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Tottenham Hotspur entertained their rivals from East London in an exciting match in N17. Having spectacularly thrown away a two goal lead to lost to Brighton before the international break, Ange Postecoglou had plenty of time to stew on that result and will have wanted his players to atone for their collapse on the South Coast.

Thankfully for him, and the home crowd in Tottenham, his players rose to the task eventually.

With West Ham taking an unexpected early lead, Spurs supporters will have feared the worst. The North London contingent often feel that West Ham raise their game in this fixture, teasing their visitors that this is their cup final.

This tends to happen only when those supporters feel continually frustrated by an inability to win a fixture against a perceived lesser side, and after Mohammed Kudus opened the scoring for the Irons it will have felt like destiny ordained another grim afternoon for those in white.

Thankfully, via a masterful performance from the majestic Dejan Kulusevski and an on-pitch meltdown which saw Kudus dismissed, the home side showed their quality to see their rivals off in style.

Here are four things we learnt from the much needed victory.

Strength in depth

It may not have been apparent in the defeat to Brighton, with Postecoglou seemingly resistant to making changes, but this match showcased how strong Spurs' squad has become. The home side went into half time having levelled through the excellent Dejan Kulusevski, but frustrated with a ponderous 45 minutes.

Postecoglou correctly identified that for all the attacking talent on show, Spurs weren't competing in the middle and therefore were not making the most of the talent in the side, so replaced James Maddison with Pape Matar Sarr.

On the face of it this was a cautious change, but in fact Sarr changed the game with his energy, proactivity and quick thinking, deservedly creating the final goal of the day for captain Son Heung Min.

If that wasn't enough, with his side in control the Australian manager had the luxury of replacing Yves Bissouma with Rodrigo Bentancur, Dominic Solanke with Richarlison and Son with Timo Werner.

There is still work to do on this squad, but the majority of sides in this league would look on in awe at the North Londoners bench.

Destiny Udogie's mental fortitude

The Italian left back will not be pleased with himself after showing Jarred Bowen the fastest route to creating the visitor's opener. He had positioned himself poorly and his effort to make amends was clumsy at best. Often a young player can crumble on the back of such an error

Udogie, however, continued to run his line and push forward at every opportunity, and got his reward in the second half to put Spurs ahead.

Having previously been blocked on the overlap every time, he learned from his experience and, having been slide behind by Son, used his body to shield the ball from his marker and turned away from goal. The space he had created allowed him to play a weighted pass back to Bissouma, who stroked home the match winner gratefully. Spurs never looked back, neither did Udogie.

Bissouma rising to the challenge

Bissouma hasn't had the easiest start to the season. Suspended internally after off the pitch antics and a loss of his place in the side to Bentancur meant this was only the third time Bissouma found himself in the first eleven in this season's Premier League. His manager has spoken publicly of needed the Mali international to earn trust back and show that he can be disciplined.

Postecoglou will therefore be pleased with what he saw from Bissouma's first start since September 1st, with the talented midfielder putting in the yards for his entire time on the pitch to protect his defence and support the attack.

He took his goal calmly, and he sensed danger far better than he has done previously. Postecoglou will more than likely want to see more evidence, but having scored his second goal of the season and complemented his undoubted style with some substance, he has set the bar for what he needs to produce regularly if he is to keep his place in the side.

Beginning to come together

Ahead of the match there was a lot of questions around which Spurs side we would get. This was probably unfair as Spurs have pretty much produced the same performance all season so far besides one half against Brighton and the home defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal.

The results have been inconsistent mainly due to defensive errors, but the overall performances have been on the front foot, imaginative and proactive with the ball.

When it all clicks, Spurs win heavily. Manchester United, Brentford, Everton and now West Ham have all been dominated and defeated in the same manner, and with the injury list having eased up Postecoglou will hope for this to become the normal course of events.

That is not to say that there won't be further mishaps - this is a young side and Postecoglou will be the first to say his side is a work in progress.

