1) You can blame our board and Peter Taylor for that 2) 5000 sold out apparently. Leicester dropped the prices but nobody wants to go anymore. Sould has been ripped out of the club. 3) Except us scoring. 4) Look out for a large and vocal Levein out contingent - Last time we will be on the BBC for a while.
As more away fans are aloud for a cup game expect double the amount of away fans normally aloud. Well if you win the Levien out stuff quieten down a bit.
I doubt the Levein out stuff will go away, if we win it may give him some breathing room with the fan, until the next time we lose in the league. Levein will also play a 4-5-1 knowing him - with a lumbering ox as the 1.
Though spurs might rest a few players for the Liverpool game next week so Leicester have a chance. Though i admit we're favourites but you never know.
Davids, Mido, Naybet and Reid are out. Tainio and Lee are doubts and will have late fitness checks. Kelly is on standby for Lee by the sounds of it. I don't think my first guess at the team was that far off on page 1 but we'll see!
As this is a match thread, I'd better give my match prediction: Leicester 0 - 5 Tottenham - This may be the thrashing we have been waiting for.
That's how I view the FA Cup at the moment as well. Our current squad depth makes this very different than many Cup runs in the past. Either we keep our non-starters happy with playing time, or we showcase their talents for transfer. Either way they need to play. If we were mid-table I'd say play the first team. But, being in either competition for a UEFA/Champions League spot or being in a Relegation fight, I'd say you your subs. Right now Spurs have a very large squad of competent players. I'd like to see not only the 4 you mentioned get substantial minutes, but also guys like Davis who have faithfully and patiently served the club. IMHO, they deserve the chance, and it would go a long way towards faith in the ranks if Jol shows that he gives every player a chance at some point. With that in mind, I wouldn't mind resting Robinson as well. A midfield of Routledge, Davis, Brown and Tanio should do just fine against Leicester. Rasiak and Defoe up top is still a decent lineup. The back 4 are a bit trickier as we're not as deep as we'd like to think along the back line. We need Gardner's pace if we're going to play our subs there, and with Lee's injury it might be better not to mix-and-match the back line. But, our substitute attackers are finally of good quality, and I for one recommend resting most of our starting attackers for Premiership play. I see the FA Cup as an opportunity at all times. Right now that is an opportunity to get real game experience for a fair number of players who aren't getting it otherwise. If we progress to the final 4 of the FA Cup, then we can re-evaluate things, but until then, I think this is a way to keep our large squad happy. I embrace the opportunity to get quality playing time for our non-starters. I relish the chance to see how much service Routlege, Davis and Brown can supply to Defoe and Rasiak. In years past with at least one major sicknote and a serious lack of depth, I might have had a different view, but with our current squad and relative health ... I think these extra games can actually benefit Spurs. -Digital
------------------------------Cerny------------------------------- -----Stalteri---------Dawson---------Gardner------------Kelly----- -----Routledge-------Davis-----------Mendes-----------Brown----- -------------------------Defoe-------Rasiak----------------------- I think this would be a good lineup. With Mendes, Brown and Davis we have 3 competent midfielders all of which can play solid defense and keep possession ... and all 3 fancy themselves as being able to contribute to the attack. Routledge is clearly a threat down the right flank. All of these players deserve playing time, and I doubt we'll be as fortunate with injuries in the 2nd half of the season as we have been thus far. King was available most of the season, Lennon ably filled the hole created by Routledge's absence, and our overabundance of midfielders allowed us to start the year without Davids. But, our back line isn't very deep really, and our reliance on Mido is quite obvious. I think we need to get some game time for these players. The midfielders desperately need it, deserve it, and would benefit from it regardless of how they fare. Either they're offloaded in the summer, which means we want to showcase them, or they're kept, which means we want them to be less disgruntled with their lack of playing time. -Digital
geez, how much nicer will a winter/spring be knowing that a cup win isn't our best chance into europe?
If Routledge is available i would start him, I would like to see both Lennon and Routledge on the wings but that doesnt seem likely. I would also like to see Tainio in centre midfield for this game, maybe give Jenas a break. I believe both Dawson and Stalteri are a booking away from suspension with 4 yellow cards this season and Davids has 9 this season.
Sorry...yeah. About 10 years now. Interestingly, my first time at White Hart Lane was a Prem match against Leicester City back in fall of 96. Fellow countryman (and future Spur) Kasey Keller was in goal for City and made sure we lost, 2-1.
lol i remember that game, i was only 8-9 at the time and Ian Marshall scored a late winner for Leicester.
You're all forgetting one player who could truly make a difference if Jol finally unleashes him and lets him play.....Johnnie Jackson!! Rumour has it that since Jacko's return from Real Madrid (they couldn't keep him because Zidane kept getting shown up and throwing a strop), Jol won't play him because (and I quote) "Itsh jusht not fair on the resht of the Premiership."
Mido is supposedly back for this game as Egypts friendly game got cancelled and he's been given permission to come back and play.
3-1 now Carson could have got a red then, Carragher was covering but a few metres over to the side and I don't think he was last man at the time of initial contact. Hope we don't get a backlash in the Premiership next week, or Leicester get any confidence from this.
well, maybe we could get our asses kicked at leicester city and liverpool would have to deal with our backlash! fingers crossed! [that roll eyes thingy] we can play with liverpool, fellas. this year is different.
Well give Benitez credit, inspired subs and they got the win. I think we can take heart from their defensive performance though, they looked really vulnerable to pace through the middle and Luton's wingers. Hopefully a big game for Aaron Lennon. Does go to show how tricky these games are though, hopefully the team tomorrow will be professional and put Leicester away.
------------Robbo Stalteri-Dawson-Gardner-Kelly Lennon-Jenas--Carrick-Brown --------Keane--Rasiak Subs: Cerny, Pamarot, Tainio, Routledge, Defoe