There’s no official team news from the club as yet although it has been reported that Kyle Walker has returned to training and could therefore feature at right back in Sunday’s game. Meanwhile, there is no word on Danny Rose so we could see either Kyle Naughton or Zeki Fryers deputise.
The question in midfield is whether Sandro will make his first league start under Tim Sherwood or whether the Brazilian will lose out to Nabil Bentaleb. It’s hard to see the coach accommodating both men, particularly after last week’s performance at Norwich with a heavily defensive midfield.
Up front do we start with Adebayor and Soldado or revert to 4-5-1? Cardiff have won one league game in 11 so you feel if Sherwood doesn’t go with his most attacking formation here, he never will again.
Here’s what we’d like to see – it won’t necessarily happen – but what’s your view?
I would revert to 4-5-1. With our personnel I think it’s actually more attacking. It allows Eriksen to play more centrally at the expense of Soldado who’s not playing well anyway.
Here’s my team and preview: http://wp.me/p2Sby9-yO
That’s the lineup I would also choose. Despite Bobby not scoring we are definitely a more cohesive team with him on the pitch.
Paulinho for Moussa is also a good choice,though Moussa goes past players easily and often he has no end product and freezes when he gets in and around the box.
I am starting to like Zeki,he seems more confident now and does his job as a defender unlike Mr Rose who gets forward,loses the ball and never seems bothered about getting back into position.
I wish Younes would stay fit. Michael Dawson is a calamity waiting to happen and has been atrocious for some time now.
But! We know what’s going to happen. Dim is going to drop Sandro for his (love child) Bentaleb,drop Eriksen,drop Bobby and play that team and formation (if that’s what you want to call it,because as far as I’m concerned he has no clue about formations or tactics) that started against Norwich.
Lets pray not!
# COME ON YOU SPURS!
Excuse what is below. I’m using my kindle and its the WORST keyboard and input system.
team that started against Norwich…..a truly scary thought.
Wish Hounds could stay fit
I like Paulinho in midfield too, he’s more dynamic than Dembele. Problem is he isn’t disciplined enough – see Norwich’s goal last week where he was sauntering back. If Sandro plays he will cover taking this problem away in the same way as Capoue did at Newcastle.
I would also play Fryers if Rose isn’t fit. Naughton is ok on the right but looks lost on the left.
Sandro would be my preference in front of the defence, but he may struggle to play twice in four days coming back from an injury.
Lloris
Walker Dawson Verthoghen Fryers
Lennon Sandro Dembele Eriksen
Adebayor Saldado
Lloris
Walker Dawson Verthoghen Fryers
Lennon Sandro Dembele Erikson
Adebayor Paulinho
We need to score from the off, 2-0 or 3-0 by HT.
But my prediction is it will be a slow start 0-0 and then leaving it very late to score 1 or 2. The Europa game will have tired at lot of players, but they S/B on a high and infront of the home crowd, play fast attacking football, I hope. That’s what makes it difficult which side will turn-up ?
COYS
Look good dawson a leader on the pitch so character he get the thumbs up, but speed be it carrying the ball, passing and defending slow as compared to kaboul, and chriches.paulinho he gona get u goals and is in fine form so the brazlian connection is def on the cards , dnt think he would be fit enuf to last the 90 tho, soldado we need him in form be that as it may was impressive and agressive up front , naughton on the left , no, no,no we saw sterling torture him on the left , he does not deserve that , bentaleb sure why not if we up 4 -0 I like the boy but he nearly cost us again in europe for the short tym he was there, we stick with starting line up , as we did in europe , expect defensivly , with walker and kaboul (god willing) we shud have enuf pace defensivly to control the counter, fryers looked k , amd he will get better .. This game is a 3 pointer for sho,plz tim dnt mess it up
Lloris
Walker/Naughton-Dawson-Verts-Fryers
Lennon-Sandro-Eriksen-Townsend/Chadli
Adebayor-Soldado
I would keep putting Soldado in, especially against lower tiered teams, in order to get him best chance of scoring to get that monkey off his back and let the floodgates open. Plus, playing up top with Ade and Eriksen behind them, will allow them to develop a positional understanding of how to work an offensive triangle in the middle or off the wingmen on either side. If you rotate him in and out from week to week Soldado will not develop that understanding with Ade, Eriksen and the other forwards.
Got to attack Cardiff tomorrow. And FFS can we buy back Caulker over the summer. Looks like Liverpuds rate him highly and our going to bid for him over summer. We should sell Dawson and bring in Caulker and give the Captain’s arm band to Verts.
………………Lloris (no need to rest him)
Walker Dawson Vertonghen Fryers
Lennon Paulinho Dembele Eriksen
……….. .Adebayor….Soldado
Play Dawson only so that Kaboul can be ready for the Chelsea game – they will demolish Dawson as all good teams do, and even some weaker ones. Fryers has much more potential than Naughton, so let’s give the lad a run to show his worth. Sandro must be rested in order for him to start against Chelsea. Playing Bentaleb makes no sence at all. Eriksen must start – every single game, he is our best technical, creative player. And Soldado should play, if we cant throw in two strikers at home against Cardiff then we cant do it at all.
COYS
LLoris
Walker Dawson Vertonghen Fryers
Sandro
(Siggy/Townsend) Dembele Eriksen Chadli
Ade
Lloris
Walker Kaboul Vertonghen Fryers
Sandro Paulinho
Lennon Erikson Townsend
Adebayor