Match Threads Spurs vs Pacos de Ferreira - Match Thread - ECL - Qualifying round - 2nd Leg - KO 7.45pm

[Bulletspur]

Official Site Match Centre

TEAM FORM: - Spurs - DWWLW ---- Pacos - WLLWL----- (All competitions)

We welcome Pacos de Ferreira on Thursday evening needing to overturn a deficit to remain in the Europa Conference League. We had a much-changed team that succumbed to a 1-0 defeat in Portugal, resulting in an improved performance being required in front of our own supporters.
After recording wins over Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers without conceding a goal, it is difficult to criticise our start to the new season. However, with the competition representing a clear opportunity to win silverware, failing to reach the Europa Conference League group stages would cast a shadow over any progress made under Nuno.
The Portuguese arrived here with the task of reclaiming a spot in the Champions League, but ending the our wait for silverware also features highly on his remit. While much was made of our failing to have a shot on target in the first leg, there is an argument that the end result could have been far worse with none of our players present having 90 minutes in their legs. That will change on Thursday night, and Nuno may also take the opportunity to hand a start to Harry now that he is staying with us, but more importantly with him being behind the rest of the group in terms of fitness.
Despite their fifth-placed finish in Primeira Liga last season, Pacos de Ferreira's triumph in the first leg is not in keeping with their other results in recent weeks. As well as losing the away leg to Northern Irish side Larne in this competition, Jorge Simao has witnessed his team succumb tamely to Boavista and Estoril.
Pacos de Ferreira will also have had over 30 hours less time to prepare for this contest with travel also having to be incorporated into their plans. Nevertheless, while everything appears to be against them, Simao and his players know that an early goal at our stadium will heap the pressure on us who have scored just twice in 270 minutes of football.

Team News
While Nuno is expected to make widespread changes once again, he is likely to name a Spurs XI featuring senior players.
Kane could spearhead the attack, with the likes of gollini, Sessegnon, Lo Celso and Gil all returning to the team.
Romero should also feature in the middle of the defence, providing that he has shaken off the minor issue which kept him out of the squad on Sunday.
Helder and Lucas Silva are in line to return for Pacos de Ferreira after the two wide players dropped out of the side for the game versus Estoril.
Matchoi djalo is pushing for a start, having only been named as a substitute for the last two fixtures.

Head to Head
This will only be our second game against each other whether competitive or friendly . The first being the first leg last week.

Banner courtesy of @chrissivad

 

[dickieven]

Should be straightforward!! Hope Kane starts to get his fitness up. He will want that with an international break around the corner.

Hoping a few 1st half goals and then make some changes. But it's never that easy with us is it?

 

[Montalbano]

If Winks and Doherty both start, this will probably be our final UEFA Conference League match of the season.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Probably should pin this - because it will be asked a minimum of 1000 times:


Away Goals are no longer a tie-breaker.

"[T]ies in which the two teams score the same number of goals over the two legs would be not decided on the number of goals scored away, but two 15-minute periods of extra time are played at the end of the second leg and in case the teams score the same number of goals or no goals during this extra time, kicks from the penalty mark would determine the team which qualifies to the next stage of the competition."

 

[Bulletspur]

Should be straightforward!! Hope Kane starts to get his fitness up. He will want that with an international break around the corner.

Hoping a few 1st half goals and then make some changes. But it's never that easy with us is it?

I agree. Now that he is staying, the sensible thing is for him to start, in order to "catch up" with the others in terms of fitness.

Would also like to see Lo Celso who I believe still needs sharpening, along with Gil and Sessegnon also to increase their level of performances.

 

[tommo84]

We need to go stronger than we did in the 1st leg. I’d even pick as many as 7 players who started vs City and Wolves but expect it to be only 4 or 5. The only players I particularly want to see brought in (again) are Romero, Bryan Gil and Lo Celso (who I thought was so disappointing in the 1st leg).

I’d expect Gollina to start also obvs.

 

[degoose]

Just checked to see if this has been picked up and it has. It's on Premier Sports 2

 

[SirHarryHotspur]

What are the pundits on on our TV matches going to talk about in future, Harry is staying, they might have to commentate on the match that would be novel.

For Spurs supporters in Europe also showing on
Sport TV1 Portugal HD
SportKlub 1 (croatia) HD
SportKlub 1 (montenegro) HD
SportKlub 1 (serbia) HD
SportKlub 3 (slovenia)

 

[yid-down-under]

Gollini
Doherty Sanchez Romero Davies
Peh winks glc
Lucas Kane Gil

 

[Delboy75]

Is there extra time ? Or straight to penalties ?

 

[Erm33]

This is streaming on paramount plus in the US.

 

[we_all_loved_freund]

Just checked to see if this has been picked up and it has. It's on Premier Sports 2

I had an email yesterday saying it was on premier 2. It isn’t. Currently showing Swedish Speedway!?!

 

[we_all_loved_freund]

I had an email yesterday saying it was on premier 2. It isn’t. Currently showing Swedish Speedway!?!

May help if I realised today was Wednesday and not Thursday. 2 kids under 2 years old does this to you. Be warned ?

 

[Bofrok]

FreeSports are showing a rerun of the game on Friday at 13:00

 

[Erm33]

May help if I realised today was Wednesday and not Thursday. 2 kids under 2 years old does this to you. Be warned ?

This entertained me at least mate ?

 

[Majick]

Probably should pin this - because it will be asked a minimum of 1000 times:

Away Goals are no longer a tie-breaker.

"[T]ies in which the two teams score the same number of goals over the two legs would be not decided on the number of goals scored away, but two 15-minute periods of extra time are played at the end of the second leg and in case the teams score the same number of goals or no goals during this extra time, kicks from the penalty mark would determine the team which qualifies to the next stage of the competition."

Yes, because of all the issues facing UEFA, the away goals rule was paramount for addressing...

Anyway, strong team and a coherent performance tomorrow, that's all that matters from this - so long as we get the result! We may have a new reference point for awful (I can hardly say 'shocking') cup performances by Spurs, supplanting Colchester in terms of single matches, but hopefully not replacing Zagreb as the outright worst performance in a two-legged tie.

 

[easley91]

Fully expecting Kane to get his first start of the season. Need to exploit the bigger pitch and go stronger (not all out just more than last week's atrocious outing).

 

[carpediem991]

Somehow I feel fully up for this the whole week, hope we don't make a mess out of it and grab some early goals.
Really hope we can string some nice attacking moves together. Hope to see Kane, Gil, Lo Celso and Romero start, added with some starters from Sunday.

 

[Marty]

What are the pundits on on our TV matches going to talk about in future, Harry is staying, they might have to commentate on the match that would be novel.

For Spurs supporters in Europe also showing on
Sport TV1 Portugal HD
SportKlub 1 (croatia) HD
SportKlub 1 (montenegro) HD
SportKlub 1 (serbia) HD
SportKlub 3 (slovenia)

Also VG+ (Norway)

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Shan’t be there as I’m going to have to pick and choose which midweek matches i attend because of the distance and expense of my drive. Fully expecting a win though and I expect the side will be a fair but stronger than the first leg to try to have it settled as early as possible. Reckon Kane, Højbjerg, Sanchez all start this and possibly even Son.