Every game is big right now with Graham Potter under an excellent amount of pressure from fans and the media, if perhaps not as much from the club at the moment at least.
But the Spurs game still has a real must-win feeling. I want to see us play well and, most importantly, score goals. After all, that’s what wins football matches, you literally just have to outscore your opponent.
Some people have mentioned this as an idea, and I agree with it. I’d like to see Raheem Sterling fielded as the ‘false 9’ on Sunday. Sure, we know he’s not much of a goal threat, but then we collectively lack that. I just can’t see a way back/in for Pierre Emerick Aubameyang after everything he’s been through and he’s been very poor to us too. And I can’t keep watching Kai Havertz play as our forward, it’s painful.
I also want us to continue with the back four, because I think it’s important to refine an established lineup.
Sterling may not be the most prolific player, but I think he is currently our best option at 9 and can be traded with Joao Felix, who can play close to him. I also think Sterling can be good with the link play and can run behind as well.
He is strong on the ball and can be a real nuisance to defenders. Trading with Felix would really give their defense something to think about, while also creating space back for Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke to operate when they come on.
This would make for a very fluid attack that would knock opposing players out of their positions. So this would be the lineup I would go for on Sunday:
I have Denis Zakaria in there with Enzo Fernandez and Potter just HAS to see that this is still a major issue. We need to use more of a defensive midfielder alongside Enzo, it’s as clear as daylight for me, I hope it is for Potter.
The rest of the team is chosen only by me right now. If we line up this way, I’d be pretty sure of getting a result at Spurs on Sunday, but what we’ll need is for the whole team to be at the top of their game. Felix, Mudryk, and Enzo were all sidelined last game/recently, and we need them back on, as well as the rest of the team.
I thought Sterling was pretty brilliant against Southampton and I honestly think he can do a job there for now. Obviously, it’s FAR from ideal, but we lack a true scoring nine and we need to address that in the summer. Until then, why not try this? It’s not going to be any worse than Havertz has been playing there this season, and I say that with the utmost respect for a player I’d love to see succeed here, but I don’t think he will.
Also, I think there will also be opportunities to counter the Spurs at times during the game, and this attack has a lot of pace, especially with Sterling leading it. Food for thought.
