Ex-Spurs Scout reveals how Tottenham can beat Crystal Palace, talks Selhurst Park impact
Tottenham News is delighted to welcome aboard our brilliant new columnist Bryan King, the former goalkeeper who spent six years as a senior scout at Spurs and 28 years in total in first-team scouting roles. Bryan also spent eight years on Everton’s recruitment team and 11 years scouting at Aston Villa across two different spells.
Tottenham will travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace on Friday 27 October with the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.
Ange Postecoglou’s side reclaimed top spot in the division with a 2-0 home win against Fulham on Monday 23 October.
They currently sit two points above their North London rivals Arsenal and last season’s champions Manchester City and a win would send them five points clear before any other team has played this weekend.
However, away days at Crystal Palace are never straightforward and, with that in mind, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King has been speaking to Tottenham News about Spurs’ trip south of the river.
“Looking at Palace’s last fixture, they got turned over at Newcastle, losing 4-0. I watched the highlights from that game and Sam Johnstone made quite a few good saves, I think they could have been beaten by more if it wasn’t for him, it could have ended up finishing 6-0. I look at Palace and they have a lot of key injuries right now.
“Eberechi Eze, who I really like and have liked since his days at QPR, James Tomkins and Michael Olise are all out. That is the equivalent of Tottenham losing Micky van de Ven, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. If Spurs had to go to Palace without those three, they would have a real game on their hands.
“Palace haven’t got great strength in depth, so if Roy Hodgson starts with the same side that started at St. James Park, nothing in their team frightens me. However, Palace playing at home is a different animal to Palace playing away from home.
“Also, after getting beat by four goals at Newcastle the players will want to put things right, and I imagine Roy will be encouraging them to have a right go. He is a good manager, Roy, I worked with him and against him in Sweden many years ago, so I know him. He is a manager who has been around the world and managed at the top level and he will set out to make it as difficult as possible against Tottenham.
“Tottenham will need to utilise their pace and target Joachim Andersen because he tends to defend square on. If Spurs can get balls in the channel, get Son Heung-min making those runs and Maddison picking him out, I think they could cause problems for Palace.
“Spurs need to get in their face and force them to make mistakes because, against Newcastle, Palace did give the ball away a few times when put under pressure. Tottenham just need to play their game and make sure they don’t let themselves get caught out on the break, because Palace will look to counter-attack.
“Tottenham just need to be on their game, they’re certainly stronger than Palace, but Selhurst Park is a tough place to go, I never liked going there when I was a player. You can’t sit in when you go to Selhurst Park, luckily I don’t think it is in Ange Postecoglou’s nature to do that. He wants his teams to attack.”
Ex-Spurs scout prediction: 1-2
In other Tottenham news, John Wenham has discussed the “scintillating” football Spurs played last time out.