Well here we are, another Monday and yet again a weekend without scoring… its like im a teenager heading out to the bar and clubs again!
Let’s start with the positives because despite the intense reactions to our failure to score again there are a few. That 0-0, like last week, is a clean sheet. Something we have struggled with and largely across the two games we restricted two teams who have scored in other games this season to very few chances.
This is down to the way the side is defending as a team now. Midfielders moving to cover full backs when they go forward and defenders beginning to understand each other in terms of position and passing ability. Van Hecke ability to play through the lines is very impressive.
Kinsky I know made a nearly very costly error but he did fix it very quickly and I do think the way he is being asked to play means on occasion that might happen but the potential upside does make it worth trying. He looked solid, for me, during the game again and therefore all of the back line pleased me.
I do want to give a special mention to Archie Gray who again stepped in to cover right back and had a very good game right up until he picked up a knock and struggled after that. I really hope that is nothing serious; when I hear the words “Just a knock” from the Spurs medical team now I have some sort of internal panic.
The midfield three is an interesting debate for me as I think the three best, in form, midfielders all started together and I think looked good BUT there is absolutely a creativity issue in the side where those three (although Tonali and Fernandes can play through the lines very well and take the ball forward into space) are not a Xavi or Maddision.
I do think the opening ten minutes of the game was our best start to a game in a long time but the old saying is true and that is: “Goals change games” and with us right now our lack of goals I think played a major factor in the tempo dropping.
Savio had their full back on toast but suddenly stopped trying to beat his man, instead making a simply safe pass and trying to run in behind – a pattern which was across every player who started in the front three.
Its a confidence issue for sure. When on top if we had scored I really believe we would have kept playing that way and probably pushed and got more… but when we failed to open them up I think the players got in their own heads and suddenly that confidence and pace which we started drained away.
My podcast colleague Stephan said last week we are like a striker struggling for goals, we need one to go in off our ass so to speak for us to break the hoodoo and allow us to push on – I think against Everton you could really see that as forwards snatched at openings and before long our midfielders started trying to hit anything around the box goalward.
The ironic cheer from the stands as we had a shot on target, albeit from range, I am not sure was very helpful to the players (although made me laugh) … but I do want to say considering we have won just two home games in the 12 months preceding the Everton game the crowd were excellent, singing songs and encouraging the team forward. I mean the two young ladies holding up a sign about the team ‘Please score a goal’ is likely going to be a viral meme for some time.
A question I think most fans have is what can be done, or what will the manager and the players do to fix this as two points from four games is not a good start to a season where we have spent so much money and made such massive changes to a squad to fully back a manager.
I think for me the key is sticking together. The team are starting to gel, you can see it in games more and more with little combinations between players becoming better and that will keep improving. Games do that and we have two games this week before an elongated international break.
We travel to Liverpool on Tuesday in the League Cup 3rd round. I am curious as to which players will start that game and what level of priority Liverpool and indeed we put on it. I think this season realistically we are not targeting silverware, dont get me wrong, not what I want as a fan, but I think we as a club are looking at this massive squad overhaul and back to back 17th finishes and simply wanting this season to be about rejuvenation and creating a stable foundation. I would also assume looking at the players purchased that a European qualification of any kind is desired… but again after the first four games it feels more and more like that could be a distant fantay.
Our next league game is Saturday 19th September, so next Saturday and we are hosting Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Following this game we break for the internationals and do not return to action until we travel to Manchester Utd on the 10th of October.
Mr De Zerbi has a lot of work to do both for these two games to try and give the fans some hope and the squad some confidence before the break and then also during the break preparing for a second kick off to the season, which is how it will feel.
I have my issues with De Zerbi as a person but focusing purely on football I am a little concerned by his calling players out and the way he speaks about them. His decision to give Mathys Tel a very public dressing down after the Everton game I am not sure will do much for him or any of his team mates who are already looking afraid to make a mistake.
I believe the critique was fair, but you do it in the dressing room and on the training ground not in public followed by telling every journalist what you said. Between that and the Richy situation I am starting to wonder about his man management – something the squad complimented him on when he came in last season and kept us up.
So let me finish my longest most rambled blog to date with this. We have not started as well as any of us hoped we would however there are plenty of examples of teams starting slow and then building a very good season and you do not need to look any further than our next league opponents Aston Villa.
In the 2025/26 season they started it with a 0-0 home draw, then lost 1-0, 3-0 and followed that with another 0-0. So they did not score in their opening four league games. They then drew 1-1 so no win in their opening five league games.
They finished the season fourth in the league and lifted a trophy in the Europa League. We need to look at that as inspiration and use them, against them, to kick our season into gear and show this league what the new look Spurs can do. COYS!
-Admin SJ
