Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers

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Sunday 1st March 2pm
Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium​

Back-to-back poor performances and losses have been tough to watch and lacking in imagination.
Our Champions League campaign and chances of qualification for next year are looking grim, to say the least.
In stark contrast, Wolves are looking very strong and progressed comfortably in Europe, despite losing.
Our last game against them was a struggle and we're badly depleted up front since that match.
Can Mourinho find a way to make our strikerless team work or will it be another depressing defeat?

It's Nuno Espirito Santo's third season with the West Midlands club and each has been a big success, so far.
This one started off a lot less emphatically than the previous two, though.
Europa League qualifiers saw them kick-off in late July and it badly affected their league form.
Six games without victory and conceding 5 against Chelsea were very uncharacteristic of this side.
They followed it up with a fairly long unbeaten run and have looked impressive since, though.

Early domestic cup elimination to Villa and Man Utd has probably eased their fixture list a little.
Progress in the Europa League will test it as they continue though, facing Olympiakos in the next round.
It will be a strange one for their latest signing Daniel Podence, as he joined from the Greeks in January.
He's another Portuguese player on their books who shares the same agent, so he'll probably fit straight in.
They added extra depth in the summer too, which should stand them in good stead.

Our game against them at Wembley last season was an embarrassing collapse, having taken an early lead.
Harry Kane scored halfway through the first period, but tired legs and a lack of changes took their toll.
The visitors came out after the break looking strong and Pochettino failed to react quickly enough to it.
Boly equalised before two late goals gave them all three points, as Jimenez and Costa hit the target.
It was a game won on changes and our solitary substitution and weak bench told their own story:

The match at Molineux in December was our first glimpse of old-style Mourinho since he joined the club.
An early rocket from Lucas Moura gave us the lead and it was clear that the intention was to hold onto it.
The hosts had most of the ball and the chances, as they looked for an equaliser and we tried to stay solid.
Adama Traore drew them level with a fine strike late on and they pushed for a winner, but it was not to be.
Jan Vertonghen headed home from a corner in injury time to shock the home fans and take the points:

Kane, Son, Sessegnon, Foyth and Sissoko are out injured for this one.
Jonny is out for Wolves. Neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Tanganga, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Lo Celso, Ndombele, Winks, Moura; Bergwijn.
Subs: Gazzaniga, Aurier, Dier, Skipp, Fernandes, Lamela, Alli.
League form: LDWWWL.

Wolves: Patricio; Boly, Saiss, Coady; Doherty, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Neves, Otto; Jota, Jimenez.
Subs: Ruddy, Kilman, Vinagre, Gibbs-White, Traore, Podence, Neto.
League form: DWLDDW.

Ref: Stuart Atwell. VAR: Simon Hooper.

TV: Not televised.

How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Chelsea 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 Wolves to go with?

 

Paul Stewart...

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My preferred line up for this game is to call it off or just declare . We've tried everything and I can't see the light.
An easy 3 points for Wolves here.

 

Lloris; Gaping Void, Tanganga, Sanchez, Davies; Winks, Lo Celso, Ndombele; Lucas, Dele, Bergwijn

And, most importantly, Parrott and Skipp on the bench

 

Getting this ready in advance...

 

My small suggestion the other day of maybe giving Etete a shot likely won't be happening, he kicked off 15 mins ago with the U18s against Southampton.

 

Aaaand he’s bagged our third of the game so far.

The funniest thing is I’m actually starting to lean more towards him getting a shot over Parrott. Not even to do with the potential attitude issues but Parrott’s barely kicked a ball for ages now thanks to our club’s ridiculous policy of keeping promising players around the first team yet not playing any form of football... Etete meanwhile is really finding his feet for the youths and playing week-in, week-out, plus as I said on the transfer thread the other day, he’s probably more in the mould of a Jose-type striker baring in mind he’s about 6’4.

Edit: He scored two and won a penalty in a 6-1 win. Etete FTW!!!

 

Hugo
Aurier, Dave, Tanganga, Davies
Tanguy, Gedson, Gio
Lucas, Etete, Bergwijn

 

Been saying it since the day he arrived. Love him for the Ajax game but Poch never wanted him and neither did I. He's Andros Townsend without the HG bonus. Trouble is, we don't have anyone else as Sess is once again injured. I'd probably go for:

Hugo
Pennywise Dave Tanganga Davies
Tanguy Winks Gedson
Lo Celso Lamela Bergwijn

Subs: Gazza, Toby, Jan, Skipp, Dele, Lucas, Parrott

 

Lucas is being asked to do an unfamiliar role, he spends half his time through the middle trying to win headers and hold the ball up against physical defenders, that is not his game, the rest of the time he is feeding off scraps and chasing down long balls into the channels. If we ever dominated midfield again and got the ball to him in dangerous areas, we would probably see more output from him.

 

He's not playing well but he's certainly got plenty of company in that. Who in the club has actually played well, with any real consistency, over the last couple of years? I'm hard pressed to think of anyone.

He's a distance from being our biggest problem, he can score goals and who the **** else is there right now? We haven't got anyone else who regularly plays in his position, or can be moved there without making another area on the pitch weaker.

Lo Celso needs to play in central midfield, because he's our best option in there and it's his best position, We've got no Sonny or Sessegnon, so Bergwijn needs to play on the left. It's all hands to the pumps and give it everything...excluding Parrott and Skippy, obviously...

 

...and Hugo's injured again

 

Yup, Hugo's definitely injured again...

 

Parrott in the squad, Tanganga takes Toby's place.
The only decision I'm not happy with is Dier instead of Skipp/Gedson but overall this is the happiest I've been with a match day squad in months.

Giving Winks the armband ahead of Dier, Dele and Davies (all of whom have worn it before) is a huge statement and richly deserved. He has run himself into the ground for the team in the wake of our injury plague. Not always good enough to run a game but if the rest of these feckers cared as much as he does, we'd already be 4th.

 

Cousin turned 30 on Thursday so we had a big night out last night. Let my mate buy my ticket off me as I knew I wouldn't be in a great state - wise choice too. Don't think I could've been arsed standing there today watching this line up with a hangover.

Defence I'm as happy as I can be. Bye Toby
Midfield of Captain Crab and Dier is asking for trouble. Hopefully it's a three and Gio can at least make it look respectable, disappointed that Tanguy and/ or Gedson aren't in it, especially Gedson as I don't understand why he's not getting picked.
Attack, Dele I suppose has to play seeing as Lamela's still struggling for fitness but as soon as he or any option is available I hope he sits next to Toby soon. Lucas hardly inspires confidence either.

Praying Gio or Bergwijn pull something out the bag. Though expecting a turgid game with a high chance of a loss.

 

"Captain Crab"


Like I said, he has his limitations but is currently a better option over 90mins than Gedson and Tanguy. If the likes of Dele, Aurier and Toby cared half as much as Winks does, I doubt we'd be in this mess - even with the injuries we have.

 

Winks as Captain...?
Maureen is proper wumming @Dier Hard

 

Nice to see parrot on the perch. ...I mean bench

 

Fek me, my link must be channel 9, scorchio, butras butras ghali, chrissy chrissy waddle......