The Tottenham dressing room certainly appears like a happy place at the moment, which is evident from the body language of the players on the pitch and the way they enjoy each other success.

The scenes after the full-time whistle are also further evidence of a harmonious dressing room, with the players making it a point to celebrate with the supporters. 

Cynics will perhaps say that it is easy for the squad to get along when results are so positive but there certainly seems to be a big shift in the mood at the club since Ange Postecoglou arrived.

That could perhaps be due to the new leadership group put in place by the Australian, with Son being handed the captaincy while Cristian Romero and James Maddison being appointed as his deputies.

Tottenham Hotspur’s South Korean striker #07 Son Heung-Min (L) celebrates scoring the team’s second goal with Tottenham Hotspur’s Welsh striker #22 Brennan Johnson during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in south London on October 27, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / 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 GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Heung-min Son is the life and soul at Tottenham

Emerson has spoken about the atmosphere in the Spurs changing room, admitting that the South American contingent brings a lot of colour and flavour to Hotspur Way.

The right-back told R7 (as relayed by Football.London): “Our dressing room is a little different. Everyone has a personality, there are people who are more relaxed, there are people who enjoy being more playful.

“The South Americans talk louder, the English are calmer. They like silence best. But the most vocal is Son [Heung-min]. I say he’s a fake Korean, he acts Brazilian!

“The South Americans, [Christian] Romero, [Rodrigo] Bentancur, Pedro Porro too, who is Spanish. We interact a lot, play music. Each one has their own characteristics, but we always try to bring a different bit of joy into the dressing room.”

Spurs Web Opinion

From the outside looking in, there seems to be a great mix of effervescent and calm characters in the Tottenham changing room and the new signings who arrived this summer have seemingly settled seamlessly into the new environment.

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Romero has written his name into Argentine football folklore, helping guide the Albiceleste to their first Copa America win in 18 years back in 2021 and their first World Cup title in 36 years in Qatar last year.

Given the rivalry that exists between Argentina and Brazil, the Tottenham man understandably has bragging rights over his fellow South American teammates.

Richarlison played all 90 minutes in the Copa America final at the Marcana back in 2021 while Emerson came on as a substitute on 76 minutes for Renan Lodi.

Ange de Maria’s 22nd-minute striker proved the difference between the two sides on the night, and Emerson has revealed that his Tottenham teammate does not miss an opportunity to remind him of the victory.

(Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Romero has the bragging rights over Brazil duo

When asked if Romero provokes him and Richarlison, the right-back told ESportes (as relayed by TBR Football): “[Laughs] Every day! He has a tattoo on his calf, of the World Cup and the Copa América, in which I played in the final. So every day he comes by and plays, asking to put cream on his tattoo.”

It was well documented that Romero and Richarlison had a bit of bad blood between them ahead of the Brazilian’s move to Spurs, but the pair quickly put that behind them when the forward made the switch from Everton last year (Daily Mail).

Spurs Web Opinion

It is quite clear that the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking contingent at Tottenham are a tight group but I have no doubt that Romero will not go easy on the likes of Emerson and Royal if he comes up against them in an international fixture again in the future.

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Emerson has largely been used as an impact substitute by Ange Postecoglou in the past two months, with the Spurs boss turning to the Brazilian when he needs to solidify things at the back.

While Pedro Porro has been in superb form this season, one could argue that Emerson possesses a more natural ability to defend his own box compared to the Spaniard.

Emerson has also showcased his versatility this season, replacing the injured Destiny Udogie at left-back against Fulham and playing the entire second half there against Crystal Palace too.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur and Antonee Robinson of Fulham FC during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

Emerson vs Porro competition is healthy for Spurs

The former Barcelona man has insisted that he is always there when Postecoglou needs him, and will continue to compete with Porro in a healthy and professional way.

He said (R7): “I’m completely professional, it’s healthy competition, which we enjoy. Even though I’m not always playing, I’m strong, and when the coach needs me, he can always count on me.

