Team for Brentford...

[SA_Spurs]

Not sure why anyone would want Maddison to be dropped. The first goal against Coventry doesn't happen without his brilliant first time, outside of the boot pass into Kulusevski. Madders is not playing poorly and is not the reason that we are not winning games.

The Coventry game was bad, no two ways about it but our performances in the league have still generally been good. The issue we're having is that teams are letting us have the ball and sitting deep. When they do press high on us, we're not moving it quickly enough or finding a decent out ball.

We don't need sweeping changes, although I would also argue that we're yet to play a game this season at full strength:

Leicester - No Bissouma
Everton - No Solanke or Richarlison
Newcastle - No Solanke or VDV
Arsenal - No Bissouma

We have 4 points from 4 games, we should arguably have at least 6, perhaps 10. The Coventry game, however, was so bad that coupled with our slightly underwhelming start in the league, we're all feeling far more concerned than perhaps is necessary.

I personally believe that Bissouma is hugely important to our tempo and that affects how well we attack and maintain control on a game. Sadly he doesn't particularly help us defensively in transition but I thought he looked very good in the 2 games he has played. We need him back. Assuming he's fit then the team picks itself right now:

Vicario
Porro Romero VDV Udogie
Bissouma
Kulu Madders
Johnson Solanke Son

Bench: Forster, Dragusin, Davies, Spence, Gray, Bergvall, Sarr, Moore, Lankshear

Moore needs to start getting minutes. Werner is injured (not to mention Odobert) and without being too harsh, this is a good thing because having him blocking Moore's path is hard to stomach.

Brentford are going to press high and then drop into a low block when they can, trying to hit us on the break with Mbeumo's pace. We absolutely should be beating them but that only happens if we can finish like we did vs Everton.

glorifying 1 touch from maddison when it was Demi's clever pass that made the spence goal as justification for his selection is crazy. Madders has been way off it in all 4 games prior to the Coventry game. He is ponderous on the ball, makes very few vertical passes, hardly shoots, and definitely doesn't take on players. Suggest you go back & watch those 4 games.

His form has been off since he returned from injury & I think he needs a goal or a blinding assist or an outrageous piece of skill to raise his sonfidence before that swagger will return. In saying all this, I doubt Ange drops him and I think he will still play. Him playing does give him a chance to return to his best form but I would say he's not earning his place on merit right now. Same goes for Son & Romero. Son, Madders & Romero may be the best players in the team but they're also the most of out form so we are effectively carrying 3 passengers every game we play & we wonder why we get overrun!

 

[Whitey]

-------------Vicario---------------
Porro - Romero - Van de Ven - Spence
---------Gray-----Bissouma--------
-----Kulu-----Maddison-----Son----
---------------Solanke------------

Porro to stay out wide running behind Kulusevski who has a free role moving inside and creating issues. Porro looking to do crosses for Solanke. Spence to play inverted full back, he deserved the starting spot. Gray in there with a main mission to cover the agressive full backs. Bissouma connecting defense with offense. Could also played by Bentancur.

Subs
Forster, Udogie, Dragusin, Davies, Bentancur, Bergvall, Sarr, Johnson, Moore

Obviously not going to happen and we go for more of the same.

Really like that line up..... I'd love to see Bergvall in for Son though and get the width from the full backs.... Son being skipper really does cause a selection issue at times?

 

[neilp]

My seat in south lower is on the exchange if anyone fancies a last minute trip to the lane.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

 

[VoteMe4Prez]

Timo's ok. Wicked

 

[brasil_spur]

For me there's several players that have earned their start recently:

Dragusin - not switched off during a critical moment like Romero has.
VDV - Easily our best defensive player this season so far.
Bentancur - key to our 2 goals against Coventry and assuming his ban isn't in this could be his last game for a while.
Deki - best player on the pitch for us recently.

After that I'd be looking to get game time for Bissouma, Porro, Udogie, Johnson and Solanke. I think Son has been off form, but we're short on options on the left, so makes sense for him to start there.

So there we go, team kinda picks itself I guess:

- Vicario -
- Porro - Dragusin - VDV - Udogie
- Deki - Bissouma - Bentancur -
- Johnson - Solanke - Son -​

I imagine if Bentancur is suspended then we'll go with Maddison to start, but i'd prefer to see Bergvall or even Gray for that matter.

I think it would be good for Spence to have some game time too, so a 60 minute sub on for either Porro or Udogie should be on the cards.

