Tottenham Hotspur will look to make it two wins in a row when they face Sporting Lisbon in Portugal this evening.
Antonio Conte has made one change to the team that defeated Marseille in their first group stage match last week. Ben Davies has been recalled and will line up on the left side of the back three, replacing Clement Lenglet. Eric Dier and Cristian Romero complete the back three, leaving Davinson Sanchez on the bench.
Hugo Lloris returns to goal for Spurs. Emerson Royal remains at Tottenham’s right wing back position, while Ivan Perisic starts at the left. Ryan Sessegnon, Matt Doherty, and Djed Spence are all named on the bench.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg start in the midfield with Yves Bissouma on the bench. Richarlison gets rewarded for his performance last time out as he starts alongside Harry Kane and Son. Conte’s attacking options from the bench include Dejan Kulusevski and Bryan Gil.
Tottenham Starting XI
Lloris; Romero, Dier, Davies; Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Perisic; Richarlison, Kane, Son.
Subs: Forster, Sanchez, Lenglet, Tanganga, Sessegnon, Doherty, Spence, Skipp, White, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Gil.
Sporting Lisbon Starting XI
Adan, Inacio, Coates, Matheus Reis, Porro, Morita, Ugarte, Nuno Santos, Trincao, Edwards, Goncalves
Subs: Alexandropoulos, Israel, Rochinha, Issahaku, Paulinho, Andre Paulo, Arthur Gomes, Ricardo Esgaio, Marsa, Nazinho
Christian tried conteball and it gave him a heart attack. Can’t blame the lad for not wanting to repeat
Once you’re in a Conte team it seems it’s difficult to get out of it. Royal is a total liability – Spence has to have a run of games.
The point I was making is that there nobody that directly improves our first 11 as a result of this window. Only Perisic.
He doesn’t have the right players at the required level to play his system to its optimum effectiveness. Yet this was supposed to be a transfer window where he was backed.
I reckon we’ll finish 3rd in the group, drop down to Europa, then get knocked out of that league too in short order unless we change tactics and soon.
Quite like Lenglet ..wonder he will start v Leicester.
Not as nervous as Lloris ..
Doubt it he was according to nearly everyone , the real deal when we bought him ..now he is struggling to adapt to playing. ( when he plays) with a carrot up his arse operating in a specific area of the park with next to no freedom….Function obviously plays a massive part in any players performance but if creativity is going to be restricted to finding Kane or Son we are going to be severely hampered ..Release the pressure ffs.
How many coaches in how many years ..and we have won what ….it ain’t the coaches ..all aboard..
No Plan B..we got tactically nutmegged tonight ..Sporting did to us what we had hoped to do to them ..basically by keeping at it and showing more invention..bloody liberty.
Yes Conte’s system is 3-5-2 and he doesn’t deviate from that. When it’s played well with attacking wing backs and the ball being moved quickly it can be entertaining – but we are ponderous and slow.
I think they are…
It doesn’t look like Conte is comfortable playing a back four though, I agree that he should be more flexible at times.
You could have written that 10 years ago.Show me the draws ..oo er..the team aren’t tactically savvy enough and do not have the quality to play for a draw ..the midfield is still confused and the defence is like Emmantaal…
He won’t know if has the players unless he plays them..
So many were stating what an easy group,it was and how grateful we should be to be in it…maybe try Kulu Charlie Son ..or Kulu Kane Charlie that’s if Kane can stay awake long enough.
Put this 1 down to conte. Inept tactics why not play 4-2-3-1 and play all 4 attacking players son kane kulu and ricky.
I thought we tried to win it for about 20 mins ..Not all at the same time. Some nice balls were played across their box twice I think but no one was near them . I didn’t expect a win or a draw but I expected a far more competent performance than that . The system seems too rigid…before we bought him Bissouma was supposed to be mustard ..now with a clearly defined specific role , when he plays he isn’t good enough .Royal pah seen enough ..the limited creativity this squad has is being strangled out of it ..we make every team we play against look good..that is not a good sign.
Those are the monies ..that and Ten Hag.. Ajax etc.
2 windows but next summer is down to him signing a new contract ..or its Clippidy Clopp.
Shocking ..all of it ..most of our players looked over 35 yrs ..
Great defender on his day, never been 100% convinced about his consistency over a whole season or how physically equipped he is…
Let’s blame Son and Davies because our transfer window was phenomenal and this sort of this isn’t supposed to be happening!! 😂
If we get knocked out of this round its going to be a bit embarrassing…its great being in the CL but our level at best is Europa…I hope we finish 2nd and get a big team in the knock out stage…rather lose to a good team than a crap one..
No way, however, he’s supposed to be backing Conte isn’t he? 🤔
So he’s got one more window (this January) to sort it all out? Can’t see it myself. I agree, he needs more quality to work with, however I’m looking to what we do in the league. He’s done nothing in Europe, whoever he’s managed…
It’s going to take 3 windows , I can see that , it’s not entirely Conte some of the players aren’t good enough ..so why not use the bench . Our good players are easy to target and prevent playing ..and the others can be targeted to enhance the opposition’s game. Not to use the bench is stubbornness..I’ve listened to so much garbage about Royal, Ryan Bambi Sessegnon it makes my blood boil…
With everyone understanding our Plan A it’s time to develop a Plan B even if it is throwing on those players who have a lot to learn , including Gil as AM .
