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Match Leicester away Monday 19th 20.00 GMT

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Subs: Austin, Phillips, Spence, Bentancur, Bergvall, Gray, Kulusevski, Werner, Lankshear

Injured: Udogie
Why is Johnson starting he has generally been underwhelming pre season. Want to see him play vBM tmrw to see what he can do for a £50M player that a lot of folks say has potential and will improve this year. I’d rather start Moore than him or just play kulu there until we get a RW.
 
Why is Johnson starting he has generally been underwhelming pre season. Want to see him play vBM tmrw to see what he can do for a £50M player that a lot of folks say has potential and will improve this year. I’d rather start Moore than him or just play kulu there until we get a RW.
Both Werner and Johnson can be very underwhelming. Not great dribblers. Do not retain the ball very well. Do not contribute much outside of the final third. But both are incredibly dangerous once they get a run at their full back and deliver really dangerous low crosses hit on the run. That said, I am hoping we buy Neto and that he and Son will be first choice WFs, with Johnson and Werner primarily being impact subs who will be deadly against tired legs. I expect both to have 15+ goal involvements across the season despite starting most games on the bench.
 
Both Werner and Johnson can be very underwhelming. Not great dribblers. Do not retain the ball very well. Do not contribute much outside of the final third. But both are incredibly dangerous once they get a run at their full back and deliver really dangerous low crosses hit on the run. That said, I am hoping we buy Neto and that he and Son will be first choice WFs, with Johnson and Werner primarily being impact subs who will be deadly against tired legs. I expect both to have 15+ goal involvements across the season despite starting most games on the bench.
This ^

Werner and Johnson aren't complete donkeys like some people make then out to be - they are highly effective starting against sides that play a high line with their excellent off the ball movement and pace to get in behind. But they are poor against low block sides as we saw with their inability to dribble, pass or high crosses - will still be good against these sides as subs when legs start to tire as asserted.

A fit neto or another tricky right winger who can cross and dribble, will solve a lot of our issues. Likewise a very dominant striker in the air (although richy is quite good at this).
 
This ^

Werner and Johnson aren't complete donkeys like some people make then out to be - they are highly effective starting against sides that play a high line with their excellent off the ball movement and pace to get in behind. But they are poor against low block sides as we saw with their inability to dribble, pass or high crosses - will still be good against these sides as subs when legs start to tire as asserted.

A fit neto or another tricky right winger who can cross and dribble, will solve a lot of our issues. Likewise a very dominant striker in the air (although richy is quite good at this).
Agreed. The problem is that we don't play in behind to Werner and Johnson runs often enough.

Someone on the board mentioned 3-5-2. Unlikely to happen given Ange's views on football? I quite like the idea with this squad though:

Vic
Drag-Romero-VDV
Porro-Biss-Udogie
Bergvall-Maddison
Solanke-Richie

Weakness is Udogie's crossing. Spencer, Werner, Johnson, Kulu, Solomon, (if he exists) could all come on for the WBs. Son and Kulu can come on for the CFs.
 
What do we reckon now we’ve seen a full pre-season?

For me it would have to be

Vicario

Porro
Romero
Van de Ven
Udogie

Bissouma
Bergvall
Maddison

Kulusevski
Solanke
Son

Could easily make a case for Kulusevski going central, dropping Madders and giving Moore a go on the wing though . . .
 
Vicario
Porro
Romero
VdV
Udogie
Biss
Bentancur
Maddison
Johnson
Solanke
Son

Kulu unlucky to miss out perhaps tho it’s quite possible he could start instead of Johnson.
Subs from c60 mins likely are Bergvall, Sarr and possibly Drag for a centre back, plus Kulu for Solanke if K doesn’t start.
 
I think Kulu has to start. Solanke is just arriving, give him minutes off the bench and ease him in.

Vic
Porro Romero VDV Udogie
Biss Maddison Sarr
Johnson Kulu Son

Eventually move Kulu wide and Johnson to the bench with Solanke starting.
 
What do we reckon now we’ve seen a full pre-season?

For me it would have to be

Vicario

Porro
Romero
Van de Ven
Udogie

Bissouma
Bergvall
Maddison

Kulusevski
Solanke
Son

Could easily make a case for Kulusevski going central, dropping Madders and giving Moore a go on the wing though . . .

This looks decent to me, but if Bentancur is back to full fitness then I'd want to make space for him, possibly even ahead of Maddison or Bissouma. I think Ange likes his experienced players though - so I can see Bervall on the bench.
 
Based on pre-season, I think this is our best starting XI:


Vicario
Porro - Romero - Van De Ven - Udogie
Bentancur - Bergvall
Kulusevski - Madders - Werner
Solanke (even though he hasn't even played, Son has been a shambles)
 
Not a fan of all this 'ease him slowly in' bollocks, I would absolutely start Solanke and trust him 100% from the start.

I mean we play them in 9 days.
 
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Team Ange will pick:

Vic
Porro - Romero - VDV - Udogie
Biss
Sarr - Maddison
Kulu -- Solanke -- Son
I'd swap the two 8s out for Bentancur and Bergvall as Sarr and Madders have stunk the place out for a while now.
 
Deki on the right, Solanke down the middle and Son on the left.

Johnson doesn't deserve to start for now, and Deki doesn't deserve to be benched.

A lot of people are putting Bergvall, I don't see it happening. It'll probably be Maddison. I'd put Biss and Bentancur in the midfield.
 
Not a fan of all this 'ease him slowly in' bollocks, I would absolutely start Solanke and trust him 100% from the start.

I mean we play them in 9 days.

I see no reason not to play Solanke:

- He's been training all pre-season (just not here)
- He's already accustomed to the league
- Our other CF is not fully fit (at the very least; he hasn't had a pre-season)
- CF is a comparatively simple position to slot into.
 
At the end of every season I tell myself that I can't live and breath Tottenham in the same way anymore. Just keep a close eye on them and try to stay as unattached as possible. Too exhausting. Too painful. Then every August rolls around, and I tell myself... I've got one more season in me.

-------------------------------------------------Vicario

------------------------------Porro-------Romero-----VDV-------Udogie

----------------------------------------------------Gray

-----------------------------------Bissouma-----------------Bergvall

-------------------------------------------------Kulusevski

-----------------------------------------Solanke------------Son
 
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