Spurs under 21’s versus Gillingham: (match preview)

(This photograph is from Tottenham Hotspur FC).

Our development side face league one club Gillingham on Tuesday night, in what is a crucial game in group nine of this seasons Leasing.com trophy. Ideally  Spurs need to win the game and hope that Ipswich Town (a side which could include Spurs loanee Anthony Georgiou) beat Colchester United, for that is what Spurs need to happen if they are to progress out of the group (Spurs are on two points while Colchester are on four). The good news is that tomorrow’s opponents Gillingham can’t mathematically make it out of the group and so for Steve Evans side this is a bit of a dead rubber at their Priestfield home. The ‘ Gills ‘ haven’t made the best of starts to this season and they currently occupy 16th spot in the league one table after picking up 18 points from 16 games. Gillingham have also only won three home games this season. Some of you may remember that Wayne Burnett’s Spurs side beat Gillingham 4-0 in this competition last season, that game was played at Charlton Athletic’s ground due to work on Gillingham’s Priestfield pitch. Although Gillingham manager Steve Evans is expected to name a weakened side for tomorrow’s clash, some of the ‘ Gills ‘ players to look out for include Scottish centre forward Alex Jakubiak (23) who has netted four goals from 15 league appearances this season. Also former Spurs defender Connor Ogilvie, Southampton loanee Alfie Jones and 25 year old centre forward Mikel Mandron are other players to look out for. Just as we experienced in our last two games in this competition, Burnett’s side will have to be able to deal with the physicality of the opposition if they are going to come away with all three points tomorrow. It’s also worth noting that Spurs will be without important midfielders Paris Maghoma and Jamie Bowden for Tuesday’s game due to international call ups. I would like to wish the young Spurs lads that do play tomorrow all the very best of luck. This will be a great test for the team.

My predicted lineup: (4-2-3-1) Whiteman, Eyoma (c), Walcott, Binks, Lyons-Foster, White, Oakley-Boothe, Patterson, Shashoua, Tracey, Etete.

Subs from: De Bie, Okedina, Hinds, Thorpe, Pochettino, Markanday, Whittaker.

Injured/unavailable: Maximus Tainio, Jamie Bowden, Paris Maghoma, Jeremie Mukendi, Dennis Cirkin.

Doubtful: Rayan Clarke, Rodel Richards, Enock Asante.

Previous meeting: Spurs 4-0.

My score prediction: Spurs 2-1. 

An interesting pre-match read: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/binks-homecoming-could-be-emotional-215728/

My one to watch: Former Spurs man Connor Ogilvie who has cemented his place in the Gillingham starting 11 since leaving Spurs in the summer. The powerful defender can play LCB and left back.