Why not everyone understands how we play , of course tonight’s defeat makes the CL group stage harder . This is down to one man’s stubbornness.
How long did CFc win the League with Conte ..time moves on…
3 x windows until then use the bench.
He’s an excellent league manager, especially with a top quality squad, as he’s proven. His record in Europe is poor even with better quality than we have at his disposal…
You’re going to blame that shower on one out of form forward? What about the other 10 players? Not to mention the manager’s tactics… 🤔
No reason not to press them harder as we were the rested team. I also think Conte’s inability to change formation is a weakness against better teams.
Is Conte overrated? His league trophy haul suggests not I guess, but his European record is utter pance considering the teams he managed in it…
12 million signing on fee …Couldn’t see Levy paying Eriksen that never mind 200, 000 bags a week.
I reckon Levy burnt too many bridges with Eriksen with his contract situation before he went to Inter. I can see Conte wanting him, I suspect Levy didn’t…
Spence? Bissouma, (our 4th defensive midfielder)? Lenglet? I keep saying it, this window just hasn’t improved our first team to any tangible extent. Keep shouting that it has, then look at how we robbed Marseille and got done tonight. It’s all hype…
This should have been an easy 3 points. If Son will not put his sad face back in his pocket, gotta bench him. Poisoning the squad.
‘Playing for a draw…doesn’t work at Spurs’
i think as a fanbase we need to move away from preconceptions, of what is spurs…of the dreaded what is spursy.
The top teams sometimes…play out the draw.
We definitely tried to win that game anyway – possibly not cynical enough with 15 mins left tbh
He needs to try the bench when things aren’t working…for me this Conte’s weak spot…that and going for a draw tonight.
We can use 5 subs but used one our weaknesses are apparent to any coach studying our games..Son hasn’t been decent this season ..dont hate him ..play Kulu..
Playing for a draw ..doesn’t work at Spurs ..never has.
We do not have a rwb ..Peresic is a 33 year old lwb..BambiRyan isn’t good enough and yet we had Spence in the bench ..even Gil through the centre might have changed things late on. We have looked laboured all season.
Who cares ..our 2 supudupas are getting old blah blah ..need a younger version and someone to partner Charlie and accept the fact that a four year deal for Kane just isn’t a good idea,..We looked like we had been worked out tonight ..we had pace on the bench but used one sub. Kulu should’ve started..but hey it’s only the CL ..our trophy prize ..who cares..looked like our average age was 35yrs .
Went for a draw. When has that ever worked for Spurs ..we were playing chess and Sporting were playing draughts playing one and two touch football dancing round our tree like defenders . Got what we we deserved ..feel for the travelling fans ..if Royal is the answer ..really ffs he can’t attack and defend which means he isn’t a rwb ..ffs how many times.
How are we supposed to counter with 2 aged overplayed attackers upfront and Richarlison expected to come back and defend with the other 2 forwards .One idea undoes the other..FfS ..Garbage.
How soon they forget. Under Nuno the projection was to have a period like Everton are in.
We haven’t hit the heights this season, players Conte is relying on, has seen what he can expect from them, have performed for him before…they’re in average to rotten form.
New players maybe he’s overly cautious but again it’s not enough time to ‘judge’ how great this squad is.
Conte would deserve half a season if we weee losing every other game…instead we are winning and playing some overly negative dull football but again…he’s getting no fairy dust from the playing personnel who DID give him that last season.
To criticise him more than ‘poor but see how the next game goes’ at this stage is insanity imo – he has pedigree…he has pedigree with this side! Give the team some time, your two star players playing like deadbeats will stall any side near enough.
Yes, he manages the team, he manages the players, the tactics… everything. Buck stops with him
We lost the game as soon as Davies backed away from the shot leading to the Lloris save and subsequent corner winner. I thought we practiced set pieces a lot now?
I sense we’ve been here one too many times. The lack of plan B and even C from a manager who’s supposed to be in the top 5 in the world is really rather embarrassing.
To concede not just one, but two goals in added time is positively Sunday pub team.
We stumble from game to game and learn absolutely nothing.
A complete inability to get on the ball and take the game to the opposition. Constantly waiting for them to lose possession so we can turn the ball over quickly and counter-attack. It might grind out results in the league, but European football has moved on. we won’t get very far with Conto managing in this competition…
Conte is truly abysmal in Europe…
…so we’ve flipped to ‘just play attractive football’?
‘Conte has got to go’
The Fringe has finished, they already closed the competition for funniest one liner
Fodder with 10 men at home….scrape result. Anything beyond that is a struggle.
Romero jas been shocking since he became permanent and the sooner Kane goes to Bayern the better!
Conte is the most overrated manager I’ve seen, been riding his luck for weeks now, just imagine what would have happened if we had played city
So we like Conte but dislike ‘caution first’ football? Because….yup
Our ills are 1. star players in uncharacteristic poor form 2. new signings still ‘bedding in’
Once again, low balling by Levy no doubt,. With no transfer fee I am sure we could have put a deal together with Ericksen keen to stay in London I believe.