Tottenham Hotspur came out superior of the London derby as Heung-Min Son sealed the win against a lacklustre unchanged Hammers side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

West Ham scored first through a right footed strike by Mohammed Kudus, leaving them in pole position as they had not dropped points from a winning position yet this season. That would soon come to an end as a thrilling second half saw Tottenham control the game taking all three points.

The majority of the game was controlled by Spurs, with spells where West Ham looked dangerous in the first half. Although, the second half was one way traffic with the game looking like there was only one likely winner.

The travelling side had a couple of missed chances which should have been taken, such as when Kudus has one cleared off the line by Destiny Udogie, with it eventually travelling out for a corner.

It was an unforgettable London derby for the home side, leaving them currently in 6th.

On the other hand, it will be an afternoon for the visitors to forget leaving them in a disappointing 13th place.

Story of the Match

Within the first 15 minutes, the game appeared to be Spurs' with many chanced created, such as Son's right-footed attempt whistling wide leaving Alphonse Areola worried.

Against the run of play, Mohammed Kudus gave West Ham the early advantage after just 18 minutes as the English winger Jarrod Bowen cleverly weaved past Italian full back Destiny Udogie and drilled one across the face of goal to the Ghanaian attacker, who turned the ball past Guglielmo Vicario with a tidy finish on his right foot and scoring his 16th goal for West Ham.

Tottenham then got a grasp of the game with a chance from red hot Brennan Johnson was flicked just wide of the post from an intelligent cross by Udogie as The Lilywhites began to search for an equaliser.

After some superb saves from Areola, Spurs had their breakthrough through Dejan Kulusevski in the 36th minute.

West Ham were caught on the break with James Maddison carrying the ball from Tottenham's half before slipping through Kulusevski, who sharply cut inside and smashed the ball towards the near post with the Frenchman in goal getting a hand on it, but it was not enough as the ball bounced of both posts before finding the back of the net.

Spurs were now in full flow as shortly before half time Kulusevski beautifully flicked the ball through to the 21-Year old Udogie as he cut the ball back to the Spaniard Pedro Porro with an outrageous Di Canio-esque effort which was rifled just over the bar. The two sides entered half time all-square with all to play for.

There was some concern among the Spurs fan base as Senegalese midfielder Pape Matar Sarr was brought on for James Maddison.

It only took Spurs 7 minutes within the second half to get their second of the afternoon as Son slid the ball through to Udogie with the outside of his boot. The Italian then held the ball up shielding the defenders before playing a pinpoint perfect pass to Yves Bissouma, who calmly passed it into the net, with poor defending from the West Ham players point of view.

Only 3 minutes later, Tottenham stole the ball yet again with Son using the outside of his boot to play the ball to the Swedish star-man who then played it back to the Korean, who placed a rather poor shot at Areola who spilled it to Jean Claire Todibo, who poked it back into the goalkeeper in which it eventually found its way into the Hammers net. A rather unfortunate moment for the French defensive duo.

From this point onwards it was Tottenham's game with the Lilywhite's running riot in North London.

The super sub Sarr then nicked the ball from the West Ham midfield leaving Tottenham with a very exciting chance as the 22-year-old midfielder played an exceptional defence-cutting pass to the world class winger in Son, who used some tricky play with step overs to fool the £33m Todibo. As he shifted it onto his left and thundered it past the ex-Real Madrid star in goal, who had a frustrating afternoon.

It was nearly a 5-star performance from Tottenham as Dominic Solanke played through a pass, which was intercepted by the Hammers defence, but eventually fell to Son who wrapped the ball with his right foot leaving Areola dismayed as it hit the inside of the post - an inch away from finding the back of the net.

In the 81st minute the Brazilian number 9, Richarlison made just his third appearance of the season after an injury-riddled start, coming on for recent signing Solanke.

Tension had boiled over as in the 82nd minute the Ghanaian goal-scorer, Kudus tripped Tottenham star Micky Van de Ven and then kicked him whilst he was on the ground, leaving the Dutch defender furious, and pushing Kudus.

He retaliated by hitting Van de Ven and Pape Sarr. He was cautioned before VAR intervened and made it a straight red capping off a disappointing afternoon for his side.

