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****OMT***** Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Bromwich Albion - 26/12/13: 3pm

I think there's a common misconception aboht 4-4-2 asd a system. I don't think that playing two "strikers" necessarily means a flat 4-4-2 -- pacy wingers, 2 frontmen, knockdown football, etc. Look at a Man United (RVP and Rooney), Emirates Marketing Project (Negredo and Aguero), Liverpool (Sturridge and Suarez) and in Europe, Juve (Tevez and Llorente), Dortmund (Lewandowski, Aubmayang) and PSG (Ibra and Cavani) -- all of these teams play with two forwards at times without reverting to a classic, flat 4-4-2. Some play with one of those forwards wide (BVB, PSG, City) others play with one tucked behind (United, Juve), but you need two different kinds of players -- a pure finisher and one with more craft. Really a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, just with the craftier player occupying either one of the outside forward roles or the de facto #10 role.

I think we have that in Soldado/Defoe (finishers) and Ade is our crafty withdrawn forward. Soldado and Ade aren't going to be Defoe/Crouch, and I think Adebayor's versatility allows us to be a passing team, whilst fielding two forward players. The key, of course, will be the two forwards' interplay, ability to hold the ball up, and willingness to track back and defend at times.

I'm not advocating a classic 4-4-2, rather a 4-2-3-1 with Ade in the advanced role.c I think we have enough multifaceted players (also why I tend to favor Lamela/Chadli over more one-dimensional players like Lennon/Andros) to play great football in that system.

Great post. Agree with all of that
 
I think the most interesting thing to come out of the Southampton game was Eriksen's deployment basically in the Modric role in the center of the park in a "2" with Dembele. I thought he was absolutley brilliant, holding his own against a tough, 3-man midfield. While I feel like we were too open without a ball-winner, it made me wonder if Eriksen could flourish in that role alongside either Sandro or Capoue (whom I really rate). Against smaller sides, a team that looked like this looks absolutley blistering going forward w/ Eriksen springing attacks and make late runs into the box. It, of course, would put a hell of a lot of pressure on Sandro, though I think his energy and insistence on playing simple (ie not giving the ball away in dangerous positions a la Dembele) means he could do it.
...

Liking the look of those line-ups and hope that we will see a more creative midfield deployed against the "smaller" teams at home which we have struggled to break down in recent months when they have parked the bus.

Hopefully we can turn White Hart Lane into a fortress again...

Premier League results at White Hart Lane
SeasonWin RateDraw RateLoss RateScored per gameConceded per gamePoints per game
13-1438%25%38%0.881.221.38
12-1358%26%16%1.530.952.00
11-1268%16%15%2.050.892.21
10-1147%47%5%1.581.001.89
09-1074%11%16%2.110.632.32
08-0953%26%21%1.110.531.84
07-0842%26%32%2.421.791.53
06-0763%16%21%1.791.162.05
05-0663%26%11%1.630.842.16
http://www.statto.com/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/history/modern
 
Even back when we were ****, our home form was always decent(it had to be considering we'd barely scrap an away win all season).
 
West Brom have some dangerous pacy players in Sessegnon, Long, Anichebe and Berahino who could punish us greatly if we are to gung ho.

I really hope we can get an early-ish lead and settle the crowd, plus I hope we have some pace at the back, plus protection for them just in front otherwise Dawson and co could be in for a torrid afternoon whenever West Brom attack.


My team would be:

Lloris

Walker Dawson Chiriches Rose

Eriksen Capoue

Lamela Chadli

Ade Soldado

Key subs:

Holtby for Erikesen if he isn't performing
Siggy for Chadli, if we are not getting under any pressure at all on our left
 
West Brom have some dangerous pacy players in Sessegnon, Long, Anichebe and Berahino who could punish us greatly if we are to gung ho.

I really hope we can get an early-ish lead and settle the crowd, plus I hope we have some pace at the back, plus protection for them just in front otherwise Dawson and co could be in for a torrid afternoon whenever West Brom attack.


