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Preview of Tottenham versus Wolfsberger in Europa League

By Aaron Coe

Players and match officials line up prior to the UEFA Europa League, last 32 first leg football match Wolfsberger AC v Tottenham Hotspur at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on February 18, 2021. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP) (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)
Players and match officials line up prior to the UEFA Europa League, last 32 first leg football match Wolfsberger AC v Tottenham Hotspur at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on February 18, 2021. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP) (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Tottenham, Bale, Sissoko, and Son
Tottenham Hotspur’s Welsh striker Gareth Bale (R) celebrates scoring the 0-2 goal with his team-mates Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean striker Son Heung-Min (L) and Tottenham Hotspur’s French midfielder Moussa Sissoko (C) during the UEFA Europa League, last-32 first leg football match Wolfsberger AC v Tottenham Hotspur at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on February 18, 2021. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP) / ALTERNATIVE CROP (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images) /

Players to Watch

From a Tottenham perspective the player everyone wants to see is Gareth Bale. Ideally, the Welshman starts, comes out like a missile and puts the tie to bed by overwhelming his foes with thunder and lightening. Or at least Bale plays a really good 45 minutes where he scores, makes a few people ask for his shirt, and takes a seat for some youngsters.

Outside of Bale from a Tottenham perspective it is more about positions of focus than it is players, because frankly we do not know who will be playing in those positions. The first position of interest is right back.

At right back we know Serge Aurier is still not ready, so it is Japhet Tanganga or Matt Doherty. Doherty was better last week and then did some things good and bad at the weekend against West Ham. If the plan is to try and possess the ball and attack a lot it may be Doherty. Alternatively, Tanganga provide a bit more defensive balance just less forward thrust. Those two are fighting to be the back-up to Aurier, we might know who that officially is by the end of the match.

The other position(s) of interest is frankly the entirety of the Tottenham midfield. Just when it looked like Tanguy Ndombele and Pierre Højbjerg were the second coming, they ran out of gas or something. Whether it has been overuse or something else, expect both Ndombele and Hujbjerg on the bench to hopefully start and stay. So can Winks, Sissoko or whomever else we may see get it done enough to give the two workhorses a night off? We sure hope so, regardless of who plays in the XI.  

For Wolfsberger, keep an eye on Vizinger

Dario Vizinger is a young (22) Croatian forward for Wolfsberger. While Vizinger has only managed one goal in his six Europa League appearances, he has scored four times in the Bundesliga including just this past weekend. Vizinger’s goal in the 90th minute helped lift Wolfsberger over SK Sturm Graz in Austrian domestic competition.

Wolfsberger is now up to fifth in domestic competition and on the rise, as opposed to Tottenham who are going in the opposite direction. Late winners can instill a lot of confidence and confidence if a really important tool in football, ask West Ham.

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