Player of the Match - Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham vs West Ham will be available on Fox Sports App and Amazon Prime Video live streams.

If you want to follow the result of the match live on the internet, VAVEL is your best option.

Construction of the stadium began as part of the Northumberland Development Project, intended to be the catalyst for a 20-year regeneration plan for Tottenham. The project covers the site of the already demolished White Hart Lane and adjacent areas. It was conceived in 2007 and announced in 2008, but has undergone revisions several times and construction of the stadium, beset by disputes and delays, only began in 2015. The stadium opened on April 3, 2019 with a ceremony before the first Premier League match held there.

The name “Tottenham Hotspur Stadium” was temporary, as it was intended to sell the naming rights to a sponsor, but the name has yet to be changed. Fans and some media sometimes refer to the stadium as New White Hart Lane.

Ange Postecoglou has reaffirmed his desire for Tottenham to stay true to their style of play ahead of Saturday's encounter with West Ham.

Spurs are looking for a positive response after falling to a 3-2 defeat against Brighton before the international break.

"You can't just dismiss what happened in the first half because of what happened in the second half. It would be different if it was a really poor performance all-round.

"The question is why we were so good in the first half and so poor in the second half. And the second was more around [that] we just didn't look anything like ourselves.

"We were really passive, with and without the ball. We lacked conviction and courage in anything we did. It's almost like we felt like we'd had enough and I hadn't seen that before in us."

Though with nearly a fortnight to mull over it, Postecoglou asserted it could be a valuable learning curve for his side.

"It's a good lesson for the whole group. You have to make sure that, irrespective of how a game is going, you stick to the core principles of your football. It's a timely reminder for us that when you don't [finish a game off] it's very easy for momentum to shift."

Team news

Besides Wilson Odobert's lengthy absence, there are limited injury worries for Postecoglou. Heung-min Son in back after missing the last two games. Richarlison, who has not featured since the victory over Everton in August, is also back in contention.

"Sonny is good ... he's had a solid week and looking to get back out there.

"We’ve taken our time with Richy and we have taken time to build his fitness base up. He has worked hard, trimmed down and looks lean now. He's good to go now."

There was slight concern for Lucas Bergvall, who had to sit out Sweden's Nations League after picking up an injury during the international break, but Postecoglou brushed aside the issue.

"Lucas Bergvall picked up a knock but trained this morning and there are no problems."

Postecoglou also gave the green light for Cristian Romero, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma, who all undertook long journeys to represent Argentina, Senegal and Mali respectively.

"They are all good and reported well. We've got the early kick-off, so that's a quick turnaround but we trained this morning and they were all fine."

Facing West Ham

Postecoglou's record against West Ham has not been far from smooth since he landed in north London, having lost 2-1 at home and drawn 1-1 away last season despite taking early leads.

"I was made very aware of it last year. I know what it means. An important game. Last year we played really well but didn’t win at home. Tale of that part of our season a little bit. Challenging game.

"They have some fantastic players in the team and a new manager. They are doing things a little bit differently. We saw last game what a threat they can be going forward. A good challenge for us.

"But the emphasis has to be on us reproducing the form we’ve shown in recent times and more importantly sticking to principles of our game."

As the Irons begin a transition from David Moyes' more counter-attacking style to Julen Lopetegui's desire to control possession, Postecoglou was asked whether taking on this new look West Ham would be better for Tottenham.

"It is a different approach but most of the personnel is still there from when you look at last year and the line ups they’ve had the last two or three weeks."

"There isn’t a style that suits us or doesn’t suit us. When we play well we can play well against most systems and styles as we’ve shown. And if we don’t stick to our principles we can struggle against anybody. More important for us is how we approach things."

Djed Spence's new contract

It was announced on Wednesday that full-back Djed Spence signed a contract extension until 2028.

The 24-year-old has had a tricky journey to the first-team since joining from Middlesbrough two years ago, being loaned out to Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa along the way.

This season, however, Spence has become more of a fixture in Postecoglou's plans, making four appearances so far - only two games shy of his first two seasons combined.

