Offside and Burned Out

This humble newsletter writer is also experiencing some burnout around the Premier League season, hence the lateness of this issue and its brevity. Just two more games to get through... er, enjoy.

The Women's Super League season is also drawing to a close. I will preview both penultimate Spurs fixtures of the season taking place in the club's first double-header at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But first, let's take a quick (and I mean quick) look back at the last Men's fixture.

In this issue:  Aston Villa recap | Double-header preview | News from around the Lane

Aston Villa 2 - 1 Tottenham

I often say that there are times when credit has to be given where credit is due, and it was certainly due to Unai Emery last weekend. It's clear that he was the manager in this matchup who'd had ample time to train and develop his squad to suit his tactics, unlike Ryan Mason. Coupled with the well-known deficiencies in our squad—many of which were starkly highlighted in the match against Aston Villa—I find it hard to blame him too harshly for the loss. He's doing the best he can in a difficult situation.

The starting XI, on the other hand, did not do the best they could in the first half. It was an unchanged lineup from the previous match against Crystal Palace, with a couple of absences on the bench (Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga). Emery chose to employ his team in a high defensive line that was risky but effective, since their defense was equally as committed to maintaining the offside trap as our midfield was delayed with their deliveries. Too many times we saw our forwards have to double back onside when a pass wasn't sent in time, or to have made their run one second ahead of the midfield's decision making. I'm picking on the midfield (Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg for most of the game, though Yves Bissouma made a thirty-minute cameo), but some of the responsibility for those poor balls over the top falls on the center-backs as well. As recently as the game against Liverpool we had seen success in that regard with a Cristian Romero assist for Sonny, but their connection was not as well-timed in this game.

Bissouma's introduction—his first appearance since early February—made a noticeable impact on the game, with the midfield able to control possession better and instigate some actual build-up play, rather than the primarily counter attacking strategy of the first half. So kudos to Ryan Mason for making that weak, as well as bringing on Dejan Kulusevski at the same time to replace Richarlison and create more opportunities to attack from out wide. Deki nearly got on the scoresheet with a shot from his signature position that went just left of the goal. Arnaut Danjuma and Ivan Perišić also made late substitute appearances.

Spurs' only goal of the game came about through one of the few successful cases of beating Villa's offside trap, albeit through a penalty that Harry Kane forced and converted in the 90th minute. It was a rare error from Villa's goalkeeper, Emi Martínez, who was too slow to come out and claim the ball that should have been beyond Kane's reach, clipping Kane instead.

As for the goals we conceded, the first (an early concession in the 8th minute) was yet another example of a systemic collapse in Spurs' defense, while the second was a direct free kick by Douglas Luiz in the 72nd minute. Romero was culpable for both, losing possession in the lead up to Villa's goal from open play as well as giving away the free kick with a careless foul.

There was a big chance for Son to equalize in the dying moments of stoppage time, but once again—offside.

Although it had seemed like Aston Villa's savvy recruitment was going to be wasted under Steven Gerrard, Emery has them back on track. The combination of tactical discipline and efficiency with their shots made them deserved winners of this match and there's no other way to put it.

Double the games, double the anxiety

The funny thing about this double-header is that both teams technically have high stakes, but in reality, it wouldn't be a complete disaster for either or both teams to lose—except for morale, of course, which is already low.

I suppose the Men's team needs a win to keep the hopes of Europa League qualification alive, but I kind of get the impression from the last performance that the team isn't that bothered about the prospect of not having mid-week European fixtures next season. EL qualification is reliant on Brighton dropping points too, unfortunately. I think we can all agree—fans and playing squad alike—that it would probably be better to miss out on European competition completely rather than get stuck in the dreaded Europa Conference League.

On the other end of the table in the WSL, Spurs Women are still at a slight risk of relegation, but it's very slight. A win against Reading guarantees safety, while a draw all but secures our place in the league. In the case of a draw, Reading would have to beat Chelsea on the final day (not likely!), see Spurs lose to West Ham, and make up a sizable goal difference swing in the process. I'm not a statistician, but I'd have to think the chances of all three of those factors lining up in Reading's favor to be laughably minuscule. Of course, if we lose to Reading it could lead to some squeaky bum time at West Ham on the final matchday, but even then, Reading would still need a result against Chelsea to have any hope. And as we saw in the FA Cup final this past weekend, Sam Kerr always finds a way.

All that being said... please, Tottenham, just win this game and put it to rest!

I'm less concerned about the starting XI situation for the Men's team, because Brentford are fully on the beach at this point in the season with nothing left to play for. Because they aren't as motivated to go out and attack (especially with Ivan Toney suspended due to his 8-month ban for breaching betting rules), we are likely to face a bunkered-in defense and will need a little more creativity to break them down. It would be wise to swap Bissouma for one of Skipp or Højbjerg (the latter has needed a rest for weeks now) and perhaps Kulusevski for Richarlison. It might not hurt to start Perišić either for some set piece nous.