“I have the ambition to seek my position again and keep Tottenham at the top of the table, and I believe that this season we have a great chance of staying in the fight for the title.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

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Although Pedro Porro has been the undisputed first-choice right-back this season for Ange Postecoglou in Tottenham’s new inverted full-back system, Emerson has still been a regular.

The Brazilian has seven appearances to his name across the ten Premier League matches this season, including a goal in the early days of Postecoglou’s reign.

In recent weeks, Emerson was introduced in the second half to replace the injured Destiny Udogie at left-back against Fulham before coming on for the full second 45 against Crystal Palace too.

Although he may not be a superstar of the current Spurs XI, the former Barcelona man is trusted by Postecoglou and his versatility is proving valuable for the Lilywhites so far this season.

(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Emerson holds himself to his own high standards

When asked about the criticism that gets levelled at him, Emerson said (R7): “I’ve always been a guy who has a lot of confidence in myself and my work.

“The fans, narrator, commentator and whoever is watching don’t know what I do every day, they don’t watch my training, they don’t know the work I do at home, I know who I am. They criticised me a lot, but I didn’t listen.

“Obviously, there’s no way I could escape it, because it was in front of me, on social media and in the stadium, but I knew my potential.

“I believe that in a situation like this, you have two options: either you victimise yourself or you turn things around, and I’ve always been the person to turn things around.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Not everyone can start, but everyone has to contribute. Emerson has done himself proud every time he has stepped onto the pitch this season and he is clearly a great trainer. You never know when an injury might thrust you into the regular starting XI, but I’m sure Emerson would be ready for that.

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It wasn’t easy, but Tottenham will go into the weekend with a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after defeating Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

Ange Postecoglou‘s side dominated possession throughout, but were unable to turn that control of the ball into clear-cut chances in the same manner as they have so far this season.

The high press which has become a Spurs trademark was to thank for the first goal, as James Maddison pressured the Palace defenders into mistakes that ultimately led to a Joel Ward own goal.

Maddison then joined forces with Brennan Johnson, who came on as a substitute, with the pair weaving through the Palace back line to set up Heung-min Son for yet another goal for the Tottenham captain.

A late goal from Jordan Ayew piled on the pressure in injury time, but Spurs were able to hold on and grab all three points tonight.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate Emerson (L) and Brennan Johnson of Tottenham Hotspur after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Ange happy with his Tottenham subs vs Palace

While Brennan Johnson arguably had the biggest impact of all the players to come off the bench tonight, Postecoglou has also recognised Emerson Royal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s influence on the game, with the pair replacing Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma, respectively.

In his post-match press conference (via Football.London), Postecoglou said: “Brennan was great. He’s had to be patient as he’s had a couple of setbacks obviously so we haven’t really seen him in any consistent game time or training time but the last couple of weeks he’s worked hard at training.

“I thought all the subs who came on… I thought Pierre helped us get control of midfield, I thought Emerson at left-back was outstanding. Those kinds of things are helping us at the moment, the guys coming on and helping us see out games.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Brennan Johnson should be delighted with his performance today. I thought he came on and really wanted to make things happen, and his hard work paid off with an assist.

Emerson was brilliant in a position he doesn’t normally play, and put in a really good shift. And Hojbjerg was his usual, sturdy self, and is proving to be a player we can really depend on to manage the game.

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The Brazilian was not included in the original squad for the double header of international fixtures this week, but an injury to Danilo has seen the squad take a hit in the right-back department.

(Photo by Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Emerson Royal called up to the Brazil squad

Although Emerson has not been a regular in the starting XI in recent weeks due to the impressive form of Pedro Porro, he has still been used off the bench by Ange Postecoglou.

Most recently, the right-back came on in the latter stages against Luton Town to see out a 1-0 win despite Spurs being down to ten men.

It appears that Emerson is still highly respected within the Brazil set-up, as he was hand-picked to fill a void in the squad this week and will now swap Spurs training for a World Cup qualifier.

