Spurs try to recover from their second half collapse in the NLD with a home game at Wembley versus a Saints side that has replaced Mark Hughes with the former Bundesliga manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. The Austrian will be in the stands while Kelvin Davis takes charge in the dugout. Normally, this would be one of those "just what the doctor ordered" scenarios, but this could be a dangerous game considering Saints have shown some life in attack with youngsters Armstrong and Obafemi coming into the team and impressing. One of their key mids, Lemina, is suspended. As for Spurs, Dembele, Wanyama, Sanchez and Lamela are definitely out, while Vertonghen is suspended (although he probably would have been rested anyway). Rose and Trippier are available for selection, while Aldeweireld and Moura should come back in the team. They have a few injury concerns of their own and hopefully they will prioritize their weekend game against Cardiff, which is a massive fixture for both sides at the bottom of the table.
Here are the teams! Tottenham Lloris, Trippier, Foyth, Alderweireld, Rose, Dier, Winks, Lucas, Eriksen, Son, Kane Substitutes Sissoko, Llorente, Deli, Gazzaniga, Aurier, Davies, Skipp Southampton McCarthy, Cédric, Yoshida, Stephens, Targett, Højbjerg, Davis, Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Gabbiadini Substitutes Vestergaard, Hoedt, Austin, Elyounoussi, Romeu, Gunn, Valery Referee: Anthony Taylor
dominating scoreline, but the defense really needs to step it up a few notches. Spurs starting to look like Liverpool of a few years ago.
Yup. Starting watching about the 60th minute, and Southampton really should have scored at least 3. And who is this Skipp kid?
Happy for the response, win and the 3pts. We’re back in 3rd but...Not happy giving up the clean sheet with the late conceded goal. There is a serious issue with this team not having a strong mentality to finish games and step it up when needed. We have lowest GD of the top five... That speaks directly to our lack of scoring and the piss poor defending that gives up soft goals. One win against the top 5 rivals says a lot too... That needs to change in the reverse fixtures. We have a favorable holiday fixture run so let’s make the most of it. COYS!
With only 33,000 bothering to show up at Wembley, last night's fixture had the feel of a reserve game. For 55 minutes, Spurs were clinical and took full advantage of Saints slack defending to build a big lead (great pick-outs by Eriksen and Kane on 2 of the goals), but then complacency/fatigue set in and for the final half hour, they battered us with a combination of Hugo Lloris, the woodwork and poor Southampton finishing coming to our rescue. While Hugo (or the crossbar) was easily Man of the Match for me, Son gets honourable mention, he is such a fun player to watch - if only we had a couple more like him! It looked like at 3-0 the lads were saving themselves for Saturday at Leicester which will be a much tougher challenge. However, we were way too passive and had Saints scored earlier, it might have been Wolves away all over again. Again, I felt Poch waited too long to make his substitutions, you could see by the 65-70 minute mark the midfield was starting to flag. BTW, forgot to mention the FA Cup draw took place on Monday and we will get Tranmere Rovers (League 2) or Southport (non league) away in the 3rd round and it will be a televised match.
The fans are obviously fed up with playing at Wembley. Especially when a shiny new stadium is sitting there ready in N17.
I was at the match. The stadium was a giant morgue. Reminds me of when I used to go to Giants Stadium for late season Jets games and the stadium was half empty and nobody gave a shit.