Wembley Bound!
Yes, it has finally sunk in: Spurs Women are going to Wembley!
In typical fashion for our FA Cup path this season, it took another comeback to advance to the final round. Resilience and mettle have been trademarks of a team that has adapted and committed to a new style of play under a new manager. This may be our first major cup final to date, but it feels safe to predict that it won't be the only one in the coming years.
Rosella Ayane and Ash Neville were honored pre-game for their recent appearance milestones (100 games and 150 games, respectively). Although Ayane did not make the matchday squad—which has become increasingly competitive now that the squad is fully fit—Neville played a key part in a victory that represents the rapid development of the team overall just five years into the WSL journey. It would be a mix of seasoned veterans like Neville and newcomers to the team this season that combined to pull off the extra-time win. I have a feeling that manager Robert Vilahamn will have been very proud of the holistic team effort even more so than the result.
In this issue: Newcastle United recap | Leicester City recap | Previewing Manchester United
Today's issue will be heavily focused on the Women's FA Cup success, not least because the Men's match was absolutely dreadful! Luckily, it happened earlier in the weekend so that all of the bad memories could be erased by the excitement of the cup match. Let's start at St. James' Park and get it over with.
PL Matchday 32 recap | Newcastle United 4 - 0 Tottenham
Isak 30' • 51', Gordon 32', Schär 87'
The muddled midfield performances have persisted for another match and were made more costly by the entire backline having an off-game. It didn't help that Micky van de Ven looked like he was wearing roller skates instead of boots. But it also felt like the previous away fixture against Newcastle was weighing heavily on the players' minds, and after the first goal was conceded it all went downhill from there.
Starting XI:
There was only one change from the lineup that beat Nottingham Forest, with Rodrigo Bentancur starting over Pape Sarr. Somehow, Yves Bissouma continues to start despite all evidence to suggest he needs a stint on the bench.
I have not watched the goal highlights and I will not be watching them, but suffice it to say that we struggled with Newcastle's transition attack. And we couldn't get much going in our own attack.
Still, a bad attacking performance under Ange still includes a couple of shots on target, in contrast to the dire days under Conte when we often went multiple games in a row without a single shot on frame.
As for the table implications, we still have a comfortable lead over Newcastle for the 5th spot, but the pressure is on to win our game in hand against Chelsea to catch up with Aston Villa for the 4th spot. This heavy defeat didn't help the goal difference swing, that's for sure.
SAtP Player of the Match: I'm abstaining this week
Notable and quotable:
• This was only the second time this season that a team has held Spurs scoreless in the PL campaign.
• It's also the largest margin of defeat for Spurs under Ange.
• Ange's reaction:
We allowed them to dictate the way the game was played, it ended up being a transition game, a lot of it was self-inflicted by us, we weren’t brave on the ball, we’ve been really good this year at understanding that when we have the ball we can be a threat, certain players, we just shied away from that today. When you do that you allow the game to be played on Newcastle’s terms. When that happens especially away from home it’s hard for us to then claw it back once it’s got away from us.
There's no point sitting here feeling sorry for ourselves. We've got another game in two weeks. It's all part of our growth and sometimes growth is painful.
Women's FA Cup Semi-final recap | Tottenham 2 - 1 Leicester AET
Naz 83', Thomas 118' | Rantala 12'
Okay, now back to the good stuff!
It's true that we've made things hard for ourselves in the FA Cup this season, requiring a comeback in all but one round (the 1-0 win against Charlton courtesy of a long-range Kit Graham strike). But this semi-final effort perhaps represented the best overall performance from kickoff to final whistle for Spurs. Vilahamn's style was on full display, and the commitment to playing "our way" paid off in the end.
Starting XI:
Vilahamn opted for an unchanged lineup from the previous league fixture three weeks prior. Once again, Celin Bizet and Jess Naz lined up in inverted winger roles, with Grace Clinton positioned at the #10. The quality of the bench was a promising safety net, and indeed, all of the eventual substitutes played a key part in the extra-time win.
