Match Threads Wolfsberger vs Spurs - Match Thread - 1st Leg

[Bulletspur]

WOLFSBERG 1-4 SPURS
Liendl... Son, Bale, Lucas, Vinicius​

Spurs: Lloris (C), Doherty, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies, Winks, Sissoko (Hojbjerg), Dele (Ndombele), Bale (Lamela), Lucas (Bergwijn), Son (Vinicius).
Subs: Hart, Whiteman, Sanchez, Tanganga, Lavinier, Bowden Scarlett.

Wolfsberg: Kofler, Novak, Baumgartner, Lochoshvili, Scherzer, Sprangler, Taferner, Liendl, Wernitznig, Joveljic, Vizinger.
Subs: Skubl, Kuttin, Giorbelidze, Henriksson, Peric, Pavelic, Dieng, Rnic, Leitgeb, Stratznig, Rocher, Schofl.

Official Site Match Centre[
Six changes to the team that started against Manchester City on Saturday.
Matt Doherty, Toby Alderweireld, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Dele and Gareth Bale come in for Japhet Tanganga, Davinson Sanchez, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele, Erik Lamela and Harry Kane. Youngsters Dane Scarlett, Marcel Livinier and Jamie Bowden are all on the bench.

TEAM FORM - Wolfs - LWWLW -------- Spurs LLWLL ---- (All competition)

We will be aiming to get back on track after a humbling defeat at Manchester City when we take on Wolfsberger in the first leg of our Europa League last-32 tie on Thursday evening. We shipped three goals and scored none at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening - a result which marked our fifth defeat in six matches across all competitions after an equally dismal 5-4 loss to Everton in the FA Cup. However, we advanced to the Europa League last 32 as group winners after prevailing in four of our six Group J matches, and our first-leg meeting with Austrian outfit Wolfsberger will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

Wolfsberger have been in good form in Austria. They’ve lost just a couple of matches since the start of December. They qualified through Group K, finishing above Feyenoord and CSKA Moscow in the process. We have been on a poor run as we’ve lost a string of matches since the end of January and were recently knocked out of the FA Cup by Everton. It was a pleasing qualification campaign for Wolfsberger. It’s just the third time that the Austrian side has taken part in this competition and the second time they’ve made it to the group stages. They finished bottom in a hugely competitive group that featured Roma, Borussia Monchengladbach, and the Turkish champions, Istanbul Basaksehir. They looked to be heading for an early exit this time around but a couple of 1-0 wins in their last two group stage matches secured second spot in Group K.


We have never met in a European competition before. That’s hardly a surprise considering that this is just the third season that Wolfsberger have been involved in a UEFA competition. We were drawn against another side from Austria in the group stage. We beat LASK 3-0 in London and drew 3-3 in the return fixture in Austria. Wolfsberg kept things much tighter in qualification this season. They had an average of 2.50 total match goals in their group matches in last season’s Europa League. That figure dropped to 2.10 this season.

Things were a little more open for us. We had an average of 3.33 total match goals in our six group stage matches. That followed on from our qualification campaign. We have been an open side in the Europa League throughout. We’ve had an average of 4.00 total match goals in our Europa League games since the first qualifier back in mid-September. This is a big chance for us. We haven’t won a major trophy since 2008 and we are without a European honour since 1984. Mourinho won this competition with Manchester United back in 2017. This competition is probably our best chance of reaching the UEFA Champions League next season.

We have been involved in some high-scoring matches during the Europa League this season. Much like their opponents, the majority of the goals went in after the halftime interval. 21 goals went in during the second halves of Spurs’ matches in the Europa League this season compared to 15 before the break. Wolfsberg were hardly prolific in the group stages. Four of the seven goals they scored were from the penalty spot so it may not be worth backing them to score too many. At the other end, we have scored three goals in three of our last four Europa League away matches.

Sergio Reguilon has been out of action since the end of January with a muscular problem, but Mourinho has offered hope that the left-back could return in time for Thursday's game. Serge Aurier has missed our last two defeats after limping off with a calf problem against West Bromwich Albion, but he is thought to have a good chance of returning against Wolfsberger. Giovani Lo Celso sustained a hamstring injury against Leicester City back in December and has not played since. It would be a surprise to see the Argentinian midfielder return to action before the end of the month.
Banner courtesy of @chrissivad

 

[TheChosenOne]

I'm just taking each game as it comes now, hoping my team can rescue something from the recent all round embarrassment in all our games.

