Tottenham Vs Stoke: Match Thread

[EnfieldYiddo]

From the Stoke forum:

Butland - Lloris

Johnson - Walker
Cameron - Alderwield
Muniesa - Vertonghen
Pieters - Davies

Whelan - Dier
Van Ginkel - Bentaleb

Shaqiri - Lamela/Townsend
Afellay - Eriksen
Arnautovic - Chadli

Diouf - Kane



My combined team

Lloris
Walker - Shawcross - Vertonghen - Muniesa
Van Ginkel - Dier
Shaqiri - Eriksen - Arnautovic
Kane/Diouf

Hahahahahahahaha.

Muniesa over Rose?

Diouf and Kane on a par?

What is this guy smoking.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Also with all these technical signings, Stoke are easier to play in terms of physicality.

Their midfieild is likely to be Van Ginkel - Whelan.

Bentaleb + Alli would run a train on them IMO.

Actually feeling pretty confident on this one, their attack aside... The rest of their team is pretty trash.

 

[CockFlavour]

Alli + Dembele in midfield, thanks. The unpopular opinion perhaps but I don't want either Mason or Bentaleb in that midfield.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Their predicted line up is like so;

Butland

Johnson
Cameron
Muniesa
Wilson

Whelan
Van Ginkel

Shaqiri
Affelay
Arnautovic

Diouf

Surprisingly confident on this, would have been more fearful playing Stoke of last season tbh. If we dominate midfield and starve their attack (which consists of some very flaky characters)... I'm going for 3-0 Spurs.

 

[spurs9]

I thought Stoke looked pretty poor on Sunday, looked well off the pace.

Good atmosphere and no reason why we shouldn't see a good performance and hopefully picking up all three points.

Optimistic as ever, shades of the 4-0 QPR game back in the sunshine last August spring to mind lol.

I'll go 3-0. Kane and Chadli brace.

I hope this isn't the classic Mr Pink kiss of death. If we lose this, I think you should put a self imposed ban from any predictions for the rest of the season.

 

[Cravenspurs]

I thought he was pretty poor vs Real Madrid - for the 45min
And thought it was a disaster when he was named in the lineup vs Man Utd
But after watching the full match 2 days or so later, he actually wasn't that bad. He wasn't amazing, but did a decent job (assuming his job was to break up play, tackle, shield the back four and head the ball out of the box). He didn't do much passing other than to nearby teammates, but then we never expected him to.

And so against Stoke, given the way they used to like to play he might not be a terrible choice.

Dier was steady Eddy against Man U. He broke up many plays and only gave up that shit foul to Young. He played within himself which was nice to see. That position needs a person that can pass pretty well and he has some chops in that category. I don't think he is the solve, but he played rather well in my book especially after his preseason form.

 

[shelfmonkey]

I hope this isn't the classic Mr Pink kiss of death. If we lose this, I think you should put a self imposed ban from any predictions for the rest of the season.

Agree, whenever a team are shit the previous week, they're Barcelona against us!!!!

 

[miles_64]

Allis natural position isn't DM though, I know diers isn't either that is our problem ATM.
Expect benteleb and mason in midfield

But there is no DM in a 4-2-3-1. It's the responsibility of both CMs to attack and defend as the situation demands.

 

[sim0n]

such a recent signing that I think it's unlikely shaqiri will start, likely a late sub for them...

I think Spurs "lean into" this one and spank stoke TBH... a lot of new faces starting for stoke this season and their top GBH agent shawcross is out... not sure why most posters do not think charlie adam will start for them, but expecting he will...

also, with just one bad game from bentaleb I am not sure he ought to be benched right away. perhaps he needs to just get back on the horse here instead of exiling him... but Alli does need to start somewhere, he's clearly appears ready to play. we'll see,.... COYS!!

 

[nicdic]

Alli + Dembele in midfield, thanks. The unpopular opinion perhaps but I don't want either Mason or Bentaleb in that midfield.

It seems Poch is thinking of Dembele more as a 10 or an inverted right winger these days. Would be very surprised to see him dropped deep when other options are available.

 

[dondo]

But there is no DM in a 4-2-3-1. It's the responsibility of both CMs to attack and defend as the situation demands.

Disagree one of the 2 is defidently a DM in pochettinos system

 

[ajspurs]

Crazy to see Stoke compile a squad like they have, fair play to them. Funnily enough though like others have said I think it will favour us. For a few years now teams who sit back and potentially bully us cause us massive problems at WHL. Hopefully Stoke will look to attack more which we prefer to play against.

I thought Alderweireld looked very good against United but I think our defence will be tested more in this game so it will be interesting to see actually how much our defence has improved. Also despite the own goal I thought Walker was one of our better players against United so maybe the fact that Trippier is there will raise his level too.

 

[garryparkerschest]

I thought he was pretty poor vs Real Madrid - for the 45min
And thought it was a disaster when he was named in the lineup vs Man Utd
But after watching the full match 2 days or so later, he actually wasn't that bad. He wasn't amazing, but did a decent job (assuming his job was to break up play, tackle, shield the back four and head the ball out of the box). He didn't do much passing other than to nearby teammates, but then we never expected him to.

And so against Stoke, given the way they used to like to play he might not be a terrible choice.

How did you watch the full game two days later?

 

[Black]

If Arnautovic plays like he did last season I don't think we wil win

 

[Cavehillspur]

If Arnautovic plays like he did last season I don't think we wil win

Don't think he's 100% certain of being fit for this one.

 

[npearl4spurs]

I thought Alderweireld looked very good against United but I think our defence will be tested more in this game so it will be interesting to see actually how much our defence has improved.

More tested in this game? What? Not getting you here AJ. You don't think we were tested by Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Memphis, and Ashely Young?

The only reason it looked like we WEREN'T tested is because Walker basically shut down Young, and Dier helped Toby and Jan keep everyone else in their pockets.

Don't get me wrong - Stoke will be challenging for sure. But I haven't been more confident in the defense since The Great Ledley was back there for us.

 

[npearl4spurs]

How did you watch the full game two days later?

There are a couple of sites to find them on if you search hard enough.

 

[Donki]

Doom and gloom, we handeled a much more talented United team away from home last week. 2-0 for me, new season, new optimisim COYS!.

 

[Khilari]

How did you watch the full game two days later?

On a computer. That's probably all I should say.

 

[ajspurs]

More tested in this game? What? Not getting you here AJ. You don't think we were tested by Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Memphis, and Ashely Young?

The only reason it looked like we WEREN'T tested is because Walker basically shut down Young, and Dier helped Toby and Jan keep everyone else in their pockets.

Don't get me wrong - Stoke will be challenging for sure. But I haven't been more confident in the defense since The Great Ledley was back there for us.

To be honest, not greatly no. I'm not saying we weren't tested at all, that our defence had nothing to do, not in the slightest. I think more noticeably than any other case Walker had a threat from Young a lot in which he neutralised almost every time. I think the nature of the way the game was played (slow and lethargic) made it a match that was a bit easier to defend in. Now I say 'easier' and not 'easy'. Plus, I think a lot of the time we look more comfortable defensively away from home, for whatever reason. Unfortunately a lot of the time I envision more losses at WHL than I do at a lot of opposition's grounds.