The beauty of winning those first 3 Europa games was the freedom it gave us here. This was our only match outside of London between the international breaks. This game simply does not matter - plenty will disagree with that, but in broader terms, Spurs can get some 5-0 here and it has implications on our season whatsoever.

Not taking 3 points at home to Ipswich would be disastrous though.

For Ange - well people questioned his position going into the first international break. Going into the 3rd international break we could be 3rd, more or less guaranteed through in the Europa and in the league cup quarter final. This, despite abysmal away form.

It’s a funny old game

Luca Williams Barnett is about 16. Could be the next jewell in the youth team.

Olusesi has a decent rep. Same age as Moore

Luca Williams Barnett plays for the U18s and has 5 goals & 3 assists in 5 games so far.

Correct decision. In the grand scheme of things it's a bit of a nothing game and we desperately need to avoid more injuries.

While for me Europa league is the priority this season, the good work in the first 3 games has earned us some flexibility for this one.

Fully behind a shadow team playing in Galatasaray. Ipswich game, given the other fixtures this weekend, is the priority. From now on we can go strong in the Homer Europa games and weak in the away ones and qualify top 8 without too much Bother.

A point would be a stunning result.. Fingers crossed

This is a free hit really, dropping points not the end of the world, would have left Son behind too wrapped up for weekend and probably played Richarlison who desperately needs minutes

With our current injury issues I guess we have to only take and play the players who are actually fit to play and not take any risks with others.

It's what the wider squad is for I guess.

We have to use the players that are available and if that means the youngsters get a go then so be it. They need the experience.

In the scheme of it we can afford to lose or draw this game...... hopefully a win.

comment by Dave&Danny dynamic (U4428)
posted 41 minutes ago
This is a free hit really, dropping points not the end of the world, would have left Son behind too wrapped up for weekend and probably played Richarlison who desperately needs minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Richy isn’t 100% so can’t play really.

Remaining Europe games include:

Roma @ WHL, they are apparently a shambles at the moment on the verge of sacking their manager who only came in in the summer.

Rangers (a) - that will be red hot but surely there for the beating

Hoffenheim (a) - no idea what state they're in but we could be 15 pts by then.

Elfsburg (h) - Everyone knows Elfs knock-off on Christmas eve so they'll be in the beach. Seriously though, i think its their winter break

Does anyone know if the draw for the KO rounds is seeded...does it matter where you come in the top 8?

and I presume as a minimum the top 8 are drawn against the winners from the extra KO round (places 9-16). And is the extra KO round a random draw of does their position in the table influence who they play (9th vs 16th for example??)

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 18 minutes ago
Remaining Europe games include:

Roma @ WHL, they are apparently a shambles at the moment on the verge of sacking their manager who only came in in the summer.

Rangers (a) - that will be red hot but surely there for the beating

Hoffenheim (a) - no idea what state they're in but we could be 15 pts by then.

Elfsburg (h) - Everyone knows Elfs knock-off on Christmas eve so they'll be in the beach. Seriously though, i think its their winter break

Does anyone know if the draw for the KO rounds is seeded...does it matter where you come in the top 8?

and I presume as a minimum the top 8 are drawn against the winners from the extra KO round (places 9-16). And is the extra KO round a random draw of does their position in the table influence who they play (9th vs 16th for example??)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Roma are poor - 13th in the league
Rangers - 3rd in a 2 team league currently
Hoffenheim - in the relegation zone in Germany
Elfsborg - off season

We should have little problem taking 9/10 points from that lot.

If you finish 1st in the group stage, you then play the worst ranking side that qualify for the last 16 and so on. You also get to play at home in the second leg.

I’ve no idea how this works from the QF onwards, whether it’s an open draw at that point or structured as before

comment by Striketeam7 - staying humble (U18109)
posted 55 minutes ago
comment by Dave&Danny dynamic (U4428)
posted 41 minutes ago
This is a free hit really, dropping points not the end of the world, would have left Son behind too wrapped up for weekend and probably played Richarlison who desperately needs minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Richy isn’t 100% so can’t play really.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Off course, naturally

Giving the team Spurs are likely to field in Turkey I think I will cash out my bet on a Spurs win. Definitely losing this one.

Ange should be telling his fringe players “here is your chance to stake a claim”

The youngsters will get a very valuable 90 mins in a competitive match in a hostile stadium - this is a better test than anything they have had before and will help battle harden them

comment by Striketeam7 - staying humble (U18109)
posted 10 minutes ago
Ange should be telling his fringe players “here is your chance to stake a claim”

The youngsters will get a very valuable 90 mins in a competitive match in a hostile stadium - this is a better test than anything they have had before and will help battle harden them
----------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------Big Fraze

Gray......Radu.........Dorrington.......Davies

..........................Biss

.................Madders.......Bergvall

Moore...............Lankshear............Son

Moore out apparently. Virus, so left at home

Yeh, little chance of a result in this one, I would take a draw right now.

The bookies seem to be in agreement, as Gala are even money favourites for the win

what position does Dante Cassanova play?

comment by Striketeam7 - staying humble (U18109)
posted 5 hours, 20 minutes ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 18 minutes ago
Remaining Europe games include:

Roma @ WHL, they are apparently a shambles at the moment on the verge of sacking their manager who only came in in the summer.

