Tottenham Hotspur remain unbeaten in the Women’s Super League so far this season. Last week, we saw a convincing win against Crystal Palace, where Martin Ho’s side won 7-0. Despite a narrow loss on penalties to West Ham in the WSL Player’s Cup during the week, this has not held Tottenham back in their preparation before they face Aston Villa on Sunday.
What to expect against Aston Villa
Martin Ho praised Aston Villa as a side, especially defensively. He described them as a “very good side” who “we will show the ultimate respect.”
Ho explained that Aston Villa are “very good defensively in terms of how they defend in the mid-to-high phases” creating “brilliant pressure.” He also acknowledged that “they (Villa) have had some difficult games to start”, facing Chelsea, Manchester City and Brighton. Natalia Arroyo's side have been able to take points from both Chelsea and Brighton.
However, Ho also explained that “we go back to the league campaign against Aston Villa with the same confidence we went into this week.”
Defensive progress under Ho
When discussing how his side have progressed since he took over as head coach in July 2025, Ho explained that when it comes to defending, his side have particularly focused on how to “change the mid-to-low phases defensively.”
He also explained that “there’s got to be a real will to defend and a commitment to those one-to-one battles individually.”
Tottenham’s defensive work could be significant as they face Aston Villa, who have demonstrated a more attacking style of play this season than previously.
Expectations at the club
Ho praised his players and their start to the WSL season, explaining that "A lot of the players now understand the expectation of what it means to play for this club".