Match Preview: Bournemouth vs Spurs (prediction, team news, lineups etc.)

Match Preview: Bournemouth vs Spurs (prediction, team news, lineups etc.)

Two sides on the wrong end of controversial VAR calls clash this weekend; us against Sporting Lisbon and Bournemouth against the wet Spammers. They lost 2-0, while we dramatically drew 1-1 with Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.

VAR was supposed to help the referee, not throw up stupid decisions. Sadly football has become clinical and bureaucratic nowadays. The beautiful flowing game has been replaced by moron officials. Either sort it out or get rid of it.

Match preview

Bournemouth

The Cherries have now dropped down to 14th place in the division after following up a six-game unbeaten run with back-to-back defeats.

A four-point gap separates Bournemouth from the drop zone at present, and failure to score in either of their losses to Southampton or the bubbling-blowing Spammers sees the Cherries remain on just 10 goals for the season. This is the fewest out of any side above the relegation zone.

Only four of Bournemouth's 10 league goals this season have come at their stadium. They have gone scoreless in four of their six games this season.

Spurs

We didn't have much in the way of attacking excellence in midweek either.

It all now goes to the last game. We were harshly deprived of a late winner, with that 1-1 draw ruling out our chances of qualifying for the knockout rounds with a game in hand. But we are at the top of the league (group D), so whether we progress further is in our hands.

Our former youth player, Marcus Edwards, put Sporting ahead in the first half. In the second half, we came out as if we had rockets up our arse, as Rodrigo Bentancur's header levelled the match before Kane thought he had won it with nearly the last kick of the game.

A  lengthy VAR review eventually disallowed the goal for a tight offside call. Then Conte was given his marching orders by referee Danny Makkelie for his protests before marching out of his press conference after taking just one question from the media. Conte was pissed… and I don't blame him.

Thoughts: we were uninspiring in the first half, as we made it three straight games without a win in all tournaments following our recent league defeats to the two United's (Manchester & Newcastle).

We are five points behind the Gooners, having played one extra game. So far, we've been beaten by Woolwich and the two United's.

We have the sad distinction of having the record of just one win from our last six away games in all tournaments.  

Bournemouth Premier League form:

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Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

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Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

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Team News

The Cherries

Neto and Dominic Solanke both had hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively. They join Lloyd Kelly and David Brooks in the medical room.

Spurs

Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski remain sidelined with their calf and hamstring injuries.  Cristian Romero and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are ok.

Conte reverted to his tried-and-tested 3-4-3 for the visit of Sporting. Bryan Gil's introduction changed things as he impressively impacted the second half.

In my opinion, Gil should be used from the first whistle for his full Premier League debut. Clement Lenglet and Ryan Sessegnon are also candidates to come back into the first XI.

My possible starting lineup:

Lloris; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Sessegnon; Gil, Kane, Son

My prediction is 0-4

In the sporting Lisbon game, I sort of got the score correct… I said either 3-1 or a draw, and a draw it was. This time I am going for 4 goals; as I write this, I am thinking of how Liverpool demolished them 9-0. No, I am not going for that, but a safe four. Knowing my luck, it will either be a lot less or even a draw… however, if we play as we did in the second half of our game against Sporting… then four looks a possibility.

I know what you are thinking… even if Gil does come in for his first-ever Premier League start, our attacking insufficiencies will not be solved overnight, especially against a Cherries side who tend not to allow many goals at home.

Mel and I will be starting out very early on Saturday morning… hopefully stopping on the way for a salad (yes, I am on a diet). Kick-off is at 3 pm, then a 3-hour drive back home. What we dedicated Spurs supporters do for our club. Some say Love, others might say madness… more so lately, seeing as we've been shit! Then there is the French game… lucky I don't suffer from depression, otherwise, I'd probably book myself into an institution for the hapless in the Twilight Zone... where, to be fair, anything is possible… even certification (ha! We laugh). More so for me, as I haven't missed a home or an away game in 40 years. As for European matches, that is a bit less… probably 20 years.

Up the Spurs,

Glenn