Spurs host a Newcastle side who will be brimming with confidence following their inspired upset of Manchester City on Tuesday. Rafa Benitez always sets up his sides to be difficult to beat, so we are going to need a much-improved performance than what we saw vs. Watford on Wednesday. Our defence will have to be sharp, as the Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon is in form and will look to bully Davinson Sanchez like he did last year with West Brom. It is no secret that the opposition has been targeting him as the weak link in our defence and his lack of strength in the challenge has cost us the opening goal in the last 2 games. After a decent first season at the club, the Colombian has been inconsistent in his sophomore year. Also, Hugo Lloris's erratic performances are starting to be a concern and the France captain will have to up his level for us to maintain our top 4 status. Hopefully Llorente's late winner will lift his confidence and he will benefit from better service from the flanks as our crossing and set piece delivery was mediocre against the Hornets. Son and Moura were lively and give us pace to concern the opposing defence, while Harry Winks continues to impress in midfield. A good start is crucial, as we have conceded sloppy first goals in the first half of our last 5 games.
i personally never liked sanchez, thought he's always prone to errors and inconsistency and really hated when he played instead of "not-fully-recovered" toby
I am not down on Sanchez, at 22 he is still learning his trade. When he plays for Colombia he is solid, but in international football you rarely come across centre-forwards like Mitrovic, Deeney and Rondon who can bully defenders, he just has to learn to adapt to the physicality of the PL.
Sanchez is fine, he has his moments but so does everyone going through a steep learning curve. His ceiling is very, very high, perseverance is key as is keeping a pair of wise heads either side of him - the back 3 works on paper, think we'll stick with it today. Which 2 start in centre midfield is key for me. Winks has been fantastic but I don't see him as a holding mid in the long term, he's a ball player rather than winner; given a fit squad it would always be Dier or Wanyama alongside Winks or Sissoko. Btw, infinite credit to Sissoko that it no longer sounds ridiculous to be talking about him in terms of a starting place in a team at the higher echelons of the Premier League. Lloris Toby - Sanchez - Jan Trippier ------ Winks - Dier ------ Rose Eriksen Son - Llorente Gazzaniga, Foyth, Aurier, Sissoko, Wanyama, Lucas, Lamela That would be my choice anyway. The other option is Lucas for a CB and go back to 4-2-3-1.
Well I got that wrong. Lloris Trippier Sanchez Alderweireld Vertonghen Winks Sissoko -- Eriksen Lamela ---- Son ---- Lucas Gazza, Rose, KWP, Llorente, Dier, Foyth, Wanyama
0 0 at half time. Newcastle fairly obviously playing for the point, we've had the vast majority of possession and a few chances. Lucas headed wide from close range and Lamela hit the post. Vertonghen getting forward to good effect and putting in cross after cross. The kind that Llorente thrives on...
Unrelated; I’d never heard Son talk before. Interesting how his English has a slight Germanic hint about it. Understandable too given how long and how early in his career he was in Germany.
It always felt like a goal was coming, but it would be less stressful for me if we could just blow someone out once in a while.
It was the kind of game I was expecting, Rafa could take 11 people from the car-park and make them difficult to break down. It was one of those games where you half expected them to nick a goal on a smash and grab, but thanks to the woodwork and a brilliant save from Lloris, we were able to keep the clean sheet that paved the way for Son's late winner.