The Guardian

Liverpool v Tottenham: Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg – live

Submitted by daniel on Thu, 06/02/2025 - 18:30

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Updated at 21.28 CET

The corner is cleared and Liverpool break ominously until the ball hits Szoboszlai on the back, allowing Spurs to counter the counter. Sarr’s pass is cut out.

It’s one of the all-time great debut seasons – not just what he’s achieved but the lightness of touch with which he has done it. As a neutral, I love him. The season isn’t over so we need to reserve a bit of judgement, but there are very few examples of somebody replacing an iconic manager so seamlessly. Joe Fagan is one but he had the huge advantage of being an insider.

The free-kick is too far out for a shot. Son flips it in and it deflects behind for Spurs’ first corner.

Kinsky caught Ben Davies while jumping for the ball. Davies had a small cut down his forehead and will need treatment.

Updated at 21.28 CET

Liverpool take the free-kick short and work it across the field. Eventually Salah’s deflected shot is comfortably saved to his left by Kinsky.

Updated at 21.08 CET

Ouch. That last sentence is the most savage twist since Psycho.

Updated at 21.03 CET

“Hi Rob!” says Joe Pearson before getting down to brass tacks. “I love you, man, but you keep putting Alisson in the team when you already told us that Kelleher was replacing him.”

Ach! Force of habit. I can confirm Kelleher is in net.

“Kudos to Spurs for signing Kevin Danso,” says Peter Oh. “Apparently they gazumped Wolverhampton for his services. Personally, I wish he had opted for Molineux, because Danso’s With Wolves would have been box-"office gold.”

A reminder of the teams

Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.

Substitutes: Jaros, Endo, Diaz, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah.

Spurs (4-3-3) Kinsky; Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son.

Substitutes: Austin, Porro, Reguilon, Bergvall, Ajayi, Cassanova, Olusesi, Moore, Tel.

Referee Craig Pawson.

Updated at 20.59 CET

“Tell Phil Moseley that from my point of view, 30 miles or so from him in Durham, North Carolina, the more likely outcome here is a heroic, dramatic Spurs win tonight, followed by an abject, tail-between-legs disappointment at Wembley,” says Gregory Phillips.

“Is there a case to be made that the League Cup is more enjoyable competition than the FA Cup?” asks Michal Pac Pomarnacki. “It’s over and done with pretty much halfway through the season and unlike the FA Cup it does not take up any full weekends. Most of the games are played in the evenings/late afternoon adding to the spectacle. Maybe it’s me being a Liverpool fan, but I’ve always preferred the League Cup to the more revered FA Cup.”

As a child of the eighties I’ll always have a fondness for … actually both competitions were great in the eighties so scratch that. I guess the FA Cup will always be more prestigious but I see your point about the League Cup being more enjoyable.

“Come along Mr Mosley, don’t be too fatalistic,” says Dean Kinsella. “The whole thing with being Spursy is that one day they perform much worse than they should and the next they are marvelous (eg the City thrashing in November). Tonight could well be one of those marvellous nights. Why not?”

A pessimist is never disappointed (part 2)

“Ah, Rob, you had to go and mention the Q-word!” says Matt Dony. “I’m still expecting a sticky patch in the league, and for Arsenal to sneak through. What Slot has done, with essentially last year’s team, is astonishing. Winning just one trophy in his first season would be an achievement. Four trophies is surely too much to hope for, even in the craziest late-night, Stinking-Bishop-and-red-wine-induced reveries.

“Fighting on four fronts is ridiculous. And it has the added complication (which I’m surprised isn’t stressed more) of swapping between four different match balls. We all laugh when a manager gets in a strop over a particular ball, but the fact is they are all different and behave differently. At the pointy end of the season, where Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League games come thick and fast, constantly swapping ball must be a genuine challenge.

“Anyway. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. For now, I’ll just worry about tonight. (Heavy emphasis on ‘worry’. Being a football fan really isn’t as much fun as it should be, is it?)”

Funnily enough Roy Keane made exactly the same point about the balls on Stick to Football this week.

The winners will meet Newcastle, who completed a 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal last night, in the final.

“Good afternoon from Raleigh, North Carolina,” writes Phil Moseley. “Can’t watch the game as I don’t subscribe to Paramount Plus, so relying on you to chart our inevitable pasting by Liverpool, falling at the last or last-but-one hurdle yet again in the Levy Era.”

Team news: Danso starts

Arne Slot makes four changes from Liverpool’s win at Bournemouth. Caoimhin Kelleher, Conor Bradley, Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez come in for Alisson, the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz.

Spurs’ new signing Kevin Danso starts in defence, with Mathys Tel among the substitutes. Ange Postecoglou has left out Pedro Porro, which is a surprise. Pape Sarr replaces Mikey Moore in the only other change from the weekend win at Brentford.

Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.

Substitutes: Jaros, Endo, Diaz, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah.

Spurs (4-3-3) Kinsky; Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son.

