The starting XI is always going to be a bit of a guess at this stage of the season but with so many new faces this year the task is even harder. With Paulinho, Chadli, Soldado and Etienne Capoue in the mix, who reckons they can call our first line up 100% correctly this time?
There is some team news and AVB’s first press conference of the campaign mentioned Jan Vertonghen’s progress since picking up an injury in Hong Kong.
“Let’s wait and see on Jan,” said Andre. “He’s made good progress so there is a small chance he could make the squad.”
Villas-Boas had emerged from the Friday training sessions and he also suggested that Etienne Capoue could feature after arriving from Toulouse earlier this week.
“He’s looking extremely good. He only played 20 minutes for France so he was able to train fully today and he did very well. There have been some good signs from him,” AVB added.
Lewis Holtby and Gareth Bale are ruled out for the trip but will Andre risk Sandro and Kaboul from the start after they featured so briefly in pre-season? Another question concerns the new signings after the coach preferred to start the new boys from the bench in the last campaign?
Things will become clearer after Sunday but for now, this is our best guess – what’s your view?
Lloris, walker, kaboul, Dawson, rose, paulinho, sandro, dembele, Lennon, soldado, chadli… Bench… Capoue, siggy, Defoe, vertoghen, naughton, friedel, Carroll
Agree with you there, if Jan was fit, I’d have him instead of Daws, that’s the only change I’d make, COYS..!
Sandro didn’t look fit to me last week so I think Capoue might start
Agree with that team. Chadli and Defoe off the bench for impact. Capoue on for Sandro on the hour to keep him fresh.
COYS!!
Looking at the squad it doesn’t look too strong.
Walker inconsistent. Prefer Ekotto, more defensive, considering out offensive team. Vertonghen should be out, so I think Kaboul is stepping in.
Sandro on the right? I think he should be behind Paulinho and Dembele (holding 4-3-3).
Prefer Chadli on right than Sig.
My line up (This is 4-3-3 (Sandro just behind by bit), not 4-1-2-3 – can’t layout on word):
————Lloris
Walker-Kaboul-Dawson-Ekotto
———–Sandro
——Paulinho-Dembele
—-Lennon-Soldado-Chadli
I’ll put Sig for Chadli, Holtby for Dembele if we can’t score. If we are ahead by a bit, I’ll give some game time for Capoue for Sandro.
Well thats wrong because vertonghen is injured, i think capoue or kaboul will replace vertonghen and chadli for sigurdsson with the rest staying the same. Coys
Vertonghen is still in the race to be matchfit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ9laXrbFus
Who knows. I will have a go though:
———————–Lloris—————————————-Walker—–Kaboul—–Dawson————-Rose————————–Capoue————————————————-Dembel———Paulinho———————————–Lennon————Soldado———–Chadli———-
I would swap siggy for chadli..
There is no creativity in that team. Would be far better if Tom Carroll was playing. AVB never picks him unfortunately.
Rose is just not good enough for Spurs.
My team would be as follows:
——————Lloris———————-
Walker—-Dawson—-Kaboul—-Vertonghen
———–Dembele—-Paulinho————
——————Carroll——————-
Lennon———-Soldado———-Chadli
433 holding with the fit players
……………lloris…………
Walker…..Dawson….fryers…benny
……………capoue…………………
………siggy…….paulinho…
Dembele……..soldado…..chadli
Personally I think Lennon should be used as an impact sub when there defence is tired. Siggy could be the creative link were missing and dembele could cut inside and also track back for walker when needed
FOR A START MOST OF YOU INCLUDING MATTHEW HARRIS HAVE BOTH PICKED A VERY OUTSTANDING WEAK LINK AT LEFT FULL BACK AND THAT IS ROSE HE WILL NEVER MAKE A PREMIERSHIP PLAYER , WHAT IS WRONG WITH EKOTTO IS HE INJURED IF NOT WHAT A WASTE HE IS MILES BETTER THAN ROSE .
Well, I believe that Rose will be a Prem player….just perhaps not top 6.
Caps lock… Rose is a Premiership Player, going into his third season. Ekotto was great in Redschnapps last season, but overweight and misplaced all the time he played last season. If he’s back to -11/12-form I’d prefer him, but if it’s Ekotto anno -12/13 I’d prefer Rose. He’s not good enough for a top 6-team yet, and who knows if he ever will be. He was pretty good for Sunderland last season…
All being said Rose is more developed than Carroll and I personally rate him. Could be a good player for spurs given the chance.
Loris
Walker Dawson vertongen Bae
Capoue Sandro Paulinho
Lennon Dembele
Soldado
Away to Palace is the perfect match to throw in your new signings. Chadli must play.
4-2-3-1
LLoris
Walker – Daws – Kaboul – Rose/Ekotto (up to AVB)
Sandro – Dembele
Lennon – Paulinho – Chadli
Soldado
Bring on Siggy, Carroll, Townsend.
