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OMT - Tottenham vs. Inter Milan
- Thread starter Mumorn
- Start date
Modric THFC
Jimmy McCormick
[video=youtube;azasxqeRQNg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azasxqeRQNg[/video]
spasm
Gudni Bergsson
great...an italian with a raging hard on.
superfaisty
Nico Claesen
To be fair to Siggy, while his pick was a bit of a surprise, he'd shown enough that he could play from the left so Bale could ply his trade centrally.
While we shouldn't underestimate Inter I fancy a few goals for us tonight. If the rumours are true about injuries and Inter playing some youth players with an eye on their league position, we could really screw the nut in the first leg if our players come out all guns blazing.
While we shouldn't underestimate Inter I fancy a few goals for us tonight. If the rumours are true about injuries and Inter playing some youth players with an eye on their league position, we could really screw the nut in the first leg if our players come out all guns blazing.
Anyone surprised?
SteveAWOL
Colin Calderwood
Precisely. After going out of both domestic cup competitions early we only have 2 things left to focus on and I am confident that AVB will make best use of the entire squad to ensure that we can have a glorious end to this season which will hopefully culminate in CL qualification plus our first piece of European silverware in 29 years [-o<
Back when we won the UEFA Cup in 1984 Steve Perryman played 59 games (41 First Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup, 11 UEFA Cup), Roberts 54, Stevens 53, Houghton 50, Falco 49, Archibald, 48, Galvin 45, Celemence 37, Hoddle 35, Thomas 34, Mabbutt 32...
Compared to Scousers in 2001 when Westerweld played 61 games, Babbel 60, Hypia 58, Carragher 54, Henchoz 53, Heskey 48, Hamann 46, Gerrard 44, Owen 35, Barmby 31, McAllister 31, Smicer 31, Fowler 29, Murphy 28...
Or ManU in 2008 when Ferdinand played 51 games, Brown 48, Evra 48, Ronaldo 46, Vidic 45, van der Saar 44, Carrick 39, Rooney 39, Tevez 39, Giggs 33, Scholes 30, Nani 26, Andersson 25, Hargreaves 23...
With a potential 17 more games this season our most used players are: Lennon 36 games, Walker 36, Vertonghen 34, Bale 33, Defoe 29, Sandro 26, Dempsey 25, Lloris 24, Caulker 23, Dembele 23, Dawson 18, Gallas 18, Naughton 18, Adebayor 17, Friedel 15...
THFC6061
Paul Robinson
In 1971-72 when Spurs won the UEFA Cup, we played 68 competitive matches (42 in Division One, 5 in FA Cup, 7 in League Cup. 2 in Anglo-Italian Cup and 12 in the UEFA Cup).
There was no such thing as squad rotation and our first choice XI played in almost all of those matches, plus another 8 to 10 games for their respective international teams.
So a player like Chivers or Peters would have been involved in over 75 competitive matches that season.
There's really not much point in making those comparisons as the intensity and the pace of the game is much higher now. The pressure they're all under to perform is arguably much higher as well. For the players it should be one game at a time, but the management have to think about the bigger picture as well. If someone is looking a bit tired or carrying a knock of some kind, maybe it's better to give them a rest than put them out there every game and just hope they'll recover in time for the next one. I trust AVB to make the right calls and not take any unnecessary gambles.
Rorschach
Sonny Walters
I love the way he flicks into Italian for the IT journos. Classy.
spasm
Gudni Bergsson
i thought that AVB mentioned in his press conference that Ade had jarred his knee so was given a rest but is definitely fit for Liverpool. fair enough.
I heard this, tbh though the guy winds me up, I think he went down injured to hold the game up and when the ref carried on he was too bloody embarressed to get up and play on, I would not be surprised if there is nothing wrong with him, at this stage of the season you should not even be thinking like this, it should be all hands to the pump, but I dont think you will ever get this from him there is always some drama or other.
stinkfoot
Eidur Gudjohnsen
He is just too cool for school isn't he.
COYFS
I'm really really excited for this game tonight.
Seems I may have misjudged Ade there a bit. Looked back on how many UEFA matches he's had these little one-match injuries for and it's not as many as I thought.
Gareth Bale v Inter's double pivot
The fact that Tottenham will be favourites when they host Inter on Thursday night is testament to the progress they have made, but also indicative of the Italian outfit's slump following an impressive start to the season.