Substitutes: Austin, Porro, Reguilon, Bergvall, Ajayi, Cassanova, Olusesi, Moore, Tel.

Referee Craig Pawson.

Updated at 20.59 CET

Read Jacob Steinberg’s preview

Fresh from overseeing a dogged 2-0 win against Brentford on Sunday, Postecoglou sat down and spoke for 43 minutes before a moment that could define his time in north London. The head coach considered the chance for Spurs “to make a big impact” by going to Anfield and building on their 1-0 win in the first leg. He thought about his captain, Son Heung-min, still being trophyless after nearly 10 years at the club. He seemed energised by sealing deals for the centre-back Kevin Danso and the French forward Mathys Tel at the end of a difficult transfer window.

Rules and regulations

The tie will go to extra time if necessary, then penalties

There’s no away goals rule

VAR is being used

Preamble

Evening. Brian Clough, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and George Graham have one thing in common, and we’re not talking anatomically. The League Cup was the first of many trophies in their glorious eras at Nottm Forest, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal respectively. It was also the starting point for Gerard Houllier at Liverpool, Ron Saunders at Aston Villa and Manuel Pellegrini at City.

The elimination of Arsenal last night means somebody will win their first major trophy in English football at Wembley on Sunday 16 March: Eddie Howe, Arne Slot or Ange Postecoglou. Slot and Postecoglou’s teams meet at Anfield tonight for the right to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.

Spurs lead 1-0 from the first leg a month ago – a month! – but Liverpool are understandable favourites given the performances of both teams this season, and the population of their treatment rooms.

Postecoglou’s mood has been improved by consecutive wins, and clean sheets, not to mention the signings of Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel; Liverpool are romping to the league title and are still in contention for the quadruple that eluded them in 2021-22. Then, as now, the League Cup is the only place to start.

Kick off 8pm.

The Guardian

Postecoglou sees brighter days ahead as Tottenham brace for Anfield roar

Submitted by daniel on Wed, 05/02/2025 - 22:30

It seemed that a weight was off Ange Postecoglou’s shoulders. He looked and sounded invigorated before the second leg of Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool. It was almost as if a different man had spent the past few weeks staring into the microphone following another costly defeat, dealing with a ludicrous injury list and facing question after question about when Spurs were finally going to make an outfield signing.

There was humour from Postecoglou when he discussed how he wooed Tel, who had been wavering about joining Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich. “There is something to be said for honesty and integrity,” the 59-year-old said. “I think I’ve got a pretty compelling story to tell. When I speak to players, I’m not trying to sell anything that there isn’t plenty of evidence for. I don’t think it’s smooth talking, or selling. I think there’s a real good story here, which I really believe in. I speak from a real strong conviction that what I’m saying will come to fruition. I really believe that. I don’t think I need to do anything special.”

Pressed on his phone manner, Postecoglou said there are times when he speaks to a potential signing and feels a disconnect. With Tel it was about football. The 19-year-old, who will be involved at Anfield, has left Bayern in search of regular football and was not short of suitors. Postecoglou said he wore him down. “It lasted a couple of hours. He was falling asleep by the end.”

Presumably Tel was paying enough attention to know that Spurs have an option to buy him for £50m. Postecoglou was in headline‑writing mood when he insisted that the former Rennes forward will join permanently. “He’ll be a Tottenham player,” the Australian said. “I think he’ll show everyone he’s going to be a Tottenham player in the next six months. I didn’t bring him here for six months.”

Spurs have thought in the long term when it comes to recruitment, placing a heavy focus on signing young players in the past 18 months. Antonin Kinsky, the 21-year-old Czech goalkeeper, also joined last month. “I’ve been a big driver of it,” Postecoglou said.

“When I took over we needed to rebuild a squad. We had some experience here, which has helped. I’ll always make decisions I feel are best for the club. All these decisions, I’m as much a driver of as the club. No one has been thrust upon me who I don’t think is going to fit.”

With doubts hanging over his future, Postecoglou was asked if the flurry of business has made him more secure in his position. “I’m not interested in security. It doesn’t exist in the modern game. Somebody can say: ‘Hey Ange we’re right behind you,’ and then you know … there’s no guarantees about anything, but I don’t care. Being a manager in today’s world, you can feel so isolated and so vulnerable. I don’t feel that. I feel like the playing group is rock solid, the staff are rock solid, I feel supported and that’s all I can ask for. Where that takes us, time will tell. I firmly believe it will take us to success. But there’s no guarantees.”

Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, 18 and 19 respectively, have been rare shining lights during a horrible run of form. But can Spurs rise to the challenge of holding off Liverpool? Can they cope with the Anfield atmosphere? Will it be the same old story: expectation followed by disappointment? Spurs have already knocked out Manchester United and Manchester City. They are struggling in the Premier League but are through to the last 16 of the Europa League and visit Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Sunday. This strange season could have a special ending.

