Match Threads LASK vs Spurs - Match Thread - Round 5

[Bulletspur]

LASK 3-3 SPURS
Michorl, Eggestein, Karamoko... Bale, Son, Dele​

Spurs: Hart, Doherty, Sanchez, Tanganga, Davies (C), Hojbjerg, Lo Celso (Dier), Ndombele (Bergwijn), Bale (Aurier), Lucas (Sissoko), Son (Dele)
Subs: Whiteman, Austin, Winks, White, Clarke, Scarlett.

LASK: Schlager, Wiesinger, Holland, Andrade, Ranftl, Madsen, Michorl, Renner, Gruber, Eggestein, Goiginger.
Subs: Gebauer, Karamoko, Reiter, Ramsebner, Potzmann, Plojer, Cherboko, Haudum.

Official Site Match Centre
Eight changes to the team that started against Chelsea on Sunday. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele and Heung-Min Son remain, with Joe Hart, Matt Doherty, Davinson Sanchez, Japhet Tanganga, Ben Davies, Giovani Lo Celso, Gareth Bale and Lucas coming back in. Ben Davies captains the team this evening.

TEAM FORM: - Lask - WWDLW --------Spurs WWWWD ------- (All Competitions)


We will be looking to book our place in the Europa League knockout stages when we travel to Austria to take on Lask Linz on Thursday evening. However, the hosts are only three points adrift of the top two in Group J and will be out to spoil our party when they welcome us to the Linzer Stadion. Despite a dampening home defeat to Royal Antwerp on matchday four last week, LASK's dreams of making the Europa League round of 32 are still very much alive. The Austrian outfit have amassed six points from a possible 12 in Group J and sit three points behind Antwerp and us heading into the penultimate round of fixtures, with fourth-placed Ludogorets Razgrad already eliminated.

It is possible for LASK to leapfrog us into second with a shock victory this week, but not only would Dominik Thalhammer’s men need to defy the odds and come out on top, LASK would also have to put us to the sword by at least three goals. Stranger things have certainly happened in football during this disrupted year, and LASK would be producing one of the results of 2020 should they somehow stop us in our tracks, but their elimination will be confirmed if we do end up winning and Antwerp beat Ludogorets on Thursday. Thalhammer's side prepared for this daunting showdown with a comfortable top-flight victory over SCR Altach, with Johannes Eggestein bagging a brace while Mamoudou Karamoko came off the bench to score in a 3-0 win.

While Jose was unable to get one over his former protégé Frank Lampard upon his return to Stamford Bridge at the weekend, a goalless stalemate against Chelsea was enough to see us return to the summit of English football, although we were certainly on the back foot for large periods of the game. We are in dreamland in the Premier League, but we are still yet to secure our into the next round of the Europa League, with Antwerp currently ahead of us owing to their memorable 1-0 win over us back in October. However, we immediately bounced back from that defeat in Belgium with two straightforward victories against already-eliminated Ludogorets, and a draw against LASK would be enough to see us guarantee a top-two finish and a spot in the next round.

Both LASK and us locked horns on the first matchday of the Europa League group stages, with strikes from Moura and Son as well as an Andres Andrade own goal propelling us to a routine 3-0 victory in that game.

LASK midfielder James Holland is back for this encounter after missing out the defeat to Antwerp through suspension, but having played the full 90 minutes at the weekend, the Australian may be rested here. While Holland has just returned from a ban, Gernot Tauner received a straight red card in last week's loss and will not be available for our visit. Andrade should fill the void left by Trauner in LASK's three-man defence, with Petar Filipovic set to miss out after he suffered a hip injury against Antwerp.

Meanwhile, we have confirmed that Toby is set for an extended period on the sidelines with the groin injury he sustained in the win over Manchester City, which makes Tanganga’s return all the more timely. Doherty has also fully recovered from coronavirus, and while the Republic of Ireland international missed out against Chelsea, he could very well return to the fold on Thursday. Mourinho is expected to rotate our front four with the inclusions of Vinicius, Lucas and bale, while Dele and Lo Celso will likely battle it out to start in the number 10 role.

Banner courtesy of @chrissivad

 

[JimmyG2]

Like Sunday another 'musn't lose' game but we can probably do better than that
especially with the second teamers keen to make their mark.
Swamp and overwhelm 'em early and get the kids on.
as we did last week against Ludogorets.

My Doctor has written to José imploring him not to play cagily
and leave it until the last minute to score the equaliser.

