Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v KF Shkëndija

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Thursday 24th September 7pm
Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round
Ecolog Arena, Tetovo​

The shambles in the Carabao Cup is ongoing, but we don't have time to sit around and moan about it.
We're back in Europa League qualifying again, having narrowly navigated the last tie.
This time we return to Eastern Europe to face Shkendija of North Macedonia.
They're unbeaten this season and they'll fancy their chances, having watched our performance in Plovdiv.
Can Mourinho find a workable side for this match, while also resting key players for the weekend?

Our hosts first formed as a Yugoslavian club for Albanian supporters back in 1979.
They were disbanded a couple of seasons after they formed though, due to tensions in the country.
The Macedonian League reformed following independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and the club did, too.
They started off in the 4th tier and worked their way up, winning their first title in 2010/11.
Two more have followed since, but they finished in third place last season.

They've started this campaign well and currently sit at the top of the table after six matches.
The gap to 2nd is only a point, but the current champions and most successful side Vardar are miles back in 9th.
Success in two Europa League qualifiers will probably have boosted their confidence, too.
Trips to Sumgayit of Azerbaijan and FC Botosani of Romania saw them win 2-0 and 1-0 to go through.
Their defence is pretty resilient, only having conceded 5 goals in 8 games.

Here are the highlights of their Europa League wins:

Nice finish for their early winner in the second game.

Tanganga and Bale miss out again to injury.
Alimi is suspended for them, having been sent off against Botosani.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Doherty, Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Ndombele, Winks, Hojbjerg; Moura, Kane, Son.
Subs: Hart, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sissoko, Lo Celso, Lamela, Bergwijn.

Shkendija: Zahov; Murati, Krikav, Bejutal, Pavic; Alimi, Ramadani; Ahmedi, Totre, Nafiu, Ibraimi.
Subs: Redjepi, Neziri, Dita, Zejnullai, Doriev, Ljuma, Es Sahhal.

Ref: Ali Palabiyik (TUR). A fairly young (39) and inexperienced Turkish ref from Ankara.

TV: Premier Sports 1. Good luck.

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

 

Not sure why it says Harry Winks. Probably winding up DH! They'll take this down, I think.

 

Sadly at the moment we cannot trust many of the PL strongest
starting XI to stay at home while the rest of the squad travel and
get the job done.

I hope Jose will try and start with as many of the better players
who he feels are currently well off PL starting XI match fitness.

 

Bale still injured!? Getting ridiculous. How much are we paying him to sit on the sidelines?

 

Beginning to understand how Arsenal feel now with Ozil

 

@Dier Hard

 

You know the saddest thing, of all the Spurs squad on a personal scale, Winks would probably be one of the guys I could genuinely enjoy a beer with .

 

Judging by what Jose’s been saying, I think we can expect more or less a first choice XI and then if we do reach the groups, we’ll see a bit more rotation.

Hugo
Aurier, Sanchez, Toby, Davies
Ndombele, Winks, Lo Celso
Lucas, Kane, Son

 

he’s out for a month...we knew this before we knew he was here.

 

I'm assuming B&W was joking. Just joining in. Probably didn't work

 

Not the first time Spurlock that you misread tongue in cheek comments

 

soz abar that

 

Have a ****ing spliff Spurly, bro

 

You’d have to sit together at the bar though. If you sat opposite him he’d miss after passing the beer sideways

 

Mourinho has already injured Bale due to training sessions.

< Jose out >

 

Ffs

 

Nice touch of class by the gaffer.

 

Top man is Jose regardless of what United fans will try to tell us

 

As a counterpoint, the reason why Skriniar is potentially heading our way is 1% on the player and 99% on the manager

For his first two years at Inter they played with a back four, which he slotted into alongside De Vrij or Joao Miranda and he was fine. But when Conte came along he insisted on a back three which has been so effective that it's actively going against the strengths of not only Skriniar but also Diego Godin - and when a manager is using a system that is negatively affecting not just a player who had no issues at all in the previous two seasons but also a player regarded as one of the world's best centre backs, the player simply can't be blamed