Team v Besiktas + Team v Swansea

[TaoistMonkey]

Call me a traditionalist but I hope he plays with 11 players.

haha. thank goodness. I really needed someone better on the right.

 

[St José Dominguez]

Lloris
Walker Fazio Vertonghen Davies
Paulinho Bentaleb Mason
Lennon Kane Eriksen

Subs: Vorm, Naughton, Chiriches, Stambouli, Chadli, Lamela, Soldado

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

I have a feeling Soldado will be rested and with Walker back at RB providing width and space he will go with Lamela. And although I feel Lamela is the better player, I wouldnt be overly disappointed if Lennon started to stay wide and nullify Montero a bit.

At the moment the goalkeeper and defence is picking itself imo. And I'd assume Mason, Bentaleb and Kane will be starting due to being rested.

This si what I think Poch will go for.

Lloris,
Walker, Fazio, Vertonghen, Davies.
Mason, Bentaleb
Lamela/Chadli/Eriksen behind Kane.

 

[The Scarecrow]

Lloris
Walker-Fazio-Vertonghen-Davies
Mason-Bentaleb
Lennon-Eriksen-Chadli
Kane​

 

[DCSPUR]

do you think Poch will play Walker from the start? 2 games in 4 days after so long out?

 

[VegasII]

Think we'll go for Naughton at RB. Walker's just returned and it'll also put Naughton in the shop window if Swansea are still interested.

 

[Mr Pink]

I think Walker will be in to start against Newcastle, needs to managed carefully after such a long lay off, vital he gets to recover properly - don't want a set back with him.

I think this will be the team on Sunday:

Lloris

Vlad
Fazio:
Vertonghen
Davies

Bentaleb
Mason

Lennon
Lamela
Eriksen

Kane

Subs: Vorm, Rose, Kaboul, Dembele, Paulinho, Chadli, Soldado

I like that side, and I want to see Lamela in a central position.

 

[Monkey boy]

Don't think Walker will be in the squad at all given his return from a 9 month lay off and correct me if im wrong but aren't there fitness concerns over Naughton and Dier?

 

[talkshowhost86]

I don't think this will be the team, particularly as Stambo and Chadli played last night, but....

Lloris​

Naughton Fazio Veretonghen Davies

Stambouli Bentaleb

Chadli Mason Eriksen

Kane
​

Although I'm not sure if I'd maybe play Lennon instead of Chadli or Eriksen.

 

[Mr Pink]

Was reading Merson's prediction, he reckon's we'll get done easily, 2-0 to Swansea he's gone for.

It got me thinking that every prediction I read for our away games, not one of the authors has ever mentioned just how impressive our away record has been in recent times. There's been a huge improvement to how we were a few years ago,

If you remove Chelsea and City from the equation, we've only lost four league games in nearly a year and a half. That is pretty fucking impressive.

I believe those were...Arsenal, Liverpool, Norwich and West Ham.

Sunday will be a good contest but we like playing Swansea. A team that likes to play out from the back as well, perfect for us to get the high press going. I really am optimistic since we rested key players and if they can apply that intensity that we saw against Everton I think we'll do well against Swansea.

I think we'll get at least a point, but going for a tight win. 2-1, we love that scoreline.

 

[homer hotspur]

The next 3 league games will really tell us where we are going -Swansea, Burnley, Leicester-we have to get 7 points minimum as we then play Chelsea & Man utd in quick succession. If we have restored some confidence, maybe we could get a surprise point or 2. If not, we could get destroyed and be really in the mire. At the moment I have zero confidence in us getting 7 points from these 3 games. All I see are these teams rubbing their hands with anticipation at the thought of playing us. Burnley looked pretty useful going forward on the highlights at QPR, Leicester are due a win, Swansea are a better team than us. Strangely, though, this match might be our best chance. The hope is that we can reproduce the Everton performance on a regular basis, but that was so high tempo and I just don't think we can do it in consecutive games especially during a xmas period. Goodness knows what is our best team/combination now, certainly in the midfield and attacking positions - I would like to see Stambouli feature a bit more though as he seems to have the right attitude.

 

[prawnsandwich]

do you think Poch will play Walker from the start? 2 games in 4 days after so long out?

MoPo would not have taken him off in the Bes game if he was not in his plans v Swansea. I think he will start.
Hotspur Related @HotspurRelated · 7h 7 hours ago
Kyle Walker on facing Swansea next: "Everything feels perfect and I’m ready to go again for Sunday." #THFC

 

[prawnsandwich]

The next 3 league games will really tell us where we are going -Swansea, Burnley, Leicester-we have to get 7 points minimum
I would like to see Stambouli feature a bit more though as he seems to have the right attitude.