Spurs Web Opinion:

Postecoglou clearly has a lot of trust in Emerson to come on and do a job from the bench in tough situations. The contrast between Porro and Emerson is helpful in these kinds of situations, as the former is much better going forward but the latter can see out a result.

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Coming into the campaign, pundits and neutrals had mostly written off Spurs from the race for a top-four spot, which was not surprising considering that the Lilywhites had lost Harry Kane and had hired a coach who was not proven at the highest level.

However, Ange Postecoglou has had a transformative effect on the club and on the back of their impressive displays so far this season, some are beginning to question if Tottenham can put together a title tilt (talkSPORT).

It is fair to say that most pundits still do not think that is realistic, with the likes of Gary Neville (Gary Neville Podcast) and Robbie Savage (TEAMtalk) insisting that Postecoglou’s men are not yet ready to compete with the likes of Man City and Liverpool yet.

(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Emerson Royal calms Tottenham title talk down

Emerson admitted that the Tottenham players are now going into every game believing that they can win.

When asked if Spurs are a contender for the big prize, the right-back told ESPN Brasil (as translated by Sport Witness): “People at home even joke with me that everything I enter, I enter to win. Everything I want to be the best. And I believe that our team came in with that mentality. 

“Obviously it’s too early for us to think about a title or things like that. Certainly, if we continue with the path we have been taking, we will be able to dream about this in the future. But we think one game at a time.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I do not think we should entertain any serious talk of a potential title tilt until the midway point of the campaign. We are at the start of Postecoglou’s project and a top-four finish this season will be an excellent achievement.

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Postecoglou’s starting eleven has been unchanged for the most part so far this season, barring one or two positions, and that looks set to continue unless there is a dip in the team’s form.

That means a whole host of first-team stars at Tottenham are yet to start a single Premier League match so far this season.

However, the Tottenham head coach has now insisted that his job is not to keep those who are out of the team happy, and praised the professionalism that some have shown.

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Postecoglou told Football.London: “I’ve never seen my role as keeping players happy. My role is to try to create an environment where they feel like they’re valued, they contribute.

“The reality is 11 players will play and some players have had more game time than others. I mentioned it to the lads this week, if you see our training our best trainers are guys like Ben Davies, Skippy, Emerson Royal – unbelievable training, and these guys aren’t playing.

“So that sets the standard for the whole group. If you’re not training well, these guys are ready to step in. They’re disappointed they’re not playing, 100 per cent, as they should be.

“The way they train, I think I mentioned Fraser Forster a couple of weeks ago, the reason we’ve had a strong level of performance so far is because our training has been at such a high standard.

“They’re the guys who can potentially affect your training. If they’re not at it or if they’re feeling sorry for themselves it affects the whole training group but that they’ve been the best players means the guys who are playing know they had better train well or ‘these guys are ready to take my spot’.

“That doesn’t mean they’re happy. I wouldn’t expect them to be happy but that’s not my role. I don’t go round taking surveys on how people feel every day.

“It’s about setting the right environment where they feel valued, we work with them, we treat them all the same and when the opportunity arises they get the opportunity to contribute.”

Eric Dier is remaining professional at Tottenham

One senior player whom Postecoglou does not appear to fancy is Eric Dier, with the 18-year-old Ashley Phillips even making the bench on a couple of occasions ahead of the England international.

Some reports over recent weeks have indicated that Spurs have already decided to cash in on the 29-year-old in January (Football Insider) but Postecoglou insisted that the centre-back is in the same boat as everyone else.

The Australian said: “I haven’t had any chats with Eric. He’s had a couple of disruptions, and a couple of injuries and last week he wasn’t well. He was in the squad but he wasn’t well so we left him out. He’s training and he’s making himself available.

“With all these guys, if they feel the need to discuss their future I’m more than happy to do that but I’m not going to go out and seek it unless I see there’s an issue. For me, the issue is: are they training well? Are they contributing to what we’re doing? If they’re doing that I see no reason to have extra discussions with them.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The fact that we do not have European football this season has robbed the likes of Davies, Skipp and Emerson of the chance to get some game time under their belt. It is difficult to see any of them starting games unless there are more injuries.