Is that the bus we park every game.
Conte does look a bit Maureen doesn’t he. One tactical idea, and he’s sticking to it no matter what.
That’s what’s sad. No atmosphere and Spurs gave them a Leg Up.
Quote:
“Manchester United reportedly offered huge money to Christian Eriksen in order to fight off competition from fellow transfer suitors Tottenham and Brentford this summer.
The Denmark international impressed at Brentford before becoming a free agent after his short-term deal came to an end, and it seems there was plenty of interest in him in the transfer window just gone.
Brentford wanted to keep Eriksen, while Tottenham were also keen to bring him back for a second spell, but it seems Man Utd won the race for his signature by making the player the most generous financial offer.”
Long overdue that. Felt like a friendly.
Yes for not managing the team and hooking them off earlier
It’s been coming for weeks, depressing part is don’t think conte will learn anything
The WC is coming up, let’s not push our luck, get injured etc.
Who exactly could we have brought on other than Kulu to make any difference in this match? We still have no real depth. We cannot pass the ball with any speed or accuracy through our midfield. I am sick to death of watching Royal smile after he has wasted another chance. Conte cannot use his bench because we don’t have one of any quality. It is clear that Spence was a Levy punt yet again and once more the stench of ENIC is all over this club. If he is worse than Royal then he must be poor. Hoijberg and Bentancur are defensive midfielders who cannot pass forward to our front players with accuracy. Neither can Dier of Davies. WTF did we not go in for Ericksen on a free?
We were poor again, but had some moments that a front three on form would have taken advantage of (or a decent attacking RWB; some of our best chances today fell to Royal, and unsurprisingly, they didn’t amount to anything). Sporting probably deserved to win this overall.
Kane was miles off it. So was Son. Richy spent most his time offside. PEH and Bent made some basic mistakes (and Bent can’t shoot).
What gets my goat is that Hugo pulled off a wonderful save in the 88th minute and then we immediately concede from the resulting corner. That’s just schoolboy stuff. Lack of concentration.
Conte spoke of some games where “if you can’t win, don’t lose.” That was certainly one of them.
Continuing our inability to perform away from home in Europe. Our “EL” group just got tougher.
He is…just maybe not for us, the same with Jose…we buy 2nd, 3rd choice players that I don’t believe they are good enough for this system..
Yes – once since April?
Are we really throwing Conte under the bus? With Son and Kane playing like a pair of melons and ruining every opening the team carve out….we’re going to throw Conte’s entire footballing approach under the bus?
Okay then
At Least Royal had a good laugh.
We created very little real chances…the few times the ball went across the box know one was there…
Royal is bad at everything
Conte has got to go keep hearing his a top manager my arse
I doubt Spence is any worse than Royal. Skipp deserves a chance
Some of the most atrocious passing I’ve seen in a long time.
Play not to lose = lose anyway.
There was 60+ minutes with zero aggression or danger from them and we had about ten ‘openings’…not going to call them all good chances, but at the moments that’s what we have.
Son and Kane in particular just aren’t there and Royal is poor with finishing and the final ball.
This is the CL – Sporting looked more slick when they turned it on. In terms of power I feel we had this, we looked very tough for nearly two thirds of the game.
Honestly I’m not too bothered about this one, the Queen is dead, etc etc – it was just a strange fixture with all the build up, god bless her etc etc
Conte doesn’t have the players…if he doesn’t get his act together this wont last long..
To think we should have played City on the weekend😒
People have said Royal is a better defender than a WB.Really?
Well deserved for Sporting.We really are poor.Why doesn’t Conte use his bench?
IDK but we’ll never find out this way
Chicken team, amateur hour!
beat me to it!
Do you think that will make much difference?
Deserved to lose this one. This negative style has to end. Unless Conte can change it bring in an attacking minded manager. We should play much better football with this group of players
The question is will Conte learn from this and play the young guys or same old same old?
Bissi must be awful…
Even with the players we’re lacking, this is nowhere near good enough.
We’re playing crap football and failing.
Lmao
Maybe Conte will finally learn to use subs. FFS. We are tired after 70min and not passing well but still only make one sub. And both their goals came from subs. Conte is not a CL manager at all.
How were we better…our passing was atrocious…they don’t play with a striker so need to play a different game, they won, they deserved to..
Well done Sporting. THFC are Simpletons from top to bottom.
Our dross football has finally come home to roost. Utter utter garbage to a man
We were the better side for about 60 minutes, nothing too exciting but it was controlled.
We need the front players in form, simple as that – we had ample opportunity to win this.
Oh my lord…
It’s been coming for weeks, months…terrible…
Completely deserved. Both ends.
Our fixture pileup just got lighter
The whole game has been woeful apart from 4 or 5 moments..
No
Ah well, bit unlucky tonight – finishing woeful, that cost us
sucker punch…
Neither show up for finals so not sure how that makes a difference..
Am I the only one that gets nervous everytme the ball’s at Lloris’ feet?
Strange Conte hasn’t emptied a bench brimming with talent after our amazing window.