Match Day Thread Tottenham v Norwich

Dowell is the only natural alternative we have on the right side and although he's an effective attacking player he has less to offer defensively. If Cantwell was more match fit, he would be the natural alternative to Tzolis on the left flank and probably play, but he isn't. Lees-Melou could be an option, but he's less of a counter-attacking player and that may be what DS wants. Perhaps Tzolis deserves this chance with Rashica out for weeks and Cantwell not match fit.

In midfield, Rupp was less impressive at Newcastle, but he is very experienced at the top level and that could be valuable. Lees-Melou is also an option at right midfield, or Gilmour could move there with Sørensen coming in at DM. Three matches in 8 days could also be a factor for some players, but substitutions could be the answer to that. A lot of head scratching for Smith and Shakespeare.

 

I wanna see Sorenson given a chance to shine

 

Same here. Could not understand being frozen out this season. From what I was last season he is a very capable and reliable player who is only going to get better. By the way, back in cold, wet, miserable UK and in quarantine for only two days at the moment.

 

And playing Sorensen frees up Normann to be more offensive which should be music to Teemu's ears.

 

What I don't understand is why they didn't recruit a specialist DM if they didn't think Sorensen was up to the job. They must have felt, as did almost all of the fans, that there was a huge gap there. Did they hang on in the hope that Skipp would come back? Did they have someone which fell through at the last moment, too close to the deadline to do anything about it? Did they misread what Normann has to offer? Did they think 4-3-3 with McLean, Rupp and A.N.Other would be enough?

 

They didn't misread what Normann has to offer; they'd been tracking him from early on, and the performance data published when he signed accurately portrayed what he offers. The truth is, Danial Farke didn't want a specialist DM. Even last season he was trying to get Skipp to be more pro-active from an offensive point of view. And, look at the other names we were said to be interested in, e.g. Billings. He isn't a specialist DM; he's much more of a No.8.

 

What you call the "truth" is only your opinion, Robbie, which is obviously what you regard as the 'truth'. My opinion (simply that) is that DF wanted a DM plus, a Yaya Toure rather than an Oli Skipp - ie. a DM effective in both defence and attack. Skipp is excellent at the former, but limited in the latter, which matters less at Spurs, where they have plenty of other attacking options.

In a 3 man midfield, there is more onus on the playmaking element to come forward from midfield through all of the midfield players, who also drop back into a 3 man screen when the ball is lost. Smith has gone this way as well. Against a top 6 team like Spurs, there is a case for Sørensen in the absence of Normann, but we'll have to see how Smith sees it.

 

But to be fair to Robbie, Farke was often on about the offensive capability of Normann or other players and for a while it has been defence/ protection of it which we have needed more of

 

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Ditto DH.
Worried about this selection.
Hope we don't get hammered

 

Strange to mix up a team with such good results, but I get the logic of the more defensive line up and it’s not like they haven’t played that way well this season already

 

Has Idah scored for Ireland?

 

Hate this kit we always lose wearing our weird second/third kit.

The line up and formation is unexpected but Pukki can't be dropped so if Idah plays it has to be 2 up front and Omobamidele has been excellent so worth putting him in a back 3.

Pukki is often very isolated so chucking Idah in could give him more space.

We look a bit powder puff in the middle but no point changing manager if we don't want to see something different

 

Yes, it could be a disaster, but at least Dean Smith is willing to try things.

 

http://mygoaltv.org/tottenham-hotspur-vs-norwich-city-m88821
Usually works for me

http://www.hesgoal.com/news/93083/Tottenham_vs_Norwich_City.html
Another good stream

 

No

 

Except for Idah starting, this lineup is very similar to that DF used at the beginning of the season.

 

I feel Idah is definitely an upgrade on Sargent in terms of working alongside Pukki and having some semblance of ball skills, but I'm not sure he can press and harass the opposition as well as Sargent can. Perhaps this is Idah's last chance to shine and if it doesn't happen, he'll be loaned out in January?

I hope for his sake it goes well. He has been close so many times but it never seems to quite work out for him.

 

I don't mind us adapting how we play to suit the games as they come, we don't have a strong enough identity this season to say that we should stick with one way of playing.

Surprised it's not Giannoulis at LWB, given the attacking threat he posed vs Newcastle.

Bit worried about the midfield, I fear the "no man's land" problems we had under Farke, where the strikers end up isolated and defensive positioning is also lacking.