We had a couple of early chances through Bizet, but she couldn't convert. I don't think Celin has thrived on the left side in her few appearances at left winger so far, although within the fluid system there are definitely opportunities for her to cut inside and play more centrally at times. Naz has had more success in this regard, but she's also been shifted into the striker role intentionally in certain games, unlike Bizet.
Amanda Nildén and Eveliina Summanen were the only two players from Spurs who could be said to have had a poor game, but Nildén had an especially tough assignment marking Jutta Rantala—who scored Leicester's sole goal of the match. Rantala got loose to hit send her edge-of-the-box strike past Becky Spencer in just the 12th minute. Spencer was arguably unsighted for the shot by one of her own defenders, Luana Bühler, but it would have been difficult to save a shot of that quality regardless.
Meanwhile, Neville had her hands full on the other flank trying to lock down Deanne Rose. There were a few moments early in the game when Rose got the best of her, but as the match progressed Neville got control of the matchup. Still, I think we all breathed a sigh of relief when Rose eventually subbed off in the 78th minute because she was a strong candidate for Leicester's player of the match alongside Rantala.
On the same side of the pitch, Leicester's Janice Cayman struggled to contain Naz. To be fair to Cayman, most fullbacks have that issue, particularly in Jess' current form. Our #7 was relentless in her pressing and probing runs, and despite rarely completing a full 90 this season she never relented for the full 120 minutes of this cup match. It felt fitting that she scored the equalizer. We know she's been focused on improving her finishing in training and it was a beautifully composed shot for her 83rd-minute goal. The opportunity came thanks to a slip-up from former Spurs player Josie Green, not dissimilar to the chance that Beth England equalized from in the quarter-final against Manchester City.
We were agonizingly close to finding a winner just before the end of regular time, with substitutes Charli Grant and Martha Thomas both narrowly missing their chances. It's worth noting here that both Spencer and Leicester's backup keeper, Lize Kop, made a handful of important saves each. Spencer nearly conceded another goal to Rantala, off a free kick, but got an important touch to tip it off the crossbar and down just in front of the line. She had also made a superb footed save early on, right after the Leicester goal. Preventing the Foxes from going up 0-2 in quick succession was crucial in keeping Spurs in the game.
So extra time it was. Graham and Olga Ahtinen had come on midway through the second half and were instrumental in Spurs maintaining control of the game in extra time. Matilda Vinberg also offered a spark on the wing alongside Thomas when Naz was shifted up into the striker role to preserve some energy; Beth England then operated in the #10 and provided the assist for Naz's goal. It always felt like momentum was on our side, although we didn't score the decisive goal until the 118th minute.
Speaking of assists, there wasn't one, officially, for Thomas' game-winner. Aileen Wheelan got a slight touch with her own head just before Thomas made her looping header into the net. But Bühler—who also put in a strong performance on the defensive end—deserves massive credit for her flicked-on header across the box to find Thomas. It was a recycled opportunity from the original set piece, with Vinberg also making an important cross in the buildup.
And what more can we say about dear Martha at this point that hasn't already been said? Her work rate, her tenacity, and her variety of goals are nearly unparalleled in this Spurs team—which is not to say the rest of the squad has been slacking, but you really get the sense that Thomas is fighting for her career this season. She has more than earned her key role at Spurs, whether it was holding down the fort while England recovered from surgery in the first half of the season, to now transitioning into more of a super sub role in the latter stages of the campaign. And just to speak to her willingness to play wherever she's needed, she even put in a few minutes at right fullback to close out the game when Neville came down with a cramp.
