Matchday discussion

RED HOT REDS.

In the opening fixture of this weekends premier league encounters Spurs entertain... The entertainers to Wembley.
As a young Spurs fan living up north late 80s to early 90s pretty much all of my friends etc followed the fashionable and extremely successful Liverpool side and still do. Even moving into the Premier league era until the last four yrs or so we endured many disappointing results and a few real hidings which meant a lot of banter and mickey taking out on the sole spurs supporter and so I grew to hate them more than any other club and still do.
However it's increasingly difficult to detest this well built anfield outfit, free flowing, free scoring, energetic, high tempo, high pressing, well managed and coached, young, fresh faced and now with a solid looking back five keeping clean sheets. It's everything we were two or three years ago but with everything we lacked with interchangeable combinations and options in the final third and more importantly RAW PACE. Spurs will have to be at their best to get anything from this game I feel.

Must win game??

I've read some pundits believe this is a game Spurs must win but I certainly don't buy into that. In terms of trying to win a league then yes but given our Zero transfer activity then aspirations of winning the league are way off the mark. If anything it's more of a do or die for the visitors because as good as they are I still can't see them toppling City over the season even though the injury to KDB will make it a closer finish than the 10 point gap I predicted prior to the season commencing.

FORM.

I've already covered our opponents and that's enough praise for now so it's onto Spurs we go. I would have taken 3 wins out of 4 given that included away days at Watford Newcastle and old Trafford and think points wise we have made a solid start on truth. What has been poor though is the performance levels barring the opening 35 mins and the last 15 mins v Fulham added to the last half hour v United. Apart from that it's been flat, leggy and pretty boring to be honest. In many ways on Saturday a performance is more important than a result although I like probably us all would still prefer the points.

TEAM NEWS.

Liverpool will be pretty much full strength will a settled line up that will pick itself.

Spurs will have Lloris Alli Foyth unavailable with lamela wanyama Winks all not match fit to start.
Lloris to be replaced by Vorm could be a good thing given the Dutch man's ability with his feet given liverpools high press that we have struggled with although we will miss lloris' undoubted ability to pull off world class stops. Alli being out could also be a blessing as it could enforce Po h to throw Son straight into the starting 11 and mean Eriksen can operate in his favoured no10 position rather than playing deep where he's been deployed of late to I'll effect. I'd like to see Rose played due to his pace against Salah and Trent Alexander Arnold.
My line up Vorm Tripps Toby Jan rose Dembele dier eriksen moura Son Kane.

Prediction 3 goals to 1 Liverpool unfortunately with my phone getting hammered with texts off my scouse counterparts come 2.30pm Saturday and my hatred to come creeping back.

 

TOTTENHAM gonna "tuck em up" we usually do. COYS

 

Good points Fran on them looking like we did 2/3 seasons ago but now with interchangeable options.

I dunno about us we seem to have stopped doing all the good work that has benefited us over the past few seasons.
There's very little evidence of high energy, high press or quick passing to our play.
We've almost gone from the twinkle toed boxer to the slugger and with the small squad we have I can't see how they're gonna snap out of it.

If we don't up our level then we could get thumped on Saturday and then where is this 'look how far we've come' nonsense.
Defend like Watford game, watch the other side pass like the Fulham game, a first half like the Utd game and we could get blown away.
Of course we are capable of taking it up many levels but the 1st 4 games performances have not inspired much confidence in that.

I'm hoping Son & Moura start to give Liverpool something to think about rather than Allis slow and often pointless flicks or Lamelas blind alley play.

Again this could be a tactical battle 1 that Pochettino needs to get right.

A win would be excellent, a draw acceptable , a loss would signal problems , a big loss could be catastrophic and plenty of questions will need to be asked.

 

This game will be a real test for our thin squad. With Dele and Lloris out (wasn't sure til I caught up with it today), our options look even more limited than normal.

With Sonny returning it gave us options, but not now. I went with three at the back, as it seemed a waste to bench Sanchez, so it was Vorm, Thipps, Dier or Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Rose, Moura and Kane. Now I know that Dele is out, then Dier instead, possibly Sonny if I was feeling really bold.

We have looked so leggy, in both our league games and the internationals - let's hope my fears about this do not manifest on Saturday.

The Scousers are looking a good deal stronger than a year ago, so we will need to be at our very best to get a win here.

COYS

 

I've said for a long time there is very little room for eriksen and alli in the same set up. Two no 10s doesn't work and often has them fighting for space or eriksen playing too deep to no effect. I think both fighting for one spot will improve competition for places and bring the best out of one or both of them. Every player needs to be looking over their shoulders. There is no room for sentiment here. Look at city with Sane and Liverpool with Henderson. First team regulars now bench warming. I thought I'd seen a brand new poch this season when Toby and Rose were brought bk into the fold with sanchez and Davies dropped v man utd ruthlessly only to see Sanchez shoe horned bk into an unnecessary bk 3 v Watford.
I like the look of son moura and eriksen behind Jane it gives us closer to what Liverpool have with pace width and directness. If it works then alli may have to adapt his game to that of an orthodox box to box because at the minute if he doesn't offer goals his offers very little. I'm not a fan.

