Team for United....

[rio bryan]

Spot on SMC - was about to post that team myself before I read your post. Lamela has to get a run of games now, Townsend has to come in on the left to give us a nice balance and afford us the chance to get some decent crosses into Soldado. Dembele in an advanced position behind the front two could be the key, I thought he was one of the only positives on Sunday. Pressure is on now and every team selection will come under the microscope, lets just hope AVB makes the right changes.

typo!

 

[Spurs_Bear]

He's in a real quandary here AVB. If he is as under pressure as some would have you believe then changing anything drastically could be exactly the wrong thing to do were we to go and lose 2-0 per example. It would be akin to him making those changes against Napoli when he was Chelsea boss and it ending up costing him his job when it didn't work out.

However, if he sticks with what he has been doing, and we don't win either, he runs the risk of being labelled predictable and unable to set up his team properly.

I don't envy him this weekend, might just be a good idea to tell the players to 'go out and run around a bit.'

 

[hodsgod]

If he puts Lamela back on the bench i'll scream.

Why? He isn't ready to be starting against Utd. Lennon needs to be there he has the experience. Lamela is playing like a frightened rabbit, he needs to be eased into the league, and build up some confidence. The game to play was Newcastle.

 

[hodsgod]

Soldado in midfield? Interesting!

He needs to be the second striker at times. Someone needs to be playing like Rooney does so often. I originally thought that's what Paulinho was bought for, but he seems to be playing as a defender mostly. Are can hold on to the ball, and that is when you need Soldado. We can't be playing 442 at the moment.

 

[TaoistMonkey]

Lloris
​

Walker Kaboul Chiriches Vertonghen

Capoue Sandro

Paulinho
​

Lamela Soldado Chadli​

The goal-scoring and assist numbers of Lennon, Townsend, Dembele and Holtby are simply shocking in league play in the calendar year 2013. I can't believe so many of the line-ups here have all 4 of them as as starters. We will not score until all 4 are dropped. Paulinho was very poor on Sunday, but he was very good for Brazil last week, and I have to believe he was fatigued from the 3 games in a short time span.

​

I like this team. Think we may see Dembele for Paulinho though. Guy looks like he needs a rest

 

[hodsgod]

I think it will be something along the lines of:

Lloris
Walker Dawson Vlad Jan
Sandro Dembele
Townsend Sig Lennon
Soldado
​

If Lamela starts it will be on the left which is infuriating considering he is our best number 10 available.

​

How can you say he is our best no10? He has been awful. He may have the potential at 21 to be our best No10 but he clearly isn't now.

 

[Donki]

He's in a real quandary here AVB. If he is as under pressure as some would have you believe then changing anything drastically could be exactly the wrong thing to do were we to go and lose 2-0 per example. It would be akin to him making those changes against Napoli when he was Chelsea boss and it ending up costing him his job when it didn't work out.

However, if he sticks with what he has been doing, and we don't win either, he runs the risk of being labelled predictable and unable to set up his team properly.

I don't envy him this weekend, might just be a good idea to tell the players to 'go out and run around a bit.'

I would tell them to go out and enjoy a game of fucking football, they are all professionals and know how to win a match. To many instructions dont seem to be working. Tell them if they see a pass take it, support your team mates, dont hade form the ball and get forward when you can.

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

Remember hearing a story from Hoddle about David Pleat. Basically, Pleat didnt name a formation, he named his 11 best players, and told the team to go and find their own formation during the game. The team settled into a natural formation that suited the players, and played some amazing football. They then stuck to this formation for the rest of the season.

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

Remember hearing a story from Hoddle about David Pleat. Basically, Pleat didnt name a formation, he named his 11 best players, and told the team to go and find their own formation during the game. The team settled into a natural formation that suited the players, and played some amazing football. They then stuck to this formation for the rest of the season.

Moral of the story- Dont overload the players with tactics, or be too concerned with formations.

 

[dudu]

He's in a real quandary here AVB. If he is as under pressure as some would have you believe then changing anything drastically could be exactly the wrong thing to do were we to go and lose 2-0 per example. It would be akin to him making those changes against Napoli when he was Chelsea boss and it ending up costing him his job when it didn't work out.

However, if he sticks with what he has been doing, and we don't win either, he runs the risk of being labelled predictable and unable to set up his team properly.

I don't envy him this weekend, might just be a good idea to tell the players to 'go out and run around a bit.'

Definitely agree. Ultimately he has to learn at some point. He is young and inexperienced and clearly doesnt have the managerial nous to deal with an impending crisis. He also seems like the stubborn type who may be reluctant to seek advice from people who could give him some valid input like you bear

Taking the shackles off and getting the players smiling again will do wonders for morale and team spirit. Idlove to see sandro and demebele together in the CM.

