Team news and expected line-up against Liverpool - 31/08/2014

Buoyed by four wins on the spin in all competitions, Tottenham should go into Sunday’s mouth-watering clash against Liverpool with every confidence of keeping up their 100% start to the season.

Victories over London rivals, West Ham and QPR, and beating AEL Limassol in both legs of the Europa League Qualifier has been the perfect start to Mauricio Pochettino’s reign as Spurs’ boss. Liverpool at the weekend however will provide the Argentinian with his first real test at White Hart Lane.

Last season’s fixture saw Brendan Rodgers side run out as 5-0 victors with Luis Suarez causing havoc in Tottenham’s defence all afternoon. Consequently it was also AVB’s last game in charge and led to Tim Sherwood taking over as manager for the remainder of the campaign.

Thankfully Suarez is now in Barcelona, but Mario Balotelli is the new bad-boy on Merseyside and could be thrown straight in at the weekend for his debut.

The new Tottenham style

Despite Pochettino only being in charge for a matter of months and just four competitive games into his tenure, Spurs are already starting to resemble his old Southampton side; playing free flowing, expansive football which sees both full backs bombing on at every opportunity.

The 48-pass move that saw Nacer Chadli put Tottenham 3-0 up last weekend against QPR was a thing of pure beauty and even against a poor Rangers side can be admired by football fans across the world.

Liverpool arrive at the Lane out of sorts

Despite beating Southampton in their Premier League opener, it was certainly unconvincing. In all fairness, Ronald Koeman’s men probably deserved all three points and were extremely unlucky not to come away with at least a share of the spoils.

In the Monday Night Football epic at the Etihad, Manchester City ran out comfortable 3-1 winners with the Reds looking all at sea defensively.

With Tottenham looking a threat every time they go forward, the Likes of Lamela and Adebayor will be relishing the opportunity to punish Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel who looked very much like a partnership that is yet to understand each other’s games.

What they said

Pochettino on the upcoming game

"The past is the past. I don't want to remember the past.

"It is a new season, I think a different style, different philosophy. Liverpool invested a lot of money this summer and we went another way.

"We believe in our squad and add some players for the balance. Two different ways of approaching things.

"Our philosophy is play football along the grass, make good combinations, work hard and, at the moment, they are happy."

Brendan Rodgers on his squad selection

“Adam Lallana will definitely be in the squad. He has looked fantastic in training.

“Of course he is well short of match fitness but in training for the last couple of weeks he has been exceptional.

"Moreno is recovering well but Glen Johnson is probably the one that will struggle to make the Spurs game."

Rodgers on his side bouncing back

“We have been good at bouncing back. It's a strange feeling but we are not used to losing. That's not sounding arrogant. We were flat coming off the pitch but there was a lot to be positive about.”

Team news

After playing on Thursday night, expect Pochettino to make a number of changes for Sunday afternoon’s game. With everyone who started last Sunday against QPR fit and raring to go, it would be a huge shock to see any changes to the Spurs line-up. Although Paulinho, Harry Kane and Ben Davies all impressed, the in-form Chadli, Danny Rose and Adebayor should walk straight back into the side.

Soldado remains doubtful with a back injury and Vorm and Walker are definitely absent from the squad and are unlikely to return until mid-September. New signing, Federico Fazio, will not be involved having not had enough time to train with his new teammates.

Expected line-up

Lloris; Dier, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose; Capoue, Bentaleb; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli; Adebayor

 

This will be one hell of an entertaining match. It'll measure where our squad stands in terms of the other big clubs in the premiership. I like our expected line-up, it did wonders last week so why change anything at all? If Sandro was to sneak in instead of Bentaleb, I'd be okay with it. COYS

 

I would mind though. Sandro cannot provide the passing that Bentaleb produced against QPR last weekend. The position that Bentaleb plays is an important role as he is the outlet to take pressure off the left side and will be relied on to provide some short crosses and pick a player out. The defensive responsibilities are obvious which Sandro could do a job at. I just believe Sandro doesn't possess the passing skill required at that position. Dembele yes...Paulihno, yes....but Sandro..no. I actually expect him to be moving on especially since we have signed Stambouli. And looking at Stambouli he will fit in even better at that position once he gets up to speed with the rest of the team and will look to provide competition to Capoue for the main pivot/holding role. He is very adept at tackling and is an extremely good distributor. I will expect Stambouli to be the #2 option in that role for cup and Europa games starting alongside Dembele. Sunday's game is going to be so exciting I can hardly wait

 

Perfect game this to use a double axis of Sandro and capoue against a workmanlike Liverpool trio of Henderson Gerrard and Lucas.. Open it up later on with the intro of dembele or paulinho

 

Same team that played against QPR. No need for any changes. The high line will be severely tested tomorrow and the back four will have to be at their very best as if we get it wrong, Sturridge and sterling could have a field day.