Not that it will be easy. Spurs head to Merseyside with the injured contingent still numerous and Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven unavailable in central defence. Van de Ven returned last week in the win against Elfsborg but is taking precautions with his recovery from a hamstring problem. Even Postecoglou, who could start Danso, knows when not to gamble.

It would be a surprise if Spurs do not at least play with freedom in Liverpool. The odds are against them but they can score past anyone. Son is looking sharper and has “a real focus in his eye”, according to Postecoglou. The vibe is good. The question is whether Spurs can bring it to the pitch when it truly matters.

The Guardian

‘An unbelievable finisher’: why Mathys Tel is a perfect fit for Spurs

Submitted by daniel on Tue, 04/02/2025 - 20:00

“It’s very rare that this many clubs call you for a player,” Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Max Eberl, told Kicker last week when talking about the options available to Mathys Tel. It spoke not just of widespread recognition among Europe’s elite clubs of the 19‑year‑old’s quality but of a shift of policy in the Bundesliga leaders’ camp; from shutting their ears to all approaches at the beginning of January to accepting that leveraging a financial advantage out of the situation was the best they could do. A month-long transfer window leaves room for plenty of changes of heart and mind.

Some will snort that Tottenham were a mere backup choice after Tel declined their initial approach, that the forward blinked when faced with the prospect of a second half of the Bundesliga season like his first, given a mere 253 minutes of playing time. More probable is that an especially reflective young man took time to think of what would work best for him rather than what would most suit Bayern. There is little contradictory about the process when you consider Tel is an explosive attacking weapon with the maturity to constantly adapt.

Fiercely ambitious yet humble. Enormously confident in his ability yet grounded. Surrounded by close family after Bayern games, but not stuck in his bubble; when L’Équipe sent a journalist to Munich to interview Tel at the club’s Säbener Straße training centre last year, the young forward arrived to greet him with a smile on his face and a box full of pastries fresh from a local French patisserie.

And frustrated, without doubt, by being the perpetual understudy to Harry Kane but never less than grateful for everything he has been able to learn in the past 17 months from the England captain, who has a high regard for Tel. Backing up Kane, the hyper-reliable superstar who never rests, must be the most infuriating role in world football for a youngster with talent to burn and a barely containable desire to improve. It has also led to Tel being slightly miscast.

You may have already read descriptions of Tottenham’s new man as a winger. His natural gifts – and Kane’s natural indefatigability – may have frequently pushed Tel out wide, but sometimes his natural abilities suggest he is something that perhaps he is not. The pace, the ability to take on defenders and the intelligence to find the right pass for a teammate make him perfect winger material. It’s just, most of the time, that he’s only in these positions to fit around Kane.

Maybe, in time, the way in which Tel has broadened his palette could be considered a belated parting gift from the England captain to his old club. The France Under-21 player’s first instinct has always been to shoot, with the power he has in either foot. Within weeks of Tel’s arrival in Bavaria, Thomas Müller heralded him as “an unbelievable finisher”. That ability to take chances is borne out by his tally of 10 goals last season, despite being given only nine starts across the Bundesliga, DFB‑Pokal and Champions League, with Thomas Tuchel building on Julian Nagelsmann’s experiments in sending Tel on in the closing stages to voraciously attack weary defences.

Yet the really interesting statistic is the six assists that accompany the goals. Rather than having a desperation to catch the coach’s attention with a spectacular individual contribution, Tel regularly underlined his wit and humility to do what the team needed. Take the Champions League win against Galatasaray in November 2023. One-on-one with his future Bayern teammate Sacha Boey, he might have been tempted to cut in and get a shot off to make his mark. Instead, he set up Kane with a precise first‑time pass for an easy tap-in to ice a devilishly difficult game.

That ability and versatility should come as no surprise, given that Tel is from impeccable footballing stock. He was born in the suburbs of Paris but is a graduate of the elite academy production line at Rennes, which has produced players including Yoann Gourcuff, Sylvain Wiltord, Yann M’Vila, Ousmane Dembélé and Eduardo Camavinga. It was Camavinga’s record that Tel broke in August 2021 when he became the youngest player to turn out for Rennes, at 16 years, three months and 19 days. A year later (after a €28.5m transfer) he became Bayern’s youngest scorer, in a Pokal win against Viktoria Köln, eclipsing Jamal Musiala.

Opportunities have become fewer under Vincent Kompany. Whereas Tuchel planned to leave Kane out of games in the Pokal, Germany’s national cup competition, the new coach started Kane at Mainz in late October. Tel entered in Kane’s stead at half-time with Bayern 4-0 up – garbage time, as it would be framed in basketball. The logjam in wide areas – with Leroy Sané, a revitalised Kingsley Coman, the arrival of Michael Olise and sometimes Musiala competing for roles – has left little room for Tel elsewhere in the team.

So off to Tottenham he goes and, whether by accident or design, it feels like the perfect destination. With his preference to play at centre-forward or in the corridor between the centre and the left (a little like his more senior compatriot Kylian Mbappé), the picture appears all set up for Tel to provide Spurs with a succession plan for Son Heung-min. He can contribute in the short term and have the team built around him next. By choosing to leave Bayern, Tel has underlined that he considers now to be his time.

