A funny match this one, we are both competing for fourth spot and both managers know each other well.

Jose has been playing 4 at the back though when he can't score changes to three at the back.

One tactic might be to play with three in midfield and then change to two when Jose goes three at the back (assuming they are not already ahead).

 

Couldn't be playing them at a worse time, sorry for the negativity but I have to be realistic here, I can't see us winning this one. 

I think we'll get bullied on the pitch, Spurs will be up for it, we'll be bricking it and putting our heads down as soon as things don't go our way. 

Fancy us getting a result on Sunday! The spotlight will be on Mourinho and the onus will be on Spurs to come out and play. I think we showed at City we can dominate the ball against top teams and create real clear cut chances. Hopefully a partnership of Rudi and Fik will be the answer to that defence and we've looked brilliant away from the bridge this year and I think the boys will go there confident. Fingers crossed on it all coming together for a big derby win at the toilet seat stadium. 

Kepa

James   Rudiger   Tomori   Emerson

Kante   Jorginho   Kovacic

Willian    Abraham    H-Odoi

Think we can afford to play James if Rudiger is behind him, however i fully expect Azpi to start there.

Hudson-Odoi to get a start, the rest of our wingers have been poor for a while so he deserves a chance.

3 best CM's to lock down the midfield.

Went with Tomori because he's our best CB after Rudiger but i expect Zouma to start.

Kepa

Azpi  Andreas  Rudiger

James  Kante  Jorginho  Kovacic  Emerson

Abraham  CHO

Wouldn't actually mind seeing this.

Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Andre Marriner. VAR: Paul Tierney

Until the squad 'toughens up', a couple of players demonstrate some leadership and crucially we see effective tackling/ fouling, more pass completion accuracy  and all round better bloody defending (whether it be with existing keeper & defence or new in Jan/ Summer) I do feel that those on here reckoning we could turn them over this Sunday are being a tad over optimistic. I hope its not an embarrassing score and Frank & Jody make some progress with a full week to prepare.  Not slagging off the coaching team, the issues we see now were haunting us a year ago, and don't forget at the height of AC's title winning season Spuds busted  the 12 game streak (I was there at the lane- horrible).  I personally would settle for a point, keeps them at arms length and would keep CFC in top 4 until Boxing Day round at least; but pls don't get my pessimism wrong I'm up for a surprise away win, we have the players to do it if they show up,  just not that confident after the last few games.

Spurs have a good record at home too.  This will likely come down to what manager can get their team fired up for it the most.  Sadly, I fear that'll be Jose

On 15/12/2019 at 05:54, axman2526 said:

We lost to 3 of the worst sides in the league and in all 3 occasions we deserved to lose despite each of them being fairly appalling our defense made them look like Barcelona!

Play like we did in those games and the outcome is crystal clear. Comfortable Spurs win.

Football doesn't work like that, remember the season we won the CL we lost to a McLeish played Aston Villa.

On 17/12/2019 at 19:33, General said:

Until the squad 'toughens up', a couple of players demonstrate some leadership and crucially we see effective tackling/ fouling, more pass completion accuracy  and all round better bloody defending (whether it be with existing keeper & defence or new in Jan/ Summer) I do feel that those on here reckoning we could turn them over this Sunday are being a tad over optimistic. I hope its not an embarrassing score and Frank & Jody make some progress with a full week to prepare.  Not slagging off the coaching team, the issues we see now were haunting us a year ago, and don't forget at the height of AC's title winning season Spuds busted  the 12 game streak (I was there at the lane- horrible).  I personally would settle for a point, keeps them at arms length and would keep CFC in top 4 until Boxing Day round at least; but pls don't get my pessimism wrong I'm up for a surprise away win, we have the players to do it if they show up,  just not that confident after the last few games.

Sadly I'm similar in thinking and fear our young team could be taught a very harsh lesson on Sunday, what keeps me going is the  thought of an exciting future as long as we change a few personnel and the thought that the bitter one will ruin Spurs in the next year or so. Anyway I'm going Sunday will enjoy pre match and see where it takes us, you can be assured our away support will be totally hyped up for this. UTC

On 17/12/2019 at 18:14, mojo said:

Referee: Some c**t. Assistants: Some c**t, Some c**t. Fourth official: Some c**t. VAR: Some c**t.

