Fast-forward a few years and Chelsea, injected to bursting with Abramovich’s billions looked to be dining at the summit for the rest of time.

More recently, it is hard to see how Manchester City will be chiselled off the top of the league table any time soon (especially with Pep at the helm).

So it is with my own team, Tottenham Hotspur. We talk about the ‘Tottenham way’ and equate it with being free-flowing and attacking football, but I feel this is too simplistic and quite at odds with my lived Tottenham experience.

Indeed, the ‘Tottenham way’ I have grown up with is actually about interspersing attack minded coaches with defence minded managers and it is such for several generations of supporters.

Sadly, I never saw Arthur Rowe’s ‘push and run’ side of the fifties – nor the football played by Rowe’s acolyte Bill Nicholson. Nor did I witness the flair sides of Burkinshaw, Pleat and Venables (despite knowing all about them thanks to Chas and Dave).

Indeed, I have to admit to being in the crowd, mournfully lamenting ‘We want our Tottenham back! We want our Tottenham back! We want our Tottenham back!” under the turgid reign of George Graham.

Conversely, I was there gleefully chorusing “We’ve got our Tottenham back!” during one of the more hopeful periods in Glenn Hoddle’s time as Spurs manager. Being a Tottenham supporter has felt like a neverending cycle of hope and despair.

Once I looked at the list of managers in my lifetime – it actually is a bizarre pattern of defensive to attacking managers – from the sublime to ridiculous if you will. The reckless abandon of Ossie Ardiles, followed by the more pragmatic, and beautifully mulleted, Gerry Francis.

As mentioned prior, George Graham was followed by Hoddle. Then Jol from Santini and Redknapp from Juande Ramos. After Villas-Boas and the ‘one-man Bale team’ came Poch. In true Tottenham fashion, in 2023 Ange has followed in the steps of Messrs Jose, Nuno and Antonio.

So what can we learn from this? Firstly, that possibly there is no inherent ‘Tottenham DNA’ that is a continuous thread running through the history of the club.

In an era when people love to use buzzwords such as ‘vision’ and ‘culture’ the appointments seem erratic and driven by the individual and not looking to maintain a club ‘brand’. Indeed, the leap from certain managers, who appear to be polar opposites seems incongruous.

Not only that, but the money the club must have haemorrhaged signing specific players for managers whose methods quickly become obsolete is frightening.

But I still inherently believe that if Scott Munn is reading this, and I assume he is. One of his most pressing jobs is to establish what the club is and align it with our deeper history and expectations.

In this moment, we have the most clarity about ‘who we are’ that we have had in years – arguably since 2018. Some may be frowning at that date, but my argument is that by 2019, the team was patched up, threadbare and so stale that they weren’t recognisable as the team that twice went close to the title.

This moment in time is emblematic of where the club need to be better. Just because today is sunny, you don’t sit back with a beer and your feet up and ignore the potential potholes down the road.

If Scott Munn is proficient in his job, he will be creating a profile of what a Tottenham manager ‘looks like’ and already be looking at succession planning.

The old adage is correct ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ – this may as well have been the motto inscribed over the boardroom door of Tottenham in the last few decades. They should be looking after the club, not just in the here and now, but in two or three managers’ time – years down the road.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not just a Tottenham issue. A lot of clubs lurch from one manager to another, hoping to stumble upon the magical formula. Look at the continuing hilarity of what is happening at Manchester United.

At the moment, people will point to clubs like Brighton. An approach was instilled by Potter and now De Zerbi is carrying on and developing that project. They are not the only club to do so, Leeds after appointing Bielsa opted for Jesse Marsch and then Javi Gracia – completely ‘on brand’.

The quandary they found themselves in was when they were looking down the barrel of a gun and facing relegation. Instead of sticking to their principles, they abandoned their DNA and sent up the flare to summon ‘Big Sam’.

Despite the best efforts of Weston McKennie’s hopefully launched long throws into the box, Leeds got relegated; parted ways with Allardyce and returned to their ‘brand’ in Daniel Farke. An entirely predictable debacle.

Therefore, my point is this. If Angeball fails, and it may well do – football is a fickle mistress – let us not oscillate to someone who can bolt the gate once the horse is bolted. We have attacking and possession-based football and the players who can implement it. Stick to our guns.

The poster boy club for this way of working is Swansea City. Since 2007, the managers they have appointed have all played in the same way and maintained the ‘culture of the club’, with varying degrees of success. We all remember Bob Bradley.

Some may churn out the riposte ‘but now they’re in the Championship’, but the truth of the matter is that in football there is no such thing as a certainty, despite how much research is done. Swansea massively overachieved and their scouting hit a hot streak that was the envy of many.

(Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Is Daniel Levy what Tottenham Hotspur need?

So where does our old friend ‘COYS Daniel’ fit into all this?

For many, no matter what he does now, it will not be enough and it will not be good enough. They are entitled to their opinion, but the truth of the matter is that Daniel Levy will be chairman for as long as he wants to be.

Despite the onfield disappointments, he is too good at the ‘other stuff’ to be dispensed of. So what can he do to ingratiate himself or even redeem himself in the eyes of some? To me, there is one word. Legacy.

If Munn and Lange (with Don Fabio still in the background) have been employed on the strength of their CVs, their expertise and their skillset – then allow them to operate in the role they are appointed too.

Almost everyone is united in that we do not want Levy involved with the day-to-day of the club – the minutiae so to speak. If those beneath him want to lean on his experience of seeking his opinion then fair enough, but he cannot be like the ghost at the feast, looming over everyone like a sinister spectre as they go about their work.

He needs to trust his employees and give them a mandate about what the club is and what parameters need to be adhered to the ensure the ‘Tottenham way’ is not a mythological concept but is indeed the foundation upon which this club is built.

There is a possibility that in fifteen years’ time, Daniel Levy will leave the club having learned from his mistakes and I can genuinely say “‘The Tottenham Way’ I know what that is”.

The post Opinion: What exactly is the Tottenham way? appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The choice was clear, obvious and only needed to be announced. Son would be captain and that would be that.

Yet there is a reason that Ange Postecoglou is the Tottenham manager and I am just a bloke sitting behind a laptop (despite leading Vauxhall Motors to multiple Champions League on Football Manager 2013).

When Son was duly announced as captain, it was part of a leadership triumvirate. This is a relatively new concept and not something that has been commonly seen in football despite people being anointed vice-captain or being part of a ‘players’ representative group’.

In this system, Son would be the new sheriff in town, ably by his deputies, Messrs Maddison and Romero. In theory, it made sense (despite some chuckles from opposition fans), but time has proved that it has been a masterstroke from Postecoglou.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates their first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

By having three leaders, Anger realised, you can combine a range of characteristics to create one ‘super captain’ and also give all players a ‘link’ to a leader, be that be by position, age or nationality.

However, for such a combination to work effectively, the constituent parts have to work both individually and as a collective. So let’s look at what each brings to the role.

In all honesty, the South Korean was the obvious choice for the role of captain. He is the elder statesman of the starting eleven, and a player whose open devotion to a club is rare in this day and age.

In the depths of the darkness under Nuno, while Harry Kane was trying to wangle a move to Manchester City, Son came out and signed a new contract. To do so at such a time spoke volumes – he is Mr Tottenham.

However, his appointment challenges the traditional view, bandied about by a collaboration of pundits and former pros – that there are two types of captain.

Either you fall into the category of badge-thumping, loud shouting, heart-on-the-sleeve leader, or there is the lead-by-example player – an individual that lets his feet to the talking and inspires others thus.

Although Son does lead by example, that is not what makes him the leader he is. In all honesty, he is a modern man. Yes, he usually does perform, but when he is not, he is openly vulnerable and takes and accepts criticism.

Previously, I thought this would be a reason to not give him the captaincy – as it might be extra responsibility that he did not need. I was wrong and am a victim of my antiquated thinking.

Imagine the culture in that dressing room now. If you make a mistake, or are suffering with form, you have a captain, who will be there for you and seems as though he will emotionally connect with people – rather than just offering the same tired platitudes about ‘you’ll turn it around’ or ‘better luck next time’.

This is not to criticise others, it is to shine a light on the fact that, in a world of alpha males and hyper-competitiveness, you have a man who is capable of bucking the trend and succeeding.

Some may, lazily in my opinion, attribute this to his ‘culture’ or ‘heritage’. This does Sonny a disservice; the truth of the matter is that he is just a beautiful human being – I hate the phrase ‘one of the good guys in football’ but here it is apt.

From the moment he walked through the door, Son has been a bundle of positive energy. From his elaborate collection of handshakes with the likes of Dele and Kyle Walker, to his warm welcome of new, younger players such as Pape Mate Sarr.

Son’s personality also seems to dovetail nicely with that of Postecoglou. Some like to lean into the narrative that ‘Big Ange’ is a warm and avuncular character, however, he has made it clear – in various interviews – that he is somewhat detached from the players.

They love him, that is true, but that is because he is direct and unequivocal in his communication and his expectations and is not driven by his own self-ego. It does not sound like much – but doesn’t everyone wish their respective bosses behaved in such a fashion? Anyway, I digress.

In true Sonny fashion, he is more than happy to be part of a ‘leadership team’. Many would see it as a slight, or would feel that their ego was somewhat bruised at having to ‘share’. Sonny however has embraced the idea of a ‘team’ and made both Maddison and Romero feel just as important.

The fact that he was never part of the previous ‘leadership committee’ seems bizarre and wondering why may take one into more uncomfortable avenues of thought.

At the time, the selection of Maddison as vice-captain would have to be regarded as a calculated risk. Now, a quarter of a season in and playing like he has been at The Lane for years, it seems an obvious choice, but at the time it seemed like even more pressure on his shoulders.

However, pressure, it seems, is something that Maddison thrives upon. This is where he demonstrates his true leadership.

When Spurs are in the proverbial ‘pickle’, he has the desire, combined the technical excellence, to be that talismanic figure and drive the team on. He wants to be ‘The Man’. It reminds me, to some extent, of Gareth Bale. When the chips were down and all hope was lost, he would come to life.

Do not be surprised to see multiple Maddison-inspired last-minute reprieves in the coming seasons.

He is also symbolic of the new era at Spurs and represents hope, change and excitement at what might come to pass. A player not tarnished by previous disappointments or associated with past regimes.

He has that intangible trait of being charming and has already developed a strong relationship with both the squad and the fan base.

At the team’s nadir last season, I had never felt so detached from the club I love. It is incredible that having orators such as Ange and Maddison, who are so excited to be at the club can serve to reforge links that many thought might take years to repair.

Cristian Romero is turning into a Tottenham leader

So why is Romero a good choice? When I wrote my aforementioned article, I did not truly believe it myself (Spurs Web) but the arguments were logical at the very least.

In his role, he has stepped up as the main man in defence. He is their leader and acts as such. His plethora of fouls and yellow cards he acquired at will have all but evaporated.

For now, such claims about his commitment to the club seem to have dissipated. I am showing my age here, but he is still a boy – but boys quickly grow up when responsibility is laid on their shoulders.

There is a final angle that needs to be observed when looking at the leadership group as a whole – there is the bigger picture. Few places are more cosmopolitan in places of work than a Premier League dressing room.

In the current first-team Tottenham squad, there are players from sixteen different countries and three different continents (The Premier League).

Despite the myriad nations represented, the previous leadership group had a distinctly Western European feel to it. Kane, Dier, Hojbjerg and club captain Hugo Lloris compromised the group and purportedly the next inductee was to be Oliver Skipp.

Consider all the players in that dressing room who previously may not have felt represented by this selection. This is not a dig at those players, but an observation around diversity and inclusivity – we are constantly given the message ‘See it to be it’.

This limited selection could only serve to lead to a fragmented dressing room and the building up of cliques and factions. Now, the squad seems, like the peak Pochettino days, to be a united and integrated family.

Like almost every article relating to Tottenham at the moment, there needs to be a nod to the greater challenges and adversities that will undoubtedly lie ahead. However, you get the impression that the current guidance and togetherness will hold them in good stead.

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Apply this to a Premier League campaign and it means it is a large enough sample size for people to start getting excited – and justifiably so.

Let’s get it right then. A quarter of the way through the 2023-24 Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur are top of the league. Now the cynical out there, and there are a few, will point to similar seasons where the club had good starts and roll their eyes.

Indeed, last season was the best the club has had in the Premier League. But even the most partisan of fans must admit that the football was not good. We were winning games solely through the brilliance of individuals and that formula does not last – just look at Manchester United this season.

Quite rightly, I believe, I laughed incredulously when some people tried to make a comparison between the manager of month successes of Ange and Nuno. Nuno won his after three 1-0 victories. Now I will not take anything away from him for the City win.

But the subsequent performances over Watford and Wolves were turgid and lucky. Conversely, Ange’s draw and two wins, were jammed full with daring, verve and panache. Above all, there is a plan and a clearly defined way of playing.

Roll on to the ninth game and very little has changed. The team has stayed true to their principles and sit on top of the pile. Unlike those previous campaigns, you cannot point to any lucky points acquired. Admittedly, we were, for once, on the right side of fortune with the Liverpool VAR debacle, but based on the stats for that game, we should have won.

People may argue that we could have won against Arsenal, but conversely, we could have lost quite easily – so a share of the spoils was about right.

Thus, I am left with a dilemma. Do I, in true Big Ange Cult tradition, commit to a wholehearted belief that we could indeed win the league? Or do I err on the side of caution and play down the possibility?

If I wanted to consider the title a viable option, I could draw on the Leicester experience of 2016. Weirdly, there are a number of similarities.

Both sides only had a fixture list consisting of mainly league games. In the make-up of the teams, there are genuine comparisons. A free-scoring forward: for Vardy, read Son. A centre midfielder capable of dictating play and breaking up attacks: Kante/ Bissouma, and a midfield maestro capable of scoring and assisting: Mahrez and Maddison. All of whom played in front of a solid, consistent and well-drilled defence and ‘keeper. Even as I write this, I am tempted to believe.

(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Can Tottenham really win the Premier League?

Yet I can’t do it – for two reasons.

