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*** Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United OMT ***

We'll need a bit of luck. Despite Sherwood's surprise, Paulinho has been the one player to step up and try and make things happen all season. He is a player who can score from midfield and drive into a well organised but uninspiring united side.

We have plenty of other top players. But they need to step up, and take the game to united. No Bale or Vertonghen (both key to last years success), but Lennon and Ade need big games. They can lead the team in attack and inspire the newer players.


We'd take a draw. Would love a win. Which is possible. United are not a great team. They have got results recently by setting up a strong defensive foundation. But they are not as free-flowing in attack. IF we can score, then it will be a great game, and we have every chance of the win. But with the team personnel changable and undermined by injury, will we be able to unpick their defense, and defend ourselves? A point will be a decent result.

Hmmmmmm no.

Being that Paulinho is out, i would bring in Capoue to partner Dembele in the middle.
 
Hmmmmmm no.

Being that Paulinho is out, i would bring in Capoue to partner Dembele in the middle.

To me he's always looked to try and get things going. You could see his touch and ability. Getting into great scoring positions. But not finishing many 4 goals in 20 games (he could have had double which is why people find him frustrating?). But who has been finishing chances in our team? With Sherwood asking players to attack with more speed and drive into space, Paulinho could play his natural game. He's the one new player who hasn't looked timid or lacking confidence. For me anyway. Granted it didn't always come off.

Dembele has a role to play. Him scoring was the highlight of the Stoke game, and frustrating he hasn't done it more. He should be getting a goal every 4 games or so. He has the attributes. Drive past a player, power the ball into the corner or the net - practice it until its second nature.

I like Capoue but he looks like he needs some time to bed in. I like his sharp passes. Size. Rangy tackling. Can Sherwood get him feeling settled? Ready to play without thinking and let his ability come through?
 
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I'm desperate to see our movement and passing in the final third develop. Its the area where we have the biggest gulf to other top teams imo.

Take Dembele's runs across opposition's defense. He can do it all day. A covering midfield player tries to keep up, but Dembele can open up space. However, United will be ready to stop him from shooting, they will have watched his goal against Stoke. Why when he makes these runs, are the other players so static? Instead of Dembele shooting, he needs another option, to have runners into the box that he can slot a pass to.

Eriksen is born to play this type of game. But we don't often time runs or make convincing runs. We don't look ready or drilled to break teams down with passing and movement. Triangles and running off the ball. When we can't break quickly, we have to add quick pass and move to our attacking tools. Watch the a rse playing well to see how is can be done. Often getting closer together they move for a pass ahead. In other words they'll run, not for the current pass, but the one after - which is hard to defend.
 
Howard Webb FC

Sadly true...I fear we will be paying against 12 tomorrow evening. But I do have confidence that TS will put round pegs in round holes. Surprised we didn't see more of Dembele going forward under AVB this season, as he scored some vital goals for us last season. If we play to our best, it could be a great game, such a shame that Paulinho is injured.
 
I think we will see something similar from Man Utd:

de Gea
Rafael - Evans -Vidic - Evra
Cleverly - Carrick
Valencia - Rooney - Janujaz
Welbeck​
 
So our team will probably be

Lloris
Walker- Dawson - Chiriches - Rose
Lennon - Capoue - Dembele - Eriksen
Soldado - Adebayor

?
 
Most likely. Unless he decided to put Eriksen next to Dembele now Paulinho is out injured and put Chadli or Sigurdsson out on the left.
 
Most likely. Unless he decided to put Eriksen next to Dembele now Paulinho is out injured and put Chadli or Sigurdsson out on the left.

Could be. Would be very ballsy to play Dembele and Eriksen in the centre in a 4-4-2 away to United, but it could pay off too. Looking forward to seeing what Sherwood does, not looking forward to what is most likely going to be a crushing hangover.

Either way another great Dembele performance would go a long way!
 
We'll probably go with 2 up front from the start, but if we want to use Dembele and Eriksen centrally, this might give them something to think about:

Lloris
Walker Dawson Chiricheș Rose
Capoue
Dembele Eriksen
Lennon Adebayor Lamela

[Friedel, Naughton, Fryers, Sigurðsson, Bentaleb, Chadli, Soldado]​
 
I have a funny feeling about this. I can see us flying out of the blocks snd going 2-0 up in the first half. How it will end, well that im not sure of.
 
TEAM NEWS

Manchester United will assess the fitness of Wayne Rooney, who missed the win at Norwich with a groin problem and has yet to return to training.

The game may come too soon for Robin van Persie but Antonio Valencia returns after a one-game ban.

Tottenham are without midfielder Paulinho, who is likely to be out for four weeks with an ankle injury.

Right-back Kyle Walker returns from suspension but Jermain Defoe is doubtful with a hamstring problem.

