Go for 1-0? Or win by 2+?

[DaeHaMinGuk]

I've been torn about this for a while. It's hard for me to think which is more attainable, holding Sevilla to 0 goals with our leaky defense or beating the best team in Spain by 2+ goals?

It does help that this match is at home and judging by the way our attack form has been at home, it may be easier to score 3+ goals than hold Sevilla to 0.

Our philosophy certainly would suggest that winning 2-0 or whatever is the way to go.

[yaniv]

1-0 its enough lets not be pigs

[Danners9]

Have to go for more, the defence is patched up while the attack is fully fit.

[cdmphy]

Well it depends on whether Robbo will be allowed to use his hands in this match. If it's like the last game, we will 7-8 goals to compensate for the BS.

[DigitalTron]

I'd take a win either way of course, but I think we really need to go for at least 2 goals minimum. Sevilla are a very good attacking team, good at diving, extremely willing to dive anywhere within 45 meters of goal, and have players who can hit the free kicks well. They're also pretty decent on corners and any type of set pieces.

Among the Spurs defensive weaknesses, defending set pieces is right up there as our biggest weakness. Very slightly behind that is Robinson dealing with shots from distance. Also of note, we tend to allow late scores.

Add all of this up, and you can expect at least 1 Sevilla score late in the game. So, we need to build up a 2 goal lead, preferably 2-0, although I don't see it happening. Then, we need to actively attack on the counter ... not just strand Berbs up there to waste time. I mean a real jail-break explosion of personnel to give us scoring options. Berbatov, Keane/Defoe, Malbranque, Jenas, Lennon and maybe even Staltieri, he's done all right with it so far this season!

Trying to protect a 1 goal lead for more than 15 minutes is suicide against Diveilla, so I'm going to say that our best defense is a good offense. This game should be a cracker with both sides putting on their shooting boots.

Remember, if we win this game 3-2, we lose the aggregate because away goals count double, and we only scored 1 of them.

-Digital

[Danners9]

With Sevilla's first choice keeper out injured and also their first choice partner for Kanoute also out injured we MUST pepper them with shots on goal. There is no point sitting back. 1-0 is only good as long as they don't score. 2-0 is still a weak lead because if they get 1 it becomes level!

[chanman83]

I had a dream last night that we won 3-1 and I again ran out of my house and cheered around my house like I did when Salteri scored that goal vs West Ham.

[sendorange]

Definitely better to attack right from the start and keep going, with us being at home the crowd will be on fire and that always spreads to the players. The adrenaline will keep them going even if they start at a high pace.

[tomas_brolin]

spurs' best defense is attack right now..

apparently ledley will be back, but who will be the left/right backs? chimbonda and stalteri?

[DigitalTron]

spurs' best defense is attack right now..

apparently ledley will be back, but who will be the left/right backs? chimbonda and stalteri?

I hate to break it to ya Tomas ... but Staltieri is now out too.

Of our 5 fullback options:

Chimbonda: Playing every game and covering in center back sometimes
Ekotto: Injured
Lee: Injured
Staltieri: Injured
Gardner: Injured

So that leaves us with 4 of 5 fullbacks injured and only 1 healthy. We had two deep in each fullback position, and then Gardner as our emergency left back. All of them are injured except Chimbonda! Our starting fullbacks will be Chimbonda (excellent) and Tainio playing out of position (extreme emergency fullback).

Just as a point of reference, Philip Ifil (zero minutes this season and probably less than 90 minutes in the Premiership ever) is our emergency right back.

Our central defense is just about as bad really. Starting pair of Dawson (ironman) and King (finally returning from his injury on Boxing Day 2006) will face Diveilla. Backup center backs Davenport (sold to West Ham in January) and Rocha (brought in as Davenport's replacement in January but cup-tied) are both unavailable. Emergency center back Gardner (also our emergency left back) is injured as well. So, we're forcing King back before Jol wants him to return ... because we don't have any other center backs. If King or Dawson get injured, we're S.0.L. for the rest of the game and the rest of the UEFA Cup ... and pretty much the entire season if it's a long injury.

I'm certain that Huddlestone will be pressed into service as a reserve center back for every game this season. So, look for Hudd to either start the game on the bench, or play the full 90 minutes.

It will probably never make the papers since they don't seem to fancy us, but our defensive crisis has actually been just as bad as Chelsea's this season.

-Digital

[joamiq]

We've got to win by 2+. Between the injuries to defenders and Sevilla's offensive abilities I can't believe we'll have a clean sheet - at the very least a lack of cohesion in the patchwork backline may lead to a mixup on a set piece or something. But I do believe that our offensive firepower, at the Lane, is good enough to put up 3 or more goals on the board. Come on you Spurs!!!

[joamiq]

I hate to break it to ya Tomas ... but Staltieri is now out too.

I'm certain that Huddlestone will be pressed into service as a reserve center back for every game this season. So, look for Hudd to either start the game on the bench, or play the full 90 minutes.


I hate to break it to ya DigitalTron... but THud is still out with the knee injury :(

[Colm]

people out with an injury or can't play are

Assou-Ekotto
Rocha
Gardner
Young-Pyo
Huddlestone
Stalteri (doubt)

[DigitalTron]

I hate to break it to ya DigitalTron... but THud is still out with the knee injury :(

Rofl, that sucks, but thanks for presenting it to me with a bit of humor ... it makes it slightly easier to take. :D

-Digital

[Schwah]

So who is our backup in defense? Dervite and Charlie Lee? Or would we prefer to put Zokora or Ghaly back there in an emergency?

[Shelfsider]

So who is our backup in defense? Dervite and Charlie Lee? Or would we prefer to put Zokora or Ghaly back there in an emergency?

Hahahahaha! I shouldn't laugh but (I hate to break it to you) Dorian Dervite and Charlie Lee are also currently injured!

So we'll definitely be missing:

YPL
BAE
Gardner
Rocha
Dervite
Huddlestone
Lee

We will most likely be missing:

Stalteri

King will be back but he hasn't played for four months and cannot be anything like match fit.

To top it all, although he will play, Chimbonda is also carrying an injury.

Phil Ifil is fit but is so inexperienced that it would be madness to throw him in for this game, against cynical (ahem...professional) opposition.

Dawson is our only properly fit, experienced defender.

It could only happen to Spurs!

[Danners9]

and to Sevilla.

Palop out, Chevanton out, I read that Navas is being mental again (anxiety attacks) and might not play.

[Colm]

Hahahahaha! I shouldn't laugh but (I hate to break it to you) Dorian Dervite and Charlie Lee are also currently injured!

So we'll definitely be missing:

YPL
BAE
Gardner
Rocha
Dervite
Huddlestone
Lee

We will most likely be missing:

Stalteri

King will be back but he hasn't played for four months and cannot be anything like match fit.

To top it all, although he will play, Chimbonda is also carrying an injury.

Phil Ifil is fit but is so inexperienced that it would be madness to throw him in for this game, against cynical (ahem...professional) opposition.

Dawson is our only properly fit, experienced defender.

It could only happen to Spurs!To sum it up, we're in big big trouble tonight. :(

[Danners9]

To sum it up, we're in big big trouble tonight. :(


BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tomas_brolin]

what happened to stalteri???


oh and what i said about reto earlier, i forgot he was on loan.