If he’s got any sense Brad Fridel will be the first name that AVB inks in on the teamsheet for tonight’s Europa League rematch with FC Sheriff. The disproportionate amount of opprobrium heaped on the manager and his medical team, many of whom were presumably involved in the saving of Fabrice Muamba’s life 20 months ago so have some credibility, by anyone who wants to offer an opinion has been irritating to witness let alone directly suffer, thus it seems obvious that Villas-Boas should avoid focusing attention on the keeper until the Geordies at the weekend – this assumes that Hugo hasn’t spent the week thinking he’s Napoleon, that Ashley Young’s a good sport or anything else equally delusional. It’s already been said I know but Andros Townsend’s decision to come back on to the field after he’d been knocked out against the Tigers brought a very different reaction, surely not just because the Lloris incident happened on live telly? Nah, couldn’t be.
Who else gets the nod to face the Tin Badgers is anyone’s guess. In each group game we’ve played a stronger side than I’ve anticipated and in the game in Tiraspol we arguably should have played an even stronger one such was the frequency with which our back four was breached and our midfield overrun. With the crowd behind them Sheriff applied plenty of pressure but were unable to capitalise, mostly due to eagle-eyed linos and a spectacular goal line stop by Chiriches. Their chances came mostly on the break, a scenario very likely to be repeated tonight.
Assuming that Soldado gets a night off, and he gets so little service that the more cynical might say that every 90 minutes in a Spurs shirt is down time, AVB has some options to ponder. Is it time to give Badebayor a chance or has Harry Kane earned a jump in the pecking order after his cameo last Wednesday. Personally I’d love to see Kane given a go but it’s more likely that Defoe will be given the chance to break Big Chiv’s record with Kane or Ade coming off the bench once JD’s done his work.
A win will put us through; Villas-Boas has promised to put some youngsters in should we qualify with games to spare so that’ll be fun. I hope.
The officials are from Denmark. COYS.
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