When Andre Villas-Boas and Andrea Stramaccioni come to tactical blows it will be a battle of two very young managerial minds. The Spurs boss is still just 35, while Inter's head coach is only two years his senior, with both set to field players older than themselves (Brad Friedel 41 and Javier Zanetti 39).
The match should be an intriguing encounter, though the travelling side may well field a defensive line-up, wary of Tottenham's threat on the counter, with Nerazzurri fans more than a little concerned by the form of Gareth Bale. Despite playing just twice against Inter in 2010/11, he's only scored more goals against Arsenal and Norwich (5) in his career, and the Welshman's hat-trick in San Siro remains his most memorable match in the white of Tottenham, representing the moment he landed on the European stage.
It comes as no surprise then that all eyes are on the 23-year-old, particularly given the fact that he has now scored 12 goals in his last 11 games over the league and Europa League. WhoScored.com takes a look at the key battles across the pitch ahead of the headline tie, and we start with the man likely to be tasked with shadowing Bale's movements.
Given the free role in recent weeks to roam between the lines of midfield and attack, Spurs' talisman has taken up a central position more often than not and Stramaccioni is likely to field two battlers in his double pivot to shackle the man of the moment. The South American duo of Walter Gargano and Esteban Cambiasso will look to unsettle Bale at the Lane, with the latter possessing immense experience in carrying out such a role.
The Argentinian has averaged three tackles per game in Serie A this season, and is dribbled past just 0.9 times per match. However, known for his direct style when it comes to beating an opponent, Bale has completed 2.1 dribbles per game in the Premier League and certainly has the pace over the 32-year-old if given the chance to get into a direct footrace.
The Tottenham man's average of 4.8 shots per game is only bettered by Luis Suarez in England's top-flight and while it may be up to the likes of Andrea Ranocchia and Christian Chivu to charge down his efforts, Cambiasso's figure when it comes to blocking shots is poor. The Inter midfielder's average of just 0.1 per game in that category will need to be upped to stop Bale, who isn't scared to shoot from any distance. As many as six of his nine goals since the beginning of February have come from outside the box and indeed, a huge 59.4% of his efforts in the Premier League have come from distance this season.
Inter's most potent attacking threat undoubtedly comes in the form of another Argentine, with Rodrigo Palacio the main man in front of goal following a season-ending injury to compatriot Diego Milito. The summer signing from Genoa is already a fans favourite of the blue-blooded Milanese and only Edinson Cavani has more goals than his five in the Europa League this season, despite only starting one game in the competition thus far.
Palacio is also Inter's joint top scorer in the league, with nine, and his conversion rate over the two tournaments of 22.2% highlights his prowess in front of goal. The 31-year-old may well come up against a rotated Spurs backline, though Jan Vertonghen has started every game in Spurs' Europa League campaign thus far, and after a man of the match display against Arsenal he should keep his place.
Inter's forward has averaged 2.2 shots per game in Serie A this season, as well as completing 1.6 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per match. Palacio is certainly an extremely talented, technical forward but in the Belgian he'll come up against a hugely capable all round defender. The former Ajax man has averaged more tackles (2.8) and interceptions (3) than any other player at the back for the hosts in the league this season and the duel will be an intriguing battle of finesse and physical strength.
The other key players in the tie could well come up against one another in central areas, with Dembele averaging more passes per game than any team-mate this season (54.4) and Fredy Guarin leading the way in the Europa League for assists (5), whilst bagging three goals himself. However, while Spurs' metronome seems to have overcome an ankle injury, the Colombian is a doubt and could miss out. In that case Spurs will need to be mindful of a youngster who has a lot of hope resting on his shoulders at Inter.
Eighteen-year-old Croatian Mateo Kovacic is touted as the next Luka Modric, who graced North London with four years of superb service. He has already made two Europa League appearances for the Italians following a January move from Dinamo Zagreb, and is a player who is very assured in possession and carries the ball well at such a tender age. His midfield play is not dissimilar to Dembele and if the two come to blows it will certainly be a tussle to keep an eye on in what should be an interesting tactical match-up all over the pitch.
http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/1012?cc=5739
The fact that Tottenham will be favourites when they host Inter on Thursday night is testament to the progress they have made, but also indicative of the Italian outfit's slump following an impressive start to the season.
When Andre Villas-Boas and Andrea Stramaccioni come to tactical blows it will be a battle of two very young managerial minds. The Spurs boss is still just 35, while Inter's head coach is only two years his senior, with both set to field players older than themselves (Brad Friedel 41 and Javier Zanetti 39).
