[lex talionis]

It should be

.................... Onana

...... de Ligt - Maguire - Yoro

Mazraoui - Ugarte - Bruno - Dorgu

.... Amad - Zirkzee - Garnacho

As much as I hate the idea of not starting Mainoo, this looks like the right call. Ugarte and Bruno are hard workers and both have to start IMO. Dorgu on the left, please. Although Zirkzee looks like a bust I can see him playing into the game after 20-25 minutes in a way that Hojlund for some mad reason never does. And if Zirkzee drops a turd, then by all means let's turn to Hojlund.

 

[Dve]

As much as I hate the idea of not starting Mainoo, this looks like the right call. Ugarte and Bruno are hard workers and both have to start IMO. Dorgu on the left, please. Although Zirkzee looks like a bust I can see him playing into the game after 20-25 minutes in a way that Hojlund for some mad reason never does. And if Zirkzee drops a turd, then by all means let's turn to Hojlund.

I think Zirkzee is a better fit to Amad + Garnacho as tens. Adds physicality, while they can do the runs behind. Besides, the chemistry between Hojlund and Garnacho seems none-existence.

 

[cpresc]

Ruben ain’t getting sacked for 6 wins out of 8 in 2025

Ah statistics

 

[julianfr]

As much as I hate the idea of not starting Mainoo, this looks like the right call. Ugarte and Bruno are hard workers and both have to start IMO. Dorgu on the left, please. Although Zirkzee looks like a bust I can see him playing into the game after 20-25 minutes in a way that Hojlund for some mad reason never does. And if Zirkzee drops a turd, then by all means let's turn to Hojlund.

Hopefully they pick the turd off the pitch first. The last thing we need to do is provide something else for Hojlund to slip on.

 

[saivet]

How I'd like to see us line up:

Onana
Mazraoui, De Ligt, Yoro
Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dorgu
Bruno, Garnacho
Zirkzee
​

 

[VP89]

How I'd like to see us line up:

Onana
Mazraoui, De Ligt, Yoro
Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dorgu
Bruno, Garnacho
Zirkzee
​

Definitely this

 

[Wrecking ralf]

Why not eh,

Zirkzee​

Garnacho Mainoo​

Dorgu Bruno Collyer Amad

Heaven De Ligt Yoro​

Onana​

 

[Ole'sattheWheel]

How I'd like to see us line up:

Onana
Mazraoui, De Ligt, Yoro
Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dorgu
Bruno, Garnacho
Zirkzee
​

I agree but feck me how bleak is that team to look at? I like maybe 2 or 3 of them

 

[VP89]

I agree but feck me how bleak is that team to look at? I like maybe 2 or 3 of them

There's a lot to like in that team but maybe it's just me

 

[rooney2009]

I agree but feck me how bleak is that team to look at? I like maybe 2 or 3 of them

Apart from Onana, who else don’t you like. I think it’s a very young and likeable team and they just need to perform consistently.

 

[Insanity]

Wonder why do people keep putting de Ligt as a CCB in their line-ups when Maguire has done much better than him in the position this season and the manager also seems to prefer 'Arry. We have one game a week for the next couple of weeks and I hope Amo doesn't tinker with the defensive three any more. The three of Maz, Maguire and Yoro need to play together and build some consistency. I have never seen a good team without a settled central defensive pairing. We need one too for the rest of the season if we have to get something out of it.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

How I'd like to see us line up:

Onana
Mazraoui, De Ligt, Yoro
Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dorgu
Bruno, Garnacho
Zirkzee
​

I would put Collyer in the middle and move Mainoo into #10. Garnacho off the bench is much better.

 

[saivet]

I would put Collyer in the middle and move Mainoo into #10. Garnacho off the bench is much better.

I think Garnacho has done enough to be starting to be honest. Agree that he's usually more effective off the bench but I don't think we have the depth to be limiting him to being an impact sub right now. I think the wingback situation forces us to play Amad there, otherwise we look completely toothless.

 

[Cassidy]

I would put Collyer in the middle and move Mainoo into #10. Garnacho off the bench is much better.

Mainoo on the bench and all good

 

[Havak]

Spurs are worse than us at the moment and despite both of us being awful, I think we should have probably nicked it in the end against them in the League Cup tie!

It's an odd scenario with nothing on the line but it still feels big for both managers. Probably more-so Ange as they've just gone out of both domestic cups and are below us in the league. Highly likely both sides stay out of a true relegation battle, but I think Levy will be seriously questioning if Ange can win them the Europa League or if he can find someone better this month to try and achieve that and save their season.

We're basically in the same boat but at least have the FA Cup as well to aim for and I don't think Amorim's job is really in question this season. It might have been if we had about six points less mind you (and lost this game). We're just so poor at scoring goals, even an injury hit Spurs side would fancy their chances as they have Son and a few others who could turn it on. You might only need to score 1 or 2 to bury us.

We just need too much of everything... Enthusiasm, energy, athleticism, power, quality, creativity, finishing, awareness, concentration... It's so, so bad when you need to drastically improve everything a good football team needs Thankfully, we might only need to improve about 25% to sneak the win by a goal against Spurs.

 

[The Brown Bull]

3 point lane.

 

[DRJosh]

I hope Garnacho starts on the bench. His main strength lies as an impact sub.

 

[Zed 101]

So glad Ange has not got the sack yet, too often we play teams with a new manager 1st or 2nd game

This could be a straight shitshow, Spurs cannot defend and we cannot attack

Would be surprised if we get anything from this game

 

[Infra-red]

So glad Ange has not got the sack yet, too often we play teams with a new manager 1st or 2nd game

This could be a straight shitshow, Spurs cannot defend and we cannot attack

Would be surprised if we get anything from this game

Spurs should have some key players returning, including defenders. They will also have had a week's rest for the first time since mid-November, which, for a team that presses as aggressively as they do, could prove significant. Basically, I don't think they will be quite as terrible as they have been in recent weeks, so we'll need to play pretty well to beat them.

