Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City

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Saturday 17th March 12.15pm
FA Cup Quarter-Final
Liberty Stadium​

The team bounced back from European disappointment pretty well with a flattering scoreline at Bournemouth.
It came at a cost though, as Harry Kane picked up another injury and will be missing for a while.
There's an international break coming up and we don't have a league game for a few weeks, thankfully.
We have one more chance at a trophy this season and we'll have to manage without him to make it.
An in-form Swansea will be a tough test for the rest of the side.

It's definitely been a season of two halves for our Welsh hosts.
Paul Clement saved the Swans from the drop in the previous campaign, but failed to recreate that form.
A 5-0 loss to Liverpool in December saw him sacked, as the team sat rock bottom of the league.
Staring relegation in the face, the club made an unusual appointment in Carlos Carvahal.
He'd recently been fired from Sheffield Wednesday and had no experience in the Premier League.

The Portuguese coach has been an inspired choice, so far.
He's won half of his 16 league games, drawing six and losing only two, one of which was to us.
They've also managed to progress in the cup via a series of replays, while making wholesale changes to the team.
Championship leaders Wolves were the first to go, followed by Notts County and his old club Wednesday.
This match should see him select his strongest XI though, with the international break coming up.

The league game at Wembley near the start season was a frustrating affair, typical of our early games there.
Kane hit the bar and a host of other chances were wasted, as our visitors failed to register a shot on target.
Mike Dean was at the forefront again, as a series of penalty claims were waved away.
The deadlock remained unbroken and it finished 0-0:

The match at the Liberty was similarly noted for controversial refereeing decisions.
Fernando Llorente headed home against his old side to give us the lead, but replays showed that he was offside.
The flag went up against him a couple of minutes later when he was clear through, but this was another mistake.
Both sides asked for red cards, as things got a little heated in the second half and the score remained tight.
Alli finished it off near the end though, having been put in on goal with a delightful ball by Kane:

Harry Kane will miss this match through injury, but he might be the only player unavailable.
Alderweireld could still be out though and Rose and Alli both picked up knocks against Bournemouth.
Swansea have a number of players missing for a variety of reasons.
Britton, Sanchez, Fer, Bony and Rangel are all injured, while Jordan Ayew is suspended.
Andre Ayew and Andy King are also cup-tied.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Rose; Wanyama, Dembele; Eriksen, Alli, Son; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Trippier, Dier, Sissoko, Lamela, Moura, Llorente.
League form: WDWWWW.

Swans: Fabianski; van der Hoorn, Fernandez, Mawson; Naughton, King, Ki, Clucas, Olsson; J. Ayew, A. Ayew.
Subs: Nordfeldt, Bartley, Roberts, Carroll, Narsingh, Dyer, Abraham.
League form: WDWLWD.

Referee: Kevin Friend. VAR official: Stuart Atwell.

TV: BT Sport 1.

How do we replace Kane for this one? Continue with Son or give Llorente a game against his old club?
Should we go full strength for this game or continue to rest and rotate, as we have in other rounds?
Does anyone need resting, dropping or promoting to the bench?

 

He never played for a club outside England

 

Son needs a rest, so start with Llorente.
A much stronger MF is needed, as
Swansea are a PL club

 

No game after this until Chelsea due to the international break, so no need for a rotated side, must do all we can to win.

Hugo
Tripps, Dave, Jan, Davies
Wanyama, Dembele
Moura, Eriksen, Alli
Son

 

For me we must go 'all-in' for this game. Everyone's had 6 days since the Bournemouth game and there's no rhyme or reason to international selection. So, we should play the best team that we have available, although I understand the temptation to rest Sonny, given HK's injury. I'm one of the few that see getting back in the CL as being more important [to the club and players' ambitions] than winning the FA Cup.

However, this game could put us back in the S/F of the cup and it's worth that one risk. Llorente's not a player who fills me with any hope that he'll score against PL opposition, right now. Plus, we've been starting slowly recently and I'd rather not have to chase another cup game, especially away with extra time and penalties a possibility. Swansea can get a head of steam up at home and giving them a head start would be stupid.

The only issue would be Aurier v Trippier. Does HK's absence negate the best of Trippier's game, if we don't play Llorente? It's probably about even. So, for me...

Lloris

Trippier Big Dave Super Jan Ben Davies

Mousa Eric Dier

Erik Lamela Our No. 23 Dele

Sonny

 

The likes of Son may be going halfway
around the world next week to play.
So the internationals do figure to some
degree in the next two games.

 

Llorente did well in the last Cup game. He'll start surely?
Especially with Kane out.

 

Is a must-win game for me and we have to put out the strongest available starting 11 - no rotation. Sonny has to be in there and I would hope to see Lucas get a decent run out.

Swansea are on a high in recent weeks and look very well organised defensively as their performance last week proved. However, they are missing key attacking elements, which may limit their ambitions - as will the fact that they are still very much seeking PL survival as a priority. Fair to say that the Swans probably want a replay less than us....

So it could be another attritional battle - and the extra creativity of our winter signing may make the difference. COYS!!!

 

No replays at the quarter-final stage any more, since last season. Extra-time and penalties if it's a draw.

 

Ta - forgot that

 

He's the Spanish Marouane Fellaini.

We can get you his agent's number, if you like?

 

If it snows then Llorente should play

 

Agree with this line-up. We're doomed.

But in all seriousness I have a feeling we'll see Lamela and drastically less pleasant feeling we'll also see Sissocko and Llorente.

 

Agree with @Dier Hard ‘s line up, although I don’t see Vorm being dropped.

 

Please not Son up front.

How many threads do I need to mention it? He's never been good as a lone striker. He should continue playing in his position.

Ideally Dele up front or even Moura . We have enough players to play ( false number 9 whatever that means. I just know it's what the pundits always say when Chelski play without an out and out striker ) in the midfield.

 

Seems he's done alright between us, HSV and Bayer when used there.


EDIT: FWIW, he won't play it like Harry does, will likely be a similar style to Bournemouth in which he rotates with Alli as to who plays further up.

 

He probably will, yeah.

It's a tough one, because although he was great against Rochdale, I feel a mix of our AMs can be more effective as a unit, especially as we rarely play to Nando's strengths. Son is on fire, Eriksen is dictating games, Alli's been hot and cold but his stats have been impressive, Lamela helped changed the game on the weekend and in the short appearances Lucas has made he's looked great.

 

I get the impression Poch sees the Cup games as a chance to give certain players game time.
And if they play well, they should keep their place for the next game.
Hardly a new idea in recent times but some reward and encouragement for fringe players.
If you get hat-trick, you'd be disappointed to be warming the bench next time.
And if you're managing how many games your top players are going to play over the season - including internationals and with the World Cup not far off - a Q-F tie was probably identified as a rest for a number of regulars some time ago anyway.

 

I still think the main reason Son has struggled there was that removing him from the '3' plus Kane gone meant that we lacked a general tenacity in the final third that Eriksem certainly doesn't provide and Alli only provides when he's in the mood. Lamela's return gives us a much better balance of attributes in Kane's absence. If anything, we played much better on Sunday after he came on. That's not to say I've gone and joined DGC's 'sell kane' club (membership: 1), what it does mean is that I am far less nervous than I was this time last year when a static and confused Janssen was our only other option.

Dele for me lacks the pace and focus to play the role. He is at his most effective making the lampardesque runs from deep, arriving in the box so late the defenders had forgotten to track him.

 

I thought Son and Llorente played well together in the CL against Apoel but they never really did it again.