Spurs will attack Man City from the off

With City’s form and goalscoring, coupled with Spurs missing both Alderweireld and Sanchez from their back 3, this has all the ingredients for a pretty comfortable win for City. There are key factors which could help Spurs, to have at least a little more hope, them being team, formation and tactics.

So, first to my proposed team sheet/formation

Lloris

Aurier. Dier. Vertonghen

Tripper Alli Dembele. Lamela. Davies

Son Kane

Subs : Vorm, Foyth, Rose, Winks, Eriksen, Llorente

Tactics:
The idea of 5 across the midfield, is designed to stifle Man C, players like De Bruyne and Silva. It will also help to protect a makeshift defence, Aurier has played as a CD in the past, and he has pace which both Dier and Vertonghen do not.
With both Alli and Lamela to be used to both tackle-back, and provide important attacking passes from the midfield, Kane and Son would be interchanging upfront.

Option 1
Do what the rest of City’s opposition have done this season, sit back, soak up wave after wave of attacks, and try and catch them on the counter.

Option 2 (my choice)
Play the first half at a breakneck pace, go at them, use both Kane & Son together upfront, with Alli & Lamela pushing on from midfield supporting them!
This would shock City, take them out of their comfort-zone, Guardiola would be caught off guard, & if Spurs manage to score 1, or a miracle 2 before HT, it’s ‘Game on’.

If that has worked, second half, sit deep pack the defence, clearing long balls to the ever ready Son, catching them on the counter, but from a position of strength, not chasing the game, and the ruddy ball

Try and frustrate City for the rest of the game, and hang on for a memorable win?

Unfortunately, I have the horrible feeling Pochettino will play slow, careful, boring, safety first football, City will get an early goal so possibly 1-0 or 2-0 by HT.(like last seasons game). Second half, Spurs try to up the pace, maybe claw back a goal, but this time City catch them on the counter and win comfortably 3-1.

If we had Alderweireld, Sanchez and Wanyama all fit, it would still be a very difficult game for Spurs, but I would be more inclined to think they might at least manage a draw, like last season, 2-2 after being 2-0.

Anyway, the pressure is all on City, Spurs play better as underdogs (v Real Madrid & Dortmund perfect examples this season), it will be no big tragedy if they lose playing such a team, on such a record-breaking run.

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