The Lamela conundrum continues too.... do you risk playing him again? He wasnt any worse than anyone else but his trakcing back was particularly lazy and against Man U im not sure we can afford to have anyone not pulling their weight defensively.

i would perhaps have a

Lloris
Walker Kabs Chirc Verts
Sandro Dembele
Lennon Lamela Townsend
Soldado.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

How can you say he is our best no10? He has been awful. He may have the potential at 21 to be our best No10 but he clearly isn't now.

I said best available. Eriksen is out so can't play and Holtby isnt a number 10 by his own admission. And you could say every single one of our players have been quite awful this season so i dont think its that far off saying he is the best option at number 10. And considering he has had the single highest rated match by a Spurs player this season i dont see how you can say he has been awful anyway. Judging him on last weeks performance is pointless, it was his first PL start and he was played out of position. People expect him to suddenly adapt to the PL without playing in it, as if one day he will just suddenly be amazing without having any game time. If we want him to develop he needs to play, he has the ability now, he just needs to figure out the league and the only way he will do that is by playing in it, not by sitting on the bench. He needs time on the pitch to settle, sure he will have some dud games but he needs consistent playing time to learn. And as i said, i dont see how he has been any worse then any of our other attacking midfield options. Its just my opinion, but seeing as we seem bereft of ideas when it comes to unlocking defences i think the time to give Lamela a shot in his preferred role is now... we can hardly do any worse.

 

[CowInAComa]

frankly i dont care exactly who is picked to play, we've tried every combination and nothing changes.

it all comes down to changing up the way we go about the game.

But like pointed out, now is the worst time to start implementing a new philosophy, pressure cooking environment and a very lose-able game. It should have come after West Ham.

 

[UncleBuck]

I haven't got a clue, presume lloris will start though....apart from that though who'd rule out AVB picking himself....

 

[beats1]

Remember hearing a story from Hoddle about David Pleat. Basically, Pleat didnt name a formation, he named his 11 best players, and told the team to go and find their own formation during the game. The team settled into a natural formation that suited the players, and played some amazing football. They then stuck to this formation for the rest of the season.

Moral of the story- Dont overload the players with tactics, or be too concerned with formations.

Or tell the players to just fackin run around abit!

 

[Wardy]

I'd play:

Lloris
Walker Daws Chic Verts
Sandro Dembele
Lamela Siggy Towsend
Soldado

​

All I ask is that we put some bloody crosses into the box and play with more width!

Daws had a mare last game, but Kabs didn't look fit

 

[neptunes]

I want to see a team, which ever, full of passion and combating for every f****** ball and for that beloved SHIRT.

Now am i asking much?

COYS

 

[hodsgod]

I said best available. Eriksen is out so can't play and Holtby isnt a number 10 by his own admission. And you could say every single one of our players have been quite awful this season so i dont think its that far off saying he is the best option at number 10. And considering he has had the single highest rated match by a Spurs player this season i dont see how you can say he has been awful anyway. Judging him on last weeks performance is pointless, it was his first PL start and he was played out of position. People expect him to suddenly adapt to the PL without playing in it, as if one day he will just suddenly be amazing without having any game time. If we want him to develop he needs to play, he has the ability now he just needs to figure out the league and the only way he will do that is by playing in it, not by sitting on the bench. He needs time on the pitch to settle, sure he will have some dud games but he needs consistent playing time to learn. And as i said, i dont see how he has been any worse then any of our other attacking midfield options. Its just my opinion, but seeing as we seem bereft of ideas when it comes to unlocking defences i think the time to give Lamela as shot in his preferred role is now... we can hardly do any worse.

You said best, and that is why I left Lamela out. He has been awful, there are even threads discussing it. I absolutely agree he needs time. The time was Newcastle at home. Straight after his good game, trying to build on it. Not away at city. I see a player that needs managing and building up gradually.

Who decided Lamela had the highest single rated match this season?

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

Or tell the players to just fackin run around abit!

Exactly.

 

[Kendall]

Lloris

Walker Kaboul Chiriches Vertonghen

Sandro Paulinho

Townsend Dembele Chadli/Sig

Adebayor

​

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

Remember hearing a story from Hoddle about David Pleat. Basically, Pleat didnt name a formation, he named his 11 best players, and told the team to go and find their own formation during the game. The team settled into a natural formation that suited the players, and played some amazing football. They then stuck to this formation for the rest of the season.

By the way, this was what happened that season.

Tottenham Hotspur reached third place in the First Division, reached the FA Cup final, and the semi-final of the Football League Cup in the 1986–87 season. Glenn Moore, writing in The Independent in 1995, described the play during Pleat's stint as manager of Spurs as "some of the best attacking football of the last two decades". During this season, he played with just one striker - Clive Allen, who scored a highly impressive total of 49 goals in all competitions. They had been in serious contention for all three major English trophies that season, although they ended the season without winning any of them