Thanks. Good to hear about Zouma. I wonder where we'd play him if (or when) he is back to his best. I think Luiz should continue in the central role of the the three if we stick to the current system. Perhaps play Zouma on the right and switch Azpil back to the left ?
But Cahill has been playing well recently, and then there's Terry and Ivanovic.
Still, it would be a nice problem to have.

I not sure it will be much of a issue until the tail end (we really have no need to rush him and I think if we did it would be very short term thinking) of the season baring major injuries and think JT and Brana (if he stays in Jan) will be in front of him (not sure I could realistically argue differently if I am honest) but long term? I think he has a part to play (of course depends on how he operates in this new back 3) as a player or asset to sell him coming back will be a great help

You think it will take that long ? I was thinking he'd be back some time in January.
But as you say, there's no need to rush it. Back to his very best he would be one of the best young CB's in Europe, so we can wait. And next season we will hopefully have highly regarded Christensen to take another look at, I'd hate to see us lose him before we've even given him a chance.

Till he is ready to be a first team player in a back 3 good enough for a team with the aim of top 4? I do think it's better to take our time more so when we have JT and Brana both fit and been working on playing in a back 3, First he needs to get match fit and for us to see if their is any issues regarding the serious injury then to get him ready to play at the level needed. Let's get the real Zouma in the team, while this season has been a fantastic success so far let's still use this season as the transition season we have needed for quite a few years so let's take our time with him, Part of the problem has been us rushing things so let's do it right and have a top young CB at his full powers

Not sure how he's been playing, but he's supposed to be going out on loan again in January. He didn't go on loan at the start of the season as he's being nursed back to fitness after a knee injection.


I agree with not rushing Zouma back before he's ready, but the idea of Brana playing is not something I want to contemplate. Even when he comes on as a sub he makes me nervous now.

It would mean we have lost one of the current back 3 and JT so is not that likely plus with time and good management all we have their is no reason to think he could not do a job short term. Zouma could be Contes JT but also think we will buy defenders either in Jan and/or in Summer so if we play him before he is 100% (or the old sporting percentage of 150%) ready to play in a back 3 (something I not sure he has ever done and is not that experienced anyway) his spot could be taken by a new guy

Hope Spurs play like that on Sat!

Strange start to the match. Need to wake up now before they get a second.

We are rubbish at the moment.

Poor first half but ends up all square. Nice goal

Fabulous goal from Pedro to bring us back into it. We really needed that.

Spurs was always going to enjoy playing against our formation. It really suits them and was going to a massive test for certain important players in certain positions.

What we need to do is match their energy and intensity

Well, we didn't deserve it but we're back in the game.
Conte needs to sort the shape out, Hoddle is spot on when he's saying Spurs are totally in control of the midfield with the extra man.

Our overload in attack got us that 2nd goal. I wouldn't say our formation wasn't working in the first half. Our players were probably just an it surprised by Spurs' high pressing and they became a bit rattled and uncomposed. Once we settled we looked good enough to challenge them.

Jansen will equalize....

Don't sit back like this!!!

Well a wins a win. Not a great performance and not keen we just hung on for the last
10 like that.

Good win. Not at our best today but we did enough. Would have been a bit more comfortable if Alonso had scored that chance to make it 3-1.

Yeah didn't like that. With Spurs throwing all their players in attack we could've hit them on the counter if we didn't just have Costa hanging up top by himself. Still a very good win considering how bad we played at the beginning of the game. Our nightmare run of games is coming to an end next week and I would've been happy with 11/15 points when we started it but the minimum we'll get now is 12 which is not bad at all.

A great three points here!

A win's a win, not a great performance but Spurs really upped the tempo in the first half and couldn't sustain it. Bit worrying to see us get so overwhelmed in the midfield and Alonso/Moses struggling in the first half with Son running all over the place. Potchettino obviously came with a plan to try beat the 352 but it diddn't quite work.

Loved the team celebrations, so very different from last year.

Yes, I didn't care for the substitutions. It made for a very nervous last 10/12 minutes plus injury time. Taking off Hazard, Pedro and Moses seemed a bit extreme, they had all been posing problems for Spurs.
Conte made a few subtle changes at half time, Pedro came deeper and our wing backs pushed further foward. In fact we played a higher line as well which enabled us to get on the front foot. But we could have been really punished in the first half, we started sluggishly (we seem to do that far too often) and Spurs looked really up for it, winning every 50-50 ball.
Still, three very important points, and Costa is still available for the Man City game which is important. Actually, not taking anything away from Moses who had another fine game, but Costa would have been my man of the match.

Thought Costa started the game a bit tectchy, wanting fouls that weren't there.
Suddenly started playing and made so much difference.
Amazing he has gone so many games without a booking.

I think Costa has just realised his former attitude won't work over here.

Reminds me to Drogba when he first came here he was diving all over the place and it was really costing him and the team, Even the fans started to get on his back about it and started to give him stick then he just stopped and became the Drog we know.