Solanke will 100% start.
Ange started VDV at CB after 1 training session and coming off 1 career season in a top league.
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Match Leicester away Monday 19th 20.00 GMT
- Thread starter Smogz
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Ange started VDV at CB after 1 training session and coming off 1 career season in a top league.
I'd definitely expect Spence on the bench over Davies. Dragusin and Gray cover CB for us and Ange will use Spence to rotate for Udogie before Davies IMO. Given Udogie coming back from a long term injury, Spence might even start at LB.
I still have doubts about Ange not starting Johnson tbh.
View: https://x.com/TheSpursExpress/status/1824088089867739556?t=s_S2b3UQg8w5DACzxpVxqw&s=19
For what it's worth, he played RB in both games against Leicester last season.
-------------------Vicario----------------------
Porro-----Romero------VDV--------Udogie
------------Bentancur----Sarr----------------
---Johnson--------Kulu------------Son-----
--------------------Solanke--------------------
Subs: Forster, Dragusin, Spence, Davies, Gray, Bergvall, Werner, Maddison, Richarlsion
Porro-----Romero------VDV--------Udogie
------------Bentancur----Sarr----------------
---Johnson--------Kulu------------Son-----
--------------------Solanke--------------------
Subs: Forster, Dragusin, Spence, Davies, Gray, Bergvall, Werner, Maddison, Richarlsion
Those quotes suggest that he'd happy with him at #6 as well though. I used to like the idea of Bentancur as a 6 but he's had some really average games there as well.
What, that the 18 year old we spaffed 40m on might start in a position that the manager thinks he can play?
Well he's looked terrible there during preseason and has zero minutes with Romero and Mickey. Other than that i'm psyched for him
He really hasn’t looked terrible in preseason. He had a rough 45m against a fresh Bayern squad when Ange admitted he’d trained them into the ground. He wasn’t the only one who looked off it that first half.
He played there for 45 minutes, in pretty difficult conditions. I trust Ange, who sees him in training every day.
If it wasn't our new boy Archie and someone like Skipp, Bentancur or Sarr he would've been roasted.
He did get plenty of comments on that 45min. More than it deserved and probably because of the 40m tag that’s going around.
There’s definitely the motivation of the opportunity for him
We haven't exactly looked amazing pre-season. It's just about fitness.
We smashed the pre-season before Ramos got 2 points in 8 games.
He did struggle getting pressed with his back to goal, but he was also against Kimmich and Pavlovic....
I wasn't impressed with Gray in that game. Whereas I was impressed with his composure at centre back in previous and how good he looked against Bayern at right back.
But as mentioned, it's a fitness exercise and I certainly understood the circumstances of that first Bayern game. Double sessions, game 3 days prior, scorching heat and against a fresh Bayern team.
Leicester may decide to press high, but they're not Bayern Munich. I trust Ange to make the right call in terms of who's the 6 in that game.
If you are gassed from double sessions and a bit nervous maybe you don’t feel as confident in your ability to play on the half turn and burst away from a press that’s much fresher and more energetic than you.
Whenever I’ve watched Gray his tidy feet and ability to play on the half turn in tight spaces is one of the most impressive things about him. He’s young though so might need to grow his confidence into the role at a new club.
I assume Biss to be back next week..... How he responds is the more pertinent concern.
We saw last season - when everything was humming (and Ange didn't have to make reparatory subs) - that he liked to freshen up the FBs about 70mins in......... Spence would be perfect for that purpose as he's a more aggressive, front-foot presence than Gray or Davies.