Team news ahead of Brentford – “reliable” Forster set for action
Fri 23 December 2022, 16:52|
Tottenham Hotspur
Antonio Conte has confirmed that Fraser Forster will start in goal at Brentford as the Premier League returns on Boxing Day (12.30pm UK).
In our first domestic game in more than a month following the season’s hiatus for the World Cup, the veteran goalkeeper will come in for his first league appearance in our colours since his summer arrival, with Hugo Lloris not yet ready to have a full involvement after playing for France in the World Cup final in Qatar as recently as this past Sunday.
“About Hugo, he is coming with us to stay on the bench,” said Antonio after training on Friday.
On Fraser, the Head Coach went on to explain in his press conference: “We’re talking about a reliable goalkeeper, a good goalkeeper. I remember when I was coach at Juventus, we played Celtic, and he impressed me a lot when we played in the last 16 (of the Champions League, 2013). We are talking about a really good, professional player, he’s reliable and I can count on him. He’s going to play against Brentford.”
Latest on World Cup medal-winners
There have been question marks over a number of players for a variety of reasons heading into our clash with the Bees, including Ryan Sessegnon, who got injured in the Carabao Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest in early November – coincidentally, Fraser’s only appearance for us to date.
Defender Cristian Romero, who lifted the World Cup with Argentina after beating Hugo’s France, is not yet available, but Ivan Perisic, who won the third place play-off with Croatia last Saturday, has returned to training at the Club.
Forward Richarlison is sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained on World Cup duty with Brazil, while Rodrigo Bentancur will also miss out at Brentford – he serves a one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards and also picked up a knock playing for Uruguay in Qatar.
“About Richy, you know very well that now we have to wait because his injury was a serious injury. We have to wait. Also Rodrigo Bentancur, he isn’t in a perfect physical condition because he had an injury in the World Cup.
“For the others, I have two days to make the best decision and because so many players came back later, I think that I want to see.
“Today, we had a good training session, tomorrow, then in two days I have to make the best decision because if I understand that the players that arrived later are not in a good physical condition compared to the players that worked with me (during the last few weeks), then I have to pick the best that in this moment give me the best assurance to play a good game.”
