Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United

[Christmas Tree 4725]

12 hours to go and no match thread

 

Back four should be the only big decision for Pardew and thats is if Colo is fit whether to drop Williamson or Mbwia.

 

Personally I would continue as is and let Colo sit on the bench although the talk tonight seems to be of Mbwia making way for Coloccini.

 

Krul

 

Debuchy Mbwia Williamson Santon

 

Cabaye Tiote Anita

 

Sosokko Remy Goofy

 

 

2-1 to us.

[Kid Dynamite 7029]

That's a completely different team, not continuing 'as is'

[Tom 14011]

Dreading this. (Because I can't call it either way)

[OTF 7295]

I believe that this is the kind of game that suits our players. We're not favourites and they're not a physical side. Despite their excellent defensive record so far they're not what I would call a defensive side so I'd like to think that we'd create a few chances.

 

If Coloccini is back then indeed it is a tough decision to make, there's a case for all three options. Defensively Williamson's size is generally put to good use, he's good at getting his head to the ball. Both Colo and M'Biwa seldom attack the ball in the air but both are superior with the ball and in making tackles (Colo vastly so). M'Biwa is the quickest of the three, but not so quick that he can match fast forwards. It should depend on how they've trained during the week.

[Rayvin 5223]

If it's the same Spurs who've been pretty shit all season, I think we'll win. If they suddenly remember that they're good players we're in trouble. I think it'll be a tight win for us or an absolute hammering.

[Tom 14011]

I wouldn't say they've been shite by any stretch but here's some meaningless stats.

 

Head-to-head

• This is the 150th meeting between the sides. Tottenham have won 63 matches, Newcastle 54 and there have been 32 draws.
• Newcastle's last four visits to White Hart Lane have all ended in defeat, with Tottenham scoring 10 goals to Newcastle's one.
• However, the Magpies have won six away games at White Hart Lane in the Premier League - they have only won more at Villa Park (eight).

Tottenham

• There have only been 14 goals in Tottenham's 10 league games this season. Spurs have scored one goal fewer (nine) than struggling Fulham but have twice as many points. They have also scored 19 goals fewer than Man City but are one point above them.
• Spurs have kept seven clean sheets in the league this season, more than any other side prior to this weekend's fixtures.
• They are yet to concede a goal to a non-London side in the top flight this season.

Newcastle United

• Thirteen of Newcastle's 14 league goals this season have been scored by Frenchmen. An Englishman has not scored any of their 33 Premier League goals in 2013.
• One of those Frenchmen, Loic Remy, now has six goals in his last six league games.
• Their 2-0 win over Chelsea ended a run of six league games without a clean sheet.
• The Mapgies are the only team outside of the bottom three to have conceded more than 10 goals away from home this season.

[Rayvin 5223]

Sorry yeah, it was more shite relative to what I was expecting when they signed all those good players!

[Tom 14011]

I think it'll take a while for them to gel - as it does with most teams who sign a few players - just look at Sunderland . Lamela looked to have found his feet midweek but at the moment Townsend is undroppable - I wouldn't play him on the left either or to an extent your defanging him - same with Ben Arfa in a sense. Some players just don't have it in them to hug the line & fire balls into the box.

 

They've got a lot of good players, some well known, some less so - but they'll kill football if they ever complete their quest to sign every single midfielder ever to kick a ball.

 

They're missing Bale in my opinion & I don't think Lamela or Townsend will fill that gap, despite ones cost & the others promise. They are a solid team & whilst they aren't pulling up any trees at the moment they are getting results - similar to Liverpool's start - getting points on the board by the odd goal. I think when they do gel somebody will be on to a hiding and I'm just hoping it isn't us.

 

Sadly they didn't have much competition on Thursday night & were at home so we wont catch the same European hangover West Ham did - when Tottenham had travelled back from Russia. Even squads as big as Spurs suffer from the Europa League to some degree.

 

If we compress the field in our own half like against Chelsea & break we could be dangerous & at the same time we have to avoid getting caught out because they are a quick & skilful side too - Debuchy & Santon will have to be at their very best. I would say the midfield battle will be fairly physical too.

 

As I said previously though I can't call it because we are so inconsistent

[Rayvin 5223]

Superb analysis. The only thing I'd add is that while their midfield is strong and with numerous options, they still aren't looking at all convincing up front. Perhaps if they'd gotten Damiao over the line they'd be a different prospect. Not convinced by Soldado at all. Therein lies my hope for us getting something out of this game.

[Tom 14011]

I haven't seen a lot of Soldado but his link up play seems to be quite clever & he seems to be quite strong. I'm not best poised to speak about him as I don't watch a great deal of Spanish football - and when I do it's normally Barcelona or Real Madrid so I haven't seen too much of him.

 

They've a multitude of threats I suppose & more waiting on the bench but they haven't been scoring freely so whether that's an issue with the personnel or tactics & discipline instilled by the manager I couldn't say. Defoe is still a great threat mind - I can't wait till he retires.

