Another Kick in the Head

Getting a bit literal there with that title, but hey, it has become an alarming trend in our Men's fixtures with Liverpool... and the fourth loss in a row in the Premier League felt pretty similar from a fan perspective.

So here's the situation. Both of Tottenham's senior teams have three games left in the season: three league fixtures for the Men's team, while the Women's team has a cup final (let me repeat, a cup final!!) followed by two league fixtures. I don't think I have to mention which of those games is occupying 95% of my brain space/anxiety capacity this week.

I'm going to breeze through the recaps of last weekend's games because there's a lot to preview and a lot of news to round up.

In this issue: Everton recap | Liverpool recap | Previewing the weekend matches | News from around the Lane

WSL Matchday 20 recap | Everton 2 - 2 Tottenham

S. Holmgaard 10', Vanhaevermaet 15' | Spence 45', England 48'

Yes, another WSL draw! Nevertheless, the unbeaten streak survives heading into the FA Cup final, so we'll take it. We can also take some solace from another (semi)successful comeback to rescue a point after going down two goals very early in the match.

Starting XI:

The natural order was restored with Beth England at striker rather than right winger, as she played in the last two games.

We also saw a couple of changes to the backline, with Charli Grant returning to the bench and Amy James-Turner out with a minor injury. Ash Neville and Molly Bartrip replaced them.

Drew Spence started in the midfield in place of Olga Ahtinen. The other two injury absentees from the previous game against Brighton, Martha Thomas and Celin Bizet, were both on the bench and came on as substitutes.

Top Three Things:

1. Players back in form - Several players in the squad have needed to build up their fitness and form over the second half of the season. Bartrip put in a big performance at centerback, Spence took the game by the horns with two crucial goal contributions, and England continued her scoring streak in the league. But we also saw a big spark off the bench from Wang Shuang, who has had limited minutes so far in her time at Spurs. Expect her to make a bigger impact next season.
2. Sloppiness from both sides in possession - Besides the goal Spurs conceded from a corner kick (a known issue), the other three goals in the match all came about from tentative passing and opposition pressure. It's not surprising that Drew was involved in two of them since sniffing out opportunities to press is one of her specialties.
3. Another opposition goalkeeper PotM award - Courtney Brosnan more than earned the draw for Everton with eleven (11!) saves all told. Sure, some of the shots were annoyingly sent straight at her, but she made a handful of truly exceptional saves. I think she's one of the most underrated keepers in the league—alongside our own Becky Spencer, of course.

SAtP Player of the Match: Drew Spence

It was an easy choice this week. The whole team showed the resilience and determination that have become trademarks for Spurs Women this season, but Drew especially so. She looked absolutely disgusted with herself for missing an earlier chance but kept her head in the game and raised her performance level to score the all-important first goal and then assist Beth's equalizer.

Notable & quotable:

• Spurs have secured a 6th-place finish in the WSL, unable to either rise in the table or be overtaken with most teams having only one match left to play (Spurs have two left due to an earlier postponement).

Considering that we technically hadn't secured safety from relegation until the final whistle of matchday 22 last season, a top-half finish this year is not a bad outcome at all. But most importantly, the overall improvement in performance will set a strong foundation for future campaigns.

• Molly made her first start since March 3 (the away NLD).

• Drew scored her first WSL goal of the season along with her third assist of the league campaign.

• Beth has now scored four goals in four straight WSL games.

• h/t to SpursWomenBlog for noting that Jess Naz is the only player to have featured in all 20 of our WSL games so far, albeit only starting nine of them.

PL Matchday 35 recap | Liverpool 4 - 2 Tottenham

Salah 16', Robertson 45', Gakpo 50', Elliott 59' | Richarlison 72', Son 77'

I'm kind of surprised at just how much angst there was in the fanbase after this loss, considering that we all thought it was a game the league would never allow us to win after the VAR debacle in the reverse fixture (which, it bears repeating, was not our fault). For me, I was mostly annoyed that the "gimme" call (or non-call, rather) that was gifted to Liverpool as penance was for them to literally get away with kicking one of our players in the head... again... That's not something you want to become a trend in the Liverpool vs Spurs matchup.

That nonsense aside, it was another game of two halves scenario. The first half was pretty woeful—especially in the defense. But I wouldn't have been surprised if Spurs had managed to pull off a draw in the second half, that's how much the substitutes lifted the performance. Alas, we did not. Our disappointing record at Anfield persists.

