Hotspur HQ

Tottenham Hotspur were linked closely to Bournemouth breakout star Eli Junior Kroupi during the summer 2026 transfer window, but they quickly realized that a deal for the young phenom at striker would be impossible. Not only were Bournemouth adamant about not selling at any price with figures well over 100 million pounds rumored as clubs as big as PSG showed the most interest, but the player himself suffered a significant injury essentially negating a transfer.

Kroupi is back on the pitch for the Cherries, and he received his first real look of action in his second appearance off the bench vs. Leeds United. He played a key role in the win, assisting off the bench and looking like a real stud in just 22 minutes of action with three dribbles completed and two key passes in a dominant all around performance at the striker position.

Just 20 years old, Kroupi scored 13 goals in 1,684 Premier League minutes in his first season in the English top flight, and his record of double digit Premier League goals as a teenager puts him in elite company. Because every other player that reached that mark as a teenager - from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney to Michael Owen and Romelu Lukaku - ended up being a world class striker.

Eli Junior Kroupi is Tottenham's best bet

So the French international is a slam dunk transfer target already for Tottenham Hotspur, and after striking out on any center forward option besides Omar Marmoush, who does not look like a true goal scoring striker at this point, Spurs are back to the drawing board. Richarlison has been cast out of the squad, and Dominic Solanke looks as much of a solution for Tottenham as Randal Kolo Muani was last season - which is to say he is not the answer for Spurs in the slightest.

Eli Junior Kroupi brings the goals Solanke does not, the upside he does not, and is more well rounded than the former Bournemouth No. 9 seemingly falsely advertised as one of the best all around strikers in English football.

Tottenham are crushing it in terms of suffocating the opposition, controlling games in midfield, and creating chances. They just cannot score. With the winter transfer window on the horizon, Tottenham's need for a striker could not be more magnified ,and Junior Kroupi could not be a more obvious option for his current quality, future potential, all around ability, and quality in front of goal.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was the second biggest story of the relegation battle last season after manager Roberto De Zerbi, as the Italian manager put his faith in the player following the injury to Guglielmo Vicario and never looked back. After Kinsky's nightmare of a night against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, it looked like he might never play another minute for Spurs, but Vic's injury and the superior man management of De Zerbi helped give Kinsky another chance.

He ended up getting plaudits from all corners, including pundits as mainstream as Jamie Carragher, as he turned into Tottenham's relegation hero and arguably the best player of the final month of the season - and the Premier League's best goalkeeper during that crucial time span, in contrast to Vicario being statistically the worst.

Vicario is now off to Juventus where he has been a mixed bag even in his new environment, while Kinsky has been less the hero and more anonymous. But as a goalkeeper or really any defensive player, being invisible is a form of flattery.

Antonin Kinsky doesn't lose Tottenham games

Last season at around this time after the brief Frank Honeymoon period had worn out, Vicario's name was endlessly on the lips of the Tottenham Hotspur faithful for a myriad of clumsy errors with his hands and his feet.

While Antonin Kinsky did have a couple of hiccups on the ball against Chelsea, he also accomplished the rare feat of a clean sheet victory at Stamford Bridge and bailed out Spurs with a couple of wonderful saves against the Chelsea forwards. And while he faced almost no shots against Crystal Palace, he racked up a second straight 2-0 victory to the Spurs cause.

Kinsky not being the center of attention or any sort of focus at all as a goalkeeper is definitely a breath of fresh air for Tottenham. There's been more discussion around the attackers and the outfield players than around the goalkeeper, because there's not much of a concern. Not a single game has gone by that Spurs have felt that Kinsky cost them a game or made mistakes that led to a loss or dropped points.

That's a level of security that Tottenham can't take for granted. Antonin Kinsky has not been as lights out as he was during the relegation battle, but everyone knew that he could not sustain that level of performance every week, of course. But what he has done is proven that he is still the right option in goal and someone who can keep Spurs in the lead, like against Chelsea, and avoid making the mistakes that burn them to a loss, which was the case with Guglielmo Vicario in goal throughout the 2025/26 season.

