Team News - official site

[DC_Boy]

Younes Kaboul is back in contention for Sunday's Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester City.

The defender missed out on our UEFA Cup Round of 16 second leg with PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday with a knee injury, but has since returned to training.
However, captain Ledley King is unlikely to feature at the City of Manchester Stadium having picked up a calf strain in Holland.
Fellow defender Ricardo Rocha also remains out with a groin strain, while long-term injuries Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Gareth Bale are still on the sidelines.
Alan Hutton is available again after being ineligible for the PSV game

it's gonna be a huge squad we have to pick from, with only 4 injuries and no 'ineligibles' - plenty of scope for JR's mix'n pick approach

 

[SpurSince57]

And City are missing Hamann and Petrov through suspension, and Richards (and almost certainly Dunne) through injury.

Go get 'em, Juande!

 

[al_pacino]

Richards and Dunne have been holding them together this season.

 

[Marty]

Richards and Dunne both out = field day for Berba and Keane

 

[NickHSpurs]

Robbo
Hutton Woodgate Dawson Chimbonda
Lennon Tainio Taarabt Steeeeeed
Bent Keane

Subs: Cerny, Kaboul/O'Hara, Hudd, JJ, Berba.

Let's what see Adel can do, City in poor form and we're meant to be building for next season, give the lad a chance, if it don't work got Hudd or JJ to come on!

JJ and Berbatov deserve a rest after PSV.

 

[Marty]

That midfield is woeful.

Maybe Steeeeeeeeed in the middle and Taarabt on the left, but we can't play all three of Steed, Lennon and Taarabt against City.

 

[Kendall]

Hudd in the middle with JJ , Bent and Berba up front for me.

 

[SpurSince57]

Richards and Dunne have been holding them together this season.

So has Hamann, although you don't really get to see his contribution on MOTD.

This really could be the perfect game for Bent to get over his yips.

 

[chinaman]

If Keane is not playing, would like to see if Taarabt playing AM in support of a lone marauding Berbs would work.

 

[Kendall]

I think it would be plain madness to play Taarabt over Bent, the latter being a well known goalscorer who needs games like this to get it all back

 

[SpurSince57]

I'd like to see Taarabt given a run-out, too—but let's make it 'job done' first, shall we?

 

[bubble07]

With richards outi fully expect dunne to play even if his not 100% I would like bent to get an extensive run in the side for the ast 10 games and rotate keane and berba around him. This next 10 games is really important for Bent to show to us what he is really capable of. I fully expect him to et 5 or 6 goals if he plays our remaining 10 games

 

[paul_1979yid]

Do we think Lennon will het his place back then?

 

[SpurSince57]

With richards outi fully expect dunne to play even if his not 100% I would like bent to get an extensive run in the side for the ast 10 games and rotate keane and berba around him. This next 10 games is really important for Bent to show to us what he is really capable of. I fully expect him to et 5 or 6 goals if he plays our remaining 10 games

I expect him to play if it's humanly possible, because he's that sort of bloke, but ten stitches in a gashed shin is no laughing matter. If he takes a bad knock on it, which is highly possible given the way he puts himself about, he could be out for two or three games. Big risk.

 

[Johnspur]

Robinson
Hutton Dawson Woodgate Chimbonda
Lennon Tainio Huddlestone Malbranque
Berbatov Keane

That's what I'd go with, but Bent may start to give a rest to one of the prems best strike force.

 

[Dannyspur]

2-1 to us as usual?

 

[SpurSince57]

If they're missing Petrov and have a gaping hole where their central defence and key DM normally go, I'm hoping we'll do altogether better than that.

 

[Johnspur]

2-1 to us as usual?

That's what my money's on.

 

[nidge]

What is this obsession some people have with playing Taarabt as a starter. I just don't get it, yes bring him on as a sub when we have done the real hard work but, as a starter in this game I think would be a mistake especially in central midfield.

 

[tRiKS]

If Keane is not playing, would like to see if Taarabt playing AM in support of a lone marauding Berbs would work.

Same as but bent as a lone striker like at Charlton with Taraabt and Lennon supoprting withe a strong 3 centrally.. TT, o'hara and hud.

Think we'd do well to compleltey drop the UEFA cup starters and include the SUBs from that night. Even Cerny in goal for Robbo.. Dawson and kaboul at CB with hutton and Gliberto at full back..