Once again it was tempting to end this headline with the words ‘Who knows?’ or even ‘Who cares?’ but a quarter final place does beckon against a side currently struggling in the lower half of the Championship.

Spurs may be heavily odds on with Matchbook to win tonight’s Capital One Cup tie but we know they have the capacity to blow it, no matter which squad is chosen. Please forgive the overly-pessimistic mood which is lingering from Sunday’s defeat to Newcastle – perhaps it’s time to head straight over to the team news.

“Federico and Kyle are back, which is good news for the team,” Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino said rather succinctly on the club’s official website. Meanwhile, the only definite absentees are Nabil Bentaleb and Kyle Walker who are still struggling with injury.

Vorm in goal seems the most likely choice with Ben Davies at left back the other near-certainty in defence. Elsewhere, Fazio and Chiriches could get the nod with Eric Dier possibly moving from right back to his preferred position in the centre.

In midfield, programme cover star Benji Stambouli may get a rare start with Aaron Lennon, Andros Townsend, Paulinho and Mousa Dembele among others who I’ve forgotten actually play for the club on occasions.

Two up front has to be the way to go against Brighton at home so perm two from Kane, Adebayor and Soldado.

Enough has been said about our current form but what about our opponents who were recently challenging for promotion under our former player Gus Poyet? Currently, the Seagulls are one place above the relegation slots in the Championship and although they would enjoy claiming a Premiership scalp, manager Sami Hyppia may consider that his team’s priorities lie elsewhere.

Like Nottingham Forest in the previous round, Brighton may choose to rest some players and that would naturally increase Tottenham’s chances even further. As it is, tonight’s opponents come into this fixture with five draws and one defeat from their last six matches – not a terrible run but the Seagulls just aren’t picking up the points to take them clear at the foot of the table.

Tottenham’s club captain Younes Kaboul, who seems unlikely to feature this evening, has spoken of the need to kill the game early.

“We need to make our task easier on the pitch by trying to kill the game as early as we can,” he is quoted as saying on the club’s official website.

“We’ve no choice but to go forward now. When you get criticism, you have to face it. Every single one of us has to look forward and fight for the team and the club and that’s what we are going to do.”

That’s not something we did in the previous game with Forest – conversely it took an away goal, and the introduction of Ryan Mason to secure a 3-1 scoreline at the end. So here’s the side who we think could make things a little more comfortable this evening but what are your thoughts on this starting XI?

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11 COMMENTS

  1. Can’t see Paulinho starting really – seems to be out of all plans this season due to woeful performances. Would imagine Dembele will be in there instead,

  2. Chiriches doesn’t deserve to start again at Tottenham. The worst defender we’ve had since Ramon Vega. Team should be as above but would play Dier alongside Fazio to rest Vertonghen for the weekend. Stambouli should play alongside Dembele.

  3. I would like to see this played in prem games

    ……………..lloris………………

    Kaboul….fazio…vert……rose

    Stamboli…capoue..eriksen

    ………………lamela/chadli

    …………….soldado…Kane…

    For tonight

    Vorm

    Dier
    Kaboul
    Fazio
    Davies

    Stamboli
    Dembele

    Lennon
    Kane
    Townsend

    Soldado

  4. Paulinho shouldn’t even be in the squad, he couldn’t hurt Forest’s reserves and he won’t be any use here.

    Vorm
    Naughton Chiriches Fazio Davies
    Stambouli Dembele
    Lennon Kane Townsend
    Soldado

  7. The team for tonight should be:
    Vorm
    Naughton,Dier,Fazio,Rose
    Stromboli,
    Townsend,Dembele,Mason,
    Kane,Soldado

    I’m not a lover of Naughton,but he is much better on the right.Townsend should be subbed if he doesn’t provide width and service to the strikers,none of this shooting from anywhere in the ground.Hopefully whoever takes the corners can clear the first defender.I would expect a 4-0 score line as a minimum,because something has to remove the memory of last weekend.

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