Down Bad in the Derby

Honestly, I don't think the NLD loss was a complete debacle, but there's no denying that Spurs Men are going through a tough time and don't look to be coming out on the other side any time soon. As I sat down to write this, in fact, I heard about the (so far unconfirmed) rumor that Dominic Solanke has picked up a knee injury in training and is going to miss six weeks. When it rains, it pours.

Solanke had already looked dead on his feet during the NLD, as did Dejan Kulusevski. It's difficult to pull off an away win at the ground of your most bitter rival in the best of circumstances, let alone when two of your most important players are suffering visibly from fatigue. Son Heung-min capitalized on a rebound to salvage a consolation goal (albeit with a heavy deflection along the way), but a general lack of sharpness showed up both in the attack and the defense.

Of course, it didn't help that Arsenal got their usual luck-of-the-bounce at the Emirates. But knowing their first goal should never have happened because of an incorrect corner kick call is cold comfort.

In the cold hard reality of the Premier League table, Spurs are fast losing any chance of recovering a European qualification spot and are closer to the bottom of the table than the top. For what it's worth, I don't genuinely think we're going to end up in the relegation scrap. It's still a worrying situation, though, as far as morale goes. It can be difficult mentally to put all our eggs in the cup competitions basket.

In this issue: NLD recap | Previewing the weekend fixtures | Transfer talk | News from around the Lane

There's no rest for the weary, with another PL fixture up next. At least we have the long-awaited return of Spurs Women to look forward to; they have a very winnable fixture against Leicester City up first.

The Women's team has also made another signing—though perhaps not the one we were all expecting.

PL Matchday 21 recap | Arsenal 2 - 1 Tottenham

Solanke (OG) 40', Trossard 44' | Son 25'

I think this derby loss would feel less gutting if we hadn't taken the lead fairly early on in the game, but alas. If it weren't for the five-minute stretch when Spurs completely lost concentration, we might have pulled off the upset, or at last escaped with a valuable point. Game management at the end of the first half has been a persistent issue all season.

The fact that the second half was scoreless shows just how competitive the match actually was. Much has been made in the media of Arsenal's supposed injury crisis, but there's truly no comparing the absences for Arsenal with Spurs' own misses—and not just in the number of players out. Arsenal had the benefit of a much stronger bench, with all but two players recognizable to the average Premier League viewer, if not outright household names. Spurs had two Academy players (Callum Olusesi and Malachi Hardy), two teenagers newly promoted to the senior team this season(Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear), and a keeper with just one senior cap to his name (Brandon Austin) available as substitutes.

So I continue to be both heartened by and grateful for the effort being shown by this depleted Spurs team, even if we can't expect a miracle result every game. The surprise 1-0 win over Liverpool in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final came with a physical cost, especially in conjunction with the artificial turf at Tamworth. It's not been an easy run of games but there is some slight relief ahead, even if it might be too little too late for our European qualification hopes.

Starting XI:

There wasn't nearly as much rotation as you would have liked after playing a National League side in the FA Cup a few days before, but the simple truth is that player availability is still massively constrained. Anyway, the damage was done with that previous lineup; Ange Postecoglou didn't have the luxury of resting key players who needed it because this was such an important game itself. So out trotted the aforementioned forwards who were already close to breaking point, fitness-wise. It showed in their performances, sadly.

The one big call Ange did make was starting Lucas Bergvall in the #10 instead of James Maddison. It's probably pointless to speculate about information we aren't privy to, but unless Maddison does have some fitness concerns we don't know about, it seems telling that Ange would willingly bench him for the NLD. Or, I could be charitable and assume that Maddison was being held back to provide some much-needed fresh energy in the second half when most of the starting lineup would be starting to flag.

Top three things:

1. Kinský undaunted. I have to disagree with the prevailing narrative that Antonín Kinský looked short on confidence and nervy in his first NLD (and Premier League debut, coincidentally). He was being heavily guarded on Arsenal's first set-piece goal and no one was more disappointed than him that he missed the slight bounce on Trossard's shot and could only graze it with his glove. Otherwise, he was as involved in the buildup and spirited in his shot-stopping as we saw in his first two appearances. I still think there will be fierce competition between him and Guglielmo Vicario for the top keeper spot when the latter returns from injury, but there's no need to be down on Kinský after just three games. He's stepped up in a difficult situation and looked decidedly capable, as far as I'm concerned.
2. Slowing down. There was a severe lack of pace in the forward line that certainly wasn't helping matters. For Son, it's partially the fact that he's losing pace as a natural part of being one of the oldest players on the team. But everyone in the attack is dealing with fatigue at the moment, which means that even ordinarily quick players like Solanke lack their usual edge, and players like Kulusevski who aren't the fastest to begin with are at a further disadvantage.
3. Tempting fate. We are probably fortunate that Arsenal only scored one goal from a set piece; we gave up 10 corners alone, not to mention free kicks. Thanks to the physicality of their squad and their, shall we say, less-than-scrupulous set-piece tactics, they have become one of the best teams in the league for scoring from such dead-ball opportunities.