"I said a couple of days ago and consistently say, most of a players future is in their own hands. They're as much in control as anyone else. I think sometimes footballers forget that.

"With Djed, it could have been easy for to go out on loan again. But when he came into pre-season, he was determined to make a career for himself here at Tottenham rather than wait to be loaned out.

"He did everything right in training, his attitude was great. He's a good footballer, I think the way we play suits him and he's knuckled down to that. And he's earned himself a spot on the roster in our squad. The rest is up to him again."

Thomas Tuchel and international management

Having led his own nation of Australia for five years, Postecoglou knows more than most about the trials and tribulations of international football.

With the news of Thomas Tuchel being appointed England manager, he was asked whether there is more scrutiny given to those in national team roles.

"I get there is a lot more scrutiny in the England national team's manager role absolutely, probably more than any other role in the football universe I'd say. It's funny how there is this clamour for an English manager but I'm not sure you guys have treated English managers really kindly in the past.

"It's not like they get extra support by being English and managing their national team just looking at the history and again I'm looking at it from afar.

"Whenever an Englishman does take this role, and I certainly felt it as manager of Australia, there is a greater weight on your shoulders because it is your nation and you're always going to live there. It's not like sometimes with the foreigners that they can do the job and it's not going great they can go back and live where they live and they don't have to deal with it on a day-to-day basis.

"There is a greater weight of responsibility when it is your own national team and I really believe that, in particular the England national team.

"It is something that the people who make these appointments are wary of, it's not just about coaching and it's how you deal with all these other things that are attached to the England national team job. Sometimes the foreign coaches don't have to deal with it as much as an English manager would.

Tuchel has won multiple trophies at club level, with Borussia Dortmund, PSG and Bayern Munich, as well as leading Chelsea to their most recent Champions League triumph.

"There is a real challenge there but like I said they've got an outstanding manager in Thomas and I think the key thing irrespective is that they have a fantastic generation of players coming through. I'd be excited if I was an England football supporter.

Postecoglou did not dismiss the prospect of one day returning to international management himself, though he recollected his pining for the regularity of being at a club.

"From my perspective I enjoyed international football, but I felt by the end of it I was really keen to get back into the day-to-day of club football.

"I wouldn’t coach the Australian national team again because I have kind of done that. It is a different role, there is greater responsibility, there is a whole nation’s expectations around the position and you feel that but [it is] hugely enjoyable as well."

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Maite Oroz is set to be unavailable for the next 'six to eight weeks' with a quad injury according to manager Robert Vilahamn.

Oroz, 26, missed Tottenham's 3-0 away defeat to Manchester United, and Vilahamn, 41, has now confirmed that the World Cup winner will miss the coming weeks.

"She was one of our big signings and I think she was one of the best players in the first few games," Vilahamn told VAVEL. "She has a quad injury; it's unexpected and it's not like there was any reasoning behind that. It was more of an accident in training."

This means that Oroz will be unavailable for at least Spurs' next five matches in all competitions – including the North London Derby against Arsenal – and she may miss the following four games before the winter break.

"We have good players who can replace her, but she is one of the most technical players, so we are going to miss her. But, a part of this game is to make sure we have a good squad and the players coming in can get the chance to show where they are," her manager later added.

"I will always try to see injuries not as a good thing, but as a good thing for the group because then other players can get the minutes to show where they are. [It's] unlucky because I really like Maite and what she's done."

During his pre-match press conference, Vilahamn also confirmed that Amanda Nilden and Ella Morris should be available for selection, but Hayley Raso will miss out with a 'soft-tissue injury'.

“Amanda [Nilden] is back in training so hopefully she can be playing on Sunday but will be checked on Saturday to make sure we have the right progress on her," Vilahamn stated.

“Hayley [Raso] is still out this weekend; she’s on the field but not really back yet. Ella [Morris] is back in full action so, if everything goes well, will be ready for Sunday but Shuang [Wuang] and Amy [James-Turner] are not ready yet – that’s where we are right now.”