The match should be an intriguing encounter, though the travelling side may well field a defensive line-up, wary of Tottenham's threat on the counter, with Nerazzurri fans more than a little concerned by the form of Gareth Bale. Despite playing just twice against Inter in 2010/11, he's only scored more goals against Arsenal and Norwich (5) in his career, and the Welshman's hat-trick in San Siro remains his most memorable match in the white of Tottenham, representing the moment he landed on the European stage.
It comes as no surprise then that all eyes are on the 23-year-old, particularly given the fact that he has now scored 12 goals in his last 11 games over the league and Europa League. WhoScored.com takes a look at the key battles across the pitch ahead of the headline tie, and we start with the man likely to be tasked with shadowing Bale's movements.
Given the free role in recent weeks to roam between the lines of midfield and attack, Spurs' talisman has taken up a central position more often than not and Stramaccioni is likely to field two battlers in his double pivot to shackle the man of the moment. The South American duo of Walter Gargano and Esteban Cambiasso will look to unsettle Bale at the Lane, with the latter possessing immense experience in carrying out such a role.
The Argentinian has averaged three tackles per game in Serie A this season, and is dribbled past just 0.9 times per match. However, known for his direct style when it comes to beating an opponent, Bale has completed 2.1 dribbles per game in the Premier League and certainly has the pace over the 32-year-old if given the chance to get into a direct footrace.
The Tottenham man's average of 4.8 shots per game is only bettered by Luis Suarez in England's top-flight and while it may be up to the likes of Andrea Ranocchia and Christian Chivu to charge down his efforts, Cambiasso's figure when it comes to blocking shots is poor. The Inter midfielder's average of just 0.1 per game in that category will need to be upped to stop Bale, who isn't scared to shoot from any distance. As many as six of his nine goals since the beginning of February have come from outside the box and indeed, a huge 59.4% of his efforts in the Premier League have come from distance this season.
Inter's most potent attacking threat undoubtedly comes in the form of another Argentine, with Rodrigo Palacio the main man in front of goal following a season-ending injury to compatriot Diego Milito. The summer signing from Genoa is already a fans favourite of the blue-blooded Milanese and only Edinson Cavani has more goals than his five in the Europa League this season, despite only starting one game in the competition thus far.
Palacio is also Inter's joint top scorer in the league, with nine, and his conversion rate over the two tournaments of 22.2% highlights his prowess in front of goal. The 31-year-old may well come up against a rotated Spurs backline, though Jan Vertonghen has started every game in Spurs' Europa League campaign thus far, and after a man of the match display against Arsenal he should keep his place.
Inter's forward has averaged 2.2 shots per game in Serie A this season, as well as completing 1.6 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per match. Palacio is certainly an extremely talented, technical forward but in the Belgian he'll come up against a hugely capable all round defender. The former Ajax man has averaged more tackles (2.8) and interceptions (3) than any other player at the back for the hosts in the league this season and the duel will be an intriguing battle of finesse and physical strength.
The other key players in the tie could well come up against one another in central areas, with Dembele averaging more passes per game than any team-mate this season (54.4) and Fredy Guarin leading the way in the Europa League for assists (5), whilst bagging three goals himself. However, while Spurs' metronome seems to have overcome an ankle injury, the Colombian is a doubt and could miss out. In that case Spurs will need to be mindful of a youngster who has a lot of hope resting on his shoulders at Inter.
Eighteen-year-old Croatian Mateo Kovacic is touted as the next Luka Modric, who graced North London with four years of superb service. He has already made two Europa League appearances for the Italians following a January move from Dinamo Zagreb, and is a player who is very assured in possession and carries the ball well at such a tender age. His midfield play is not dissimilar to Dembele and if the two come to blows it will certainly be a tussle to keep an eye on in what should be an interesting tactical match-up all over the pitch.
http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/1012?cc=5739
spurspinter1
Paul Stalteri
I'm really excited about this game tonight.
Hope it's a great atmosphere at the Lane, would love to be going.
Hope it's a great atmosphere at the Lane, would love to be going.
paxtonwolf
John White
Same here. Work commitments are killing me for midweek games at the moment.
spurspinter1
Paul Stalteri
tell me about it mate! Not been able to make a single game this year, just don't have the time due to work and also don't have the money unless I lead a very boring lifestyle to be able to afford the football...Got Wigan away earmarked though, always an easy one to get to.
King of Norway
Gudni Bergsson
Come on you spurs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!