 

Cant wait, this one should be a cracker. Agree that we will see the same team that started with QPR, the only concerns I have is with the threat down Danny Rose's side and if will be able to match it with the likes of Sterling, also slightly undecided on Benteleb, although I did think he played ok against QPR last week. As Poch has said, this is a very different Pool than last season and for me, I don't want to get too bold or ahead of myself, but I think they are very beatable at the moment. They have some new players that haven't bedded in yet, a few that also arn't match fit, and of course it wont be a Suarez against Daws game this time. This will be the first real test for this team and will also give us an indication of where we really are when playing the better teams. I wont have a nervous breakdown if we lose but I hope we put up a good game and give it to them for 90 minutes, I also want to see a big game from Eriksen. I don't really expect to see Sandro for this one but I wouldn't mind seeing him on if BR was to bring on super Mario, is it me or would that be an interesting match up?

 

Another thing that might be just me, but as much as I rate Rodgers as a very good manager I do find his attitude towards Spurs as a bit too smug for my liking with some of his comments in the past about being previously linked with the Spurs job as if dodging a bullet, he was very condescending and dismissive the time and spoke as though he was stepping around something in the street. Now its Liverpool wont make the same mistakes that Spurs have made because unlike Spurs Liverpool know what they are doing. Bollocks to that, I don't like them and I don't like Brendon Rodgers, COYMFS.... lets av em.

 

Oh yes....the beast versus the maniac!!!! Bring it on!!!!
Come on youuuuuuuuuu spuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrs!!!!!!!

 

Yeah i cant stand Brendan Rodgers he really rates himself as something special, both he and Liverpool had an unbelievably fortunate season with almost everything going for them. I said to my mate whos a Pool fan that he would get found out the minute Suarez left and im hoping that starts with a lesson today. I cant stand Steven Gerrard either his slip was the only thing i enjoyed all of last season.
Come on Poch weve got some revenge that needs dishing out!
COYS!!!

 

I think Bentalebs passing is his biggest problem. He threw away many balls in the QPR game in situations where there was very little pressure on him. Balls with no target at all. Perhaps thats part of the reason he got subbed after 59 minutes. He also threw away many balls against west ham, though it was not as bad as the QPR game. His defensive efforts and his positioning is pretty good, but I am not convinced that he is good enough to be in the starting 11.

 

Lallana looks like he's starting. He's been the missing piece for them.

This is a good Liverpool team and if there turn up in top form I cannot see us winning this. So would be happy with the draw. Unless the back 4 have a blinder then I could see a 1-0.

 

I think Paulinho has to EARN the trust of the supporters, team and coaching staff ,alike, before he gets the nod in a match like this. Especially if Spurs line up with a 2 in the middle, as expected.

Games like this could be won or lost on small margins, and if Poch does what we all probably expect him to do and starts with the same team that beat QPR last week than it will be noticeable how BIG the Spurs team are in comparison to Liverpool's (if they go with the same/similar side that started against City).


Dier Kaboul Vertonghen Rose

Bentaleb Capoue

Lamela Eriksen Chadli

Adebayor

Liverpool Expected line-up

Manquillo Sketel Loveren Moreno

Henderson Gerrerad Allen

Sterling Coutinho

Sturridge


Apart from Rose and Eriksen, I would assume that the rest of those within the Spurs team are over 6ft. Whereas Liverpool, if Rodgers decides to go with the same team that played up at the Etihad, will have significantly fewer players of that size in their ranks, meaning that Tottenham could have a MASSIVE opportunity to benefit from set-piece situations.

BR gave City a lot of respect last week by playing 3 in the middle, and NOT starting too many of his new boys, but I DON'T expect Rodgers to show that same level of adjustment for Spurs, either with his tactics or team selection.

That's why I expect Liverpool to line-up with a 4-2-3-1, and deploy Markovic out wide, with Coutinho 'floating' in that no10 role. Make no mistake about it Liverpool are coming to WHL believing they can win today. With that being said, I expect them to try and fly out of the traps in an attempt to unsettle the Spurs team and unnerve the crowd.

This is where our pressing game will be tested, as we can not afford to deploy it mindlessly all over the pitch as we did at times against QPR/ Limassol. Dropping deep and pressing from the middle 3rd may be the order of the day.

I can almost see Spurs approaching this one like the away team because of the size of this match, the fact that it has come so early in the teams development and the squad are still coming to terms with the style/philosophy MP wants to use long-term.

I would be surprised if Liverpool don't try to treat this as a home game, and really try to rattle/test Spurs with a high-press and quick tempo, meaning that Spurs will have to pass and move well from the off.

Going to attempt to fit an hours kip in before the game so I'm going to end this by backing Spurs to win this 3-2. Can't wait for this match! COYSSSS

 

Well at least we now know that it was QPR who were really poor. Heads went down after 8 mins and ever came back up. Don't think I have ever seen Kaboul have such a bad game.

Been outclassed today you can play a high line and make as many mistakes as we did.