Matchday Live: West Brom v Tottenham

Lineups Announced!

Two small and one big surprises for Tottenham as the lineups are announced.

First, the small one. Or perhaps not that small?

Danny Rose is absent from the first team squad entirely. His place at left-back is taken by Ben Davies, and Kieran Trippier sits on the bench. Seeing as how we’ve seen nothing about a Rose injury, it seems safe to assume here that the England international is simply being rested ahead of the trip to Leverkusen.

The backline is as you’d expect otherwise. Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen team up at centre-back while Kyle Walker will take the right flank. The question for the latter is whether or not he plays his typical adventurous game or patiently awaits the Baggies’ counters.

Eric Dier also sits out, with Victor Wanyama staying in the starting XI. Whether that’s a matter of saving him for the Leverkusen game or the Kenyan topping Dier in the pecking order isn’t clear.

Ahead of him is the band of four we’ve become accustomed to in recent weeks, with one notable exception. Heung-min Son has not started.

That’s no shock. He traveled the farthest of any Tottenham squad member for the international break, and he’ll be a vital factor against his former club Tuesday.

In Son’s absence, Pochettino’s named a formidable attack. Érik Lamela, Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Moussa Sissoko sit behind Vincent Janssen. 

The only surprise in West Brom’s lineup is that they haven’t named four centre-backs. Left-back Allan Nyom comes in for his third start of the season, suggesting that Pulis might be a bit more adventurous at home.

Nacer Chadli remains the West Brom player Tottenham will have to concentrate on. Wanyama can expect to be kept busy cutting off the routes to the Belgian.

Check back at the interval for some half-time thoughts and analysis!