Martha scored the game-winner in our historic first NLD victory, so it feels appropriate for her to be the hero again and help Spurs reach their first-ever Women's FA Cup final. Martha is a big game player, period. Cleary we need to play more games at the main stadium to allow for Maximum Martha.
cometh the hour, cometh the woman
There was a decent chunk of stoppage time in which to preserve the one-goal lead, but everyone did their part to hold onto the win. Funnily, Vinberg had the chance to shoot on the open Leicester net from inside our own half when Kop came up for a set piece, but her effort came up short and wide. It had shades of Ayane's chance at the end of the NLD. In both scenarios, the lack of an insurance goal didn't matter because the final whistle came immediately after.
In a battle of possesion-based, pressing football against Leicester's counter-attacking threat, Spurs came out ahead and more than deserved to reach the final.
The post-game scenes at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were beautiful to see, even from afar. If I can bring the mood down just a bit, though, I think a game and a performance of this magnitude deserved a far larger audience than the official tally of 18,078 fans (including several coaches worth from Leicester), and it still disappoints me that so many Spurs fans refuse to support a senior team at THS. But those who were there provided a fantastic atmosphere that could even be felt through the TV, and I wish more of those fans could be at the final—each finalist club gets just shy of 12,000 seats allocation at Wembley.
When it comes to understanding the importance of vocal home support, take it from Vilahamn:
I’m very proud. We have done something really good with the women’s football here at Tottenham and to do it at this stadium in front of so many fans—we have shown we can compete in this stadium. To know we’re going to Wembley makes me very proud and very happy.
When you get these chances you get extra energy so I can guarantee it helps us. This is what it’s all about. It’s not about winning and losing. It’s about doing it with the fans.
Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-1 thanks to great goals from Lucía García and our old friend Rachel Williams, but also thanks in part to some extremely dodgy officiating. Chelsea can feel hard done by, in my opinion. But it is what it is, and as a result we will be without the services of Grace Clinton in the final, as she can't play against her parent club as part of her Spurs loan agreement. It's unfortunate for Grace, but we have the players to compensate for her absence. Vilahamn's focus on developing the entire team and not relying on one or two star players will make a huge difference in situations like this.
As with the semi-final, we will have a preview of sorts for the final since we play United next in the league. More on that shortly. But mark your calenders now for May 12. Whether you're lucky enough to snag a ticket to Wembley or watching from home like me, let's all get behind the team as they push for their first major title!
SAtP Player of the Match: Jess Naz and Martha Thomas
I did vote for Jess in the club's sort-of poll (it continues to annoy me that it's not an actual poll on the app like it is for the Men's games...), but it would feel wrong not to give Martha her flowers here, too.
These two players highlight one of Vilahamn's most endearing qualities as a manager: he refuses to write off players who have come from humble beginnings (the Championship, for Naz) or who lacked the favor of their previous manager (Thomas at United). Both are valued members of Vilahamn's Spurs squad and have flourished under the responsibility. With the trust of their manager and the encouragement of a supportive captain like England, they've made the leap from promising to pivotal.
Notable and quotable:
• Thomas has now reached double-digit goals across all competitions—seven in the WSL, one in the League Cup, and one in the FA Cup.
• Robert on Martha's semi-final performance:
Some players like [pressure] and some players can be a little bit scared of it, but she is what Tottenham represents - to dare is to do.
• The final matchup with Manchester United guarantees there will be a first-time winner. There will also be a different winner than the Chelsea/Manchester City/Arsenal trio that have dominated all of the major domestic competitions since Liverpool's 2014 WSL title.
• There's some interesting tidbits in this piece from Charlotte Harpur at The Athletic, including Ahtinen's advice for Spencer on stopping Rantala's free kicks, a peek into the post-game dressing room celebrations from Ellie Brazil, and Vilahamn's surprising pre-game preparation.
Charlotte Harpur
I especially loved Martha's reflection on reaching a final with Spurs compared to the same experience last season with United:
It feels a bit different being here with the impact I have on this team, it’s maybe much greater than I would have had at United. That was history last year for United but it just feels a bit more special with this group, to be honest.
