Arsenal V Spurs Preview and potential line up

After a shocking performance on Wednesday, we now move on, hopefully to the Emirates. I think everything that could be said about THAT performance has been but of course it will have some effect on my match preview.

There is no point at all in ignoring the fact that we are not scoring goals , we are not creating chances and we look frail. Very frail. In football, there is no time to dwell and with the North London Derby, Spurs have to not only perform but also win. I don't think a draw will be acceptable right now (although after the other night it would not be totally unwelcome) and a defeat is unthinkable. Fans are already starting to put pressure on the players and although Poch is unlikely to be feeling any pressure just yet, a defeat on Sunday will see him right under the microscope. The fans will start to turn and the press, well, they can't wait for Spurs to slip up in any form.

At least Poch didn't try and defend the performance on Wednesday but he has to take the Lions share of the blame. Which means he has to see that he has to change his tactics , change his line up and his attitude. He has become too comfortable and it's time to toughen himself and his team up.

So, how do you beat Arsenal? Firstly let's not kid ourselves that it will be easy. They are in a rich vein form and they will be smelling blood. We should look to Middlesbrough's performance if we want to see how to play.
Boro played with no fear, plenty of width and were full of pace. They didn't hold back and Arsenal were simply surprised at the away team coming at them from the off. Boro went away with a point but in reality they deserved all 3 points.

We know that Spurs can do this. They were excellent against Man City and we will have to be at that level. Being an NLD there will be tackles flying in and Spurs will have to be careful that they don't end up in a repeat of last seasons farce at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal will have that in mind so expect plenty of fouls, lots of yellows and don't bet against this finishing less than 11 v 11.

Eriksen, Sissoko, Wanyama, Janssen are all in a position where they could easily be dropped but the issue is we don't have the quality to replace them. Dier looks short on confidence but I would be tempted to put him in for Wanyama and give Carter -Vickers a controversial start. He can't do much worse than the rest on Wednesday and what better stage to show what you can do. If that's a no go, then Poch needs to bury the ridiculous rift with Wimmer and put him in. He's too good to be warming the changing room every week. Maybe giving Dier his defensive midfield berth back might spark him back in to life!

Eriksen and Sissoko should be dropped. Completely. Sissoko was part of a relegated Newcastle side last season and it's easy to see why. Eriksen sulked until he got his contract, then got it and ever since has been, well, truly awful. Sunday league standard. Glenn Hoddle has had his say and has a point when he says that since the talent have signed new, long term contracts, they have taken their foot of the gas. That cannot be tolerated and if they can't be bothered, the reserves are waiting although that would be an insult to the reserves.

I never want to say that I'm worried before a game but I am. And with very good reason. If Kane is back that's great but if Poch plays the obvious, narrow, 1 up top that pretty much every team has worked out, it won't matter if we have Harry Kane, Michael Cain or a wooden cane in the team team. It's far too early to say our season rests on this game but a lot will ride on this. A defeat and a poor performance would mean we should be worried. A win and the fight back could kick start a brighter season.

As for my team selection, I'm struggling. But here it is. Remember this is only my opinion so please share your preferred line up. Let's be singing Come on You Spurs from the kick off and hopefully be roaring it by full time!!!!

Lloris, Walker, Wimmer, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Alli, Dembele, Lamela, Son, Kane,
4-4-2

Come on You Spurs!!!

 

Good preview that reflects everyone's feelings, I guess.
Sissoko is ineligible , as he serves 3rd game suspension for misconduct. No sense to drop someone who is required to be off.
Wimmer cannot play RCB, he is LCB only. If you keep Vert, Wimmer is to the bench. I do not disagree with Wimmer start, but than Vert should be taken out. Dier has not played with Wimmer, Toby did last season, so I am not sure it worth to try, but I will.
Two forwards do not mean more offense or better finishing. Poch have not and I believe will not play 4-4-2. It will be 4-1-4-1, because we are away and, therefore, going to relinquish possession no matter how upsetting it may be.
Walker played full 90 min of grueling football and was awful. He deserves the rest. Harry will not start, as he needs to be grooved back from injury. I expect last 30 min.
Lloris
Trippier, Dier, Wimmer, Rose
Wanyama
Lamela, Dele, Eriksen, Son
Jenssen

 

Im not having this Scum r playin brilliantly they drew at home to Middlesbrough and needed a typical 90+ mins off side hand ball to beat burnley.

