There is one team that can build a best 11 with injuries and suspensions. That team is Tottenham.
Tottenham Hotspur will host Manchester City in the 14th round of the 2023-24 Premier League (PL) season on April 4 at 1:30 a.m. ET at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England. Spurs are currently in sixth place with eight wins, two draws and three losses, while City are in second place with nine wins, two draws and two losses.
Spurs have been impressive this season under Postecoglou, playing an attacking style of soccer that pushes the line to the extreme. They try to press hard from the front and then create goals through sharp attacks centered around Son Heung-min and James Maddison. They also pulled up the defense to create space and create chances.
The result was the icing on the cake. Unbeaten since the start of the season, and at one point leading the league, they lost the core of their defense against Chelsea when Cristian Romero and Mickey van der Vaart were sent off and injured, respectively. Add to that the injuries to Maddison, Michy Batshuayi, and others, and the team has now lost three straight league games, including back-to-back defeats to Wolverhampton and Aston Villa.
There’s a lot of talk in England. While Postecoglou’s football is certainly impressive, it’s been pointed out that with more than 10 injuries, a Plan B is needed. Add to that the fact that key defenders Romero and van der Vaart are both out for the Man City game, and it’s hard to see how he can use tactics that will boost his backline.
But Mr. Postecoglou had other ideas.
“This is our identity,” he said. It’s a difficult situation, but it doesn’t matter who we play against. We will continue to play our football. It’s a good test of our project to become a team that plays a certain way. There is no better way to do that than against the best. It’s a tough test at the Etihad Stadium,” he said, calling for attacking football.
Despite Postecoglou’s decision to play an attacking game against City, with so many injuries and absentees, English soccer stats site WhoScored.com has put together a best 11 for Tottenham against City.
The list includes a number of key players. Based on the 4-2-3-1 formation, the list is comprised of Maddison, Higuain, Solomon, Perisic, Bentancur, Sarr, Sessegnon, van der Vaart, Romero, Phillips, and Whiteman.
