Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest

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Sunday 7th April 6pm
Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium​

Sessegnon, Forster and Solomon are still out. Neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Bentancur; Johnson, Maddison, Werner; Son.
Subs: Austin, Emerson, Dragusin, Davies, Hojbjerg, Sarr, Lo Celso, Kulusevski, Richarlison.
League form: LWWLWD.

Forest: Sels; Williams, Omobamidele, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Danilo; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
Subs: Turner, Montiel, Niakhate, Toffolo, Kouyate, Sangare, Dominguez, Reyna, Origi.
League form: LLLDDW.

Ref: Simon Hooper. VAR: Michael Salisbury.

TV: Sky Sports.

How would you like to line up for this one and how do you think we actually will line up?

 

Richy is out again. Recurrence of his knee injury

 

I’m grappling with the leaky feeling of our defence. I think we have the lowest shots conceded over the course of the whole league season so far and IIRC we’re in the top 4 of lowest xGA since VdV got fit again at the start of the year. But it feels like we just can’t keep a clean sheet. Been digging into stats a bit and we do have the 16th best goals conceded (1.47/game) but how much of that is skewed when we had Emerson and Davies at the back?

Maybe it’s because we sometimes feel blunted in attack that I just have more feelings about the defence but I also think we’ve also scored 62 goals so far this season and at our current rate of just over 2/match with 8 games to go we’ll score more than any season since 16/17 when we scored 86. For context we’re 5th best in goals scored over the season, even with bafflingly only one penalty awarded.

If we compare it to 16/17 we are making more passes per match this season and more accurately too. We have also created more of what the PL defines as ‘big chances’ this season. Obviously we don’t have Kane so perhaps that accounts for a bit of the disparity in finishing.

I think some of it is stylistic. Based on the eye test with a fully fit back 4 we concede less chances but because we rely on really good 1v1 defenders, individual mistakes mean far more in terms of giving up high value chances, as it’ll usually end up with the opposition in a dangerous position against fewer defenders. This isn’t taking into account defending set pieces either which we know is a problem.

Not sure what I’m trying to say with this but I don’t think we’re as bad defensively as we perhaps think, it’s more likely individual errors and set pieces are costing us (and the overall stats are skewed when we had the long period of absences). We need some better profiles to help the defence when they are giving up chances - notably a more mobile and just better 6 to help cover the defence, IMO.

 

Pretty much agree with this.

We’ve got 4 good individuals, I think it’d be quite hard finding substantially better players than them as those that are are already at bigger and better clubs. So far though it’s a work in progress as a unit, both in terms of experience with one another as well as an improvement in coaching because we leave van de Ven and Vicario far too exposed at times for my liking. Right now - and I include Micky too who’s been fantastic - all of them one for one aren’t better players than Ekotto/ Rose, Ledley/ Jan, Woodgate/ Toby or Walker but that’s not to say any can’t be as good, especially van de Ven. From an attacking sense Udogie and Porro could certainly become our best FBs but as overall players they’re a way off previous top level incumbents mentioned.

Despite some iffy and silly goals conceded, I’m actually very happy with where we’re at defensively, I was initially of similar opinion with midfield too but Bissouma’s form and the injuries to Maddison, Bentancur and even Sarr has resulted in the likely need to add another in the mix to create a really good battle for spots, if there’s a £40m+ calibre midfielder available in the summer I think we should look to add it. Up front is where my main concerns are probably lying though, Sonny’s still amazing and Johnson looks to be coming good but the others aren’t where we need them to be. Kulu can be great but seems temperamental with form, Gil is done here, you know my view on Werner and Richarlison whilst Solomon’s an unknown quantity but likely to be a squad player. I don’t know what our budget is for the summer, but I’d like 60% of it spent on improving the attack, 30% on that extra midfielder, then left overs for a keeper to push Vicario and a fourth choice CB if Phillips gets loaned again.

 

Someone redid the stats after last night's matches and here's the update:
Chelsea: 1 penalty per 82 touches in the box. Spurs: 1 penalty per 1,120 touches.
That's not a misprint.

 

As a great philosopher once said:

 

I'm a tad nervous about this game.

Nuno has steadily made them very hard to beat and my worry is that this has 1-1 written all over it, like our traditional end of season draws against West Brom under Poch (and they would of course then duly fold like a deck of drunk cards when they faced Arsenal).

I'm feeling a bit of a lack of confidence in the team and have done for a while. Fulham was arrogance, the false mask covering over nervousness. Luton was a nervy performance. West Ham was the same and bar some awful finishing by Antonio, we would have lost.

I see it in our patterns of play. Too much shifting the ball sideways or always adding just one more pass when a shot is on. It's like everyone is to nervous to be 'the' guy and shoulder the responsibility.

And this, second only to his goals and assists, is what we lost most when Kane left. He was probably our most vocal and respected outfield leader. We don't really have that. Our captain is football's nice guy, while one vice is very quiet and the other one is a lunatic.

We lack on field leaders to inspire confidence across the pitch, and now that the honeymoon is over and squeaky bum time is upon the league, I can feel that lack of confidence across the team's performances.

We still have enough quality to avoid defeat against most, but this period will test our mentality as much as it will our ability. There are points to be dropped left, right and centre and if we're not careful, one of the games against the big boys could be embarrassing, especially that trip to Anfield.

I hope I'm wrong but the win against Villa and the manner of it catapulted this group into the top 4 spotlight. The question now is can they handle that pressure?

 

How many fouls do you think they'll commit in the first 5 minutes this time?

 

Excellent stat! Love that sort of stuff. However it won't be a problem because I'm sure we'll get a penalty at Anfield.

On the other hand that could be among the least likely things to happen in the entire season.

 

I stated long ago that I feel Nemesis will be coming
after the WHL game for Klopp and the mousers.
I still feel that will be the case (and VAR will be her means) .

 

Am going to this so expecting yet more stress

 

After the Villa result today ...

 

Good luck gentlemen I don't want to see you pick up any injuries before the game with our reserves next week.

 

I read online that GLC had his 100th game Tues , and he has only completed 90 mins 7 times , £40+ million wasted, shocking if those stats are true

 

Who the hell is GLC

 

It’s actually mad he’s played 100 times. Genuinely don’t think I could list 5 positive appearances/ performances.

 

Ginormous Liability Chump, aka Giovani Lo Celso.

 

I heard you lot want Sean Longstaff in the summer.

 

World class player if you ask me.

 

Those floors don't clean themselves