• Becky's joking (or maybe not!) reaction to securing the win in extra time:
I was just relieved to be honest, I didn’t fancy another penalty shootout.
But on a more heartwarming note, she spoke about the significance of the historic win to herself and the other long-tenureda players of Spurs Women:
I have been here for a long time now and we have been working towards this point. We are really happy that we are on this journey together, I was actually lost for words that we got there.
• And Kit on what it meant to make history with her longtime teammates:
Me, Ash and Jess sat down together and we asked each other, "Can you actually believe it, that we are actually here?" because in the early days we got punished by the big teams and now we are competing with them. Now, we are in the final and let’s see how we get on.
Previewing WSL Matchday 18 — Manchester United
This is always a fraught fixture, made even more so now by the fact that it's an unintentional preview of the FA Cup final. No pressure!
Friend-of-the-newsletter Harsh described the game as the "custody of Grace Clinton" match. On that topic, reports have come out that Spurs are ramping up their pursuit of signing Clinton to a permanent contract in the summer.
Dom Smith
Dom Smith's article also mentions that although Spurs are looking to sign one big-name player in the transfer window, the other signings will be younger players to develop—as Vilahamn has succeeded in so far in his tenure with players like Bizet, Naz, and of course Clinton.
Next time it won’t be loans; we’re going to make sure they’re our players. We don’t need expensive players. We’re scouting talented players that can take the next step with us. That’s what you can expect in the summer window. One key player in a position we need a bit of experience in could be worth it as well, but you will not see three of four players of a super level. You will see one, and then two or three with extremely high potential.
But getting back on track to the actual game at hand, I do believe we have the talent in our team to get a result against United even without Clinton. To reinforce a point from the cup semi-final, an experienced WSL player like Ayane isn't making the matchday squad because of the surplus of talent for the winger positions. There's room to debate our best starting midfield because there are so many good options. And there's even strong competition in the defense now as well. Knowing we have plenty of game-changers to come off the bench is another boon we didn't get to experience in seasons past.
However, United are no slouches. The quality of the goals scored they scored in the other semi-final should concern us, because García and Williams aren't even considered marquee players. Geyse could be fit in time to play, and they also have the likes of Melvine Malard, Nikita Parris, Ella Toone, and Leah Galton. Hinata Miyazawa has missed large portions of the season through injury, but if she's available for either this game or the final she could be a problem. She did play with Japan in the SheBelieves Cup earlier this month and was on the bench for the Chelsea cup game. On the defensive side, newly-extended centerback Maya Le Tissier has shown quite a penchant for physical play lately, so light your prayer candles now on our forwards' behalf.
On a positive note, I feel a lot better about our own defense than I did in the reverse fixture. Spencer is also in a much better run of form in goal. As usual, minimizing opposition set pieces will be a key priority.
In terms of the WSL table, this is a bit of six-pointer, with United currently six points ahead of us. It would be nice to reduce the gap, although I don't want to talk about the goal difference swing...
Although we earned a draw against United in the 2021/22 season, we have yet to secure a win against them in the WSL. It would be great to finally achieve that first win ahead of a game we absolutely must win, the FA Cup final.
The Men's team is on a brief hiatus due to Manchester City's involvement in the FA Cup this weekend, but soon I will have the grim responsibility of previewing the home NLD. I say grim because we got some troubling news this afternoon that Destiny Udogie is out with a season-ending injury. I hate that for him, especially with the Euros just around the corner. But it will be time for the next man to step up, likely Ben Davies. Anyway, I'll dive deeper into that upcoming fixture in next week's issue.
Until then, let's close with some more celebratory content from the Women's semi-final victory.
Nothing but vibes 🎶 pic.twitter.com/pOrX45VYm1
— Tottenham Hotspur Women (@SpursWomen) April 14, 2024
COYS indeed!
More than ever before,
COYS
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