There have been no further updates on Rafael van der Vaart’s injury problem since last Friday when Joe Jordan stated that the player was 75% fit at the time.
It may be safe to assume therefore that VDV has continued his recover and is in line to take his usual place in the starting XI tonight.
Elsewhere, William Gallas has reportedly returned to full fitness and could put pressure on Younes Kaboul at the back. Vedran Corluka has made a swift return and after appearing for Croatia last week, could expect to take a place on the subs’ bench this evening.
In midfield there could be no changes unless Harry / Joe / Kevin have decided to find a starting slot for Sandro this evening and up front, it should be VDV behind Adebayor once again.
Here’s our team to face Aston Villa – what’s yours?
kaboul to start, he’s been immense this season and its not worth dropping him for a 34yr old – keep him in the team, he’s gonna be a fixture for years to come hopefully, apart from that the team really picks itself COYS!
I like your team. I like both Kaboul and Gallas, so they are equal. Sorry that there are no space for Sandro, he’s a great footballer. Good luck tonight!!!!
Like most Spurs fans, I would love to see Sandro get a game, but I really don’t know where we could fit him in? Whilst Modric and Parker are fit and on form, Sandro really doesn’t have a place in the side. Unless we were away from home, and wanted to keep it tight, so went for Sandro and Parker in the middle, pushing Modric wide? Agree with the lad above me, keep Kaboul there, save Gallas.
Kaboul has been immense! Why would you change the back four from a winning side?!
kyle walker can overlap modric on the flank, so playing sandro and parker in the centre is not necessarily a negative or defensive set up. what it does it frees modric up into a free role, with two tough and tidy players behind him supplying him with the ball.
if it aint broke …..dont fix it!
TEAM I’D LIKE TO SEE NEXT SEASON 2012
FRIEDEL
WALKER KABOUL KING AKOTTO
SANDRO PARKER
MODRIC VDV BALE
LEANDRO DAMAIO 25M
SUBS TO ROTATE AND BRING ON
GALLAS, DAWSON
CORLUKA
LENNON
HUDDELSTONE
MARIN 13M – SELL JENAS 5M; KRANJCAR 8M
GANSO 18M – SELL GIOVANI 8M; GOMES 6M; BENTLEY 4M
ADEBEYOR 10M – SELL PAV 10M
SEYDOU DOUMBIA 20M – SELL DEFOE 12M; PIENAAR 6M; KHUMALO 2M
Van Der Vaart tweeted yesterday that he was fit and ready to play! My team would be the same as above with the exception of Kaboul to replace Gallas.
Kaboul has been quite good, but makes too easy mistakes on positioning in every game and eventhough having the abilities is even weaker in the air than gallas. Gallas has the quality that kaboul can have in the future. Great starting XI!
My Team would be…………
——————–Friedel—————-
Walker———Kaboul—–King——-BEA
Lennon——–Parker——-Sandro—Modric
————————Bale—————–
———————Adebeyour————–
Bale free role switching with Lennon and Modric and when we defending go to a 5 midfield……. Nice and solid with that cutting edge.
sorry you can’t leave vdv out at the moment, and if you did defoe would naturally come in for him. also why move bale from the position he causes so much trouble from? kaboul should play, great to have gallas back to cover for ledders.
I reckon bale would be immense as a deep lying striker personally and also has the engine to get back and defend…
Think about who we are playing agaisnt bent, agbonlahor and heskey. We need kaboul’s pace and strength against that trio. Gallas can cover King now and again but they both will need someone like Kaboul to cover there ageing legs
——————Bradley——————-
Walker—–The King—–The Bull——BAE
——————Parker—————-
—-Azza———Mods——–Bale
——————VDV—————-
——————ADE—————–
Don’t upset a winning formula
——————-Friedel—————-
Walker—-King—-Kaboul—–BAE
——–Sandro——–Parker———
——————Modric—————–
———–Bale———–VdV———–
—————-Adebayor—————
* front 3 to rotate. We already know Rafa drops deep all game, which can leave us short upfront. When Rafa drops deep then Bale pushes up alongside Adebayor. Adebayor has the tendency to pull out wide onto the left – LF, then Bale should pull wide right RF. Modric and VdV to act as two linch-pins for the team – Modric pulls the strings from deep, VdV pulls the strings in the final 3rd. The 2 defensive midfielders in Sandro and Parker give Walker & BAE license to get forward Walker overlapping Bale on the right to give a natural crosser on that side, BAE on the left. This for me is the perfect formula for a starting line-up. It reminds me of the Chelsea set-up under Mourinho, and the Liverpool set-up the season they finished 2nd.
We are blessed with so much talent, i have never known us to such a strong squad, if vdv is fit then don’t change a thing the bull keeps his place as does everyone else COYS !!
I want us sitting in 3rd at the end of the evening.
Gallas and King are vital one must play but they should cover each other on no account should both play in the same game
If you play anything other than Friedel Walker King Kaboul/Gallas BAE Lennon Parker Modric Bale VDV Adebayor, you weaken the team and give Villa an unneccesary chance. 2 holding players not neccesary as they never break from central midfield. Double up on Agbonlahor, don’t forget to mark Bent and you totally nullify their attacking threat.
I’d love to see us play a 4-3-1-2, give villa something completely unexpected. Friedal, Bale, king, Kaboul, Walker, Sandro, Modric, Parker, VDV, Ade, Defoe. Bale and Walker providing the width, Modric running the show flanked by Sandro and Parker, VDV popping up all over the place interchanging with Ade and defoe. COYS!
4-2-3-1 1st team:…
————-Friedel———-
Walker–Kaboul–King–BAE
——-Parker—-Mods——-
Lennon—–VDV——–Bale
—————ADE———–
4-2-3-1 2nd team:…
—————Cudicini———–
Charlie–Bassong–Gallas–Rose
——-Sandro—-Thudd———
Gio———-Defoe——-Kranjy
—————Pav————-
Spurs current squad, if fully fit, is ball cupping good…