Match Preview; Spurs v NS Mura (another humiliation?)
Is humiliation on the cards again for us? We allowed three goals in against Crystal Palace and another three against Chelsea. Still, if that wasn’t bad enough, we ended up with a hat-trick of defeats, the third time was against our old enemy, Arsenal (who started off the season at the bottom of the league, where we will end up if we aren’t careful), who ran riot in the London derby as Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka all netted before Son consolation in a humbling 3-1 defeat.
Then there was our game against Wolves in the League Cup, where we had had to rely on penalties to eventually beat them and could only take one point from our inaugural Conference League group-stage clash, as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s 76th-minute effort saw us rescue a draw away to Rennes.
We only have one win to brag about from our last five in all competitions, and we have conceded 13 goals in that cheerless streak.
Thoughts
If we fail to record a win over Mura and Villa before the International break, the pressure will be on Levy to sack Nuno, but that isn’t where our problems lie; it lies with the master himself. Changing managers won’t change the philosophy of the club.
Prediction
Talking to a Tottenham friend recently, I said that we will either lose the game against Mura or draw; while I can see Villa beating us, they aren’t doing bad at the moment, and of course, above us. The trouble is, Tottenham are like a game of Russian roulette; we don’t know which chamber the fatal bullet is in. In other words, we could win, as just as well lose. We have no consistency, no vision or no gumption.
The other problem is we don’t know what team will turn out or who Nuno will pick, so it could be anybody’s guess. It could be anything from a draw to a 1-0 win to 5-0. However, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Mura wins this game. Take your pick?
Team News
Steven Bergwijn is yet to recover from injury, while Ryan Sessegnon is also nursing a hamstring strain and is unlikely to be passed fit.
Nuno is expected to make substantial alterations for this tie, with Pierluigi Gollini, Joe Rodon, Cristian Romero, Bryan Gil and Oliver Skipp all likely to be recalled to the first XI.
My predicted lineup:
Gollini; Tanganga, Romero, Rodon, Davies; Lo Celso, Skipp, Winks; Lucas, Kane, Gil
This is our first-ever meeting with Mura in any competition. We have never lost in our three previous meetings with Slovenian sides, most recently beating Maribor in the 2012-13 Europa League group stages.
Tottenham Hotspur Europa Conference League form:
D
Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):
WLDLWL
NS Mura Europa Conference League form:
L
NS Mura form (all competitions):
WWLWDD
All very depressing… whatever happens tonight, it will be a long time before we are out of the woods. I can’t see us getting beyond 7th place this season unless we make drastic improvements.
I will be there tonight, so hopefully, I will see you there… take care, 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
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”