Jessica Naz "can probably start for the Lionesses"

Jessica Naz kept her place in England's squad for their upcoming friendlies against Germany and South Africa. The winger, 24, made her debut for the Lionesses against Ireland in July.

Despite fierce competition, Naz is strongly admired by England manager Sarina Wiegman. Vilahamn has spoken with the Dutchwoman about Naz's form this season, and the Swede believes she can go up another level comfortably after an impressive journey.

"Her journey with me – and how she has worked – it has been great to see her come from in-and-out [of the team], injured and not playing too much to taking a starting position and being a really good threat, handling out of possession, how we press and creating chances," he stated to VAVEL.

Despite the call-up, her club manager also believes she has not been 'great' this season, epitomising Spurs' attacking struggles in their opening four WSL matches.

"I think if you look at the first few games this season, she has been good but she has not been great. She still needs to be consistent [when] finishing one-on-one, scoring goals and doing assists, so there is still stuff to improve," he added.

"She is still very good in games and I am really pleased with what she has done, but I also know that the potential in her is so much higher. When she can become more consistent, create more chances, and score more goals, she can probably start for the Lionesses.

"When I speak to Sarina [Wiegman], they see the same stuff we see. More to come, she can be even better, but already she is a top player in this league."

Brennan Johnson – Wales

Johnson spectacularly made it seven goals in as many games against Iceland, tapping home the opener in a game that ended 2-2.

Brennan left the fray at half time, however, when Wales boasted a 2-0 lead. Johnson’s manager, Craig Bellamy, confirmed that the substitution was merely a “precaution.” (Dafydd Pritchard)

Tottenham’s in-form man missed Wales’ second game of the international break through suspension after the forward picked up a booking against Iceland.

Dejan Kulusevski – Sweden

Kulusevski’s rich vein of form for Tottenham has bled into his outings for Sweden, impressing in both of his 90-minute outings for the national side.

Sweden threw away a two-goal lead against Slovakia, walking away with just a point, although Kulusevski was the star of the show, recording two big chances, three successful take-ons and seven shots – all stats which the newly transformed midfielder led the game in. (Stats Muse)

Sweden comfortably brushed aside Estonia in their second international game with Kulusevski unselfishly sliding the ball across goal for Viktor Gyokeres to cap off a successful night in Tallinn.

Yves Bissouma – Mali

Bissouma intriguingly donned the number ten shirt for Mali in their 1-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau and led the line alongside Stuttgart’s El Bilal Toure.

Whilst Bissouma’s first game for Mali against Guniea-Bissau was an impressive outing, the return fixture was less enthralling with the 28-year-old midfielder playing 88 minutes in Mali’s 0-0 draw.

Ben Davies – Wales

Davies partnered former Tottenham teammate, Joe Rodon, in the heart of defence in Wales’ draw against Iceland.

The 31-year-old was moved to left-back in Wales’ second game of the international break, captaining Cymru to a 1-0 win over Montenegro.

Cristian Romero – Argentina

Argentina were forced to make do without Romero in defence for their opening game of the international break against Venezuela, disappointingly drawing 1-1.

However, Spurs’ vice-captain slotted straight back into Scaloni’s side for their 6-0 thumping against Bolivia.

Pape Matar Sarr – Senegal

Senegal faced Malawi twice in the international break, comfortably beating them 4-0 at home whilst Sarr warmed the bench.

Sarr took up a starting role in the return fixture, however, shining in a tight 1-0 victory that was won by Sadio Mane’s 96th minute strike.

Radu Dragusin – Romania

Dragusin had the joy of nodding home his first goal for Romania in a 3-0 win over Cyprus during the opening game of the international break.

Romania won their next game 2-1 against Lithuania, capping off a successful international break for Dragusin and his nation.

Guglielmo Vicario – Italy

Vicario’s performances for Tottenham have earned him a regular spot in Italy’s national squad. The 27-year-old only made his competitive debut for the Azzurri in their final game of the international break, making a single stop in a 4-1 victory for Italy over Israel.

There will be continued concerns, however, over Vicario’s set-piece ability after Tottenham’s number one was beaten yet again from a corner situation, allowing Israel to find the back of the net.

