*** OMT Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland, Saturday 7th December KO 17:30***

[Pirate55]

I agree fully!

The 4-4-2 with Soldado and Defoe change in some of our previous games was (rather unsurprisingly) a failed experiment. Getting more ball playing midfielders on makes a lot more sense in a situation like that and from the start in a game against Sunderland if we want to be more attacking.

Agree 100%.

 

[braineclipse]

fair point and with only Defoe and Soldado it doesn't look like it would work great BUT you never know? Like I said goals haven't exactly been flowing so there could be worse ideas

Can't that be said about just about anything? Why not go with no strikers? How about a back 5? Lennon in the hole? Or Vlad as an attacking midfielder?

We can't know for sure, we can't about anything really, but we have seen that particular setup not work in the past and far as my football thinking stretches playing two strikers like that together when you're struggling to create chances makes very little sense from a theoretical viewpoint. So, do you try it because "you never know" or do you go for something that makes more sense?

 

[onlyme]

Here is another idea we could go back to the dark ages of football and actually play 2 strikers? You know that is crazy talk but we have struggled to score with 1

Emirates Marketing Project have proved that 4-4-2 is an outdated concept.

What kind of crazy person would put 2 strikers out and expect to see a lot of goals?

Of course Soldado and Defoe doesn't work but Ade and Soldado, Ade and Kane, Kane and Defoe, Kane and Soldado, Coulthirst +1 are all combos worth a try certainly against WHU and the Euro game.

But it ain't gonna happen. AVB will keep up the feud with Ade.

I did not want to watch the Fulham game. I will be watching this Sunderland game and I want to be entertained.

 

[onlyme]

Can't that be said about just about anything? Why not go with no strikers? How about a back 5? Lennon in the hole? Or Vlad as an attacking midfielder?

We can't know for sure, we can't about anything really, but we have seen that particular setup not work in the past and far as my football thinking stretches playing two strikers like that together when you're struggling to create chances makes very little sense from a theoretical viewpoint. So, do you try it because "you never know" or do you go for something that makes more sense?

Why not put out 11 goalies?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92vV3QGagck

 

[Rorschach]

Jan Vertonghen is out of Saturday’s trip to Sunderland, Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed.

The Belgian sustained an ankle injury in the closing stages of our 2-1 victory at Fulham on Wednesday.

And Head Coach Andre has confirmed that the defender will be missing for Saturday’s trip to the Stadium of Light as he continues to be monitored following an initial MRI scan.

Andre also confirmed that Emmanuel Adebayor (knee) and Christian Eriksen (ankle) remain sidelined.

No Dembele in that list. I guess his hip might be good enough for a run out.

---------Lloris--------
Walker-Dawson-Chirches-Naughton
-------Sandro----Dembele------
Lennon-----Paulinho------Chadli
--------Bobby Soldier-----------

 

[Rossi22]

No more Jenasinho, please. Two right footers on the left is quite painful viewing as well.

 

[90sSpursBook]

Some Spurs v Sunderland trivia for you:

1. Ben Alnwick, then of Sunderland and later to join Spurs, saved a Robbie Keane penalty at White Hart Lane in December 2005. What was the final score in that game?

2. Talking of penalty misses which Sunderland player missed 3 penalties against Spurs in the calender year 2010?

3. Spurs' first ever win at the Stadium of Light came in April 2001. Which player scored twice for Spurs that day to seal an unlikely 3-2 win having been 2-0 behind.

4. Which ex-Spurs forward scored Sunderland's consolation goal in a 4-1 Spurs victory at Roker Park in the FA Cup 4th round in 1995?

5. Which player scored his 300th career goal against Sunderland for Spurs in Feb 2003?

6. Steffen Iversen scored a hat-trick for Spurs at Roker Park in March 1997 in a 4-0 victory. Who scored Spurs' other goal that evening?

 

[glorygloryeze]

Some Spurs v Sunderland trivia for you:

1. Ben Alnwick, then of Sunderland and later to join Spurs, saved a Robbie Keane penalty at White Hart Lane in December 2005. What was the final score in that game?

