Tottenham Vs Stoke: Match Thread

[Cavehillspur]

Couple of interesting stats from SSN:

- Spurs ran further than any other team on the opening weekend (117.8km)

- Tottenham fielded the youngest side on the opening weekend; with their average age at 25y 28d old

 

[cliff jones]

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!.

Donk, after they got their noses in front they comfortably kept us at arms length, till we finally committed one or two men forward in the last seven or eight mins. we did ok, but lacked ambition for much of the match. against a utd team who were struggling for fluency given their new players.

i am trying to he optimistic for tomorrow, if no adam, walters as well as shawcross, it wont feel like stoke. good. depends as always in keeping sloppy mistakes down to a minimum, looking at you mr shiny new contract nb, and the three behind kane actually producing something. they hardly ever click...

 

[Donki]

Donk, after they got their noses in front they comfortably kept us at arms length, till we finally committed one or two men forward in the last seven or eight mins. we did ok, but lacked ambition for much of the match. against a utd team who were struggling for fluency given their new players.

i am trying to he optimistic for tomorrow, if no adam, walters as well as shawcross, it wont feel like stoke. good. depends as always in keeping sloppy mistakes down to a minimum, looking at you mr shiny new contract nb, and the three behind kane actually producing something. they hardly ever click...

Agreed we didnt cause United many problems bar the first half and the last 5-10mins but I think we are giving Stoke a little too much credit here, they themselves have new signings, they are away from home and there defence without Shawcross "should" be breakable. United were mediocre in midfield and attack yesbut I thought their defence, especially Smalling were impressive.

Still think we should see off Stoke, if we dont my new shiney optimisim will be dented .

 

[mikeeegreen]

Donk, after they got their noses in front they comfortably kept us at arms length, till we finally committed one or two men forward in the last seven or eight mins. we did ok, but lacked ambition for much of the match. against a utd team who were struggling for fluency given their new players.

i am trying to he optimistic for tomorrow, if no adam, walters as well as shawcross, it wont feel like stoke. good. depends as always in keeping sloppy mistakes down to a minimum, looking at you mr shiny new contract nb, and the three behind kane actually producing something. they hardly ever click...

Bentaleb is real worry for me for tomorrow's game. He needs to step it up, looks well off the pace. Hopefully he can. No more sloppy passes or ridiculous lapses in concentration please. Would be really tempted to start Mason over him.

 

[homer hotspur]

I just remember last season when it was so obvious to me beforehand that they were going to win at WHL. We had nothing to trouble them and , like most of our home games, just passed it around in front of their defensive set up to no avail until they broke away and scored - game over. At the moment, I'm struggling to see why tomorrow will be any different knowing the likely team/tactics. My main hope is that, maybe, Stoke will not quite have settled yet and do have some key injuries. If we do lose tomorrow, the media will be all over the fact that we have no pace/ striking options and that will make it even more difficult to conclude deals for the likes of Berahino( if that is even actually hapening).

 

[AssaTM]

Yaaaaawn let me know when they find a cure for miserable-itis. First game back at the Lane, a win for us from me

 

[philip]

Bentaleb is real worry for me for tomorrow's game. He needs to step it up, looks well off the pace. Hopefully he can. No more sloppy passes or ridiculous lapses in concentration please. Would be really tempted to start Mason over him.

Definitely would start our new #8

 

[only1waddle]

We need to go out and play as if we are against a top 4 side, were too nice and too casual against the Stokes etc, I hope we find some killer instinct this season.

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

John Percy ‏@John__Percy 2m2 minutes ago
Xherdan Shaqiri will miss Stoke's game at Spurs due to suspension. Ban is carried over from a booking in a Coppa Italia game for Inter #scfc

 

[TottenhamLegend]

Great news!

 

[225]

As above:

BREAKING NEWS

Xherdan Shaqiri won’t be able to make his highly anticipated Stoke debut this week as he’s suspended for the game against Tottenham, the club have just announced.

A statement reads: “Unfortunately the clearance from the Italian FA carried a sporting sanction of a one-game ban which applied to the Coppa Italia competition last season.”

 

[Hazelton]

I don't quite understand that, but I won't argue.

 

[Syn_13]

I don't quite understand that, but I won't argue.

Bet Stoke aren't happy with that. Good for us though.

 

[spurslenny]

John Percy ‏@John__Percy 2m2 minutes ago
Xherdan Shaqiri will miss Stoke's game at Spurs due to suspension. Ban is carried over from a booking in a Coppa Italia game for Inter #scfc

.....bad news is they're signing N'jie as a replacement.



I jest of course






Or do I?

 

[THFC 1882]

Kyle Walker ‏@kylewalker2
Let's make White Hart Lane a fortress this season, can't wait to be back there tomorrow, I know you'll make it noisy! #COYS

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Would prefer Shaqiri played over Walters, the more flimsy players the better.

 

[BK007]

Second match of the season.

One striker in first team plans.

Better not backfire.

One injury and the prices will skyrocket and no more upper hand, though one would think, we were steadily losing any we had.

Such wonderful planning by management and purported black box and all the other shower of shite.

 

[voxy28]

I hope Bentelab don't start.

 

[lempod]

I reckon Stoke will be ultra defensive, we'll get few chances but if we take them, 2-0! COYS

 

[TH1239]

It is absolutely imperative we win this match. A draw is two points dropped. Stoke have lost Begovic, Shawcross, N'Zonzi, and Moses from the team that beat us last season, Arnautovic is coming off injury, and Shaqiri isn't going to be playing. With that said, they are well organized and totally shut down Liverpool until Rodgers made a tactical change by moving to a three man midfield. Stoke will look to win this match in the middle of the park by pressing our CM2 into mistakes. Bentaleb/Dier/Mason have to be able to pass well forward under pressure, or else we will struggle.

I said it last week and I'll say it again, Dembele should be starting as a central midfielder and Lamela should be start on the right of the three behind Kane. I've seen a lot of people leaving Lamela out of their line-ups, which is I think is problematic. He's a major catalyst for the high press, he's the best chance creator in the squad, and he's nowhere near as effective a player coming off the bench. If Poch doesn't start him, I predict we'll struggle to open them up.