SPURS HAVE PICKED UP SOME STRONG RESULTS SO FAR THIS CAMPAIGN, BUT THEIR HOME FORM IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE HAS CERTAINLY BROUGHT CONCERNS OVER FRANK’S STYLE ON THEIR OWN TURF. TOTTENHAM HAVE WON JUST ONCE IN THEIR OPENING FOUR PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES AT HOME THIS SEASON, BUT THEY HAVE PRODUCED SOME IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES ON THE ROAD. FRANK NEEDS TO TRY AND FIND A WAY TO GET THE BEST OUT OF DUTCH INTERNATIONAL XAVI SIMONS, AND THE CURRENT SETUP HASN’T SEEN HIM FLOURISH JUST YET, WHICH COULD MEAN HE’S ROTATED OUT OF THE SIDE AGAIN. THE TOTTENHAM BOSS COULD MAKE SOME CHANGES AHEAD OF THEIR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAME AGAINST MONACO, AND WITH SOME POTENTIAL INJURIES TO CONTEND WITH, GIVEMESPORT HAVE TAKEN A LOOK AT HOW HE SHOULD LOOK TO LINE UP.
VICARIO KEEPS HIS PLACE
GUGLIELMO VICARIO IS LIKELY TO KEEP HIS PLACE BETWEEN THE STICKS, AS HE HAS DONE THIS SEASON, SO THERE’S LITTLE REASON FOR HIM TO DROP OUT. THE TOTTENHAM GOALKEEPER HASN’T BEEN AN ISSUE FOR FRANK THIS CAMPAIGN, AS IT’S FURTHER UP THE PITCH WHERE SPURS HAVE HAD SOME PROBLEMS.
ROMERO LIKELY TO MISS OUT FOR TOTTENHAM
WITH CRISTIAN ROMERO PULLING OUT OF THE GAME AGAINST ASTON VILLA JUST BEFORE KICK-OFF, WE’RE UNLIKELY TO SEE THE ARGENTINIAN INTERNATIONAL FEATURING. KEVIN DANSO REPLACED HIM IN THE STARTING XI AGAINST VILLA, AND THERE’S NO REASON FOR HIM NOT TO KEEP HIS PLACE IN THE STARTING XI.
DESTINY UDOGIE AND ROMERO BOTH MISSED TRAINING AHEAD OF THE GAME AGAINST MONACO, SO A BACK FOUR OF PEDRO PORRO, DANSO, MICKY VAN DE VEN, AND DJED SPENCE SHOULD BE IN FRANK’S PLANS. AGAIN, THE PROBLEMS FOR SPURS HAVE COME FURTHER FORWARD.
MIDFIELD CONUNDRUM – PALHINHA AND BENTANCUR
PALHINHA AND RODRIGO BENTANCUR HAVE COME UNDER CRITICISM, PARTICULARLY DURING HOME GAMES, NOT FOR WHAT THEY DO WITHOUT THE BALL, BUT HOW THEY PERFORM ON IT. THE LACK OF PROGRESSION FROM MIDFIELD TO ATTACK HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SPURS, BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE GAME TO CHANGE THINGS.
TOTTENHAM HAVE PERFORMED WELL AWAY FROM HOME, BUT A LITTLE CHANGE FURTHER FORWARD MIGHT HELP THEM. LUCAS BERGVALL SHOULD COME IN TO REPLACE THE OUT-OF-FORM SIMONS. THE SWEDISH YOUNGSTER CAN PLAY A LITTLE DEEPER AND LIKES TO DROP IN TO RECEIVE THE BALL, WHICH COULD HELP TOTTENHAM LINK PLAY FROM MIDFIELD TO ATTACK. WHEN GIVEN A CHANCE, BERGVALL HAS IMPRESSED, AND SIMONS SIMPLY ISN’T DOING ENOUGH TO WARRANT A STARTING PLACE.
WITH MATHYS TEL UNAVAILABLE FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SELECTION, FRANK HAS A DECISION TO MAKE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF ATTACK. WE’RE YET TO SEE RANDAL KOLO MUANI MAKE A START FOR SPURS SINCE HIS ARRIVAL, PLAYING JUST 24 MINUTES OF ACTION, BUT AFTER RETURNING FROM INJURY TO COME OFF THE BENCH AGAINST ASTON VILLA, IT COULD BE TIME FOR HIM TO BE GIVEN A START.
TOTTENHAM FANS KNOW WHAT THEY’RE GETTING WITH RICHARLISON, AND HE’S SHOWN PLENTY OF INCONSISTENCY, BUT KOLO MUANI WAS THE EXCITING STRIKER ADDITION MANY WANTED IN THE SUMMER. HE HAS PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE IN THE COMPETITION, AND IT COULD BE TIME FOR FRANK TO SHOW SOME FAITH IN HIM IF HE’S FIT ENOUGH.
TEL AND WILSON ODOBERT, LABELLED ‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’ BY JAMIE O’HARA, SHOULD BOTH COME OUT OF THE SIDE AFTER A DISAPPOINTING SPELL. WITH KOLO MUANI COMING IN FOR TEL, IT COULD BE TIME FOR FRANK TO UNLEASH BRENNAN JOHNSON, WHO HAS STRUGGLED FOR STARTS THIS SEASON, DESPITE SCORING TWICE IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE.
