Tottenham have spent more than £300m trying to build Roberto De Zerbi a new team this summer. After one Premier League game, their manager has already admitted they are not one yet.
A miserable 3-0 defeat at Brentford was hardly the start Tottenham had in mind, with De Zerbi particularly unhappy with the lack of fight shown by his new-look side. Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie therefore carries a little more importance than a home game against Championship opposition might normally suggest.
Nathan Jones’ side have won all three competitive games this season, scoring three at Cheltenham before beating Derby and West Ham 2-1. That victory at the London Stadium was particularly impressive, with Charlton going two goals clear before surviving a late West Ham rally.
Tyreece Campbell has scored in every game so far and gives Charlton a genuine threat on the counter, which feels particularly relevant after Spurs struggled badly against Brentford’s intensity and direct running.
Tottenham should still have too much Premier League quality over 90 minutes, especially with Dominic Solanke available and £85m signing Savio potentially making his debut, but this looks more interesting than the short price on a routine home win suggests.
What are the best picks for Tottenham vs Charlton?
Charlton scoring here would not require the sort of giant-killing performance normally associated with an early-round cup upset.
They have found the net at least twice in all three competitive games this season and showed at West Ham that they are comfortable absorbing pressure before attacking quickly when the opportunity arrives.
Campbell has been central to that. He scored the third goal against Cheltenham before finding the net against Derby and West Ham, and his pace should give a potentially rotated Tottenham defence something different to deal with.
Spurs could again start without Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro, with De Zerbi confirming both will begin on the bench. James Maddison and Mohammed Kudus are also unavailable, while several of the players who started at Brentford are still adapting to a completely new system.
There should be little concern about Tottenham contributing at the other end. Solanke is pushing to start, while Mathys Tel and Mikey Moore could both feature against a Charlton defence stepping up considerably in class.
Tottenham to win and both teams to score
If Charlton do find the net, there is still an enormous gap between believing they can trouble Spurs and expecting them to knock them out.
De Zerbi has a squad packed with Premier League and international quality even after making changes. Solanke is available to start, while Tel and Moore should provide pace around him and Mateus Fernandes, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall are all possible midfield options.
Savio could also feature only a day after completing his £85m move from Manchester City, giving De Zerbi another player capable of beating defenders and creating something when the game becomes congested.
Charlton’s aggressive start to the season gives us enough confidence to back them for a goal, but keeping Spurs out for an entire evening is a much bigger ask.
There were plenty of problems on show at Brentford, but this is still a Tottenham side assembled at enormous expense playing Championship opposition at home.
This is the more adventurous selection, but there is enough behind it to make it worth considering at the right price.
Charlton were ahead after only seven minutes at West Ham on Saturday and Jones has built a side that looks comfortable attacking quickly rather than needing long spells of possession.
Spurs, meanwhile, cannot afford another sluggish opening after Brentford scored inside 11 minutes at the weekend and never really allowed De Zerbi’s side to settle.
Charlton have already shown they are willing to attack Premier League opposition and Campbell’s pace gives them an obvious route into the spaces Spurs could leave behind.
An early away goal would immediately turn what should be a routine home cup tie into a very uncomfortable evening in north London. Tottenham would still have plenty of time and quality to recover, which is why this selection can comfortably sit alongside our prediction of a home victory.
Where can I watch Tottenham vs Charlton?
Tottenham vs Charlton kicks off at 7:45 PM BST on Wednesday, August 26 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Carabao Cup second-round tie will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports+.
What have the managers said?
Roberto De Zerbi:
De Zerbi accepts Tottenham remain a work in progress following the defeat at Brentford.
“We have to find the conditions to become a team quickly.”
The Spurs boss has also confirmed that Solanke is available to start, while Van de Ven and Porro will return to the squad from the bench.
Nathan Jones:
Jones was delighted with the tactical discipline Charlton showed when beating West Ham at the weekend.
“We had to be very organised and very good tactically, which we were.”
A similarly disciplined approach will be required if Charlton are to cause another upset in north London.
What is Tottenham’s predicted team?
Starting XI: Dubravka; Gray, Van Hecke, Danso, Udogie; Fernandes, Bentancur, Bergvall; Moore, Solanke, Tel.
Injured: Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison.
Doubts: Pape Matar Sarr.
Van de Ven and Porro are available again but will start on the bench, while De Zerbi is yet to decide whether Savio is ready to feature following his move from Manchester City.
What is Charlton’s predicted team?
Starting XI: Kaminski; Rankin-Costello, Jones, Burke, Bell; Chalobah, Coventry; Campbell, Carey, Grant; Leaburn.
Injured: Kayne Ramsay, Charlie Kelman.
Doubts: Josh Edwards, Timothy Ouma.
Jones has options if he wants to rotate following Saturday’s win at West Ham, although Campbell’s outstanding start makes him difficult to leave out.
Score prediction: Tottenham 3-1 Charlton
Charlton have shown enough already this season to believe they can expose a Spurs side that remains some way from the finished article, and another fast start from the visitors would certainly make things interesting.
Tottenham should eventually take control, though, and their superior attacking options make 3-1 our pick, even if the evening becomes rather more uncomfortable than De Zerbi would like.
Keep an eye on our Tottenham betting tips, previews and news throughout the season.
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