Charlie Nicholas has predicted that Tottenham will struggle in their first Champions League game of the campaign.
Writing in his regular column for Sky Sports, Nicholas said that Olympiakos were “dangerous” and predicted a 1-1 final score.
He also said that the big problem for Tottenham is that manager Mauricio Pochettino has “changed his team too much” this season and that’s left them “vulnerable at the back”.
“This is an awkward one,” Nicholas said on the Sky Sports website.
“Tottenham were very impressive in the first half against Crystal Palace, which allowed them to ease down to second gear in the second half. They kept hold of Christian Eriksen and so things have calmed down a bit. He started against Palace, so is that why it has calmed down?
“Mauricio Pochettino has changed his team too much and that is why they look vulnerable at the back. I would imagine Tottenham would try to control possession, but this is an awkward trip and these are dangerous teams to travel to. Tottenham are still unpredictable.”
Pochettino’s picks
Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld were the regular centre-backs for Pochettino last season, but he paired Alderweireld with Davinson Sanchez in the first three games of the 19/20 campaign. Sanchez was then put out on the right in the north London derby, with Kyle Walker-Peters injured, while Vertonghen came back in at centre-back.
The Sanchez experiment didn’t work out and Pochettino played Serge Aurier, a natural right-back, in the 4-0 win against Crystal Palace.
Vertonghen and Alderweireld were in the centre with Danny Rose on the left.
Aurier had said he wanted to leave over the summer but grabbed two assists on his return to the side and has vowed to take his second chance under Pochettino.
Results have been mixed, with a defeat to Newcastle and draws against Man City and Arsenal.
However, with a more orthodox defence of Aurier/Alderwerield/Vertonghen/Rose against Crystal Palace, Spurs looked more like the team they were in the first half of last season.
Fixtures start to ramp up now, with the addition of midweek Champions League matches, but we think Pochettino should stick with the same back four against Olympiakos.