A Moment Too Soon
There's no getting around it: Spurs Women's loss in the FA Cup final hurts, and it's going to hurt for a while. All of the team's preparation and motivation were eclipsed by the enormity of the occasion. Our opponents, Manchester United, were in the same situation last season when they reached the final for the first time and were able to use that experience as fuel for their victory in this year's edition of the cup.
I think it's important to remember that context when talking about the result, which out of context would be a lot more damaging than it actually is. Spurs could very well make a strong cup run again next season and be better prepared to go the distance. Or we could continue to see improvement in league play but be less successful in the cups by nature of the unpredictability of knockout matches.
The only way to prove we belong in the same conversation as the top teams is to perform more consistently, and only time will tell if we can achieve that. But I believe we are well-positioned to do so with Robert Vilahamn as manager, with sustained investment & support from the board, and with a squad of players who are developing further with every game. The potential is there to be seized, and we've already seen glimpses of what is possible.
In this issue: Manchester United recap | Burnley recap | Previewing the midweek matches | News from around the Lane
It's another quick turnaround for the midweek matches, so it'll be brief recaps once again. I'm going to start with the cup final since we're already on the topic, touch on the Men's vital victory at Burnley, and then look ahead to the league fixtures against tough opposition.
Women's FA Cup final recap | Manchester United 4 - 0 Tottenham
Toone 45+3', Williams 54', Garcia 57', 74'
It really pains me to type out that scoreline because I genuinely thought we could win this game.
And who knows, maybe on another day we do. Perhaps on another day, the big-stadium nerves don't get the best of the squad and they play to the maximum level we know they're capable of. There's another universe in which it's United's players that crumble under the pressure of being the favorites. Alas, we live in this universe where the game was all but over just after halftime.
Starting XI:
I think the game was partially lost with this starting lineup—not that it's a weak team, but because the balance was not quite right for a final. Too many of our top performers were on the bench (one of whom never made it into the game) and the most reliable game-changer had a suboptimal starting role instead of getting the chance to be a much-needed super sub.
Part of my disappointment at not seeing Molly Bartrip start is purely sentimental—for a player who's been so integral to the team's growth over the past few seasons, it was a shame not to see her get her Wembley moment—but there's a tactical rationale behind it too. We know Amy James-Turner can come up clutch with last-ditch defending or even a miraculous assist (as she did in the quarter-final), but Bartrip provides a better foundation for our buildup play. She could have made a big difference in kickstarting the attack, which looked so short of ideas in practice.
I also thought the configuration of the forward line was doomed to fail. Martha Thomas as the #10 to Beth England's #9 has not been a successful combination in the past, so I was puzzled to see them partnered for such a high-stakes game. We also didn't get to see Jess Naz to her best effect as a result; she's had her best games at striker this season but was pushed out to the right winger position in this game.
Top Three Things:
- Déjà vu in defense - The goals we conceded were like a lowlights reel of all our persistent issues this season when it comes to defense:
- the long range shot given up by loss of control in the midfield
- the set piece header
- the opportunistic press taking advantage of a mistake in buildup play
- nope, sorry, I've already repressed all details of the fourth goal
- Questionable officiating didn't help - You can definitely make an argument that the first United goal should not have counted. For a game with VAR supposedly in use, we didn't get any real indication of Rachel Williams' blocking foul on Luana Bühler being checked, let alone the many other instances of excessive physicality from United. There was also a blatant foul on Naz just two minutes before United's second goal that wasn't called for a free kick. The non-call didn't lead directly to the possession for United that resulted in a (wrongly given) free kick for their set piece goal, but it was nevertheless a sliding doors moment in that we missed out on a set piece opportunity of our own. There were plenty of other minor officiating mistakes (like a missed corner kick) that all told could have been a contributing factor in Spurs' inability to gather any momentum in the game.
