Match Preview: Spurs v West Bromwich Albion (Potential).
Mourinho said that he saw “potential” at Chelsea. There is always potential, even in failure. The team that crashes out of the Premier League has “potential” to win the Championship. Somebody who cuts his own testicles off has the “potential” to be a eunuch (and the protector of women).
My thoughts
As usual, and what is becoming a habit, Jose Mourinho conducted a post-match examination after our third successive defeat in the league. This is the first time since November 2012 under Andre Villas-Boas.
Mourinho believes that we should have got something out of the match, and points to Carlos Vinicius’ late miss as evidence in his case that we should have got something, but in reality, that doesn’t help us. Any team that loses can point to such “evidence” to show that they should have got something out of a poor team performance. But the truth of the matter is, they won, we lost and didn’t deserve to win on our showing.
Three wins from the last 12 league games, the same sequence that saw Mauricio Pochettino sacked. Troubled times for Mourinho. Liverpool outclassed us on our own patch, Brighton fully deserved their win (to be fair, they went on and also beat Liverpool).
We showed a lack of ambition right from the getgo, we lacked ideas for the first 45 minutes and the second half wasn’t that much better.
One positive side – for Mourinho – was that there was no 60,000 + crowd screaming insults at him. Maybe a few smashed TV screens, but no bodily injuries (as far as I know).
If we weren’t still in the FA Cup, Final of the League Cup and in the Europa League’s play-offs, he (Jose) might be waving for a taxi by now.
Asked by a television reporter why Bale did not come on, Mourinho replied: “Good question. You do not deserve to know the answer.” When asked about Bale in his press conference a little later, he said, “I am doing my best. He is doing his best. Everybody is doing their best.”
Mourinho needs to stop the rot, and quickly after what the fans and the nation witnessed. Sam Allardyce might just relish seeing a further upset when coming to our brand new – crowd less – stadium.
Rant over!
TEAM NEWS
Spurs
Mourinho is likely to make changes, with Lucas Moura and Harry Winks pushing for recalls.
Harry Kane, Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso remain sidelined, while Dele Alli is in doubt due to a calf strain.
WBA
West Brom could hand debuts to Ainsley Maitland-Niles and fellow loanee Okay Yokuslu, who has now been granted a work permit.
Grady Diangana has not featured since early January, and his fitness will again be assessed ahead of the game.
My thoughts on the game between us and Sam’s boys
First some good news; Harry Kane will be back from injury sooner than expected. Even without him, we should still be too strong for West Brom (but didn’t I say the same when we faced Brighton and a few others?).
The Baggies have picked up only one point from their past four games and are 10 points from safety.
If we can score one, I can see others coming. But first, the ice-breaker.
My predicted XI (3-4-3): Hugo Lloris, Joe Rodon, Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, Serge Aurier, Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Winks, Ben Davies, Gareth Bale, Carlos Vinicius, Son
Prediction: 4-0+
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
We are looking to complete a first league double over West Brom since 2011-12.
Albion have won just one of their past 14 trips to our stadium in all competitions, drawing six times and losing seven.
The Baggies’ most recent triumph at our ground was 1-0 in the Premier League in September 2014.
Tottenham Hotspur
We have suffered three successive Premier League defeats for the first time since November 2012.
We have recorded just two wins in 10 league games, drawing three and losing five.
We have lost four of our past five league matches without the injured Harry Kane, drawing the other.
We have dropped points in seven of our11 home league fixtures.
Jose Mourinho experienced back-to-back home league defeats for the first time in his 327th game as a manager on Thursday.
Mourinho has not faced West Brom at home since his then-Manchester United side were beaten 1-0 in 2018.
Son has contributed to 16 goals in his past 15 league appearances against promoted sides, scoring nine and assisting seven.
West Bromwich Albion
West Brom have won just one of their past 12 league matches, drawing three times and losing eight.
They have conceded 26 goals in nine league games under Sam Allardyce. The Premier League record for most goals conceded by a new manager in their opening 10 matches is 28.
Albion have let in 52 Premier League goals this season, 14 more than any other side.
The Baggies are yet to keep an away clean sheet in 2020-21.
Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has conceded 50 Premier League goals in his first 21 appearances – the joint-quickest a keeper has ever reached that total in the competition’s history.
West Brom have claimed just three points from a possible 33 against sides that begin the weekend in the top half.
Allardyce has never beaten Jose Mourinho in their 12 Premier League meetings, drawing three times and losing nine.
Well, fingers crossed and hope for the best. And that is for a stomping good victory! Anything less will be another disaster and a nail in Mourinho’s coffin.
Best Regards, Glenn
COYS!
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
I am currently a Premium Season Ticket holder (West Stand) in the new stadium. Before that – at White Hart Lane – a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground (mainly in the North stand).
Before becoming a season ticket holder, I stood on the shelf and various other parts of the ground since the 1950s. In 1987 I became one of the first to hold a Spurs Membership card. I was also a life long member of the Spurs supporters club (now defunct).
I go to all home, away and abroad matches.
I was born in 1955, Edgware, London (it was in the late 50s – as a baby – that my dad took me to Spurs to initiate me). I currently live in Berkshire.
I also collect all Spurs books (and have everyone printed), Spurs handbooks (from 1920s onwards, Spurs programmes (since the 40s).
Previously, I wrote for Spurs Fanzines: The Spur, Spur of the Moment, My Eyes have seen the Glory and various other Spurs fanzines’. I also wrote for the SpursWeb app & its website.
I currently write and work for spursnetwork.com and its website. I write its Reviews & Match reports and a lot more.
My other interests are; reading, history, social history, Politics, going to the gym, wine, going out for a meal, music (all sorts), writing, theatre, concerts, holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
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