Firstly, the ability Leicester had that season to put out the same starting eleven almost beggared belief. Too many of our key players have a history of picking up an injury and being out for a period of time: Maddison, Bissouma, Son and Romero have all had significant lay-offs in the last couple of years, and an injury to one or more of those players could prove fatal to any potential title charge.

Indeed, the Fulham gamed served to illuminate quite starkly our lack of depth outside the starting eleven. Without Bissouma, the slick play out from the back was just not possible at the level it has been. Credit to Sarr and Hojbjerg for trying, but they do not have the skillset to receive the ball, spin on a sixpence and release the forwards in a fluid motion.

Not many do. This in turn meant the defenders, Romero in particular, were more profligate on the ball and were trying to force the issue more than they have done recently.

Similarly, if Romero or Van de Ven were to miss games, the drop-off would be significant. The pace, awareness and technique of our defensive duo has been beautiful to behold and has evoked nostalgic memories of Jan and Toby.

However, with Sanchez being sold the back-up looks bare. Ashley Phillips has been commanding a place on the bench of late and I wonder if he is showing something in training that gives Ange the impression that the youngster could be ready to step up.

Even so, he is untried, unknown and ostensibly a shot in the dark. Our full-backs have defied expectations and have performed at a superb level so far this season, but an injury to either, Destiny in particular weakens our team significantly.

Further up the pitch, it has become apparent that James Maddison is the literal and metaphorical heartbeat of this team. There is no one in the squad who comes close to giving us what he offers. The same could be said of Son, who is proving to be ruthless in front of goal in his new central position.

Indeed, the striking options beyond Son and Kulu, don’t scream out ‘consistent high performance’. Brennan Johnson is an exciting prospect, but needs to be given time to bed into the forward three.

The injuries to Perisic and Solomon do not help the cause, the Croatian, in particular, seemed to finally have been clicking into the player we thought we had signed.

Then there is Richarlison. Although I was never convinced that he had the ability to play for a top Premier League team, I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, the previous eighteen months have brutally demonstrated that Tottenham is too much of a step up – especially in this new way of playing that demands high technical ability, vision and subtlety.

All this could be potentially excused if he was able to convert chances. Unfortunately, he is not and it even appeared against Fulham that the opposition were happy for him to be on the ball, whereas Maddison, Kulu and Son were instantly harassed and closed down.

He is just not good enough and Spurs should cash in as soon as possible, because he will only depreciate in value.

The second reason I can’t entertain a title tilt is the quality of opposition. In 2015-16, Tottenham should have won it. Not only did they fail to, they came third in a two-horse race.

There were few viable contenders that year in all fairness. Arsenal were limping towards to end of the Wenger era, Klopp’s time at Liverpool was just in its infancy, and Manchester City and Chelsea were awaiting the arrival of Pep and Conte respectively.

Manchester United, for those that are interested, were in another fruitless transitional phase as they desperately sought (and still seek) to effectively replace Sir Alex Ferguson.

This season the calibre of opposition is much greater. The Manchester City juggernaut shows little sign of abating, despite the De Bruyne injury. At Liverpool, Klopp’s recent reinvention is in full swing and, as much as we hate to accept it, Arsenal are a formidable opponent under Mikel Arteta.

To be finishing ahead of one of these teams would be impressive – all of them, highly unlikely. Add into the mix teams such as Newcastle, Villa and Brighton and it looks like a tough league to be competing in.

I am loving watching Tottenham, but any fans who truly understand football will understand that Spurs supporters saying ‘Why not?’ are saying so with their tongue firmly in their cheek.

Certain outlets and radio shows will try and advance the ‘Tottenham for the title’ talk because it provokes outrage and debate. The truth is that this team need to evolve and improve without the added pressure of being identified as title contenders.

The future is bright and undoubtedly exciting, so let’s just enjoy the ride without worrying about the destination just yet.

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The defence is looking more assured with the additions of Van de Ven and Udogie and the midfield is now purring like a Rolls Royce engine.

However, until their visit to Turf Moor, it was the attack that just did not seem to be clicking. Richarlison has been hopelessly out of form and, despite their industry, Son and Kulusevski were not having the sort of impact they are certainly capable of.

We have seen that Ange Postecoglou is not afraid to make a big call, and on Saturday he arguably made his biggest one yet by moving Son into the middle, moving Solomon to the left and dropping the Brazilian to the bench.

The results speak for themselves. Three goals for Son, two of which were assisted by Solomon. Vindication.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 2: Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-Min celebrates scoring his side’s equalising goal to make the score 1 – 1 during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on September 2, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Rich Linley – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Son Through the Middle

Those of you who read my work will know that I am more than happy to be hoisted by my own petard. If I am wrong, I own it. So, I have to admit, I was not the biggest fan of the idea of Son through the middle.

Why? To my mind, he could certainly play the role, but what elements of his game would we lose in the process? Where would be the glorious long-range efforts? Would it be worth it?

However, there were two things I neglected to account for in this assumption. Firstly, that we are now a team that actually plays with attacking patterns of play – as opposed to the less nuanced approach of: ‘You’re brilliant, make something happen’. Secondly, that Son is the ultimate team player and will play any role if it benefits the ‘greater good’.

In terms of his attributes for the role there is no need to ‘over-egg the pudding’ – his movement is razor sharp, his positioning is intelligent and, when brimming with confidence, his finishing is lethal. Not something we have seen up front for Tottenham in the first few matches.

Now with Son hopefully permanently through the middle, we are beginning to see the evolution of the front three to something a bit more ‘Ange-like’. But what does that actually look like?

Celtic Last Season

Elite football managers are continually changing and evolving based on their club, players and league they are playing in. Therefore, it is somewhat presumptuous to look back at Postecoglou’s Celtic side and try and apply that template to the current Tottenham squad.

However, now with Son in the middle, new opportunities are now available and I would expect Spurs to start playing more like Celtic did in attack. To understand that better, it is key to look at their focal point – Kyogo Furuhashi.

In all competitions last season, Kyogo netted 34 times (27 league and 7 domestic cup)(Wikipedia). If you watch his goals (YouTube), it is very clear the patterns of play that are being coached and implemented.

Twenty-two of his goals come directly from crosses. These came in three main forms:

• The wide cross played/ drilled along the ground.
• The square ball played from inside the box.
• The cut back from the by-line.

All goals bar one, come from inside the box. All of these crosses were delivered in an ‘orthodox’ fashion – The cross delivered from the right was struck with the right foot.

At Tottenham, the wide players have been typically inverting, with Son and Kulusevski coming more in field rather than staying wide and driving forward.

However, on Saturday you could see with Solomon on the left – especially in relation to Son’s second goal – it was very reminiscent of Celtic’s patterns of play.

It is also worth noting that in the league last season, Kyogo had on average 2.4 shots a game (Sofascore), thus his conversion rate was exceptionally high.

Indeed, he was barely involved in any of the build-up play, averaging 13.3 touched a game (although regularly he did not see much more than an hour’s play).

Against Burnley, Son scored 3 from five efforts on goal (only one outside the area (Sofascore) and only had 27 touches, against an average of 37.1 last season (Sofascore).

This is not to say that Son will play in the exact same way that Kyogo did. With all due respect to the Japanese international, Son is a far better player and therefore Ange will have to work out how to get the maximum out of his South Korean superstar. How will this shift impact the other players at Tottenham?

Brennan Johnson

If the Burnley game is anything to go by, the assumption would be that Brennan Johnson would be deployed in his usual right-wing position. There, he will use his blistering pace and direct running to drive into space and look to provide crosses and cutbacks into the box, in the guise of an orthodox winger.

If you look at how Johnson operated in the Championship for Forest, you can see exactly how Spurs will want him to play, and, in a team with more possession and who play higher up the pitch, he will be looking to replicate those performances (YouTube).

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 02: Heung-Min Son of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate James Maddison after scoring the team’s fourth goal during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on September 02, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Where does this leave the other forwards?

The biggest question therefore will now be surrounding Dejan Kulusevski. Since his arrival at Tottenham, he has operated from the right, cutting in to deliver quality balls with his left foot (Sofascore). He also has the capacity to feint and go down the line.

There is the option to try Deki on the left, even though he has not really played there before. Although he does not have the explosive pace of Johnson, he would be able to use his trickery and strength to manoeuvre room for himself and deliver balls into the box.

However, he has also admitted that he would be more than happy to play in a number 10 role (Spurs Web). He is an extremely intelligent footballer, who makes up for his lack of pace with movement and guile. Therefore, Postecoglou may consider playing the Swede in the ‘Maddison role’ if he is injured or needs resting.

The man who came into the frontline against Burnley was Manor Solomon and the Israeli is probably the biggest beneficiary of this tactical development. He is naturally two-footed and comfortable operating on the left, the position vacated by Son.

Against Burnley, he showed his ability to work in tandem with Son; providing two assists for the South Korean and combined with some of his performances during pre-season, it looks like he may be adding to his game time significantly in the coming months.

Which leaves Richarlison. It is fair to say I am not his biggest fan, but I did think he could do a passable job in the absence of Kane.

However, Saturday showed the gulf in class between Richarlison and Son. Not only was he not scoring, he was not looking like scoring and was not quick enough to get into dangerous positions.

At present he will still be back up for Son, however, is there an alternative? Previously, I have written that he was at his best when he was at Everton driving forward down the left. Now, with Son in the middle, this could be an option.

Squad Depth

Tottenham are now in a position where there forward line should begin to fire on all cylinders. Yet, my concern is that we are still a player short in the central position.

Assuming he recovers fitness soon, Bryan Gil could offer cover on either flank. At Tottenham, he has usually played on the right, however, at Sevilla he operated predominantly from the left (Sofascore).

Hopefully, Son will stay fit until the transfer window opens and another forward can be acquired.

So here is my bold prediction. If he manages to stay fit and continues to play central, there is no reason why, by January 1^st 2024, Son will have at least 13 league goals. The evolution of Sonny is underway.

The post Opinion: Super Son – The spearhead of the new Tottenham trident appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Admittedly, the one will have very little impact on the other – the first eleven will retake their rightful places on the field and, hopefully, normal service will resume.

However, there is a possibility that a seed of negativity may be sewn after that performance. It is up to Ange to ensure that the wave upon which the team were riding continues to gather momentum.

Somewhat bizarrely, fixtures before an international break assume much greater significance. No one wants to be mulling over a poor performance for a fortnight before having the opportunity to make amends. Thus, I expect Tottenham to be all guns blazing when they get to Turf Moor on Saturday.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – APRIL 06: The Burnley FC badge of a corner flag ahead of the Premier League match between Burnley and Everton at Turf Moor on April 6, 2022 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

Predicted Line-up

If an element of Tuesday’s exercise was to give players considered ‘more peripheral’ the opportunity to stake a claim for a first-team spot, it is fair to say that none of them seized that chance. Instead, it served to emphasise why they are back up, and in some cases – surplus to requirement.

Therefore, I expect Postecoglou to start the same eleven that started at Bournemouth. Vicario has grown in confidence with every match and the partnership of Romero and Van de Ven is developing nicely. Assuming he is fit, Destiny Udogie will remain at left back, with Pedro Porro on the right.

In the centre of the park, our two main assets of Maddison and Bissouma will be hard to dislodge, while Pape Sarr is proving to be an impressive player, while we wait for the return of Rodrigo Bentancur.

On the right Dejan Kulusevski will hopefully feel energised by his goal in the last league game and Son will continue to work his way back into form on the left.

Due to any viable alternative (now that Dane Scarlett have moved to Ipswich), Richarlison will start in the middle, hoping that the goal in midweek might possibly kickstart his Tottenham career.

Key Player (home) James Maddison

I have to be honest, I knew James Maddison was a good player, but I did not know how good an overall individual we had bought.

It is clear that he sees himself as the talisman of the team and wants to be the one to turn games in our favour. It speaks volumes of the man that he was eager to take the number 10 shirt as soon as possible.

He also has developed a connection with the fans almost instantly and he will know that Tuesday hurt them. Therefore, I expect him to get on the ball an awful lot in this game and try and dictate the tempo of play and restore the momentum we had previously developed.

Burnley will leave gaps in the midfield and I expect Maddison to exploit those fully.

Opposition Form

Burnley away has a whole new feel to it these days. Gone are the days of Sean Dyche’s boys sledgehammering their way to results in blustery conditions.

Clad in a stylish blazer and pristine white trainers, Vincent Kompany has endeavoured to inject a bit more ‘culture’ on the pitch as well. Last season, the Belgian performed an astonishing feat in returning Burnley to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

In doing so, he revamped the style of play and only lost three league games all season – scoring more, and conceding less, than any of their rivals (Sky Sports).

However, they have found their return to the Premier League a tough one so far, losing both of their games. Admittedly, these were against Manchester City and Villa, but the fact that they looked, in the most part, like training games would be the real concern. This is their third home game on the spin and they will be determined to register their first point of the season.

Key Player (away) Josh Cullen

Burnley are a tricky side to gauge at the moment. They did excellently in the Championship last season, but a lot of their star players were on loan and are no longer at the club. Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Tella and Ian Maatsen have all returned to their ‘parent’ clubs and the first eleven does not look as strong without them (Transfermarkt).

Therefore, I am going to select their ever-present central midfielder and captain as their key player – Josh Cullen.

Kompany knew Cullen from his Anderlecht days and he is a mainstay in their team – playing every minute so far this season (Sofascore).

However, playing in a two with Sander Bergh will not be easy in the Premiership, as Tottenham discovered last season.

He will have his work cut out having to cope with the energy of Sarr, the guile of Maddison and the brilliance of Bissouma. If the Burnley midfield get dominated and overrun, they will be in for a very tough afternoon.

Prediction  

No one would have been happy with the midweek result, least of all Ange himself. I feel a few home truths will have been delivered and the players who will start on Saturday will be energised and hungry to get the season back on track.

I feel like Burnley of old, sitting in a low block, would have potentially caused us problems, but this new-look Clarets team try to ‘play football’ and I think our attacking personnel will be able to exploit that. I am expecting a fast start and for the intensity to not diminish.