Tottenham Hotspur turned Crystal Palace into mince meat on Saturday afternoon in front of the home faithful, dominating a one winged Eagle 2-0 to make it three straight wins for a Spurs side that had previously been doomed to a winless start and probably the worst luck of any club in European football.

But Spurs are slowly getting healthier, dealing with far less xG madness, and clicking to an even greater extent with their new and old faces meshing wonderfully into the tactical vision that is Roberto De Zerbi's possession football.

Dejan Kulusevski did not start, of course, for Tottenham, but he was quietly another positive for the Lilywhites, providing another moment of zen with a cut inside and a nifty shot into the top corner that worked Dean Henderson into a save.

Dejan Kulusevski is still working his way back

It was but a moment and Kulu did not have much more than 15 total minutes of action against Crystal Palace, but it was a moment that showed Kulu is still carrying a threat off the bench and making an impact for Tottenham Hotspur.

After a devastating injury to his knee cartilage that nearly cost him his career and led many, including the man himself, to wonder if he would ever be the same again, watching the Swedish international cut inside and carve himself a shot on target from pretty much nothing was a sight worth praising and even cherishing from a Tottenham perspective.

But there is no reason yet to think Dejan Kulusevski can be pushed into more action than that. With Luca Williams-Barnett coming off the bench and dazzling with his own rendition of Ankara Messi on the hapless Crystal Palace defense, Spurs have another impact player to spell James Maddison, Omar Marmoush, or whoever the No. 10 is against Leeds United.

And Kulu himself is not yet fully back to his old self and probably not yet 75 percent of it either. He is having great moments in spurts but is not yet fully in his element, skating by defenders, or putting in the sort of shots and passes with the oomph that would make everyone drop the game plan.

So the plan is the same. Keep bringing in Kulu every game for 10-20 minutes, let him cook, let him have those moments where he helps Tottenham put the game away or do something dangerous, and see how he progresses before gradually adding more.

Luca Williams-Barnett did play in the League Cup this season for Tottenham Hotspur, but up until Matchday 9 this weekend, the youth star had not logged a single Premier League minute for the Lilywhites. And officially, he only got two minutes for Spurs as his cup of coffee against rivals Crystal Palace in relief of a stellar Mathys Tel, but he only needed a handful of minutes on the pitch to make a serious impact for his team.

LWB had a couple of dangerous moments on the ball, none better than a scamper on the left side into the area that led to a deadly low cross for right winger Mohammed Kudus. And after assisting with a brilliant corner to Archie Gray in the first stanza of the match, the Ghanaian star could not find the same technical quality, flubbing an open net in the six yard box so badly that he might as well have been trying to clear it off the line to help save Brennan Johnson's former club further humiliation.

But the dribble itself from Williams-Barnett was a sight to behold. It was as if the innate stardom of the young man himself had taken over, and the ball was tethered to his feet as it was throughout the preseason. Roberto De Zerbi has always acknowledged the player's quality but held off on this moment until now.

Luca Williams-Barnett is ready for more

As with Mateus Fernandes, if De Zerbi had doubts about how ready Luca Williams-Barnett is to get minutes for Tottenham Hotspur, the 18 year old sensation made it clear in that moment, which was the best play of the entire game - and a game that Tottenham Hotspur completely dominated, of course - that he is ready to offer the Lilywhites an entirely different element immediately.

Tottenham will be getting James Maddison back from injury soon, and Dejan Kulusevski is already a factor off the bench. So LWB isn't as needed as he was, say, a month ago, when Tottenham could not buy themselves a Premier League victory.

But even if he is not needed, Wililams-Barnett is too talented to deny. He is special. And on a week when Tottenham were reminded of the power of their club and homegrown talent in the academy by Harry Kane winning the Ballon d'Or, Roberto De Zerbi has one more reason to take notice of Williams-Barnett's quality and give him another, more prolonged chance at destroying some poor Premier League defense.

