Tottenham’s projected starting XI at Bayer Leverkusen

The Attacking Midfield

Given my assumption that Pochettino is going to opt for two defensive midfielders, it only leaves openings for three attacking midfielders. That will put a great deal of pressure on this trio of Spurs stars.

Dele Alli has earned the right to start every big match Tottenham competes in. He may not play well all the time, but he pops up with moments of brilliance even in the midst of mediocrity. Dele is just too capable of scoring goals to leave on the bench.

With Alli in the middle, it leaves Pochettino with some interesting options on the wing. I believe he’ll go with Son Heung-Min on one wing. The only reason he didn’t start against West Brom was to preserve his legs for this match. He’s going to start as either an attacking winger or a striker.

The interesting debate is who should start as the other wide man. Moussa Sissoko, Erik Lamela, and Christian Eriksen all have realistic claims. Ultimately, it should come down to a choice between Lamela and Eriksen. Sissoko just hasn’t been good enough to merit inclusion in the starting XI.

If I were Pochettino I’d pick Lamela based on his defensive work rate. That’s not what I expect the Spurs boss to do however. I think he’ll opt for Eriksen in hopes of coaxing some offensive brilliance from the Danish attacker.