Team news and expected line-up vs Hull - 22/11/2014

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Spurs will look to return to winning ways this weekend after Stoke City ended their 3 game winning streak just before the International break.

Pochettino’s men looked to have regained some kind of form having beaten Brighton, Aston Villa and Asteras Tripolis before Jon Walters and Bojan Krkic stunned the home crowd at White Hart Lane, but this week’s visitors should provide a welcome boost in confidence.

Steve Bruce’s side have enjoyed just the one win against Spurs in their 5 Premier League meetings, with Spurs winning 3 including 2 away from home.

A win could lift Spurs to 7th place depending on the result when Arsenal meet Manchester United, which would be a crucial lift from the current depths of 12th.

Team News
Spurs’ main problems arise in the fullback areas where Ben Davies is the only fit, available senior defender on either flank.

Kyle Naughton was sent off in the closing minutes of our 2-1 defeat to Stoke for felling Victor Moses who was through on goal, before Danny Rose received medical attention on an injured rib for up to 10 minutes after the full time whistle.

They join long-term absentee Kyle Walker who has had 8 months out with an abdominal injury, but is targeting next week’s clash with Partizan Belgrade for his comeback.

Eric Dier has deputised on the right but has been under fire since his lacklustre performance against Newcastle saw us lose the 3 points.

Erik Lamela is also likely to replace Townsend who withdrew from the England squad last week for their ties with Slovenia and Scotland.

Opposition View
Spurs are meeting Hull at what is a great time for the North London club, with the Tigers taking just 1 win from their last 10 games – 7 points from a possible 30.

They haven’t scored a goal in their last 3, with Abel Hernandez’s header away at Arsenal in mid-October their last successful strike on goal. Their last two games have ended in 1-0 defeats to Southampton and Burnley.

With just 2 wins all season, they have dropped to 15th in the League with Saturday’s results meaning it could all be worse come 4:00pm on Sunday.

What They Said
Mauricio Pochettino

“We need to be more concerned about improving our own game and the focus will be on how we perform on Sunday. I have been happy with Younes Kaboul as captain and I am happy with all my players. We need to improve, it's true, but our problem is at home. We have only lost five games out of 19, but four of those have been at White Hart Lane."

Harry Kane

“There are a lot of games coming up in every competition and hopefully we’ll be able to get some positive results and push on again.

"We know it will be tough at Hull but we're all determined to come away with three points."

Hull defender Michael Dawson

“It will be strange but I’m a professional and will help Hull get three point. Would I celebrate if I scored? I don’t score too often! Who knows, it would be nice. But this game is not about me — three points are on the line and both sides badly need them.”

Daws’ Return
Michael Dawson will be facing his former side when Spurs come to the KC on Sunday, and rumours have emerged that the side that he played over 300 games for will be handing him a testimonial at the end of the season.

Dawson’s 9 and a half years’ service should surely be enough to see him honoured by the club that he represented since 2005 before joining Hull for a fee of around £3.5million this Summer.

Expected Line-up
Lloris; Dier Vertonghen Kaboul Davies; Capoue Mason; Lamela Eriksen Chadli; Kane

 

Big game for both clubs, neither want to be at the bottom end of the table. I know its going back a long way but remember going up to Hull on a wet Wednesday night to watch the Ardiles Archibald Hoddle Spurs side. The Humber Bridge was being built and it was a long journey to get there. Remember thinking the ground was surrounded by a swamp as they hurded the the Spurs towards the ground. We got a seat off some tout and sat next to some Hull farmer guys. We lost 2-0 to two fabulous long range shots from an old big centre forward called Warboys ! Wish all the spurs fans going up there tomorrow better luck, respect ! We need a win. Coys.

 

Must add that i think it would be a touch of class for Spurs to offer Dawson a much deserved testimonial. Its not about the money, i'm pretty sure the ex spurs captain has plenty. In the modern era ten years at a club is very rare and 9 and a half is close enough. It might be a long time before the next, Lennon maybe. Come on Mr Levy, and i do think he does right by our ex players, give Micheal a big night. Real Madrid maybe ! Coys.

 

The recent THST meeting with the spurs board was two sets of idiots slapping each other on the back.

 

Im going out on a limb here, i think Poch will play a 4231 formation today and really suprise Bruce by using inverted wingers.
Theres a good chance hel employ a high line using our most agile defenders to carry out this successful tactic with a view to getting Lloris on the ball as often as possible.
Im thinking it could be a real chance to isolate 1 up top aswell which has proved to be very prolific thus far, especially with our press, movement, creative flair & style around the halfway line.
Cant see anything other than a Spurs win here today, the pitch doesnt look too small, the away fans wont boo, we have a philosophy Hull are in for a tough time today!
COYS !!!!

 

Hopefully the supposed clear the air talk between the players and Poch will get their focus back. Want to see Adeybayor running, Ericksen commanding the ball, Capoue and Mason dominating, Chadli & Lamela providing dangerous options and solid defending from the back 4 whoever that will be.

 

Difficult game this against hull who play the 3 5 2 so well at time. The trick v this formation is to either match it(we don't have the players available to do so) or get your wingers to be lazy and stay high up the pitch to either occupy the space in behind the wing backs or push them back into their own half! I'd go with a 442 lloris dier fazio(nobody else) verts Davies capoue dembele chadli lennon Kane soldado.
Get the full backs pushing on to get two to one on the,wingbacks and to strong cms in capoue n dembele v their extra man in mid. Don't think this is a game for lamela at present but which game is at this time ? Same applies to eriksen!

 

If the manager has any sense, which I am not sure he has at all, he will play two up front which is what we should be doing every game. I think this game has boring holes draw written all over it.
Levy out.

 

Pochettino says he is happy with Kaboul as captain. What an absolute *****. If he can't see that Kaboul is a pathetic excuse for a footballer, I really do wonder if he knows anything at all about football.

 

Lloris
Kaboul Dier Vertongen Davies
Stambouli
Capoue Mason
Eriksen
Kane Soldado
4-3-1-2

 

Lloris,
Rose, Dier, Vertonghen, Naughton,
Mason, Stambouli, Dembele, Eriksen,
Kane, Soldado

4-4-2