The oft derided EL might get us a long awaited trophy (& CL) Reggy coming back for this might be the difference, I sincerely hope so.
.
COYLW's as always.
.
Thanks @Bulletspur

 

[JimmyG2]

I'm just taking each game as it comes now, hoping my team can rescue something from the recent all round embarrassment in all our games.

The oft derided EL might get us a long awaited trophy (& CL) Reggy coming back for this might be the difference, I sincerely hope so.
.
COYLW's as always.
.
Thanks @Bulletspur

Will you be 'over the moon' if we win this one?
and speculating on a trophy and EL potential of the Europa
is not taking each game as it comes my friend.

I have reserved you a place behind the sofa with the dog
for all Spurs games until the end of the season.
He's very quiet and friendly.
Barks when we score and howls when we concede.
He's called Jimmy which can be confusing.

 

[Gassin's finest]

Going with a second team will see us getting a bit of a shock. Wolfsberger will be full strength, and they play a very progressive, high press. We need to play a strong team in midfield.

 

[Humbolt]

3-0 Wolfsburg. We're shite...

 

[Ashley1974]

3-0 Wolfsburg. We're shite...

we're not playing Wolfsburg

 

[topper]

3-0 Wolfsburg. We're shite...

If were playing Wolfsburg I may not argue with that scoreline - but as we are not 3-0 to Spurs!

 

[Humbolt]

we're not playing Wolfsburg

Wolfsburg, Wolfsberger, hamburger... fucking Big Mac. Doesn't matter who we're playing, we're still shite and we'll still lose.

 

[topper]

Wolfsburg, Wolfsberger, hamburger... fucking Big Mac. Doesn't matter who we're playing, we're still shite and we'll still lose.

Still if we get through to the next round we'll probably draw the French giants Pret a Manger

 

[Trix]

Wolfsburg, Wolfsberger, hamburger... fucking Big Mac. Doesn't matter who we're playing, we're still shite and we'll still lose.

If we don't make it through this round even I'll jump on the bandwagon of 'Jose out' misery.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

I've been reading up on Wolfsberger. They play a high-pressing game in an attacking formation with two up front. Their midfielder Liendl is a free kick specialist and on-field leader.

As with all pressing sides, the attacking key for us will be to break the press and get Son, Kane, et al. through their defensive high line. The defensive key will be not to give the ball away in midfield when we get pressed. Yeah, I know.

 

[spursfan77]

Interesting article on the athletic about them. The potential for us to under estimate them, given our poor away form in the group, is massive.

 

[Monkey boy]

I've been reading up on Wolfsberger. They play a high-pressing game in an attacking formation with two up front. Their midfielder Liendl is a free kick specialist and on-field leader.

As with all pressing sides, the attacking key for us will be to break the press and get Son, Kane, et al. through their defensive high line. The defensive key will be not to give the ball away in midfield when we get pressed. Yeah, I know.

Remember what Lask did to us in the group stages will tell you everything you need to know about how we can totally mess up against teams that press us.

 

[stormfly]

We are going to smash them! Kane will probably be Spurs all time top scorer after this game once he bangs in 60 goals. COYS!

 

[Humbolt]

Interesting article on the athletic about them. The potential for us to get absolutely spanked by them, given our poor away form in the group, is massive.

FYP

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Remember what Lask did to us in the group stages will tell you everything you need to know about how we can totally mess up against teams that press us.

LASK is a bit better though. LASK recently completely defeated Wolfsberg. They also lost to Rapid Wien. They are firmly established below the absolute Austrian elite. Just like us in PL one might say, but it would be horrendous if we can't even get through this fixture over two legs.

 

[yid-down-under]

Lloris
Aurier, Toby and Eric, davies
Peh, sissoko
Bale, dele, bergwjn
Kane

 

[shelfboy68]

We are going to smash them! Kane will probably be Spurs all time top scorer after this game once he bangs in 60 goals. COYS!

Can we have the same again against the hammers

 

[AustrianHotspur]

Hi! Just wanted to let you know how to call our opponents.

It's either Wolfsberg (the name of the town where they come from) or just WAC (but only in German pronunciation). Their official name is Wolfsberger AC, but nobody says "Wolfsberger". Just Wolfsberg or WAC.

Oh, and we should beat them comfortably.
Anything else would be ridiculous.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Hi! Just wanted to let you know how to call our opponents.

It's either Wolfsberg (the name of the town where they come from) or just WAC (but only in German pronunciation). Their official name is Wolfsberger AC, but nobody says "Wolfsberger". Just Wolfsberg or WAC.

Oh, and we should beat them comfortably.
Anything else would be ridiculous.

So I can't say "WACky" throughout the game thread and think I'm funny?