Biggest game of the season so far for Spurs as they look to keep trophy hopes alive
Must win: Tottenham have a first-leg deficit to overcome tonight
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Tottenham vs AZ Alkmaar - LIVE!
Tottenham’s season is on the line as they host AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of a crucial Europa League last-16 tie. With Spurs already out of both domestic cup competitions and the Premier League campaign effectively a write-off, Ange Postecoglou knows the success of the season will now be determined by the European run.
The Tottenham boss has been keen to point out he always wins trophies in his second season at a club, but it will require a comeback just for Spurs to reach the quarter-finals. They were beaten 1-0 in the Netherlands a week ago and are perhaps fortunate to not be returning to north London further adrift.
Postecoglou is expected to turn to experience tonight, with four-man leadership group Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, James Maddison and Heung-min Son starting together for the first time since October. Wilson Odobert gets the nod to start on the right wing, while Micky van de Ven is fit to partner Romero. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog, featuring expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick at the ground!
Tottenham vs AZ Alkmaar latest news
Vicario: Spurs players behind Postecoglou
Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario insists the players can handle the pressure of this Europa League last-16 decider and says the squad remains fully behind head coach Ange Postecoglou
The competition is Spurs' final chance of salvaging a disappointing campaign and finishing Postecoglou's second season with a trophy, but they trail 1-0 in the tie after a hugely underwhelming display in Alkmaar last week.
Vicario says the players are totally committed to the Australian's approach.
"Yes, I can say that his approach has been very, very committed since day one when he joined here," Vicario said.
"He delivered to us the same way to play the game because he truly believes in this. We can be successful in this way and we are fully behind him, fully trying to do the right things that he believes are working for us.
"We are very, very committed to doing that and we have proved that. When we are at 100 per cent here in the brain and very, very committed to that I think we proved and showed what we can do.
Vicario added: "We know exactly what the game means... we are very conscious of it, and we just want to win the game.”
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Postecoglou unimpressed with question
This match is being billed as make or break for not just Tottenham's season but Postecoglou's entire project, but the Australian reacted frostily when asked at his pre-match press conference if his job was potentially on the line.
"There are not many professions in the world where you have to come in and answer questions like that is there?" he replied.
"No, there isn’t, but I am going to be polite and say we’re focused on winning the game tomorrow night and need to put in a better performance than we did last Thursday. Obviously that wasn’t anywhere near the standard we want to play.
"We did some good things at the weekend, did some not so good things, but we feel like if we can play with the intensity and tempo we played at the weekend, we’ll give ourselves a good chance to progress."
Postecoglou turns to experienced heads
Tottenham’s four-man leadership group of Heung-min Son, Cuti Romero, James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario all start.
First time that has happened since October.
Micky van de Ven also fit to start, while Wilson Odobert gets the nod on the right wing.
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AZ Alkmaar team news
AZ Alkmaar XI: Owusu-Oduro; Maikuma, Goes, Penetra, Wolfe; Clasie, Buurmeester, Koopmeiners; Poku, Parrott, Sadiq
Subs: Belic, Bouziane, Dekker, De Wit, Dijkstra, Martins Indi, Meerdink, Smit, Van Duijn, Verhulst, Zoet
Tottenham team news
Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence, Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison, Odobert, Solanke, Son
Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Udogie, Davies, Gray, Bissouma, Moore, Johnson, Tel, Scarlett
First-leg highlights
Find something else to do for the next few minutes, Spurs fans...
For those not in the Tottenham camp, here’s a recap of what happened in the first leg last week.
Not much good, from a Spurs perspective.
Season on the line
The tie is win or bust for Spurs' season and it is hard to imagine Ange Postecoglou's project continuing beyond the end of the campaign if they crash out to the Eredivisie club, who had not beaten English opposition in their 12 previous attempts before last week.
Postecoglou's side were remarkably meek in Holland, mustering a solitary shot on target (and it looked like a mishit cross from Wilson Odobert) and having Guglielmo Vicario to thank for a pair of excellent saves.
Postecoglou blamed the “mindset” of his players on the night, but on Wednesday he pointed to their lack of “intensity” and called for them to replicate the “tempo” of Sunday's 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth, which he felt was closer to his side's true level.
One problem for Postecoglou is that Spurs' lack of intensity could be blamed on their long injury-list during their bleak December and January but that is no longer the case and he can pick close to his best XI here - Dejan Kulusevski (foot) and perhaps Rodrigo Bentancur (suspended) aside.
Injuries are simply no longer a serious factor for Spurs (at least not one that anyone wants to hear about), so a lack of intensity for such a big game has to come down to the manager.
Read our full preview here!
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In the building!
Spurs have arrived in north London, on what is the biggest night of their season.
Everything resting on this.
Postecoglou defends trophy comments
Ange Postecoglou says he stands by his comment about "always" winning a trophy in his second season and suggested his words have been twisted by his critics "for their own purposes".
Back in September, following Spurs' defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby, Postecoglou tetchily told a TV reporter: "I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second season. Nothing’s changed. I’ve said it now. I don’t say things unless I believe them."
The former Brisbane Roar, Australia, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic head coach has never failed to win silverware in this second year in a job but that record is under threat with Spurs.
Asked if he regretted the remark, Postecoglou said: "My view has always been when you’re asked a question you answer it.
"I wasn’t making anything up. I was asked a question, I answered that question.
"People have used it for their own purposes in suggesting I was making a bold claim but I wasn’t. I was stating a fact. If that doesn’t happen this year then I cannot say that anymore if I’m asked next year can I?
"What was I supposed to say? ‘I always win in the second year but, well I have in the past everywhere I’ve been, here it won’t happen’ Is that what people want to hear?
"I don’t have an issue with that. People can twist these things and use them. Maybe we will defy the odds and I do win something. You know what people will say? ‘Isn’t it great that he made such a bold claim.’”
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Standard Sport prediction
Hardened Spurs supporters may be wary about confidently backing the team this season but they should surely have enough at home.
That’s not to do Alkmaar any disservice and they certainly deserve their lead but Spurs can hardly play worse than they did out in the Netherlands.
With key players finally back in action and having had some minutes under their belt, it would be a surprise not to see Spurs progress.
Tottenham to win, 3-1 (agg 3-2)
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