Tiresias

Could have done with the game time and experience too.

I want him to score a hat trick and come back brimming with confidence (not that he doesn't seem to be anyway)

Parker is alright, Barry isn't. Without wilshere we can't keep the ball at all.

I think a loan move would surely be a good one, get him some game time and be back in time for ACN

yeah that's about what I expect, they're likely to defend in numbers and pack midfield to cut off supply. Not convinced we can really be relied upon to cut through a well organised defence, actually more than not convinced, we're nowhere near good enough at it with Lampard and Parker there relied upon to find the gaps through the centre. Not good enough.

Is Andrew Johnson in the Squad atm? Hart Jones Cahill Terry Baines Parker Lampard Downing Johnson Young Rooney Know it's too attacking really, and Lampard is basically standing in for Wilshere, who would strengthen the squad a lot there. Baines is there because Cole to me hasn't really looked too great recently, seems off the pace, someone whose seen him more could correct though. Parker not ideal to be honest either. Jones at CB and Walker at Right Back would be good too

I'd probably put Downing in for Zamora and stick Rooney out front...or is Downing injured? I dunno about playing him deeper to be honest. Zamora could be worth a shot though, i think though Rooney would either play too high up or drop deep and be ineffective where we need him.

Have to see how he'd react to a blunder or just plenty of goals going past him in one game as of yet this season, that's the one doubt I have so far, if he'd let it affect his confidence into the next games

If VdV is played on the right we could get a lot of joy attacking there as he's not going to track back enough, and would prefer Marveaux against him to Guti. If Lennon is there I'd use Guti.

This game could well be a reality check from our position in the league I agree, as long as we give a good showing a loss wouldn't be a disaster Contradictory? All I'm saying is that we have a chance, don't think they're amazing, but still have a bad feeling we'll lose

What's with the Spurs worship around here, they're a damn good team but they're not thaaat good. Van Der Vaart is a lovely player, Modric is great, Bale is intermitantly great, but they still went through about half of last season not doing much of anything in the league. Redknapp has great friends in the media of course so can count on a bajillion articles on him still sticking it to those crazy foreign managers who like 'tactics' with his pluck spirit and 4-4-2s (and plenty of money) yadder yadder yadder. It's just odd to me that we'd be awed by totenham as a supposedly vastly better team. They are a better team, with lots of better players, but still on our day we have a good shot at them especially at home. Still sinking feeling we'll lose 3-1 or something.

they've got too much depth because their clubs have obviously got something right developing young players 10 years ago. Our FA and clubs need to take note, they always seem to make a lot of noise about it then no players appear.

Oh btw Ian Holloway to manage england. pleeeeeeeease

I'm finding it hard to call this one, going to go with 2-2 draw with Krul having got us out of trouble a lot and us getting 2 good goals on the counter

I'm not sure at this point if Torres is ever going to regain his old form, so I'd probably ditch him and one of the other prodigiously talented spanish players. Spain out of charity should loan out the amazing players that only make the bench at best...it's a bit ridiculous really, there are a ton of players there who can deliver a pass a load better than anyone in the England squad. Capello's loyalty to Milner is getting ridiculous, but the tabloids basically pick the england press at this point.

Yeah, it all depends if they think HBA is ready to start, but I'd certainly hope so.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/06/northern-ireland-try-shane-ferguson Eeep doesn't speak that highly of the player to be honest, hope the club isn't helping hide him or something...bizarre.

The more I think about it the more I prefer a midfield triangle with HBA (if he's not there there used to be a lot of talk of Marveax being able to play in centre so he could sit in and Obertan be on right) and 1 striker, and hope to outnumber Modric and Parker/Sandro in midfield. Guti, we do run risk down flanks but Bale's runs and if VdV is playing on the right (which he looks likely to) we could get a lot of love getting in behind him as he's terrible at tracking back.

Well now I feel bad if that's the case, good on Barton for that

Yeah it's beginning to feel like the Barton - Nolan ocracy was really rather demoralizing for the players not in that 'commiitee' and Barton's attitude (if the rumours were true) to Cabaye when he came in was disgraceful. Looking back now, I was as pessimistic about losing Barton as anyone, pretty glad that element has been removed. Not to say that players have to be happy to play well, appreciate that Nolan would just bollock anyone not putting in a shift on pitch, but for a bunch of new young players, maybe best now that everyone is happier now...or maybe they're not and next season we'll discover the faultlines lol.

did he pay no part of the reserves game? Liked the look of this guy

was the murder mystery who killed Houghton? it was

hmmm think you misunderstood 'second-guessing' a bit there, not saying it's not informed but it's still rather up to the player You make a fair point that an angry 17 year old making a decision out of spite for rejection is a poor one, but it is theirs to make. The fault here lies entirely with France putting players in this position and failing to 'sell' playing for france to them, if they get their act together more players will play for them.

I think they have a very similar problem to us at the moment, they rather want to play Adebayor and Defoe up front (and Redknapp is loath to not use 4-4-2 I think) and so has accodated VdV on the right wing to allow those two upfront, dunno once Lennon is back I guess it'll be a case of Lennon or Defoe, I'd suspect that formation and Lennon will be prefered. I'd still fancy them to score right now, our best chance is to try and hold possesion up the pitch, Cabaye and Tiote vs Parker and Modric is an interesting one, if HBA is sitting in the midfield too I'd fancy us on this front. They do pose a big risk down the flanks too. Totenham sometimes look a bit listless, sometimes great entertainers. I can see any result from this, and think Redknapp can be a bit tactically naive (which worked for them in Champions league till they came up against a team with some nous against fast attacking but poor defensively opponents). Hopefully our slightly more guileful squad at the moment will keep them undercontrol and out pass them. Edit: Yeah on their day their squad is better than ours, though I don't really rate their defense that high.

Delighted if true, him and Guti's attitudes are spot on and should be the role-models for the younger players.