Despite the hiccup at Craven Cottage expect the away fans to continue their brilliant and vociferous support for the manager and the players, if not the ownership.

Final Score: Burnley 0 – 4 Tottenham

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Why do we do so? Numbers are irrefutable; they are a cold hard fact. Thirty-five passes made out of thirty-six is a success rate of 97%. This is gospel and thus cannot be argued against. Yet we all know that numbers are the skeleton of the story.

Those thirty-five passes could have all been slightly wayward or poorly weighted, not taking into account the stronger foot of the recipient. Conversely, that one misplaced pass could have been a catastrophically under-hit backpass, leading to the concession of a crucial goal.

The numbers in fact can lie.

If you have stayed with me so far, then firstly thank you. Secondly, allow me to expand on my slightly verbose introduction to this article.

After watching the Tottenham fixture away at Bournemouth, my belief was that Micky Van De Ven had been imperious and, to my mind, the best centre half on display all game (that said, Romero was also impressive). I knew I wanted to write about him, but crucially I wanted the statistics to embolden my argument and back me to the hilt.

They did not.

Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing wrong at all with his numbers. Two successful tackles, 75% of duels won, 69/73 pass success rate, seven clearances and one block and interception (Sofascore).

I was disappointed. Therefore, I rewatched the game for some deeper insight and discovered I was right first time, but with the benefit of time and no emotional investment in the moment I could see, fully, how the Dutchman excelled.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 29: Rodrigo Muniz of Fulham challenges for the ball with Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on August 29, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Decision Making

One of the caveats of developing a system that is so attacking and daring is that it requires time to adjust.

It is all well and good playing tight little passing routines in training sessions, but it is enough when the opposition is pressing at full throttle in the heat of battle? It takes excellent technique combined with peak decision-making to excel in such a role – especially when you know that if you lose it in your area of the pitch – central defence for Micky – it could lead to a big chance for the opposition.

Against the Cherries, whenever Van de Ven received the ball he never looked rushed. He appeared to have at least two or three potential options in his head, even before the ball got to him; knowing instinctively where his options lay.

If the prime avenue was blocked, he knew how to manoeuvre the ball to use the alternate option.

Body Shape

When it became clear that it was a ‘Van de Ven or Tapsoba’ decision, I was rooting for the Dutchman all the way. Why? The answer is simple. If we have a left-sided centre-back, I want him to be left-footed, and this performance against Bournemouth demonstrated why.

The number of times he was able to allow the ball to come across his body and maximise the width by locating Destiny or Maddison with a first-time pass was beneficial and maintained the tempo at which the ball was moved around the pitch.

There was a passage of play that resulted in Vicario playing a cheeky reverse pass to the Dutchman from inside the six-yard box. It could have been awkward, but he was able to open his body out before playing it wide first time – a potential tight spot slickly avoided.

Progressing the Ball

The attribute that most people were raving about with the Dutchman is his blistering pace. The clip of him legging it back to make a goal-line clearance is well-known to all.

Yet it was his pace over a shorter distance that made him really effective in this match. Tottenham fans are used to seeing centre-backs picking up the ball, dawdling on it; edging forward, looking around hopelessly at an array of static midfielders and forwards in front of them, before turning and rolling the ball back to another defender.

Not so with Van de Ven. If he sees space in front of him, he will drive into it, using his pace and power to leave the attacker for dead, before releasing a forward ball – or checking back if no viable option is available.

Passing

I do not believe it would be out of line to suggest that Micky Van de Ven is not a naturally ‘expressive’ passer of the ball. Unlike players like Romero or Alderweirald, he is not constantly seeking to play a killer ball through the lines into the feet of the forwards.

Indeed, almost every one of his passes is ‘safe’, but the way he strikes it is impressive in itself. If you are a midfielder or full-back in that team you are delighted to be receiving one of his passes.

He strikes it cleanly almost every time and the weighting of it means that his teammate does not have to break stride or amend their movement to control it accurately.

Being the pedant that I am I managed to find one moment, where James Maddison had to wait a fraction of a second for the ball to come to him where he wanted it – and that is really splitting hairs – and speaks volumes about me as a person.

Tackling

Unlike Romero, Van de Ven is not an ‘aggressive’ defender. He will not see a fifty-fifty (or in Romero’s case a thirty-seventy) and fly in to win back the ball.

Instead, he prefers to wait and read the play before assessing the optimum time to go to ground or intercept the ball.

His two tackles, one on Semenyo and one on Solanke were exceptionally well timed and he made the most of his ‘telescopic’ legs to take the ball cleanly – almost ‘Wan Bissaka-esque’. Never, when he went to ground, did it look out of rash or out of control, which gives me a delightful segue to my final observation.

Aura of Calmness

There are some players that, when they get the ball, seem on edge or uncertain. With Van de Ven, so far, he has been the ‘ice man’ – even in high-pressure situations. This comes back to his decision-making, combined with confidence and technique.

Importantly, his aura at the back has had an impact on the other members of the defensive team. Vicario looks more assured; Romero looks more measured and Udogie and Porro feel free to advance forward, knowing there is security behind him.

Barring analysing his heart rate in high-pressure situations, I cannot think of a metric that could be used to measure ‘calmness’, but my instinct is that Van de Ven’s numbers would be off the chart.

Conclusion

It is incredible to think that Van de Ven started his first match for Tottenham with only a handful of training sessions under his belt.

Over the last few years, we have been preconditioned to waiting to see new players integrated into the side. It would usually follow a trend like this. Initially when asked about their upcoming debut at a press conference, a surly, and borderline condescending, remark would be made about ‘learning the style of play’.

This would be followed by minutes off the bench, gradually increasing until a first start was ‘merited’.

The way that Ange Postecoglou has ‘thrown them in at the deep end’ so to speak, must make the players feel so supported and this can be said with Micky Van de Ven, who looks assured and supremely confident.

It is early days, but I just get the feeling that our ‘Flying Dutchman’ might be a mainstay in the heart of our defence, alongside Romero, for years to come.

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Yet almost without fail, the actual night itself would be a letdown. The bars would be packed to the point of overcrowding; the drinks would be ridiculously priced and of course, you were never the right temperature.

Outside would be freezing, yet inside, wrapped in a winter coat, you would be sweating profusely and engaged in the balancing act of holding your coat and drink, whilst trying to speak over blaring music.

Invariably, it would end with me sitting on either the underground or a night bus, feeling tired and irritable and cursing myself for getting my hopes up once again.

Last night I had flashbacks to these distant memories.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 29: Rodrigo Muniz of Fulham is tackled by Davinson Sanchez of Tottenham Hotspur during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage on August 29, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Since the exciting wins against Manchester United and Bournemouth, I have hardly been able to control my excitement until my next ‘hit’ of ‘Angeball’. How many ‘more sleeps’ until the next game?

Having been deprived for so long of good football, I needed to consume more and more. Thus, by midday on Tuesday, having navigated the bank holiday unscathed, I could not wait, and, judging by Twitter, many Spurs fans felt the same way.

In previous years, an early round fixture in the League Cup felt like a match that could just slip by, ‘Oh did we play last night?’. But not today.

With no European football this year, we could focus on domestic silverware and go all out to try and secure a cup. Who knows, even win a trophy before our dear departed goalscoring hero.

Then the team sheet was announced.

Nine changes. Nine changes? Nine bloody changes! And one of the two players to retain their spot was someone who was hauled off after less than an hour in the previous game.

I doubt any Spurs fan was expecting the prime roster, but this was not in the script. In fact, the message it sent out was quite clear. ‘We are not taking this competition seriously’. If we go through, we go through – but we are not that bothered.

Despite my initial reaction of irritation and disbelief, it needs to be acknowledged that the lineup did not dampen the spirits of those fans who had made the trek to The Cottage. Who, throughout the night, eclipsed the home support with their singing and support for the team.

Unfortunately, on the pitch, the side failed to match the energy and quality displayed in the stands. It is fair to say that I have been gushing about Ange and the Tottenham Hotspur Renaissance, but this was like a horrible, unpleasant look in the rear-view mirror.

There is no point in sugarcoating it, the performance was insipid, uninspired and toothless. Had Kenny Tete’s boot not been ripped and a spare not conveniently located, I doubt we would have scored.

And, had we won on penalties, then it would have been a miscarriage of justice.

Same old problems we already knew at Tottenham

I was going to start this next section by posing the question: So, what did we learn? But, quite frankly, nothing that I witnessed last night taught me anything I didn’t already know. In fact, if anything it cemented a lot of my preconceived ideas.

Firstly, there is a significant drop-off from the starting eleven to the ‘second string’. I know football is now a squad game, but there is a reality about that statement.

Of the players playing last night, I would argue that the only position that could be rotated with little change in quality is right back. This is not to say that the other players are not good enough.

In the game against Bournemouth, Hojbjerg and Perisic played valuable roles in seeing through the result. But the difference there was – they are surrounded by a better calibre of player. Hojbjerg in central midfield is far better alongside the likes of Maddison and Bissouma.

The problem is – we have all seen Hojbjerg and Skipp play in unison in the midfield and they do not possess the requisite skillset or creativity to play the way Ange expects to play.

Similarly, Lo Celso, alongside the likes of Bentancur and Bissouma is able to be far more impactful. Yesterday, he struggled to get involved, looked slow on the ball and looked, at times, disinterested.

Throwing on subs late to try and steal the win is a ‘tactic’ we have seen too much of in recent years and so it was employed again yesterday. How often has the camera panned to Harry Kane look disconsolate standing by the fourth official with fourteen minutes to go as we whimpered out of another cup competition?

Yet again, by the time the ‘cavalry’ was summoned, the pattern of the game was set and they did not have the time to impact the game in Tottenham’s favour.

The question therefore does have to be asked: Why was this starting eleven selected? If Ange believed that that selection could conceivably succeed, then that indicates a slight naivety, which I doubt is correct.

Could it be a more cynical reason? A stark message to Daniel Levy that beyond the main twelve or thirteen players we certainly do not have the strength in depth for a successful Premier League campaign.

There is a third, possibly more cynical option – that now, without League Cup football, game time for a number of players will now be non-existent, except if there is an injury crisis. This forces the hand of those players and agents who may have been content to play a ‘reduced role’.

Perhaps the most disappointing element of last night is that, in a way, it reduces the momentum the team were building. Any manager will tell you that winning breeds confidence and we had the possibility of going into the first international break on ten points and into the next round.

Do not get me wrong, the overall feeling of joyful abandon has not entirely dissipated. I do enjoy dabbling in hyperbole – but not to that extent – however, there is a sense that we may ‘have our Tottenham back’, but the lingering remnants of previous regimes still lurk ominously close to the surface.

I cannot help but feel that the next few days, before the window closes, are crucial to our long-term success this season. Undoubtedly, the squad needs to be reduced in size, but we are also in need of a player to lead the line, some-one to provide cover on the wing and another central defender to add depth to Romero and Van de Ven.

If not, this season could end up being a bit like one of my New Year’s Eves, full of promise – but ultimately not what everyone was hoping for.

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For me, there is another inevitability, that Tottenham Hotspur and the England men’s cricket team will cause me prolonged periods of consternation, interspersed with occasional moments of occasions of utter jubilation and delight. It is actually scarily similar how the two have mirrored each other through my lifetime.

During my formative years in the 1990s, I was subjected to more than my fair share of disappointment from both teams. Whilst, Atherton, Hussain et al were being routinely annihilated by Warne, McGrath, Ambrose and Walsh; the Tottenham teams of Walker, Edinburgh and Howells were being routinely humbled by Manchester United, Chelsea and of course, most sourly, Arsenal.

Do not get me wrong, there were bright moments from both. Dean Headley’s electrifying bowling of 6-60 in the 1998 (Youtube) to win the test match in Melbourne, to Steven Carr’s sumptuous strike (The Premier League) to cap a 3-1 victory over Manchester United.

For the record, when that shot left Carr’s right boot my grandfather – sitting next to me in the Paxton – was halfway through complaining about another awful cross. I will never forget the look of astonishment on his face as the ball hit the net.

But these moments were not anywhere near frequent enough for my liking, or I suspect, other supporters. More often we were treated to calamitous collapses or Chris Armstrong desperately trying to close down the keeper… to no avail.

The similarities continued into to the 2000s. Promising and exciting sides emerged, led by Messrs Jol and Fletcher.

New players came to the fore demonstrating outrageous skill, panache and hairstyles – the likes of  Dimitar Berbatov and Kevin Pietersen showed me that we could have players that the opposition were genuinely fearful of.

Under coaches like Flower, Redknapp and Pochettino I could justifiably claim that the teams I followed were not just good, they were excellent – even envied by our closest rivals, Arsenal and Australia.

But with all good things in sport, they cannot last forever and the inevitable shadow of disappointment and frustration began to loom large and envelope me with bizarre similarity.

England, now marshalled by Chris Silverwood, wanted to be a team that batted long and bored teams out with consistent line and length and miserly economy rates. There was also a fixation, almost solely on the Ashes. Boundaries were no longer the order of the day – instead, we were to rejoice in Joe Denley facing over 100 balls at number three to protect Joe Root (the infamous ‘Dentury’).

In N17, the likes of Mourinho, Nuno (briefly) and Conte wanted to build a team based on defensive solidity and hard work. Instead of goals being celebrated, we were supposed to feel a sense of delight in average kilometres run per ninety minutes. Exciting football was relegated to a distant second by an obsession with attaining silverware.

(Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

The irony of course is that both methodologies ultimately failed. Instead of racking up 400+ runs on a regular basis, England’s batters were routinely skittled out of paltry totals.

Similarly, Tottenham’s defence, instead of being a rock upon which the team was based, was routinely breached and looked fragmented and disorganised. Both teams, as the kids like to say, were a ‘hot mess’ and the fans were in despair.

As a supporter of both, it was probably the lowest I have felt. In the 90s I expected to be languishing in the doldrums finishing midtable and occasionally winning a Test Match. But now I had tasted success and I liked it and wanted more.

