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Match Tottenham Hotspur v Qarabağ FK | Thursday 26th Sept | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | 8pm

Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports

1
Vicario
2
Gray
3
Dragusin
4
Davies
5
Udogie
6
Sarr
7
Bissouma
8
Kulu
9
Bergvall
10
Moore
11
Son
lineup code
[lineup]
Vicario
Gray Dragusin Davies Udogie
Sarr Bissouma
Kulu Bergvall Moore
Son
[/lineup]

Shame Richarlison and Odobert are injured as would be nice to give Son and Kulu a rest as well but needs must, hopefully we're 3-0 up at half time and can make changes by 60 mins to get Son, Kulu and Biss off to keep them fresh for United. I really am left scratching my head as to how Forster got in the squad, how many goalies are complaining about fatigue... meanwhile it already bites us in the arse that our only option to rest Udogie in these games is to play Davies at LB in a back 4 which has proven to be an utter disaster time and time again. Much rather give VDV the rest as he's actually proven to be a servicable CB in both a back 4 and 5 at times. However suspect you could throw Porro on at LB for half an hour or so to get Udogie off if he's flagging, Porro probably wouldn't be too bad on the left, might actually be quite dangerous drifting in on to his preferred foot.
 
TommyD123 said:
Correct.

But I guess with Yang, EL is likely a better environment than PL to get minutes.

I’m still angry about the stupidity of the Spence decision:
- would’ve pissed him off and whether we rate/don’t rate him as fans, a decision was made by Ange to keep him as part of the squad rather than bring in an alternative
- Udogie/Porro get less opportunity for rest
- Austin who, let’s be honest no one really knows how good/bad he is, but was given a 5 year contract in thr summer. The lack of faith it must show in him to put Forster ahead of him makes that contract decision look ludicrous.
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True, but however much EL might be a better environment, its a big problem as whilst he can fairly easily be accommodated in PL squad numbers wise, we can only afford to have players ready to start plus Club trained players in EL as the rules are much stricter - which is why Spence could not be fitted in without leaving out another experienced player.

There is NO ALTERATIVE to leaving out Spence or other bought in player OTHER than to develop Club Trained players (typically taking 5 years +) , the shortage of which goes back to Poch's stupid decision to sell off all the potential Club trained players other than Kane (Townsend, Carroll, Veljkovic, Pritchard et al) for £100m and failure to develop any of our own players not least because he did not allow loans out insisting on training anyone in first team with the results of KWP (rarely played) or Winks (never the same after injury) or Foyth bought in for £10m but after 2 or 3 years of Poch training and no games on his debut gave away 2 penalties and after 14 appearances was sold on and has since become an Argentinian international.

So if Ange allows a few of Spurs youngsters to develop (eg Moore, Lankshear, Donley, Devine et al) then we may get enough Club trained players or top class List B u21's such that they can replace some of the overseas trained players in the squad (eg Lankshear for Richarlison) or trained by other clubs in England and Wales, such that we can fit in one or two potential superstars from abroad. But that's still a year or so away, unless Lankshear or Moore can play 90 minutes against top level opposition on a regular basis by end of this season, which is a big ask - more likely they will be effective subs .with the occasional start.
 
kingdawson said:
God knows what the thinking was to not having Spence in the squad.
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I would much prefer to have Spence in the squad, but with UEFA rules on player eligibility and squad numbers, Ange had to make a choice as to which experienced player would be left out of squad.

Ange chose Spence to be that guy, I might have chosen Forster to be excluded meaning we relied upon Austin in EL if Vicario got injured or needed a rest. Not an ideal solution either.
 
StripiestPilot said:
I hope that from now on Ange will save the major rotation for this competition and pick stronger teams in the Carabao Cup. We can afford a couple of bad results in this league phase much more than going out of the cup early.
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Perhaps not if we want to avoid the extra EL games in Jan.

Get the easier points in the bag.. .. We have some tougher EL ties in the pipeline.
 
Complicated rotation decisions at the back and #6.

Play Biss and he maybe can’t start at OT.

Udogie just played 90min and is coming back from injury.

1
Vicario
2
Porro
3
Dragusin
4
VDV
5
Davies
6
Bissouma
7
Kulusevski
8
Maddison
9
Johnson
10
Solanke
11
Son
lineup code
[lineup]
Vicario
Porro Dragusin VDV Davies
Bissouma
Kulusevski Maddison
Johnson Solanke Son
[/lineup]


That’s my guess and probably what I’d do.

