After playing Manchester City and then Manchester United in consecutive weeks, Tottenham will be happy to travel to Fulham to take on the Cottagers who have lost six in a row in all competitions. But with a new man at the helm, Rene Meulensteen, it could prove to be a tricky affair. Here is what I would do if I was Andre Villas-Boas.
Firstly, I would inject a load of energy into the Spurs side. Fulham are a side who are packed with luxury players who struggle to grasp a workman’s attitude, so if Spurs can zip the ball around the pitch with pace and get their movement going then that will give them the advantage straight away.
Secondly, I would go two up top in order to get the best out of Soldado. The Spaniard is a fox in the box but has struggled to link up with the midfield when playing the lone striker role, so with the energy of Defoe and a different shape in midfield it could help. Also, Fulham have conceded 22/24 of their goals from inside the box, so Soldado should be licking his lips.
Lastly, I would drop Paulinho. The Brazilian is a good player to have in your side when you are away from home against a side who are going to dominate you in the middle but I think against lesser opposition he holds Spurs back. He had a stinker against Manchester United, also, so it maybe time for him to be rested.