But the situation looked hopeless – on both fronts. As avid supporters, we are susceptible to extreme emotional feelings, and I felt as though I was in a morass of despair and hopelessness.

But as the saying goes, ‘It’s always darkest before the dawn’ – and so it proved to be.

Out of the shadows walked two Antipodean gentleman, who, within about eighteen months of each other, took the helm as ‘Head Coach’ of the England Cricket Team and Tottenham Hotspur.

I am of course referring to Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum and Ange Postecoglou.

They had been chosen over seemingly more ‘established candidates’ – Gary Kirsten and Luis Enrique – yet both had an unwavering belief, in themselves and their methods.

The prediction was, from all the experts, that any return to past glories – for either side – would be a monumental struggle and take significant time.

Both inherited sides low in confidence and with morale close to rock bottom. The players had been performing in an environment that was not conducive to high-level performance and fear of failure seemed to be the driving force for many.

A focus on what they ‘could not do’ as opposed to what they could potentially achieve seemed prevalent.

When a player goes onto the pitch worrying about how they are going to get out or whether they will misplace a path, they are instinctively going to overthink and overcomplicate the situation. If they go out thinking about where they will score runs, or how they will play a through ball, then they are in a positive place.

Two players who exemplify this in abundance are Zack Crawley and Yves Bissouma. Crawley no longer worries about whether he will nick off to slip, all he is concerned with is how many of his thumping cover drives will reach the boundary.

Similarly, Bissouma is not now preoccupied with giving the ball away, only how he can drive the play forward and start another attack.

One thing everyone wants in life is clarity, and under these coaches, everything is crystal clear. This is our vision; this is how we will fulfil it and this is how we will prepare you to succeed within this system and, crucially, if you make a mistake trying to enact the vision, you will not be blamed.

Also, if you do not buy in, we will not compromise the vision and you will not be selected. But, given the charisma of the two, everyone wants to buy in (except possibly Tanguy Ndombele).

The vision of both men is clear. We attack.

It would be easy to over-simplify this as reckless, gung-ho tactics, yet it is neither of those things. It is far more nuanced and focuses on always taking the positive option.

With the England cricket team, we have seen extraordinary run rates and even more extraordinary fielding positions. The team are always hunting for an advantage and to push for a win – even to their own detriment on occasion.

In a smaller sample size, we have seen the same of Postecoglou’s Tottenham. Always looking for an angle to attack and score a goal. It was telling in the game against Brentford that by the end only one team were looking for the victory – and it wasn’t the home side.

It is amazing how high-class, professional players can perform once they feel ‘liberated’. Having won 1 out of 17 test matches before McCullum, they proceeded to win 13/18 since (Howstat). Ange Postecoglou is admittedly a lot earlier in his journey, but the signs are certainly positive.

One thing that will surely be similar in the coming weeks or months is that there will be a bump in the road.

South Africa thumped England in a Test Match by an innings and 12 runs. Everyone had been waiting for this – an opportunity to claim that they had been ‘hoisted by their own petard’ (Interesting Literature).

Without exception, everyone believed that Stokes would come out afterwards and say that they might need to ‘temper their aggressive nature’. But like any zealot, Stokes doubled down, declaring that they were not aggressive enough and would seek to rectify that in the coming matches. And boy did they.

They thumped South Africa by and innings in the next test and by 9 wickets in the following match. Vindication.

Spurs and England cricket are eerily similar

Undoubtedly, the way Tottenham play they will suffer defeats, and it might come in a surprise 4-2 reverse to a team like Fulham, but if I am correct (and I am pretty confident that I am), the message from Ange will be like that of Stokes – we need to attack harder. We must attack harder! In effect – we must drink more of the ‘cool aid’ to succeed.

I do not use that phrase flippantly. There have been a few that have slyly jibed that ‘Bazball’ is a cult and I feel like the same will be said about Ange at Tottenham. Indeed, it seems almost ‘cultish’ that almost every Tottenham supporter is already an ‘Angaholic’ and I am yet to hear one Celtic fan say anything negative about the man.

Cult or not, I don’t care and I am happy to be signed up and praising the virtues of both men for as long as the teams I support continue to put a smile on my face.

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If I were a politician, I would double down on this assertion, manipulate statistics and spread false narratives to back me up. Fortunately, that is not my occupation, and I am more than willing to put my hands up and admit that I was not correct in this assumption.

My main reasoning in performing this abrupt one-eighty is that Tottenham have started far better than I believed would be possible. The goalkeeper looks confident; the defence, despite a few hairy moments, is gelling and the midfield has transformed into one of the best in the league.

In a complete reversal of the last few seasons, our attack now looks like our weakest area on the pitch with Son and Deki yet to find their feet in the new system and Richarlison looking ineffective as the sole striker.

Whisper it quietly, but if we get the attack sorted, we could be in for quite the season. As I said, I did not expect us to be in this position. I expected the transition to be a longer process, but the way the players have taken on instruction and bought into the ‘Postecoglou way’ has been remarkable.

So, instead of the patience I preached before, I am now roaring ‘Carpe Diem’ from the top of my voice. There is money in the bank. Go and spend it. Go out and buy Jonathan David. I will tell you why…

The Need for a striker

One of my principal arguments in favour of waiting to sign a striker was that I believed that Richarlison had enough about him to do a serviceable job up front.

However, after two games – which I do concede is a limited sample size – I have somewhat shifted my perspective. Richarlison has looked lost in both performances, and some energetic pressing and a couple of half chances are not enough to warrant a starting position in the team.

Some will argue that he does a good job as a lone striker for Brazil – and while this is true – it is a very different way of playing with one up top. For the national side, he plays as a deep-lying forward and allows the midfield runners such as Vinicius Jnr, Neymar and Raphina to run in behind and work around him.

This is why he is preferred to Gabriel Jesus, not because he is a better player, but because he has the ability to play that functional role.

Unfortunately, I do not think he has the technique, skillset or tactical nous to play this role for Tottenham – indeed, it could be argued his presence is hindering the performances of Son and Kulusevski as he is not identifying positions where they can find him, whilst also not creating space for them to exploit.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 15: Jonathan David of Canada during the CONCACAF Nations League Semi Final between Panama and Canada at Allegiant Stadium on June 15, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.(Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

Football Attributes

So, what does Ange want from his striker in this system? A ruthless predator is key.

David was not the most prolific earlier in his career, but has consistently hit double figures for both Gent and current club Lille. Last season he scored 26 in 40 appearances across all competitions (TransferMarkt).

In the league, he netted 24 times with an xG of 23.96 (SofaScore). He scored 6 with his left and 17 with his right – which is essential in this Spurs team, when he can be expecting balls in from both flanks.

One caveat that has to be acknowledged is that ten of these goals were penalties (he missed one), which does ‘plump the data’ somewhat – but also gives us a potential new penalty taker.

He is also a fierce presser of the ball with Ange looking to win the ball back as fast as possible, he would suit this role to perfection.

He is also able to drop in to link the play and allow other players to attack (see positional sense section below). He is also incredibly fast, especially over those first few yards, which will allow him to find that space in the box to latch on to crosses and cutbacks.

Positional sense

At Celtic, Postecoglou expected his striker, Kyogo, to basically wait in the box until a chance arrived and then snap it up. It worked a treat.

However, with wide forwards such as Kulusevski and Son, who have an abundance of talent, the role of the central striker has changed.

There is a need for the striker to be involved in the build-up play and facilitate the wide men so they can be more of a goal threat as well.

The problem for Richarlison here is two-fold. Firstly, when he was a part of the build-up play for Everton, he operated predominantly on the left-hand side of the pitch.

Based on the graphic below, he will not be able to work in these positions under the Postecoglou formation because it is covered by a combination of predominantly Maddison and Son.

Graphics courtesy of (Sofascore).

You can see from the heat map above that Jonathan David would be more adept at working on the right-hand side of the pitch – in tandem with Kulusevski, Sarr and whichever full-back is selected.

You can also see from David’s graphic that he likes to operate within the penalty box – just like Kyogo did under Ange at Celtic.

His Footballing Journey

One of the other strikers Tottenham have been linked with recently is Gift Orban. The Nigerian is currently plying his trade in the Belgian top division and a concern I have is that the step up to the Premier League is vast.

Admittedly, his statistics are quite frankly mind-boggling but converting that would be extremely difficult and definitely a risk. Against West Ham last season, he failed to score and looked exciting in bursts rather than consistently in an overall performance.

Jonathan David also started his European journey in Belgium, playing, like Orban, at Gent, before being transferred to Lille in France – a notable step up, where he took time to adapt before finding consistent form.

When Postecoglou signed Vicario, he stated that he respected his footballing pathway (football.london) to the top.

Incidentally, David’s journey is somewhat similar to that of Postecoglou, starting in Canada, a country more associated with ice hockey than ‘soccer’ before moving to Europe.

I think Ange will resonate with this and see in him someone who has had to work hard to take those steps and being challenged to perform at every level.

Personality

There is no doubt that Jonathan David will command a huge transfer fee. He is valued at around £50 million and there has been interest from Real Madrid earlier this summer (although possibly as a pawn in the ongoing game that is Kylian Mbappe) (Transfermarkt).

Add to this Tottenham’s receipt of close to £100m, their need for a top-class forward and the alarming proximity to the transfer window ‘slamming shut’ (nobody gently closes it) – and Lille can inflate that number to possibly as high as £70-80m.

Not naming names, but Tottenham have been stung by huge transfer fees in the past, and to spend this money they will have to do their due diligence on the player and their personal attributes to ensure they have the mentality to play for Tottenham.

A quick Google search of ‘Jonathan David Scandal’ revealed nothing, but certain decisions in his life point towards him being a level-headed and driven individual.

As a youngster in Canada (having grown up in Haiti), David could have joined professional side Vancouver Whitecaps (First Time Finish). However, his mother was adamant that his education came first. Such level-headedness and determination to make the correct decision speaks volumes for both him and his mother.

Once he had made the decision to turn professional and had spent a couple of seasons at Gent, he was signed by Lille to replace outgoing superstar Victor Osimhen (does this situation sound familiar?).

The weight of expectation was immense and despite a slowish start to life in Ligue 1, David has become a more than able replacement (Breaking The Lines).

Whoever, comes in at Tottenham will have to live with the burden of being ‘the next striker after Kane’. I do not think Richarlison has coped with it, but David has proved once before that following a club icon is something that will not phase him.

Since his move to France, there has been interest in the forward from England, with both Arsenal and Chelsea signalling that he could be a potential signing (football.london).

However, the Canadian rejected the move, which would have significantly improved his wages, to focus on his development and ensuring regular game time, thus indicating that he is incredibly professional and also that his agent has his best interests at heart.

Verdict

There is definitely interest from the club in the Canadian superstar (FourFourTwo) and I have (as I tend to do when writing these articles) thoroughly convinced myself that he can be the key to unlocking Tottenham’s full potential in the front line.

Over the years, Lille have delivered talent to the Premier League almost on a conveyor belt: Hazard, Cabaye, Gabriel, Botman (not to mention other stars such as Rafa Leao, Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Pavard).

It’s time to get that conveyor belt rolling again, to deliver a Canadian to N17.

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I have spoken before about this being a new dawn for the club and the scenes during and after the match on Saturday would back that up. As I predicted, the stadium was rocking and it seemed like Ange Postecoglou’s name was reverberating around the ground almost through the entirety of the game.

There has been some criticism, from some quarters, of the extent of the celebrations after the game, with some referring to the team having a ‘victory lap’.

This was not the case. The players remaining on the pitch and being with the fans was about establishing a connection and a shared feeling that this is the start of a journey. A journey in which the supporters, the players and the management are traversing together.

This club is no longer the vehicle for a manager’s ego it is a united venture.

Predicted Line-up

Last weekend, I was almost certain that a) the back four would remain the same and b) Ange would never play Porro and Udogie in unison – especially not against a team with a genuine attacking threat.

I was completely wrong. But why? I can only assume that due to the previous regimes, I am preconditioned for Tottenham to go for the more conservative option. Balance risk and reward. Play it safe. It seems I am also preconditioned to expect that the same starting eleven will play continuously unless injuries or suspensions play a part.

I am delighted to be wrong on both counts and despite Gary Neville’s pre-prepared narrative that inverted wing-backs are (to paraphrase) ‘a nonsense, and Pedro Porro is ill-equipped to play such a role’, both full-backs acquitted themselves well throughout. If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend Charlie Eccleshare’s piece on Pedro Porro’s performance (The Athletic)

The main question for the Bournemouth fixture is will James Maddison play? The indications are that his knock will keep him out of this game at least. Instinctively, my brain is telling me that Ange will play either Hojbjerg or Skipp in one of the ‘eight’ positions alongside Sarr.

Yet if last week has taught me anything, my instincts need to be updated to fit the new mindset. Therefore, I presume that Ange will take the attacking, and probably the correct, option and start Giovani Lo Celso as a ‘like for like’ swap.

The other option mooted would be to experiment with Kulusevski in the middle, but this seems a little ‘square peg in a round hole’ for me.

In defence, I cannot see the centre-back pairing of Romero and Van de Ven changing, and Vicario should be brimming with confidence in goal after last week’s performance. At full-back, it is anyone’s guess, but I expect with seven days between games, Destiny Udogie will continue at left-back. Due to the fixture being away from home, Royal could be brought in for Porro, but I will not profess to knowing which side that coin will land on.

Up front, expect the front three of Son, Richarlison and Kulusevski to continue, although it does look quite bare in the forward line with only Solomon and Perisic potential replacements from the bench.

BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 13: Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate James Maddison after scoring the team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Gtech Community Stadium on August 13, 2023 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Key Player (away) Cristian Romero

Last week, I was completely wrong and completely right with my pick for key man. I picked Oliver Skipp and he did not play. However, his replacement – Pape Sarr – did everything I was looking for Skipp to do in his performance, so I will count that as a win (just).

This week, I have identified Romero as being fundamental to Spurs getting a positive result on their trip to the south coast. Against United, it was the midfield three who, quite rightly, received all the plaudits. However, Romero was quietly impressive.

