Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace

please log in to view this image

Saturday 10th November 5.30pm
Premier League
Selhurst Park​

Our first win of the season in the Champions League is finally out of the way and we're back to league action.
It's another game in London, which we've had quite a lot of recently.
Roy Hodgson's side have had mixed results and performances, but they've given most teams a tough game.
They'll be trying to keep it tight and hit us on the break, which is something we've become very familiar with.
Can our bashed up side break them down and take us into the international break on a high?

Palace started the campaign looking to build on last season's solid improvement under Hodgson.
The ex-England coach took over from Frank de Boer, after the Dutchman's record breaking poor start.
Four matches in, no goals, no points and Steve Parish had seen enough. The new man was installed a day later.
It took another three loses before there was any improvement, but their eighth game was a shock win.
An unlikely 2-1 victory over then-champions Chelsea got the Eagles off the mark and boosted morale.

The spectre of relegation hung over them for a long time, but they put together a good run at the end.
Their last six matches saw them draw two and win four, including a 5-0 win over Leicester.
A relatively quiet summer saw few leave or join, though former prodigy Max Meyer was something of a coup.
An opening day win may have raised expectations, but results haven't followed.
1 win, 2 draws and 7 losses have them looking over their shoulders and hoping to avoid another fight.

One result to note is their 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
They took the lead through one of their fairly frequent penalties just before the break.
The start of the second half was poor though, as they quickly conceded twice.
Hodgson was right to highlight a handball in the second, but they were rescued by another penalty.
Rash tackles on their pacy wingers need to be avoided, especially their star man Zaha.

Our trip to Selhurst Park last time was frustrating and far from our best.
We dominated possession and territory, but couldn't put the ball in the net against a depleted side.
Arron Wan-Bissaka had an impressive debut and it looked like they were going to do enough to take a point.
Harry Kane popped up at the death and nicked it though, heading home from our 13th corner of the day:

The match at Wembley was another tight, close game, but one in which Palace played more of a part.
The win over Real Madrid in the previous midweek and an early start seemed to take it out of us.
Paulo Gazzaniga was given his first start for us and was probably the Man of the Match.
Palace came to defend and counter and they did it well, keeping us at bay and breaking well themselves.
An assured finish from Heung-Min Son a little after the hour was enough to give us the points, though:

Vertonghen, Rose and Dembele are out, but Dier and Wanyama have returned to train with the squad.
Benteke, Ward and Wickham are missing for Palace. Neither side has any suspensions.

Spurs: Lloris; Trippier, Foyth, Alderweireld, Davies; Sissoko, Dembele, Winks; Lamela, Kane, Moura.
Subs: Gazzaniga, Aurier, Sanchez, Skipp, Eriksen, Son, Llorente.
League form: WWWWLW.

Palace: Hennessey; Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt; McArthur, Kouyate, Milivojevic, Meyer; Townsend, Zaha.
Subs: Guaita, Kelly, Riedewald, Schlupp, Puncheon, Ayew, Sorloth.
League form: DLLLDL.

Referee: Jonathan Moss.

TV: BT Sport 1.

Our tactics against PSV were a little different. Should we stick with them or switch to something else?
Should Gazzaniga be given another opportunity in goal or should Lloris retake his place?
Does anyone need a break or should any of our bench be promoted to a starting slot?

 

Paul Stewart

 

I'd go with:

Gazza
KWP, Dave, Toby, Davies
Sissoko, Winks
Lamela, Eriksen, Lucas
Kane

KWP deserves a shot seeing as the other two have hardly blown competition away. We need to manage Dele carefully, especially as Southgate will no doubt play him for 180 minutes! Sonny's not been at his best and doesn't deserve to start over the others yet.

 

My 11 would be:
GK...Anyone but Aurier
LB...Aurier....left back at wembley
CD...Aurier? Nope
CD....Thank God Aurier ain't playing
RB....Take one step forward if you are playing....Aurier, where the feck you going?
MF....I would rather suck my eyes out with a straw than play Aurier
MF...Not Aurier
MF...Aurier? Yeah right!
MF...Aurier? As if!
MF...Leave Aurier in the car park
C.F...Not Aurier

 

Honestly not expecting more than a one goal win.

 

Spot on, mate
And we both know it won’t happen but Gazza should retain his place, not only tomorrow but for a decent run. Every time he plays he performs well and to keep dropping him will eventually have a negative impact on him. Hugo needs a rest and there has been enough time since his off the field issues to distract attention.

Place will be tough and combative, well drilled and their fans usually equally aggressive and noisy. We need to match fire with fire to some extent. But if Lucas and Winks are at the same level as Tuesday, Eriksen continues to look more like his old self and we avoid any real feck-ups at the back then we should be ok.

No Trippier of course would mean all dead ball kicks go to Eriksen........

 

Aurier captain for this one, yeah?

 

It is weird that Gazza keeps being dropped. If he were an outfield player (see Lucas) he’d be keeping his spot in the side regardless of who else is in the squad until he messes up. I know Poch loves Hugo, all Spurs fans do, but it should be about picking the in-form players which Gazza certainly is.

 

Hugo almost certainly needs a break. His summer was, shall we say, up and down and it's probably left him mentally tired. A few weeks off and he goes back into the team - he is the better keeper on top form and we'll have a better idea of whether Gazza is the long term replacement.

 

Everything I've seen of Gazza so far I've loved. Good shot stopper, commanding and has the ability to make good long range passes - he's a sexy **** as well, definite man crush here. I've said about how Spurs will need to get with the times with regards to the new breed of "playmaker keeper" and Gazza is looking like he already fits that mould - which could save us £40m+ in the future.

There's no denying Hugo on top form is one of the best, but he hasn't been on top form for nearly 18 months, he's had a few of great games in that period don't get me wrong but it's been nothing like we've come to expect from him. He's already made two mistakes this season that's cost us while Toby bailed him out against Cardiff.

 

Dier and Wanyama may be available for this.

 

Oh god, anything but the Dier/Wanyama pivot from last season...

 

Thoroughly deserved:

 

I’m going to this but am having to sit with my mate in the Holmesdale road end. I say sit it will be standing all the time! If we score I’m going to have to keep it to myself as they are a pretty feisty bunch!!

 

I am going to do my obligatory bet on us to lose this one as 90% of the time means I lose money. It’s my way of doing an RCL. Palace are 3-1 so £20 gets me £60 back so will soften the blow if I have to sit in their end while they beat us!

 

The good news is that Selhurst Park won't be downwind from a bunch of dickheads burning a Grenfell Tower effigy this weekend

Hopefully...

 

Hope we can bring some of the better aspects of Tuesday night to the game tomorrow, but have a feeling that we might be found wanting. We’ve also got the better of some close games recently at Selhurst Park and have a bad feeling that we will come (a close) 2nd..... but......


COYS!!!!

 

One maybe 2 goal win to us. I'm not overlooking the fact that it was 2 penalties which drew the match for Palace against Arsenal.

 

When the story broke of those twats burning that effigy, I said to Mrs B that it wouldn't surprise me if those involved came from Croydon. It had 'the right feel' to it. It turns out that I recognise one of them from drinking in South Norwood. It ain't good.

 

That’s your own bloody fault