The Guardian

Trent Alexander-Arnold set to miss Spurs showdown after thigh injury

Submitted by daniel on Tue, 04/02/2025 - 14:07

Trent Alexander-Arnold could miss Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham on Thursday with the injury he suffered at Bournemouth at the weekend, although the right-back is not facing an extended spell on the sidelines.

Alexander-Arnold felt discomfort in his thigh during the second half of the 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium and was withdrawn in the 70th minute to avoid aggravating the problem. Arne Slot admitted after the game that it was “not a good sign” when the 26-year-old asked to be substituted, but scans have revealed a minor problem that is expected to rule him out for days rather than weeks.

Slot is unlikely to take any risks given Liverpool’s pursuit of four trophies. The head coach has Conor Bradley available to take Alexander-Arnold’s place and Joe Gomez is nearing a return having been sidelined since December’s rout of West Ham with a hamstring injury.

Alexander-Arnold is, therefore, expected to miss the visit of Spurs, who take a 1-0 lead into game, as well as Sunday’s visit to Plymouth in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The England international could return for the rearranged Merseyside derby at Everton a week on Wednesday.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have confirmed Jayden Danns has joined on loan for the rest of the season. A deal for the 19-year-old Liverpool forward was completed before the transfer deadline on Monday but the announcement was delayed due to Sunderland having a key Championship fixture that night at Middlesbrough, which Régis Le Bris’s side won 3-2.

Danns, who signed a long-term contract with Liverpool before agreeing the loan, will not be available for Sunderland immediately due to a back problem. The teenager will continue his rehabilitation at Liverpool’s training ground before joining up with the promotion contenders at a later date.

“This is my first loan move and a chance to prove myself, so I’m very appreciative of the opportunity and grateful to the club for placing their faith in me,” said Danns. “I’m disappointed that I will be unable to do that straightaway, but I’m proud to have joined the club and I will work hard throughout this period to ensure I can return to action and play my part.”

The Guardian

Tottenham chasing Marc Guéhi but have bid rejected by Crystal Palace

Submitted by daniel on Mon, 03/02/2025 - 10:56

Tottenham are trying to pull off an audacious swoop for Marc Guéhi but have had an opening bid for the defender turned down by Crystal Palace.

It is understood the offer from Spurs for the England international was not far off Palace’s valuation, which is believed to be about £60m. Sources are not ruling out Guéhi making the switch before the transfer window shuts at 11pm GMT, although figures close to the player believe a summer move is likelier. Palace are desperate not to lose to the 24-year-old because they have little time to replace him.

Spurs are looking to bolster their defensive options despite signing Kevin Danso from Lens on Sunday. They had looked at a loan for Axel Disasi but their interest in the Chelsea centre-back was not at an advanced stage. Chelsea want a big loan fee for Disasi, who is keen to join Aston Villa.

Spurs have looked to make a more ambitious move by going for Guéhi, who starred for England during their run to the Euro 2024 final. The former Chelsea defender’s contract expires in 18 months, weakening Palace’s negotiating position. Newcastle tried to sign Guéhi last summer and Chelsea looked at him this month. Liverpool are long-term admirers.

Palace could do without the disruption given that Chelsea have recalled Trevoh Chalobah from his loan and Chadi Riad is a long-term injury absentee. They are close to signing Ben Chilwell on loan from Chelsea and have considered a £35m move for the Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic. But with the clock ticking they are reluctant to compromise their season by losing Guéhi.

Spurs remain in the market for attacking additions and have targeted the Southampton winger Tyler Dibling, who has interest from clubs in the Bundesliga.

The Guardian

Spurs claim first league win in seven weeks as they battle past Brentford

Submitted by daniel on Sun, 02/02/2025 - 16:23

Tottenham were in no position to spurn a crucial goal off somebody’s backside and, give or take a few centimetres, that is exactly what they were handed here. Their season had been in freefall but a first league victory since 15 December was well earned, particularly given the scratchy resources at Ange Postecoglou’s disposal. Another makeshift backline, in which Archie Gray was outstanding, withstood one of the division’s toughest physical examinations and deserved their luck at the other end through Vitaly Janelt’s first-half own goal.

The Brentford goalkeeper Hákon Valdimarsson, making his first top-flight start due to Mark Flekken’s injury, should have spared Janelt’s blushes in dealing more decisively with the corner that struck his teammate. But he was less culpable three minutes from time when Pape Sarr, finishing deftly after being played through by Son Heung-min, made the points safe. Postecoglou, who knew his team would have to scrap, leapt off the bench and punched the air.

For nearly half an hour the harum-scarum had yielded little. Brentford were naturally keen to impose themselves on a Spurs defence that, despite his comeback against Elfsborg on Thursday, did not include the sorely missed Micky van de Ven. The Dutchman’s minutes were, Postecoglou explained before kick-off, being managed; the new loan signing Kevin Danso had, meanwhile, not been registered in time to play.