His positioning was intelligent throughout, and more than anything else, he looked composed and disciplined – zero fouls so far this season (Sofascore). He is now, undoubtedly, the leader in that defence and he looks like he stepping up to the plate as one of the vice-captains.

Admittedly, it helps to defend against someone who seems to be sulking at having to play through the middle. However, this will not be the case against Bournemouth and Romero will have the task of martialling Dominic Solanke.

Solanke is now twenty-five and seems to be finding his feet as a Premier League striker. He adopts clever positions and can come deep to receive as well as running in behind the defence – a feature of Iraola’s management when coming up against teams with a high press such as Tottenham.

However, I think that Romero will be more than a match for him and hopefully will nullify his overall threat – hopefully without receiving any cards.

Opposition Form

In a similar way to Tottenham, Bournemouth are undergoing somewhat of an identity change. Under Gary O’Neil they played in a functional system, which allowed them to stay in games and ultimately accrue enough points to survive. However, in the summer they replaced O’Neil with Andoni Iraola.

It is fair to say that Iraola, very much like Postecoglu, has a set tactical style and Bournemouth, very much like Tottenham, are adjusting to this.

The Spaniard will want his team to dominate possession and create space out wide for the full-backs to attack high up the pitch – which should be interesting, seeing as Tottenham’s full-backs seek to vacate this space by inverting.

Ostensibly, they will operate in a 4-2-3-1, but with the wingers playing narrow in order to create midfield dominance, yet again creating space for the full-backs (Coaches’ Voice).

Bournemouth have gained just one point in their first two games, that being the home draw with West Ham. In their other fixture, despite taking a shock early lead, they succumbed to defeat at ten-man Liverpool – in the process conceding twenty-six shots (Sofascore).

Key Player (home) Max Aarons

For years, Max Aarons has been highly regarded and linked with a move away from Norwich. He finally got his move this summer and made the switch to Bournemouth.

As I’ve written, Iraola places high importance on the fullbacks to attack in his formation and Aarons will be key to that. Having watched Tottenham play, they know that there will potentially be space to exploit and if Aarons can do that, he could really cause problems for the Tottenham left-hand side, especially if Udogie has surged forward and Van de Ven is caught on his heels.

More generally, this is a big season for the former England Under-21 international, with many seeing this move as his opportunity to finally demonstrate he can perform in the Premier League.

Prediction  

Despite Tottenham’s front line not looking as fluid as it might at the moment, I expect Tottenham to come away with all three points. Both of these teams will want to attack and therefore expect to see lots of passages of play resembling a basketball match.

Last season, Tottenham came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 courtesy of Rodrigo Benatancur’s injury-time winner, hopefully they don’t leave it too late this time!

Final Score: Bournemouth 1 – 3 Tottenham

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Signed for what is still a club record fee of over £60m (TransferMarkt) from Lyon, amid great fanfare, Tanguy was supposed to be the fulcrum around which a new side could potentially be built.

A part of Pochettino’s brave new world along with Gio Lo Celso that would push on from the Champions League final defeat.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Things started promisingly enough, a solid enough debut against Aston Villa saw him find the net in a 3-1 win (Evening Standard), but things never really ignited for the Frenchman. He struggled with injuries and was in and out of the team.

The manager who signed him departed and was replaced by the far more practical/defensive-minded Jose Mourinho; his game time diminished and Tanguy struggled to complete 90 minutes even when he was selected.

The following season was arguably the best in the Frenchman’s time at the club. He played consistently under Jose, who had seemed to get the best out of him, scoring several goals – including the audacious lob against Sheffield United. However, once again, the end of the season saw diminishing game time for the mercurial midfielder.

In some fairness to the player, being at Tottenham recently has been a rather turbulent experience and, by the start of the 2021/22 season he was onto his fourth Tottenham manager in Nuno Espirito Santo, then quickly onto his fifth in Antonio Conte.

Even those with limited understanding of the Premier League and those that frequent it, could see that Ndombele and Conte was a car crash waiting to happen, with the flair and audaciousness of Tanguy firmly at odds with the Italian manager, who valued industry, hard work and discipline above all else.

Therefore, it came as no surprise when, in the January of 2022, Tanguy was allowed to return, on loan, to his former club Lyon. Despite the erratic displays, many hoped that this move would energise Ndombele, allowing him to rediscover the form that had made him such a sought-after talent in 2019.

Disappointingly, his time back in France was unable to do this. After a bright start, the same patterns emerged and his game time decreased further and further until he returned back to London.

The following year was spent at Napoli. Once more, Tottenham fans rushed to see the positives – with an attacking manager in Luciano Spalletti, this could be the making of the man. Could it?

On paper, the season was a success – Napoli romped to the Serie A title, but Ndombele played a peripheral part in that – failing to finish 90minutes in Serie A, and ultimately being an unused sub for the five games – even when the league had been sewn up (TransferMarkt).

There is a Spanish word – ‘remontada’ that has often been used in conjunction with Tanguy Ndombele. It means ‘comeback’ and almost every Tottenham fan has hoped, on multiple occasions, for a Tanguy comeback.

Now, in Ange Postecoglu, we finally had a manager who embraced free-flowing, relentless, attacking football. If the Frenchman was ever going to succeed at Tottenham, it would be now. This was it – last chance saloon.

One straw that fans have always clutched at is that Tanguy has never had a manager who has ‘got him’. Pochettino, arguably, was that man, but the succession of managers after were very different.

Ange, although he has made it quite clear he is not overly close with the players, definitely has a ‘human’ quality and a natural warmth and made it quite clear that all would be given a clean slate.

Initially, the signs were good, Alasdair Gold, an openly dedicated ‘Tanguy-Enthusiast’ reported that the signs were good and he was impressing in training (Spurs Web). How was he going to fit in? Where would he play?

The first seed of doubt emerged when it was announced that he had taken a knock and would not play against West Ham, and then the Lion City Sailors. It seemed horribly predictable. Following the Leicester friendly debacle, he was not even mentioned in relation to the friendlies against Shakhtar or Barca. Something was amiss.

The news then emerged that no one wanted to hear, yet were completely unsurprised to find out. ‘Ange Postecoglou unimpressed with Ndombele’s attitude and timekeeping’ (Express) and that he was available for transfer. Cue the mass exhale and heads going into hands.

This was it – the death knoll was sounding loud and clear for Tanguy’s Tottenham career. Even the most ardent fan of the Frenchman can no longer identify a path of return.

As several tweets mourned, Tanguy Ndombele Remontada June ’23 – July ’23.

Upon reflection on Tanguy’s time in North London, I find it hard to fathom. I have seen very few players with such extraordinary levels of skill and control. He was able to do the unexpected, and in the process make it look so simple; making opposition players look foolish and in doing so delighting the fans.

Unfortunately, there was the other side. The player who did not work for the team, the player who was unfit and was described by Jamie Carragher on national television as ‘a disgrace’ (Evening Standard).

Despite such performances such as the one at Burnley and then Morecambe, the Tottenham fans have been remarkably forgiving, it goes to show that a play with immense talent is afforded far more ‘slack’ than a player with limited ability, who always gives it their all. Those reading between the lines understand to whom I am referring.

What next for Tanguy Ndombele?

Yet, my overriding feeling about Tanguy is sadness. It would be easy to point the finger at him and brand him ‘lazy’ or ‘greedy’. Similarly, I could engage in a diatribe about how ‘If I was on £200k a week, I’d at least get to work on time’.

But – if the situation with Dele has taught us anything – we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg. We do not know what is going on in his life now or what has happened in his past. We cannot see the workings of his mind or where he is emotionally right now.

I have no doubt, a little bit like with Adel Taarabt, that Tanguy could have been one hell of a player. Indeed, when we signed him, I remember saying to a friend that I expected clubs like Real Madrid to be in for him in twelve months’ time. I was wrong – conclusively.

What a player he could have been. Talked about in the same breath as midfielders such as Modric, Van der Vaart or, dare I say it, Hoddle. His touch, vision, agility and passing ability alone are what many players, even at the highest level, could only dream of.

I hope, genuinely, that Tanguy can rediscover the form that once made him one of the most sought-after youngsters in European football.

At the very least I hope he enjoys playing football again, whether that be in Turkey, France or even Saudi. If he does, then one thing is for sure – the fans will be electrified by this footballing enigma.

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First time, Maddison flicks the ball round the corner and Son is onto it in a flash. He bursts through the defence and knocks it past Onana, before the keeper brings in him down unceremoniously in the box. There is no hesitation from the referee. Penalty! We are only six minutes into the game and Har…”

The commentator’s voice dies. On the pitch too, the players seem confused, looking at each other looking perplexed. Shoulders are shrugged, eyebrows are raised and no one knows what to do.

Now I hope you will excuse my fictional opening here. Firstly, the Tottenham players know who their penalty taker will be, and secondly, the ludicrous notion that a penalty would go against Manchester United after their goalkeeper has just cleared out a player illegally.

But the question remains. Who will be Spurs’ ‘Spot Kick King’, now that Herr Kane is no longer in the building?

There are few ‘safe’ feelings in sport, but for me, one of them was a Tottenham penalty being scored when Harry was on the pitch. Now, without that blanket, I feel a little exposed and in need of someone else to step forward and reassure me with their ability to score from twelve yards. However, the picking in terms of experience are relatively slim.

So, who are the main contenders?

BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 13: James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur looks dejected after teammate Heung-Min Son (not pictured) concedes a penalty following a VAR check during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Gtech Community Stadium on August 13, 2023 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

South Korean Courage

The first contender is the new skipper himself. Captaining both club and country, Son would without doubt step up and take responsibility.

However, while his intentions may be good, his penalty record is not quite of the calibre you would expect of someone whose finishing, at times, can be so ruthless.

Out of twelve penalties he has taken, he has only converted seven (TransferMarkt).

Some of those have been in high-pressure games against the might of Lebanon and Iraq for his country, but he has only scored one in the Premier League (vs Southampton). The only other Premier League penalty he took was saved by Pepe Reina, during his largely forgotten stint at Aston Villa.

Sonny also has the ignominious honour of having a penalty disallowed against Rochdale for stopping in his run-up.

Conclusion: Thanks for stepping up, but leave it to someone else.

New Number 10. New Penalty Taker?

James Maddison, in possibly the most protracted squad number announcement of all time, has assumed the number 10 shirt, previously worn by the aforementioned Harry Kane. He may be hoping, that penalty-taking duties come as part of the deal.

Indeed, his record is not bad from the spot, having found the net 75% of the time, burying six out of his eight attempted. However, closer scrutiny reveals that his record in the Premiership is 50/50, scoring two and missing the same number (TransferMarkt).

You can tell that he would want to take them. Can’t you just see it? Pausing theatrically at the start of his run-up, hands on hips; perfectly coiffured hair swept back and steely eyes fixed on the target. He wants to be the man.

Conclusion: Definitely in with a shout, but I’m not thoroughly convinced.

He’s Got to Score Somehow!

Another option is the man, who for now, is spearheading the Tottenham attack. The Brazilian, Richarlison, has actually, somewhat to my surprise, been very effective from the spot throughout his career – scoring seven and only missing the one solitary penalty (TransferMarkt).

However, that one miss was a big one – in the Olympic final for Brazil against Spain. In the Premier League he has a perfect record netting four out of four for Everton.

My other concern would be that full-throttle, full-confidence Richarlison taking penalties for Everton is one thing, but the current version, who has accrued more bookings than goals for the club, may not be in the best frame of mind.

Knowing his luck, he’d score and rip off his shirt in celebration, only to be told one of his teammates had encroached into the box. Which would be low-key amusing (if we were three or four up mind you).

Conclusion: Start scoring from open play first, then you can have a pop.

A Swede Left Foot

We are now in the realms of those who can definitely not be referred to as ‘regulars’ – not that anyone on this list could be in all honesty. Dejan Kulusevski has the perfect record. Three taken – three scored (TransferMarkt).

Admittedly, only one was in men’s football, the other two coming in under-21 fixtures. Yet there is something about Deki which hints that he might have the temperament to be our new penalty king.

The Swede seems a relaxed kind of guy and you could just imagine a languid run-up for he strokes it into the net. My one concern would be he would take penalties like he plays and just try and bend every one into the top left corner. When they go in they’d look fantastic though, but how many would fly wide or over.

Conclusion: He’d be up for it, but I think others would want it just a little bit more.

A Left (Back) Field Option

Close your eyes and imagine this… It’s 2018 and a very young Destiny Udogie stands over the ball.

In the white-hot, febrile atmosphere of an Italian Under-17 league fixture, the Italian youth player has the chance to give Hellas Verona the lead against Cittadella. Almost certainly, the commentator (if indeed there was one) makes an obvious comment about his first name as he waits for the whistle.

It blows and Udogie steps forward and fires the ball like an Exocet missile into the top corner. The keeper is rooted to the spot having not even seen it.

Yes, this is true. Weirdly, the only other player who has scored a non-shootout penalty in the current Spurs first-team squad – excluding Veliz (1/1) and the potentially Napoli-bound Gio Lo Celso (2/4) – is the young Italian, who scored the colourfully described penalty above*.

I always love it when unusual penalty takers, especially full-backs get the nod to take set pieces – so maybe the answer is obvious?

Conclusion: It’s Destiny. It’s got to be him.

Conclusion

So, there we have it. Hopefully, we will win a penalty at some point this season – optimistically against United at the weekend; then we will see who the heir to the penalty throne will be, and we can all laugh at this list when Micky Van de Ven delivers a perfect Panenka.

For the record, another Spurs player did score a rather important penalty in a pivotal World Cup game, but I’m not going down that avenue right now, it wouldn’t be wise…

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From that performance, it was very clear how Ange Posteoglou wants to play this year and also that it will take a while for the new ideas to bed in with the squad.

Another thing of note was how vociferous the away support was throughout the match and after the final whistle – if that energy could be transferred to The Lane then we will in for a positive and electric atmosphere.

BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 13: Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate James Maddison after scoring the team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Gtech Community Stadium on August 13, 2023 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Predicted Line-up

I am pretty sure that Ange will not make any changes to last week’s starting XI. The only possible change would be if Romero is not fully recovered and, in that case, Davinson Sanchez, who performed well last week, will be asked to deputise.