 

Agreed.

I also think not only would this give 1 or 2 a kick up the backside but also they could be used effectively as impact subs once tired legs kick in, or results need getting/rescuing.

I think what we're seeing is familiarity breeding contempt, I don't think some players r giving those extra percentages they were before.
There's no credible challengers for their positions, many have boosted their contracts, some look to be stalling on contracts, the bar is set at being better than 2 of the other top 5 and they don't have to Win anything to be lauded.

 

I certainly hope Spurs can repeat Kiev for Reds. Poch will play 3 back, I am sure.
Vorm
Trppier, Toby, Davinson, Jan, Davies
Wanyama, Eriksen, Dembele
Moura, Kane.
COYS!!!

 

Dele being unfit for a while is a plus for me, if only because he's been poor of late and needs to start focus sing on his game rather than spreads for GQ Magazine, plus he might enjoy the rest.

The Hugo thing is just messy with the DD and now "several weeks" out. Let's hope he returns in the right frame of mind.

Defensively we need to be sharp as nails tomorrow, as any slips will be severely punished. I have to say I'm not feeling over confident, but that might just be me......

 

It's back , Premier League football

International nations league whatever it's called over and back to Business!

Tomorrow we visit our old friends the Spammers in their most important fixture of the season the inferiority complex cup.

Kane looked to be getting back to form vs Spain so I'm hoping to see him look back towards his sharp menacing self.

Some how we've muddled our way to being 2 points off top spot but then so have others who currently sit above us on Goal Difference, something we need to start improving on and soon.

Tomorrow starts off a run of tricky fixtures, fixtures which we will need to be at the races for.
Not only with regards to play but physical, sharp, hungry, switched on and tactical.

It's not a stage of the season where we can be fumbling around anymore, we need to start upping the tempo and building some momentum, especially with what's looking like a resurgence of the Chavs & Scum.

Can't afford a slip up at the Olympic Caravan Park.

We know they'll be up for it , that has to be met with the same fire and effort. No ambling around, no slow starts, winning 1st and 2nd balls and taking the game to them.

This game will set us up for the following fixtures- a good convincing win would be ideal, a draw disappointing but a loss would simply not be good enough here and would raise questions about our desire and ability to challenge for anything this season.

I'm thinking a spirited contest with us nicking it 1-2.

Not quite sure what the injury update is but if Poch was happy with his squad after the summers bravery then he can't blame that.

COYS!

 

lets hope Dier can use hes wonderful England tackle on Arnautovic knee that should slow the git down

 

I'm going for 1-1, more in hope than expectation. Get in there boys, it's a man's game.

 

Can't see us winning with the dimwit sissoko preferred to Erickson and dembele is poch the only person in England who thinks he is a premiership player.I have my fingers crossed

 

Lamelas starting to stake a claim for player of the season so far....

Or the only player that's turned up

 

Wins a win but the performances are just getting duller and duller, that was absolute dross.

 

thank god for Lloris or we would be bemoaning a loss to another poor team.At the moment we are getting out of jail and soon someone will get it right and give us a good hiding.Lamela far and away our best player and why has Kane become a midfield player to accommodate other people. we need fresh impetus and some drive from the manager instead of the dross he is currently coming out with

 

The mind boggles.

Actually think Mouras useage upsets Kane's play.
When you have a regular 25 goal + Striker would any top Manager want them dropping deep instead?

Just waiting for Alli to return in January and be announced as 'like a new signing and masterstroke from Poch'

 

It's certainly not pretty to watch but I'll take it all day long given lack of signings, injuries and so many players out of form. Winks had one of his best games showing some really good footwork, taking the ball on the half turn from our central defenders and incisive forward passing.

 

The current negativity on this site beyond belief. Best ever premier league start major players missing yet Poch still getting criticism god knows what would be said if we have a bad run

 

Got to agree with you there Mick

A few posts ago- it’s all “Hugo is **** let’s get rid of him”, then when he does what he is paid to do, it suddenly becomes , oh if it wasn’t for Hugo we would have lost.
Then we get a “new” signing in Lucas who has been playing well and Kane adapts and works with him and suddenly that is **** as well. I don’t know if anyone noticed but in the England game Kane didn’t score a goal but was generally regarded as one of the best players on the pitch and the Spanish press were praising him

We are winning, it’s not necessarily pretty but we have our best start whilst having serious injury issues. If we hadn’t had Vorn in goal against Watford, there is a good chance we would actually be top now!

I appreciate we haven’t played a lot of the top teams yet but you can only beat what’s in front of you

Let’s hope we can transfer some of the this to the champions league and put on a run once we get back to full strength

 

Well Mick & VoR do come back to us after weve played City Chelsea & Arsenal and tell us we're all wrong
(I actually hope you do and r correct)
But if we play how we have for 95% of this season we will be licking our wounds.

I appreciate we are winning ugly and despite the absolute non event of a window have had point wise the best start to a season but all its doing currently is papering over cracks and unless there is a dramatic upturn in performance we are going to get found out soon.

As for Lloris did you actually watch the Barca game ? He made Gomes look safe as houses.