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It was not too long ago that Emerson was considered a laughing stock among some Tottenham fans, having initially struggled to adapt to the demands of the right wing-back role under Antonio Conte.

However, the Brazilian has grown in confidence over the last six months and has already demonstrated that he has the technical quality to operate in the inverted right-back role in Ange Postecoglou’s system.

Emerson will be hoping to displace Pedro Porro from the starting eleven over the coming weeks, with some big games on the horizon for Spurs including matches against both Arsenal and Liverpool later this month.

(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Emerson Royal releases rap video

It turns out that the 24-year-old is a man of many talents as he has been seen rapping in Portuguese in his latest social media post.

Emerson posted a snippet of his upcoming music video on his Instagram story, with the caption translating to ‘See there, the love of a son is capable of that’, with his partner Estela Braga featuring in the video showing a baby bump.

Watch the video below:

Best footballer in the world
Best musician in the world
What can't Emerson Royal do? pic.twitter.com/sxULjOBT3S

— Barnaby (@thfcbarnaby) September 10, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

The snippet certainly looks really good and the song is evidently about Emerson soon becoming a dad. When the video does come out, perhaps the right-back would want it played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before a game or as half-time entertainment – let’s hope for now, he keeps doing the business on the pitch.

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The two defenders have shared duties at right-back so far this season, with Emerson starting in the 2-2 draw with Brentford before Porro came in for the 2-0 win over Manchester United.

Both performed well going forward, with Emerson scoring and Porro crashing a shot against the bar, but both also struggled to defend the back post from their new inverted roles.

Postecoglou has urged fans not to read anything into the players after two or three games, but he likes some of the attributes Porro is bringing to the same. He added that both players will continue to develop in the coming weeks and months as they get used to his new system.

(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Postecoglou wants to give Porro and Emerson time

Ange Postecoglou said (Football London): “I would be reticent to read into anything after two or three games.

“He performed well last week, performed well in pre-season and as a full-back he has some good attributes to the way we want to play. He is good with and without the ball, but again he is 23 and we have a pretty young back four at the moment.

“Emerson is in a similar boat and they will develop as they go along.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Emerson and Porro offer some nice balance for Spurs on that right side. Emerson is better at defending than attacking, while Porro is the opposite. Of course, the aim is to train at least one of them to be great at both, but let’s see how they develop under Postecoglou.

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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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Richarlison raised a few eyebrows when he decided to get a large tattoo on his back featuring the faces of Brazilian legend Ronaldo, his current international teammate Neymar, and Richarlison himself.

Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

The unusual trifecta has drawn criticism from some sources in the past, with Micah Richards describing the body art as ‘ridiculous’ (BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club).

Richarlison unveiled the tattoo earlier this year after his exploits at the 2022 World Cup where he played a starring role for Brazil.

However, it seems that if Emerson Royal had his way, Richarlison would be adding to the ink already. Over on his Instagram story, Emerson revealed a new design for his friend.

The image features Richarlison’s back tattoo, but Emerson’s face has been crudely pasted among the trio of Brazilian attackers.

He captions the post: “New member on the pigeon’s back. I love you too.” These words are accompanied by numerous laughing emojis, as Emerson clearly enjoyed his own joke.

The pair are known to be very close friends, and the pair even gave their first interview in the English language together recently (Michael Bridge).

Given the nature of that interview, it’s clear to see that the compatriots are two of the biggest jokers at the club.

It remains to be seen whether Richarlison will follow Emerson’s template for any future extension to his tattoo.

Emerson Royal to Richarlison on IG

“New member on the pigeon’s back. I love you too” pic.twitter.com/cqGGggHpCx

— The Spurs Web (@thespursweb) June 2, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

These two crack me up. They clearly have a great relationship and it’s nice to see they don’t take themselves too seriously.