Micky Van De Ven – Netherlands

Despite only picking up a single point in the international break, it can be deemed a positive period with the Netherlands for Van De Ven who appears to be securing more of a regular spot in Ronald Koeman’s side.

The former Wolfsburg defender was deployed as a left-back in the draw to Hungary before returning to his more natural central defensive role against Germany due to Virgil Van Dijk picking up a red card.

Destiny Udogie – Italy

Udogie, who had an afternoon to forget against Brighton, was handed two more Italy caps this international break, featuring for 20 minutes against Belgium and 16 minutes against Israel.

The 21-year-old shared the pitch with Spurs teammate, Vicario, against Israel and recorded an assist for Azzurri’s fourth of the night.

Dominic Solanke – England

Tottenham’s number nine admitted that he was “over the moon” to be handed his second England cap against Greece, despite the Three Lions bashfully falling to defeat at home to Greece. (Independent)

Solanke’s 18-minute cameo at Wembley was his first time back in an England shirt since 2017 against Brazil and although Solanke teed up Bellingham's equaliser, it wasn't enough to prevent his return to Three Lions ending in defeat.

Lucas Bergvall – Sweden

Lucas Bergvall didn’t add to his three Sweden caps this international break and will currently have Spurs fans worrying after the teenager withdrew from the national squad after being an unused substitute against Slovakia.

The Swedish FA’s statement regarding Bergvall’s withdrawal read: “Lucas Bergvall has suffered a minor injury and will not be available for tonight’s game against Estonia in the Nations League. The midfielder has left the men’s national team’s gathering in Estonia to focus on his rehabilitation.” (Fotboll Direkt)

Pedro Porro – Spain

Porro’s Spain call-up finally came after Dani Carvajal suffered a major knee injury for Real Madrid and Tottenham’s right-back certainly made up for lost time with the Euros winners.

The October international break is upon us which gives us a chance to reflect on all of Spurs’ players out on loan and assess how they are getting on so far this campaign.

The Lilywhites have thirteen players out on a temporary basis, all looking for a chance to impress Ange Postecoglou and convince the Australian that their future lies in North London.

These players are competing at various different levels in various different countries. Let’s see how they are performing.

Jamie Donley – Leyton Orient

After being heavily involved in Spurs’ pre-season tour of Asia, the 20-year-old was shipped out to neighbouring club Leyton Orient on a season-long loan.

Orient manager Richie Wellens has entrusted Donley on several occasions but the attacking midfielder is yet to contribute statistically.

It is important to remember that this is the Englishman’s first consistent taste of senior football having made four cameos for Spurs’ first team.

It is looking increasingly likely that Orient are going to be involved in a fight for survival in League One this campaign as they sit in 19th position and level on points with the dreaded relegation spots.

However, this battle could offer invaluable experience to Donley as he pursues a path into Postecoglou’s plans.

Josh Keeley- Leyton Orient

The 6’0 goalkeeper followed in his academy teammate’s footsteps this summer as he also finds himself in East London with Leyton Orient.

The Irishman has seen limited minutes so far with a solitary appearance in the Carabao Cup against Brentford.

The 0’s were knocked out by the Premier League opposition in a comprehensive 3-1 defeat and Keeley could do very little about any of goals from Fabio Carvalho, Mikkel Damsgaard and Christian Norgaard.

The stopper has struggled to even make the substitutes bench, and his parent club may explore the option of recalling him if the situation remains unchanged.

Luka Vuskovic – Westerlo

The defensive prodigy has continued to develop at an exponential rate as he is dominating the Belgian first division at the tender age of 17.

The Croatian has taken every challenge in his stride and the budding teenager is one of the hottest youth prospects in Europe.

Vuskovic represents a new era of central defenders, a profile of player with the ability to be comfortable in possession and a goal threat, whilst also being defensively solid.

He has already netted four times this term, a staggering statistic for a central defender, including a brace in his last league outing against Beerschot.

Such is Vuskovic’s talent and physical presence, the 17-year-old could be ready for Premier League football as early as next season with Postecoglou already dropping hints that this is a likely scenario.

