Spurs (h) pre-match thread

Spurs (h) prediction

  • Total voters
    450
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
Despite all the success and the fantastic football we play I still get the City jitters before a game. Didn't expect it to be so easy agsinst the Hammers and don't expect this to be easy either but should have enough to win. Get through this one and we have a good run of fixtures to rack up points and ensure that our rivals, whoever they are, can't afford to drop any.
 
shevtheblue said:
Really can't see Pep dropping Dave in a big game, considering he's had a full weeks rest and we're not into the tough part of the season with games all the time. We'll have to see i suppose.
Click to expand...
Bernardo will offer more energy and running, love Merlin and a tough decision but I would bring in Bernardo
 
Withnail said:
I forgot about Dhino, I think Rodri will be an excellent signing, but if Dhino is fit then I would be tempted to bring him in. Amazing the options we have both in players and formations. Glad Son is not fit, but they are still a decent side and will provide a tough test
Click to expand...
Son is banned, it’s not down to fitness why he isn’t playing. Red card last game of last season.
 
Withnail said:
Bernardo will offer more energy and running, love Merlin and a tough decision but I would bring in Bernardo
Click to expand...
Same here, but Dave has the experience and always seems to start for Pep. I can't remember which game last season that KDB and Bernardo played together as 8's. but IIRC it wasn't a great performance? Maybe my memory is wrong.
 
domalino said:
It's important to keep Jesus and Mahrez's momentum as well. If they bust their gut and play brilliantly only to go straight back to the bench next game then they'll quickly lose spirit. Dzeko still talks about being benched after scoring 4 as being one of the worst moments of his career

Pep choosing Fern or Rodri will tell us a lot about how the rest of the season will go IMO.
Click to expand...
I expect him to pick Rodri. I think it will be Rodri all the way until we start getting 2 games a week in September. Then the rotation begins.

And yes, it’s essential Jesus and Mahrez start. Any team selection without them is plain wrong in my opinion. The main call is Bernardo. Is he fit enough to be considered a better option than Silva centrally? That’s what Pep will be looking at in training this week.
 
shevtheblue said:
Who would you drop? Mahrez had a great game against West Ham, the other option probably would be to drop Jesus and put Sterling down the middle..
Click to expand...

Don’t know, that’s Pep’s job, but if he wants Bernardo in then most likely Mahrez gets rotated.

I just don’t get why half the forum think that the only way to play Bernardo is in Dave’s position.
 
the talisman said:
Don’t know, that’s Pep’s job, but if he wants Bernardo in then most likely Mahrez gets rotated.

I just don’t get why half the forum think that the only way to play Bernardo is in Dave’s position.
Click to expand...
Because Mahrez created all 5 goals against West Ham. And dropping him just kills his good feeling at the moment. It will be feeling like a fresh start for his City career, why end that? We are going to need him. Mahrez, Jesus and Sterling look our sharpest players. So that’s the front 3 sorted for me. I wouldn’t be considering anything else up there, but that’s me.
 
Tricky_Trev said:
Because Mahrez created all 5 goals against West Ham.
Click to expand...

Yep, probably his best game for us.

That doesn’t mean that Pep can’t play Bernardo in his best position anymore.

He says he’s the first name on his team sheet and he had a slight twinge or something last week if I recall.

Look, I have no idea who will play, I’m just puzzled that so many have stated that Bernardo can only come in for Dave.
 
Tricky_Trev said:
Because Mahrez created all 5 goals against West Ham. And dropping him just kills his good feeling at the moment. It will be feeling like a fresh start for his City career, why end that? We are going to need him. Mahrez, Jesus and Sterling look our sharpest players. So that’s the front 3 sorted for me. I wouldn’t be considering anything else up there, but that’s me.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I don’t think Pep will leave Bernardo and Sergio out 2 weeks running but that’s just me :-)

Maybe he’ll surprise us all and start Foden like the last time we played them.....
 
the talisman said:
Don’t know, that’s Pep’s job, but if he wants Bernardo in then most likely Mahrez gets rotated.

I just don’t get why half the forum think that the only way to play Bernardo is in Dave’s position.
Click to expand...
I think it was established last season that Bernardo's best position is as an 8 so it shouldn't be a surprise that people want to see him there. Dave also had quite a poor second part of last season so it would seem natural, but yeah, when Pep mentioned Mahrez last weekend he mentioned him with Mahrez as the opposition player for his position..
 
shevtheblue said:
I think it was established last season that Bernardo's best position is as an 8 so it shouldn't be a surprise that people want to see him there. Dave also had quite a poor second part of last season so it would seem natural, but yeah, when Pep mentioned Mahrez last weekend he mentioned him with Mahrez as the opposition player for his position..
Click to expand...

I’d love to see him there as an heir to Dave, but “established?” I don’t think so, Pep played him at right wing in almost every game.
 
the talisman said:
I’d love to see him there as an heir to Dave, but “established?” I don’t think so, Pep played him at right wing in almost every game.
Click to expand...
When i say it was established, i mean the common consensus was that his performances drastically improved in the 8 and he had less impact out wide. When KDB was injured, which was most of the season, Bernardo started as the 8 with Dave.
 
shevtheblue said:
I think it was established last season that Bernardo's best position is as an 8
Click to expand...

How on earth did you work that one out? He played RW for probably about 75% of his games last season and was nominated for POTY off the back of it. He was playing RW when he won player of the tournament at the Nations League finals too.
 
shevtheblue said:
Fuck, maybe i passed out through 75% of last season :D I remember him playing a lot of games as an 8 and being brilliant there.
Click to expand...
At the beginning he did, and then he moved to the wing ahead of Sané. He only played centrally twice in our last 16 league games.

With KDB back and fit, the default line up has been David & KDB in midfield, Sterling-Aguero-Bernardo in the front 3 and Mahrez and Jesus trying to break into the team.
 
shevtheblue said:
But wasn't that because KDB was back for a few of them? I still think his best position is an 8 tbh.
Click to expand...
Well if you hadn't noticed, KDB is back now...

He won POTY nomination based on being on the RW for the second half of the season. IMO his biggest strengths are his pressing of defenders, running people backwards into their own box and linking up on the edge of the box - RW lets him do those things a lot more.
 
He’s bloody good in at least two positions. Personally, I don’t remember him turning in a bad performance wherever he was playing. Medium to long term, though, I think he’ll move into midfield. I’ll follow you on that. Merlin’s gone at the end of this season. This much we know.
On the other hand, there’s this lad from Stockport who is (quoting Pep) the best player he’s ever seen at that age. And (quoting Kev) a better player than Kev was at his age. That’s some competition...
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top