Hopefully, we can see them both at their best next season. Who knows, if Emerson can find his top form again, maybe Richarlison will get another Brazilian legend on his back. 

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Tottenham put in poor performances all season and a string of frustrating results saw the North London side slip well below the expected standards.

The Lilywhites ended the season in eighth place in the Premier League table, with Aston Villa pipping them to Europa Conference League qualification in seventh.

(Photo by Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

It’s a far cry from the dizzying heights of last season, where Tottenham were able to climb into the top four at the expense of Arsenal and qualify for the Champions League.

Not only did Spurs fail in the league this season, but they fell short when it came to the Champions League, too.

They were knocked out in the round of 16 by AC Milan, after uninspiring displays across the two legs against the Italians.

Naturally, there is a demand for far better next season from everyone connected with the club.

But, with a new Director of Football and a new permanent manager still to be appointed, plus an overhaul of the stale squad needed, it won’t be an easy task.

Royal has been speaking (via London World) on the downfall this season, and looking ahead to next year, and made it very clear what is expected.

He said: “We tried to stay in Europe but it was not possible we will try again next season, we need to push and keep pushing to achieve our targets next season.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Obviously, we would rather be in a European competition, but I do think not having that distraction will do us some good next season as we look to transition this squad.

However, we cannot be out of the mix for too long, and qualification next year is a must.

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Despite a difficult season for Tottenham, Kane managed to score 32 goals in all competitions this term, 30 of which came in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

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

The marksman became Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer earlier this year (GOAL). Among the many records he broke during this campaign, Kane also closed the gap on Alan Shearer’s record as the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer.

With his current contract set to expire in a year’s time, and yet another year without any silverware at Tottenham, rumours are rife that Kane could leave the club this summer.

Manchester United are thought to be keen on signing the England captain, but are under the impression that Daniel Levy will not sell his star man (Manchester Evening News).

Real Madrid are also believed to be in the mix when it comes to Kane (AS), as are Bayern Munich (Caught Offside).

Speaking on the matter of Kane’s future (via London World), Royal clearly has his fingers crossed that Kane sticks around.

He said: “For me, it’s very difficult to speak about Harry Kane because for me he’s top the number one striker in the world.

“I’m so happy for him and I want him to stay with us because I want to play with him for a long time.

“I don’t know but I want him to stay with us.”

Spurs Web Opinion

If the latest talk is true and Kane is going to stay with us, then we have seriously got to do something this summer and make it worth his time to stick around.

We need a huge overhaul of this squad, the right manager, and we should make Kane captain and the focal point of the project.

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Spurs have struggled to earn clean sheets since the return from the World Cup, a problem which ultimately cost both Antonio Conte and Cristian Stellini their jobs.

Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

However, Mason took the decision to drop Eric Dier last weekend and switched up the defensive tactics in order to see out a 1-0 win over the Eagles.

The young head coach named a back three of Clement Lenglet, Cristian Romero, and Emerson Royal, with the latter playing on the right side of a three instead of his usual right-wing-back.

Pedro Porro then served as a right-wing-back, while Ben Davies played as a left-back in a four when Spurs were out of possession, before springing into attack as a left-wing-back on the ball.

Speaking about the new system, Emerson told SPURSPLAY (via Football London): “Yes, for me, it’s very good, I’m used to playing in this position.

“But when we have the ball, I stay more inside like a centre-back on the right.

“So, for me it’s not difficult to do this position because I know how to play from the back.

“I can do this position, I’ve played like this in the national team. I felt very comfortable in this formation and I think we can achieve good things.”

He added: “I think I have something that can help. I have an aggressiveness, I have a leadership on the field, so when I’m in the game I try to do my best.

“I always get in or do whatever it takes to help the team. I think that’s been important.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

This tactical change really could be the making of Emerson Royal at Spurs. While many would have sold him six months ago, he could have a place in the squad as a utility player next season, especially if the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga leave the club.

