Spurs @ Sporting CP - CL - 13 Sept

Road game early in the group, with a win under our belts? I predict conservative play, letting them have plenty of the ball. I read somewhere that their Frankfurt goals were counter attacks, so maybe that would be a good plan. Edwards will have a point to prove. I'd be happy to come home with a point.

 

Here are the teams!

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Perisic, Richarlison, Son, Kane.
Subs: Doherty, Skipp, Sanchez, Gil Salvatierra, Sessegnon, Forster, Kulusevski, Spence, Tanganga, Bissouma, White, Lenglet.

Sporting: Adan, Inacio, Coates, Matheus Reis, Porro, Morita, Ugarte, Nuno Santos, Trincao, Edwards, Goncalves.
Subs: Alexandropoulos, Israel, Rochinha, Issahaku, Paulinho, Andre Paulo, Arthur Gomes, Ricardo Esgaio, Marsa, Nazinho.

Referee: Srdjan Jovanovic (Serbia).

 

Yes, but we were almost always playing our scrubs in those games so not surprising.

 

First chance to Sporting, Goncalves on the break forces Lloris to tip wide.

 

Funny game, both teams like to play on the counter so they both look like they don't know what to do when they have the ball.

 

Porto break again but Trincao fires wide from just outside the area.

 

5 minutes to go in the half, so far pretty drab from both sides.

 

Richarlisson rounds the keeper and scores, but he was way offside.

 

In the last minute of the half, Marcus Edwards blows through our entire midfield, plays a one-two with Trincao only to see Lloris claw away his attempt for a corner - that would have been a goal for the ages by our ex-player.

 

HT 0-0. I think I've said this before - we haven't been great.

 

Second half underway.

 

Royal misses a big chance! Kane alertly plays a quick free kick behind the defense and Royal sees his shot saved by the keeper.

 

We have made a decent start to the second half.

 

Richie with a good ball out left to Kane, who sees his shot saved by the keeper. Much better from Spurs.

 

Richie bursts into the area, chops back to his left foot, but curls his shot wide.

 

Betancur booked.

 

And now Marita booked for them.

 

Another quick break by Sporting, Edwards frees Goncalves but his shot is easily smothered by Lloris.

 

All of a sudden, we are on the back foot. Still no sign of any changes from Conte.

 

Perisic, who has had a poor game, finally plays a good ball across the face of goal, but out of the reach of a stretching Kane.

 

Kulusevski on for Son, who was dismal again.

 

Bentancur and Hjobjerg look leggy and are starting to get bypassed by their midfield.

 

Dreadful play from Royal. All alone on the right, he plays an aimless cross into the keeper's arms.

 

Reis booked for hauling down Kulu.