Our regular match thread guy seems to have missed this one, so I thought I'd jump in, as it's today. Here's a link to his last thread on the games between the sides, for those looking for some match history: http://www.not606.com/threads/totte...omwich-albion-match-history-1901-2014.277538/ The Baggies have had a whole week to prepare for this game and they'll be far more confident than they have been recently, due to some improved form under their new manager, Tony Pulis. He's certainly tightened them up at the back and the goals will probably come in time, as they've got a few threatening players. A win today would be a massive result for them too, as the sides around the relegation zone are only separated by a few points. Callum McManaman is available for them too, having joined from Wigan. Spurs, on the other hand, come into this game on the back of a congested schedule and some very tough fixtures ahead in the coming weeks. 5th in the form table, behind Arsenal and Chelsea on goal difference, but with some mixed cup results and a lot of very tight games. Nacer Chadli's return should be a welcome boost, but Nabil Bentaleb is still with Algeria at the ACoN. They face the much-favoured Ivory Coast tomorrow, though that side has yet to impress. Lots of transfer speculation surrounding the squad at the moment, so expect anyone missing out to be in the rumours section of tomorrow's papers. Lennon, Kaboul, Adebayor and Chiriches seem to be leading that list right now. I'm expecting more of the same from Pochettino for this one. The 4-2-3-1 with inverted wingers and two holding players seems to be his favoured system and I can't see that changing. Lloris; Walker, Fazio, Vertonghen, Rose; Mason, Stambouli; Townsend, Eriksen, Chadli; Kane. Subs: Vorm, Dier, Davies, Dembele, Paulinho, Lamela, Soldado.
That team is pretty much what I expect and hope for too PNP. Bentaleb is a big miss but Stambouli is handy in that position.
How can you predict the result of this one? What odds on another 80somethingth minute winner from Eriksen?
Cannot be accurately predicted Luke, only guessed at. This isn't a season changer or anything just one of those bread and butter matches. They go into it with the momentum of a new coach and a win earlier at WHL. I'd be happy with a draw.
We should be expecting to win this, they are at home and will need to attack. We play better in that situation and our squad looks more at ease with each other than when we played them last. We are improving!
Lloris, Walker, Fazio, Vertonghen, Rose, Dembele, Mason, Eriksen, Paulinho, Lamela, Kane. Vorm, Davies, Dier, Chadli, Stambouli, Townsend, Soldado. Could be worse, could be better. Guess I see the reasoning, Stambouli and Townsend have played a fair bit of football and we've a lot of fixtures coming up, Bentaleb will come back but has been playing ACON and obviously travelling too. Big game for Dembele, Paulinho and Lamela in particular.
Eriksen and Lamela out wide again. Doesn't work for me, I'm afraid. Far too narrow. Dominated against Sheffield United for most of the game, but didn't manage to create the chances to kill them off. Left our fullbacks vulnerable and theirs open to play balls into the box, which cost us the first goal, at least.
Lamela is overdue a performance ,today would be a good day for it .Big 3 points today with the games coming up next
Dembele looked good against Sheffield but that was pretty much his best game all season, and look who it came against. I prefer Townsend and Chadli because at least they vary their play a little on the wings, and there seems to be a much better balance to the side with them out wide and Eriksen in the middle. With everyone fit I'd play them but with our recent schedule of games and the run we have to come, especially around the end of February, and the fact that Chadli has been away, I can see that perhaps Pochettino's hand has been forced for this game. Then an uninterrupted week of training to get the likes of Chadli and Townsend ready ahead of the NLD, and we go from there.
Big game for Paulinho. In fact the next few games for a lot of players will be big, all will want to be in that 18 man squad at Wembley so I'd expect a lot of the fringe players to really go for it and try and show their worth if given the opportunity.
