Spurs build up

[Jaymo]

Michael Oliver to referee LFC v Spurs on Sunday at Anfield.

Oh christ.

His **** hair cut annoys me, he looks like hes been bullied for numerous years. Plus the fact hes a bit of a dope and therefore a **** ref

[Chazza]

Rubbing it in: We're more worried about Liverpool than you, Lloris tells beaten Arsenal

4 Mar 2013 22:30
"Liverpool are playing maybe the best football in the Premier League at this moment," says the Spurs stopper

Hugo Lloris last night added to Arsenal's North London derby woes as he told the Gunners: Liverpool will be a bigger threat to us than you.

Spurs head to Anfield next Sunday with the chance to stretch their advantage over Chelsea and Arsenal in the fight for a top four place.

And as skipper Michael Dawson savoured the special taste of derby victory, the French keeper suggested the harder task will come on Merseyside.

Lloris said: "The season is not finished. There are 10 games to go so we have to keep concentration and be focused on the end of the season.

"Of course it's better to be in this position than Arsenal although we have to keep a lucidity of the situation.

"The most important thing is to be in the Champions League next season and I think we have to keep our ambition.

"We don't know what can happen so we have to keep going, not look at the other teams and be focused on ourselves.

"But it will be another game next Sunday. Liverpool are playing maybe the best football in the Premier League at this moment.

"They proved that in their last game against Wigan. It will be a very difficult game but very exciting game in Anfield."

Before that game, Spurs face Inter Milan in the Europa League on Thursday and Lloris believes the White Hart Lane factor can have a huge effect against the struggling Serie A giants.

He added: "We felt the atmosphere on the pitch against Arsenal and I'm sure we can again.

"The atmosphere was fantastic when we scored the first and after the second goal the stadium was on fire, like it was at the final whistle.

"It's important for confidence to keep our supporters with us and we need them for the other important games.

"Of course there is the Premier League but also the Europa League, we can do something and why not win a trophy for the club? It would be a great thing for this season but also for the future."

Captain Dawson agreed revenge was sweet after November's second successive 5-2 thumping at the Emirates.

Dawson said: "I enjoyed it. It wasn't so nice at the Emirates. Getting beat away like we did hurt us. I know it hurt the fans so we savoured that moment. We enjoyed it and it's a massive three points.

"We know we've got some tough games coming up but now we're in a good position. There's more belief about the team now, definitely."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tottenham-more-worried-liverpool-arsenal-1742726

[Gibbo]

Not sure how you can be considered world class and only be good with one foot.

Just ask Robben.

Oh christ.

His **** hair cut annoys me, he looks like hes been bullied for numerous years. Plus the fact hes a bit of a dope and therefore a **** ref

Id quite like to see Suarez at the top for this one. Either alongside Sturridge or with Sturridge wide, Luis is absolutely on fire in front of goal at the minute, and we lose some of that when he gets forced out wide.

He would have to constantly track back with Walker and Lennon, and he is at his most dangerous when he gets the ball on the break.

[Fernandinho]

I worry about what people have mentioned about Carragher dropping deap. Lennon is one of the quickest people in the league easily, and if Enrique is caught up the pitch and Carragher is worried by his lack of pace, forcing him to drop deeper Lennon is going to drive into the space in behind our left and on their right, especially considering how lopsided they play (with their LM/LAM tucking in often and Lennon staying very wide until getting close to the box).

I think this will be our biggest issue, I wouldn't be suprised to see Bale/Adebayor passing in a goal from a Lennon cross.

[Marina]

Really hope we can get some kind of result! I just met a really self-important Spurs fan. Ugh. What a superiority complex. And he called me deluded for supporting Liverpool. ****head. I'm not pleased.

[Assassin]

He will regret his comments late Sunday evening

[SB]

Yeah I feel it's our time to put one over them. Quietly confident I am. Really pleased that Coutinho had come in & settled straight in. What a bonus having our two mid season signings click straight away.

[kev776]

Really hope we can get some kind of result! I just met a really self-important Spurs fan. Ugh. What a superiority complex. And he called me deluded for supporting Liverpool. ****head. I'm not pleased.

Kick his head in.

[Assassin]

We could slap him

[SB]

We could slap him

Let Marina do it. Then we could call her a sla.... No forget it.

[Maxiedge]

My thoughts on Downing at the moment is that he's actually good (maybe even very good) against poorer opposition (let's say bottom half of table).

He's never really impressed against better sides. Seems to choke it.

Saying that, Essou-Akkototo is a bit of a liabilty for them and it's possible that Downing could give him a few problems if he plays with belief and confidence.

It should also be mentioned that his tracking back recently has been very good so, if you bench him, you're losing a defensive dynamic that's proved quite successful recently and, for that reason, I expect him to start.

[RichC]

If Sturridge is fit who does Downing replace? Coutinho I guess would be the obvious one but he has offered a fair bit already in the short time he's been here.

Quite nice to have some positive selection issues!

[Maxiedge]

haha yeah.

My guess would be we would go back to the same lineup vs Swansea (Gerrard, Lucas, Downing, Coutinho, Suarez, Sturridge). It's quite attacking but at the same time, Coutinho and Downing should do their fair share of tracking back.

[kalesh]

If Sturridge is fit who does Downing replace? Coutinho I guess would be the obvious one but he has offered a fair bit already in the short time he's been here.

Quite nice to have some positive selection issues!

I'm as excited about Coutinho as the next person but - at the moment - he doesn't look like he has more than 60 mins in him. From that point of view - and considering Sturridge is coming back from a knock - I'd be tempted to start SD, LS and DS as the forwards and bring on Coutinho for DS with half an hour to go as an impact sub. He's a much better option coming off the bench than Downing or anyone else we've got.

Having said all that, I'd still be gutted if Coutinho didn't start.

[Lee]

I think we need to start with our strongest front line.

Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho.

Downing has done well recently but the three above are better.