Tottenham Hotspur completely blew Crystal Palace apart, and even if they had to go up against all 11 Eagles, they would have still come away professional victors for a third straight game in the Premier League. But for all of their dominance and with more than half of their starting 11 registering at least three key passes in the victory, Spurs only scored two goals off headers from defenders.

Dominic Solanke put together another disaster class at striker, and he was literally the only player in the Tottenham starting lineup to not have a great game. At the same time that Solanke struggled badly up top, the player Spurs sold this summer to Middlesborough went off and had another blinder with two goals in a 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic.

Yes, it's the EFL Championship, but in any league and any type of competition, what Lankshear is doing is incredibly impressive, and he could easily nail those kinds of finishes in any league. Look, Mohammed Kudus is in the Premier League, and he messed up an open net chance from Luca Williams-Barnett so badly that it looked like he was trying to do some defending for Crystal Palace out of pure pity.

Will Lankshear can't stop scoring

The point remains that Lankshear isn't just on fire. This might honestly be his level, because it has been months since his torrid start to life at Boro and he is still scoring goals like he's the second coming of Harry Kane or something (too soon, too soon, alas).

Will Lankshear now has back to back braces in the Championship and has scored in each of the last five games. So yes, that is now seven goals in five games and an insane 13 goals in 13 games this season. He is literally scoring in every game and has outscored Tottenham Hotspur as a team.

So while Tottenham were amazing again vs. Crystal Palace and dominated in every phase with the back four, midfielders, and wingers totally suffocating the opposition, the lack of goals remains disappointing. And it feels like Tottenham are only a striker away from being the literal best team in a Premier League where only Manchester City and Arsenal are showing up out of the Big Six.

Well, now Tottenham are showing up, too, but everyone can only wonder just how much better they would be if they kept Lankshear instead of selling him, just to start Dominic Solanke up top. Solanke won't be starting much longer, but as Lankshear continues to score, everyone can't help but wonder if they let the next big thing slip out of their fingers.

Tottenham Hotspur played another exceptional game on Saturday at home, making it three wins on the trot by professionally shutting down a 10 man Crystal Palace to win 2-0. And just about everyone on the pitch had a great game, including the attacking players and some players off the bench like young gun Luca Williams-Barnett.

Well, literally everyone had a good game except the starting striker Dominic Solanke. Taken off at the 65th minute mark for midfielder Conor Gallagher, Solanke was the only player in a midfield or attacking role for Tottenham that did not create anything. And literally the entire back four showed more scoring and creative threat than Solanke, who had one key pass, one shot on target on four attempts, one foul drawn, no dribbles completed, six of eight passes completed, and a handful of unforced errors to lose possession.

Dominic Solanke is the weak link

It was another classic Solanke display in a Tottenham kit in the most frustrating sense of the word. On a day when Tottenham were dominating nearly 80 percent of the possession and could not stop creating chances, Solanke offered nothing. He was not where he needed to be, he could not finish, and it was as if he was allergic to scoring goals or even being in the right place for a chance from one of the other attacking players.

And when it comes to creating chances for others or showing skill on the ball, the 65 million pound transfer bust from Bournemouth has been nothing short of false advertising as an all around striker. Roberto De Zerbi gave him the start as the No. 9 with Omar Marmoush replacing an injured James Maddison in the lineup as the No. 10, and, yet again, Solanke failed to build on any of the goodwill from the manager presented to him.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have known that this team badly needs a No. 9 and is honestly just a competent 9 away from being a Premier League title contender. And by literally being the one negative player on the pitch for Tottenham and failing to add to the goals that the right back and center back scored with their heads in a 2-0 win against a 10 man team that was one of the worst in the Premier League even with 11 men, Solanke only proved without a shadow of a doubt that it is true, he is the biggest weak link in this entire squad.

With their 2-0 win over rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon at home, Tottenham Hotspur are now winners of three straight and 8th overall in the Premier League. Next weekend, they will face a better team than Palace but still one they should be beating in Leeds United on Saturday, as the Peacocks sit in 11th, coming off a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth that has sent them crashing out of their hot start.

