With Bergwijn now out for an extended period with an ankle injury, look for Mourinho to play a back 6 with Spurs down 1-0 from the first leg. Enjoy the game everyone, it might be the last time we see Spurs in Europe for a while.
Lol, love the optimism. At the end of the day, even with all the injuries, i still look at the Spurs roster and rate them higher than Leipzig.. sure, they arent playing like they are the better team, but, it will only take one good performance to buy the medical room a little more time to get some of these guys healthy again. As much as i dont think Spurs will walk into Germany and win the match, it also wouldnt surprise me completely if they do. There is still a TON of talent on this team.. How do you believe they will set up? the whole back 6 thing aside? lol.
A potential point of interest.. Some matches in the CL will be played without fans.. Sooooo, Leipzig has no clear advantage at all in relation to their surroundings.. it could be a positive thing for the Spurs? Or, it could mean literally nothing.. Same applies to the Valencia/Atalanta, Liverpool/Atletico and PSG/Borussia matches.
I wasn't joking about the back 6 - If he could play a back 10, he would do it. I'm not sure our squad is better than theirs, they are certainly better technically. However it is hard to evaluate when Mourinho uses such negative tactics and usually gets his team selection wrong. The Burnley game was a case in point. Why were we sitting back in the first half against them? Tim Sherwood in commentary made a good point - Burnley are a good collective and are well coached by Sean Dyche, but none of their players would get into the Tottenham squad. And when the host asked him about their defence, he replied that yes they are good, but are any of them internationals? I saw a stat in the first half where the fouls were 8 by us and 3 by them. In the second half the stat had changed to 15 by them and just 13 for us (so 12-5 in the 2nd half), plus they got a hatful of yellow cards. Why? Because we pressed them and started passing and moving the ball. They couldn't handle it. That is the modern game, you have to play aggressive. But Mourinho doesn't believe that, he believes in getting as many behind the ball and hoping the opponent makes a mistake. That worked a few years ago, but not in today's football.
An inverse example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Whereas Leipzig seems to live up the quote.
This is why I'm not concerned about the result. We're not likely to win anyways so the only thing you can do is to try and savour the moment.
IDK, like i have said.. i wouldnt be shocked if they exit Europe, tomorrow, but, i have this weird feeling inside that Tottenham is going to find a way to make it to the next round..
Yeah, i saw that shortly after i posted that, however, the other 3 games will be behind closed doors... PSG and Valencia for sure.. too bad.. i believe it would have been a big advantage for Spurs if Leipzig didnt have any fans there..
Not going to happen, but i'd love to see an attacking team go out there. We're missing so many important players, find a way of getting the best players available on the pitch and in their best positions (i.e. not Dele as 9). No going out with a whimper, give it a go. Have Winks almost splitting the centre backs, let both full backs play on the front foot so that the two wide forwards can play close to Parrott, give the lad some help up there. Lamela --- Parrott --- Lucas Lo Celso - Dele Winks Sessegnon - Vertonghen - Alderweireld - Aurier Lloris Gazza, Sanchez, Tanganga, Dier, Gedson, Skipp, Ndombele
That is only a back 4, we re apparently expecting a back 6 at the very least.. I am predicting the Spurs to advance today! I can see a 2-1 scoreline, or a 1-0 scoreline heading into extra time.
Mourinho has so far been unable to counter teams that play a back 3. In games against Chelsea (2), Wolves (2) and Leipzig (1) who all played a back 3, Mourinho's record is won 1, lost 4 (and the one we won at Wolves was a real nick). When he has tried to play a back 3, it has failed miserably. Mourinho only knows one way to play, that is a 4-2-3-1 with 8 or 9 men behind the ball and playing on the counter. He is the only manager in football who is still playing that way.
I know, I know! It's not even about whether Parrott is ready or not, or how good he is or isn't. We don't have another centre forward; Lucas and Lamela are inside forwards, Dele is an attacking midfielder. To have our best players at their most effective, we need a centre forward.
I don't know, Mourinho would use that as another excuse if we were to go out, I could see him saying something like "the lack of atmosphere hurt us, we need the passion of the crowd", then he'd have a go at Sessegnon.
It's just I see Manchester United playing their 18 year olds, Chelsea playing young Gilmour in a couple of big games, Pep playing Foden, Davies 19 years old playing regular LB for Bayern Munich, all over football, managers are playing their youngsters. Remember Mourinho at his introductory presser? "There is not one manager in football who doesn't like to play young players". Au contraire Jose, there is ONE manager and it's you.
Here are the teams: Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Alderweireld, Dier, Tanganga, Aurier, Winks, Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Lamela, Lucas Moura, Alli. Subs: Vertonghen, Gazzaniga, Ndombele, Skipp, Fernandes, Parrott, Fagan-Walcott. RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg, Mukiele, Sabitzer, Laimer, Angelino, Nkunku, Schick, Werner. Subs: Haidara, Poulsen, Forsberg, Adams, Lookman, Olmo, Mvogo. Referee: Carlos Del Cerro (Spain).
Spurs playing a back 3 with Tanganga, Dier, Alderweireld right to left with Aurier and Sessegnon as wing-backs.