Vinicius to underline cup credentials once again
In the penultimate scheduled FA Cup Fourth Round tie, Gareth Ainsworth's Wycombe Wanderers, bottom of the Championship, take on José Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur, the now perennial Champions League spot challengers at Adams Park on Monday night. The Chairboys will be hoping to put their shot-shy league form behind them and spring a huge surprise against their much more vaunted opponents. Stranger things have happened, but even if the Special One does choose to rest a few of his world class talents, they should have far too much for even the pragmatic, niggly hosts to handle. Read our preview here:
A Jacobson of all trades
Many of Ainsworth's squad have been plying their trade at the Buckinghamshire outfit for several seasons now, and 34 year old Welsh left-back Joe Jacobson is no exception to that. The veteran has tasted the glory of two promotions in the space of three campaigns, and whilst things look a little bleak as to their chances of retaining their membership of the second tier (the highest point in their history), they will likely be all the stronger for it, and certainly in financial terms. On the pitch, the full-back has gained a reputation for not only scoring directly from corners, but being a big threat from open play too, whether he's doing the finishing or the supplying. He scored 12 goals in all competitions from that position last term, and that was with the season being curtailed because of COVID. Although the hosts will nominally line up ina 4-2-3-1, expect to see all but Scott Kashket behind the ball whenever possession is ceded to Spurs. Their best avenue of attack will be down the flanks, especially on Jacobson's side. Fred Onyedinma, who can play wide on either wing, is a great foil for his more experienced team-mate, and with both opposite numbers in white liking to get forward and Gareth Bale not exactly renowned for tracking back even at the peak of his powers, that looks to be the one area they can really exploit from open play.
Carlos will be calling the tune
Mourinho will be more than conscious that the north London giants' next game after this is at home to Liverpool only 72 hours later, and whilst he does emphasise domestic cup success more than most of his contemporaries at the top table of English football, there ought to be no need to select his strongest XI. Joe Hart should come in between the sticks, and most of the front four will be different from the usual quarter. Benfica loanee Carlos Vinicius, who has scored six for his current team in just 351 minutes, should get the nod to play alone up front, and will be supported by the aforementioned Bale, Lucas Moura, and the returning Erik Lamela in a slightly unusual central role. There is a great mix of athleticism, doggedness, and creativity in that trio that should give him plenty of opportunities to build on the hat-trick he racked up in the previous round away at Marine. Both teams will match each other in their shape, but the onus will be totally on the visitors to take the game to their opponents, which normally only happens under their current head coach if he feels far more certain of a victory.
Ains going out like that
Wycombe in no way shape or form are a typical second tier outfit. One of, if not the smallest currently in terms of stature and history, they are led from the front by one of English football's most charismatic and colourful managers in Ainsworth. He embodies everything about the club, and the players and style are in his image, with a heavy dose of necessary pragmatism thrown in. They will make life extremely uncomfortable for Bale and co, and while there is a gulf in quality, that's not a criticism of them whatsoever. Vinicius will fancy his chances against Ryan Tafazoli and Josh Knight in a foot race, and the centre-backs in light and dark blue are both prone to giving the ball away cheaply. 888sport fancy the Brazilian to score anytime at odds of 1.70.