As Tottenham make their preparations for next weekend's Premier League encounter, here is a look at the starting 11 manager Roberto De Zerbi could roll with as Spurs look to strengthen their case for being a sleeper title contender.

Defense: GK Antonin Kinsky - LB Andy Robertson - CB Micky van de Ven - CB Jan Paul van Hecke - RB Archie Gray

Pedro Porro is probably ready to start after playing 45 minutes against Crystal Palace, but given the fitness issues he's had since the grueling World Cup, the cautious approach works best here. And Gray can get some "revenge" against Leeds and keep this form up, and he honestly fits better against a team that Spurs will have a lot possession against.

The rest of the back four is also unchanged from the Palace win. Destiny Udogie only got a few minutes against Palace anyway, and Andy Robertson should be able to toast Leeds as he did the Eagles, given he is going up against another team that won't have attacking players to threaten his lack of pace. Tottenham could rest one of the star center backs, but they also shouldn't take Leeds for granted either.

Midfield: DM Mateus Fernandes - DM Sandro Tonali - AM James Maddison

At some point, Tottenham Hotspur will have to learn to win without the general Sandro Tonali, but that will have to wait another day, especially with Gray slated to start at right back. James Maddison could also get rest after not getting minutes in his presumed return against Palace with the game already won, but Leeds have a great defense and Anton Stach at the 6, thus Madders's quality in the final third will be necessary. Plus, Spurs won't want to start Dominic Solanke again.

Forwards: LW Mathys Tel- ST Omar Marmoush - RW Mohammed Kudus

Until Savio is back, this is clearly Tottenham's best front three. Omar Marmoush replaces Big Dom at striker after the latter was horrendous against Palace - the only player on Spurs not to play well. Mohammed Kudus is dazzling in one on ones, while Mathys Tel has been even better on the left and will be itching to score against Leeds again, just as he did last season.

Archie Gray has mostly been starting as a right back this season, and while he did make one start against Coventry a couple of weeks ago in his preferred midfield position for Tottenham Hotspur in what was their first win of the season, he has been back on the right side of the defense since then.

But Gray continues to be an asset as the default backup right back for Pedro Porro, who entered the match for the second half after being determined not fully fit to start. As Porro played well for the last 45 minutes and looked sharp, it appears he will be ready to start next weekend against Leeds United in the Premier League, which means no more Gray at right back, for now.

Gray has been getting better and better in a position that is not his own, and he had another great 45 minutes against Crystal Palace in Spurs third win in a row. By Roberto De Zerbi's own admission, Gray was only taken out because he was on a yellow card - and also presumably to give Porro more action as he works his way back to starting after yet another injury setback since his incredible World Cup.

Archie Gray has a lot to offer in midfield

The young England international scored a headed goal to open things up against Palace, finding himself unmarked beyond the six yard box before finishing a sharp Mohammed Kudus cross into the far post. And he completed almost 98 percent of his passes, attempting a whopping 47 passes from the right back position in just 45 minutes of action.

Archie Gray has shown great quality of passing and instincts attacking wise in getting into the final third and even operating in central areas, making forays into the penalty area on and off the ball from right back without sacrificing literally anything defensively.

And Tottenham Hotspur are excited to see just how these new traits translate to the midfield position, which is truly his home. Roberto De Zerbi has built a new midfield base out of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, who were both exceptional again as a pair in Spurs latest clean sheet victory. But Gray is another mouth to feed that will be fed, and he is a long term star with a story to tell in the middle of the park. By scoring and passing it all around the pitch against Palace, Gray continues to tease a big breakout under De Zerbi in the middle of the park one day.

Tottenham Hotspur had no trouble dispatching a short handed rival, taking down Crystal Palace 2-0 at home for their third straight win of the 2026/27 Premier League season. Here were the biggest stars and flops from yet another truly professional display from Roberto De Zerbi's men.

Star: CB Jan Paul van Hecke

A true Rolls Royce of a defender, Jan Paul van Hecke made Crystal Palace look like a second rate side with how he bossed them on and off the ball. And he score the game sealing goal, heading off his own rebound to ensure Tottenham would win.