 

Pardew reckons we were in for him in summer. Yeah right.

[Tom 14011]

Spurs (4-4-2): Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon; Sissoko, Tiote ©, Cabaye, Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Remy

 

 

 

#NUFC Subs: Elliot, Coloccini, Anita, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Ben Arfa, Cisse #thfc #bpl

[Tom 14011]

Friedel; Walker, Vertonghen, Dawson, Chiriches; Paulinho, Dembele, Eriksen, Sigurdsson, Townsend, Soldado

 

 

Subs: Gomes, Kaboul, Lennon, Lamela, Holtby, Defoe, Sandro

[Christmas Tree 4725]

Canny bench we have these days

[Tooj 17]

Shola still starts games for us.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Canny bench we have these days

Not when you compare it to Spurs'.

 

Also a fit/in form Colo and Cisse would be playing, and suddenly we'd have Shola and Williamson on the bench and it'd look less impressive.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Shola still starts games for us.

 

Incredible, really. At one point he looked certain to go in the summer.

 

To be fair he has an okay record against these doesn't he?

[StellarStripes 0]

Unchanged. Let's hope for a bit of consistency then.

 

Will be a tough game. I'm going for 1-1 or a sneaky 2-1 for us.

Edited November 10, 2013 by StellarStripes

[Tom 14011]

Pardew has gambled here & he'll be very fucking lucky if it comes off. As much as they haven't been firing too well of late with Spurs playmakers this match plan can dissolve pretty fucking quickly if it doesn't come off.

[Park Life 71]

I haven't seen a lot of Soldado but his link up play seems to be quite clever & he seems to be quite strong. I'm not best poised to speak about him as I don't watch a great deal of Spanish football - and when I do it's normally Barcelona or Real Madrid so I haven't seen too much of him.

 

They've a multitude of threats I suppose & more waiting on the bench but they haven't been scoring freely so whether that's an issue with the personnel or tactics & discipline instilled by the manager I couldn't say. Defoe is still a great threat mind - I can't wait till he retires.

 

Pardew reckons we were in for him in summer. Yeah right.

Well drilled by ginge (an echo of early Mourinho fumnblings), not many get into da box...(like Chelsea)..Lot of overlapping wide - low representation in the middle...The Midfield and the forwards (normally one) rarely go beyond the backline looking for the ball (Liv have mastered this now with Sturr/Coutinho and Saurez).

 

Players tend to hold position and give it to one of the sprinters (used to be Bale and now its Townsend). If they are on top in games tend to form that tedious semi-circle and ball gets passed back and forth (in and out of it) till someone makes a run or someone is unmarked in the box. Spurs fans haven't been over enamoured with ginge for some while (started with Adebayor saga - story beginning to change now). The other reason they don't score freely is that the attacks have a slow buildup (like Chelsea) or the sprinter runs up there with only one in the box (Soldado).

 

Our chances are good today cause AVB is one hell of a boring coach (like Mou).

[PaddockLad 17262]

These haven't really "clicked" this season yet, lots of new players to bed in...we've a decent chance, depending on which NUFC 2013/14 turns up...maddeningly inconsistent, time to lose that tag...

[Howmanheyman 33216]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCCyvAwbbso

 

There's some quietly confident feeling on this today and why not? We can put some good performances on against the better teams. However, I'm with O'Neill in the vid, I've a bad hunch which has nothing to do with Quasi Modo. That confident feeling when stretching to the players/Pardew seems to bring out the worst in them. Obviously hope I'm wrong but we're an inconsistent side and we've just had a great win so.........

[Tom 14011]

Well drilled by ginge (an echo of early Mourinho fumnblings), not many get into da box...(like Chelsea)..Lot of overlapping wide - low representation in the middle...The Midfield and the forwards (normally one) rarely go beyond the backline looking for the ball (Liv have mastered this now with Sturr/Coutinho and Saurez).

 

Players tend to hold position and give it to one of the sprinters (used to be Bale and now its Townsend). If they are on top in games tend to form that tedious semi-circle and ball gets passed back and forth (in and out of it) till someone makes a run or someone is unmarked in the box. Spurs fans haven't been over enamoured with ginge for some while (started with Adebayor saga - story beginning to change now). The other reason they don't score freely is that the attacks have a slow buildup (like Chelsea) or the sprinter runs up there with only one in the box (Soldado).

 

Our chances are good today cause AVB is one hell of a boring coach (like Mou).

 

I hope you're right

 

Perhaps Remy playing off Shola could have it's benefits but I'm sceptical.

 

It looks as if Sissoko is on the wing as well..

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Unchanged. Let's hope for a bit of consistency then.

 

Will be a tough game. I'm going for 1-1 or a sneaky 2-1 for us.

 

I'm going for a 50-0.

 

Last time that happened was Deano vs SBR Foundation.

[Tom 14011]

[Park Life 71]

Little annoyed that Lamela has just started finding his PL legs...Just at the wrong time for us. He'll prove to be the best player they purchased in recent history.