- Mary Earps' easiest clean sheet - But any way you look at it, having zero shots on target is unacceptable and the biggest reason we couldn't get a foothold into the game. The closest we came to a goal was a header from England that hit the crossbar, after which Thomas attempted a rebound but was well off the mark with her own header. I would have even welcomed some speculative shots from distance, as we know those are a weakness for Earps.
Ultimately, the timing and order of Vilahamn's substitutions didn't make a difference (or actively worked against Spurs, as in the case of the double sub just before United's set piece goal).
And on the whole, there's no debating the fact that United were the better team. Perhaps the 2-2 draw with them in the league a few weeks ago lulled us into a false sense of security, because they certainly were playing up a notch from that performance and we were nowhere close to our best. That's football sometimes.
Like I said, y'all are getting the shortened version of my thoughts on this game simply because of time constraints. But if you'd like the long version, I invite you to listen to the latest N17 Women episode in which myself and my co-hosts go into greater detail about the team selection, defensive issues, and more. We also take a big-picture look at Spurs' first-ever major cup final appearance and give the club some deserved praise for showing up and out for the occasion (unlike United's shamefully MIA new owner, Jim Ratcliffe, who chose to go to the United Men's PL game instead of a cup final—his loss).
And for further reading, this quick piece from the Athletic has an interesting (bad) defensive stat and some good quotes from Beth England included.
Charlotte Harpur
SAtP Player of the Match: Beth England
Sometimes the best leadership involves taking responsibility, and our captain definitely did after this defeat—while also expressing plenty of hope for the future.
This group is special, there's plenty to come.
Notable & quotable:
• Robert's reflections:
We still have a gap between us and the top teams and that’s normal. But we’re closing that gap and, on a good day, we can actually beat these teams.
I feel a bit of emptiness but I'm also proud, we got to Wembley...
This is not the end. This is the beginning.
• Also from Beth's post-game interview, I appreciated her recognition of the investment the club has put into the Women's team beyond the playing squad: recruitment staff, support staff, training facilities, etc. All of these factors make a massive difference and are the reason we will be able to move on from this disappointment and come out the other side stronger.
• H/t to Chris Paouros for this much-needed reminder of what an achievement it is to be runners-up in the FA Cup, even if we fell short of the top prize:
An incredible day. Our club showed up, on and off the pitch. It wasn’t to be, but 2nd of 456 is pretty damn good. It’s all learning. This time last year we were in a relegation battle, this time next year, lifting that cup. COME. ON. YOU. SPURS #coys pic.twitter.com/wvdjVZbmT8
— Chris Paouros (@chrispaouros) May 12, 2024
PL Matchday 36 recap | Tottenham 2 - 1 Burnley
Porro 32', Van de Ven 82' | Larsen 25'
The Men's match was a much less fraught fixture, even if the result was crucial to giving us a fighting chance of securing top 4 this season. It's a very slim chance, but still.
Starting XI:
The squad remains heavily depleted by injuries, so in addition to not having a lot of reliable, senior experience on the bench, we saw an experimental tweak to the starting lineup. After impressing in a short cameo at left fullback in the previous game against Liverpool, Oliver Skipp got the chance to start from that position. Other than being beaten for pace on Burnley's sole goal of the game (a similar occurrence earlier in the game required a close save from Guglielmo Vicario and clearances from both of his centerbacks), I thought he did pretty well there. We also saw Dejan Kulusevski feature on the left flank but from the winger position, which was far less successful.
However, Ange Postecoglou noted after the game that Skipp hadn't played significant minutes in "ages," so he was not allowed to play the full 90. His exit from the match cued up one more experiment which fans have been curious to see for a while: Micky van de Ven at LB. You only have to look at the scoresheet to know how that move paid off. But don't get too excited about the idea of him starting at LB next game, because Ange has cautioned that the position is too physically demanding for a player whose fitness is being closely monitored post-hamstring injury.
Dane Scarlett would end up being a surprisingly useful substitute in the final 15 minutes of the match, making one of his longest first team appearances to date.