Morten Damsgaard drew an early block and Kevin Schade, briefly sensing he had got away down the left, saw Gray in the way of his centre. The first real glimpse of Spurs’ skittishness emerged in the 12th minute when Antonin Kinsky, having dithered on a backpass, presented it straight to Schade. A shot was not quite on so he sent the ball wide to Bryan Mbeumo, whose delivery was headed a foot over by Yoane Wissa.

The traffic would continue broadly in the same direction, Wissa flicking another header off target soon after a goalbound Schade effort struck Gray. The main source of exercise for Tottenham’s fans before the opener came through sporadic chants demanding that Daniel Levy, still the main focus of the majority’s angst, step down. A cross-shot from Dejan Kulusevski that narrowly evaded a sliding Richarlison had been their best on-pitch moment before Brentford offered them a gift.

It arrived after a rare Spurs attack brought a corner, Yves Bissouma’s shot looping over via a deflection. Son swung in the left-sided set piece and, while the delivery was characteristically devilish, it should have been dealt with by a defence with significant height advantage. But Valdimarsson found himself boxed in near his goalline by Bissouma, who is hardly a colossus, and could only flap desperately as the ball flew in off Janelt’s back.

Kinsky was rather more convincing as Brentford sought an immediate response, batting away a vicious drive from Christian Nørgaard. But Spurs could sense an opportunity to revel in the counterattacking spaces they so enjoy and, from one break, Kulusevski fizzed agonisingly across goal after a delightful turn. The angle was closing but he would have been entitled to test Valdimarsson’s resilience.

Before half-time Mbeumo examined that of Richarlison, thudding a volley into his opponent’s face. The Brazilian was up and about quickly enough and, while hardly worth their lead on the balance of play, Tottenham could consider their hosts were yet to turn the screw. Gray, in particular, was impressing hugely with his positioning at the back.

Nonetheless it was little surprise to see Postecoglou introduce Lucas Bergvall for the 17-year-old Mikey Moore, a thrilling prospect but lost in this particular arena, for the second half. Bergvall, himself only 18, was slalomed past by Kristoffer Ajer during a high-tempo re-emergence from Brentford. That move ended with Kinsky tipping away Nørgaard’s tricky cross; moments later a much better chance was spurned when Schade flicked on and Wissa, arriving at speed directly in front of goal, blasted over via the top of the bar.

It was a let-off for Tottenham, who would make the game virtually safe if they scored a second goal. Kulusevski and Bergvall both shot narrowly wide before the hour, Brentford’s revival having dulled at this point. While the Bees were regularly invited to aim set pieces into Spurs’ danger zone they were being repelled with what, by the visitors’ recent standards, was a rare level of authority.

The Guardian

Brentford v Tottenham: Premier League – live

Submitted by daniel on Sun, 02/02/2025 - 13:13

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GOAL! Brentford 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Janelt own goal 29)

We’re mentioning Son now! He curls in a ball that’s spitting venom, Valdimarsson gets himself boxed and isn’t strong enough in seeking to escape, flapping a hand and finger-tipping into Janelt, who unwittingly puts into his own net!

Updated at 15.26 CET

Here come our teams…

On the other hand, Bryan Mbuemo, two years younger, couldn’t be loving life more. He’s scored 14 times this season, and keeping him quiet today won’t be easy.

Dominic Solanke scored his first Spurs goal that day, but his absence “for a few weeks” offers Richarlison a chance to nick his spot. He’s got a lot of what you need to be a serious player and was one of very few Brazilians to speak out against Jair Bolsonaro, but at 27 it’s now or never for him.

When the sides met at Spurs in September…

So Mikey Moore, then. He’s a fantastic prospect – you’ve got to be to get a league start at 17 – and has plenty of pace, skill and attitude. He knows this is for him, and he won’t be scared to get after it.

So where is the game? It’s worth noting that, at least on the face of things, Brentford will deploy a 4-2-3-1 , rather than the 5-3-2 they use for the better sides, and they’ll be buzzing having seen Spurs’ back five. They’ll want to get the ball forward quickly, and will overload in wide areas to put Archie Gray and Ben Davies, neither a centre-back but both playing centre-back, under aerial pressure.

Spurs, meanwhile, will look to flood forward in transition if they can, but otherwise will hope their midfield three are good enough to dominate possession. In particular, they’ll want to set Moore one on one with Ajer, coming back from injury and not really a right-back, looking for him and Son to attack the space between full-back and centre-back while Richarlison heads for the near post or drops off for cut-backs.

Updated at 14.58 CET

Email! “There are a lot of literary references on Spurs’ bench today,” writes Karen Asad. “That’s just as well, given this could be a very dramatic season for them.”

To pick one, the way it’s going, they’re going to make The Mayor of Casterbridge look like a screwball comedy. And when the Coen brothers end up making that a couple of years from now, remember where you heard it first.