The post Emerson Royal opens up on his new position for Spurs under Ryan Mason appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Mason has been the one constant in the dugout for Spurs this season, with Antonio Conte, Stellini, and even Fabio Paratici parting ways before the end of the campaign.

(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

The former Spurs player has stepped up to the plate once more, just as he did when Jose Mourinho was sacked back in 2021, and Emerson has clearly been left impressed.

The Tottenham defender believes Mason knows how to deal with players and inspire confidence because he played in the Premier League not long ago himself.

He also revealed that Mason did not give too much in the way of a team talk before the 1-0 Crystal Palace win, and simply told the players that they had his trust to go out there and express themselves.

Emerson appeared in a new position under Mason last time out, with the temporary Spurs head coach naming him as a right-centre-back while pushing Cristian Romero to the central sweeper role.

The Brazilian told SPURSPLAY (via Football London): “Ryan is a person who helps us a lot.

“He’s young for a coach but he knows about the dressing room, he played football, he knows how to deal with the players and he gave us a lot of confidence.

“He spoke to me yesterday and he asked me if I could start the game and I told him that I would do anything to help the team.

“If he thinks he can count on me for starting this game, I would do it.

“He didn’t say much, he just told us that he trusted us and that we had to get into the game and do our thing.

“That by doing our thing we would win the game, and that’s what happened.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

The players seem to think the world of Mason, and I do think that is because he was a modern-day player himself. He knows the club inside out, he knows how Pochettino used to run things, and he knows how to inspire the current crop. I hope to see him in a full-time job in England very soon.

The post Emerson Royal explains what Mason has been doing behind the scenes at Spurs appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The Under-21s emerged with a 1-0 home win over the Hammers in their final Premier League 2 game of the campaign, with an early Jamie Donley strike proving the difference between the sides.

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

However, the result was not enough for the youngsters to secure top-flight safety as they were relegated on goal difference after finishing second from bottom in the table.

Lucas Moura played all 90 minutes on Sunday while fellow first-team squad members Pape Matar Sarr and Brandon Austin also picked up valuable game time.

However, their efforts were not enough to help the Under-21s get the result they needed, with the Hammers goalkeeper Krisztian Hegyi making a string of fine saves.

It turns out that both Richarlison and Emerson were at the game to cheer on the youngsters, with Chris Cowlin sharing a picture of the forward and the right-back watching the encounter.

Richarlison and Emerson Royal supporting the U21s today. #COYS #THFC pic.twitter.com/bKV3v7puk4

— Chris Cowlin (@ChrisCowlin) May 7, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

Richarlison and Emerson were probably there to cheer on Lucas but the pair are certainly terrific characters to have in the dressing room and evidently both wear their hearts on their sleeves.

The former Everton man has had a difficult first season in London but I have no doubt that he is going to become an important player for us in the years to come.

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Spurs came out on top in a tight game against Crystal Palace yesterday afternoon, with Kane scoring the only goal in a 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

(Photo by ISABEL INFANTES/AFP via Getty Images)

That goal took Kane’s tally to 27 for the season in all competitions (Transfermarkt) and continued a record-breaking year for the star striker.

The 29-year-old has already become Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer earlier this year (GOAL) and broke Wayne Rooney’s record as England’s all-time top goalscorer recently, too.

Now, Kane has surpassed Rooney’s total of 208 Premier League goals, and moves up to outright second in the chart of all-time Premier League goals.

Kane himself described the achievement as a ‘special feeling’ and said he intends to ‘continue scoring goals’ (BBC Sport).

Now, his teammates have chimed in with praise for the man of the moment in an interview with Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge.

When asked what he had to say on Harry Kane’s feat, Emerson said: “Harry, congratulations my friend.”

The microphone then turned to Richarlison, who added: “I am very happy for Harry. It’s good because he works hard in training and I see it in the game, he played good. He scores every game. I think me and Harry, together, can score a lot of goals in the Premier League.”

