Slim Margins

All right, this is going to be a super brief (and late) issue because I've been battling a cold all week and simply do not have the energy! Just keeping it real. This was one of those international breaks where I really did need the break.

In this issue: Fulham recap | Leicester City recap | Previewing Bristol City | News from around the Lane

Fortunately for me, both games from last weekend are of the "better to forget" variety—even if the Women's team managed to pull off a win—and easy to sum up quickly. They weren't the best performances of the season, not even close.

PL Matchday 28 recap | Fulham 3 - 0 Tottenham

Muniz 42' • 61', Lukić 49'

Candidly, I have already repressed all three of Fulham's goals from my memory. I could watch the highlights back but what would be the point? It was just a bad game. Almost to a man, the team did not show up. Guglielmo Vicario was the only player who came out with any credit as far as I'm concerned, although Brennan Johnson gets an honorable mention.

Starting XI:

In theory, this starting lineup should have been well-equipped to build on the dominant 0-4 away win at Aston Villa in the previous fixture. There was just one enforced change due to injury, bringing Radu Drăgușin in for Micky van de Ven—who wasn't able to make the bench but is expected to be fit again after the international break.

Unfortunately, Drăgușin did not have a great game and was implicated in most, or possibly all of the goals conceded (I'm being serious about not watching them back). I don't think it would be fair to blame the loss solely on him, however. We did create some chances, Fulham just did a better job of finishing theirs.

The midfield unit was perhaps the biggest source of trouble, to the point that Ange Postecoglou opted to take off all three midfielders in a triple substitution in the 66th minute. I would argue that halftime would have been a fair juncture for the change (or at least one or two of them), the way things were trending.

This loss was made even more frustrating by the fact that Aston Villa could only eke out a draw away at West Ham. A win in our match would have seen Spurs draw level with the Villans on points with a game in hand. But it was not to be.

At the same time, I'm not going to get too worked up over this result because we're still in a remarkably good spt considering all of the factors at play heading into this season (new manager, influx of new players, departure of Kane, etc.). A 4th place finish is still a distinct possibility, but more importantly, we can see the foundation being laid for the seasons ahead.

SAtP Player of the Match: Guglielmo Vicario

Venom was kept very busy and did his best to keep the scoreline from becoming truly ugly.

I maintain my stance that he's deserved far more clean sheets in his debut season than the defense has helped him claim—although there have been very few clean sheets across the entire league this campaign. I suppose having the same tally as World Cup winner Emi Martínez is nothing to be ashamed of.

Notable and quotable:

• Our Premier League scoring streak has come to an end. Gone but never forgotten!

That's it, that's all I've got. We will speak of this game no more.

The Men's team is currently on international break and won't return until the 30th. By the way, there are only 10 matches left in the season. It's nearly crunch time!

WSL Matchday 16 recap | Tottenham 1 - 0 Leicester City

Vinberg 2'

Look, I'm just glad we were the team that scored. For large stretches of the match it looked like nobody wanted to, but these are always the games where one team finds a way, and this time it was us. It was just a bit deflating to score such a fabulous early goal and then not capitalize on the momentum to make it a more comfortable win.

Starting XI:

It turns out that Martha Thomas has a hamstring injury and will miss some games. Robert Vilahamn got a little creative in replacing her by also shuffling the forward line to accommodate Matilda Vinberg's first WSL start. Celin Bizet played an inverted role from her usual right winger spot, while Grace Clinton shifted into the #10 role in place of the absent Thomas. Jess Naz stayed at striker where she has been quite effective of late. Molly Bartrip was still unavailable due to illness, so Luana Bühler kept her spot in the centerback partnership with Amy James-Turner. Drew Spence had also been ill for the FA Cup quarter-final but started upon her return for this fixture. And of course, Becky Spencer had to remain in goal after her cup heroics.