Agree except I believe paulinho and dembele will be the other way round. Possible capoue for sandro if avb doesnt think he’s fit enough.
I don’t think as many newbies should start.. But we a few uncertainties on sandro, kaboul, vertongan.
This is how I think we will start.
Loris
Walker…..daws…vert…bae.
Lennon… Sandro if fit/paulinho… Dem… Chad
.……………….sig..
……………..soldado
We cant start all the new lads, the team needs to jell over time. Capoue won’t be in yet, I’d be surprised to see him on the bench tbh. Paulinho should only start if sandro is out.
Of course they need to gel, but it is easier to gel when you are playing. The fact that we are missing Bale, means that Chadli is the best replacement and balances out things on the left. Soldado certainly has to play. Paulinho I think should start too. Capoue can wait unless we are onto the emergency CB list…
my team would be ;Lloris , Walker , Dawson , Kaboul , Rose , Paulinho , Capoue , Dembele , Lennon , Soldado , Chadli/Holtby , Subs Friedel , Vertonghen , Sandro , Holtby/Chadli , Carroll , Siggi , Defoe
I cant decide who to start with out of Holtby or Chadli , although i would probably go for Chadli as we looked good with all new signings on against Espanyol also if we were at home i’d have Siggi in for Capoue and have the midfield 3 to be Siggi , Paulinho , Dembele
Holtbys injured mate
Lloris
Walker, Dawson, Kaboul, Rose
Sandro
Paulinho, Dembele
Townsend, Soldado, Chadli
Dont think Sandro is fit enough to start yet, Kaboul likewise from what was seen against Espanyol. So assuming Vertongen is fit I think AVB will go with a 4-2-3-1 away with Lloris, Walker,Dawson,Vertongen,Rose, Paulinho, Dembele,Lennon,Siggy,Chadli, Soldado. If Verts out, Capoue will play CB. Strong midfield, but not sure we have alot of goals in us. COYS!
Keeping in mind who is fit this will probably be the team
Loris
Walker Dawson friers rose
Lennon paulinho dembele Chadli
Siggi
Soldardo
Subs friedal Kaboul Sandro naughton Defoe townsend Capoue
I believe AVB has ruled Holtby out with a knee injury??
Since Jan is hurt, and Sandro and Kaboul are not match fit…
Lloris
Walker — Daws — Naughts — Rose
Dembele — Capoue — Paulinho
Lennon — Soldado — Chadli
Sandro and Kaboul on bench for if they are needed, which one will come on for Naughton (probably Sandro into MF, with Capoue dropping back with Daws)
Attacking subs will be Siggy for Chadli and either Carroll or Defoe for Lennon.
I agree to a point tonyrich but during the opening month of the season it’s done mainly it traing with the newer players slotting in over time. We will prob start with chad on the left an soldado up top as I put in my lineup, but for the most part we should be using the quality players from last season that know each other well with the new players slotting in as time goes on. Other wise you risc unsettling the old players and may create problems on the pitch due to the squad not knowing how each other play.
Spurs need to bring in Pjanic and Eriksen asap. Need flair players in the midfield.
I think holtby will become our creative player.. Eriksen would be a great addition. At the min we look hard to breakdown and good on the counter which will serve us well in the big games against Man U etc.
If Vertonghen isn’t fit for tomorrow, here’s the team I think will be playing:
————Lloris
Walker Daws Capoue Rose
———–Sandro
—–Dembele Paulinho
-Lennon Soldado Chadli
Maybe Fryers for Capoue, but AVB stated that Capoue looked “extremely good in training today” (friday) Chadli, Paulinho and Soldado should play in my mind, Bale’s out and Chadli a natural replacement, Paulinho has been honed into the midfield three through pre-season, and Soldado…need I say more? 🙂
Holtby will be important this season but he’s injured at the moment so won’t be playing tomorrow, totally agree with steve and think we should bring in eriksen as our number 10. If bale leaves which i believe he will, bring in lamela as a replacement and osvaldo as back up to soldado and also bring in alderweireld as cover at centre back and i wouldnt rule us out for the title. but gotta just kick start tomorrow. COYS
hugo
walker kab ver rose
paul sandro
holtby
bale chadil
sol
if fully fit that team could be so sick
Tbh don’t think Sandro or vert will be fit. Sandro might be on the bench. Ade is mourning the death of his brother and won’t be included. Capoue hasn’t been with the squad long enough to start. Think we’ll see
Lloris
Walker——-daws——Kaboul——rose
Paulinho
dembele
siggy
Lennon————soldado————chadli
moose and paulinho taking turns staying back and bombing forward, and siggy in front of them, behind soldado. Lennon provides width and chadli cuts in. Bench: Friedel, Naughton, Fryers, Sandro, Capoue, Townsend, Defoe
Imagine paul siggy and moose in a midfield triangle, formatting fail there