Top Three Things:
- Backup keeper blinder - Arijanet Muric has taken his opportunity to replace James Trafford as Burnley's first-choice keeper and ran with it. He definitely put in an impressive (and at times risk-taking) performance against Tottenham, making seven saves while also getting their goal move started from the back with a bold through ball. This is not to overly praise an opposition player, just to point out that for some reason we tend to give up-and-coming keepers a chance to shine far too often. At least we got the final say this time.
- Porro never passes up a chance to shoot - Sometimes this can be a frustrating trademark of our right fullback, but in this game it paid off with the equalizing goal. And truly, the majority of the squad has been too reluctant to simply take shots of late, so I appreciate Pedro Porro's persistence.
- Scarlett provides a target - Even though Dane didn't get on the scoresheet himself, he was integral to transforming our attack in the second half. With Richarlison out injured, we've lacked a traditional "target man" striker to occupy the opposition backline and take advantage of the numerous crosses from the wingers. Besides coming agonizingly close to scoring his first Premier League goal (the cross from Johnson was cleared just before it reached him), he played a big part in Van de Ven's game-winner by making a decoy run to draw a Burnley defender out of position and creating space for Micky to shoot.
So, this is the situation as we head into our final two league games of the season: we need to win both to have a chance of finishing 4th, but also need to do no better than draw in their final game against Crystal Palace. If they draw, we also need to make up the considerable goal difference gap (currently eight goals). It could get further complicated if Villa had a very high-scoring draw, but otherwise tying up the GD should be enough since we would then have the "goals for" advantage. Two Spurs wins and a Villa loss would be completely straightforward and give Spurs 4th place outright on points.
The other consideration for the run-in is that a single point across the two games will guarantee us 5th place. 4th is a longshot considering that we face Manchester City next, but at least we can be pretty confident about playing in the Europa League next season at least.
SAtP Player of the Match: Micky van de Ven
He probably would have been in for a shout even without the goal since it was impressive enough to see him make an unfamiliar position his own, but scoring the game-winner clinched it. Fresh off winning the fan votes for Spurs Player of the Season, he got onto the scoresheet for the third time in his first PL campaign.
Fun fact: all three of Micky's goals this season have been game-winners (h/t Spurs Global). We did go on to score an additional security goal in the Nottingham Forest home game, but he got the all-important go-ahead goal. His goals in the Luton Town away game and this match against Burnley earned us wins with a single-goal margin.
Notable & quotable:
• As Charlie Eccleshare observed, Spurs have been either level or down at HT in 17 out of 18 matches this calendar year. The one exception was our 1-2 lead at Everton, which ended in a 2-2 draw thanks to Jarrad Branthwaite's stoppage-time equalizer. Of the 17 other games, we've gone on to gain at least a point in all but seven of them.
• Not Spurs-related but I felt it was worth noting: Sheffield United have conceded a record 101 goals in a Premier League season (and counting... they still have to play us on the final matchday). So as frustrated as we've been with all of our set-piece concessions, it could be far worse.
• My nomination for Quote of the Season from Brennan Johnson:
The [home] fans can smell it with us when we feel like we're gonna get back on top. They literally drive us through the game.
Sniff, sniff!
• In the same post-game interview, Micky shared that he's played at left fullback a few times in his career and acknowledged that it's more of a midfield position than defense, especially in Ange's system.
Previewing PL Matchday 37 — Manchester City
I don't really have a ton to say about this fixture, mostly because I don't want to get too deep into the Arsenal title chase of it all. I think we all know that Ange and the players are going to give it everything they've got because it's a competition and they have integrity. It'll sting if the result plays a part in our North London rivals winning the PL, but this won't have been the only fixture that made an impact on the league table. It's a 38-game season.
This is our 37th game, and it's well past being crunch time. Unfortunately, we might have left it a little too late for Champions League qualification because it's no longer in our hands. But all we can do is try to win these last two games and hope Aston Villa drop enough points and/or goals to squeak in on the final matchday.