We shouldve destroyed them last season but in true fashion let them sneak back in.

Now although weve been playing sh;te and cant buy a goal at the minute, we NEED to put in a performance Sunday regardless because our last 6 r simply unacceptable.

We need to be organised, pumped up with a game plan to execute.

Any more of this sloppy sh;t especially against them , then Poch n the Players deserve some abuse.

No time for Fear its time to step up thats what big clubs and winners do!

COYS

 

I agree with getting Dier back into midfield although we will probably need Wanyama there too. Have Dier do his usual dropping back to allow Rose and Trippier to provide our width - Walker could do with a rest!
Not sure why people think that Wimmer cannot play right CB - he does have two feet.
Lloris - Trippier, Wimmer, JV, Rose - Dier, Wanyama, Dembele - Alli, Son - Janssen
It might look too defensive but the idea is to get our wingbacks forward rather than keep playing through a congested centre.

 

The purchase of Rugby League player Sissoko was a Levy one. I just can't imagine Poch doing that. Janssen and Wanyama don't look much better. We are becoming a team of muscle with poor technique. The amount of panicking on the ball is very worrying.
We are simply not anywhere near contenders with the current squad. Yes, we have made progress but we are 2 to 3 seasons away from being a top team.
Besides Kane and Hugo, can anyone name a top player in our squad?
Alli has potential, definitely but is green as grass.
We will be solid but blunt on Sunday. A narrow loss looks most likely.
Poch needs a serious look at tactics. We are a one trick pony with too many donkeys posing as footballers.

 

I like wimmer too but poch won't play a left footed CB in the right CB position. So unless he drops Jan it will be Dier or CV. We need a huge effort from the team on Sunday, I agree eriksen should be dropped, thank god sissoko is suspended. We will miss dembele and Toby but Kane back is a boost. Whatever team poch puts out, it's all about their attitude and belief. Come onto the pitch like we did on wed and we'll get slaughtered

 

The dynamic that has only changed from last season is dier not screening the back four so I'd play him there. I presume dembele won't play and I'm increasingly worried about his fitness and or mental issues. Seemed to not fancy it the other night for me.
Lloris walker Vickers Jan rose wanyama dier alli (no10) Son Lamela Kane.

 

Lloris
Walker-wimmer-JV-Rose
Dier-dembele
Son-Alli-NKoudou
Kane

 

3-4-3
Lloris
Dier Verts Davies
Trippier wanyama Eriksen Rose
Alli Janssen Son

 

On the back of a run of poor results allied to poor performances a formation change in particular to a 442 is highly unlikely. The midfield battle will be key tomorrow and whoever dominates possession with accuracy will probably prevail.
If I were in charge I'd probably look at what has changed in the dynamics of the side from last season and try get bk to that which would mean dier moving bk to holding mid screening the centre halves. Obviously this leaves a huge gap at centre half so it would be a choice between wimmer and Vickers. I'd go with wimmers experience to be fair we all presume he and Jan cannot play there. Plenty right footers played left side ie king terry vidic.
I'm guessing dembele will be unavailable and his injury and mental problems worry me. I think he thrown one in the other night and I've seen him do it a few times.
Lloris walker wimmer JV Rose dier wanyama alli (no10) lamela eriksen and gamble on Kane. That's as close to last seasons winning formula we can get and one we know that works so could be the tonic.
Recently 3/5 of the central spine have been injured/suspended or not match fit so its not surprising the team has suffered with the players coming in substandard. Add to that the silly tactical errors by poch and an absolute horror show performance the other night from walker and dier (which MP cannot be accounted for) the knives will be undoubtedly out. I hope he is given time to turn it around.

