Spurs vs Man City - 2 games this weekend

There are two games against Manchester City taking place this weekend, one at the new stadium and one away from home.

Game 1 - Spurs vs Man City

The Development squad started their campaign well with a 4-0 victory away to Liverpool, which will have pleased many a Spurs fans after the stupidity of Harvey Elliott and his vide mocking Harry Kane.

The letter he issued in apology wasn't honest, claiming what he did wasn't him as a person, well you did it Harry, not someone impersonating you. Your parents may not have brought you up that way, but that is the way you are.

They guys who did the damage.

F/T 4-0 Spurs Goalscorers
Sterling 

Oakley-Boothe 

Sterling (Pen) 

Tracey

Premier League 2 Table

Our next game is Friday, August 16th at the new stadium against Manchester City U-23's with a 7pm kick-off.

Tickets are on sale, £5 for adults and £1 for juniors.

Game 2 - Man City vs Spurs

The following day sees the senior team take on Manchester City at The Etihad with a 5:30pm kick-off and if you listen to the pundits, there is only one winner.

Everyone seems to have dismissed Spurs as easily the third-best team in the country but nowhere near Liverpool and Manchester City, which I don't agree with.

I think there were reasons why we were 23 points behind in the Premier League last season and I don't think injuries will take their toll this time around. We are nor 23 points below those sides this season and personally, I haven't heard anyone talk about Giovani Lo Celso or Tanguy Ndombélé, both who will make a significant impact.

This tie has hit us at a bad time with Son suspended, Foyth injured and suspended, Alli injured, Aurier recovering from injury and Giovani Lo Celso only having had a week of training.

The good news is that Christian Eriksen will have had an extra weeks training and will last more than the twenty-odd minutes he had against Aston Villa. It is clear that the minor surgery he had after the Champions League final has hindered his pre-season fitness.

The makeup of the team is a difficult one. What approach do you take?

Sit back and play on the counter as Liverpool do so effectively against them? We only have one pacey player in Moura though.

Do we try and press them and force them to play wide 50 yards from goal?

Do we defend en-block with a high line and play from there?

There are arguments for all of them, but before you start thinking about how you are going to stop them, you must think about how are we going to score?

Goals win games, so how are we going to score? Son did it in the Champions League by breaking quickly.

I can't see City playing the sit back tactics as they did in the first place at our place but we have played games against them where it has been cagey and they have found it difficult to get through.

It might be too early to throw Giovani Lo Celso into such a game from the start but his passing around the box I can see unlocking them so I'd like to see him as a substitute midway through the second half.

Sterling vs Kyle Walker-Peters? Do we bring in Serge Aurier, if fit, I certainly would, I think e need his experience against Sterling's pace.

Do we need the pace of Davinson Sanchez in defence? Should we play a back three?

In midfield do we stick with Harry Winks, Mousa Sissoko and Tanguy Ndombélé or do we risk Lo Celso for Sissoko to give that extra creativity? A tough call when many a fan hasn't seen him play yet.

If you play Eriksen, then where does Lucas Moura fit in, behind Kane? I think we need him running at the weak link in the City defence, the overrated Laporte. Every time I see him, if you run at him he makes mistakes.

John Stones has mistakes in him too and we have stopped City playing before by man-marking Fernandinho, who their play went through.

Would playing Moura push Eriksen too deep in midfield or do we have to abandon the diamond formation for this game? Do we just play 5 across midfield with a lone striker?

Should we have Winks and Ndombélé behind a bank of three, should it be Winks and Sissoko with Ndombélé's threat further forward?

Should we have Winks behind a four ahead of him with Kane up top?

Alli is still injured so there isn't that complication to worry about. Pochettino certainly has some selection problems this season which is obviously a good thing for us.

THBN Spurs XI

• Hugo Lloris
• Serge Aurier (if fit)
• Toby Alderweireld
• Jan Vertonghen
• Danny Rose
• Harry Winks
• Tanguy Ndombélé
• Moussa Sissoko
• Christian Eriksen
• Lucas Moura 
• Harry Kane

Substitutes

• Paulo Gazzaniga
• Kyle Walker-Peters (Aurier if not ready)
• Davinson Sanchez
• Eric Dier
• Giovani Lo Celso
• Oliver Skipp
• Erik Lamela