 

[SpursSince1980]

For me there's several players that have earned their start recently:

Dragusin - not switched off during a critical moment like Romero has.
VDV - Easily our best defensive player this season so far.
Bentancur - key to our 2 goals against Coventry and assuming his ban isn't in this could be his last game for a while.
Deki - best player on the pitch for us recently.

After that I'd be looking to get game time for Bissouma, Porro, Udogie, Johnson and Solanke. I think Son has been off form, but we're short on options on the left, so makes sense for him to start there.

So there we go, team kinda picks itself I guess:

- Vicario -
- Porro - Dragusin - VDV - Udogie
- Deki - Bissouma - Bentancur -
- Johnson - Solanke - Son -​

I imagine if Bentancur is suspended then we'll go with Maddison to start, but i'd prefer to see Bergvall or even Gray for that matter.

I think it would be good for Spence to have some game time too, so a 60 minute sub on for either Porro or Udogie should be on the cards.

Shouldn’t they already know the outcome of the Bents suspension?

 

[smallsnc]

Would really like us to setup with more of a 4-2-3-1 formation even playing with Ange's inverted FBs.

Right now, we are end up with almost a 2-1-6-1 formation which both restricts our attacking players because they have no space and leaves us 1 pass away from our opponent having 3 or 4 on 2 breakaway.

Put deki, Madison and son across the 3 with 2 of Sarr, Bis or Bent behind. Allows one of the 2 to press while still providing an additional cover for the CBs.

 

[Mannnos]

I was at the city - Brentford game on the weekend, Brentford were OK. Not really that good. City started the game just flat & asleep. They took 20 minutes to get into the game & for the crowd to wake up, truly a library there. Whole 2nd half just felt like city could have made it 3,4 or 5 and didn't take their chances. Brentford did break well, which could cause us some issues, but I think our press is really going to cause them issues.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Shouldn’t they already know the outcome of the Bents suspension?

This is interesting - since Bentancur's response was due yesterday. Perhaps its a bit more complicated, and they need some time to sort things out - both on the intent/harm, but also on the appearance of going after Bentancur but not Enzo.

 

[brasil_spur]

Shouldn’t they already know the outcome of the Bents suspension?

He had to submit his response yesterday, it's currently pretty close to weekend PL squad cut-off times so I would imagine any incoming ban won't be actioned until at least Monday now.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Vic

Pedro
Radu
Usain Van Der Ven
Destiny

Yves
J Maz
Kulu Kulu Kulu

BJ
Big Dom
Sonaldo

Subs:
Mikey Moore.
Mikey Moore.
Mikey Moore.
etc.
Also friendly Timo off the bench with an assist.

 

[Hoowl]

I think it will largely be the same as against Arsenal and hope that playing against a team that doesn't have the best defense in the league means we get a better outcome.

I definitely feel he's going to continue with 2 attacking AMs, especially at home. We need the goal threat that Maddison and Kulu give that rather than Sarr or playing both Bentancur and Bissouma. The jury is our of how much goal threat Gray and Bergval offer. At the moment I think we need to get into some winning positions so we can bring them on when there is less pressure.

 

[JonnySpurs]

glorifying 1 touch from maddison when it was Demi's clever pass that made the spence goal as justification for his selection is crazy. Madders has been way off it in all 4 games prior to the Coventry game. He is ponderous on the ball, makes very few vertical passes, hardly shoots, and definitely doesn't take on players. Suggest you go back & watch those 4 games.

His form has been off since he returned from injury & I think he needs a goal or a blinding assist or an outrageous piece of skill to raise his sonfidence before that swagger will return. In saying all this, I doubt Ange drops him and I think he will still play. Him playing does give him a chance to return to his best form but I would say he's not earning his place on merit right now. Same goes for Son & Romero. Son, Madders & Romero may be the best players in the team but they're also the most of out form so we are effectively carrying 3 passengers every game we play & we wonder why we get overrun!

“Glorifying”. I'm hardly using one pass to justify his selection ffs. It was merely an example in a game that the entire team played poorly in to demonstrate how he can affect games. Yes, Kulusevski got the assist with good hold up play but the skill required to get the ball to him, in tight areas, cannot be understated.

I don’t need to go back and watch anything so you can keep your suggestion and offer it to someone else. His form isn’t where it should be but he’s also not as poor as you’re making him out to be. We’ll simply have to agree to disagree on him. What I will say is that he needs to shoot from range more often. He hasn’t scored enough for Spurs given what he used to do for Leicester.

