No Kane and we know that Mourinho basically gave up on the season last year when the striker did his hamstring at Southampton. This time around, we have alternatives, but we also have a manager who has an aversion to attack-minded players, so while I would be delighted to see Bale or Dele or both in the starting XI, I have a sinking feeling that players like Winks and Gedson have a better chance at being selected.
Here are the teams: Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Rodon, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Sissoko, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Davies, Bale, Bergwijn, Son. Subs: Doherty, Winks, Lamela, Hart, Dier, Tanganga, Lucas Moura, Vinicius, Devine. Brighton: Sanchez, White, Dunk, Webster, Veltman, Gross, Bissouma, Mac Allister, March, Maupay, Trossard. Subs: Connolly, Lallana, Moder, Alzate, Izquierdo, Tau, Zeqiri, Walton, Burn. Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside) Aurier out of the squad entirely, most likely for his outburst after being subbed off at half-time for his involvement or lack thereof in the first Liverpool goal. Thank God for that. Dier on the bench as well, not surprising, he has been poor the last few games.
Maupay nips in ahead of a sluggish Sanchez and from the resulting scramble, Pacal Gross pokes the ball off the post.
Brighton have identified Sanchez as a weak link. Any chance they get they are playing balls down the middle to Maupay.
Against a team that has only won 3 games all season and none at home, we have set up the same way as against Liverpool. Sigh.
Really sluggish start from Spurs, Davies gives the ball away and then a free-kick with a clumsy challenge.
Brighton play through our team like a training ground exercise, and Trossard taps in from close range. Dreadful play all around.
It really is remarkable no matter how much changes Spurs can be counted on for absolutely amateur defense against teams they should beat handily even in seasons where on the whole they’ve been defensively excellent.
Only because I'd brought up the matchtracker on ESPN and it still showed us at 0-0 with a slight advantage in possession. Popped over here and it's already 1-0.
Can't see it. Popped over to SC to track their match thread for a couple minutes. They can tend toward hyperbole, but it sounds like we're utter shite - which I have no difficutly imagining. Sounds like they're all over us. Brighton. We're down a goal and hanging on ... against Brighton. I'm bloody glad I can't see it, to be honest.
Spurs break with Son on the left, he feeds Bergwijn on the edge of the area and the Dutchman drags his shot wide. Spurs first attempt after 29 minutes of play.