Spurs vs Aston Villa

Spurs vs Aston Villa 5:30pm today

Everyone will pick their XI for today and I have seen many have a go already but seem to have forgotten a few things.

• Heung-min Son is suspended.
• Sessegnon is out for weeks with a hamstring injury.
• Juan Foyth has an ankle injury and is suspended.
• Dele Alli has a hamstring injury, his 7th in 12 months.
• Den Davies has returned to training but is a way off fitness yet.
• Eric Dier has only just returned to full training so won't be fit enough yet
• Victor Wanyama has only just returned to full training so won't be fit enough yet.
• Aurier has a hand injury so I'd expect him to still need a bit more time before he is fit

Alderweireld's selection for me is dependent upon signing a new contract. If he has indicated he will then he gets selected ahead of Sanchez but otherwise, Pochettino has to plan for the future and that means Sanchez being the first choice this season.

The same applies with Christian Eriksen, if he doesn't sign a new contract then players play ahead of him and that means chances for Lamela to have a cracking season and for Lo Celso to become a crowd favourite.

Lo Celso has had a day at Tottenham so any involvement will be limited. I have put him on the subs bench but he may not even make that yet.

THBN Spurs XI

• Hugo Lloris 32 (33 in December)
• Kyle Walker-Peters 22 (23 next April)
• Davinson Sanchez 23 (24 next June)
• Jan Vertonghn 32 (33 next April)
• Danny Rose 29 (30 next June)
• Harry Winks 23 (24 next February)
• Tanguy Ndombélé 22 (23 in December)
• Moussa Sissoko 29 (30 in 6 days)
• Erik Lamela 27 (28 next March)
• Lucas Moura 26 (27 in 3 days)
• Harry Kane 26 (27 next July)

Substitutes Bench

• Paulo Gazzaniga 27 (28 next January)
• Japhet Tanganga 20 (21 next March)
• Toby Alderweireld 30 (31 next March)
• Oliver Skipp 18 (19 in September)
• Christian Eriksen 27 (28 next February)
• Giovani Lo Celso 23 (24 next April)
• Troy Parrott 17 (18 next February)

The option there is to have Serge Aurier on the bench or one of the players having just returned to training or one of the youngsters like George Marsh.

Having spoken to an Aston Villa fan, they are very optimistic over the coming season and are not expecting a relegation fight. I think they might be underestimating the difference in levels between the two divisions.

Newly promoted Villa have bought a whole host of new players and they will need time to gel together and learn the system their manager wants them to play. Yes, they may be organised, but it takes a little more than organisation, although of course, they expect great things from Jack Grealish, the player they refused to sell to us.

That was because a new owner was in the process of buying the club and told them he would not go through with the sale if they sold their prime asset, thus devaluing the business. Therefore the then-current owner, blocked the sale, he wasn't going to devalue the company and have to reduce its sale price.

Not Daniel Levy's fault but blamed for it by his haters of course, ignoring the truth to fuel their hatret and try to justify their thoughtless stance.

This game is a tough one because Villa have a host of new players, they have the excitement and thrill of playing in the Premier League after promotion, which gives a side a boost at the beginning of a season and they could play any system.

The analysts will have to look at who has been bought, where and how they play and thus figure out in what combination they re likely to play and what system. Then measures can be looked at to counter-act the style.

The analysts will look at each player. They will draw up a list of what the player does in given situations.

Everybody has a default position. Everybody reverts back to that default position under pressure, you do, I do, football players do. Therefore, if you recreate a situation under pressure, then the player or team, reverts back to their default behaviour, thus you can predict what they are going to do and be ready for it before they do it.

That is how Manchester United beat us at Wembley in the League Cup semi-final. Paul Pogba had Mousa Dembélé on the sideline and knew there was a very good chance he would turn infield when he should have gone along the line.

Dembélé turned infield, lost the ball to a waiting Pogba who put in a brilliant cross and the game we had complete control over was no longer in our command.

The same thing happened a few years back when Andros Townsend knocked the ball with one foot behind the other to turn direction and the opposition was waiting for it, simply took the ball off him just inside his own half and went all the way up the field to score with Townsend chasing him back, well as much as Townsend used to chase back.

The analyst will have lists for every player as to how they react, what they do and our players will learn these, particularly their main opponent, so a left-back and the opposition right-winger or full-back for instance.

This is where a suggest Kyle Walker-Peters needs to develop in an attacking sense. He, for me, is too predictable and therefore easy to defend against.

The beauty of Tanguy Ndombélé is that he has such a range to his game, short passing, long passing, creative passing, as well as dribbling so he has multiple options.

The analyst will look at mannerisms. What does a player do if he dips his shoulder, is he going the other wy, is it a feint. When he does stepovers, is it for show, what does he do after, how many does he do, is that a clue to what he'll do next?

Technology can tell us everything we need to know to prepare and plan.

The game is not a ball, 11 men going out onto a field and playing it by ear. That's reserved for the fan in the park.

Opening day PL fixtures

The full opening day PL Fixtures having already seen Liverpool easily overcome newly promoted Norwich City 4-1.

Sheffield United were the other promoted side and they start at Bournemouth, Southampton are at Burnley, Everton are at Crystal Palace, Wolves are at Leicester, tough game that one, a lot expected at Leicester City this season, Brighton and Watford, before our game to conclude the day.

Can't wait.