While I didn't agree with many of Vicky Jepson's selection and substitution decisions in the last game, I at least appreciate the she tried something new, rather than just sticking closely to Rehanne Skinner's playbook as she had previously. It's nice that the squad is finally close to being fully fit so that she actually has options.

This is the lineup I would prefer to see, in a perfect universe where Jepson is actually willing to drop Amy Turner (I swear there is a clause in her contract that stipulates she must start):

We've looked much more dynamic in a back-3 this season, and I just want to see Ash Neville involved in the attack. She and Celin Bizet have been effective wingback partners. It's a big question mark whether Ria Percival would even be approved to start, from a minutes management perspective, but I think she would make us much more solid defensively while also providing another angle to the attack with her signature through balls. Kit Graham would be in the main playmaker role for me, tucked behind an unconventional striker duo of Beth England and Eveliina Summanen. We've only gotten to see them play up top together a couple of times so far, but they've looked electric in a partnership. Drew Spence was a tossup with Angharad James, but it would be nice to see Jepson be more proactive with some impact substitutions for once. Celin has often struggled to play a full 90, so Jess Naz would probably be the first player off the bench to replace her, swapping sides with Ash if needed to allow Jess to play on her more comfortable left side. Mana Iwabuchi hasn't been as effective in her recent appearances as she was when she first joined on loan in January, but could be a difference-maker in the late stages of the game if needed.

This is all theoretical, of course. In all likelihood, we'll see something much closer to Jepson's status quo with a back-4 featuring Kerys Harrop and Turner at the fullback positions. It doesn't excite me, but it is what it is.

The thing I feel most anxious about around these fixtures is honestly the atmosphere in the stadium. How many fans will stick around for the second game of the double-header, and what kind of mood will they be in after the Men's match? There's some potential for a negative vibe in the stands to spill over onto the pitch during the Women's game, and that would be a big shame, especially for the last home fixture of the season.

I hope both teams will get a warm send-off from the home fans but recognize that there's a lot of understandable frustration toward the club at the moment. There are players on both sides who could use some rest in the off-season, and a lot of fans who could use a cooling-down period as well. That's not to say that everyone's concerns about the club aren't valid—they definitely are, and I share most of them. The end of the season can't come soon enough. Both teams need a permanent manager and a squad refresh, and that process will play out in due time. But I think I speak for lots of folks when I say that I'm ready for a break from worrying about them so intensely—or at least not worrying about individual match results on top of all that!

If any of y'all go to the double-header and watch both matches, I'd love to hear about your experiences and impressions of the event. Hit me up on Twitter or leave a comment below. On that note, I was delighted to receive some comments on recent issues; keep them coming!

News from around the Lane

Just a few little tidbits this week:

Harry Kane is the subject of the latest mural painted near the stadium.

I think it looks great! And let's face it, that Spurs goal record isn't likely to be broken any time soon, if ever, so it was safe to include mention of it. I loved the little touch of having his kids put their handprints on the wall as well. Harry means so much to the greater Spurs family, so it was only right to have his own family represented.

Apparently Hugo Lloris even helped out with the painting. Perhaps he was trying out a potential retirement hobby?  

The club is going to have build a statue at some point, but that can come later. For now, we get to enjoy the real Harry on the pitch, and hopefully for at least a few more seasons to come.

But speaking of players who have moved on from Spurs, or imminently anyway, the club announced that Lucas Moura will be leaving Tottenham at the expiration of his contract at the end of the season. I would argue this is long overdue, since it was clear early on last season that his form had dropped significantly—not that he was ever the most consistent player.

Of course, we will always remember his best moment at Spurs with great fondness. I'd be lying if I said his hat trick against Ajax, specifically the last goal, wasn't one of my happiest Spurs memories. It feels like he has a complicated legacy now though, not just because of his numerous poor performances on the pitch since then but also because of his dubious politics off the pitch (which he's very vocal about, so it feels fair to mention). I have trouble thinking of him as the same player that brought me so much joy in that fateful Champions League semi-final. But I guess that's how it is sometimes with public figures, especially in sports. People who once meant a lot to you come to disappoint you later on.

Regardless of the emotional side to this announcement, it was definitely the right decision by the club from a sporting perspective. And I'm glad we have clarity on it now rather than having it drag out into the off-season, when there are so many more pressing concerns around the squad to address.

Let's end on a happy note, even if it's a little bittersweet in context. Sevilla advanced to the Europa League final after an extra time game-winning goal from none other than Erik Lamela, assisted by on-loan Bryan Gil. It brought a smile to my face to see Lamela get another big cup game moment (remember his goal that sent the Carabao cup tie against Chelsea to penalties? I do!) and it was even better to see it come about through Bryan's dogged efforts. I sincerely hope we can find a way to keep Bryan at Spurs and give him a significant role, because he's far too skillful and fun of a player to give up on, in my opinion.  

I hope Sevilla squash Mourinho's Roma in the final.

COYS

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