Swansea should be the toughest of the 3 because we only have a choice of 2 strikers and we need goals-3 blanks in a row.
6 games this season we have failed to score and 7 games only 1 scored.

 

[prawnsandwich]

Was reading Merson's prediction, he reckon's we'll get done easily, 2-0 to Swansea he's gone for.

It got me thinking that every prediction I read for our away games, not one of the authors has ever mentioned just how impressive our away record has been in recent times. There's been a huge improvement to how we were a few years ago,

If you remove Chelsea and City from the equation, we've only lost four league games in nearly a year and a half. That is pretty fucking impressive.

I believe those were...Arsenal, Liverpool, Norwich and West Ham.

Sunday will be a good contest but we like playing Swansea. A team that likes to play out from the back as well, perfect for us to get the high press going. I really am optimistic since we rested key players and if they can apply that intensity that we saw against Everton I think we'll do well against Swansea.

I think we'll get at least a point, but going for a tight win. 2-1, we love that scoreline.

Norwich away was the most annoying performance of last season. Dembele should have scored, Ade should have scored.
It was after an EL game and we sleepwalked and Tim did nothing with the subs.
Terrible end to the season away after a great run just after Tim took over.
NORWICH 0-1
CHELSEA 0-4
LIVERPOOL 0-4
WBA 3-3
STOKE 1-0
WEST HAM 0-2
People have been moaning about scrappy away performances but I have been happy this season except City and Chelsea.
WEST HAM 1-0
SUNDERLAND 2-2
ARSENAL 1-1
MAN CITY 1-4
ASTON VILLA 2-1
HULL 2-1
CHELSEA 0-3

 

[homer hotspur]

Norwich away was the most annoying performance of last season. Dembele should have scored, Ade should have scored.
It was after an EL game and we sleepwalked and Tim did nothing with the subs.
Terrible end to the season away after a great run just after Tim took over.
NORWICH 0-1
CHELSEA 0-4
LIVERPOOL 0-4
WBA 3-3
STOKE 1-0
WEST HAM 0-2
People have been moaning about scrappy away performances but I have been happy this season except City and Chelsea.
WEST HAM 1-0
SUNDERLAND 2-2
ARSENAL 1-1
MAN CITY 1-4
ASTON VILLA 2-1
HULL 2-1
CHELSEA 0-3

 

[homer hotspur]

were you really 'happy' with the Villa, Hull and Wet Ham 'performances'?

 

[jezz]

were you really 'happy' with the Villa, Hull and Wet Ham 'performances'?

Yes because it showed character.
Going behind and wining is not something we usually do.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

Lloris

Walker
Fazio
Vertonghen
Rose

Stambouli
Bentaleb
Eriksen

Lennon
Chadli

Kane

subs:

Vorm
Davies
Chiriches
Paulinho
Townsend
Lamela
Soldado

Walker and Rose provided decent width in the 1st half against Besiktas, and they're our 2 quickest full backs.

Mason has looked jaded recently, and Stambouli is our only other centre mid who's been in reasonable form... he deserves to be given a chance.

Lamela is a show pony and has been a waste of space as of late. Chadli is a goal threat and by playing him, Lennon is much more likely to stay in his natural right handside position were he is at his most effective.

 

[ajspurs]

Lloris

Walker Fazio Vertonghen Davies

Mason Bentaleb

Lennon Eriksen Chadli

Kane
​

The pace in Walker, Lennon and Chadli could be quite an asset in such a game so I think they need to play, was tempted to pick Rose for LB to 'deal' with their pacy wide men and offer something going forward but am not sure on his fitness. I'm still really undecided on Davies tbh and I don't mean that in a negatve sense, I just don't think I've seen enough of him to judge.

I simply don't trust Soldado anymore either, he just keeps missing the chances that we work hard to create. I'm not sure I trust Lamela to put in a good performance a great deal either at the moment and if he plays, it has to be in the middle, he gets nowhere on the wings, but that would push Eriksen out wide and in a match where the opposition likes to stretch play to the wings, I think we have to be solid in those positions. We don't want a repeat of the Ronaldo and Bal... I mean Bolasie and Zaha show.

 

[SpurSince57]

Yes because it showed character.
Going behind and wining is not something we usually do.

Do you think we'd have shown similar character if Benteke and Ramirez hadn't been sent off?