Hull City away this weekend in the late Sunday game. We’ve had two weeks to mull over our latest home humiliation, two weeks to soak up the ‘tottenham crisis’ headlines and two weeks of ‘three point lane’ jibes. As if being 8 places behind the Hamsters weren’t already bad enough.
Still, there have been some positives during the international break, Harry Kane continued his fine run of goal scoring and none of our players appears to have suffered injury that I know of. November is traditionally the time that the manager is called to Levy’s office but instead we seem to have made a point of backing Pochettino by making advances to Paul Mitchell, Head of Recruitment at Southampton. He’s only been working at St Mary’s for a few years and there was a lot of good work being done on the south coast before then so it’ll be interesting to see exactly what he brings if, and apparently when, he does end up at WHL.
Kyle Naughton’s sending off against Stoke, and already his second of the season by the way, well done Kyle, gives Poch a selection problem with, in all likelihood, Eric Dier once more being forced in to turning out at right back. He’ll be targeted by Hull if they’ve got anything about them as will Fazio (also already sent off twice this campaign) if he somehow gets a game in the middle. It comes to something when one is relying on Naughton and Kaboul to be fit and available but that’s the, not very good, state we find ourselves in.
The fortnight will have given the manager time for thought but not preparation. Any plans he may have dreamt up to try and get the best out of what form players we have, (Kane, Chadli and… erm?) and boost the confidence of others whilst disguising our hesitancy at the back and lack of pace and strength up front, won’t have been helped by his inability to try anything out on the training field. He must be desperate to integrate Eriksen and get the best out of him – he’s still our most talented player despite his in and out form so far.
I’m not going to predict a team, it’s too difficult!
The Tigers are the new Spurs B of course (or are we their feeder club?) and it’s possible that all of Livermore, Huddlestone and Dawson will line up against us. Would any of them get into our side at the moment? Possibly, but not for long one hopes.
It’s a crucial game in many ways. We need the points but more importantly perhaps we need a performance that shows that we are stepping away from the brink rather than heading towards it.
Craig Pawson is down to referee. COYS.
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