My team would be:

Lloris

Walker Dawson Chiriches Rose

Eriksen Capoue

Lamela Chadli

Ade Soldado

Key subs:

Holtby for Erikesen if he isn't performing
Siggy for Chadli, if we are not getting under any pressure at all on our left

Don't forget Matej Vydra who is probably the fastest player on that team. He might get the start after scoring against Hull during the weekend.
 
Here we go then

Lloris

Walker Dawson Vlad Rose

Chadli Eriksen Bentaleb Lamela

Ade Solly

Gk : Please no brainfarts Hugo....I must admit I fear Ollson is going to have a field day.......please no flapping.

Defence : pretty much picks itself with Kaboul & Verts out we really do have limited options.....I would seriously consider Capoue at cb against Stoke alongside Daws but thats for another day.....

Midfield : Chadli after his peformance on as a sub deserves to start and I would switch Lamela to the left.......Bentaleb could work after an impressive debut....I would prefer Holtby but I fear we are already conceding the physical battle to WBA as it is... and Eriksen is uber creative....although we wont boss possesion and it isnt the most defensivley solid if we can draw WBA forward we could well do damage with inciscive counter attacks

Attack : we will need another mk1 peformance from ade and we will need his help defending set pieces.... In order for us to be effective both Solly & ade will need to work very hard.....and come on solly its time to start sticking them away...

what I worry about : corners, set pieces.....giving away needless free kicks.......It is imperative we do not gift them cheap free kicks.......Ollson is an absolute beast in the air and this is a major area where we could come undone......Also with Anichebe out (always seems to play well against us for some reason) we will likely be up against Long or Vydra......and they will set up with three in midfield so we will find it difficult......This is a team who were robbed of a win at Chelsea....beat Man Utd away......drew at home to the other lot......when thinking about this Its a very difficuly game and we will have done well to get a win.

reasons to be positive : New era.....could be a great atmosphere at the lane.....WBA are managerless and may not be at it.....who knows......If Ade can reproduce a peformance like sunday he will cause them all sorts of problems......Its key we work hard and attack with conviction.......our confidence should be much higher than theirs.

my prediction: Spurs 3 WBA 1
 
Tottenham Hotspur are unbeaten in their last 8 Boxing Day matches since 2004 (7 wins, 1 draw)...

P0389_zpse711dfef.png
 
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Pedant alert! On boxing day 2009 we drew 0-0 away to Fulham and didn't win 2-0....

Quite right!

So that's now Tottenham Hotspur are unbeaten in their last 8 Boxing Day matches since 2004 (6 wins, 2 draws).

Still quite an impressive record!
 
I think there's a common misconception aboht 4-4-2 asd a system. I don't think that playing two "strikers" necessarily means a flat 4-4-2 -- pacy wingers, 2 frontmen, knockdown football, etc. Look at a Man United (RVP and Rooney), Emirates Marketing Project (Negredo and Aguero), Liverpool (Sturridge and Suarez) and in Europe, Juve (Tevez and Llorente), Dortmund (Lewandowski, Aubmayang) and PSG (Ibra and Cavani) -- all of these teams play with two forwards at times without reverting to a classic, flat 4-4-2. Some play with one of those forwards wide (BVB, PSG, City) others play with one tucked behind (United, Juve), but you need two different kinds of players -- a pure finisher and one with more craft. Really a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, just with the craftier player occupying either one of the outside forward roles or the de facto #10 role.

I think we have that in Soldado/Defoe (finishers) and Ade is our crafty withdrawn forward. Soldado and Ade aren't going to be Defoe/Crouch, and I think Adebayor's versatility allows us to be a passing team, whilst fielding two forward players. The key, of course, will be the two forwards' interplay, ability to hold the ball up, and willingness to track back and defend at times.

I'm not advocating a classic 4-4-2, rather a 4-2-3-1 with Ade in the advanced role.c I think we have enough multifaceted players (also why I tend to favor Lamela/Chadli over more one-dimensional players like Lennon/Andros) to play great football in that system.

