Almost as soon as we made the case for Emmanuel Adebayor to start this game, the club announced that the Togolese striker hadn’t travelled with the Spurs squad owing to a back injury. Staying behind with Ade, or more correctly with his partner and new baby is Gareth Bale while Moussa Dembele is unlikely to feature.

“Dembele is making a slow return but Southampton is a possibility,” said Villas-Boas.

“Ade felt a pain in his back that he’s had for quite some time. He had it last season and felt it in the first session after the Chelsea game.”

That leaves fewer questions than we might have been facing but it also means that there are fewer opportunities for rotation. Kyle Naughton is fit again and could be involved while Michael Dawson could slot back in at centre half.

There’s a fair amount of guesswork here but this is what we think – what’s your view?

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27 COMMENTS

    • If Livermore plays i wont watch its as simple as that, i hate thdm useless i wannabe on The only way is Essex pass the ball backwards dumb fuck prick.

  2. This will shock you but i believe we need to rest some players Friedel Smith Huddlestone Gallas Naughton Townsend Falque Livermore Cebalos Obika Coulibaly Subs Lloris Defoe Sandro Dempsey Vertonghan Lennon Carrol. for the SOUTHAMPTON game Lloris Dawson Ady Defoe should play

    • Whilst Southampton will not be a walk over, the reality is that they have only won once so far. We should not need to rest our entire team for that. Your side includes our 3rd choice right back, 5th choice left back, our 6th choice CB, and goodness knows how far Falque, Cebalos, Obika and Coulibaly come… There are 2 philosophies, and your team does not fit in either: a) try to win the cup [i.e. play strong side], b) forget the cup and give a couple of youngsters a go…. Yes you have included youngsters, but too many – and there is no experience in front of defence. I think that we should try to win it because I don’t see us getting top four. So we may as well play a strong team, and see how we do across all comps – whilst using the squad.

  4. I think Hudd will feature alongside Sandro instead.

    Would like Vertonghen to have a rest, but we’ll need him tonight! Although Walker needs a good game in him, so may rest up Vert and play Naughton on the left.

  5. The team at the top is far too attack-minded (Dempsey + Siggy) – especially for an away game into the unknown. Plus if I WERE to play that line-up, I would rather have Dempsey holding, because he is good at chasing the ball and pressing. I would rather have 2 from Hudd, Livermore, Sandro in midfield – because that is more AVB’s style.

  6. Hudd needs to play to get his match fitness up. Probably alongside Livermore as Sandro needs a rest.
    Would love to see Daws have a good game.

  8. I reckon walker should be straight back in the side as a means of getting some confidence back before the Southampton game at the weekend. I’d like to see Jan back in his favoured CB position for this game as im sure he would too, also so Naughton can get a run out since coming back from injury. For the midefield, I’d like to see how Sigurdsson and Huddlestone work together with Sandro in his usual enforcer role infront of the back four, obviously Hudds will sit slightly deeper to allow Sigs to get forwards but with Sandro behind and Sigs to help out Hudd’s defensive duties won’t be so crutial. Lennon’s a clear choice for the right, I think Townsend should get a good run out on the Left. I’ve gone with Dempsey up front for a few reasons. He doesn’t quite seem to be grasping his role in behind the striker or being on the wing like at Fulham – apparently too complicated. So I think giving him a go at being the lone striker could be good for him as he knows exactly what he needs to do and it’ll be a good oppertunity for him to get on the score sheet which will give him some confidence and help him settle. Also it gives Defoe a rest and protection for the weekend if Ade’s going to be unfit… Again!

    ————-Lloris————–
    Walker–Daws–Vert–Naughton
    ————Sandro————-
    ———Sigs—Hudd———–
    Lennon—————Townsend
    ———–Dempsey————

    • Agreed about Walker. If you drop him after Saturday, you let him stew in it…. It cannot be helpful. The best is for him to come out immediately and bury that performance to experience.

    • That’s the line-up I like. Defoe to come on in the second half, only if needed. The Dawson/ Vertonghen pairing could work well.

  9. Lloris
    Walker-Dawson-Caulker-Vertonghen
    Lennon-Sandro-Huddlestone-Townsend
    Dempsey
    Defoe

    Walker needs to bounce back from the weekend. Would rather rest Verts and Sandro but we’re going to need them I think. Townsend needs a run-out, Hudd needs more playing time and Dempsey just needs to score a cracking goal to raise his confidence levels and feel he’s arrived.

  11. Doesn’t anyone see the need to preserve one of Defoe and Dempsey for Southampton? Heaven forbid, but let’s imagine that Defoe picks up injury tonight and Dempsey eats a dodgy Slovenian kebab which lays him out… Ade has a bad back, and Kane is on loan….and has a broken foot anyway… We are at bare bones up top…. Could we really beat Southampton with Lancaster and Obika?

  12. Lloris
    Walker Dawson Caulker Vertonghen
    Sandro Huddlestone
    Lennon Siggi Dempsey
    Defoe..

    this is the team i feel will be picked although I would choose the following if it was my choice

    Lloris
    Walker Dawson Caulker Naughton
    Livermore Huddlestone
    Lennon Siggi Townsend
    Dempsey

    You can aruge we will need Sandro & Jan playing but you can’t expect them to play every game all season, I’m not convinced about Livermore but we know AVB perfers 2 players in there that can sit deeper, high hopes for Townsend just give him some games please AVB!

    Defoe’s looking half decent this season but I would like to see how Dempsey fairs up the top – not been impressed with him playing behind Defoe if I’m honset

  13. For me its

    Lloris
    Walker
    Dawson
    Caulker
    Naughton
    Livermore
    Huddlestone
    Lennon
    Townsend
    Dempsey.

    Jan, Defoe, Sandro and Gallas should be rested.

    Hudd needs games.

    Walker needs to get straight back on the horse.

    Would even consider Sig in for Lennon as he could do with a rest also.

  14. I just prey that Townsend starts, he needs to be given a chance.

    Dempsey and Sigurdsson have been so poor for us its unbelievable, I wasnt happy when we got them but hoped that I just hadnt experienced how good they are up close but it seems that they are as average as I thought.

    Sigurdsson has the skill but is too slow and not up to pace with the ideas he seems to have in his head (the opposite of quick feet)

    I would play Townsend Falque and Lennon as an attacking 3

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