Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

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Sunday 21st March 7.30pm
Premier League
Villa Park​

Back-to-back humiliations aren't ideal preparation for this one, I think we can all agree.
The wins against weaker sides definitely raised expectations, but failing to turn up twice is just unacceptable.
Losses are one thing. No shows are something else entirely.
Villa's form hasn't been great recently either, as they've clearly been missing Jack Grealish.
Can Mourinho get anything out of this squad or will Dean Smith get his team firing again?

Last season was Villa's first back in the Premier League after a 3 year absence.
Dean Smith brought them back up in his first attempt, having replaced Bruce in October and won the play-offs.
They made significant transfers and spent a lot of money, but found the going tough and struggled badly.
Two wins and two draws in the final four games just about kept them up on the final day by a solitary point.
Job done for a newly promoted side, of course, yet it was not comfortable viewing for their fans.

This campaign has been much more promising, as they flew out of the blocks, winning their first four games.
The highlight of that run was a 7-2 destruction of the champions Liverpool, which stunned everyone.
Things have settled down since and results have been mixed, but they're still in a respectable position.
Summer signing Ollie Watkins has hit double figures, while Jack Grealish has been outstanding throughout.
They currently sit in 9th place with a game in hand over us and we've yet to play them this season.

Our visit to Villa Park last time was something of a chaotic mess with a heavy influence by two defenders.
Toby Alderweireld was fresh from the birth of his son and he seemed half awake as he scored an early OG.
It didn't take him long to make amends, as he equalised with a fantastic finish from a failed corner clearance.
Son had broken his arm early on, but it didn't stop him from putting us ahead before the break.
Engels leveled it up for Villa before going from hero to zero, as his miss-kick allowed Son to win it at the death:

The game at our place opened the campaign and it was typical of those final Pochettino performances.
Early defensive mistakes allowed McGinn to give them the lead and we huffed and puffed for an hour.
The introduction of Eriksen changed our shape and the game, as we increased the pressure.
A debut goal from Ndombele tied things up, rewarding the pressure that had built up throughout.
Two late goals for Kane took the game away from the visitors and took the points:

Heung-Min Son is our only known injury doubt for this one. He's unlikely to feature, but not ruled out.
Wesley misses out for the hosts, who also have doubts over Grealish and Hause.
Erik Lamela is suspended.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Doherty, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Reguilon; Ndombele, Hojbjerg; Bale, Moura, Son; Kane.
Subs: Hart, Aurier, Dier, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Alli, Lamela, Vinicius.
League form: LLWWWL.

Villa: Martinez; Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Luiz, Ramsey; Traore, Watkins, Trezeguet.
Subs: Heaton, Cash, Engels, Taylor, Nakamba, Barkley, Sanson, El Ghazi, Davis.
League form: DLWLDD.

Ref: Mike Dean. VAR: Simon Hooper.
TV: Sky Sports.

How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the last ****show of a game?
Would you stick with much of the same lineup, make a few changes or go for a wholesale switch?
Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting Villa to go with?

 

I literally don't give a flying ****.

 

This message was brought to you on behalf of the Spurs squad. Apparently.

 

Mike Dean .

 

Just when we thought things couldn't get worse....

 

My line up would be:
Lloris
Tanganga rodon youth player Reguilon
Not winks omeone who tries, Not sissoko, someone who tries, not dele

Not kane (might as well get used to it)

 

Sudden urge to check the VAR ref

...okay, so the nightmare scenario of having Martin Twatkinson involved hasn't happened

 

Everyone’s posts are so negative at the moment, it’ll be impossible to tell the difference between genuine pessimism and a deliberate RCL.

 

Nope... It really isn't anymore...

 

Hugo
Lavinier, Rodon, Tanganga, Reguilon
Hojbjerg, Devine
Bale, Lucas, Scarlett
Vinigoal (playing Kane 90, 120, 90 in the space of a week would just be begging for a hammy to ping or an ankle to roll).