Starting XI:

The starting lineup looked a little different than what we've been used to under Ange, with no true playmaker in the midfield. Frankly, this midfield trio of Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, and Pape Sarr just didn't work.

Also not working? Emerson Royal in the left fullback position. It's been an unmitigated disaster, and I think it's best for him and the team if he never plays there again for Spurs. He might be moving on completely in the summer, but that's a topic for another day.

The forward line was also low on efficacy. Although we know that Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski can work well together at times, having Son in the striker role did no favors to Brennan Johnson, who relies on having more of a "target man" striker like Richarlison to get on the end of his crosses. Thankfully, we got that change in the second half, and it's no coincidence that the pair combined for a goal.

Top Three Things:

1. Timing - You couldn't call the defense well-organized in the first half, but there was certainly some heroic defending on display (Micky van de Ven stood out in this regard). We were so close to entering halftime with just a 1-0 deficit. The Andy Robertson goal just before halftime and the Cody Gakpo goal five minutes into the second half were both huge blows to morale. The hill to climb had become a mountain.
   
   The other notable timing in this match was the timeliness—or lack thereof—of Ange Postecoglou's substitutions. It seemed obvious that the Royal at leftback experiment needed to end prematurely, yet he was allowed to stay on and directly caused the fourth Liverpool goal by sending his clearance straight at Salah. He also failed to close down Harvey Elliott for the assist for Gakpo's earlier goal. But I don't want to scapegoat Royal alone; the midfield desperately needed refreshment at halftime, too, along with a shuffling of the forward line with Richarlison's entrance. Ange got there eventually, but the game was lost in the delay of his triple substitution.
2. Oliver Skipp is not a DM - In this essay, I will argue... But no, seriously. Skipp showed more attacking intent in his 30-minute shift than we've seen from the entire midfield in recent weeks. He made a crucial, penetrating pass into the box for the pre-assist on Son's goal, our second of the game. And not to sound like a cliché, but his ability to pick out those passes and help the team maintain possession overall makes him better-suited to the leftback position than Royal, even though Skipp is not a defender by training. In the Angeball system, I don't think we want a defense-centric player in that role anyway.
   
   This is all to say that I hope to see Skippy starting at LB against Burnley. We have nothing to lose, and possibly a bit to gain!
3. Expectation vs. Reality - As I said before, I don't think anyone expected Spurs to win this game, especially not as it came at the end of a brutal run of fixtures. But the reality of seeing such a muddled performance in the first half made it more difficult to accept. I genuinely believe that when we're at our best in terms of fitness and form we can compete with any team in the league, and we've seen that play out at various times this season (including the reverse Liverpool fixture). But we've also seen the team burdened by bad injury luck and a case of the end-of-season doldrums. It is what it is.

SAtP Player of the Match: Richarlison

It's a shame that Richarlison was unable to start—Ange said that he was never intended to start two games in a row so soon after returning from injury—because he made an instant impact and helped the attack look more cohesive overall. His partnership with Johnson continues to thrive as well.

Notable & quotable:

• This marked Salah's 12th goal against Spurs. Yikes.

• Son countered by becoming the first player to score in four consecutive away games at Anfield in the PL.

• This was the first time Spurs have lost four consecutive PL matches since 2004.

• Ange only used four of his five available substitutions, leaving Pierre-Emile Højbjerg on the bench for the first time since the opening game against Brentford. Again, I don't want to jump the gun on summer transfer window speculation, but the writing may already be on the wall.

• This was Royal's 100th appearance for Spurs in all competitions. I wish it could have been less of a debacle for him.

• On a happier note, Sonny marked his 300th Premier League appearance with a goal.

He is now third in all-time appearances for Tottenham. Only Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane have featured more.

• Some comments from Richarlison on the season so far and the work still to do:

Look, we presented a much more dynamic and, let’s say more elegant and beautiful football than last season, we have evolved, we have evolved a lot. I believe that, as of this week, it has already been announced that the coach will make changes, so I believe that next season he’ll be putting together a much more competitive team.

Previewing PL Matchday 36 — Burnley

Candidly, I am finding it hard to care about this match since it's standing between us and the Women's FA Cup final, but it does matter in the context of the Men's table standing. Winning this game would go a long way toward securing the 5th place Europa League spot.

