Tottenham v Everton are generally competitive affairs and tonight’s match should be no different from many of the games between these two sides that have gone before.
The cold hard reality is that Europe is most likely out of reach this season even if we beat Everton this evening. We are not a banter club like Arsenal that when we beat the team at the bottom of the table that all of a sudden we think we are destined for the Champions League.
But just because we have almost nothing to play for it does not mean that anything less than a win will do tonight or for that matter, winning every game until the season concludes.
This team and manager owe us fans, they owe us a good performance, an entertaining and winning performance and if that is not forthcoming then the pressure will increase and rightfully so.
Make no bones about it, this Everton team is improving under Carlo Ancelotti but Tottenham have the players to beat them, as long as they play to their true ability, something that has not been happening for some time now.
No doubt Everton will target our flanks, they must know that Ben Davies and Serge Aurier are weak points in the team, they will also know that controlling midfield will be key to the outcome of this game.
Tottenham have creativity in abundance but it was useless against Sheffield United and if there is any repeat of that woeful display tonight then we will lose.
But there is every reason to have the belief that the lads will do the business tonight. They showed their capabilities against a rampant Man Utd and in some portions against West Ham.
The problem is that they have yet to play a whole game where every section of the team is on the same page.
Jose Mourinho needs to get the defence solid again as it was against United, he needs to send out a midfield that will utilise it’s creativity to maximum effect, and he needs the link-up play between the midfield and frontline to be spot on.
I am confident we will see a very different Tottenham this evening, one that will be far more coherent than it was against the Blades.
What I am not confident about is Mourinho sending the lads out with an adventurous attacking mindset, I do fear that at some point the team will become negative, however, if the defence is solid that should not stop us collecting all three points and hopefully start to build up some momentum.
I am going with a Tottenham win but not clean sheet, so something like a 2-1 or 3-1 win is what I am expecting.
MORE 5 Seasons of ENIC neglect – argue your way out of this -Levy fanboys!
Walking wingbacks more like.
If Richarlison is out that is great for us. He’s an irritant, falling over everywhere, but he can play. Might be best to sit deep like we did v Man Utd (what a joy that would be to watch!). If we take it to them, like the Sheffield Utd game I have a feeling we’ll be handed our backsides on a plate.
2 very similar teams. Everton defended very well v Liverpool, by positively killing the game and should have nicked it at the end. We played in a similar fashion v Man Utd. We definitely need a reaction. Son needs to show up and Lo Celso needs to forget his nightmare in Sheffield. We did not play the Sheffield Utd press well and looked all over the place defensively. That can’t be fixed overnight, so I have no idea what to expect. Maybe Carlo Ancellotti hasn’t noticed Aurier is worth 2 goals to any opposition!
I wish people would realise that we dont play with flying w/backs anymore.
If Sanchez plays Richarlison will smash him and if we start without a sitting midfielder then we are asking for trouble. With three games in six days I expect to see Toby back and Tanguy to get minutes. Just remembered Richarlison is a doubt tonight.
“There is every reason to have the belief that the lads will do the business tonight”
Doing the business meant staying in the top 5 hunt for more than two games. Even levy would tell you that.