Vicario will start in goal, and continue his integration into the new team and the new style of play. Across the backline, it should read: Udogie, Van de Ven, Romero/ Sanchez, Royal.

In midfield last week, Bissouma was imperious in the lynchpin 6 role and all play went through him. I find it bizarre that some people are calling for him to play as an eight, when the six position is so crucial to the way the team plays and he is almost Dembele-esque in his skillset. In the two ‘8’ positions Maddison and Skipp will continue.

Key Player (home) Oliver Skipp

The ‘eye test’ probably had Oliver Skipp down as one of those whose performance was not quite at his best against Brentford. He scored 6.5/10 on Sofascore (Sofascore) and seemed like he was finding his feet in the new number eight position.

Arguably, the Wissa goal and the big Mbeumo chance originated from Skipp’s area of the pitch – with the through ball being allowed to be played and exposing Emerson Royal.

No one is expecting Skipp to play the 8 role like Maddison, but he will need to press more intelligently and not allow that direct ball from midfield – you don’t want to be giving the likes of Fernandes and Eriksen multiple opportunities to make direct passes like that.

Similarly, no one expects Skipp to produce the same attacking output as our new number 10, but he does need to offer more in terms of getting onto the ball and getting closer to the box when the team is in position.

When Pape Mate Sarr entered the game, he immediately looked more threatening in an attacking sense and I wonder how close Ange is to starting the Senegalese man.

Opposition Form

Anyone who watched United burgle a victory against Wolves in their previous game would not have been impressed – with the BBC labelling it, quite generously ‘a fortunate win’ (BBC Sport).

On another day (and with a clinical striker) Wolves could have won 4-1 and it would not have flattered them. United looked sluggish and out of sorts – a bit odd for a squad that had such a thorough preseason.

Yet I would not read too much into this result. United have sometimes struggled against Wolves because they are both counter-attacking teams and thus cancel each other out.

With Spurs’ high line and domination of possession, they will find it easier to sit in, before waiting for the opportunity to break forward at speed – utilising the pace of players such as Rashford and Sancho. It is definitely going to be a culture clash between the two teams.

Key Player (away) Marcus Rashford

All Spurs fans will be hoping that Erik Ten Hag will play Rashford through the middle, as he did at Wolves (Sofascore).

This tactical decision was much to the chagrin of United supporters, who much prefer to see him operate from the left-hand side. Only when he started looking for the channels, did he begin to look like a danger to the Wolves defence.

If he plays through the middle, the combination Van de Ven’s recovery pace and the attacking nature of Romero (if fit) – should serve to keep him under wraps.

However, if he plays from the left, he will be looking to exploit those spaces in which Rico Henry and Yo Wissa were so profitable last week, bursting through the lines before cutting onto his right foot.

As mentioned earlier it will be imperative that the press does not allow the likes of Fernandes time on the ball to play those raking deliveries.

Prediction  

I expect the supporters to park their dissatisfaction with the board and fully get behind the team and the manager.

Like last week, I definitely see goals in this fixture. Although Tottenham will attack for long periods of the game, United will be dangerous on the counterattack.

Once more I expect Bissouma to boss the midfield and if Kulu and Son are able to hold their width a bit more they will look more threatening in an attacking sense.

Final Score: Tottenham 3 – 2 Manchester United

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The unknown is a scary place and that is why people try to alleviate their fears by setting goals, sometimes realistic and sometimes ludicrously overly positive. But why do people do it? Quite simply, it gives us a theoretical roadmap to a destination that we would like to arrive.

To say that Tottenham at the end of the previous season was in a state of flux would be a gross understatement. Words like shambles, mess and somewhat less linguistically acceptable – ‘s**t show’ were commonplace – and rightly so.

At the time of writing, there has been change aplenty at The Lane. A new manager through the door in Ange Postecoglou has brought back a feeling of warmth to the club.

(Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

His demeanour, modesty and avuncular nature has begun to create a bridge back to the fans, who have felt alienated by ego-centric managers, tone-deaf decisions by the board, and of course physical divide previously caused by COVID. No disrespect to the man, but I am not sure any Spurs fan is thinking ‘What if?’ about Arnie Slot right now.

However, it cannot be overstated that these are merely the green shoots of recovery. There is a long way to go even to reach a state of equilibrium around the club. The squad is bloated and imbalanced; there is mass dissatisfaction towards those running the club, and results and performances need to be consistently better on the pitch.

Therefore, I have outlined five ways which, if met, Tottenham could argue it has been a good season.

1) Clarity and Transparency at the Top

This article is not going to address whether Daniel Levy should be at the club; that subject matter is worthy of a book at least. However, by May 2024, certain roles need to be clarified at the club because currently several individuals who could/ should be performing those roles are acting like poorly skilled undercover agents.

Firstly, our Chief Football Operator (CFO), the elusive Scott Munn, must officially start at the club and it needs to be made very clear what his responsibilities are.

The division of power between him and Daniel Levy must be crystal clear and, more importantly, adhered to. If Munn is to be effective, he needs to be given autonomy and allowed to run the football side of business – basically let him work to his job title.

Secondly, the Director of Football needs to be installed or at least a plan made clear. I have written before that my instinct is that, once his ban is over, Fabio Paratici will resume his position at the club. Initially, we held off letting him go for so long because it was clear those in positions of power were hopeful he would not have to go.

Currently, he is working in a ‘consultancy role’ for the club and was at the Brentford game this weekend (Football.London).

Let us be blunt about this – Tottenham are exploiting a loophole and he has been involved in the signings of Veliz and Vicario (Football.London), but they should acknowledge this and release a statement saying that ‘once his ban is over he will be reinstated’ – if this is indeed the case.

If Ange Postecoglu has no issue with working with ‘Don Fabio’, then I am sure the fan base won’t either. Indeed, if the triumvirate of Munn, Paratici and Postecoglu work together effectively and are left to run the football side – I think it solves a lot of problems at the club.

2. Ship out the Deadwood

I am not going to name names of players I think should be shipped. It does not need to be said. Ange himself has admitted the squad is too large (OneFootball).

This has been a problem at the club for too many years. Players with little to offer the club have either been kept on – due to some sense of loyalty; a hope that they would ‘turn it around’ or just a delusional belief in how much certain players are worth.

Tottenham fans have looked incredulously at Chelsea this summer, who have managed to flog a squad worth of players and made roughly £220m in the process (Transfermarkt). For those wildly gesticulating and asking how they escape FFP penalties – this helps explain it somewhat!

Too often Tottenham have allowed players to leave on loan when they obviously have no future – usually without obligation to buy clauses! The thinking is clear – they will show their worth on loan and then we can get a better fee. In principle this is sound, but has it ever worked?

Instead, and I have written previously about this before, Ange had to take a preseason tour with close to ten players that have zero chance of game minutes for Tottenham this season. There needs to be a line drawn in the sand now. If they do not have a future at the club – sell. Even if it means taking at hit.

Let’s be fair, we can take that hit based on how much we have received from the sale of an academy player last week. By next preseason, the squad should contain only players that have a future at the club, either immediately or in the long term.

3. The ‘Brand’ of Football

However opposition fans may scoff, there is a way of playing football at Tottenham Hotspur. It is about attacking and playing in a swashbuckling, sometimes cavalier manner that electrifies the fans.

Even the clubs lauded motto: To Dare is to Do, is all about taking risks to (potentially) achieve glory. Even though it went horribly wrong, Ossie Ardiles ‘got it’ when he played the Famous Five of Klinsmann, Sheringham, Barmby, Dumitrescu and Anderton. Admittedly, that all went horribly wrong – but Ossie dared to dream (his second dream, after getting to a final at Wembley).

More successfully, I saw attacking football under the likes of Jol, Redknapp and the current Chelsea manager. Players such as Berbatov, Bale, Modric and Dele flourished and exhilarated. After the depths of Mourinho’s bus parking; Conte’s ‘cling on until the second half’ and of course the instantly forgettable ‘Nunoball’ – I am ready to be wowed once more.

The signs are good and as Ange himself says, he will not be swayed from his principles. Let’s hope that when we have a rocky patch, as we inevitably will, the players continue to dare.

4. Give it a Shot in the Cups

For me, the ultimate nadir of last season (and there were multiple options) was the abject FA Cup defeat to Sheffield United (BBC Sport).

As a supporter of this famous football club, I have witnessed two trophy wins – The Allan Nielsen final of 1998/99 and the Jonathan Woodgate final of 2007/08. Unlike many, I am not one of those supporters that cherishes trophies above all else.

If I remember rightly, the Worthington Cup win of 1998/99 came in the typically mediocre season expected of 90s Tottenham teams (Wikipedia).

But let’s give it a go. That is all I ask. We have a good squad and should be aiming for quarter or semi-finals at least. Without Europe this year, we should attack on all fronts – in every sense. If we go out in a blaze of glory 5-3 away at Machester City – so be it.

Whimpering out against lower-level opposition, whilst fielding a second-string line-up, with barely an effort on goal is not acceptable.

5. Improve the Attack

It would be churlish of me to use the phrase ‘replace Kane’. It is just not possible, and by using that phrase it heaps instant, unnecessary pressure on any individual joining the club.

Yet the fact remains, 30 league goals have just walked out the door and they need to be scored. We need an instinctive finisher in the club because we are sorely lacking one. If it means waiting till January to make the right signing, then so be it, but we need to look at this season as being transitional (to a point).

By the beginning of next season, the personnel must be through the door and ready to fire all guns blazing at the onset of the 2024/25 season.

To conclude Tottenham’s success checklist

So, are these targets viable? I would argue they are within the realms of possibility and not impossible to attain. Fundamental changes and improvements need to happen for the club to address the fragmentation that has happened in recent years.

Tottenham are a massive club financially, but also in emotional terms. They are central to the lives of thousands and for that reason, it is essential that there is harmony, happiness and stability at the club.

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Last season saw a pitiful first half of lethargic play, followed by a desperate last half an hour as we tried to salvage a point in the last half an hour. It was a pattern that we were to see countless times last season. Yes, we dominated possession, but it was at the back – going nowhere – side to side, forward and back.

Source: Sofa Score

This performance was different. Barring, one small period in the first half, we dominated possession – high up the pitch. Constantly, we were looking to get the ball forward and create chances. The side managed eighteen shots in all by the final whistle – but, had it not been for excellent defensive organisation on Brentford’s behalf – it could have been far more.

One of the significant changes between last season’s performance and this was in terms of the full-backs and their contribution to the game.

Change of system means change of positioning

Under Conte, Tottenham employed a 3-4-3 system, which required an awful lot of the wide players. On that occasion, Perisic and Doherty – and yes, I was surprised to see his name too – were expected to get wide, stay wide, and join the attack, whilst also dropping back to support the defence in creating a back five.

Whereas today, as you can see from the heat maps below, the role of the full-back was to play far narrower – inverting to support Bissouma in the centre of the midfield and to occupy the half space to try and create room on the outside for the likes of Son and Kulusevski.

Source: Sofa Score

Before the start of the season, it seemed to be a toss-up which full-back pairing would be preferred: would it be Destiny and Royal? Or Davies and Porro? With these duos, you would have one more predominantly attacking player paired with another who was more defensive-minded.

However, based on this performance, for the time being at least, Udogie and Royal have the shirts (which will be a blessing to all journalists who want to use their names in ridiculous subheadings):

Udogie’s Destiny to Finally Replace Rose?

Since peak Danny Rose, the club has struggled to find an adequate replacement on the left-hand side of defence. Sergio Reguilon always appeared unable to deal with the physical demands of the Premier League; Ryan Sessegnon never fully looked like he believed he was good enough to be playing and Ivan Perisic was suspect defensively.

In ninety minutes today, I saw more from Destiny Udogie, than I had from the others. It is early days I know and it is important not to get carried away, but there is a lot there to like.

Defensively, his reading of the game seems sound and physically he demonstrated strength and pace against a physical team. Importantly, he showed a level head and calmness in key situations.

In one instance in the second half, he engaged in a duel with Bryan Mbeumo, in the corner and under pressure he managed to get goal side legally and hold off his man to win a free kick.

How many times have we seen the fullback in this position lose their head, push the man, and give away possession? Far too many. This was one moment admittedly, but it encapsulated his display perfectly.

Arguably, it was his end product today which was somewhat lacking. On several occasions I expected him to pull the trigger on a cross or an effort at goal but he did not let fly.

However, he is going from playing as a wide wing-back to an inverted full-back playing far more centrally, thus his angles of attack are going to be significantly different.

It is incredible to think that Destiny is only twenty years old and the optimist in me wants to say that he has got a long and successful career in front of him in the white of Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Italian defender #38 Destiny Udogie runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur at Gtech Community Stadium in London on August 13, 2023. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Emerson’s Royal Contribution

On the other flank was a character who has been polarising at times throughout his time at Tottenham. Emerson has received plenty of abuse and derision, even coming off social media at one point. Yet, by the end of last season, he was developing a bit of a cult status with the club and was winning the supporters over.

However, even when he was not performing as people would have liked in the wing-back system under Conte, he still demonstrated two admirable traits.

Firstly, positionally he has always been really astute and clever – especially in an attacking sense. We only knew how poor his crossing was, because he got into so many good crossing positions to begin with!

Secondly, he has never been afraid to get on the ball. These two attributes were clear in abundance at Brentford yesterday where the Brazilian had the second most touches in the game (134) and second most successful passes – 96/106 at 91% accuracy – (SofaScore). Of course with Emerson, we did have the occasional lapse in concentration, but you can’t have everything in life.

It was this self-confidence that made him take on the long-range strike that equalised for Tottenham in first-half stoppage time. A fine, guided half volley.

We have to also acknowledge that the second Brentford goal and a missed opportunity from Bryan Mbeumo both originated from Royal losing Rico Henry and allowing him to get in crosses.

Long term, I am not sure that Royal is the answer to this position – someone with a little more finesse in the pass would make a real difference. However, for now, the Brazilian is a more than able player to fulfil the role.

