As we look ahead to the fifth round FA Cup tie at White Hart Lane, we have something a little different.
Regular visitors to TEB will know that we always like to have a chat with the opposition ahead of each game. However, as we have a Spurs fan among the team, I made the most of the opportunity so sat down and had a chat with Kevin De Vries who in turn posed questions of his own about Palace.
JC: It has been quite a season for Spurs so far, is it what you expected?
KDV: It is not even close! Coming into the season I was hoping for a fourth to seventh placed finish and a cup run. Not only are Spurs currently second in the league but also boast the best goal difference (+27) and the youngest average age of any team in the Premier League. Honestly, I thought we were two or three years away from seeing this kind of success at Tottenham.
KDV: Do you think Tottenham are legitimate title contenders?
JC: Right now they are, yes. An excellent win at City last weekend reinforces the view that Spurs really do have a real shot of the title this season, arguably their best chance since the Premier League began. It is quite amazing how far the club has come from the shambles of spending the proceeds of the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid in what seemed like one drunken night down the pub!
JC: How have things changed from previous seasons for Spurs?
KDV: Daniel Levy has finally found a manager who he trusts. In the summer, both Mousa Dembele and Erik Lamela were on their way out of the club only for Mauricio Pochettino to shut down both deals at the last minute. This shift in control has allowed Pochettino to create the squad and, more importantly, the culture needed to turn the fortunes around at Tottenham.
KDV: What do you, as a neutral, think of the impact Mauricio Pochettino has had at White Hart Lane?
JC: The Argentine impressed at Southampton after quite a difficult stint in his first managerial role at Espanyol and even though the language barrier looked to be a problem initially, he brought in new ideas and ways of thinking to St Mary’s and the Saints were an enjoyable team to watch. He has seemingly worked his magic on a squad of players that were a little out of sorts at Spurs as well as bringing in a few of his own additions. Very interested to see how the rest of the season pans out for Spurs as Pochettino is a likable character.
JC: Being successful is one thing but challenging on all fronts can bring its own problems. Do you think there comes a point when Spurs have to focus on one competition over another?
KDV: I think that decision was made on deadline day. If we had been able to bring in a second striker in January we could have been a lot more confident in multiple competitions, but at this point it should be all about the Premier League. While Spurs do have the depth to field two separate squads, the second unit is a way below the quality of our best starting eleven.
KDV: Are your recent struggles just due to Yannick Bolasie being out injured or are their bigger issues at the club?
JC: Yes, more than we ever expected. To be fair, Wilfried Zaha has been excellent during the injury spell for Yannick but at times he really misses his partner in crime. They are different types of wingers, Yannick is strong and powerful with a trick or two up his sleeve while Wilf tends to like a slow build up and get past the man. They play off each other well but when there is no winger on the opposite flank, the opposition can often afford to put two players on Wilf. It has not been the absence of Bolasie alone however, it has been a tough period where we have experienced injuries to key players and loss of form for others. It is a real shame as the past six weeks or so have spoiled what was a very good start to the season. Hopefully, with players returning, we can have a strong finish to make up for it.
JC: What are your thoughts on Palace this season?
KDV: I was fortunate enough to cover Palace for the first half of the season and thoroughly enjoyed it! Unfortunately, right as I stopped following them, everything seemingly went to pot. The Emmanuel Adebayor deal was a good one and gives you the perfect target for this Palace side that puts in the most crosses a game in the Premier League (25). There was a point in the season where I thought a European spot could be on the cards but, worst case, I think you will still finish top ten.
KDV: Who do you think is the best goalkeeper at the club?
JC: Oh you went there Kev, didn’t you? Thanks for that … Well, here are my views on what has proven to be a very touchy subject among Palace fans. There is still a lot of love for our legend Julian Speroni and it would have been interesting to find out if he had started the season if he was not injured. That played into the hands of Alan Pardew who was able to start his new signing Alex McCarthy. He did well to begin with but made a couple of errors before a combination of injury and bad form forced him out of the team. In came Wayne Hennessey who not many have been convinced by but he won us points against Everton and Southampton to name just two. Then came the errors. Pardew has stuck by him but in hindsight, perhaps that has been for too long now particularly in our current form. There is a real feeling the defence are playing in front of a keeper that they do not have a lot of confidence in, particularly if you witnessed their reaction to the throw to Pape Souare against Watford that led to the left back being sent off. For me, the future is Alex McCarthy as he showed enough that in time he will be a top keeper. For the now, I would have put Speroni back in goal as his experience and know-how, not just for him, but the backline too, could be just what we need.
JC: Name a player from each side that will be a threat to the opposition in this match up along with your prediction?
KDV: It is hard to say for us because of the expected rotation of players but probably Dele Alli should he start. He notched a wonder goal and an assist the last time the two teams faced each other and was often given far too much space in midfield. Your defence is much better than they have shown so far in 2016 but this match will be a tough test for them. As for Palace, it has to be Emmanuel Adebayor and it is not even close. In his last fourteen matches against Spurs, he has notched ten goals! I would be figuratively stunned if he does not score on Sunday. My prediction is a narrow 2-1 home win.
KDV: I will finish up with the very same question to you Jay!
JC: While Dele Alli shone in your recent win against us I was really impressed with Mousa Dembele. Very strong and protects the ball exceptionally well so if he starts, that is one player I would be very concerned about. For us, I cannot agree with you more as Adebayor could be a massive factor in this game and it will be interesting to see what reaction he gets from the crowd. I would also mention the possibility of Yannick Bolasie playing some part in this game and we all know he has shown his skills at White Hart Lane before. While a lot has been said about the poor timing of a replay, I fancy a 1-1 draw and take the second game at Selhurst.
JC: Thanks Kev, I would wish you luck for the game but you know how it is!
KDV: Indeed I do, do not enjoy the game too much!