Alfie Devine – Westerlo

Spurs’ youngest ever goal scorer is also at Westerlo alongside future Spurs teammate Vuskovic.

The 20-year-old has shown glimpses of what he is capable of in Belgium so far after sealing the move on deadline day.

Many Spurs fans were underwhelmed with the location of the loan move as a lot of fans believed his development was best spent in England.

However, after loan moves at Plymouth Argyle and Port Vale, Westerlo offers a whole different proposition.

A new league and a new country means a whole new culture and brand of football to acclimatise to, which can only benefit Devine’s evolution.

George Abbott – Notts County

Spurs’ U21 captain has been welcomed with open arms in Nottingham and has already turned out eight times for Notts County.

The 19-year-old has been primarily deployed at the base of the midfield by manager Stuart Maynard and Abbott has displayed with maturity way beyond his years.

Abbott’s versatility makes him a valuable asset for any squad as he is equally adept at full-back and centre-half and has even appeared for the Magpies in forward areas.

His willingness to help the team regardless of his position speaks volumes about the talent and character he possesses, and if the former Reading man continues to perform he may be a surprise inclusion in Postecoglou’s plans.

Ashley Phillips – Stoke City

The centre-half’s progression has been stunted as he has only made one league appearance for Stoke City this season.

Phillips has had to face adversity in his short time at the club, as Steven Schumacher (the man who brought him on loan to fellow Championship club Plymouth Argyle the previous season) was relieved of his duties last month.

In his three appearances in all competitions, Stoke have kept a clean sheet in two of those games, so it is a slight mystery as to why Phillips has not been more involved.

The 19-year-old has not been preferred by interim coach Narcis Pelach and after suffering a concussion a few weeks ago, he has been an unused substitute in the Potter’s last two matches.

Alejo Veliz - Espanyol

After a lively start to life at Espanyol, Veliz’s form has petered out.

He announced himself to the Espanyol faithful in stunning fashion, with 96th minute winner against Rayo Vallecano that made the RCDE stadium erupt.

But he has since entered a spell of not scoring in five appearances and his dip in form has resulted in Manolo Gonzalez dropping the striker entirely.

Despite this, the Argentine has already recorded more minutes then he did at his last loan spell at fellow La Liga club Sevilla in the second half of 2023/24 campaign.

Spurs were left frustrated as the Spanish outfit hindered his progress with Veliz making only six appearances.

Manor Solomon – Leeds United

Solomon is arguably the highest profile loanee, as the Israel international spends the season with Championship title contenders Leeds United.

After a promising start to his career in North London, the 25-year-old spent the large majority of last season on the side-lines.

A meniscus injury that the winger sustained in October required surgery and Solomon was unable to recover until after the campaign had concluded.

Leeds have offered much needed first team football and Daniel Farke’s team are vying for a swift return to the Premier league.

Solomon began life in Yorkshire brightly with an assist on his full debut against Hull City.

However, the following week the former Fulham player publicly apologised on his social media after his mistake lead to the decisive goal in Leeds’ 1-0 defeat to promotion rivals Burnley last month.

In an unfortunate turn of events, that game against Burnley has ended up being his last appearance, as a hamstring injury has forced him to watch on once again.

Solomon desperately needs a change in fortune regarding his fitness otherwise he will not have the opportunity to rediscover his pre-injury form.

Dane Scarlett – Oxford United

It is a make-or break type of season in deciding Scarlett’s future at the club and so far the striker has failed to make a rousing impression.

Following their promotion from League One last season, Oxford United have commenced the season in surprising fashion as they currently occupy tenth position in the Championship.

However, on a personal level it has been frustrating beginning for Scarlett and four consecutive substitute appearances sums up his short time at the club.

The 20-year-old has previously had loan spells at Portsmouth and Ipswich Town and in both cases Scarlett did not deliver.

Bryan Gil - Girona

Girona bolstered their squad this summer by recruiting the diminutive winger as they compete in the prestigious UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.