2. Talking of penalty misses which Sunderland player missed 3 penalties against Spurs in the calender year 2010?

3. Spurs' first ever win at the Stadium of Light came in April 2001. Which player scored twice for Spurs that day to seal an unlikely 3-2 win having been 2-0 behind.

4. Which ex-Spurs forward scored Sunderland's consolation goal in a 4-1 Spurs victory at Roker Park in the FA Cup 4th round in 1995?

5. Which player scored his 300th career goal against Sunderland for Spurs in Feb 2003?

6. Steffen Iversen scored a hat-trick for Spurs at Roker Park in March 1997 in a 4-0 victory. Who scored Spurs' other goal that evening?

I'll give it a go:

1. 3-2 to Spurs
2. Darren Bent
3. Gary Doherty (the 'Ginger Pele'!!)
4. Phil Gray
5. Teddy Sheringham?
6. Alan Nielsen

 

[90sSpursBook]

very well done!

 

[glorygloryeze]

very well done!

Hold on; did I get them ALL right??

 

[Mulletperm]

1:30am kick off....ugh

 

[Cochise]

Chadli is a must start on the left for me as he will offer some width. Would like to see Paulinho rested for Holtby too (or maybe Gylfi).

 

[fishnc]

I'm a bit nervous for this one if I'm honest. Though I suppose I'm nervous for every match these days.

 

[AberYid]

Given that I didn't create this, which would have been a nailed on win, the least I could do is post in it.

1-3, Spurs.

Thank me later.

 

[Amor]

I think some on here are being a little harsh on Paulinho. I didn't think he did too bad at Fulham, sure he missed that sitter but it was great play by him to get into such a good position. I don't know about him being an automatic start lie he is now but don't slack the guy off too much, he's been one of the more promising signings so far this season.

 

[Modric THFC]

I expect Defoe and Lamala will be rotated back out for this one

I think AVB will go with

------------Lloris
Walker Dawson Chiriches Naughton
-------Sandro Dembele
Lennon----Paulinho--Chadli
-----------Soldado

 

[DubaiSpur]

I expect Defoe and Lamala will be rotated back out for this one

I think AVB will go with

------------Lloris
Walker Dawson Chiriches Naughton
-------Sandro Dembele
Lennon----Paulinho--Chadli
-----------Holtby

I don't disagree with that side, it seems fi.......wait, is Holtby our lone striker?

 

[Modric THFC]

I don't disagree with that side, it seems fi.......wait, is Holtby our lone striker?

Oops.
I was thinking about Paulinho v Holtby in the number 10 position that I automatically typed Holtby instead of Soldado.
Too early in the morning.

 

[braineclipse]

I think some on here are being a little harsh on Paulinho. I didn't think he did too bad at Fulham, sure he missed that sitter but it was great play by him to get into such a good position. I don't know about him being an automatic start lie he is now but don't slack the guy off too much, he's been one of the more promising signings so far this season.

I agree. He started the season very well and has now suffered a small drop in form.

Right now though I think Dembele, Sandro and Lamela would give us more creativity in a game we need it and that those 3 should be selected ahead of him all things considered. Would expect him to be back in the starting line-up very soon though if AVB feels the same about the game today.

 

[DubaiSpur]

Oops.
I was thinking about Paulinho v Holtby in the number 10 position that I automatically typed Holtby instead of Soldado.
Too early in the morning.

Yeah, I figured. Still, out of curiosity, who would you go for, Holtby or Paulinho? I'd actually like to see Lamela given a run of games in that position, but I appreciate AVB's reluctance to throw him in at the deep end. The middle of the pitch is a terrible place in the Premier League, full of fast defenders and midfielders intent on brutalizing you into submission, and a lot of foreign players (Modric, for example) find that very difficult to adapt to at first, necessitating a deployment on the wings until they gain experience. Still, Lamela would be my long-term pick. Short-term however, I'm inclined to go for Holtby: he'll presumably be bursting with confidence now, and he can make things happen, as he showed with his beautiful cross into the onrushing Paulinho's path the other day.