Chelsea Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[thebenjamin]

Would prefer 3 at the back like at Arsenal. Wimmer and Dier cannot be left alone without an adult present. Wimmer at left back seems a recipe for disaster.

When we play a back four, the centre backs needs to be comfortable defending the space behind the fullbacks, and Wimmer has been very uncomfortable doing that this season. Tasking him with lots of 1-v-1-defending in wide areas as a full back when he's already somewhat low on confidence would be recipe for disaster i.m.o.

Three at the back with Walker and Sissoko (Yeah, really) as wing backs would make me most comfortable actually.

2 right wing backs but who plays on the left?

 

[Bobbins]

I think we can get a point here. We're better against better sides generally, and will hopefully go pretty tight at the back.

I'd be over the moon with a point given the recent form of both sides. I can see them nicking a late winner in typical scum style though.

 

[mpickard2087]

Wouldn't be surprised to see us go with a back three and try to match up against them.

I just hope we're smart and prepared for this game. We know how they will play and, when you factor in the other night also, I will be extremely unimpressed with Poch if we get ruined down the flanks in this game. Lessons have to be learnt.

 

[Kiedis]

2 right wing backs but who plays on the left?

Would go with Sissoko. His most decent game for us was when given a simple tactical and mainly defensive role against Man City, so if it's a role we can somewhat expect him not to fudge up, it's something like this.

Moreso, I'd argue that it's better to start him and then be able to take him off for a more attacking player if we need to change things. The games where we've been chasing a goal and had to replace an attacking player with Sissoko because the former is knackered have been painful to watch. If he starts, then at least in theory, he'll be starting the game with Chelsea coming right at us and leaving some room for him to counter in. It's in scenarios like that he's been a real pain for us when we've played Newcastle.

 

[Wirral Spurs]

Watching from behind settee with hope rather than expectation.

 

[ajspurs]

Like I always say there's only 2 fixtures in the season that I never see us getting a win from, that's Liverpool at Anfield and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. I can see us getting a draw at most. It sucks to be so pessimistic with our chances but I never like this fixture

 

[wingvaldsen]

Funny how everyone was screaming to give Wimmer a chance, and now the same people are terrified of him playing.

 

[guate]

I would like to think the players are sufficiently motivated by last season's result at the bridge to go there and use all that pent up anger and frustration to come away with a win. Yes the Russian mafia are playing well under Conte now that he's found their ideal formation but they are not unbeatable and for the players and fans sake I would accept a win as their way of apologizing for our Champs league fiasco.

 

[JAYSTAR]

Funny how everyone was screaming to give Wimmer a chance, and now the same people are terrified of him playing.

Yeah, idiots....

 

[sunnydelight786]

So you'd want 6 CB's in the squad just in case we need to cover suspension and injuries?

literally lol

Will you be laughing if we get dicked tomorrow because our 2 backup CB's have had a mare again?
Dier is not a CB, Wimmer average and CCV is a kid who the manager CLEARLY doesn't see ready as yet. So in answer to your question yes we did need a CB, a top class backup to Dembele, a top class playmaker to push/rotate eriksen/Lamela and a top striker to backup/rotate Kane.
Our 'treading water' in the market has culminated in our early exit out of the LC and utter humiliation in the CL. Oh how some laughed on here the last 2 years when LFC/MUFC failed to get out of their group but the joke has ended up being on us....

Back to topic I stand by my original post that JV MUST start at CB. He's the only true leader we got at the back after TA absence

 

[dondo]

-------------------------Lloris

-----------Vertonghen Wimmer Dier

----------------Dembele--Wanyama
Nkoudou---------Eriksen ------------Walker
------------------Son
---------------------------Kane

A bit of thinktank craziness

Inverted wing backs?

 

[kaz Hirai]

Inverted wing backs?

Oh Wrong way round, I'm not that crazy yet

 

[Spurger King]

Inverted wing backs?

 

[guy]

Funny how everyone was screaming to give Wimmer a chance, and now the same people are terrified of him playing.

It's a completely different scenario if Toby was still fit - Wimmer would be fine. With Dier, well it's a mare

 

[Bulletspur]

We sacrificed (well Poch did) our Champions League place for this match so we had better fucking win it!

I am not holding my breathe though as I see Moses ripping us another one in the absence of the brain dead Rose who must have known he was on four yellows, when he needlessly gave away a cheap foul against West ham. Or was it done on purpose to avoid this game?

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

If people's theories that Pochettino has told the players that they should not press during this part of the season to save energy for later, and that's the only reason why we are playing rubbish, well then certainly he would deem this match worthy of wasting some energy and we'd have a 5-0 win.

 

[maltahotspur]

I think that MoPo will actually go with Walker at left back and Trippier in his familiar right back position. He may then be able to keep a centre back pairing of Dier - Jan. I reckon it is imperative to have Jan at centre back, it will be vital to have him playing in there, given the experience he has to lead the back four for such a difficult encounter. In the circumstances, a back four of Trippier - Dier - Jan - Walker is our best option.
The least we chop and change the back four the better. This isn't a game where we can experiment and compromise. Three of those will play in their familiar role. The exception will be Walker, who I believe has the ability to adapt.
The defensive midfield pairing has to be Wanyama - Dembele, they are the physically strongest pairing we have and they will be needed to protect the defence most of the time.
The three advanced midfielders Dele - Eriksen - Son with Kane up top.

Lloris
Trippier - Dier - Jan - Walker
Wanyama - Dembele
Dele - Eriksen - Son
Kane

Bench : Vorm, Wimmer, CCV, Winks, Sissoko, N'Koudou, Janssen.

 

[Gilzeanking]

Well its a strange thing , but seeing as our probs are partly ,or as Poch says ,mainly to do with mentality , I reckon the team will put in a shift for this one .

Only a non English reading , foreign Spurs player could possibly have missed the avalanche of abuse that has crashed down on the team from almost every possible media and social media source. Not quite a laughing stock , but on the way .

Not saying we'll win , but I think there will be more than a flicker of resistance from our troops today, unless we start conceding of course . Fingers crossed, coys .

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

As much as I'd love us to stuff the blue playboys,I think the omens are bad. I'd prefer to us in a 3421 line up but the obvious issue is who plays lwb: Nkoudou, Sissoko, Walker? None of them fit the position currently and playing four at the back will Dier and Wimmer as CB will be disastrous.
I'd prefer to see Waynama and Dembele in the CM two with Ali and Son behind Kane. Son should have license to drift wide left to provide an outlet for the lwb. Eriksen is currently a waste of space and I'd be tempted to drop him. The only way I'd consider starting him today is in the CM two role next to Waynama to control the tempo and launch quick counters. But he's been awful recently so that would be a terrible risk potentially.
I think a full strength squad would go to Chelsea and give them a very tough game but things are just too makeshift today- the sort of thing a team in form, like they currently are, will exploit.

 

[Shea]

What happened to everyone saying Chelsea will be shaking with fear at the prospect of playing us this year because we fouled them a few times while we capitulated last season?