*** TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs. Swansea City OMT ***

[VolSpur]

If we ever want to get Eriksen some rest for a bit I don't see why we don't go:

Kane
Townsend - Soldado - Chadli
Bentaleb - Mason
Rose - Vertonghen - Fazio - Walker
Hugo​

Townsend on the left should get us more natural width and more crosses sent in for both Soldado and Harry.

 

[Spurs7891]

It is nice to have a league match so soon after the League Cup final defeat. It will help us forget the disappointment. But it is going to be very difficult for the players to mentally recover for this match. Pochettino's managerial capability will be trully tested in this match. It will be interesting what kind of response we get from the players. Apart from the Final defeat, we are also winless in 5 matches now. So, we badly need to win this match to get back to winning ways. Any other result will be a huge setback in our top 4 race.

We will need someone to step up and inspire us in this match. One of the main reason for us being winless in 5 matches is the fact Eriksen has been out of form recently. Disappointingly, he has not contributed any goals or assists in 6 matches now. This is the longest streak Eriksen has gone without getting any goal or assist for us this season. We need to get Eriksen back to form if we want to finish the season strongly. In contrast, Kane has scored 6 goals in his last 4 league matches. Too bad he didn't score against Fiorentina or Chelsea in the Cups but he has been in fine form in the league. Amazingly, Kane has scored 24 goals in total now. Hope he will continue his goal scoring form and reach the 30 goal mark in total.

Want Pochettino to start players who didn't start against Chelsea in the midfield. I think we should rest Bentaleb, Mason, Chadli and Townsend. Want Dembele and Stambouli to partner in midfield. Lamela deserves to start as well as he didn't play much against Chelsea. Also, want Paulinho to start in midfield. Can see Paulinho leaving at the end of the season. So, this will be a chance for him to prove to other teams that he can still be usefull.

It seems we always concede goals regardless of who play in defence. So, won't mind if we tinker with our defence in this match, as long as error-prone Kaboul doesn't get involved. Except for Lloris and Vertonghen, I think we can change all the others. Fazio should partner Vertonghen in centre defence. Walker and Rose should be replaced by Chiriches and Davies. Ofcourse we badly need to keep a clean sheet but won't put too much expectations. We should be stopping teams like Swansea scoring at home. Will be very annoyed if we let our former players Sigurdsson or Routledge score against us.

Surely, this is a must-win match for us if we want to stay in the top 4 race. It will be a welcome boost of confidence if we get our first win in 6 matches, especially after the disappointment in the League Cup final. Hope we will turn up with the right mentality and get the all-important win !

 

[Cotswold]

Although obviously still mathematically possible, given the form of Arse and Liverpool, less than 6 points from these next two games will (IMO) spell the end of our challenge for top 4. Two home games against supposed lesser opposition - we can't reasonably expect to finish 4th if we don't win these two games. COYS.

 

[Robbo]

We need to win tonight. Gylfi will probably make sure that doesn't happen though.

0-3
Sigurdsson hat trick

 

[spr83]

At least we have a fully fit squad available again. Has anybody else noticed that our new training methods have vastly improved the fitness of our players? Usually, at that time of season we've had about 1/3 of the squad out with injuries.

 

[NWND]

I think there will be some tired legs (and minds) out there. Walker looked fudged by the end of the cup final, I could see something along these lines:

...................Kane
Chadli.............................Lamela
.................Dembele

..........Mason........Bentaleb

Rose.....Verts.........Fazio.......Dier

..................Lloris

 

[Spurs7891]

Any team news yet ?

We badly need to win this match. Performance is not really important as long as we get our first win in 6 matches.

 

[Whiffler]

Thinking of getting a last-minute ticket, but site seems clogged by other matches coming on-line.

Anyone seen recent info on availability ?. Happy to be at ticket office mid/late afternoon if they're still to be had.

Edited ........ Got in. Discovered I needed and account, discovered that whoever writes these sites are rubbish about FAQs and sequencing info. BUT ... got in block 8, so COYS !

 

[DubaiSpur]

Just relax, and let Poch get on with building his team now. What will be, will be. We gave the CC a damn good go - we can't expect a CL challenge to the end as well, especially in this, Poch's first season, the one we all agreed wasn't that important in terms of results.

 

[braineclipse]

Just relax, and let Poch get on with building his team now. What will be, will be. We gave the CC a damn good go - we can't expect a CL challenge to the end as well, especially in this, Poch's first season, the one we all agreed wasn't that important in terms of results.

I do expect him and the team to do their very best at least. And I think they're capable of going on a run that sees us finish in the top 4, even though it's not the most likely outcome.

These players have faced disappointment and bounced back before. Let's see if they have it in them to do it again today.

I think there will be some tired legs (and minds) out there. Walker looked fudgeed by the end of the cup final, I could see something along these lines:

...................Kane
Chadli.............................Lamela
.................Dembele

..........Mason........Bentaleb

Rose.....Verts.........Fazio.......Dier

..................Lloris

Agreed. Tough run for sure and the players are bound to feel it catching up with them at this point.

Will, again, be happy with just about any team Poch puts out there. He'll know a lot better than us which players need a rest and which players are raring to go. Which players look down after the LC final and which players are thumping their chests ready to bounce back...

 

[DubaiSpur]

I do expect him and the team to do their very best at least. And I think they're capable of going on a run that sees us finish in the top 4, even though it's not the most likely outcome.

These players have faced disappointment and bounced back before. Let's see if they have it in them to do it again today.