SAtP Player of the Match: Lucas Bergvall

Once again, Bergvall had to adjust to switching positions halfway through the game. He's been able to showcase his versatility within the midfield over the last few games and made a decent case for starting more games. If he can just cut out some of his delayed decision-making on defense, he could prove to be a very useful player in the second half of the campaign. He certainly offers a lot going forward with his pass selection, well-timed attacking runs, and bravery in possession.

Notable & quotable:

• Dominic Solanke's own goal was the first for the Men's team this season in league play.

• Son has scored four NLD goals in the last two seasons.

• Spurs are one of just two teams currently in the bottom half of the table with a positive goal difference (Brentford are the other).

• Just two games into the second half of the Premier League campaign, both Newcastle United and Arsenal have done the league double over Spurs.

• We have already dropped seven points overall this season compared to the same fixtures last season (newly promoted teams excluded).

• Ange Postecoglou on Antonín Kinský's PL debut:

It’s fair to say we have thrown him in at the deep end. He has had three pretty big challenges in different ways. He is certainly gaining experience very quickly, when you look at the games he has played and the challenges within that. I think he has handled it really well. I said from day one, he is a very assured young man... Like I said, we have thrown him in at the deep end but we will get enormous benefit from that.

Previewing WSL Matchday 11 — Leicester City

Let's take a brief detour from the Men's team for a second because Spurs Women are up first chronologically this weekend. There is, unfortunately, some overlap in the games, but only about half an hour.

At long last, the (extended) winter break is over! We should have had an FA Cup game to start off the January fixtures, but that was postponed due to a frozen pitch at Everton's ground. Instead, we kick things off in the WSL with a home match against the Foxes.

Although this match is firmly in the realm of "winnable" fixtures where we need to pick up points, Leicester have some genuine momentum, at least as far as results go (not sure how much literal momentum in form can be carried over a monthlong break). Prior to the pause, they had secured a blowout win against Birmingham City in the League Cup (too little too late, as they didn't finish top of their group to qualify for the quarter-finals) and earned a shocking 1-1 draw against Chelsea. Their FA Cup match was also postponed but already rescheduled, and they knocked out Stoke City 4-1.

However, it's notable that all three of those positive results were home games for the Foxes. Leicester have only beaten us once at a Spurs ground, but that was in 2022 back in the days of playing at the Hive. The only other time they've gained points against us was a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium.

Missy Goodwin scored in both the draw with Chelsea and the more recent FA Cup game, so she's one to watch from Leicester. Yuka Momiki also got on the scoresheet last time out with two goals and an assist from the #10 role.

But despite their high-scoring ways in the cups lately, Leicester haven't been able to replicate that success in the Women's Super League; as a team, they've only scored 3 goals total in league play. They've managed one win and two draws from those goals and are only one point above the relegation spot.

Although Josie Green has since moved on to play for Crystal Palace, Asmita Ale has become a regular starter in Leicester's defense.

Hannah Cain could be an injury doubt for Leicester, but they recently saw Sam Tierney return from her long-term injury. Jutta Rantala, Noemie Mouchon, Lena Petermann, and Deanne Rose are all expected to miss out. Rantala and Rose in particular are very important players for them, so that's a relief.

One player who definitely won't be available for our opponents is goalkeeper Lize Kop, who has just transferred to Spurs this week (more on her transfer later). Robert Vilahamn has confirmed that she's available for selection and could make her Spurs debut this weekend. Eleanor Heeps and Becky Spencer are both available as well, so it will be interesting to see who gets the nod. Vilahamn did have something interesting to say on that point in the pre-game press conference:

One will obviously play, sometimes we're going to have two on the bench, sometimes one and, I think, time will tell who will be in which position. We're going to work with all three of them because, for me, I want to have three good goalkeepers.

Our other January signing so far, Olivia Holdt, will not be in the matchday squad as she is still coming back from a leg fracture. Vilahamn noted that Holdt is building up her fitness and shouldn't be too far away from making her debut.

Anna Csiki is a doubt to play because of illness, while Ella Morris and Kit Graham are out with long-term injuries. Morris is back training on grass but not with the team, so she's still a few weeks away from returning. Rosella Ayane is back with the squad after the end of her loan at Chicago (formerly Red) Stars and could be in contention to play... keyword "could."

To circle back to the concept of momentum, I'm hoping Spurs can build on the progress that was made just before the break. Having Maite Oroz back has already been a big help in improving the buildup play, and Beth England has rediscovered her shooting boots, scoring thrice over the last two WSL games. Hopefully no one got too rusty over the long break.

Results elsewhere in the league this weekend have already fallen kindly for Spurs to close the gap on Brighton in the table with a win against Leicester.

Previewing PL Matchday 22 — Everton

Finally, an opponent with significant injuries as ill-equipped to deal with them as Spurs!

