Preview, team news and expected line-up against Stoke

After the International break which was dull and showed England have learnt nothing since the summer, it's good to get back to matters in the Premier league at Stoke City. The Britannia holds differing memories for myself.
I recall being there when Bale scored a screamer of a volley. The ball was put across by Lennon, and with the ball at waist height, Bale somehow got his foot over the ball and buried it! The year was.......2011.
On the way to the ground from the only pub in Stoke that allowed away supporters, the copper on the bus lifted up his jacket to reveal his Spurs short and started a rendition of Come on You Spurs!!! Top Cop!
On a sadder note, after the game I was spat at by, not a fan, but by a Stoke City steward. I recall the Police were especially thuggish and were pulling and pushing kids with needless force.
I was so enraged that I wrote to Stoke City and within less than a day, Mr Coates, the chairman rang offering me free tickets the next time Spurs were at the Brittania. I think the fact I had contacted the press concerned them but to their credit they followed up my complaint swiftly.

Sorry, I was supposed to be doing a match preview! Danny Rose has been ruled out but N'Koudou and Sissoko are both in line to be in the squad, probably on the bench I would expect.
Davies should come in for Rose with Hugo Lloris fit and expected to start in goal and retain the captaincy. Vorm has done a great job deputising and was superb against Liverpool before the international break came along.

Spurs have had a slow start, even sluggish at times, but I'm certain we will now kick on and start seeing some of the flourishing football we were treated to in the last campaign. That may not be tomorrow though as Stoke are a very physical side (dirty to be honest) and they will not allow space so we may have to be cautious and also physical ourselves. That is no longer an issue though for Spurs with the likes of Dier, Sissoko and Wanyama as well as Dembele, who sadly is still out and we have missed him thus far this season.

With the Eriksen saga now sorted thanks to the intervention of Pochettino who is not afraid of standing up to Levy, hopefully he can concentrate on his football and start producing. He has so far been woeful and he needs to get back to his best rather than his current malaise and lack of influence.

I am getting gradually more concerned about Harry Kane. He has looked unfit and leggy from the first game and he doesn't look like scoring any time soon. He did have a dry spell last season but he was getting shots in wheras this season he almost looks lost. For England last weekend, he worked hard to make space but he looks low on confidence and I'm hoping my words will fire him to life!!

I still expect him to start although I wouldn't mind seeing Janssen start and let Kane join him later on if needed.
Stoke were thrashed and outclassed by Man City and they have not found their rhythm this season much like Spurs.
Never an easy place to go but we have had some good results at Stoke in recent times and let's hope that tomorrow we see a good away win and really get ourselves going this season.

If anyone wants to watch the game who can't make the game like myself, the best way via Apple devices is through Live Media Player from the App Store. Once loaded, you just type in Tottenham in the search bar and there are usually about 3 streams. It varies in quality but usually one is excellent with little or no buffering.

Predicted line up for Tottenham Hotspur at the Britannia Stadium 10/09/2016:

Lloris, Walker, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Davies, Eriksen, Lamela, Wanyama, Dier, Alli, Kane.

As ever, you know what it's all about by now: COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!

 

Apart from not losing weve continued our bang average form struggling to beat teams barely creating much. Its about time the whole squad woke up realised the season has started and got on with trying to achieve something.
Kane has been woeful as has eriksen both need dropping, id like to see Nkoudou Alli Sissoko in behind Janssen to inject some needed pace and energy into the side, id also like to see the full backs rotated to keep fresh for the CL (the Felon's only got a complimentry vip ticket aint he COYS!)

 

If ever there was a game to drop JV this has to be it. Stoke will have done their homework and will target Jan at all set pieces - he might get the benefit of the doubt a couple of times, third time it is a penalty.
No more Eriksen and Lamela on the pitch together, please - Kane has not looked at his best but he has played more incisive passes than the two of them combined.

 

Likewise we should be targeting Shawcross , he's been done already but like Jan it's a habit and it's difficult to just stop ... I know we got away with one against Scousers because some clown of a ref won't do what he's supposed to but I hope they keep it up now , it had become a nonsense .. Another two or three soft pens and the message will start sinking in ...

Nervous about this one if I'm honest , neither side have started the season well so it's a tough one to call on that basis .... C.O.Y.S ......

 

Excellent result and performance.