What about Sess and the rest?

Which leaves the question – what about the other players who could ostensibly play those roles?

I think it is clear that Perisic, if he stays – which looks likely, will be utilised as a winger. Ben Davies will serve as a double understudy to Van de Ven and Udogie, and can be relied upon to do a role. I suspect, Sessegnon, probably for his own good, will find another club in the January window once he is fit.

This leaves Pedro Porro. Hopefully, he will work on his defending and be able to play the inverted full-back role as a backup to Royal. Alternatively, as many people have suggested, he could be used as one of the front three – and there is definitely merit in this as well. But maybe his future is another article in itself!

All images and statistics from this article courtesy of (Sofascore) (Brentford vs Tottenham, August) (Brentford vs Tottenham, December).

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But today is different. When I checked my phone, it was choc-a-block with notifications. The sort I had been expecting, but somehow wished would never materialise.

Numbly, I hold up my phone and look at the neatly arranged football kits on the screen in front of me. My finger is drawn towards one of the replica shirts. It’s the third row, second shirt it. Tap. Remove.

The tiny white shirt with the proud, blue cockerel disappears and is replaced by a grey silhouette with a white plus sign across the chest. Similarly, the writing beneath has now taken on the same grey tone, but the name is still clear. Kane £12.5m. There may be a plus on the shit, but there are no positives here.

Harry Kane has left Tottenham, his boyhood club; the club where he is the record goal scorer and joined Bayern Munich. Quite honestly, I don’t know how I’m feeling. Disappointment. Anger. Frustration. Confusion. Emptiness. Pure unadulterated rage.

Social media is awash with the same emotions, as fans of the club struggle to come to terms not only with what has happened, but the manner in which it has happened.

Anger is prevalent and people, quite justifiably, are lashing out – at numerous targets. I feel the urge to write, to get down words on a page to express myself in some sort of cathartic exercise.

I am aware that whatever I produce will probably not be the most cohesive things I have ever written, but it needs to be done. I’ll just address the different emotions and call it therapy.

Frustration. By the end of last season, I was almost done with the football club. Theoretically speaking anyway. In reality, no matter what happens (pretty much), I will stick with them. But this was a real low.

Yet somehow, somehow, by Wednesday 9th August, I was feeling positive about the season. Genuinely positive. We finally had a new manager that wanted to be at the club and had introduced a brand of football that could easily be described as relentlessly attacking.

(Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Unquestionably, the preseason games had shown the players had bought into Postecoglou’s methods and they just might be able to compete at the top of the table.

Maddison looked like an absolute steal and Yves Bissouma like an absolute star in the middle of the park. Most of all, our much-maligned chairman had rebuffed Bayern and Plettigoal time and again – apparently stonewalling their attempts to lure our star man away.

The toxicity, which was at boiling point within a pretty febrile fan base was apparently receding to some degree, and positive performances in our first few games would surely see the good times come rolling back.

But now, with this announcement, the toxicity has flooded back in a tidal wave of negativity. A tidal wave that could potentially derail the start of our season.

Anger. The Brentford game is literally two days away. Two *insert expletive* days.

If you are going to sell Kane, get it done early. Let the fans come to terms with the decision. Let the manager bring in a replacement. Let the team have a preseason to adapt to a new player and visa versa. Why, if there was the potential of the bid being accepted, did we let Ange go through the charade of thinking that Kane would be a Spurs player?

Postecoglou seems like a top man and could be an exceptional manager – but he has been dealt a bum hand here. He won’t show it, but he must be seething right now. The rug has literally been swept from under his feet.

Then there is the media. Constantly, trying to sell Kane – it has been going on for years, and they just cannot get enough. Peddling the narrative that ‘for Kane to be a real success, he must win trophies’. Pardon my language, but this is utter bollocks.

In fifty years’ time, people will remember Alan Shearer. Why will they remember him? Because there is a good chance that he will still remain the all-time Premier League record goal scorer. He will be remembered as a great player. Why? Because of the goals. His title with Blackburn will be an irrelevant side note in the annals of history.

Well, they have finally got their wish. Congratulations. Which player will they latch onto next, who has the audacity for playing for a club that they do not deem worthy?

Confusion. Why Bayern? Why now? Call me parochial, but I just do not understand the lure of the Bundesliga. It is a one-team league. And, if another team dare to threaten Bayern’s dominance, they have to surrender their best players to the ‘Bavarian Behemoth’.

When Bayern do win the season in nine months’ time, it will not be down to Harry Kane. They could continue to play Choupo-Moting up front, no disrespect to him, and they would still win – but maybe with fewer points.

If it was Barca, or Madrid, you have to put your hands up and go ‘Yeah, I get that’. But Bayern? Surrendering all he has for a club that has a half-decent shot at the Champions League.

But this is the point that bamboozles me the most. At the end of next season, he could have gone anywhere, and even the most ardent anti-Spurs fan would have to admit, every club on the face of the earth would want him. He could have given Ange a chance, and had it not worked out he could have had his pick. Why not?

Disappointment. Then there is Kane himself. Silence all summer combined with seemingly positive social media posts. ‘Ramping it *beep* up’.

Earlier this summer, I wrote an open letter to Harry Kane. Naturally, he never read it, why would he – but the principle was clear. Be open about your intentions. Do not indulge in a cloak-and-dagger operation to extricate yourself from the club. Do not mug off the fan base that adores you and sing your name week in and week out.

This is precisely what has been done. Personally, I feel like he has acted poorly this summer. If he wanted to leave, say so. If he found the lure of Bayern to hard to resist, say so. If he had lost faith in the club, say so. If he was fed up with the constant broken promises of the upper echelons of the club, say so. If he was sick of the club not matching his ambitions, say so.

We would not have been happy, but at least we knew where his head was at and could have empathised.

Pure unadulterated rage. There has been plenty of anger and dissatisfaction levelled at the board and those that run the club. Lots of it completely justified.

Throughout my time as a supporter, I have tried to be balanced, but the decision to accept a bid for Kane, when the indications were that he would consider staying is just totally unacceptable, especially at this late hour – at the very dawn of the new season.

Honestly, I do not care what the sum of money Bayern offered – it should have been rejected out of hand. The idea of conversations should never have been entertained. Kane may not have been happy, but like with the Manchester City debacle previously, he would have got his head down and performed to his best.

Many people may not agree with this point, but for me, you cannot put a price on him. But, yet again, the club has put profit before glory and the fear of losing him for nothing was just too great. I’m afraid that winning back the fanbase from this point may be an insurmountable challenge even for the tardigrade known as Daniel Levy.

Goodbye Harry Kane – a Tottenham legend

Emptiness. Once more my finger descends to the screen and I tap the grey shirt. The options come up: ‘Restore Player’ or ‘Select Replacement’. I know which one I want, but it is not an option. I choose the latter. I can’t yet visualise a season where Harry Kane is still an active player and not playing for the team I love –frankly, I don’t want to – but it is the reality.

We, the supporters, will get over it, like we always do. Players come and go, but Tottenham Hotspur and the people that loyally follow them will always remain.

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Christian Eriksen had made it clear that he no longer saw his future in North London and would soon depart for Inter Milan, and it was hoped that our new ‘lock picker’, would be the Argentinian.

Indeed, there was excitement all around that summer when Tottenham brought in a highly sought-after young Frenchman Tanguy Ndombele, explosive Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn and supposed ‘generational talent’ Ryan Sessegnon. Oh summer of 2019, how foolish you made us look! Of the four, the only one who possibly has a future with the club this season is the Argentinian.

Things did not start well for Lo Celso at Spurs. He arrived injured and by November of that year, the current manager of Chelsea had been removed from his job (BBC Sport). The roles these new signings were supposed to play in the post-Champions League Final Tottenham rebuild would never come to light.

In drove Jose Mourinho (in a bus) armed with defensive football and an obsession with sitting (unsuccessfully) on 1-0 leads, and out went attacking football and supporter happiness. The potential new attacking Pochettino era was over; killed in its tracks.

Following Mourinho’s unceremonious departure just before the League Cup Final, two other defensive-minded managers followed, before the arrival of Ange Postecoglou. Yet due to Tottenham’s startling inability to sell players, Lo Celso is still at the club despite being seen as surplus to requirements by Jose, Nuno and then Antonio.

So finally, we have come full circle and are at a place where Lo Celso is finally paired with an attack-minded manager. However, does that mean we will finally see the flamboyant, creative best that he has been shown only for the likes of Argentina and Villareal over the past four years?

Could Lo Celso earn a spot in the Postecoglou XI?

Photo by JUAN MABROMATA / AFP) (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)

The first question that has to be asked is: Does he want to give it another shot at Tottenham? It must be frustrating for Lo Celso every time a new manager walks through the door and the same questions up over and over. Does the manager trust him? Can he fit into the new formation? Where does he fit into the team?

The honest truth, in my opinion, is that Tottenham have failed Lo Celso during his time at the club. The manager who signed him was acrimoniously dispatched, and his subsequent replacements did not know how to utilise him.

He has played an array of positions in midfield and in the forward line, but never cemented a regular place. Indeed, playing in the same position for several games in a row would have felt like a win for Gio! Tottenham has not been a happy place for him.

By contrast, if Lo Celso returns to Spain he is a known quantity and is respected and valued as a player. There are no question marks over his ability or suitability to the league. As supporters, we are very excited by the prospect of Ange-Ball, but for Lo Celso is it just another dawn, false or otherwise?

There is definitely interest from Spain. Xavi apparently named the Argentinian as a potential new signing (The Sun), but their offer, if one was ever made was probably close to a hugely reduced price, an unwanted academy player and a tour of the Nou Camp when it finally reopens.

Positively, noise from the club suggests that Gio is open to staying. “He fits the way we play. I enjoy working with him and he seems to enjoy working with us.” Was Ange’s assessment of Gio during preseason (The Standard).

The key word here is ‘seems’ as Lo Celso appears somewhat of a closed book, but judging by his demeanour on preseason, he maybe be coming around to the idea that ‘the times they are a changing’ in N17.

So how would he fit in a Postecoglou system? For Gio the answer is simple. As one of the adventurous eights in the three-man midfield. I spoke to professional football coach, Coach B (@InvertTheWing) about what we can expect from Lo Celso. All quotes in the last section of this article come from him.

“Lo Celso will blossom in a system where he can play freely, but at the same time not be the only source of generating an attack.”

By having multiple creative outlets, hopefully, Gio will find he has more time on the ball. Like another ex-Spur and Argentinian Erik Lamela, I always felt that Lo Celso needed that extra split second on the ball that you cannot afford to have in the Premier League. Maybe that was down to the system? Also, it’s harder to quickly disperse the ball if you only have one or two outlets to look for.

In our two preseason games, admittedly against lower-level opposition, Lo Celso has looked very comfortable in the new system. He has found pockets of space to operate in and has been adept at moving the ball on either out wide or filtering the ball through to the forwards. It was also noticeable how he was taking fewer touches and recycling the ball a lot faster.

Like Maddison, he has also found himself in the box and able to have attempts at goal. This is a player who does know where the goal is. In his last season at Real Betis, he scored 16 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions (Wikipedia) – if we could unlock this player, then we really are in business.

Many supporters, myself included, see Lo Celso operating as an alternative to Maddison in the formation. However, others see another opportunity, with Ange Postecoglou deploying the pair in tandem in a similar manner to which, De Bruyne and David Silva used to operate for City.

In this system, Lo Celso would have a higher impact in the “build-up play and making the pre-assist, rather than just being judged by his assist and goal numbers.” The prospect, although theoretical, is mouth-watering.

One thing we have to address is Gio’s injury record, especially in England. Whilst being at Tottenham he has suffered injuries to his: knee, hamstring, thigh and hip amongst others. In total missing 45 matches between 2019-2022 (when not on loan).

Before moving to Tottenham, he did not appear to struggle with injuries, and since being on loan he has only had one significant injury – the one that prevented him being part of Argentina’s successful World Cup squad (TransferMarkt).

The optimist in me would like to think he is a more robust player and his injury woes are behind him, yet a part of me wonders whether his body can stand up to the high intensity and physicality of the Premier League week in and week out. In his favour, this time round is that he has had a smooth preseason and hopefully this will positively impact on the year ahead.

Only time will tell whether we will see a Lo Celso renaissance this year. Some think Lo Celso could have the season of his life and perform in a way we have yet to see him perform in a Tottenham shirt. I am yet to be totally convinced, but I really want to be. If you are highly rated as a teammate by Leo Messi, surely that means something?

Tottenham have had a rich history of Argentinians in the past; will Lo Celso end up regarded like someone like Lamela – moments of brilliance but sometimes flattered to deceive, or will he edge closer to the rarified air of someone like an Ardiles? I doubt he will reach Ossie levels of greatness, but somewhere in the middle will definitely be good to see.

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He was not being arrogant, as he says himself, but that was his mindset. He was a player brimming with confidence and self-belief and within Graham Potter’s Brighton team, he was an instrumental player – especially in games against Spurs!

(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Just watch this video (YouTube) and you will be reminded just why Spurs fans were so excited to see him signed in the summer of 2022 (BBC Sport) – and for just £25m, an absolute coup.

Undoubtedly, Bissouma has all the attributes to be one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League. He is composed on the ball and his close control, especially in tight areas, is impressive. He reads the game well and is strong in winning the ball back.

He also has the ability to beat his man with a turn of pace or sleight of foot. Occasionally he chips in with a goal, but that’s not why you play Bissouma. So why did it not go to plan last season for Yves?

The easy answer seems to be – he was a ‘club signing’ or at least not a ‘Conte signing’ and we know how our former boss felt about those – not my choice, therefore I don’t really want anything to do with them – just ask Djed Spence!

Conte even came out and publicly announced that Bissouma was struggling to adapt to his way of playing (Evening Standard). Even if this were true, to have it broadcast to the world is sure to undermine a player’s confidence.

What is for certain is that the player we saw last season was not the player we saw in the blue and white of Brighton. He seemed unsure and lacked his sharpness and confidence on the ball.