Son I agree but he’s not going to drop him when he’s our captain and club legend, rightly or wrongly. Romero has been good on the whole but needs to sharpen up these lapses in concentration. He’s hugely important to our buildup play so dropping him for Dragusin would be a bad move imo.

 

[SA_Spurs]

“Glorifying”. I'm hardly using one pass to justify his selection ffs. It was merely an example in a game that the entire team played poorly in to demonstrate how he can affect games. Yes, Kulusevski got the assist with good hold up play but the skill required to get the ball to him, in tight areas, cannot be understated.

I don’t need to go back and watch anything so you can keep your suggestion and offer it to someone else. His form isn’t where it should be but he’s also not as poor as you’re making him out to be. We’ll simply have to agree to disagree on him. What I will say is that he needs to shoot from range more often. He hasn’t scored enough for Spurs given what he used to do for Leicester.

Son I agree but he’s not going to drop him when he’s our captain and club legend, rightly or wrongly. Romero has been good on the whole but needs to sharpen up these lapses in concentration. He’s hugely important to our buildup play so dropping him for Dragusin would be a bad move imo.

agree to disagree - he's been off form since those first 10 game last season. But let's keep carrying him ...whilst he's coasts around running sideways and having no impact on games. I'm all for players being given the chance to play through their poor form, but do tell me how much longer should we wait for madders? Rest of this season? Next season? If that's the case, then ange & likely 1 other manager would've come & gone.

Madders was usually patchy for Leicester too ...but he tended to put together longer streaks of form. He just hasn't done it spurs so far but I will say that I (and I'm sure, all spurs fans) WANT him to hit those highs, to show his class & skill because he has it in abundance.

Agree he won't drop Son but it's so painful watching Son struggle so much. He's clearly a confidence players and once he gets some goals/assists consistently & in a winning side, I think he will be up his output but still painful to see him struggle so much right now. Dragusin deserves a run of games ...I think he does the basics well, is an imposing figure and does well aerially (which we are poor in, especially defensively). Unfortunately, can't see him dropping Romero either and can't see him playing a back 3 so Dragusin is bench warming until we get an injury. All a bit predictable.

We just need fewer 'off form' players right now - that will certainly help the team push on & get some results. i'm usually positive about games but today is going to be a huge challenge as Brentford are to interested in possession and look to transition fast & catch teams out with their lightning counter attacks. Transitions are our worse area now and I just can't see us scoring more goals then them with an off form set of attackers. Please god, I hope I am horribly wrong!

 

[CorlukaModric]

Vicario
Porro Romero VDV Udogie
Kulusevski Bentancur Maddison
Johnson Solanke Son

Subs: Forster, Spence, Dragusin, Davies, Gray, Bergvall, Werner, Bissouma, Moore

Was tempted to go with Bissouma but with Bentancur’s upcoming ban and Biss just coming back from injury it doesn’t make sense to rush him back in. Plus we’ll need Bentancur for defending set pieces as Brentford will be targeting us massively on those today.

 

[muel]

With Odobert injured for a while I’d absolutely love to see Moore get some minutes today.

I don’t think the game state should determine if he does. I think whether we’re winning, losing or drawing he should get on. These are the moments/opportunities to really get him cemented into the playing squad. We could certainly benefit from his potential skill set

 

[talkshowhost86]

I honestly don't know what midfield we go with anymore.

Bergvall and Gray clearly aren't trusted fully yet.

Bentancur is flaky as hell and not really been at it for a while now.

Sarr has dropped off and Bissouma is Bissouma...who knows whether he'll turn up or not.

Madders is out of form so really Deki is the only player I'd certainly pick and we may now need him to cover on the right.

What a mess.

 

[Albertbarich]

I honestly don't know what midfield we go with anymore.

Bergvall and Gray clearly aren't trusted fully yet.

Bentancur is flaky as hell and not really been at it for a while now.

Sarr has dropped off and Bissouma is Bissouma...who knows whether he'll turn up or not.

Madders is out of form so really Deki is the only player I'd certainly pick and we may now need him to cover on the right.

What a mess.

I don’t know if he is physically ready but I’d like to see Bentancour as a number 8. He was great at conte when he pushed forward and played the box to box role

 

[talkshowhost86]

I don’t know if he is physically ready but I’d like to see Bentancour as a number 8. He was great at conte when he pushed forward and played the box to box role

Sadly I think that role is beyond him now