Match Preview: Spurs vs Manchester United
My prediction, team news, lineups and thoughts…
If Cristian Stellini had been still in charge, I would have gone for a 4 or 5-goal defeat… and probably the same for Sunday… But now we got Young-Mason… a child prodigy of Levy’s.
Mason has already been in charge of one of Tottenham’s failed teams (when he took over from Mourinho), and now, in the wisdom of Levy and the board, he will be in charge of another shambles of a team. So, how will we predict this one… is anybody’s guess.
The last few days have been comical… catastrophic even… nevertheless, we return to the capital to take on Premier League top-four opponents Manchester United this Thursday night. It doesn’t rain, it pours.
“Wholly unacceptable” and “devastating” were the words used by a glum Daniel Levy to describe our game against Newcastle this weekend. Yes, the Magpies ripped Stellini’s back-four experiment to shreds with five goals inside just 21 minutes at St James’ Park. Oh, and for that pleasure, we fans are getting our ticket money back… nothing about the train fares or hotel bills.
Just over 24 hours after our humiliation, Stellini was inevitably sacked from his post, just one of many farcical episodes for us as Ryan Mason takes charge for the time being (send in the clowns repeatedly as no lessons are learnt… just the same shambles repeated over and over again).
Our chance of a top-four spot are now wilting away, sitting sixth in the rankings but six points behind Man United and Newcastle, who have both played fewer games, while Brighton and Liverpool could also leapfrog us should they also win their games in hand.
Some have said that Mason at least possesses some top-level management experience, overseeing the end of the 2020-21 season after Jose Mourinho left. Don’t make me laugh… he was a joke then and will be a joke now. Don’t forget he was part of Mourinho’s, Conte’s and Stellini’s backroom staff, thus failures.
We have both scored and conceded in our last six games since our goalless draw with AC Milan back in March. Still, the defeat to Bournemouth earlier this month ended a five-game winning home run in the Premier League. It would take a special case of a new manager bouncing back for us and somehow keeping our Champions League dream alive. If he could do that, he would certainly be considered a child genius and probably get a job in fairyland. Now back to reality…
Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:
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Manchester United Premier League form:
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Manchester United form (all competitions):
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Team News
As if the five-goal demolition at Newcastle was not bad enough for us, we have now been dealt a fresh blow with number one Hugo Lloris out because of a hip problem from the Newcastle game.
Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Emerson Royal (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) and Yves Bissouma (ankle) are also out.
While both Clement Lenglet and Ben Davies were fit enough to watch on from the bench at St James’ Park.
My possible starting lineup:
Forster; Romero, Dier, Davies; Porro, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Perisic; Kulusevski, Kane, Son
My prediction…
This is a hard one… do I give Mason the benefit of the doubt? OK, 2-1to us… however, it wouldn’t surprise me if we conceded another couple of goals and went down in a chorus of boos.
Could Mason get a little lift, and his team still find the back of the net with ease during our troubles… we would hope so… but the world doesn’t work like that… it usually just laughs while the clowns go down in a puff of smoke whilst the audience looks on with tears in their eyes… unless it is United’s fans eyes that have tears in them… but those tears will be of joy.
If we should lose, then this match will set the tone for our game against Liverpool on Sunday… should we win… it will be more down to blind luck than Mason’s stumbling fingers. Whichever way we look at it… things are not looking good, while Daniel Levy has the reins of Our beloved team.
Amen…
COYS!
Glenn
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, going on holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”