And another transfer line:

Postecoglou advises that Van de Ven is OK, they’re just trying to manage his minutes, while explaining that 17-year-old Moore has earned his go.

Otherwise, he’s happy to have Kevin Danso arriving on load, an experienced defender especially good one on one.

Also going on for you:

As for Spurs, the front three is the same as as against Elfsborg in midweek, while in midfield, Yves Bissouma and Dejan Kulusevski, rested for that one, return with Pepe Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall dropping out. And finally, Micky van de Ven, still feeling his way back from injury, doesn’t make it so Ben Davies moves inside with Djed Spence coming in at right-back and in net, Brandon Austin is replaced by Antonín Kinský.

Brentford make two changes to the side that won at Palace last weekend. Out go Flekken and, at right-back, Mads Roerslev has beetled off to Wolfsburg on loan, so Kristoffer Ajer comes in.

Ah but first of all, Thomas Frank explains that Mark Flekken has a side strain so won’t play today but he’s every confidence in his replacement, Hákon Valdimarsson, did well coming on last week.

Otherwise, he’s expecting an entertaining game and a lot of transitions and “open situations”; he wants his side to limit them and exploit Spurs’ – he cites Brentford’s creditable 0-2 defeat to Liverpool as a good example of what his side need to do.

He says Spurs have good attackers, but wants his side to make sure their rest defence is sharp and defend well in the big moments.

Righto, I’m going to write these down and then we’ll have a think about what they mean.

Teams!

Brentford (4-2-3-1): Valdimarsson; Ajer, Collins, Van den Berg, Lewis=Potter; Norgaard Janelt; Mbuemo, Damsgaard, Schade; Wissa. Subs: Eyestone, Pinnock, Jensen, Carvalho, Mee, Yarmoliuk, Konak, Maghoma, Kayode.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3): (Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Gray, Davies, Spence; Bissouma, Bentancur, Kukusevski; Moore, Richarlison, Son. Subs: Austin, Reguilon, Hardy, Cassanova, Sarr, Bergvall, Lluesi, Ajayi, Scarlett.

Referee: Jared Gillett (Gold Coast, Australia)

Preamble

This could be Tottenham’s greatest season in nearly 65 years. They’re a goal up on Liverpool going into Thursday’s League Cup semi-final second leg, with the even more success-averse Newcastle a likely final opponent, and they’re into the last 16 of the Europa League, second favourites behind the worst Manchester United team in recent memory. Exciting times for Daniel Levy’s intrepid Lillywhites!

Er, or not. They’re also16th in the table having lost eight of their last 10 league games, most recently to Leicester and Everton, their brash, larrikin manager, Ange Postecoglou, seemingly a step away from scrawling the team on the dressing room wall in his own tears. If England’s cricketers could only send their Aussie counterparts to N17 for a few months, they might just have a chance of winning the Ashes.

So the last thing Spurs need this afternoon is a trip to Brentford. Thomas Frank’s men have the league’s fourth-best home record having scored the most goals, pose as physical a challenge as any side in the division, and their strikers, excellent and in form, will more than fancy a look at Postecoglou’s makeshift back five.

Of course, Spurs still have the attacking firepower to seize any game – just ask Manchester City – and we can be sure that, for marginally better or for absolute worst, they’ll turn up at the Gtech to do the same stuff they always do. However much he might enjoy the frisson of power and the evidence says it’s a lot, Levy won’t want to fire yet another failed manager appointed by him, but two defeats this week and – given that firing himself doesn’t appear to be an option – he may feel he’s no choice but to act.

Kick-off: 2pm GMT

The Guardian

Tottenham sign centre-back Kevin Danso from Lens on initial loan deal

Submitted by daniel on Sun, 02/02/2025 - 10:16

Tottenham have completed the signing of the Lens centre-back, Kevin Danso, on an initial loan with an obligation to buy for €25m (£20.9m) in the summer.

The Spurs manager, Ange Postecoglou, had said on Friday that the club might need to strengthen in central defence as they waited for an update on Radu Dragusin. The Romanian centre-back suffered what looked a worrying knee injury against Elfsborg in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Postecoglou also has Cristian Romero out with a thigh problem, describing it as “tricky” and still without a clear comeback date. The club’s only other specialist senior centre-half is Micky Van de Ven, who returned to the starting line-up on Thursday, playing the first half in a pre-planned arrangement.

Spurs have taken Danso, the 26-year-old Austria international, from under the noses of Wolves. The Midlands club were close to securing his signature, having booked him in for a medical only for Spurs to move at the last moment. His debut could come on Thursday night at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg. Spurs are 1-0 up from the first leg and bidding to seal a place in the Wembley final.

Danso, who will wear the No 4 shirt at Spurs, was born in Voitsberg, Austria but moved to England at the age of six where he began his early career with MK Dons and Reading. He then went to Augsburg in Germany in 2014 to kickstart his senior career. In 2019-20, Danso spent the season on loan from Augsburg at Southampton, making 10 appearances, including six in the Premier League.