It was Spencer that got the goal move started. After capturing a free kick by Leicester, she quickly sent a mid-range volleyed pass to Bizet, who did well to keep it moving after her first touch by passing to the onrushing Spence. The midfielder sent it into the space behind Leicester's back line for Naz to run on to. She sent a looping cross from just outside the 18-yard box onto the edge of the 6-yard box, and Vinberg arrived for an emphatic finish. It's worth noting that both Naz and Vinberg were in the two-person defensive wall for the Leicester free kick. And thus, a Spurs goal within a minute and a half of kickoff. I'm willing to bet it's Vinberg's fastest-ever goal.

Almost a week removed and several pollen-induced headaches later, I couldn't recall much else of note from this match and had to consult the SpursPlay highlights, which were fairly sparse. Spence did have a promising long-range effort that was just barely tipped off the crossbar by Leicester's backup keeper, Lize Kop. Spencer had to make a double save at one point to preserve the clean sheet. And then there was Beth England's offside goal as a substitute. She has yet to score in the league this season, although we will cut her some slack since she missed almost the entire first half.

It was an important win to further consolidate our position in the top half of the table, but I'm not sure it told us much about the upcoming rematch in the FA Cup semi-final. Both Spurs and Leicester seemed reluctant to show too many of their cards in this WSL match ahead of the all-important cup fixture, a first-time semi-final berth for both clubs. We could be in for a similarly narrow result in that one.

SAtP Player of the Match: Jess Naz

It's encouraging to see Jess continue to make her mark on the team even when she isn't scoring a goal herself. Her assist for Vinberg's goal was superb, but it's her overall work rate that has really shone in recent games.

We do not lack for attacking talent in this season's squad, so for her to be getting consistent starts suggests that Vilahamn sees her as a key player. I also think Jess has grown her skillset and is arguably the most improved player on the squad under Robert, although Celin and Amy are also in with a shout. We've been waiting for Jess to finally make the leap from squad player to starter and now it's happening.

Notable and quotable:

• This was Matilda's first Spurs goal, coming in her first WSL start as well. Asked about the milestone, she said:

Turning 21 and scoring my first goal on the same weekend — it’s a special moment.

• Becky earned her first clean sheet of the league campaign.

• Robert on Beth's impact on and off the pitch:

She's been shining this week and she's been a great leader this whole time... You don’t need to start every game to still be important to the team.

Previewing WSL Matchday 17 — Bristol City

Up next (and the only Spurs match of the weekend) is an away trip to Bristol.

We've already beaten them twice this season: once at home in the WSL and then at home again in the Conti Cup group stage, scoring three goals in each game and only conceding once in the league fixture. But Bristol are well known for having a great atmosphere at their home ground, so we'll see if that gives them an extra boost.

Martha Thomas will still be sidelined with her hamstring injury, and Barbora Votíková was also added to the injury list with a concussion picked up in training—although it would be hard to see her starting anyway after the strong run of games that Becky Spencer has been on. Molly Bartrip could be back in the matchday squad after her illness.

Bristol are missing quite a few players to injury, and Jamie-Lee Napier is suspended.

This is a winnable game, and it would be good to go into the extended international break in high spirits. The international break is extended for Spurs because of the postponed Chelsea game. Our next fixture won't be until April 14, the FA Cup semi-final with Leicester. So let's grab the three points against Bristol, get through the international break unscathed, and then make the push for Wembley.

News from around the Lane

• The Men's team home fixture against Arsenal has been moved to April 28—at the exact same time as the Women's fixture against Brighton, also a home game. Fixture clashes between the club's two senior teams are always frustrating, but especially so when the Men's match is such a pivotal one as the NLD.

• In less fraught but still potentially troublesome news, the Women's home fixture against Chelsea has been rescheduled for May 15. Why potentially troublesome? If we do indeed make it to the FA Cup final, we'd be playing on the 12th at Wembley, the 15th at Brisbane Road, and then finishing out the WSL campaign against West Ham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the 18th. So, a busy week to say the least!

• Here's one from the Spurs alumni files: Gianni Vio is working as a set piece coach for none other than the USMNT. Well, actually not none other becuase he's also contracted with Udinese and Watford, who share an ownership group. The man is busy on two continents!

Hopefully I will be back to full strength this week and back to regularly scheduled newsletter programming. Until then,

COYS

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