It’s the first day of the season tomorrow and Spurs have been given a difficult task by the fixture computer, as they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

That said, this Manchester United side are still very much a work in progress and this could be the best time to face them away from home. Indeed, the fact that David de Gea won’t play has to be an opportunity, especially considering that whoever plays in goal will probably have Daley Blind as a centre-back in front of them.

It looks as if Hugo Lloris will win his fitness race to start for Tottenham, with a back four of Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen in front of him.

The midfield is the biggest dilemma with Ryan Mason having spent much of pre-season injured, not to mention the fact that this was the area in which Spurs were ripped apart at Old Trafford last season. With that in mind strength in numbers makes sense and Mousa Dembele could be the answer as a deep number 10, to help out Mason and Nabil Bentaleb. Expect Dele Alli to get on the pitch at some stage, or even start in preference to Mason.

If Dembele plays as a central attacking midfielder that pushes Christian Eriksen wide to the left and Nacer Chadli to the right. Erik Lamela struggled away from home in the big games last season, while Andros Townsend found himself substituted in this fixture earlier this year.

Up front Harry Kane picks himself, not least because there are no other options up front. He’ll fancy his chances given the uncertainty in the United defence and between the posts.

Here’s our Tottenham team to face Manchester United, what’s yours?

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15 COMMENTS

  1. Poch talked about finding the best position for Dembele to show his “true quality” and although he’s been sort of playing him at right side inside forward, I think he’s (currently) our best holding midfielder. He’s strong in the tackle, a good short passer and no one in the Premier league is better at retaining possession. His best performances for Spurs were as part of a double pivot with Sandro, so he also has more experience of the role than anyone even Bentaleb. Dyer has been terrible there in preseason so that’s not going to happen against Man U.

    I also feel even though Lamela hasn’t lived up to his rep in an attacking sense, he’s our best high energy pressing attacker and the high press simply doesn’t work with lazy Chadli and Erikson as the inside forwards.

    Mason isn’t fit enough to start either and I hope to God Poch has seen how much better a defender Trippier is positionally than Walker! Can you imagine how Depay and/or Mata will tie him into knots? Makes me shudder even to think about it. so my team is (please god/poch)…

    Lloris
    Trippier Alderweireld Vertonghen Rose
    Dembele Bentaleb
    Lamela Eriksen Chadli
    Kane

    COYS

  2. Trippier has outshone walker and deserves a start.
    Carroll played very well in the 10 vs Milan and I like Eriksencoming in off the left.
    chadli showed that playing on the right is no bother to him.
    With lamela not fully fit yet I’d like to see us play a side that can rotate around behind the main striker and be creative but with power in there too.
    I wud set up as the usual 4/2/3/1 but with the attacking players rotating around alot with chadli looking so good in the free roam system wen he was the best player on the pitch against Milan and Kane looking like a better passer every game it wud often play more of a 4/2/2/2.
    GK Lloris
    RB Trippier
    CB Alderwield
    CB Vertonghen
    LB Rose
    CM Dembele
    CM Bentaleb
    RM Chadli
    AM Carroll
    LM Eriksen
    ST Kane

    4/2/2/2
    CM Dembele
    CM Bentaleb
    RA Carroll
    LA Eriksen
    RS Chadli
    LS Kane

    They cud move around and play more like that when they feel its right.
    Also Lamela wud be a straight swap for Carroll if Poch thinks he’s had enough minutes?

    Personally though I think this is Carroll last try and he’s started off well in pre season so give him the nod.

  3. Mostly I agree with the teams picked but formation is to be questioned, Kane, Ericksen and Chadli pick themselves and should play where they did last year if the same 4-3-2-1 is used. In that system I would start Lamela but be prepared to change him at half if needed, pity Pritchard is not fully fit. Dembele and Bentaleb in central mid. Back 4 pick themselves with Jan, Toby, Rose & Keiran.
    I favour a change to a 4-1 – 3 -2, Same back 4, Bentaleb as single front sweeper in front of the 4, Dembele, Chadli & Carroll in the centre with kane and ericksen up front – we need to be more attack minded and bring on the youngsters. Alternatively Chadli could play up front with Kane and allow Ericksen to play on the left and Carroll on the Rright

  5. I would put lloris, rose, vert, toby, trippier, bentaleb and dembele mid, eriksen left, carrol mid and pritchard right with chadli as striker. Why chadli as striker? Because he’s a mark man in all pitches. Maybe on the 60th min, when manu’s defenders fet tired is when i’ll put kane in and hopefully get some goals for us.

  6. I don’t know why… But I’m feeling a Deli Alli start. I reckon although a risk (much like throwing Mason in against Arsenal for his first Premier League start!), he’ll be determined to show his true ability against a top club. He is physically able and brilliant playing as a box-to-box from that deep position, able to spray passes and drive forward when needed. It could be the spark we need later on today!

    I completely agree with the Trippier case. Much better than Walker in pre-season. I also really loved the way the three attacking midfielders constantly rotated and filled each others positions. It mixed things up and meant that when on the ball they were taking on a different opponent.

    My team (4-2-3-1):
    Lloris (GK)
    Trippier (RB), Alderweireld (RCB), Vertonghen(LCB), Rose (LB)
    Alli (RDM), Bentaleb (LDM)
    Chadli (RAM), Dembele (CAM), Eriksen (LAM)
    Kane (ST)

    COYS!

  7. Toby was defensive midfielder at Southampton when Schneiderlin got injured. He did a great job for them.
    Dier will be an amazing CB in a few seasons but needs to play there.
    Trippier is head a shoulders a better defender than Kyle walkabout.

    Hugo.
    Trip
    Fazio
    Very
    Danny

    Toby
    Bentaleb

    Members
    Eriksen
    Chad

    Harry.

  8. Ali Ali Ali. Floats like a butterfly stings like a bee, the hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see. He’s got to start. Drop Dembele. He’s like a reincarnation of Vinny Samways.

  11. same old crap up front bcos we havent bought any1 in. How depressing. Danny Rose improved but never gonna be good enough. Dembele has had his chance. No urgency. Alli must start. Maybe nearest thing to a new Hoddle. Lloris, Trippier. Alder, Wimmer, Vert, Bentaleb, Alli, then Harry & Erik. All rest must be new. Pritch & Dier on bench

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