Clarets v Spurs FA CUP - match preview.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Clarets Mad - Clarets v Spurs, FA Cup 3rd Round - Match Preview.
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 748 High Road, London N17 0AP.
Kick-off – 20.00 - 5th January 2024.

Vincent Kompany’s beleaguered Clarets travel to north London to take on Ange Postecoglou’s rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspur in a made for TV Friday evening FA Cup 3rd round clash at the breath-taking Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Burnley are playing on the back of two consecutive defeats, one at home to Liverpool on Boxing Day and another loss courtesy of a thoroughly undeserved 3-2 reverse at Villa Park when controversial refereeing decisions fashioned a Burnley defeat from the probable jaws of victory.

It will be interesting to see if the Burnley boss will field a team fully equipped to take on one of the FA Cup’s favourite sons in a competition the Clarets have not fared in too well in recent years. Gone are the halcyon days of FA Cup semi-finals and Finals for which the Clarets were consistently appearing.

Can Burnley “do a Wigan” and win the FA Cup while still getting relegated in the fashion of Wigan Athletic in 2013? That was the game where the current Burnley gaffer was on the wrong end of the ultimate FA Cup shock result. It’s odds-on Vincent Kompany is still feeling the tremor of a startling 1-0 FA Cup Final defeat a full decade later.

One’s to watch: Assuming Kompany will try and win the game Zeki Amdouni, the revived Lyle Foster and the French ****age sensation Wilson Odobert are the obvious threats to the Spurs rear-guard.

For Tottenham, the north London outfit will be without their star striker for the next 4 to 5 weeks as he travels to join South Korea for the Asian Cup games starting on 12th January.

Burnley will instead have to try and stop the likes of Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, and the renowned Brazilian sulker Richarlison who will all no doubt be looking to step up to the plate in the absence of their formidable goal-scoring captain.

Verdict: On current EPL form it is hard to see past a comfortable home win but just ask Vincent Kompany if shock results occur in the FA Cup. I still expect Tottenham to win easily and I’m going for a 3-0 reverse and early exit from the competition for the Clarets.

Footnote: James Maddison and Son Heung-min gave the newly promoted Clarets a September lesson in how difficult the English Premier League can be when the pair combined to hand the Clarets a 5-2 beating at Turf Moor on 02/09/2023. The Asia Cup and injury to Maddison will mean the duo will not face Burnley on Friday night.

Can the Clarets take advantage of the pair’s absence and go into the hat for the fourth round? It’s the eternal hope that eventually kills off all football fans. (TEC).

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[sinkov]

I was thinking a few of our fringe players might get a run out, the likes of Benson and Zaroury for instance, but any players potentially going out on loan aren't going to be playing, that would leave them cup tied, it could mean Vinni is quite restricted in just who he can pick.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I was thinking a few of our fringe players might get a run out, the likes of Benson and Zaroury for instance, but any players potentially going out on loan aren't going to be playing, that would leave them cup tied, it could mean Vinni is quite restricted in just who he can pick.

Just depends if he is going to do a Dyche and ***** the FA Cup off mon ami.

In his shoes I would.

[sinkov]

Just depends if he is going to do a Dyche and ***** the FA Cup off mon ami.

In his shoes I would.

Vinni will go for it, he'll pick his strongest team, them waiting for their chance will have to keep on waiting and the potential loanees will be wrapped in cotton wool.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Vinni will go for it, he'll pick his strongest team, them waiting for their chance will have to keep on waiting and the potential loanees will be wrapped in cotton wool.

I wonder if Muric will get a game?

A person who must be seriously pi$$ed off is CJ Egan Riley. WTF is going on with this lad?

[sinkov]

Beyer is definitely out, but will be back for the Luton game, Vinni saying there won't be many changes, he's treating it like a PL game, so I would imagine that's Trafford playing then.

He also said there were conversations ongoing with Benson and Zaroury, but their situations were different. I don't know what he meant by that, he didn't explain, one a permanent transfer, one a loan deal possibly, or something else altogether ? Who knows ?

[outwoodclaret]

Beyer is definitely out, but will be back for the Luton game, Vinni saying there won't be many changes, he's treating it like a PL game, so I would imagine that's Trafford playing then.

He also said there were conversations ongoing with Benson and Zaroury, but their situations were different. I don't know what he meant by that, he didn't explain, one a permanent transfer, one a loan deal possibly, or something else altogether ? Who knows ?

I also think VK won’t make many changes. There is quite a gap before we face Luton so he will keep to his strongest line up where possible. Trafford has been in top form but I think Muric could start.

[sinkov]

I also think VK won’t make many changes. There is quite a gap before we face Luton so he will keep to his strongest line up where possible. Trafford has been in top form but I think Muric could start.

I think Vinni will see a big game away to Spurs, live on TV, as an important part of Trafford's learning curve/education, so Muric will have to indulge in a bit more thumb-twiddling on the bench. But what do I know ? We'll see.

[Swissclaret]

A good result at Spurs could really kick start the second half of the season. I hope we field a strong team, not using it as a run-out for fringe players.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

A good result at Spurs could really kick start the second half of the season. I hope we field a strong team, not using it as a run-out for fringe players.

VK has already said he's fielding his strongest possible team. Beyer is out injured, Berge suspended, so it looks something like:
Trafford.
Vitinho, O'Shea, Al-Dakhil, Taylor,
Brownhill, Cullen, Ramsey,
Odobert, Foster & Amdouni.