Spurs predicted line-up vs Brentford: who will start up-front following Harry Kane exit?

To say that Tottenham Hotspur’s preparations for the new season have been overshadowed by the Harry Kane saga would be an understatement – but now the attention has to turn, at least in part, to events on the pitch instead of the goings-on inside Stansted Airport.

Spurs get their season underway with a London ‘derby’ away to Thomas Frank’s Brentford – a suitably stern test to see just how Ange Postecoglou’s side are doing and how they might shape up for life after Kane. Because whether the England captain has come any closer to completing his move to Munich or not come Sunday, it’s fair to assume that he won’t be on the pitch.

With their talismanic striker absent, just how will Spurs line up – and come to that, who will lead the line? Let’s take a look…

Formation

Postecoglou has stuck to a 4-2-3-1 formation throughout pre-season, operating with a ferocious high press, aggressive wing-backs and a staggered midfield, and there’s no reason to expect the avuncular Australian will pull any surprises this weekend. Expect attacking football with a very high line.

Goalkeeper

Guglielmo Vicario, who arrived from Empoli this summer, will get the chance to cement his place as first-choice goalkeeper following the departure of Hugo Lloris. There had been some debate when Vicario first arrived as to whether another goalkeeper will follow, but so far there haven’t been any serious suggestions that he will face additional competition by the end of the month. In any case, his back-up Fraser Forster certainly won’t be playing – he’s injured as it stands.

Defence

One problem that the unfortunate journalists who have to provide these predicted XIs will have this season is that Postecoglou loves to rotate – and he gave everyone a fair crack of the whip in pre-season, meaning that clues are a little few and far between as to who will start in several positions. Either Pedro Porro or Emerson Royal could easily start at right-back, while Destiny Udogie could push Sergio Reguilón for the starting left-back spot after an impressive loan spell at Udinese. Ryan Sessegnon is out injured.

There are plenty of choices in central defence as well, but the consensus seems to be that Micky van de Ven will get his debut, likely alongside Cristian Romero. But don’t be entirely shocked if Eric Dier or Davinson Sánchez show up on the teamsheet – there is a new tinkerman in town.

Midfield

Yves Bissouma and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg will compete for the holding role, with Tanguy Ndombele out of the equation for now due to fitness concerns – the Dane seems more likely to take the spot as it stands. Either Giovani Lo Celso or Oliver Skipp, who scored a brace in the final pre-season friendly against Barcelona, will play alongside them.

One of the few positions which can be pinned down with much authority is that of the number ten, where new signing James Maddison will get the chance to impress and show whether he can run the show without his England team-mate Kane getting in the way.

Attack

We’ll get a first chance to see how Son Heung-Min gets on without his partner in crime on Sunday, while Dejan Kulusevski is expected to start on the right flank ahead of Manor Solomon. As for the number nine role, that should fall to Richarlison, for now at least – Spurs are likely to move for a new striker once Kane has departed, with Gift Orban, Jonathan David and Elye Wahi all mentioned in recent days. For the Brazilian international this is a big chance to prove that he can do for club what he’s done for his country.

Full predicted line-up

Vicario; Royal or Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Reguilón; Højbjerg, Skipp, Maddison; Son, Kulusevski, Richarlison.