Tottenham projected XI at Rochdale: Son rises to the top

Attacking midfielder-Lucas Moura

Tottenham fans are anxious to get their first real look at their new Brazilian and this match should provide them that opportunity. It would be a major surprise if Lucas isn’t named in the starting XI.

It should provide him a relatively low-pressure opportunity to make his first meaningful contribution at Tottenham. A player of his experience, skill and pace should be able to cause Rochdale’s defense real problems. Expect him to see a lot of the ball in the final third. The real key will be whether or not he can turn that possession into a goal or assist.

Attacking midfielder-Erik Lamela

Many people were stunned to see Lamela in Pochettino’s starting XI at Juventus. I wasn’t. His physicality and work rate made him a perfect player to deploy against The Old Lady. Those skills also make him a nightmare for opponents in fixtures like this.

Simply put, Lamela isn’t the type of player to give an inch. He doesn’t know any way to play other than giving maximum effort. That will prove bad news for Rochdale in this one. Lamela will run at them time and time again until Spurs take control of the match.

Attacking midfielder-Dele Alli

I contemplated giving someone like Tashan Oakley-Boothe or Moussa Sissoko the nod here, but I think Dele will get the ultimate nod from Pochettino. He wants to see his English starlet really get going in the goal scoring department. This could be an opportunity for Dele to find the back of the net.

Ideally, his services won’t be required for more than an hour. Tottenham would do well to grab this match by the scruff of the neck. If that happens, look for Dele to give way sooner rather than later.