After a series of qualifying matches culminating in a playoff win, Tottenham Hotspur are finally in the Europa League proper, so who do Spurs start to get off on the front foot?
After an exciting but open and down start record wise to the season, Tottenham Hotspur look to get out on the front foot to start their Europa League campaign hosting LASK at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening. Given the team last played Sunday and next play on Monday, pretty much everyone healthy is available to play.
Given the expanded rosters of 23 players in UEFA competition for Group Stage and beyond this season Jose Mourinho will have a vast player selection at his disposal to face the Austrian side in the opener. Tottenham Hotspur should dominate, or at least look too according to manager Jose Mourinho in his pre-match commentary.
With the idea of domination from the off and for a complete 90 minutes in mind, Tottenham Hotspur will field a strong side that features many of the players who both earned and lost the lead versus West Ham on Sunday. Further based on Mourinho’s commentary, Davinson Sanchez will be one of those XI, but despite admitting that he and the team know, Mourinho was not going to divulge the details to the press.
With Joe Rodon unavailable for the Group Stages as well as Japhet Tanganga and Eric Dier out, Toby Alderweireld is the only other first team center-half available, so maybe we know that too. Who else do we think is going to get the start, who gets left off the bench and who might come off the pine to play as Tottenham host LASK in an Europa League Group Stage opener? Click on to see.
Spurs Goalkeeper and Defenders
Joe Hart (GK) – Based on what we saw in the qualifying matches, Joe Hart is going to get his chance in some of the competitions this season and right now Europa League is the secondary competition to the Premier League, so Hart gets the nod here. While there may be some debate about whether three keepers should be on the team sheet, no debate about who the top two are in Hart and Captain Hugo Lloris.
Matt Doherty (RB) – After Serge Aurier started on Sunday in Premier League, it should be Matt Doherty’s turn to get a run out. Unless Mourinho is planning on having them play a week and then sit a week, rotating between games makes the most sense. Aurier was sound in his last outing but did commit the foul that ultimately led to the tying goal, not that it would be a reason to sit him, but something to think about psychologically for the team.
Davinson Sanchez (CB) – Davinson Sanchez is the one known entity in the starting line-up for LASK, after Jose Mourinho’s pre-match presser. Mourinho is using all his nous to build up his defender who is likely a bit shaken following his rough outing on Sunday versus West Ham. Besides the own goal, Sanchez had some shaky moments clearing the ball, but this game should be what he needs to get right again.
Toby Alderweireld (CB) – With both Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga sidelined due to injury and Joe Rodon not in the squad, the options at center half are limited for the team. We get the same two we saw versus West Ham, but this time Toby plays on the left of the pair and Sanchez on the right. This is just the better-balanced use of the two, despite what Toby may prefer.
Ben Davies (LB) – Sergio Reguilón has been good since joining Spurs, assisting both Erik Lamela and Harry Kane. The assist to Kane was a thing of beauty. However, Reguilón played on Sunday and it is Ben Davies turn. While Davies could take the role of the left-sided center-half next to Davinson Sanchez to give Toby some rest, my guess is he plays in his preferred left back position.
Tottenham Midfielders
Harry Winks (CM) – Winks played only a small part in the Sunday draw with the Hammers, but his poor touch and inability to clear the ball right at the end of the game led directly to the Lanzini shot heard around London. Winks needs an opportunity to right the ship and prove himself. Additionally, the options at the back end of the midfield are limited in general as most of the midfield talent is better suited further up the pitch.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (CM) – An almost automatic on the team sheet now Pierre-Emile Højbjerg makes a world of difference in the team. He allows attacking players to push forward and helps protect his back line behind him. While Sissoko was solid Sunday, Højbjerg is the best back of the midfield option in the squad and should pretty much start every match, barring injury.
Tanguy Ndombele (CAM) – There was a stark difference in Tottenham Hotspur before and after Gareth Bale came on the pitch Sunday and it had nothing to do with Bale and everything to do with Ndombele. Tanguy has really grown into Jose’s system and is the one creative player capable of playing just about any ball at any time and everyone on the pitch knows it. Therefore, you see Spurs sprint and raise their hand every time he gets the ball and the defensive back pedal and square up. Gio Lo Celso will hopefully get some minutes to knock off the rust, but Ndombele should be the key cog in the midfield.
Hotspur Forwards
Son Heung-Min (LW) – The Korean winger continues to shine scoring again thanks to a Harry Kane assist on Sunday. Right now, it seems the only thing that can stop Son would be Son himself and Mourinho by taking him off the pitch. With the team in need of a statement, Son starts, scores, and does his thing for Spurs.
Harry Kane (ST) – Harry Kane continues to evolve as a player. Frankly, if we see Vinicius come in and Lo Celso is not ready to replace Ndombele I could see Kane moving to the position behind Vinicius in the midfield. Whether knocking in goals, sending in crosses, or setting up his mates with the long ball, Kane is currently hitting on all cylinders and we should all try to enjoy it.
Lucas Moura (RW) –Steven Bergwijn started Sunday against West Ham and Moura came on later in the match. With a bit of rotation in mind, we get the opposite here with Moura starting and Bergwijn or even Gareth Bale coming on for the Brazilian late on in the match. With the competition now available along with form of Kane and Son, Moura may only get so many chances to show his stuff before Bale, or Bergwijn pass him by.
Tottenham’s Big Bench
Following the Covid-induced experimentation of last season, UEFA decided to stick with the expanded rosters and expanded substitution rules for the Group Stages and beyond in both Champions League and Europa League. This means Tottenham can have just about everyone on the bench, and given the players not available for various reasons – Dier, Tanganga, Fernandes, Gazzaniga, and Rodon – this leaves Mourinho with exactly 23 total senior players available to him, the exact number he can take to the game.
So, when you may have heard the quote from Mourinho is he taking everyone on the bench, that literally, minus the exceptions noted, is the case. This means, Bergwijn, Bale, Lo Celso, Vinicius, Reguilón, Lloris, Lamela, Dele, Sissoko, and Aurier are all on the bench and available to Mourinho. Additionally, given the numbers Jack Clarke should be on the bench, then either Alfie Whiteman as the third keeper or maybe another youngster like Harvey White.
Either way, there will be a deep bench, which could produce a line-up that could win many a match and hopefully we see five of them play, including some faces we have not seen before or much of late anyway.
What do you think, who starts, who sits, who is in the stands?