Nah, that's an exaggeration. Nobody can match us for sheer quantity of injuries at the moment. But Everton do have some important players missing or doubtful, like Dwight McNeil, Armando Broja, and Seamus Coleman. James Garner is likely to return for the Toffees.

The only positive news for Spurs is that Ben Davies is finally back from his hamstring injury. You know who he could replace who really needs some rest? Archie Gray. However, we're likely going to have fewer players available for Sunday's match than more despite Davies' return, even before we get any confirmation of Dominic Solanke's rumored injury. Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma are both doubts after picking up knocks in the Arsenal match. Apparently Johnson hasn't missed a full game for us since October 2023! Fingers crossed he is miraculously able to maintain his streak after all—although perhaps precautionary rest would be the move. Ange Postecoglou also confirmed in his press conference that Timo Werner is out for three to four weeks with a new hamstring complaint. Fraser Forster has returned to training after recovering from illness. All the other previously injured players are still out.

Assuming the rumblings about Solanke are true and we're without our top striker option, it's difficult to predict who Ange will play there instead. Richarlison only just got his first minutes back after an injury in the last game. Will Lankshear looked likely to be going out on loan before this unexpected blow to the forward ranks. And Son Heung-min is unlikely to be effective in a central role against a team like Everton that won't leave as much space behind their defensive line. Dejan Kulusevski could be the wild card option.

Besides the copious injury absences across both teams, the other interesting factor in this match is the reunion of David Moyes and Everton. The new manager bounce wasn't in effect against Aston Villa midweek, but it was a narrow loss, just 0-1. From my outsider's perspective, Moyes seems like a strange choice to invigorate the team when he's not known for attack-centric tactics. Everton don't score enough goals and that has been a problem for many seasons running. With all due respect to Dwight McNeil, whom I've never heard a bad word about, he should not be joint top-scorer of a club more than halfway through a Premier League campaign with just three goals. Though perhaps that says more about Dominic Calvert-Lewin, he of the unrealized potential.

But as Ange wittily noted in his pre-game comments, with Moyes returning he is no longer the oldest manager in the league. So that's some small pressure off Ange's back in the midst of all the other ongoing nonsense.

Ange is insisting on nothing less than a victory in this match after such a disappointing loss midweek:

...It’s not acceptable for a club like ours to have that many defeats in a season. Irrespective of the context of the situation we are in, I just feel as much as the defeat on Wednesday night, it was also about the performance in the first half I just felt we didn’t do ourselves justice. I’m sure the players are hurting. Whether the players are hurting or I’m hurting it’s kind of irrelevant. The supporters are hurting. We are the only ones who can change that.

As a sad closing note for this preview, it really bums me out how rarely we've gotten to see our "best" team take on any given opponent this season. You'd like to think that a close-to-full-strength Spurs team could handle Everton without too much strife, but all bets are off in the current injury situation.

Transfer talk

It's been quieter than we would like across the club this January transfer window, but Spurs Women did make one signing in the last week:

• Dutch goalkeeper Lize Kop joins us from Leicester, where she was primarily the backup to Janina Leitzig. I point that out not as a dig at our newcomer but simply a statement of fact and a reality check, once again, about Spurs Women's ambitions in the transfer market.

Kop's contract runs until the summer of 2028, and Robert Vilahamn does seem to see the 26-year-old as a long-term prospect:

It’s a really good goalkeeper that we have signed, she's good in the box, she’s good with reactions and she's good with her feet as well, so her style of playing is very much similar to what we want to do. She's also in a good age profile as well because we can still develop her, I'm very happy that we could sign her now.

I will say that she seems to have a positive personality and will be a great presence in the dressing room.

But I worry about what this means for Eleanor Heeps in the short term; she may need to go out on another loan just when she looked to be having her breakout season at the senior level. Becky Spencer's extended contract also complicates the goalkeeper landscape at the club. However, Emma Sanders reported that the club is now happy with the goalkeeping options and not looking to pursue any other targets, and Vilahamn indicated that he will be working with all three of them in and out of the matchday squads, so perhaps a loan won't be happening for Heeps after all. This feels like suboptimal squad development to me.

The weirdest part of this transfer is that we had been heavily linked to Jennifer Falk for the past two windows. Falk played under Vilahamn at BK Häcken and seemed like an easy recruitment, even if she wasn't a long-term option with her age. She could have steadied the ship with her experienced hands until Heeps was ready to be a full-time starter. So it's strange that this transfer didn't come off in the end.

• There's potential for one more signing in the last two weeks of the window, but no substantial links as of yet.

News from around the Lane

Just two small fixture updates on the Men's side:

• The fixture details for the Men's FA Cup fourth round match at Aston Villa have been confirmed for February 9 at the very specific kickoff time of 5:35 pm UK time/12:35 ET.

• The Premier League fixture against Manchester City has been moved to February 26 at 7:30 pm UK time/2:30 ET.

I refuse to let this injury crisis break my spirit as a fan when the players are still giving everything. So, as ever,

COYS

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