 

[fergiewherearethou]

I guess that if we manage to keep the score tight in the first half when they will press us and attack us, we might get something from this game.
If we start like we usually do, slow and lethargic and allow 2-3 goals, it will obviously be over.

 

[soapythecat]

Spurs will dominate us from the start. Ange can see how to play through our midfield and we will make it easy for them. I’d be amazed if we get a point from here but it will be a 2/3-0 loss and the pressure on Amorin to change the formation will be unbearable.

 

[RuudTom83]

This has the potential to be hilariously bad.

Hope both teams just say fook it! and we get to watch a 5-3.

 

[Hughes35]

Thats what I'd like to see also.

 

[kopviolator]

They battered us at home, didn't they

 

[Paranoid Android]

I can't believe we're going into a match against this version of Spurs and I'm not optimistic. Jesus Christ.

 

[Red Royal]

This has the potential to be hilariously bad.

Hope both teams just say fook it! and we get to watch a 5-3.

You expect us to get at least 3 (or 5) shots on target. I admire your optimism and hope we can put 5 past them

 

[Bertie Wooster]

This has the potential to be hilariously bad.

Hope both teams just say fook it! and we get to watch a 5-3.

I can understand the sentiment but not sure I agree.

It sounds like a return to ETH's basketball type, open end to end games. Whereas the one thing we're meant to be doing - as Amorim did at Sporting - is sorting ourselves out from the back and making ourselves a more solid, all round unit before - hopefully - getting the harder part, attacking and goals, improved upon (probably next season now if we can add a better #9 then).

So as poor and boring as a lot of the games are now, it feels it's all part of an intended process and building towards something - that may or may not work, but it's our only target so I hope we stick with it and see how it looks after a summer window and a pre-season.

Bottling it and having a return to wide open games we had much of last season under ETH wouldn't make much long term sense - although it would certainly provide more entertainment than of late!

 

[Salfordlad70]

Why not eh,

Zirkzee​

Garnacho Mainoo​

Dorgu Bruno Collyer Amad

Heaven De Ligt Yoro​

Onana​

It would be just like heaven if the young lad proves to be the cure to our defensive problems.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Fergie picking the team here:

Onana
Dalot DL Harry Dorgu
Ugarte Eriksen
Amad Garnacho
Mainoo
Zirkzee

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

I back Amorim completely - but I worry for the stick he'll have to put up with if we lost to the shower of shit that is this Spurs team at the minute. It really is a must win, especially given their injuries.

I think we'll do enough, but I think it'll be tight 2-1.

 

[1988]

1

Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, de Ligt; Dorgu, Fernandes, Ugarte, Dalot; Garnacho, Amad; Højlund.

I'm fed up with the inverted wingbacks. Let's try old fashioned way and get some cutbacks into the box to Amad, Garnacho and Højlund

 

[Houdini]

How I'd like to see us line up:

Onana
Mazraoui, De Ligt, Yoro
Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dorgu
Bruno, Garnacho
Zirkzee
​

Garnacho and Dorgu both on the left won't work as Garnacho is more of a LW than LAM so I expect Dorgu on the right again... or no Garnacho.

 

[always_hoping]

Wonder why do people keep putting de Ligt as a CCB in their line-ups when Maguire has done much better than him in the position this season and the manager also seems to prefer 'Arry. We have one game a week for the next couple of weeks and I hope Amo doesn't tinker with the defensive three any more. The three of Maz, Maguire and Yoro need to play together and build some consistency. I have never seen a good team without a settled central defensive pairing. We need one too for the rest of the season if we have to get something out of it.

De Ligt,Maguire both starting is more of possibility that one of them not starting this Sunday.

13 Premier league games under Ruben so far. Number of starts at centre back

De Ligt 10
Martinez 10
Maguire 9
Yoro 5
Mazraoui 4
Evans 1

 

[Gator Nate]

Onana
De Ligt - Maguire - Yoro
Dalot - Eriksen - Ugarte - Dorgu
Amad - Zirkzee - Fernandez

Subs: Mainoo, Hojlund, Garnacho, Mazraoui, Collyer

Spurs 1-2 United​

 

[Red00012]

Ah statistics

Ah common sense

 

[Rozay]

We have to be beating this sorry team.

 

[pocco]

Garnacho and Dorgu both on the left won't work as Garnacho is more of a LW than LAM so I expect Dorgu on the right again... or no Garnacho.

This is the problem, they’re going to stifle each other unless Garnacho can have some discipline and hold that inside position. Or Dorgu plays a more defensive role entirely.

This is part of the issue for Amorim. The movement of his 10s is how he created openings at Sporting, but he’s already had to sacrifice that.

 

[BorisManUtd]

We have to be beating this sorry team.

They'll be thinking the same.

 

[PoTMS]

Two bald guys fighting over a comb.

 

[sammyhol]

Onana
Maz - Maguire - Yoro
Dalot - Bruno - Ugarte - Dorgu
Amad - Mainoo
Zirkzee
​

I'd be tempted by Garnacho over Mainoo, but I'd first like to see if Dorgu can provide the natural width and direct running on that side, and therefore think we might benefit more from the additional control Mainoo could provide.

De-Ligt over Maguire another maybe... but I still think Maguire has shown himself to be the best suited to that central role so far.

I'm just desperate to see us try non-inverted wingbacks on both sides for a change.