Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Maccabi Haifa

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Thursday 1st October 8pm
Europa League Qualifier
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium​

Two consecutive 1-1 draws at our stadium, but with very different outcomes and feelings.
Newcastle felt like a loss, while Chelsea was definitely a win.
It's a third home game in five days and this is probably the biggest of them all.
We host Maccabi Haifa to see who goes into the Europa League group stage.
Can Mourinho manage this heavy schedule or will we crash out at the last hurdle?

Our visitors are one of the most successful sides in Israel, coming from the third largest city in the country.
They've won 12 titles and 10 domestic cups, finishing in 2nd place last season and currently topping the table.
They are managed by Barak Bakhar, who took over in the summer, joining from Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
He earned them some success in the 16/17 season Europa League, making it through the group.
They eliminated Southampton and Inter Milan to do so, beating the Italians home and away.

Maccabi Haifa have a 100% record this season, winning all five games so far.
They've progressed through three rounds of qualifying, twice at home and once away.
The first side that they hosted were FK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo, last year's Bosnian runners up. They won 3-1.
Next came the visit of Kairat Almaty, the Kazakh 2nd place side. They defeated them 2-1.
Finally they overcame FK Rostov, who came 5th in Russia. Another 2-1 win saw them through.

Son and Bale are still out, while a number of player probably won't be considered.
Neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

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

Haifa: Cohen; Mabouka, Habshi, Arad, Menahem; Fani, Lavi; Chery, Ashkenazi, Haziza; Rukavytsya.
Subs: Kaiuf, Meir, Gershon, Gurfinkel, Rodriguez, Touray, Wildschut, Nachmani, Shua.

Ref: Ruddy Buquet (FRA). Was in charge of Arsenal's loss to Frankfurt last season.

TV: Premier Sports.

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

 

< NSF Baddiels >

 

Hart.
Aurier. Reguillon.
Alli, Sessignon.

Six others.

 

Basically the players that weren't involved last night.
Alli, Sanchez, Sessegnon, Winks, Lo Celso, Doherty, Davies, Foyth, Carter-Vickers, White and Cirkin.
No idea why they've used Lloris for the image, as none of the keepers are there.

 

Our opponents had the weekend off so will be well rested. We’re obviously depleted so this will be a tricky one. Expect another grind. We’ll have to play some players who featured last night you’d have thought, unless Foyth is about to get a game. It could be:

Hart
Doherty Sanchez Foyth Davies
White Winks GLC
Lucas Alli Sess

Expecting Kane on the bench again alongside others. I wouldn’t expect anyone who played 90 mins yesterday to be involved heavily if at all in the squad. Certainly Dier won’t be involved and I suspect Tanguy won’t be either.

 

Tricky with so many games so close together but I agree with Hudd that no one who played 90 mins last night will start, but I think Harry will.

Hart
Doherty Sanchez Davies Sessegnon
Gedson Winks Lo Celso
Lucas, Kane, Dele

Score early put the game to bed and get Harry off again as early as possible

 

The Israeli league is at present suspended as they are in second wave lockdown.
Haifa do not have a 5 game 100% record this season. They have won their 2 league games and won 2 and lost one in the pre-season league cup. Nothing much to go on.

Hart
Doherty, Davinson, Davies, Sess
PEH, Winks, GLC
Lucas, Kane, Dele

 

Gedson played over an hour on Tuesday - wouldn't that rule him out? Hojbjerg may be the better option, bring Gedson on late?

 

I forgot about Hojbjerg - my memory for recent events is becoming tragically short!

 

A starting XI to blitzkrieg the opposition and have the game done
and dusted by HT is noble, but you know that will not happen at the
first sign of busparquet (do you trust that CM/attack to do so ?? ) .

 

I don’t think we’ll start Kane or Højbjerg as they’re both players we’d want on towards the end of the 90 and in extra time if we have to go there closing the game out. If it went to ET and pens then I’d rather Kane came on at 70 mins than play 120.

Though they’ll likely be a more defensive team than Chelsea, I think it’s better to contain and try and blitz them at the end if we have to, than risk starting strong then not having leaders and key players on the pitch at the end when we need them most.

 

Foyth is not in the squad list on the UEFA site and neither is Gazzaniga.
We have four club trained players...Whiteman, Carter-Vickers, Winks and Kane plus 5 HG....Hart, Doherty, Sessegnon, Clarke and Dele so only room for 16 others.

 

Good point, CCV for Foyth then I guess.

 

Think we’ll go with something like:

Hugo
Doherty, Sanchez, Toby, Davies
Hojbjerg, Winks
Lucas, Lo Celso, Bergwijn
Kane

Most of those will then play against Utd I’d imagine, with hopefully Reggie and Ndombele coming in for Davies and Winks, whilst Dier will come in for Toby.

 

I think that you're largely right, though I don't think that Lloris or Bergwijn will start.
We may see Hart and Alli in their place.

 

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Gazzaniga's reportedly been dropped from the Europa squad to make room for Reguilon

 

PS said so earlier