Drawing Conclusions
All right y'all, I have to admit that this week got away from me, and not only did I straight up forget to get this issue out before the Men's team played midweek in the League Cup, but I also left it to the 11th hour to get this out before they play again in the Premier League on Saturday. In my defense, I did have hosting & editing duties on N17 Women this week, so please enjoy the fruits of my podcasting labor if you're so inclined.
In this issue: Everton recap | Liverpool (W) recap | Liverpool (M) recap | News from around the Lane
Now then, let's get to the three (3) match recaps, quick-fire style, and then a few club news tidbits to round things out.
Both Spurs teams picked up draws in Liverpool last weekend, before the Men's team were knocked out of the League Cup—also by a team from Liverpool. What does that city have against us?!
PL MD 4 | Tottenham 0 - 0 Everton
Another Premier League matchday, another blank scoresheet for Spurs—but at least Everton shared in our suffering this time.
To look on the bright side, this was the second clean sheet in a row for Spurs Men, and you can see the start of a promising partnership forming between our Dutch centerbacks (who, of course, already have experience playing together from their national team pursuits). Antonín Kinský also had a strong performance and doesn't appear to have let his shaky first few games of the season knock his confidence.
The forward line, however, is still lacking in confidence. Though perhaps it's also just a lack of team chemistry preventing them from getting the best of themselves individually. There have been changes to the starting lineup in every game so far this season, so it's natural that those linkups need some work. But there's no getting around the harsh reality that going four games into the new PL season without scoring a goal is a very bad look—historically bad.
Notable & quotable:
• This was the first time Spurs Men have ever gone four games scoreless to start a season, and had not gone scoreless over a four-game stretch in two decades.
• Micky van de Ven made his 100th appearance for the club in all competitions.
• Tosin Adarabioyo made his Spurs debut as a substitute.
WSL MD 2 | Liverpool 1 - 1 Tottenham
Csillag 59' | Kerr (OG) 41'
At least our old friend Own Goal has shown up for Spurs Women! To be fair, Signe Gaupset did enough to force the own goal from Sam Kerr (not that one) that it felt disappointing for it not to be credited to her.
The bigger disappointment is that the goal did not spark any true momentum for Spurs, who had struggled from basically the start of the game to assert any control over the hosts. Games against Liverpool are always physical affairs, and this time Cathinka Tandberg bore the brunt of it; she was forced off with a dead leg in the 25th minute, well before the goal. Shekiera Martinez therefore got a lot more game time than expected, and although she worked hard, she wasn't able to provide the same level of hold-up play that Tandberg does. The game plan did not particularly suit her skill set.
While that was an enforced substitution, Martin Ho arguably should have recognized some of the tactical challenges the starting lineup was having and made an adjustment or two at halftime. He did not, and we came out of the break looking just as outmatched by Liverpool as we had in the first half.
Liverpool found an equalizer through substitute Aurélie Csillag, and the goal was a fairly typical type of concession for Spurs Women, struggling to contain an aerial threat. Tōko Koga has many, many assets to her game, but heading ability is not one of them. She was caught flat-footed on Csillag's effort.
Both teams pushed hard for a game-winner, but between a series of saves from Lize Kop and Spurs' lack of attacking threat on the other end, the match ended all square.
Notable & quotable:
• Spurs remain unbeaten two games into the WSL season.
• Second-half substitute Olivia Holdt registered the only two shots on target for Spurs.
• Martin Ho viewed the result as a glass-half-full situation:
We came here last year and took nothing away. We've had to battle and fight and push in that part of the game numerous times, and you have to respect the opposition... I said to the players, it's a point for us to take home on the road because we’ve got to fight, work and push and be able to come out with something in the game.
Men's League Cup Round 3 | Tottenham 1 Liverpool 3
Mac Allister 21', Gakpo 54', Szoboszlai 90+1 | Gallagher 69'
Statistically, Spurs were hard done by with this result. But it's small comfort to acknowledge that we dominated both possession and xG when we had little to show for it and are now knocked out of the League Cup early in the competition.
Our luck was about as miserable as the weather, but it should also be said that Liverpool won the game with three superb goals—not least Dominik Szoboszlai's stoppage-time rocket that iced the result when Spurs were pushing for an equalizer. That's his annual Puskás award nominee locked in, then.
Conor Gallagher scored the sole goal of the game for Spurs (and the first goal for the team in four matches across all competitions), which felt like decent consolation for a player who has come under a lot of criticism (most of it fair) of late but always puts in a shift. Just don't read too much into it regarding the overall attack's ability to put the ball in the net going forward.
Notable & quotable:
• Andy Robertson got a nice reception from the fans of his former club when he subbed on in the second half.
• Mohammed Kudus made his first start of the season in any competition.
• Tosin Adarabioyo made his first start for the club.
• Conor Gallagher's goal was only his second strike for the club since joining in January.
• Omar Marmoush is confident that the team will find its goal-scoring form soon:
If we keep trying... as everyone can see, we reach the goal so many times. We have so much quality on the pitch and from the people that come off the bench to give us this last push. When these small details click, it will be very, very good.
News from around the Lane
• I missed this last week: Rodrigo Bentancur made his 150th appearance for the club.
• Tyler Tingey has signed a new contract with the club. This season, he has become captain of the Men's Academy U18s and joined the senior team on the pre-season tour.
• Ben Davies has graduated from the PFA union's business school with a degree in Global Football Business Management. Congrats, Ben!
• In Spurs alumni news, Amy James-Turner has officially retired from football. Best wishes to Amy!
Up next:
September 19 | Spurs Men vs Aston Villa
Team news — Pedro Porro will be available for selection after missing the last two games with a muscular issue; Sandro Tonali and James Maddison have also been confirmed fit to play; Mykhailo Mudryk and the long-term absentees are all still out
September 20 | Spurs Women @ Crystal Palace
Team news — Cathinka Tandberg will likely be available after recovering from a dead leg knock in the previous game; Alice Sombath is affirmatively available for selection, as opposed to the first two games where she was considered questionable to play
Opposition note: Former Spurs captain Beth England missed Palace's last match against Arsenal, and I haven't been able to track down an injury update on her, so it will be a surprise if she's able to line up against her old club on Sunday. Molly Bartrip should definitely be available.
This will be an interesting weekend of matches. Spurs Men take on one of the few teams in the Premier League with a worse record to start the season, while Spurs Women have another London derby (with lots of familiar faces). In the latter fixture, I'm hoping Spurs Women can break Crystal Palace's clean sheet streak and finally get one started of our own.
On a programming note, Spurs Women begin their Subway Players Cup campaign on Wednesday, so I will do my level best to get an issue out promptly after the weekend games in preparation for the first league phase fixture of that competition.
Finally, I have kicked off my annual Ko-fi goal for the newsletter's hosting costs. If you've enjoyed reading Spurs Across the Pond and want to support my writing, feel free to leave a tip towards the goal!
Big thanks to Michael, George, and David, who have already contributed.
Here's to a six-point weekend for Tottenham Hotspur, fingers crossed!
COYS
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