Spurs (h) pre-match thread

[blue ranger]

What I'm most intrigued about is who Pep will start in midfield (if Fernando still unfit) and whether he will drop bravo which I'm sure will bring him loads of questions about Joe Hart. For what it's worth, I think he is too stubborn to drop Bravo but will be fascinated waiting for the team selection. If like to see this:

Caballero
Sagna Otamendi Kompany Kolarov
Delph Fernando
Sane KDB Sterling
Aguero

Think this would give us a bit of strength and energy in midfield.

 

[BlueBlood27]

What I'm most intrigued about is who Pep will start in midfield (if Fernando still unfit) and whether he will drop bravo which I'm sure will bring him loads of questions about Joe Hart. For what it's worth, I think he is too stubborn to drop Bravo but will be fascinated waiting for the team selection. If like to see this:

Caballero
Sagna Otamendi Kompany Kolarov
Delph Fernando
Sane KDB Sterling
Aguero

Think this would give us a bit of strength and energy in midfield.

Frightening given how much we have spent that we are going into a must win game playing Delph, Fernando, Kolarov and Caballero. Sagna as well to an extent. Shocking that we do not have better youth/squad options.

 

[ballinio]

We will be 1 down in 4 mins,5 down by 87 mins

Why don't you just go & support someone else ffs

 

[kaz7]

Why don't you just go & support someone else ffs

It's called gallows humour,over your head it seems

 

[Mancityus]

Two options for me:

1) Full steam ahead, same again, hope its a Barca rather than a Leicester/Everton. Toure in a 2 man midfield. Blind hope that our system works. (Bold prediction: it won't).

2) Play 20 yards deeper, play Kompany and Ottamendi. Sagna right back. Left-back is a disaster whoever plays. Fernando, Toure, Silva right in the middle. Sterling, Sane wide and KDB though the middle. Play patiently. Don't concede in first two minutes. Compete in midfield. Play deep and compact. Attack when there is space. Play direct and keep players behind the ball.

I will go with your "Blind' option - we could do it to Barca why not to Spuds and the positive news is Clattenspur is not "playing" for them

 

[BlueBlood27]

I will go with your "Blind' option - we could do it to Barca why not to Spuds and the positive news is Clattenspur is not "playing" for them

I like your optimism, and it's a possibility we might score more then them. But I think the likelihood will be, like last year, they overpower us in midfield, nick the ball time and time again and cut through our back two (fullbacks will be near the opposition penalty box) like a knife through butter.

 

[totalfutbol96]

Willy in goal please

 

[BlueBlood27]

Willy in goal please

I agree, but it won't stop the amount of guilt edged chances we provide Spurs with unfortunately. Caballero is a better shot stopper than Bravo for sure though.

 

[Easy]

What I'm most intrigued about is who Pep will start in midfield (if Fernando still unfit) and whether he will drop bravo which I'm sure will bring him loads of questions about Joe Hart. For what it's worth, I think he is too stubborn to drop Bravo but will be fascinated waiting for the team selection. If like to see this:

Caballero
Sagna Otamendi Kompany Kolarov
Delph Fernando
Sane KDB Sterling
Aguero

Think this would give us a bit of strength and energy in midfield.

This would be my team as well. I would be surprised if he dropped Bravo though. Would be big decision from him but the right one. Delph needs to start and provide some energy in midfield, replace him with Yaya and they'll run rings around us. We need to be more direct and Sane provides this for us much more so then Silva there. I think this team has the best chance of getting some points. If Pep decides to play Yaya and Silva instead, I'm afraid we'll be in for another heavy defeat.

 

[thyer64]

Not a popular team most likely, but we need to change things up:

Willy/Gunn
Sagna -- Otamendi --Kompany/Tosin -- Clichy
----Fernando
A.Garcia---Yaya
Sterling---Aguero---Sane

I'd try to set the team up to drop deep , and when possible break with pace and try to catch their fullbacks forward.
I'd hope we start throwing some kids on as it's better than the senior pros who are currently playing in the 11
Tosin deserves a chance, can't be any worse than stones was last game. Need to start nurturing him for the future, a local lad like him should be treated carefully as it players like him who could form captains for the next decade if he breaks thru.
Would likely play Willy in this game more than Gunn, but a big English keeper like him is an attractive prospect if he is nurtured well, and if this season is a write off, he should be given mins to get used to being a potential number 1, playing out from the back etc.
The midfield trio should offer addition protection for the defense.
Also what I'd be tempted to do is that since this team has some height about them, do what Mancini did a team times with us, and push 2 out of the 3 forwards (namely Sterling and Aguero) up to the halfway line to counter quickly, and also potentially limit the amount of players they push forwards on corners for example.