We got some potentially bad news on the injury front, via Alasdair Gold. The manager of the Brazil national team, Dorival Júnior, claims that he left Richarlison out of the squad for the Copa América because of a calf injury that Spurs have yet to confirm. I would find it strange for Ange not to mention it in his team news comments from today, because he's never been secretive about injuries before. But it could very well be that Richarlison is out for the remainder of the season and we're back to square one with the forward line.

Luckily, a game like Burnley suits Son Heung-min's relative strengths as a striker option. He scored a hat trick in the reverse fixture.

As I said earlier, I think Oliver Skipp has to start at leftback, as wild as that possibility would have sounded at the beginning of the season. Needs must. Ange seems to agree:

I thought [Skipp] did well when he came on [at Anfield]. The way we play with full-backs, certainly with some of the positioning, he wouldn’t be too unfamiliar with the positions he would need to take up. He is an option for us and I think we need another option because we have three games this week and we only have Emerson as a back-up full-back at the club.

And I really hope Giovani Lo Celso gets a start, even if he isn't likely to be part of Ange's long-term plans for the squad. James Maddison did have a much better second half against Liverpool however, so I could see the argument for trusting him to fully emerge from his slump in form with another start.

That's all I've got. It's not yet a must-win, but it's a should-win.

Women's FA Cup final preview — Manchester United

I just got chills writing out that section header. It's really happening! Spurs Women are in their first-ever major cup final, and they fully deserve to be there. Even better, I have full belief that we can win.

Which isn't to say that Manchester United are going to be an easy team to beat. They have plenty of individual talent to cause Spurs issues in defense. But I think where we have a distinct advantage over United is the cohesion and adaptability of our squad overall. We don't often rely on moments of brilliance from individual players, tending to score well-worked team goals instead. Robert Vilahamn's plan is always clear to see.

We also have a slight momentum edge over United since they are coming off a loss to Liverpool in the league, which dropped them down to 5th place in the table.

United have been to the final just once before, in last year's edition of the cup. So they do have the experience of playing at Wembley on their side. But they were clear underdogs then against Chelsea, whereas it feels like the gap between our two sides is much narrower—if not nonexistent by this point.

I still think the experience of having played before in finals will be important coming from a few of our key players, like Becky Spencer, Drew Spence, and captain Beth England. But then you have a player like Ash Neville who has been with Spurs since the team's days in the Championship. What could be more motivating than playing to prove you belong on a stage you were never expected to reach?

(Of course, what's the stop the team from getting to the final again next year? Never say never.)

Thinking about all of the intangibles is starting to feel stressful though, so let's focus on the controllables. Robert has shared that the squad is fully fit, which will make for some difficult selection decisions on his part. The one player who cannot feature is Grace Clinton (since United is her parent club), as you have probably already heard in every other outlet's preview. It is a shame for her personally, but we have more than adequate replacements in the squad and it would be insulting to her teammates to suggest we cannot win without her. Can you tell this talking point has really been getting on my nerves?

Likewise, Marc Skinner confirmed there are no new injury concerns for United.

United had a lot of joy from set pieces in our most recent matchups, so reducing the number of such opportunities we give up will be key. I also thought we were fortunate that Geyse didn't start in that league fixture, but will surely play a prominent role in this game. She and Melvine Malard are the two United players I am most concerned about, although we always have to consider the possibility of a Rachel Williams revenge goal. Well, I don't know if revenge is quite the right word. I don't think it was an acrimonious split between her and Spurs, per se.

And we have plenty of standout players to cause United's defense issues of their own. My personal hunch is that Martha Thomas will be called upon to serve as a super sub on this occasion, but no matter when she gets on the pitch she presents a variety of threats, as illustrated here in this Inside Spurs segment highlighting her versatility:

England has built up a great run of form at just the right time, and Jess Naz has been a consistent contributor for many months now. Then you have Celin Bizet and Matilda Vinberg on the wings with their top technical skills and ability to both find and create space. The four of them would be my choice for the starting lineup, with Thomas to be one of the first subs alongside Kit Graham.

