Tottenham Hotspur face a crunch-tie in the Champions League tonight against Monaco, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side needing a result to maintain hope of advancing through to the knock-out stages.
Following defeats to the French principality side and Bayer Leverkusen at Wembley, Spurs currently sit third and a defeat tomorrow, accompanied with a Leverkusen victory over CSKA Moscow, will send the Lilywhites tumbling out of the competition.
If Pochettino’s side are to avoid that fate, then the Argentine boss needs to make the correct decisions on team selection and we’re here to help him, as we’ve selected a 3-5-2 formation that should be enough to see off Spurs’ Ligue 1 opposition.
It’s full strength, full of stars and has the quality Spurs need to see them through the match. Without this side, then the North London outfit could easily find themselves playing Thursday night football for the remainder of the season…
GK: Hugo Lloris
Spurs’ captain is the first-name on the team sheet for good reason, as he’s the best player Mauricio Pochettino has within his squad.
The French international will need to be at his best to stop an on-form Monaco side from securing their place in the latter stages of the competition, otherwise it may end up being Lloris’ penultimate Champions League appearance for Tottenham.
CB: Eric Dier
Still having to feature outside of his favoured defensive midfield role, Eric Dier should slot in at centre-back once again to fill the void of Toby Alderweireld’s continued absence.
The England international is showing improvements in this position and can be relied upon, though he’ll need help from his defensive colleagues.
CB: Jan Vertonghen
A crucial performer for Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow, Jan Vertonghen has to lead a young back-line and ensure that Monaco’s attack do not get a wealth of opportunities.
It’s a chance for Vertonghen to show his class on the big stage and, like Lloris, it could be one of his last European appearances for Spurs if they fail to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.
CB: Kevin Wimmer
Yet to fulfill his potential, Kevin Wimmer faces a huge few weeks as he looks to secure his place in the squad for the long-term. If he impresses, then he could become a regular starter in a defensive trio alongside Vertonghen and Alderweireld but poor performances could see Eric Dier continue to play ahead of him.
RWB: Kyle Walker
A crucial player for Spurs and influential down the right, Kyle Walker needs to be prepared to do a job at both ends of the field tomorrow. Spurs need his ability in attack but he cannot be caught out of position by the hosts, who will look to punish their opponents in any opportunity that gets handed to them.
LWB: Danny Rose
Equally as important as Walker, Danny Rose is the leading man on the left and must show the same awareness that Walker does on the right. His speed bombing forward is a tremendous asset but it’s his defensive work that will be most crucial tomorrow, with Spurs still adjusting to playing three at the back.
CM: Victor Wanyama
In a line-up breeming with attacking talent, especially with two flying full-backs, Victor Wanyama needs a controlled performance in the middle of the park. The Kenyan needs to dictate the flow of the game in midfield and provide a link between defence and attack, whilst also ensuring he protects the back-line and doesn’t charge forward too often.
CM: Dele Alli
Dele Alli should have more of a fluid role than Victor Wanyama tomorrow but he is likely to be the key between defence at attack, with Wanyama mopping up loose balls and playing it off to his central midfield partner to launch a charge forward. If Spurs lose the midfield battle though, Alli’s defensive play will be crucial to Spurs’ hopes of getting a result.
CM: Christian Eriksen
Potentially the key to unlock Monaco’s defence, Christian Eriksen needs a top performance tomorrow but should benefit from the wealth of players ahead of him. With Spurs possibly fielding a two-man attack, it should leave Eriksen with space to exploit or a number of team-mates to pick a pass to. If Eriksen performs, then Spurs tend to be at their best and he’ll need a stellar game tomorrow.
ST: Harry Kane
Back from injury and establishing himself as the hero at the weekend with Spurs coming from behind to beat West Ham late on, Harry Kane now needs to be the saviour on the European stage. With five goals in seven Premier League appearances, Spurs will hope Kane can continue that run of form into the Champions League for the final two group games. If he’s off his best, then Spurs could struggle.
ST:
Failing to make an impression in Kane’s absence, the return of Tottenham’s leading striker could actually be beneficial to Vincent Janssen. The Dutchman may thrive with a partner to split the defence and link-up with, whilst he’ll be helped by Eriksen’s push forward from midfield and the flying wing-backs. The jury remains out on Janssen but, having led the Eredivisie scoring charts last season, he knows where the goal is and could still be the saviour for Spurs in Europe.
