baines, Schneiderlin, Davies, Lookman, Walcott, Tosun.
League form: DWLDDL.

Referee: Paul Tierney. His first game for us this season, following his mare in the Rochdale FA Cup match.

TV: Sky Sports.

Lots of matches and lots of potential for changes, so what would you do for this one?
Should Foyth or Sanchez be put back in and if so, would you leave out Davies or Rose?
Do we need to single out Richarlison tactically or just stick with our normal game?

 

Hugo
KWP, Toby, Dave, Davies
Sissoko, Alli
Lamela, Eriksen, Son
Kane

Rose has been back to his best but played three games in about 7 days after returning from injury so could do with a rest to ensure he don’t over-do it. Likewise with Tripps, played on Saturday and Wednesday, so worthwhile using the fresher KWP. Unfortunately Sissoko can’t really be rested seeing as we haven’t got anyone to adequately cover him at the moment. Gonna be a big ask over the next few weeks for him, maybe against Bournemouth or Wolves we can look at trying to switch it up.

 

I know Spurs have injuries but I fear that Sissoko is not being rested much this season, compared to others. Poch should consider altering the formation that would allow Sissoko to be rested over the 4 games in 10 days period.

I do wonder sometimes whether all these injuries are being caused by over training and their incessant chasing of the ball when opponents have the ball. Their bodies are being stressed. Surely there are some games they can control better by playing smarter and slowing down a little.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eriksen benched again tomorrow. If we’re supposedly easing him back in, that would make sense given that he played 90 mins on Wednesday.
Dele also played 90, and Son 80. So I think it’s safe to say that Lamela will start, and probably Lucas, too.

 

Just wanted to say thanks to PNP for these MatchDay threads. Appreciate it.

 

please log in to view this image

 

I agree, I've said it before but it's well worth saying it again. It's always an interesting and well informed post and is a welcome change from the often poorly informed BBC article with much of the media equally badly informed. Developing or following a rumour and presenting it as informed journalism does not wash with the informed fan.
To echo Barney's owner, Thanks PNP.

 

Spurs to win but not by 3 or 4.

 

My prediction is 28% of the away support have a decent view of the pitch

 

And so the FIRST pivotal moment of the PL campaign has arrived for Spurs :

Chelsea 0 - Leicester 1
Man City 2 - Crystal Palace 3

There MUST NOT BE a Spursy game tomorrow.
A WIN is all that matters, even if the game is a mirror image of the Burnley dirge.

 

We’re due a spursy game. There hasn’t been one for ages.

 

Everton are no mugs at home to be honest, we got a great result there last season (I went to that , first win I've had there in about four visits) but they've added a bit of quality this year. Will be tough, especially as we're averaging two games a week at the moment, squad is taking an absolute battering.

 

got a tough selection decision tomorrow.
Happy Clappy mofo RCL has done well this season but old bastard RCL played a blinder on Wednesday v the goons...

so who to drop?

 

Let's have the miserable fecker back you're singing voice is dreadful

 

Happy clapper was an annoying dick. Everyone prefers the miserable, pessimistic, overly negative, (very) old bastard.

 

First half Happy Clappy but if not working Miserable Old B Second half. Good Luck, COYS

 

Start bastard, and if we go 3 up, make a substitution.

 

Strongest Side possible please - Yesterdays results mean a win today is imperative so that we put pressure on City, and open up the gap on Chelsea
Lloris Trippier Sanchez Alderweireld. Davies, Sissoko, Winks, Eriksen, Dele, Son, Kane and of course miserable RCL

 

We're getting Spursy back today.
Always have been.
Opportunity knocks- Nah. We'll mess it up.