 

There is NO way Poch will play442,So far he has not even had a plan A!!the team seem to lack direction and conviction and are running around without a game plan,nobody want's the ball and when they get it the first thing they do is pass backwards to scared to move forward,it matters not who we put out on Sunday as the team has lost the desire to win,and until this is sorted the **** we have seen will continue,some thing is wrong in the dressing room,what ever it is it need's to get sorted out by Levy,Poch,and Hugo and fast....

 

Well to me we look flattened mentally so if we can't sort that out it won't matter who the starting lineup is ... We need to get a grip of ourselves , show some balls and instead of panicking and collapsing like school kids when things aren't going as planned , make something happen .. Stand up and fight ( and I don't mean literally which is a deff possibility ) for yourself and the shirt .... Sport , just like in life is full of ups and downs , and we probably learn more about ourselves when things aren't going well but you put your shoulder to the wheel and keep trucking away until you come out the other side ... Otherwise your as well off to curl up in a ball and get your Mammy to look after you and tell you everything will be all right ... Character building stuff it's know as , something this side is sorely lacking at the moment ... There should be no bigger insult to a sports person , any person in fact , then having your character questioned .... And you know what , they couldn't have a better game to ram some of that down peoples throats then playing the arch enemy ... Sort yourselfs out lads , yee are entitled to nothing in this life , go out and put in a performance the right way and walk off that pitch tomm afternoon known you gave everything and there was nothing else you could have done regardless of the result ... That alone will be a start to getting out of this slump and hopefully start heading in the right direction performance wise again ... Things can change fast , just look at Chavski .... C.O.Y.S ......

 

I, like our players, am also mentally flattened. I find myself not bothered about tomorrow and whilst that may change closer to noon tomorrow, for now I'm as down as they are. We all are.
In just one month we've seen our team fail to beat anybody, draw 3 winnable PL games and lose our most important game in 5 years. All since we stuffed Sheik City......
Whilst we may not understand what is wrong, it still depresses us, indeed it is watching and not understanding that makes us all so depressed and negative.
We knew we had a thin squad. Now it looks even thinner, plus our summer signings have failed to impress, even added to our depression.
But in adversity you have to step up and be counted and regardless if we go into the game as the underdogs, we have to understand this is the NLD.

As for who I'd go with:-
Lloris
Trippier, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose
Wanyama, Alli
NKD, Eriksen, Son
Kane

Some weakness with Dier at present, but probably no choice. Give Trippier a start. Drop Alli back, to stop Eriksen, Son and him tripping over each other. Play Kane from the start, for say 60.

There I've overcome my mental block, inserted in my brain after that shite on Wednesday.

COYS

 

Eriksen can't play!! He needs flogging in January.

 

I hope by Flog you mean sell Matt?

Else why wait til january

 

Nearly. A bit like mine. Hadn't allowed for Dembele being fit, but at least Dier is back in his comfort zone. I've voted for the Wimmer inclusion, despite being left footed. 2pm this afternoon will tell us all. COYS

 

Well here we are, 45 to go, and Wimmer, Dembele and Kane all start, 2 DM, no Alli.

Let's see if my depression is lifted by 2pm........

COYS

 

Just seen my beer stocks are light, so it's G&T. Reminds me of another similar occasion. Best not to see all the preamble is my view and I'll tell you why.

I remember the replay in 81, baby sat the kids, let them stay up, just arrived in time to put the video in to record the FA Cup Final replay. Wife was not pleased by me being late. The rest is history. Drank G&T all night, got drunk, kids loved watching their Dad celebrate when Ricky scored. Unforgetable.

COYS