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~ OMT ~ TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC v Liverpool FC ~ THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL ~ 2019 ~

Man of the match


  • Total voters
    53
  • Poll closed .
.....................Lloris
KWP....Alderweireld...Vertonghen...Rose
......................Sissoko
..............Eriksen........Alli
.....Moura............................Son
.......................Kane

Trippier is a weak point in the defence, particularly against sides with pace and direct running. Mane will absolutely destroy him. Aurier has disappeared off the map and not played in months, so Id give it to KWP. I dont think he will necessarily be amazing, but I do think he'll do a better job than Trippier.

Alderweireld/Verts - no comment necessary.

Rose - Is a very good defender and will be up against Alexander-Arnold, its essential he makes it a battle and stops him getting forward too much.

Sissoko is essential for this game, his running/pace and defensive work will be massive.

I liked Eriksen deeper against Ajax (different sort of game/circumstance, I know) and I think there wont be a huge amount of play in midfield this game so we will need him in there playing smart balls to get our forwards going. Similarly Alli, though he will work a little further forward, hopefully with Kane back he'll find his missing magic.

Son/Moura - pace and direct running, ability to run through or behind - we really need to keep them on the back foot and these guys can do it. Either that or Liverpool leave themselves exposed and we are laughing.

Kane - hasnt played in yonks, but has to play if fit. We need a focal point up front, someone mobile who can pose a threat AND play in the others.
 
Well listenining to 606 on the way home last night.

Do we need to bother going?? I give you...

"Tottenham are that far behind us, I cant see them in my rear-view mirror"

"Win, of course, we're playing a final against a team we beat on a regular basis"

"They will freeze, they have never been in the final before. we've won it 5 times"

"Klopp's got Pochettino's number"


Over to you Mauricio. Thats your teamtalk sorted...
The bloke who rang up saying if it was still 2 points for a win and not 3 they would be champions and how the 3 points system isn't fair
 
Looking at our 2 previous meetings this season, I think we some reason to think this will be a far closer game than people think, and it will probably be decided on very very small margins.

The game at Wembley didn't go our way and rightly so, we were absolutely dreadful, we started with a midfield 3 of Dier Dembele and Winks, all 3 of which will probably not start the final. In come Wanyama and Sissoko. We also didn't start with Sonny that day, who was still recovering fitness following the Asian Cup. Dele was also unavailable, so it was a very much weakened Spurs team that was all over the place.

The game at Anfield I thought we more than held our own and could have won it, the draw would have been fair but Lloris dropped one! Again, POTY Sonny did not start, the ill fated back 3 was a risk against them. We relied on Sissoko holding the midfield by himself being flanked by Eriksen and Dele, a risk. Once we had our attackers on the pitch and went into a back 4 we looked like the better team and threatened their goal more than a lot of teams have managed to this season.

IF everyone is fit, this will be a close game. No doubt Liverpool are in amazing form and this is the best Liverpool i've seen over the last 20 years, but a 3 week break can disrupt that. FWIW I wouldn't start Kane or Winks unless we have a friendly where they can get some match fitness, but would love to be convinced otherwise...

My lineup as of 13th May would be:

Lloris
Trippier Toby Jan Rose
Wanyama Sissoko
Eriksen Dele Moura
Son

Bench: Lamela, Llorente, Kane, Winks, Sanchez, Dier, Aurier, Foyth, Gazza

Lets make history!
 
Looking at our 2 previous meetings this season, I think we some reason to think this will be a far closer game than people think, and it will probably be decided on very very small margins.

The game at Wembley didn't go our way and rightly so, we were absolutely dreadful, we started with a midfield 3 of Dier Dembele and Winks, all 3 of which will probably not start the final. In come Wanyama and Sissoko. We also didn't start with Sonny that day, who was still recovering fitness following the Asian Cup. Dele was also unavailable, so it was a very much weakened Spurs team that was all over the place.
Oliver also denied us a stonewall penalty in injury time too, if scored would have made the game 2-2
 
Cue another pile of injuries off the training ground, with Lamela to be sidelined in a freak mate-drinking incident.
 
I think in terms of the match-ups, the two key ones are our attack and the right flank. With VDD they are secure against the aerial attack so Llorente is pointless [insert joke here]. Even a fully fit Kane would be unable to do much in the air. An attack focused on Moura, with Son and Alli, might get more joy. Then Kane could be an option off the bench, if fit, when they are tired.

A lot of their attack goes through the fullbacks. Rose is closer to his best than for a while so hopefully he can cope with TAA. The idea of Robertson and Mane against Trippier or Aurier is not very appealing. Foyth's cameos there looked promising, but he showed himself up with his judgement. If we weren't so short of midfielders I might have suggested Sissoko in right midfield, but we need him in the middle. Fortunately, it will be Poch making the decisions rather than me, so this will probably be the most interesting selection.
 
The thing for me, and Llorente has shown its worth, is that even if we arent likely to be winning an aerial battle we really do do much better with a target man/focal point and the like of Moura running off of him.

Id prefer Kane as he is more mobile, and more likely to play some neat through balls.

I can see the logic in just playing runners, but we have seen they need someone to play off of - and without that they end up a bit lost and we have no central presence.

And thats also been shown to suit Alli more as well, so we get the runners actually hitting dangerous areas, we get Kane firing shots from in/around the box AND we get Alli with his trademark runs hopefully actually working!
 
The bloke who rang up saying if it was still 2 points for a win and not 3 they would be champions and how the 3 points system isn't fair

Although he finishes a long way behind the guy the other day saying they should get a trophy for getting 97pts and 2nd place
 
You're right that the key is to plug the flanks.