Rangers (a) - that will be red hot but surely there for the beating

Hoffenheim (a) - no idea what state they're in but we could be 15 pts by then.

Elfsburg (h) - Everyone knows Elfs knock-off on Christmas eve so they'll be in the beach. Seriously though, i think its their winter break

Does anyone know if the draw for the KO rounds is seeded...does it matter where you come in the top 8?

and I presume as a minimum the top 8 are drawn against the winners from the extra KO round (places 9-16). And is the extra KO round a random draw of does their position in the table influence who they play (9th vs 16th for example??)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Roma are poor - 13th in the league
Rangers - 3rd in a 2 team league currently
Hoffenheim - in the relegation zone in Germany
Elfsborg - off season

We should have little problem taking 9/10 points from that lot.

If you finish 1st in the group stage, you then play the worst ranking side that qualify for the last 16 and so on. You also get to play at home in the second leg.

I’ve no idea how this works from the QF onwards, whether it’s an open draw at that point or structured as before
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmmmm

Not too sure about that - as I read it 1-8 qualify straight away. Don’t think they are ranked.
9-16 go into playoff as seeded teams and 17-24 unseeded. 2 leg play offs
Then the winners of those play off games become unseeded against the top 8 (now seeded) in the round of 16
Can’t find anything about not playing someone you’ve played before of from the same national league like in the old format


https://www.uefa.com/newformatexplainer/#!/admin/slideshow/presentation/1/chapter/1/slide/10

Anyway - glad he’s playing the kids - as others have said should qualify top 8 anyway and a win v Ipswich is critical
👍

i know he is injured so it wouldnt matter here, but not having spence in the europa league squad is absolutely ridiculous

comment by The Mighty Tottenham Hotspur. (U7858)
posted 8 hours, 11 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - staying humble (U18109)
posted 5 hours, 20 minutes ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 18 minutes ago
Remaining Europe games include:

Roma @ WHL, they are apparently a shambles at the moment on the verge of sacking their manager who only came in in the summer.

Rangers (a) - that will be red hot but surely there for the beating

Hoffenheim (a) - no idea what state they're in but we could be 15 pts by then.

Elfsburg (h) - Everyone knows Elfs knock-off on Christmas eve so they'll be in the beach. Seriously though, i think its their winter break

Does anyone know if the draw for the KO rounds is seeded...does it matter where you come in the top 8?

and I presume as a minimum the top 8 are drawn against the winners from the extra KO round (places 9-16). And is the extra KO round a random draw of does their position in the table influence who they play (9th vs 16th for example??)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Roma are poor - 13th in the league
Rangers - 3rd in a 2 team league currently
Hoffenheim - in the relegation zone in Germany
Elfsborg - off season

We should have little problem taking 9/10 points from that lot.

If you finish 1st in the group stage, you then play the worst ranking side that qualify for the last 16 and so on. You also get to play at home in the second leg.

I’ve no idea how this works from the QF onwards, whether it’s an open draw at that point or structured as before
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmmmm

Not too sure about that - as I read it 1-8 qualify straight away. Don’t think they are ranked.
9-16 go into playoff as seeded teams and 17-24 unseeded. 2 leg play offs
Then the winners of those play off games become unseeded against the top 8 (now seeded) in the round of 16
Can’t find anything about not playing someone you’ve played before of from the same national league like in the old format


https://www.uefa.com/newformatexplainer/#!/admin/slideshow/presentation/1/chapter/1/slide/10

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From ESPN

To try to make every game important through to the final day, UEFA has linked a club's final league position to the knockout bracket, meaning where a club finishes affects their path. The higher you are placed, the easier the route (based on league ranking) through to the final. For instance, the teams who finish in first and second cannot play each other until the final; those who are third and fourth would avoid first and second until the semifinals, and so on

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/41040476/champions-league-draw-how-new-format-works

Although it’s CL, it’s the exact same format for the Europa.

It essentially works like the NFL playoffs with the rankings.

There is only 1 KO round draw as well this time - which won’t be a real draw, it will just be UEFA setting out the paths.

For me, it still doesn’t make winning the group important for Spurs - Lazio are top at the moment, but if we’re in a semi final, is there any gulf in quality between Lazio, Man United, Porto, Bilbao, etc.

Top 8 is fine - it’s all difficult from the QF stage anyway

comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 8 hours, 19 minutes ago
i know he is injured so it wouldnt matter here, but not having spence in the europa league squad is absolutely ridiculous
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Indeed it is and should be rectified in Jan - not just Spence, Reguilon as well. It’s meant Udogie getting flogged to death.

Now we’re going to Istanbul and either giving Dorrington a start and playing Ben Davies at LB or we’re starting a 16 year old at LB in on e of the most hostile atmospheres in world football.

a wee update....

I took my ITK from the Evening Standard, but have now seen on Spurs Insta that the likes of Udogie, Deki & BJ have also travelled.

No harm in 20-30 minutes but would be great to keep the key men wrapped up.