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Tottenham projected starting XI v Bayer Leverkusen: Spurs go on the attack

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham Hotspur jumps over Djibril Sidibe of AS Monaco to head the ball towards goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham Hotspur jumps over Djibril Sidibe of AS Monaco to head the ball towards goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and AS Monaco FC at Wembley Stadium on September 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: An injured Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur at The Hawthorns on October 15, 2016 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/WBA FC via Getty Images)
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: An injured Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur at The Hawthorns on October 15, 2016 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/WBA FC via Getty Images) /

Keeper and Centre Backs

Make no mistake about it, the absence of Toby Alderweireld due to injury has hurt both the Spurs defense and the Tottenham attack. Unfortunately, you won’t see him on the Wembley pitch on Wednesday either. There’s zero chance that Pochettino will risk him ahead of the Arsenal match.

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That means you’re going to see Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier form the central defensive partnership again. The two have performed reasonably well in Alderweireld’s absence. It’s not as if the Spurs have been leaking goals.

However, neither of the pair has the ability to really aid the attack from the back line. Vertonghen had a few near-misses against Leicester City, but he just isn’t the creator that Alderweireld is. That doesn’t make him a below-average centre back, it just means he doesn’t possess the same world-class ability that his Belgian compatriot possesses.

The lack of push from the centre backs will strongly influence some of Pochettino’s other lineup choices. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much of a choice along the back line.

In goal, Spurs will obviously go with Hugo Lloris once again. He’ll look to bounce back from a mediocre match against Leicester City. Expect the Spurs captain to return to world-class form once again.

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