‘Gil could come in’ – Ex-Spurs Scout predicts Tottenham XI v Fulham
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 welcome Fulham to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday 23 October as the Premier League returns following the international break.
It has been a dream start to the season and life in north London for Ange Postecoglou, as his side spent the second international break of the season top of the Premier League and unbeaten after eight league matches.
What makes this record even more impressive is that five of those eight games have been on the road, and Spurs supporters will be excited to return home for the first time in over three weeks as they welcome an in-form Fulham side who have lost just one of their last five games.
Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King has spoken to Tottenham News and offered his predicted starting line-up for the clash with Fulham.
King believes Postecoglou will make just one change from the team that beat Luton Town prior to the international break, and opt to bring in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in place of the suspended Yves Bissouma.
“I would try and keep the same team from the match against Luton Town, but of course, one change has to be implemented after Bissouma’s red card, and I think it will be Hojbjerg who comes in.
“I am not 100 per cent happy with Hojbjerg coming in, but if he is in the right frame of mind then he can certainly do a job, and this is also the kind of fixture where he could do a job.
Ange Postecoglou confirmed in his pre-match press conference (Football London, 20 October) that Bryan Gil is “fit and available again,” and could perhaps be tempted to start him on the left. However, King would once again maintain faith in Richarlison.
“Richarlison certainly got in the right positions against Luton, he just never took his chances. Whether the trip to Brazil has livened him up we will see, but I would start with him because there aren’t many other options.
“Gil could come in on the wing, but he hasn’t contributed all season and I think he will need a half of football before he gets a start. What I could see happening is Postecoglou starts with Richarlison and if he isn’t contributing, he could bring on Gil at half-time for a 45-minute run-out.
“I wouldn’t make any changes to the back five, it is functioning well. Destiny Udogie has had some tough five or ten-minute spells in a couple of games, and he wasn’t fantastic against England, but I like him, I think he is a good player.
“The two central defenders look happy, the goalkeeper looks happy and the right-back looks assured so that must stay as it is.”
In other Tottenham news, the stats show that one Spurs player is flying under the radar with his impressive contributions so far this season.