Agree with you on the different versions of 442 and why it is not intrinsically doomed to failure - especially at home and against the weaker teams.

We needed more support for Soldado and under AVB, he just didn't get it.
 
Hmmm, some of these stats (a team who can't win away, Defoe having a good scoring record against this opposition) are worryingly similar to those before the Wet Spam game :eek:

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2013-14/dec/matchweek-18-pre-match-stats.html

3pm Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion | #TOTWBA | Matchday Live >>
  • Jermain Defoe has scored in three of his last five Barclays Premier League appearances against West Bromwich Albion.
  • The Baggies have won only one of their last 10 Barclays Premier League away matches (D4 L5).
  • The last time Tottenham Hotspur lost on 26 December was in 2003 when David Pleat was temporary head coach after the exit of Glenn Hoddle.
  • Defoe has scored six goals in 10 games on 26 December; only four players in Premier League history have scored more on this date (Robbie Fowler, Robbie Keane, Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer).
  • Emmanuel Adebayor has now scored four goals in his last five Barclays Premier League appearances and three in two matches under head coach Tim Sherwood.
  • Matej Vydra has scored with his only shot in the Barclays Premier League. The Czech striker netted with 35% of his shots (22/63) in the Championship with Watford in 2012-13 – well above the league average of 14.5%.
  • No Spurs player has as many goals (four) or assists (three) as Roberto Soldado in the Barclays Premier League this season.
Quite right!

So that's now Tottenham Hotspur are unbeaten in their last 8 Boxing Day matches since 2004 (6 wins, 2 draws).

Still quite an impressive record!

It's also quite fortunate that we keep getting to play mid table teams like Fulham and Aston Villa on Boxing Day!
 
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It's also quite fortunate that we keep getting to play mid table teams like Fulham and Aston Villa on Boxing Day!

We tend to play another London team, but not Arsenal or Chelsea as they are big games, or someone from Birmingham due to public transportation being scarce.
 
We tend to play another London team, but not Arsenal or Chelsea as they are big games, or someone from Birmingham due to public transportation being scarce.

Yes, the last time we played a team from the North-West on Boxing Day was in 1954 against Bolton Wanderers.
 
We tend to play another London team, but not Arsenal or Chelsea as they are big games, or someone from Birmingham due to public transportation being scarce.

Guess we should be thankful to have relatively short distances to travel on Boxing Days, in contrast to the Chavs who've got a 370 mile round trip to south Wales tomorrow.

Yes, the last time we played a team from the North-West on Boxing Day was in 1954 against Bolton Wanderers.

Those derby games against ARSEnal and Spammers must've been fun for the police and stewards back in the 70s/80s!
 
Mousa Dembele is the only additional doubt ahead of our Boxing Day clash against West Brom.
The midfielder had to depart early in the second half of Sunday’s win at Southampton due to an ankle injury.
“We’re pretty much as we were against Southampton,” reported Tim Sherwood.

“Mousa limped off after 50 minutes at Southampton, so we’ll have to assess him. Otherwise, we’ll go with what we’ve got available – and that’s not a bad team!”
Younes Kaboul (thigh), Andros Townsend (hamstring) and Jan Vertonghen (ankle) remain sidelined, while Paulinho serves the last of his three-match suspension.


Have they forgotten about Aaron Lennon
 
Guess we should be thankful to have relatively short distances to travel on Boxing Days, in contrast to the Chavs who've got a 370 mile round trip to south Wales tomorrow.



Those derby games against ARSEnal and Spammers must've been fun for the police and stewards back in the 70s/80s!



Oh mate…the ones against Spam were f uck ing mental. Seriously, some of the things that went on were insane. Horrific actually. I wore a sheepskin one season in the early 80s, I can't remember if it was the 30th or NYE, but I do remember how massively it kicked off in the away end and how I later noticed my sleeve on the tube and it had been Stanleyed from seam to seam. Lovely. It used to filthy down there…the chicken run was an NF recruitment stand. ****ers!
 
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