Game number two of the Jose Mourinho era at Tottenham Hotspur is tomorrow night, when they host Greek side Olympiacos in UEFA Champions League group stage competition. Game one was a success as Spurs triumphed 3-2 at West Ham United, but the floundering towards the finish line gives Mourinho plenty to focus on improving going forward.
For him, individually, it provided a chance to reflect after almost a year out of the game. In the European clash tomorrow night, he’ll be without the services of several key players: Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies.
Meanwhile central defender Jan Vertonghen and midfielder Tanguy Ndombele are also slight doubts.
Spurs sit second in their UCL grouping, by a comfortable margin, so a win here would clinch their place in the round of 16. While their domestic form has slumped this season, they’ve been very solid in European competition, against teams not named Bayern Munich.
For Olympiacos, it’s a must win as their chances of progressing to the knockout round, or as a fall-back, the Europa League, are minimal to say the least.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Olympiacos FYIs
Kickoff: Nov. 23, 12:30 pm London Stadium
Tottenham Hotspur Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
More on the Mourinho hiring: go to this link and also this link
Google’s result probability: Tottenham Hotspur win 76%, Draw 16%, Olympiacos victory 8%
Form Guide: Tottenham Hotspur- WWLD Olympiacos- LLLD
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3, Olympiacos 0
The arrival of Mourinho is going to turn this season around and get things going in the right direction again at White Hart Lane.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.