Tottenham vs. Leicester City: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape FA Cup Game
Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City meet for the second time in less than a month on Saturday, when they face off in the FA Cup fourth round.
Leicester fought back from a goal down to give Tottenham a real scare in the two sides' Premier League Boxing Day clash. However, a clever Christian Eriksen free-kick against the run of play proved the difference as the north Londoners escaped from the King Power Stadium with a 2-1 win.
Read on for the issues and decisions set to shape their latest meeting.
Who Will Suffer Another Early FA Cup Exit?
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The FA Cup has not proved especially kind for either Tottenham or Leicester in recent years.
Thrashed 5-1 by Chelsea in the 2012 semi-final, Spurs have failed to progress beyond the fourth round since. A humbling loss to Championship Leeds United two years ago was followed by an early exit at the hands of eventual winners Arsenal last season.
After reaching the quarter-finals, Leicester were also dumped out by Chelsea in '12, while they too suffered a third-round exit in 2014, to Stoke City. Huddersfield Town edged a fourth-round replay against the Foxes in the intervening year.
Both have plenty besides the FA Cup going on right now. Given the serious attention they have already paid it in their third-round games, though, a run in the tournament would not go amiss after a few lean years.
Can Leicester Catch Spurs with Their Eye off the Ball?
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One of the other things going on for Tottenham is the Capital One Cup semi-final. They have a 1-0 first-leg lead over Sheffield United and will anticipate an even tougher return game at Bramall Lane on Wednesday.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has made good use of his resources during a period in which Spurs have played two games a week since November. Fringe players have had chances to impress and generally responded well. For example, against the Blades, Eric Dier covered at centre-back for the second game in a row.
While Spurs have handled the near continuous football well so far, they have not had as important an upcoming game as a semi-final to contend with. Leicester might feel they can catch their opponents with their eye off the ball this weekend.
The away team's approach will certainly be intriguing.
On Boxing Day, they took the game to Spurs after going a goal down and were disappointed not to win after Leonardo Ulloa's equaliser. Leicester have not been without adventure away from home either, as demonstrated by their 2-2 draw at Anfield.
They may, though, be tempted into repeating the strategy adopted by most bottom-half sides at White Hart Lane this season: sit back in numbers and force Spurs to find a way through the narrow gaps subsequently left.
Then again, Nigel Pearson may have realised the diminishing success of this tactic. Both of Spurs' last two opponents, Sunderland and Sheffield United, ultimately failed in their defensive approaches.
A First Start for Kramaric?
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Regardless of how aggressive Pearson sets his team up to be, he could choose Saturday as the day to hand new signing Andrej Kramaric his first start up front.
The Croatia international played 25 minutes off the bench during last weekend's 1-0 loss to Stoke City.
Some variation of an attack featuring David Nugent, Ulloa and Jamie Vardy has been Pearson's preference. Up until last week's loss against the Potters, they had played their part in a positive run of two wins and a draw to start 2015.
Kramaric was signed to score goals, and with Leicester battling to find the form that would move them off the bottom of the Premier League, there is no time like the present to try and get the Croatian started.
Speaking to Leicester's official website, Pearson said:
"We’ve got a few things to consider with Saturday’s game in mind. Of course it’s a good opportunity for [Kramaric and fellow new signing Mark Schwarzer] to be in with a shout of starting.
Whether they will or not, we’ll have to wait and see. It’s a good opportunity for us to get some match exposure to one or two other players as well.
"
Pearson said he was waiting for more news on Chris Woods, who "has had a bit of an ankle problem." Midfielders Esteban Cambiasso and Dean Hammond are "in contention" too.
Spurs Need to Get in the Right Gear for Sheffield United Return
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Tottenham's team news had not been confirmed at the time of writing. Yet, no matter who is available to him, you suspect Pochettino will be aiming to establish a more driven, quicker precedent for his side's play ahead of the return game with Sheffield United.
It will arguably be tougher against Premier League opposition in Leicester. But knowing how motivated the Blades will be to pull off an upset next week, Spurs have to attempt to get in the frame of mind to strike first.
A bright start against the Foxes would give them a good chance of avoiding another cup replay too—just about a must, with midweek Europa League games against Fiorentina coming up in February.
After two games playing in a deeper role, it would be a surprise not to see Harry Kane leading the Spurs attack if he starts.
The striker's confidence on the ball meant he was a capable alternative to the missing Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela in attacking midfield. But neither Roberto Soldado or Emmanuel Adebayor occupied the Sunderland and United defences in the way the boisterous Kane surely would have.
As a result, there was a little less for playmaker Christian Eriksen to work with in terms of space.
Ideally, Eriksen would be rested for Leicester. Perhaps he still will be. But if Chadli and Lamela are unavailable, it is likely he will be required to start.
Also set to feature is Ryan Mason. Back from injury on Wednesday, he signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract this week, per the club's official website. Buoyed by his secured future, he will be keen to get back in gear and drive Spurs on from midfield.
The other big question in the Spurs team revolves around central defence.
Federico Fazio has missed the last two matches. If he is fit, Pochettino could use it as an opportunity to rest Jan Vertonghen. The Belgian has played almost every game since mid-November.
