Tottenham Hotspur projected XI to face Leicester City
By Aaron Coe
Despite coming off their first campaign defeat, we do not expect many changes to the Tottenham Hotspur starting XI, as reflected in our projected XI.
Tottenham Hotspur let one slip away midweek in Lisbon, Portugal, concerning two goals at the death. Conceding two goals at the death may have been the right wake-up call for a Spurs team facing a Leicester City squad that has lost five straight but had Spurs beaten until injury time last season. Regardless, we expect the players hearing that bell to be many of the same ones who capitulated late the last time out.
Tottenham Projected Defense
Spurs will stick with their three-man back-line, despite some fans and maybe even a pundit or two calling for a back four. The one change we expect to see here is the continued rotation at left-back.
Left-back – Clement Lenglet
Ben Davies started and played a full 90-minutes while Clement Lenglet was an unused substitute against Sporting in the Champions League. Last weekend against Fulham in the Premier League, it was the exact opposite, with Lenglet playing the entire match. We anticipate Conte to flip back to Lenglet, who has acclimated into the squad and adds more of a passing threat than Ben Davies.
Center-back – Eric Dier
The England call-up, Eric Dier, will lead the back-line for Tottenham on Saturday. Dier has played well this season, but that does not mean he has not been beaten. Rather, Dier is a steady influence in the back that serves as a key ingredient in the passing game. Expect that to continue against Leicester, with Dier likely to get an assist on an over-the-top long-ball.
Right-back – Cristian Romero
Arguably, Davinson Sanchez has had the better start to the season, and if you watch Cristian Romero play, you have to wonder if the Argentine is still carrying an injury. That said, Romero’s game is a big part of the Tottenham game plan, and his work between the middle and attacking third is critical in breaking up counterattacks.
Goalkeeper – Hugo Lloris
After giving up two goals, a casual observer might think Hugo Lloris did not play well against Sporting Lisbon midweek. However, those who watched the game know that Lloris was as big a reason the game stayed scoreless for 90 minutes as was his counterpart Adan on the other end. Hugo was having a great day with a couple of world-class saves on the day, including one immediately preceding the corner kick goal until he wasn’t. There is no reason to think he is not starting against Leicester.