You're justified in expecting that, and for what it's worth I think the team won't disappoint you. But don't expect results from them, is my point - by all means expect performances and effort, but this season isn't about results now that the CC final has been dealt with.

 

[braineclipse]

You're justified in expecting that, and for what it's worth I think the team won't disappoint you. But don't expect results from them, is my point - by all means expect performances and effort, but this season isn't about results now that the CC final has been dealt with.

I think we agree.

 

[a spur from swansea]

Be there tonight,first evening game in a few years hopefully we can get a win,Swansea haven't been playing well but have dug in and got the results needed,Siggy be back in for them,Gomes can be handful at corners and Shelvey will take a shot from all sides but if we play with the intensity we can we should be ok.

Hopefully things will be done and dusted by the 80th minute.... have to leave the ground then to catch train home,hate leaving early grrrrrr

 

[the dza]

Poch should decide who he wants here next season, and not waste minutes on those players he doesn't want. Hopefully, that means Soldado won't get another second in our shirt bar an injury crisis. Capoue, Kaboul and Ade have already been binned. Add Paulinho to that, Chiriches too.

IMO, we aren't good enough to get a top 4 place, so we should use these remaining games to continue to gel the team together, so we can hit the ground running next season. IMO, Lamela should play every last second of this season and know that, next season, he must deliver or get binned.

If Walker is not ready, play Yedlin. Now's an ideal time to get him adjusted to Premier League football. Likewise, I'd rather we picked youngsters if we needed to (injuries etc.) than turds like Paulinho and Soldado.

 

[braineclipse]

Be there tonight,first evening game in a few years hopefully we can get a win,Swansea haven't been playing well but have dug in and got the results needed,Siggy be back in for them,Gomes can be handful at corners and Shelvey will take a shot from all sides but if we play with the intensity we can we should be ok.

Hopefully things will be done and dusted by the 80th minute.... have to leave the ground then to catch train home,hate leaving early grrrrrr

Cheers. Haven't watched them recently, but winning at home to United and away to Burnley seemed quite good. Hopefully they're not just coming into form now.

Siggy being back is obviously a boost, he'll probably be looking to make an impact tonight.

I think we usually match up quite well with Swansea. They try to play football and can be a bit open. Our pressing has caused them problems in the past as they try to build from the back.

Hopefully a good game tonight, but that being said I'll take a scrappy and lucky one goal win...

 

[NLS]

This is a transitional season as is often mentioned and clearly displayed by the fact that the Pochettino's choice of Captain and Vice-Captain can't even make the squad..

It would be lovely to win every game for the rest of the season and get 4th... However, a part of me also doesn't mind if we lose them all and avoid the Europa league which is proving to be a disaster... If the team does now have a poor run it will at least give Poch a chance to say to Levy who he needs and who has got to leave especially if he juggles it around and tells them all that they are playing to be here for next season!

Anyway, COYS..

 

[Bullet]

Poch should decide who he wants here next season, and not waste minutes on those players he doesn't want. Hopefully, that means Soldado won't get another second in our shirt bar an injury crisis. Capoue, Kaboul and Ade have already been binned. Add Paulinho to that, Chiriches too.

IMO, we aren't good enough to get a top 4 place, so we should use these remaining games to continue to gel the team together, so we can hit the ground running next season. IMO, Lamela should play every last second of this season and know that, next season, he must deliver or get binned.

If Walker is not ready, play Yedlin. Now's an ideal time to get him adjusted to Premier League football. Likewise, I'd rather we picked youngsters if we needed to (injuries etc.) than turds like Paulinho and Soldado.

Yes, now is the time to look to next season. We can try something a bit different with personnel or formations to see how it works. But anyone who we want to sell, should be solidly frozen out so they know they have to go.

 

[Jurgen the German]

If we ever want to get Eriksen some rest for a bit I don't see why we don't go:

Kane
Townsend - Soldado - Chadli
Bentaleb - Mason
Rose - Vertonghen - Fazio - Walker
Hugo​

Townsend on the left should get us more natural width and more crosses sent in for both Soldado and Harry.

I really don't think we can afford to rest Eriksen, or Kane for that matter. Our squad is not good enough, to the point where we have to have the best 11 in every single game essentially. Now that we only have the league to play for, I wouldn't rest either of them.

 

[Lilywhite]

We've been very lucky to win our last two games against them. I think we will win comfortably tonight however as Poch's style worked well against Swansea when he was at Soton.

Wouldn't make any changes except maybe Lamela for Townsend. If Walker's injured then let's see some of this Yedlin geezer.

2-0, Kane and Dier.

COYS

 

[sc25]

Just relax, and let Poch get on with building his team now. What will be, will be. We gave the CC a damn good go - we can't expect a CL challenge to the end as well, especially in this, Poch's first season, the one we all agreed wasn't that important in terms of results.

If we have an opportunity of Top 4 I think we have to go all out for it. I don't recall us ever 'turning down' a Top4 opportunity before under any manager. Would Soton, with a new manager this season, not be going for Top 4 this season because results aren't important? And, I believe Top4 is what Poch would want now, as would the players, the club, the business, etc. The notion that results aren't important now assumes we will be much better in the future, which may happen. But there are no guarantees of Top 4 the next 2-3 seasons either, and if we improve next season it may not reflect in the standings because other teams around us may improve too. Getting Top 4 now may help us keep/acquire better players this summer. We are now in March, and so a fair ways in to his building a team/system. Furthermore I'm not convinced how us going all out now would hinder that process at all, and indeed it may even help it. Success breeds success. We have no injuries, one game a week, lets go for it!