 

[rez9000]

Ọtụtụ ekele maka ịtọlite mkparịta ụka egwuregwu @Bulletspur

That's Igbo, which is the principal native language of the Igbo people, a cultural group of southeastern Nigeria. Igbo is recognised as a major language in Nigeria, and a minority one in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon.

 

[spids]

Assuming that we want to win the group, to avoid the CL drop outs in the first knock-out round, then we need to win this and beat Antwerp. The team that won the last Europa league game should be good enough, but I'd rest Ndombele and start Lo Celso.

 

[wrd]

Because the group stages are done on a head to head basis, we could actually lose this one aslong as it's by less than 3 goals and beat Antwerp aslong as we either win 1-0 or by a margin bigger than 1 thereafter and still finish top.

I'd be inclined to not let some of key to our spine players (Kane, Hojbjerg, Dier, Ndombele) travel and take the risk in this one. We have more than enough quality to see these off.

 

[carpediem991]

I'd say just play last weeks team basically with Gio for Tanguy. That would mean the whole team that faced Chavs and will probably start vs Scum gets their break. They still can be on the bench for emergency reasons and to show the squad it is serious. They won't tire out by a flight from London to Austria. Probably good for some to come out while a lockdown. Its not Kazhakstan.

If we win or even Draw we can take our last match rather easily and can focus in the preparation a bit more on the Palace/ Liverpool double that are next.

 

[Goldman]

Looking forward to this one! It will be interesting to see how strong Jose goes, but the squad is more than good enough to rotate. I think the Antwerp game was a blip and I’m confident we could still heavily rotate and win.

 

[Monkey boy]

Because the group stages are done on a head to head basis, we could actually lose this one aslong as it's by less than 3 goals and beat Antwerp aslong as we either win 1-0 or by a margin bigger than 1 thereafter and still finish top.

I'd be inclined to not let some of key to our spine players (Kane, Hojbjerg, Dier, Ndombele) travel and take the risk in this one. We have more than enough quality to see these off.

did not know that. Great fallback option. In which case rest anyone that will be starting on Sunday

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Cant afford to play Sonny with Kane out, but with Vinicius also injured he'll probably have to start.

 

[SargeantMeatCurtains]

Cant afford to play Sonny with Kane out, but with Vinicius also injured he'll probably have to start.

Personally I’d start Dele in Kane’s role. He’s got an eye for a pass and he likes to come deep anyway. Think he’d be really effective there.

 

[GLC10]

Hart, Doherty, Tanganga, Sanchez, Davies; Winks, Sissoko; Bale, Lo Celso, Lucas; Dele.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Because the group stages are done on a head to head basis, we could actually lose this one aslong as it's by less than 3 goals and beat Antwerp aslong as we either win 1-0 or by a margin bigger than 1 thereafter and still finish top.

I'd be inclined to not let some of key to our spine players (Kane, Hojbjerg, Dier, Ndombele) travel and take the risk in this one. We have more than enough quality to see these off.

Agree with your sentiment. I love the Europa League actually and it's good fun. But priorities are priorities. We've never played Thursday footie before as league leaders, and need to accept the added emphasise that puts on wise squad management.

 

[Gspurs11]

Wonder if Bale will play as CF? Would suit him and he effectively played there for Wales during the last national break

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Given the latest info that there's no senior striker in the squad, I'd go
4 defenders (you all know who)
Winks
Lucas, Dele, Bale, Bergwijn,
Clarke

That will mess with their minds

 

[carpediem991]

Given the latest info that there's no senior striker in the squad, I'd go
4 defenders (you all know who)
Winks
Lucas, Dele, Bale, Bergwijn,
Clarke

That will mess with their minds

Would probably mess more with ours. Definitley think we need a playmaker a la GLC or Ndombele on the pitch. At least for 60 minutes.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Definitley think we need a playmaker on the pitch.

Winks?

 

[philll]

Scarlett's travelling. I don't expect to see him start but it'd be great for him to get a solid appearance under his belt.

 

[GLC10]

Given the latest info that there's no senior striker in the squad, I'd go
4 defenders (you all know who)
Winks
Lucas, Dele, Bale, Bergwijn,
Clarke

That will mess with their minds

Gio needs to play.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Gio needs to play.

Fine sure whatevs. Take Clarke out upfront and put Lo Celso at CM along Winks for a solid 424

 

[PCozzie]

Gio needs to play.

Gio, hi, it's great that you're on the forum. Have you tried talking to the manager? (Though I'd stop talking about yourself in the third person) I dont think Jose is on here, but if he is, you need to tag him in your post otherwise he wont see it; I doubt he looks at the match threads.