Our injury situation, if you can believe it (I can!), has worsened once again. Well, that depends on if you consider Yves Bissouma a huge miss at the moment—personally, I do not. But he's out with a knee injury for the final two games regardless. I suspect we'll see Rodrigo Bentancur replace him in the lineup based on form, but Pierre-Emile Højbjerg could be another option. Oliver Skipp will likely be employed at left fullback again.
For Manchester City, Jack Grealish is a doubt with illness and Nathan Aké could also miss with a knock. He scored the game-winning goal in the FA Cup loss back in January, so fingers crossed he isn't fit in time to play.
As the Premier League reminded us, we've kept a clean sheet against City in all four home matches in the league since opening the new stadium. I feel very skeptical of our ability to maintain that streak, but I guess you never know. This is the latest in the season we've played them at home in that stretch and it seems like title-chasing City is going to be a very different beast to deal with.
Previewing WSL Matchday 21 — Chelsea
If I had to pick an opponent to face next after a crushing 4-0 loss in a cup final, Chelsea would be dead bottom of the list. Alas, this midweek fixture came about from a postponement and we can only get through it the best we can.
Much like City for the Men's fixture, Chelsea are chasing the league title. If we were to pull off an upset win they would need City Women to lose their final game and then beat Manchester United themselves to secure the title on the final matchday. Of course, all of you reading this probably don't care about Chelsea's title scenario math, so let's move on to the Tottenham perspective.
We don't have anything to play for besides pride and progress. With that in mind, I'm hoping to see a lineup that reflects the playing squad we will see going forward into next season. This is slightly complicated by the announced absences of Becky Spencer (knock from the final) and Molly Bartrip (illness). Grace Clinton is a tricky one because she might not be with the team next season if Spurs aren't able to buy out her contract from Manchester United, but we may as well get the benefit of her play for these last two games just in case.
As for covering the two definite absences, it seems unlikely for Eleanor Heeps to be thrown into goal for her Spurs senior debut against such a high-powered attack as Chelsea's, so Barbora Votíková will probably get her sixth start of the season. Amy James-Turner is the only real option to replace Bartrip at centerback, though her inclusion requires Luana Bühler to play on her less-favored left side. Elsewhere in the side, some rotation will be necessary for this three-game week, and with the West Ham game on Saturday the more winnable fixture, we could see that rotation on Wednesday.
For Chelsea, it sounds like Lauren James is doubtful to play at all and definitely won't start, as she's "only trained once in 18 days" per Emma Hayes' latest press conference. Jelena Čanković and Mayra Ramírez are both out.
Of general interest, it's been reported that Chelsea may be open to selling a stake of their Women's team to new investors.
News from around the Lane
Two Academy notes this week:
• The U21s narrowly made it through to the next round of the PL2 playoffs by beating Liverpool on penalties after a 3-3 draw in regular time and no goals in extra time. Luca Gunter made a crucial save in the penalty shootout to help the team advance. Tyrese Hall, who just last week signed a new contract with the club, scored a brace in regular time. Two other key players, Jamie Donley (who scored a fabulous first goal in the game) and Alfie Dorrington, both went off injured.
Up next, they face Fulham in the Premier League Cup final on Thursday, followed by the PL2 playoffs semi-final against Chelsea on Sunday.
• Carey Bloedorn has signed his first professional contract with Spurs. The goalkeeper featured for most of the U18s campaign before getting injured, and has also made the bench for the U21s once this season.
And some exciting news out of the Women's team:
• Jess Naz got her first senior England national team call-up—albeit only on the standby list. It's an indicator of what a breakout season she's had for Spurs that she's finally in the conversation to play for the senior Lionesses.
Grace Clinton was selected for the camp as well, which includes games in May and June.
I can't say these next two games are going to be fun, but we'll get through them together.
COYS
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