MATCH PREVIEW

New Year. A time to make rash resolutions and bold predictions for what might unfold in the next 12 months. You'd have to be a soothsayer to put Nostradamus to shame to have accurately called the ups and downs of both these clubs in the one month since they last met.

In the immediate aftermath of their 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane, Manchester United lost successive home league games in the most difficult days yet under David Moyes' management. But six wins in a row since then have lifted the gloom to the extent that many see them as genuine title challengers again.

As the momentum builds, there seems to be a change in Moyes. On Boxing Day at Hull he was the most animated he's been yet as United boss.

Animated and angry; contesting every decision - and still bristling after the game even following a potentially significant comeback win. He's basically settled in!

In relative terms though, it was a dull December for United compared to Spurs' month. After that 2-2 draw they won their next two games, and yet one thumping by Liverpool later it was all change at the Lane.

Tim Sherwood couldn't have believed that he'd start 2014 as a Premier League manager ("Head Coach", officially), but he's begun in the job pretty well. So well that Spurs have the chance to go four league games unbeaten for the first time this season.

They'll be under no illusions as to how difficult avoiding defeat will be of course, but will be buoyed by winning their last three away league games, boasting the third best away record in the Premier League this season, and having broken their own Old Trafford hoodoo with last term's first win there since 1989.

That's something else for those into omens and fortunes at the turn of the year - it was that match that ended United's last six-game winning streak.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Spurs won this fixture 3-2 last season, claiming their first victory at Manchester United since 16 December 1989. The victory ended a winless run of 26 games (D4, L22) away to the Red Devils.
Since then the sides have drawn twice at White Hart Lane, meaning Tottenham are unbeaten in their last three games against United.

Manchester United

The Red Devils have won their last six games in league and cup. It is their best winning run since a six-match streak between August and September 2012 which ended with a 3-2 loss at home to Tottenham.
They have claimed eight wins from their last 13 top-flight matches, losing twice.
Danny Welbeck has scored four goals and assisted one in his last four Premier League appearances.
Manchester United have not conceded a penalty in their last 76 Premier League games.

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs have scored more Premier League penalties than any other side this season - all four of them converted by Roberto Soldado.
Tottenham have scored seven goals in their last three Premier League games, as many as they managed in their final seven top-flight matches under Andre Villas-Boas.
The 3-0 win against Stoke was Spurs' biggest Premier League victory since beating Aston Villa 4-0 on 26 December 2012.
The result also gave Tottenham their first clean sheet in nine league games.
Spurs players embarked on 29 dribbles, more than any other Premier League side at the weekend.
 
This is an outstanding photo:

Bcr1iSmIMAEhUhc.jpg

Could/did that team ever play together ?
 
Could/did that team ever play together ?

Yes - Season 1967-68.

Here's a few more classic Spurs v United 1960s images...

A6264_zps08bb4160.jpg


December 1963 European Cup Winners' Cup at the Lane, but where are the United players?


A6265_zps768f1ff9.jpg


Jimmy Greaves & Nobby Stiles, 1966.


A6263_zpsdce649aa.jpg


Alan Gilzean celebrates Pat Jennings' Charity Shield goal, Old Trafford 1967
 
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Fingers crossed that Rooney is unable to play tomorrow, what with his scoring record against us...

  • Wayne Rooney has scored 9 Premier League goals against Tottenham, including 7 in his last 6 starts versus them.
  • Tottenham's victory at Old Trafford last season was their first in 21 Premier League attempts (D3 L17).
  • Ryan Giggs has scored more Premier League goals against Tottenham than he has against any other opponent (10).
  • Spurs have failed to score in 13 of their last 19 league trips to Old Trafford.
Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwo-preview-man-united-vs-tottenham#mPsmQYDmeDY2eqvV.99
 
Without Rooney and Van Persie I feel that Man Yoo are fairly average as a side and vulnerable to attack. Lets get in Capoue as a little insurance but then go at them. Sitting back wont work for us and its not a tactic TS seems to play. He likes possession and some goal threat. So i expect to see 2 up front again as well. Im going for this team considering the injuries.

----------------Lloris--------------------
Walker---Dawson-----Chiriches-----Rose

----------Capoue---Dembele-------------
Lennon--------------------Eriksen--------
----------Adebayor----------------------
------------------Soldado----------------

If no Rose then Fryers. Capoue is not a bad passer and is good at breaking up attacks. We will need someone to look out for one of their players dropping into the soft spot between centre backs and the midfield. With this team Dembele can push on more and combine with Ade and Eriksen. Lennon to continue to detroy Evra and hopefully Soldado can use his movement against the Fairly stiff pairing of Evans and vidic to get a goal.
 
Most likely. Unless he decided to put Eriksen next to Dembele now Paulinho is out injured and put Chadli or Sigurdsson out on the left.

He'll be very tempted to play someone to have a real go at whoever is playing right back for them. Thats a real weak area in their team.
 
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