Eveliina Summanen and Spence seem like no-brainers for the midfield pivot, and the fullback positions are locked down by Amanda Nildén and Neville. It goes without saying that Spencer is starting in goal. That just leaves the centerback duo to decide. It's hard to leave Amy James-Turner out of the side when she's done so well this season, and been decisive in quite a few big games, but I think we're at our attacking best when Molly Bartrip and Luana Bühler are spearheading the backline.

It would be very heartening to see Spurs get on the scoresheet first, but we know this is a team that can overcome adversity. My one hope is that we avoid a penalty shootout, because I don't think my nerves could handle it. But the team has prepared for the possibility, so if it happens: trust in Becky.

It's worth noting that the final will have VAR in use—something that very few of our squad have experienced firsthand. Not even Robert Vilahamn, apparently!

Let's end this preview with Robert's perspective on the game ahead of kickoff:

It’s not a question anymore. We know we have a good chance to win on Sunday. You can see that and feel that. Everybody is going for the win and we’re not just happy to be there. We have enormous respect for them - but it’s a final. It’s going to be a top game.

And a lovely quote from Becky alluding to the growth she's seen during her long journey at Spurs, not just this season:

Becky got a visit from the Men's team keepers to wish her and the team luck in the final. A true goalkeepers' union moment!

And now, to release all of our anxiety and tension, have a laugh with this hilarious tweet from the Adobe Women's FA Cup account:

Truly, I laughed out loud. I kind of hope Robert prints this out and puts it in the dressing room as motivation fodder—although it sounds like visual aids are more of Vicky Jepson's wheelhouse.

News from around the Lane

There were quite a few news items from the Men's Academy this week:

• Tyrese Hall has signed a new contract with the club, extending his deal until 2029. The central midfielder has been playing with the U21s this season and if you've watched any of their games you will have heard his name come up a lot.

• George Abbott also signed a new deal until 2027. The versatile midfielder and defender has been captain of the U21s for the past few months.

• The U21s have reached the PL2 playoffs quarter-finals after defeating Aston Villa 4-3 in the first round. The game went to extra time, when Will Lankshear scored the decisive goal, his second of the night. Yago Santiago and Rio Kyerematen also got on the scoresheet.

The quarter-final will be at home against Liverpool on May 12 at 7 pm BST. Hopefully we'll all have recovered from the FA Cup final by then!

• The U18s also had a dramatic game against Arsenal at home in league play. After scoring in the 1st minute through Callum Olusisi, they had to recover from Arsenal scoring two goals in two minutes. Damola Ajayi equalized just before stoppage time, and then Han Wilhoft-King scored the winner in the 90+1st minute.

Some news from the Men's senior team:

• Destiny Udogie is nominated for the Premier League's Young Player of the Season award. Apparently, this is the first time a Spurs player has been shortlisted since the award's introduction in 2019. Y'all better vote!

• Micky van de Ven won the Official Supporters’ Clubs’ Player of the Season award. Pedro Porro earned Goal of the Season for his golazo against Burnley in the FA Cup. Perhaps he could do a repeat tomorrow...

• Ashley Phillips was named Plymouth Argyle's Young Player of the Season after a successful loan spell. Well done, Ashley!

• Elsewhere on loan, Matthew Craig and Doncaster Rovers were eliminated from the League Two playoffs in the semi-final by Crewe Alexandra. Craig contributed an assist in Doncaster's 0-2 win in the away leg, but they conceded two unanswered in the home leg and eventually lost on penalties. He was subbed out during extra time and didn't get the chance to take a PK.

And one tidbit from the Women's team:

In anticipation of the FA Cup final, the Athletic interviewed Jess Naz about a wide range of topics. I loved reading this, especially the Alex Morgan easter egg. It was also nice to learn that coach Anton Blackwood supported her through her ACL injury as a "big brother" figure and fellow North Londoner.

Jessica Naz heading for FA Cup final five years after ‘everything came crashing down’

Naz has overcome lack of opportunity and a serious knee injury to play in Sunday’s FA Cup final for Tottenham

The AthleticCharlotte Harpur

Jess deserves all the success and acclaim she's garnered this season, and I think I speak for the whole fanbase that we can't wait to see how much more she can grow in the seasons to come.

All right, it's time to send all of your good vibes, well wishes, prayers, and whatever else you can spare towards Spurs Women. Okay, and the Men's team too. But mostly the Women. They need it more.

It's almost time!

COYS

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