Chaos then ensued as Emerson claimed Richarlison does not know how to speak English, but Bridge keeps the pair on task by commending their efforts to master the language and attempting to discuss how Emerson finds life in London.

Thanks to @Emerson_Royal22 & @richarlison97 – first interviews in English on their teammate @HKane #THFC pic.twitter.com/05qj6WqCZT

— Michael Bridge (@MichaelBridge_) May 6, 2023

The energetic defender may have missed the question, as he simply takes another opportunity to congratulate Kane for his efforts before the two players sign off.

Spurs Web Opinion

Emerson Royal has done brilliantly to learn the language so fast, and he clearly loves speaking to the press.

Both players appear to have a great bond. It’s been a tough season for the pair of them due to injuries, but hopefully, they can bounce back next season and be back at their best.

The post Video: Emerson Royal and Richarlison gave first English interview this week – Full of smiles appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The young coach saw his Tottenham side win for the first time since he took over as Acting Head Coach with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace this afternoon.

(Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

It was a hard-fought contest at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium but it is the home side who take all three points.

The game was ultimately decided by Harry Kane’s goal at the end of the first half, which came from a Porro assist.

The fixture also saw the return of Emerson Royal, who returned from injury for the first time since March.

With both right wing-backs now available, Mason had a tough decision to make on which to leave out of the starting lineup.

Ultimately, Mason decided to start both players, with Porro pushing up to play on the right wing, and the choice proved to be a successful one.

Speaking to Football.London after the game, Mason had plenty to say about Emerson: “He was outstanding. I thought the whole team without the ball worked hard, they worked together. And obviously [Emerson] has had a period out. But I trust him. We trust him.

“I thought today he did a very good job along with the rest of the players on the pitch. When you keep a clean sheet it’s a collective, it’s everyone and everyone fought for the clean sheet.

“The players on the pitch but also the ones who didn’t because in the training week we’ve all worked hard together and they’re the results you want.”

On Porro playing as a winger, Mason added: “Pedro has been quite effective for us, even in the previous system. He’s scored goals, he’s created chances.

“He’s a good guy, he works hard, he fights for the team and I thought we saw that today.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It actually makes perfect sense to utilise these two players in the way Mason has today.

We know Emerson is better at the back than he is going forward, while Porro has struggled defensively but has brilliant attacking attributes.

It will be interesting to see if he goes with this structure again.

The post Ryan Mason praises two ‘outstanding’ Spurs defenders after win over Crystal Palace appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Mason continues to face the media in his role as interim head coach with the former midfielder having already taken charge for the draw against Manchester United along with last weekend’s disappointing 4-3 loss at Anfield to Liverpool.

Club captain Hugo Lloris was once again missing for the second match in a row at Merseyside after suffering a muscular issue in the 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle United.

Roy Hodgson has made an impressive return to the Eagles, leading his side to a last-gasp win over Leicester City before hammering Leeds United 5-1 in the subsequent game and followed it up with a 2-0 win over Southampton in their last outing.

Tottenham fans will be wondering what sort of performance will be witnessed from the players having conceded in the opening minutes in their last three matches and their hopes of European football next season are under serious threat.

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

Mason told Football.London: “Hugo is out for the season. We had the results back. Obviously disappointing. We feared that initially and now we’ve had the results. [With Rodrigo Bentancur] obviously you can have set backs with these kind of things. We’re assessing him day by day. It’s probably too early to set a return date.

We’re hopeful [Bissouma can play a part before the end of the season]. There are some hurdles he’s got to overcome

Ryan [Sessegnon] had a significant injury and he won’t feature for the rest of the season. Emerson is day by day now and hopefully he can help us before the end of the season.”

SpursWeb Opinion

It is a huge boost for Spurs if they can recover Bissouma and Royal before the end of the season and allow the pair to feature in some of the remaining matches.

Ryan Sessegnon’s injury problems continue despite the wing-back having worked so hard during the summer on strengthening his body to try to alleviate his hamstring issies.

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