Star: CB Micky van de Ven

Just as good as his Dutch counterpart in central defense, Micky van de Ven has become a true shutdown center back in the Premier League and is just about unstoppable one on one while being elite on the ball in his own right.

Star: DM Sandro Tonali

Sandro Tonali made everyone else around him better in an understated but equally world class midfield general display after his coming of age game last weekend in that 2-0 victory over rivals Chelsea.

Star: DM Mateus Fernandes

Arguably the best player on the pitch, Mateus Fernandes tied the team lead with four chances created and led the way with five tackles won. His cross to Van Hecke to produce the second goal of the game was a case of the young Portuguese international outdoing himself on a technical level. He is outstanding and, like Tonali, looks to be worth every penny.

Flop: ST Dominic Solanke

Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke is not worth every penny, and on a day where Tottenham Hotspur dominated possession and had more than a handful of players with at least three chances created, Solanke produced very little attacking quality both for himself or his teammates. He is Spurs great liability and a black hole of a No. 9.

Star: LW Mathys Tel

Mathys Tel tied Fernandes with four key passes and had the most dribbles completed of any player on the team with six. He also worked incredibly hard defensively. Tel is fully COYS through and through, and he is also a very effective left winger. Sure, he could be more clinical and more consistently, but he's still a better goal threat than the actual striker.

Star: LB Andy Robertson

Probably his best game yet, Andy Robetson will struggle against the most athletic attackers of the Premier League at his age, but his technical quality and overall nous have not escaped him. And he put both to great use, teasing accurate crosses all game long.

Star: RW Mohammed Kudus

Mohammed Kudus was impossible to stop one on one, and though he left his shooting boots at home, he brought his crossing boots with a great assist for Archie Gray on a corner to open the scoring. He is getting back to his best.

Tottenham Hotspur are now winners of three in a row, and they were absolutely lights out again this Saturday on Halloween against rivals Crystal Palace, ensuring there would be no spooky surprises for a suddenly upbeat fan base. Spurs were never in doubt, benefiting from an early red card from Palace's star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 13th minute, and they cruised to another 2-0 victory that was expectedly even more dominant than their 2-0 coup at Stamford Bridge last weekend.

Although Sandro Tonali did not put up the most gaudy statistics, everyone who watched Tottenham walk all over Crystal Palace this weekend could see that the Italian international was the grand architect of the win.

After coming of age as the midfield general in another grand performance as Tottenham pitched their historic clean sheet at Stamford Bridge last time out, Tonali proved he could take a backseat and let Mateus Fernandes sparkle, the center backs come up and playmake, and the attack hold most of the ball while he covered the spaces behind them.

Sandro Tonali puts the team first always

Tonali would join the attack and did help add more numbers, but he knew exactly how to place himself off the ball so that the biggest creative and scoring threats would be able to take up the best positions.

Defensively, that is where Sandro Tonali continues to shine the most, and this game against Crystal Palace was no exception. Palace held no threat to Spurs defensively, and a big part of that was the ball winning of the dual defensive midfield pivot of Mateus Fernandes and Tonali. The Italian international had one fewer tackle than Fernandes with four, but he had two interceptions to lead the team in combined interventions.

And, of course, Tonali kept Tottenham ticking over in possession with 93 percent of his 74 pass attempts completed. Tonali bossed the pitch just has he has been doing over the past month, and now that the fitness issues and transition period that marred his difficult start are over, we are getting to see the best of the 2021/22 Serie A champion in Lilywhite colors.

What really separates Tonali and what stood out the most against Palace was the unselfishness he has as a leader. Tonali works hard and puts his nose down for the team, and he is more interested in making the team tick and his teammates better than pursue his own stats. In this day and age of people who are posers and care more about social media, clout, and fame in a world where stats and highlights rule, Tonali cares more about winning, the game, his teammates, and honor. Everyone ate against Palace, and Tonali was a huge reason why they all looked so good around him.