Get Gray and Bergvall on asap for Porro and Maddison. Get Bentancur on for Biss at 60mins
 
Fattynomates said:
Coventry showed our second string is quite poor so these games will be hard for Ange , does he keep the big guns on the bench and only play them if needed?
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Not sure its as clear cut as that. Looking at midfield for example :

Bentancur - Has taken time to get back to the level he was pre-injury, but last couple of games he's started to get a lot closer to that level. But now we fear he may get a ban where he cannot be selected for a (currently unknown) number of games.

Bissouma - Has rarely consistently matched the form he showed at Brighton, maybe this season he's getting there.

Sarr - Over last 6 months or so, he seems to have been far less effective than he was, with only his speed and physical presence remaining. So whilst half way through last season he seemed to be a sensible option to be a regular first team starter, I'm not sure that's true atm.

Gray and Bergvall are gradually being integrated into first team, next stage will be to become regular starters.

Maddison and Kulusevski are both performing consistently well in similarish creative roles for us.

Before season began I'd have thought we would typically want 2 out of Bissouma, Bentancur to start as our 'big guns' in CM, but I'm not sure that is the case now with Ange needing to sometimes play both Maddison and Kulusevki plus ANO and he'll shortly be trying to see if Gray or Bergvall can be a reliable CM starter.

Sometimes players changing form requires a manager to change his starting line up - and that's what's happening now, with a very blurred divide between first choice and second string for cm.
 
Spursidol said:
Not sure its as clear cut as that. Looking at midfield for example :

Bentancur - Has taken time to get back to the level he was pre-injury, but last couple of games he's started to get a lot closer to that level. But now we fear he may get a ban where he cannot be selected for a (currently unknown) number of games.

Bissouma - Has rarely consistently matched the form he showed at Brighton, maybe this season he's getting there.

Sarr - Over last 6 months or so, he seems to have been far less effective than he was, with only his speed and physical presence remaining. So whilst half way through last season he seemed to be a sensible option to be a regular first team starter, I'm not sure that's true atm.

Gray and Bergvall are gradually being integrated into first team, next stage will be to become regular starters.

Maddison and Kulusevski are both performing consistently well in similarish creative roles for us.

Before season began I'd have thought we would typically want 2 out of Bissouma, Bentancur to start as our 'big guns' in CM, but I'm not sure that is the case now with Ange needing to sometimes play both Maddison and Kulusevki plus ANO and he'll shortly be trying to see if Gray or Bergvall can be a reliable CM starter.

Sometimes players changing form requires a manager to change his starting line up - and that's what's happening now, with a very blurred divide between first choice and second string for cm.
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Bentencur if suspended which seems likely will only be suspended for domestic matches leaving him free to play in the Europa.
 
spursmalc said:
Bentencur if suspended which seems likely will only be suspended for domestic matches leaving him free to play in the Europa.
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Agreed, but maximum EL matches we can play this season is 15 matches whereas if we go deep in all competitions we would play up to 69 matches.

So whilst its good he can play in up to 15 EL matches, its still a big loss in the up to 54 PL and domestic cup matches not to have him available.
 
5purs said:
Vicario

Porro -- Gray - Dragusin -- Davies

Bissouma

Bergvall - - Bentancur

Johnson ---- Solanke ---- Odobert?​
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Spurs are saying Odobert has a hamstring injury - no firm dates given for a return, but a light hamstring injury in usually weeks/a month whereas a worse one might be 3 months or more.

I'd be very surprised - although delighted - if Odobert was in the Qarabag squad , and look forward to hearing any update Ange may give in his pre match interview
 
Spursidol said:
Spurs are saying Odobert has a hamstring injury - no firm dates given for a return, but a light hamstring injury in usually weeks/a month whereas a worse one might be 3 months or more.

I'd be very surprised - although delighted - if Odobert was in the Qarabag squad , and look forward to hearing any update Ange may give in his pre match interview
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It's us, likely to be out for months lol!
 
Spursidol said:
Spurs are saying Odobert has a hamstring injury - no firm dates given for a return, but a light hamstring injury in usually weeks/a month whereas a worse one might be 3 months or more.

I'd be very surprised - although delighted - if Odobert was in the Qarabag squad , and look forward to hearing any update Ange may give in his pre match interview
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Word broke yesterday; mid-October.
 
On Tuesday Spurs u21's play in a Bristol Street Motors trophy against a mens L1 team.

Be interesting to see if Lankshear, Moore or Dorrington involved - if they are involved, chances are they don't get in squad to play Qarabag .......
 
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