 

But you know that its going to happen, he will probably get through Sunday unscathed as he then joins up with England and get injured in the 3rd international match

 

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The team that I would pick and the team that Jose picks are unlikely to be very similar. I made my feelings about selections for the rest of the season very clear in the Zagreb thread so I will just go with the team that I expect Jose to pick. Hugo, Doherty, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Regullion, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Bale, Lucas, Bergwijn and Kane.

It all about attitude tomorrow night if we maintain the same levels as in the last 2 matches then Villa will win, if we actually turn up with some fire in our belly and some real desire then we can win but the likelihood is that there will be a little improvement on the last 2 matches and we will grind out a dull draw, particularly if Grealish remains absent for the Villa.

 

I don't normally comment on line-ups that managers should employ, short of imploring resting players who have been chronically overplayed or begging us to go 4-3-3 to protect our defence. None of it makes any difference...

However, I heard Hugo's post-game interview on Thursday and whilst I'm grateful for his strength of feeling, it's worth pointing out the starting XI's against Arsenal and Zagreb

Arsenal - Lloris, Doherty, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Reguillon, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Son, Moura, Bale, Kane

Zagreb - Lloris, Aurier, Dier, Sanchez, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Lamela, Dele, Lucas, Kane

Across the two games we used 19 players in the starting line-ups ...and let's be honest here, we were dogshit in both. The camp may be divided and there probably are players who need to be drummed out of the club but if we're continuing to be honest, none of them are doing it to any acceptable level and I have no faith that any selection will make any significant degree of difference. If Villa turn up and go at us, we're in trouble and are likely to fall apart if they get their heads in front.

I truly hope that we win every game from now until the end of the season, as qualification for European football is essential to the club...but fear that we will lose again. If it's true that there's nothing by way of a break clause in Mourinho's contract, I think that he'll be gone in the international break, just as Poch was...and he'll have earned it, just as Poch did.

 

If we lose tomorrow and Levy decides that Jose should depart on gardening leave on Monday, its likely that our preferred choice of manager wouldn't be available until the summer, do we have sufficient faith in Ledley to take the reigns for the rest of the season, or do we look elsewhere for a caretaker?

 

I wouldn't advocate it as first choice...without someone to hold his hand....maybe Pleat?

 

I think it would be unfair to throw Ledley in at this stage I think the ideal would be that he stays where he is and get's the experience of seeing what maybe a caretaker manager does and maybe a new manager at the end of the season. On the other hand I maybe being unfair to Ledley in that he has already seen enough during his playing days to have a good idea how to manager Spurs. Either way I don't want to see us do a Lampard and expect to much too soon because hopefully he has a long and successful future ahead at Spurs and timing is all.
I would actually encourage Harry Redknapp to come out of retirement to help us out until the end of the season.

 

Again some Tommy Docherty mode :

I can see Spurs conceding two goals, but there aren't
many teams Spurs will currently score three against.

This fixture is the game in hand, and brings Spurs up to
date on the "season compass" . I will maintain that article as
normal, but have no desire now to watch any remaining
games live (highlights vid clips will suffice) , and will check-in
at season end to see how Spurs have finished once the dust
has settled.

 

Absolutely no to Ledley. It’s a massive risk for us and him.

In any case I doubt Jose is going anywhere before the end of the season. Some sources have now reported that there IS a break clause in his contract vs. previous reports that there weren’t so if they’re true, or if it’s simply so bad that Levy takes the hit, then I think Summer is when we’ll see movement.

 

As Spurf said if you’re gonna sack Jose now, get someone like ‘Arry in til the end of the season. Putting Ledley under so much pressure with zero managerial experience would be unfair. ‘Arry likely isn’t looking for a permanent job these days so a short term one at a club where he was highly thought of would probably suit him, he may just provide that short term confidence boost around the place that we need to get us over the line for a Europa spot.

That said - and as many of us mentioned before - it’s highly unlikely Jose goes before the end of the season.