Postecoglou has been pleading for new signings all month as he battles an injury crisis – he will be without nine senior players for the trip to Brentford on Sunday afternoon – and he is still especially keen for a player for the front line.

Spurs indicated a readiness to pay €60m (£50m) for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel but the forward did not want to join them. They are continuing to try to add a player in this area before Monday night’s transfer deadline. Their only other signing so far this month has been the goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, bought from Slavia Prague for £12.5m.

The Guardian

Daniel Levy, Spurs’ Pelé of debt structuring, may yet be vindicated

Submitted by daniel on Sat, 01/02/2025 - 08:00

There was a tender moment at the end of Tottenham’s win against Elfsborg on Thursday night as Ange Postecoglou walked out on to the pitch looking a little haunted and jittery, a strange kind of light in his eyes. It took a few seconds to work out what was up. The reason for this was he was happy. Here was a man remembering how to smile, willing his face into the right kind of shape, searching for the muscle memory.

It was also a nice moment. The recent run of Bad Ange stuff, the Ange who does interviews like a policeman standing too close to you in a tiny lift, has been painful to watch. The Premier League is brutal. It will stretch you thin. And it has been rough with Postecoglou, who came with no comparable experience, who is 59 years old, and has had the air of a man finding the end of his reach, radiating sadness from every rain-sodden panel of his quilted coat.

Spurs were set up for another bad night on Thursday, stuck at 0-0 in the second half, with the TV cameras cutting hungrily between Postecoglou and a group of bored-looking cool guys in baggy clothes slumped on a bench, which turned out to be an example of the new trend for parading your injured players like captured gladiators. At which point something good happened instead. A 20-year-old scored. Then a 19-year-old scored. Then a 17-year-old scored. Spurs ended the night in the last 16 of the Europa League, with a Carabao Cup semi-final second leg and a fourth-round FA Cup tie to come.

The players got to hug each other in front of a happy crowd. Ange smiled his smile, wandering around looking, as ever, like a bear that has only just realised it’s not supposed to be wearing a raincoat and walking on its hind legs. Even Glenn Hoddle was out on the pitch telling the TV cameras about “finishing with aplomb”.

And yes, this is an excuse to talk about Daniel Levy and the state of Spurs from a place of brief and brittle safety. Not just for Spurs reasons. This is perhaps the most interesting dynamic in football’s elite tier, one that goes to heart of what this thing is supposed to be.

Defending Levy is a tricky game. It can be taken as deliberately contrary, an insult to supporters who are justifiably frustrated at certain elements. Some will say that even pointing out Levy’s successes running the club is to admit to being part of some covert loop of paid insiderdom (I would really like to be in this loop. Covert loop, if you’re reading: DM me).

Last weekend brought chants of “Levy out”, as though this is even likely or possible (he, er, part-owns the club). After Thursday’s win, a Spurs blogger could be heard on the radio talking in longsuffering tones about “failure from the top”, like this is just a given, as opposed to demonstrably untrue.

In reality, Levy represents the exact opposite of this. Football actually is full of incompetent and greedy people. What we have here is a rare case of someone operating at a genuinely elite level in their area, which is essentially genius-level accountancy. This is not just accurate bean-counting. It’s a transformational miracle.

What are the facts? Do they matter? Let’s experiment with the idea they do. Spurs have the best stadium in the world. Yes. Spurs! This is now a self-sustaining mega business, the 10th most profitable sports business in the world. The debt is big but stable (Levy is the Pelé of debt structuring).

Spurs are so well run they could basically exist outside Uefa competitions and make enough money. The extras, the non-football stuff, is not a distraction. It’s the whole game. Don’t mock Beyoncé or disregard the phoney cheese room. Beyoncé is your Roman Abramovich. The phoney cheese room is why you’re not owned by a propaganda state.

At which point it is important to talk about two people who are both wrong, but in an influential way. The first is the usually spot-on Ian Wright, who was all over the internet this week restating the shibboleth that it is Levy who has caused Spurs not to win things: “Tottenham used to win trophies, used to win stuff. It’s him. He’s the one, they’ve got to get him out.”

The point is: everyone outside the elite used to win more stuff. We live in an age of stratification. The total number of teams sharing domestic cups has fallen by 40% in the Enic/Spurs era. Thirty-one of the past 33 domestic cups have been won by the same five teams. It has just become harder to do this, a consequence of profound structural forces, the hoarding of talent at the very top. And it’s definitely not Daniel Levy making this happen.

The other person not telling the full story is Antonio Conte, whose famous rant after the 3-3 draw with Southampton is often circulated at these moments. Conte was angry about his players: “This is the first time in my career to see a situation like this.” He also blamed the owners, presumably for not buying better players. At which point it is worth taking a look at the clubs where Conte was so much happier. Arezzo went bankrupt. Bari went bankrupt. Siena went bankrupt. Juventus were docked points for iffy financial dealings. Chelsea almost went out of business after being bankrolled by a Kremlin-connected oligarch. Internazionale have been a basket case on and off for years.

