Subs bench vs Everton is Poch's biggest decision
TOTTENHAM TEAM TALK
Everton vs Spurs
The new season is only a week away and Tottenham have a settled side with only one position up for grabs. Mousa Dembele is banned which leaves Pochettino with a decision to make.New signing Victor Wanyama isn't a Dembele replacement, he is more defensive than Dembele so if he is selected it would mean Eric Dier changing roles and moving into the Dembele position. That is unless we decide to go for the two defensive, defensive midfieders and ensure we start off the season by not being beaten.
For me, that cautious approach is the wrong one for several reasons. Firstly we don't want to start the season playing catch up, we want to start with a win. We were successful last season away from home with our approach so why does it need to change now. Then there is the fact that Everton has a new manager, it is, therefore, an excellent time to be playing them. The players have to get used to what a new manager wants, the system he wants to play and there will be players at the club who he wants to replace.
Teams take a while to grasp what a new manager wants and during that time they are vulnerable. It is a game we should be targeting a win from and as such the Dembele replacement should be someone who will get forward as well as defend. Certainly Eric Dier can perform that role, but then so can Ryan Mason.
He may not be loved by a section but he showed against Inter Milan he was back on the ball. He was at one end hitting a first-time shot and missing the target when he should have done better inside their penalty area. At the other end, he was rescuing us with important challenges in our own box to stop dangerous attacks or block shots.
he was also wearing the captain's armband pre-season, not something you do for a player you are looking to sell as some assume. Pochettino likes him and I expect he'll start alongside Eric Dier with Victor Wanyama coming on for him during the second half, hopefully, to try and seal a win.
Predicted Spurs XI vs Everton (a)
Lloris (c)
Walker Alderweireld Wimmer Rose
Dier Mason
Lamela Alli Eriksen
Kane
The other debate is the substitutes bench. If you use 4 of the 7 places up with a goalkeeper and three defenders then you limit what you have left, given Vincent Janssen is also bound to be on the bench. Do you leave a full-back out to provide space for another attack minded player?
Does Harry Winks get a look in after a superb pre-season for him? Is there a spot for Nacer Chadli and will his omission signal he is to be sold? If you leave out a full-back, which one Trippier or Davies? If Wanyama is on the bench do you choose the more attack-minded Onomah over Winks? Is there any place for Tom Carroll?
Quite frankly the composition of the substitutes bench causes more consternation than who starts!
Spurs Subs: Vorm, Trippier, Davies, Carter-Vickers, Wanyama, Onomah, Janssen
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