Finally, Tottenham Hotspur might have enough depth to fight on four fronts, at least in the early part of the season before injuries inevitably accumulate. However, that premise is unlikely to be truly challenged this week, as Spurs get to enter their League Cup journey with a visit from League One side Doncaster Rovers. The minnows are massive underdogs Wednesday, making this all about the home side.
Rovers are down the pyramid, but are coming off a strong 2024/25 that included winning League Two and making it to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup after a victory over Hull — that run ended with a loss to Palace, while the League Cup journey ended in the Second Round against Everton. Through nine matches already in the league, Rovers are level on points with fifth place; Tottenham should win, but should not mess around too much.
League Cup Third Round
Date: Wednesday, September 24
Time: 2:45 pm ET, 7:45 pm UK
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
TV: Paramount+ (US), Sky Sports+ (UK)
These sides have met just once in the past 50 years: a Second Round League Cup tie in the 2009/10 season which saw Spurs win 5-1 at Keepmoat Stadium. Less of a head-to-head thing and more of a partnership angle: Europa League scorer Damola Ajayi is currently on loan at Rovers and has made five appearances this season, though he has yet to make too much of an impact.
Two Medium Questions
Can Spurs just have a boring win? The thing about Spurs is favorable draws often turn out to be not so simple. Last year’s contests against Coventry City and Tamworth required pretty late goals to advance, winners against Portsmouth and Preston North End did not come until the second half in 2022/23, and the 2021/22 comeback against Morecambe was similarly trying.
With the vibes resurrected, the ingredients are here for a professional performance. Heavy rotation feels like a given, but even the second XI would be the superior side, and trust in this managerial staff is deserved after an overall strong start to the season. I am sure Rovers will have some belief after their successes last season, but Tottenham really could use a straightforward boring win in one of these lopsided ties.
Does it even matter? Even though Thomas Frank’s Brentford did not have Europe to deal with, his Premier League sides rarely made a splash in the cups. Perhaps this was by design, as his objectives lied in the leagues, but aside from a couple League Cup quarterfinal appearances, the results do not indicate Frank is either motivated by or excellent at knockout football.
Of course, if that were to translate to Tottenham, supporters might shrug it off and move on. With the trophy drought finally over and Champions League football up and running, the club could be forgiven for deprioritizing the League Cup. This should be a fixture that a big club could sleepwalk through, but even if this competition does not last much longer, perhaps there are more important things to focus on.