Injuries also prevented Bissouma from settling at the club. After the mid-season break for the World Cup, many hoped he would become more of a fixture in the side, however, he was unfortunately struck by a shoulder injury that meant he missed fifteen games (TransferMarkt) – the most games he has missed consecutively in his career due to injury.

Yves Bissouma could be like a new signing for Spurs

Fast forward to the beginning of this pre-season and Yves Bissouma seems like a man reborn. With Ange Postecoglou taking the reigns at the club, Bissouma has been all smiles and you can see from his body language and performances on the pitch, that the player who believed he was the ‘best in the league’ might be getting back to this headspace once again.

Bissouma looked like the cat who’d got the cream when he bounced back into training at Hotspur Way – and from social media, it appears that he has become a central part in the Spurs dressing room, alongside new signing James Maddison.

Crucially, his relationship with Ange Postecolglou seems to have begun strongly. Of the boss, Bissouma had this to say: “He gives us confidence. He’s like a dad, uncle, friend for us, so we’re happy to be with him and we’re trying to do what he wants.” (Evening Standard)

Similarly, the love appears to go both ways as Ange has informed Bissouma that he will play a key role this year for the club, and that he sees his as his ‘general’ in the middle of the park (The Athletic). The foundations are in place for something special to grow.

Tactically as well, this year will serve to suit Bissouma down to the ground and I spoke to professional football coach, Coach B (@InvertTheWing) about what we can expect from how Ange plays and what this means for our Malian maestro. All quotes in the last section of this article come from him.

Personally, I actually felt sorry for the central midfielders playing at Tottenham last season. Playing in the middle of the park as a two was not much fun, especially as the majority of opponents favoured a three in midfield, leaving them overrun and overwhelmed; with little time on the ball.

As good as our front three were offensively, they offer little in terms of defensive support. It was a thankless task.

This is all changed now with Ange Postecoglou’s 4-3-3 formation, which we have begun to see in pre-season. Our new number 8, will play the role of the ‘six’ in the midfield and without wishing to sound melodramatic, the success of the team and the pace at which they play will, in no small part, depend on him.

Last season it was infuriating watching the central midfielders dropping almost into the back three; taking the ball from one of the centre backs and inevitably playing the ball sideways or inviting pressure onto the backline.

The reasons for this were twofold. Firstly, with the midfield being usually a 2 v 3 battle the player – usually Hojbjerg – would drop deeper to find space to allow him more time on the ball. The second reason was fear of failure and incurring the wrath from the sidelines, this encouraged more conservative play.

In the Postecolgou system, Bissouma will have to be, good on the ball. This is an absolute must. Being able to carry the ball as a six, is also an absolute must. Often times you see gaps in the field, Ange expects the ball to be played into that space. He will expect Bissouma to carry the ball into such areas,” We know Bissouma has the athleticism and close control to do this with aplomb.

We know that Ange will expect his wide players to get wide and his two, adventurous eights to take up positions in the half spaces. This means that “Bissouma must be able to switch play swiftly and with fluidity. This applies for a lot of possession manager – but switching the ball into a less concentrated area of the field allows for completely new attacks to stem and creates a lot more pressure.”

Bissouma has a solid range of passing and these expectations will allow him to display these skills far more than he could have last season.

Although on paper, Bissouma’s number 6 role looks like a single pivot, in an attacking sense it is at the base of a box midfield, linking with whichever fullback is inverting. Bissouma will have to martial this and communicate effectively to ensure there is a clear gap between the defence and midfield.

This will allow defenders like Romero (and hopefully Van de Ven) to bring the ball out and play through the lines to the number 8s or out wide.

These central defenders will also have to “fill in for Bissouma if he drives forward” like we have seen him do several times in preseason, where he has adopted several advanced positions around the edge of the box. In those situations, potentially “having a player like Van de Ven, who has express pace can cover effectively.”

Therefore, to conclude, we have always known that Bissouma is one hell of a player. With a manager who clearly believes in him and in a formation in which he can excel, I am sure by the time the Premier League comes to a close, in May next year, everyone will know that Yves Bissouma is one of, if not the best, in the league.

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Obviously, if Harry turns around and signs a new contract or at least does an interview saying he wants to give it one last go at Tottenham, then this article is irrelevant, for the present at least. But, based on his deafening silence, the aforementioned events seem some way away.

So, if Lloris and Kane are no longer options, who throws their hat in the ring? There are some potential candidates, but I am going to make the case for Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero.

As I type this, I can already sense the head-shaking and eye-rolling of the readers – but hear me out.

As I wrote previously, this is a new era and one of the biggest gripes that lots of fans, myself included, have with the club is their inability to shift players. Romero has only been at the club for two years, and is not associated with some of the failures of the past.

He also has experience of winning and being in successful teams. Internationally he has a World Cup and a Copa America to his name (where he was named in the team of the tournament) (Wikipedia).

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Undoubtedly, he has some strong captaincy credentials – he is a passionate and combative player, to say he is strong in the tackle is an understatement. Also, when he is focused, he has an excellent football brain and can execute excellent passes out from the back, sometimes under extreme pressure. Importantly, he will be a mainstay in the starting eleven, barring injury or suspension.

Yet the nay-sayers, in unison, will still point to some of the negative qualities that were mentioned previously. Rash, reckless, liability and plain stupid. Let us not lie., we have all used words or phrases like this to describe his performances and actions on the pitch since he made the move to North London, and, I may add, quite rightly so.

However, a quick scroll through a list of winning Premier League winning captains provides names such as: Vieira (8 red cards), Keane (7 red cards), Terry and Vidic (6 red cards). We’ll pop Stevie G on this list as well for good measure with six reds as well (Statista).

The point is that being occasionally reckless and borderline violent seems to be a winning quality in some of the most heralded captains. Let us not forget another on the list once karate kicked a fan.

However, one thing that Romero would have to improve undoubtedly, would be his consistency and concentration. All those names listed before could get away with the odd roguish act because they were brilliant performers almost all of the time. Currently, Romero’s form is erratic at best and there have only been hints at his ability to be a consistent performer.

Many genuinely feel that Romero has the skill level to reach those heights and making him captain, and giving him extra responsibility might be the thing to bring the wildness and unpredictability under control.

Towards the end of the 2021/22 season, we all remember how he managed to avoid a yellow card, which would have given him a two-match ban. He can do it.

But why could he do it then and not all the time? In that moment, to use the phrase, the team were pulling together and there was a positivity about the group. Hopefully, under Ange, the manager will create those conditions on a more permanent basis and allow the players to flourish and feel more secure.

Under Conte, Romero said in an interview during the pre-season tour, “The group were somewhat separate from the staff… when things are divided and not everyone is pulling in the same direction — coaches, players, not pulling in the same direction — it becomes very difficult.”

With everyone singing from the same hymn sheet, the conditions might be right for Romero to step forward as a young leader – especially under the more relatable and humble Ange Postecoglou.

What was quite telling is that he did not shy away from his own part in Tottenham’s struggles last season, stating that he was “the first to take responsibility for the poor season we had.” (The Athletic). Such awareness is the trait of a leader.

Other accusations from fans have been levelled at him regarding his commitment to the club. In the aforementioned interview, Romero strongly refuted questions about his commitment; going on to reveal that he has rejected the overtures of other clubs to stay at Tottenham.

In reality, he is on a long-term contract and there is no way the board would countenance the sale of the only member of the defence that a lot of fans have some faith in. Yet we must take him at his word.

Despite the frustration he has caused, the general consensus of the fans is that Romero is a very good player, who could become ‘World Class’.

Most supporters understand football and know when a player is capable of performing at a different level. It is why certain players are afforded more leniency and are not as judged so quickly. There is already a bond between Romero and the fans and this could really cement it.

Arguably there are other candidates for the role. One name that is doing the rounds amongst the fan base is that of Son Heung-Min. Undoubtedly, his commitment to the club is beyond doubt. He signed a new deal when Nuno joined (spotrac) and immediately shot down any talk linking him to a move to Saudi (Talk Sport).

It seems that he is also the heart of the team and loved by all. Yet just being Son brings untold pressure. He has almost God-like status in South Korea and it looked as though he was slightly struggling with the burden of expectation during the World Cup.

Similarly, you could tell that his form domestically got to him last season. You could tell from his demeanour and interviews that he was struggling to cope. Next season, I just want Sonny to be Sonny and just focus on smiling, laughing and banging in goals for fun.

Other candidates for the next Spurs captain

The other ‘natural’ candidates would be the likes of Davies, Dier and Hojbjerg. However, firstly, none of these three would be a guaranteed starter and secondly, there would be mass meltdown amongst the fan base, if not a full-scale riot.

Other options would be the likes of Yves Bissouma or even James Maddison, but I think for them it would be imperative to focus on establishing themselves as a consistent performer at a ‘big club’ before adding any other extra pressure.

This is definitely a ‘left field’ choice, but I believe there is some merit to the proposition. Indeed, now I have finished writing the article I have almost convinced myself.

The post Opinion: Cuti for Captain? The argument for Romero to replace Hugo Lloris appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The saying goes that no one is bigger than the club – but in to be brutally honest, over the last few years, Harry has got mighty close to being so.

However, as Graham Roberts said, “The crest on the front of the shirt will always be bigger than any name on the back” – and I for one adhere to this statement.

Thus, Kane will be replaced both as a player and as an icon. However, I would argue that Tottenham should not seek to replace Harry this summer and not enter the transfer market to buy another striker.

This may not be a popular sentiment, but, hear me out…

(Photo by Amphol Thongmueangluang/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Have we done our Due Diligence?

Going into the summer transfer window, not many at the club expected to be in this position. Everyone could see Manchester United sauntering in, attempting to dine off past glories and making grand overtures – stumping up plenty of quotes from former players but not much in terms of money.

Not many saw the possibility of a) Bayern Munich being so persistent in their chase and b) Harry Kane seemingly so open to the lure of the glitz and glamour of the Bundesliga.

Therefore, replacing him this summer did not seem to be forefront of the very long ‘to-do’ list. From a fan’s perspective, the transfer process at Tottenham seems haphazard at best and getting a deal like this done adequately appears to be a long shot.

Occasionally the club gets deals done quickly, like with James Maddison, but then again a stopped clock is still right twice a day.

It would make more sense for the infrastructure at the top of the club to be in place (see later on) and, hopefully, cohesively running, as we look for a new frontman.

Similarly, Ange’s tactics will evolve at Tottenham, just like they have at his other clubs. It might take him several months to work out what type of striker compliments the players in the team currently.

Which attributes will best serve the team? Diving headlong into signing Kolo Muani or the like off the back of a good season and impressive international tournament – Roman Pavluychenko anyone?

Although exciting, it would appear rushed and based on very little due diligence.

I understand completely that this view will not go down well with some fans, but I have seen this before with Tottenham and strikers, especially those who have never played Premier League football. I give you these names (in no particular order): Iversen, Rebrov, Postiga, Soldado and Jansen.

Admittedly, there is an element of risk with all transfers, but I would rather the club made a mistake after doing their homework thoroughly and with the right people in place.

No Director of Football and a CFO gone MIA

As I alluded to before, if we were to embark on a search for a striker right now, who would be orchestrating it?

The Scott Munn situation is bizarre, to say the least (FootballLondon) and as much as we expect he is working behind the scenes, it is not the same as being front and centre spearheading proceedings.

That said, it would not necessarily be Munn’s job to organise this search, that would be the role of the director of football. However, at the time of writing, not only is there not a Director of Football at the club, but progress on appointing one seems to have stalled, with the latest news being that Tiago Pinto had ruled himself out of the running (iNews).

This may be, in some part, down to the fact that Fabio Paratici is still working with the club in an ‘advisory role’ (FootballLondon). This is purely speculation on my part, but I wonder if, with the reduced terms of Paratici’s ban, Levy is going to use him in the ‘advisor role’ until he can slip back into his old position when his 30-month ban is complete.

No matter who takes these roles and when, I would rather they were in charge of ‘Operation Replace Kane’ in an official capacity so that ‘COYS Daniel’ has as little to do with the proceedings as possible.

We Have Enough Cover – Just

Ironically, despite being our best player, by some distance and more, Ange Postecoglou would have to amend the way his formation works to accommodate Harry in the line-up.

In his previous sides, the forward three press like demons in an attempt to win the ball back high up the pitch. Kane, for all his attributes, is not this player.

Arguably, Richarlison, with his work ethic and relentless running could complement the system. Although I do not think he has the calibre to be the long-term replacement, in the interim he could ‘do a job’ so to speak.

Most of us have been pleasantly surprised at how Manor Solomon has started life in a Spurs shirt and this could free up Son Heung-Min to play down the middle as an auxiliary forward – if needed.

The Goals Will Come From Other Areas

As impressive as Harry Kane’s numbers were last season – and they were staggering given the team he was playing in, it was concerning how much Tottenham relied on him for goals last season.

However, the hope would be based on history and what we have seen in preseason so far, is that goals will come from a plethora of sources this season, not just the central striker.

Even from the friendlies against West Ham and Lion City, we have seen attempts at goal from the likes of Bissouma, Sarr, Lo Celso and Maddison, along with our wingers and front man.

This is common with Postecoglou teams, indeed in his first year as Celtic manager, not one player scored over thirteen goals in the league but seven players scored over six goals (BBC).

Even last year, with Kyogo netting 35 times in all competitions, four other players also reaches double figures across the whole season (BBC).

Other Priorities – Centre Backs Anyone?

This point has been laboured into the ground by virtually everyone associated with Tottenham Hotspur. But having a Kane replacement is far less important than bringing in two quality centre-backs to sure up the defence.

For whoever is working on the transfers, please stop focusing attention on the likes of Kessie Sport (30/07/23 via Sport Witness) and just focus on the priority.

Without a doubt, if he goes, Kane will be a great loss. But the key word throughout pre-season has been ‘patience’ and giving time for Ange to build his team.

The club should extend this to signing Kane’s replacement and hopefully avoid having an expensive panic buy on our books, who we will be unable to get rid of for years to come.

The post Opinion: Why Tottenham should not replace Harry Kane if he leaves this summer appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.