Team v Hull

TH1239 said:

This game is about goals. This current squad is not scoring enough goals. Christian Eriksen has 12 league goals since last December and has scored more goals in this supposed run of poor form than Andros Townsend and Aaron Lennon have in their last 62 hours of EPL football COMBINED (and that's hugely generous to Townsend/Lennon, as their goals involved a deflection and an inadvertent cross that happened to go in). Eriksen has a specific skill set (namely the ability to strike the ball with either foot from outside 15 yards) that virtually no one else in this squad has. We will go nowhere with him sitting on the bench, as the alternatives to him are significantly worse when it comes to end product.

By the way, I find it funny that you talk about form and all these other attributes, yet the team you listed in this very thread has Dembele, Lennon (at right back) and Bentaleb as starters. What form have these three shown to warrant inclusion? Give me some concrete examples of their attitude/determination vis-a-vis Christian Eriksen that makes the former worthy of a start in this game, but Eriksen not?

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Eriksen has the talent yet isn't showing it, which is disappointing. We need to get a reaction out of him and get him to strive to get greater consistency, dropping him and sending him a message is one way of doing it. It would also show what mentality he has... Will he sit and sulk about it, or come back more determined and with improved displays as he proves the manager wrong?

As for the rest, most of these haven't played so you cant really make a basis on current form. However the selection is based on the fact that the team is failing currently and we need to absolutely exhaust the options available to us in order to try and find an effective approach. Why keep sticking to the same players, the same tactics, and the same failings? It also takes into account that we will be playing a tricky away game against a team who may line up in a 3-5-2, something we don't see often and may have to take into account.

Therefore I went for Bentaleb as part of a 3 man central midfield if he is fit (looks unlikely) as he can aid retention of the football, being the link between Stambouli breaking up play and shielding the back four and allowing Mason to break forward more and allows him license to roam around. Dembele has had some of his better games for us on the right hand side, and he will naturally drift inside and this effectively makes it 4 vs. 3 in the centre of the pitch, giving us numerical (and hopefully, in game) superiority. There is also the small chance that stationed slightly further forward it gets a bit more out of his dribbling ability... Finally we have had a problem with lack of width on the right all season, yet we keep playing inverted wide players and right backs in Dier/Naughton who cant push forward. Why not try something different with the resources available? I'd see what Lennon could do personally (though he again looks to be injured) and whether it could get something out of his rather obsolete skillset as an old fashioned winger. If they do play 3-5-2 then its effectively pitting wing back vs. wing back and he isn't going to get doubled up on too much.

Yeah we might lose, but we are losing with Plan A. Why not try something different?

Or we could just do as Poch, and most fans do, and stick to more of the unimaginative same and a massively unbalanced 4-2-3-1...

Chadli a doubt?

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2014/11/22/6384761/-?

Want Dier at CB tomorrow, but I don't want Vlad om the pitch...

Chadli a doubt? A blow.

My team:
Lloris (C); Dier, Fazio, Vertonghen, Rose; Mason, Dembele; Lennon, Lamela, Eriksen; Soldado.

Subs:
Vorm, Kaboul, Davies, Capoue, Townsend, Kane, Adebayor.

If Chadli is out I'd mix it up a bit, nothing to lose.

Hugo
Dier Kab Vert Davies
Paulinho Mason
Dembele Kane Lamela
Soldado

Think Eriksen needs to spend some time on the naughty step, mind you, they all do tbh

sim0n said:

lloris
dier kaboul vertonghen davies
stambouli mason
eriksen kane chadli
adebayor​

I would much rather see Dier paired up with Vertonghen at CB, but the RD situation forces this to be for now.....

sell Capoue in the winter window please - very surplus to requirements

COYFS!!!!!!!!!

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How on earth can you put Adebayor anywhere near the team

Lloris
Dier Fazio Vertonghan Davies
Stambouli Eriksen
Lamela Kane Chadli
Soldado

sim0n said:

chiriches dier vertonghen davies as the back 4 tomorrow? that could work.... kaboul played well out on the right when at pompey, but the injury worries he and the team have for him probably means they would not want him "marauding" up and down the right flank....