Conte isn’t responsible for these issues. But the fact is every club he has managed has fallen apart at some stage. The one exception is Spurs, where something Conte has never seen before happened and made him really angry. And yes he was right about needing better players. But he also gets to watch the crash in his rear-view mirror.

Levy has been far from perfect with the on-field stuff. Bad choices have been made. Fans are frustrated at how low the wage bill is. Plus there is Levy’s own private financial miracle, the half a billion or so he stands to make when this entity he has personally transformed from debt-ridden husk to fully extended show home is finally sold. This angers people, even if it is reward for work well done. Even more maddening, the fury is in itself part of the business plan. Displays of anguish say: look at how much people care about our product.

It is also a transformation that asks the basic question of what success is supposed to look like now. Do we want precarious, manic success, the high that brings the low? Or a sustained, carefully medicated sobriety? This is Levy’s response to that existential question, a brilliantly constructed self-fuelling entertainment vehicle.

In the meantime Levy has Postecoglou where he wants him. Win a trophy. Or don’t and we start the cycle again. How many more of these patsies does he need? When will that sale finally come? When it does the new owners will take on a state-of-the-art entity ready to enter its latest cycle, Tottenham 3.0.

Odd as it might sound now, get the right ones in and Levy really could find himself cast in bronze outside the ground he built, architect of a very modern kind of super-club.

The Guardian

Ange Postecoglou bemoans discord at Spurs amid anti-Levy chants

Submitted by daniel on Fri, 31/01/2025 - 22:32

Ange Postecoglou has said the last thing he wanted at Tottenham was a lack of harmony as he addressed the anti-Daniel Levy chants from a section of the fanbase and battled to turn around the club’s Premier League fortunes.

Spurs go to Brentford on Sunday having taken five points from their past 11 matches, a run that has dropped them to 15th and led some supporters to call for the departure of Levy, the chairman of 24 years’ standing.

Postecoglou is not in the business of telling fans what they should say or do. Perhaps the manager has been burned by what happened at the end of last season when he took issue with how many of them wanted Spurs to lose against Manchester City rather than win and help Arsenal towards the title.

However, as Postecoglou again admitted, he had failed to bring unity to Spurs given the continuing enmity towards Levy and it is clear he would prefer not to have such a sideshow. Much better would be the type of support his young team heard on Thursday night in the home win over Elfsborg in the Europa League, although there were still choruses of “Levy out”.

“I’ve always felt when you are trying to build something successful, you need to be united,” Postecoglou said. “I have probably failed in trying to unify the club. Part of that is just because of the form we are in in the league, which allows people’s minds to go away from the here and now.

“I thought the crowd were good [against Elfsborg]. They understood we had a young squad out there and they got genuinely excited towards the end of the game seeing the young boys. That’s what we’re trying to tap into because we’re going to need the support in this last phase of the season to hopefully create something special.

“I have often said I can’t sit here and dictate to people what they should or shouldn’t do. My role is to try and create an environment where we are unified and we have to be unified. Particularly when you go through tough times, the last thing you want is splintering in our mindset and focus.”

Postecoglou was asked whether he felt unity at the club was impossible given the dynamics between Levy and some fans, or if he was hopeful of it still becoming a reality. “It’s not that it can’t happen, it just makes it more difficult,” the manager said. “It’s not an unusual situation for me – I’ve faced it before at other clubs. Usually when you get things right on the field that gets everyone aligned again. All I can do is my utmost to get the team back on track in the league and give our supporters the priority of just enjoying our football team.”

What Postecoglou wants from Levy before the closure of the transfer window on Monday night is a signing or two. He has been calling for action in the market for weeks and it was no different on Friday. Postecoglou needs a player for the front line and the club have indicated a readiness to pay €60m (£50m) for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel. The forward, though, has other offers and is not inclined to join Spurs.

Postecoglou also said the club may have to look for a new centre-half given the uncertainty over Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin. Romero has been out since early December with a thigh injury and Postecoglou said the situation was “tricky,” with no comeback date for the Argentina international. “It’s just a slower healer with him and it is one we are looking at on a week-to-week basis,” he said. Dragusin went off with a knee problem against Elfsborg and while there is no clarity on its severity, the concern is obvious.

The Australian will be without nine injured players at Brentford but he reported that six of them – Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert and Timo Werner – should return to training in the week leading up to the visit of Manchester United on 16 February. Dominic Solanke is expected to be out until late February.

Postecoglou talked about the United game as being “a point for us to relaunch our campaign”. As things stand, none of the injured players are likely to be available for Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Liverpool or for the FA Cup fourth round tie at Aston Villa three days later. He hoped the situation was about to improve but added: “Every time I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel it’s usually been an oncoming train. We seem to be losing players as we get them back.”

The Guardian

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