Robertson and TAA need to be nullified, one way or another.

One possibility is that, if Winks is fit, we might start with him, along with Sissoko *and* Dier.

-------------------Lloris-------------------

Aurier-----Toby--------Verts------Rose

------------Sissoko------Dier------------

-------------------Winks------------------

Eriksen-----------------------------Lucas

--------------------Kane------------------


This allows Sissoko and Dier to drift to the flanks to cover if Robertson and TAA get forward, while Winks and Eriksen can cover in the middle and Aurier and Rose can aggressively push down the flanks, with Lucas buzzing around next to Kane.

It might almost look like this at times -

--------------------Lloris--------------------

------------Toby-----------Verts-----------

Sissoko-----Winks--------Eriksen------Dier
(Robertson)----------------------------(TAA)
Aurier------------------------------------Rose
------------------------------Lucas------------
---------------------Kane----------------------

This might force Robertson and TAA to stay back, lest they risk Aurier and Rose getting in behind them. Winks can sit in the middle, picking up players in the middle and springing low passes to the flanks on counters. It also means we can put Alli and Son on the bench (along with Llorente), and bring them both in as the game goes on - Alli for Dier, Son for Winksy (or someone) if we need to chase a goal. And Llorente if we need to lump it.

But the key will be to *avoid* doing what we did against Ajax, i.e, lumping it to Llorente/Kane. Ajax were unused to it, and they suffered. As Mourinho says in his video above, Matip and VVD will eat that stuff for breakfast. We need to play it around quicker.

I keep thinking something akin to what Mexico did to Germany in the World Cup group stages could really serve us well in the opening third of this game...

Germany’s game was all about possession, high press and the fullbacks being super advanced like Liverpool...

What Mexico did was counter attacking football with a massive element of bravery in that the wingers Lozano and the other bloke :) didn’t really track back but we’re wide open to receive the ball when the Germans attack broke down...

Even though this is giving them the initiative and playing counter it also contains massive amounts of courage to instruct your wingers to do this.

Whilst Liverpool have bundles of energy and their press is at its most potent I don’t think it would be in our best interests to play out from the back.

It would be heartbreaking for me to see them capitalising on a misplaced pass, or tackling us in our final third.

I suppose it boils down to whether we have the quality to pass it short, beat their press and move up the pitch.
 
I genuinely think they are very beatable, but am terrified of jinxing things or getting too confident in that.

I cant help feeling we have been destined to win through the whole competition, since improbably getting out of the group - and then taking the hard route to the final.

BUT - I really hate that sort of talk.

Bottom line is, realistically, while they have had the upper hand in results between us recently we have done well in most games and it has been a close run thing.

Which can only bode well.

I was more nervous in playing City to be honest, who have categorically outclassed us domestically, and we came through that one!

As the saying goes in a one of game anything can happen, so we certainly shouldnt go into it with the fear, we should be confident and go for it.
 
I'm the same, treating it like the kate bush concert, something I never thought I'd ever see, not thinking about how good it could be, just treat it like a once in a lifetime experience and enjoy it regardless.

That is one major difference, IMO - and its something that could be good for us.

We are there and its a great one off at this point, just being there is fantastic (and thats not trying to suggest we wont play to win).

I dont think Liverpool can say the same. I think there is enormous pressure, both internal and external, for them to fulfil the narrative that has been baked into their season. This could be a good motivator for them, or it could be a real weight on their shoulders.

Either way I believe its something we will be free from.
 
Despite being designated as the 'home' team, UEFA have decided that the home dressing room (better facilities) should be awarded to Liverpool. The reasoning :

"We took into account the number of fans of both of the finalists, the metro lines and the fan meeting points in the city.
"Taking into account all these issues, the final decision was that Liverpool fans should arrive at the south stand and they will have all their tickets in the south stand.
"On the other hand, Tottenham supporters will arrive at the north stand and they will have all their tickets in the north stand.
Unsurprisingly, the home dressing room in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium is considerably bigger and more luxurious than the one that the visiting teams have to deal with so Spurs and Mauricio Pochettino will certainly be out of their comfort zone on June.

https://www.football.london/tottenh...ampions-league-final-spurs-liverpool-16269885

Not saying it will make any difference but why would the direction fans arrive from and where they are in the stadium make any difference? It's not as if the benches are located in front of the away supporters' stands.
And erm - won't we both have the same amount of fans in the ground (officially)?
 
Despite being designated as the 'home' team, UEFA have decided that the home dressing room (better facilities) should be awarded to Liverpool. The reasoning :

"We took into account the number of fans of both of the finalists, the metro lines and the fan meeting points in the city.
"Taking into account all these issues, the final decision was that Liverpool fans should arrive at the south stand and they will have all their tickets in the south stand.
"On the other hand, Tottenham supporters will arrive at the north stand and they will have all their tickets in the north stand.
Unsurprisingly, the home dressing room in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium is considerably bigger and more luxurious than the one that the visiting teams have to deal with so Spurs and Mauricio Pochettino will certainly be out of their comfort zone on June.

https://www.football.london/tottenh...ampions-league-final-spurs-liverpool-16269885

Not saying it will make any difference but why would the direction fans arrive from and where they are in the stadium make any difference? It's not as if the benches are located in front of the away supporters' stands.
And erm - won't we both have the same amount of fans in the ground (officially)?

Maybe they are afraid of legal action against them for unfair treatment of the greatest football team in history? or that all their homes will be burgled?
 
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