I would like to see dier and vertonghen paired together at CB

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I agree it could work if there was time for it to be worked on in training but with 3 of those players having been away on International duty there hasn't been time & would think the last thing we need right now would be a back 4 that has never played together before as a unit to be thrown together to play, we can't just keep changing tthe defensive pairings or they will never be a cohesive unit, I think we all know Kaboul will most likely start even if we don't want him to, so the question is who plays with him Fazio or Jan, if it's an understanding between a pair then it has to be Jan.
Where we possibly could make changes is in the protection in front of them as Capoue is woefully off form, so Stambouli or Dembele will likely come in. I think it's more than likely the back 4 against Hull will be Dier, Kaboul, Jan & Davies, Once Walker returns then we can try Dier at CB & as I doubt Kaboul will get the chop maybe we could try Jan in a deeplying midfield role to offer protection, If we can assure qualification for knockout stages of Europa lg, the remaining EL games could be a good opportunity to see how it works in a competitive game.

Lloris

Kaboul, Dier, Verts, Rose

Stambouli, Mason

Lamela, Kane, Townsend

Adebayor

Not the spurs way as such but id rather we play a team setup not to lose .Not sure what that looks like but a loss tomorrow would be horrid for Poch.

Maybe stambouli, dembele and mason with one of chadli/lamela/erikson dropped.

I would be in two minds
Having had a two week break and a chance to work on things Poch may feel he has made progress with his 4 2 3 1 but he needs to get the 3 to be be more aware defensively

I would as a wild card go 4 3 3 with the following

Lloris
Dier. Fazio Vertonghen Davies
Mason Capoue Dembele
Lennon Adebayor Townsend (Chadli if fit)
Subs to inc Kane Lamela Eriksen Rose (only loses his place because of others) Paulinho

If he he goes with his favoured style I would like to see

Lloris
Dier Fazio Vertonghen Davies
Stambouli Capoue
Lamela Mason Townsend (Chadli if fit)
Soldado

Subs Eriksen Kane Rose

Borks said:

Lloris

Kaboul, Dier, Verts, Rose

Stambouli, Mason

Lamela, Kane, Townsend

Adebayor

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that looks interesting, but looks like Davies will start for the injured Rose.... Maybe Chadli deserves to keep his place in the 11 as well?

sim0n said:

that looks interesting, but looks like Davies will start for the injured Rose.... Maybe Chadli deserves to keep his place in the 11 as well?

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Forgot Rose was injured, Chadli is doubtful isn't he? Obviously him ahead of Townsend if he isn't.

Townsend injured to is he not

If Chadli and Andros are both out I wouldn't mind seeing Ceballos given a shot.

sim0n said:

lloris
dier kaboul vertonghen davies
stambouli mason
eriksen kane chadli
adebayor​

I would much rather see Dier paired up with Vertonghen at CB, but the RD situation forces this to be for now.....

sell Capoue in the winter window please - very surplus to requirements

COYFS!!!!!!!!!

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Kaboul is a liability. And give me Bobby over Ade - we don't need half assed performances right now

Hugo
Dier fazio verts davies
Stambouli mason
Lamela kane eriksen
Soldado

Sub: vorm, kaboul, chiriches, capoue, dembele, adebayor, paulinho

Kane, Lamela & Eriksen i'd have thought if Chadli and Andros are out.

yiddo23 said:

Townsend injured to is he not

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Yes, but I want miss him and his head down shooting never hitting the target etc.

Can we not just send lloris out on his own...he'll be the only one worth watching anyways. Maybe get Thudd to swap shirts at half time so we can all reminisce of times when it was at least occasionally fun to be a Spurs fan. Hold me.

Would have Kane in if Chadli is out, otherwise all the players are similar and too alike to have a preference.