What Spurs fans can expect in final Tottenham pre-season game vs Roma
By Aaron Coe
With the start of the regular season just a week away, Tottenham Hotspur plays their final pre-season game Saturday against AS Roma; what should fans expect?
Tottenham Hotspur has one last chance to get things right before the Premier League season begins next Saturday versus Southampton. Although continuing to integrate the six new signings into the side should be a priority, preparing for the Saints is job number one for Antonio Conte. With Spurs facing defending UEFA Conference League Champion AS Roma and their former coach, Jose Mourinho, it should be a stern test for the club ahead of the season, so what should we expect Saturday evening?
Conte, Tottenham, will look to dress for success
Restaurants have soft launches, Broadway shows have dress rehearsals, and Tottenham will have this I-Tech Cup match against Mourinho and Roma. Although both Rangers and Sevilla provided strong opposition for Spurs, neither game was necessarily played to win. And although winning is not the most important thing Saturday, getting the team prepared to win is, and this game will be approached like the bullets are real.
We should expect several players to go close to, if not the full 90 minutes for Spurs. Even with five subs per match this season, most players will have to play for the full game, and Saturday is the last chance to get ready for that. Not only will a few players play the full match, we should also expect a line-up that reflects closely what the Saints will face next weekend at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Again, the outcome means nothing in the big scheme of things; however, playing against Mourinho for the I-Tech Cup to maintain an unbeaten pre-season are all reasons the team can use to make the match as meaningful as possible, all in preparation for the Saints.