Fixed. 

20 hours ago, Argo said:

Football doesn't work like that, remember the season we won the CL we lost to a McLeish played Aston Villa.

Not saying we will lose cause we lost to those 3 other teams. I am saying if we play like we did in those games we will lose comfortably 

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

Not saying we will lose cause we lost to those 3 other teams. I am saying if we play like we did in those games we will lose comfortably 

Yes but that's like saying if we repeat our performance in Amsterdam we win comfortably.

Every games different.

18 hours ago, Munkworth said:

Fixed. 

You forgot to include the Spurs manager and chairman, they are a pair of right c**ts

Abit far calling Jose a c*nt!

Not confident about the game, but yeah it’s football - Wouldn’t surprise me if we won.

Hoddle stirring up the sh*t, like the arsehole he is.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7812915/Glenn-Hoddle-claims-Tottenham-bigger-Chelsea.html?login

1 hour ago, Kev56 said:

Hoddle stirring up the sh*t, like the arsehole he is.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7812915/Glenn-Hoddle-claims-Tottenham-bigger-Chelsea.html?login

Some might call him misguided others might recognise it as early onset dementia.

Edited December 20, 20196 yr by Strider6003

1 hour ago, Kev56 said:

Hoddle stirring up the sh*t, like the arsehole he is.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7812915/Glenn-Hoddle-claims-Tottenham-bigger-Chelsea.html?login

Hoddle has lost his mind.

Spurs will never be bigger than us.

This, to me anyway has seemed like it's been a long week .

Probably because we lost at home last Sat and they have Mourinho as their new coach.

Just beat them Chelsea.

28 minutes ago, Jezz said:

Hoddle has lost his mind.

It's karma at work.

I wonder if he's changed his religious karma views since his heart condition issues ?

"If he wins silverware....it will prove to be the right move at the right time."

Very insightful 

The fact that Hoddle feels the need to tell everyone that Tottenham are 'bigger' than Chelsea, and then admits that Mourinho himself probably doesn't even know how much of a 'big club' Tottenham are, is quite amusing. 

Couldn't care less who is 'bigger' in all honesty, but Tottenham being labelled as this monster club just because they have a shiny new stadium isn't going to get taken seriously by me, sorry. Win a couple of trophies, maybe a league title or two, and then maybe the conversation can be had without sniggers. 

Hoddle then decides that Mourinho and Tottenham is a "good marriage" . 

Let's be honest, it's a marriage of convenience at best. It's a job that Mourinho wouldn't have even considered at any point in his career until now,  at his lowest,  generally considered a dinosaur of modern football. 

The fact he was prepared to take it mid-season, with Tottenham sitting mid-table is representative of the desperation levels in play here. 

Mourinho has won trophies everywhere he has managed for a full season or more, so even in his current form I would expect them to be able to sh*thouse their way to a pot or two under him. BUT, if Tottenham became the first and only club ever managed by Jose Mourinho that didn't achieve silverware, wouldn't that just be the most 'Spursy' thing to have happened ever?* 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Since they came third in a two horse title race 

 

 

Business Insider disagrees with Hoddle, by nearly 60m.

This was from last years, though, and I expect all those trophies they picked up under Pochettino will have won them some new fans.

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-popular-rich-list-football-teams-on-social-media-2018-8?r=US&IR=T#5-bayern-munich-657-million-followers-16

The old gaffer had this to say about spuds playing Chelsea this weekend

 

1 hour ago, robdog said:

The old gaffer had this to say about spuds playing Chelsea this weekend

 

Ofc, he never really cared about Chelsea and he showed it while in ManUnited when he wanted to fight the Chelsea staff and when he was offended when Conte was celebrating goals. If anything he wants to win even more now with Spurs just in spite for us. This match is now the biggest we had in the season after the final CL game against Lille, direct rival in all possible sense and also for the top 4 spot.

There is no excuse for this game, the team needs to perform and to fight. Spud fans are already saying how Delle Alli will score loads, laughable.