Tottenham Hotspur take on Nottingham Forest for a classic EFL Cup encounter. But with disappointment at the weekend against Liverpool, Spurs will be looking to rectify their recent pattern of starting first halves poorly. Read on to see Last Word on Football’s Tottenham Hotspur lineup prediction.
Tottenham Hotspur Lineup Prediction
How Tottenham Have Lined-Up Recently
Last time out against Liverpool, Antonio Conte had to get creative in the absence of Heung-Min Son. He fielded a 5-3-2 with Ivan Perisic up top with Harry Kane, or that’s what it looked like on paper. But in reality, there was a more fluid role for Perisic and indeed for Spurs’ midfield and wingbacks.
Tottenham’s Recent Form and Tactics
Spurs had been grinding out results with some pretty uninspiring performances. Recently almost the opposite has been true. While Tottenham didn’t play Liverpool off the park they hit the post twice, were denied two penalties and missed countless chances.
Tactically, Conte’s side have this dreadful tendency to start games poorly. It’s almost a Tottenham of old, under the likes of Pochettino where the Lilywhites would have to strike at the very death of a match to win games. Ultimately, this doesn’t matter; after all, a match is 90 minutes give or take and there’s no rule about when teams have to score goals.
Eric Dier however took this maxim to the extreme in his last match, effectively handing Mo Salah a goal which would ensure Liverpool took all three points.
Spurs still struggle with having a quality final ball. Perisic can put in a good delivery. Emerson Royal might put in a half-decent ball in about 10 attempts. But too often Tottenham’s wingbacks are pinned back and caught between going forward or helping out an error-prone defence. And Dier? Well, how can anyone account for individual mistakes like that?
Tottenham Injuries to Consider
Spurs already miss Son. Not only do Tottenham miss his pace and direct running but they also miss his goalscoring and that telepathic link-up with Kane.
But thankfully Dejan Kulusevski is back in the fold. Conte was careful with the Swedish winger, only bringing him on halfway through the second half. Kulusevski had an instant impact with a neat run and an inch-perfect pass that allowed Kane to score at a very tight angle.
Richarlison is still a major doubt as he recovers from a calf injury. He is yet another attacking absentee that would bring so much firepower for Spurs’ League Cup fixture.
Cristian Romero has been rested due to more of a fatigue issue than an injury. He may be fit enough to play against Forest. He would almost certainly come in for Dier who needs a rest, perhaps with Davinson Sanchez as a centre-back partner.
Read More: Returning Players: Robbie Keane
Tottenham Lineup Prediction
Conte expects to win something with Tottenham. But does the League Cup hold any real value? Arguably he is looking for much bigger trophies, so expect some rotations in an otherwise strong Tottenham lineup.
GK: Fraser Forster
CB: Davinson Sanchez
CB: Clement Lenglet
CB: Cristian Romero (doubt, Ben Davies)
LWB: Ryan Sessegnon
CM: Oliver Skipp
CM: Rodrigo Bentancur
RWB: Matt Doherty
W: Bryan Gil
ST: Harry Kane
W: Lucas Moura
Rodrigo Bentancur for Tottenham vs Liverpool:
◉ Most duels won (10)
◉ Most take-ons (4/4)
◉ Most tackles (4)
◎ 92% pass accuracy
◎ 70 touches
◎ 17 final third passes
◎ 9x possession won
◎ 3 crossesSpurs have a gem. 💎 pic.twitter.com/3Ah0CdLeSH
— Squawka (@Squawka) November 6, 2022
Current Odds: Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur
Bet365’s current odds put a Forest win at 11/4 and a win for Spurs at 19/20. The Lilywhites are clearly favoured for this EFL Third Round battle.
