It's fair to say that the opening game of our Premier League season didn't quite go to plan. The 3-0 defeat at Brentford was a proper drubbing, with the Bees outright bullying a Spurs team that didn't seem ready to compete.
Roberto De Zerbi is still without several critical figures, and the frontline that got the nod on Matchday 1 is set to look very different in short order. A double Manchester City swoop should mean Savinho and Omar Marmoush are available for Saturday's duel with Newcastle United.
Before that, though, Spurs have a Carabao Cup second round tie to navigate. Our European absence this season means the start of the Carabao has come around earlier than ususal, and we're taking on a Charlton Athletic team buzzing from their victory at West Ham United.
A response is necessary from De Zerbi's side here, and this is the team the boss could pick for the midweek cup duel.
Defense: GK Martin Dúbravka - RB Archie Gray - CB Kevin Danso - CB Marcos Senesi - LB Destiny Udogie
Skipper Micky van de Ven remains sidelined, and De Zerbi will hope to have the Dutchman available at the weekend. Spurs have signed two excellent ball-playing defenders in Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi, but neither are particularly athletic.
If Spurs are to thrive in De Zerbi's first full season, they desperately need their captain available for the most part.
Senesi could retain his place ahead of Ben Davies, and Van Hecke should earn some early respite after his worrying debut. Kevin Danso will slot alongside the Argentine. Limited options at right-back should mean Archie Gray remains there, but he may not don the armband on Wednesday night.
On the opposite side, Destiny Udogie's cameo off the bench was encouraging. De Zerbi will hope his compatriot can get an hour under his belt here.
Midfield: DM Rodrigo Bentancur - DM Mateus Fernandes - AM James Maddison
Lucas Bergvall's horror first half in West London may convince the club to sell. De Zerbi turned to Rodrigo Bentancur at the interval, and although he gave away a penalty almost immediately, the Uruguayan did at least establish a sense of calm.
Mateus Fernandes is working his way back to full fitness from a knock, but should be fine to start here after playing the second half of Saturday's chastening defeat. The Portuguese midfielder is central to De Zerbi's grand plans in possession.
Ahead of those two, could we see James Maddison start for the first time in a competitive fixture since the end of the 2024/25 season? This feels like the right fixture for our No. 10 to ease into the new season, with supporters having little interest in watching Conor Gallagher chase his first touch for 90 minutes in a Carabao Cup second-round tie.
Forwards: LW Lucá Williams-Barnett - ST Dominic Solanke - RW Mikey Moore
Dominic Solanke should be the starter on Saturday against Newcastle, but I wouldn't be against giving him a run out here. Richarlison wasn't the primary issue at Brentford, although the Brazilian is hardly the solution to the current lack of quality Spurs boast in attack.
There could be a double dose of academy talent out wide, with Lucá Williams-Barnett making his first senior start after a dazzling preseason. Mikey Moore started at the weekend and missed Spurs' best chance of the match at the start of the second half.
The 19-year-old may yet find himself out on loan this season, but De Zerbi will utilise him while he's still here. Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus still aren't ready.
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