The Spaniard opened his account with a terrific, volleyed effort against Osasuna, which was the perfect way to introduce himself on his home debut.

Gil made his Champions League debut away at Ligue 1 Champions Paris Saint-Germain where they were only foiled by a 90th minute own goal by former Spurs stopper Paulo Gazzaniga.

The harsh reality of the situation is the fact that Gil’s build and attributes are not suited to English football.

It seems as if Spurs have come to the realisation that Gil’s astronomical potential that he arrived with after his £25 million move back in 2021 will never materialise in North London.

If Gil continues to impress, Girona may choose to exercise their £15 million buy option, a move that would benefit all parties.

Matthew Craig – Barnsley

Craig has been a mainstay in Darrell Clarke’s Barnsley with nine League One appearances to his name so far.

The Owls currently sit only one point outside of the playoffs, and to the delight of everyone associated with Spurs, Craig has played an integral role.

The 21-year-old is utilised as a midfield lynchpin for Barnsley and his strengths lie in recycling possession and dictating the tempo.

The Scottish midfielder has carried the momentum of a successful spell at Doncaster Rovers last campaign into his new club and continues to consistently perform.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – Marseille

Despite his move to France being all but permanent, the Dane’s deal is still technically a loan.

Hojbjerg has been one of the first name on the team sheet for Roberto de Zerbi’s new look Marseille as they occupy third position and trail league leaders Monaco by five points

Carey Bloedorn – Aveley

Dejan Kulusevski was part of a transformative double signing completed by Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte in January of 2022, with the Swede joining Tottenham alongside Juventus teammate, Rodrigo Bentancur on an initial 18-month long loan deal, as per BBC Sport.

Tottenham impressively finished inside of the top four with Kulusevski’s five goals and eight assists in 14 starts pivotal to Conte’s immediate turnaround in North London.

At the time, Kulusevski was one of the most effective creators in the Premier League. The 24-year-old was deployed as a right winger, often cutting in to use his favoured left foot that would routinely deliver a wicked ball towards either one of Harry Kane or Heung-Min Son.

The foundations that Antonio Conte built at Spurs in that remarkable season crumbled as quickly as they were built, throwing Tottenham back into managerial turmoil with Ryan Mason temporarily warming the manager's seat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Ange Postecoglou was the man brave enough to what appeared to be a sinking ship in the summer of 2023, although the Australian soon plugged the holes that had been left by various managers and recruitment teams in previous years.

Tottenham flew out the blocks under the Australian, not tasting defeat in any of their opening ten Premier League games.

Kulusevski was key to Spurs' fast start, being named in the starting line-up for every single game and popping up with two goals.

The former Juventus man, perhaps most impressively, improved his performance level in the midst of adversity that Spurs were facing after their infamous 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, contributing four goals and assists in the six games after the disastrous loss that left Tottenham with a depleted squad.

Kulusevski’s performance levels fizzled out however – often becoming predictable on the ball and failing to score or assist a single goal in Tottenham’s final eleven games, barring a brace on the final day against an incredibly poor Sheffield United side, with Postecoglou even dropping the Swede for a handful of games in this run.

It appeared as though perhaps defences had figured out Kulusevski, his constant shifts inside from the right wing became predictable and ineffective with the forward’s early season goal contributions masking what was becoming a frustrating season for the 24-year-old.

An experimental pre-season

After a sluggish end to the 2024/25 season, Kulusevski was granted an entire summer’s rest due to Sweden’s failure to qualify for EURO 2024, giving the former Juventus man time to prepare for one of the most important seasons in his career whilst many of his teammates were competing in either the Copa America or European Championships.

Postecoglou has clearly been mulling over Kulusevski in the off-season.

It was apparent that Kulusevski, however technically talented may be, is rapidly reaching a crossroads in his career where he will be forced to improve or adapt. A poor end to the season suggested it may have to be the latter.

Kulusevski was utilised as a central midfielder in Spurs’ opening pre-season game against QPR after Lucas Bergvall was forced off, with the 24-year-old shining in the game and assisting one of Tottenham’s two goals of the afternoon.

Postecoglou then further toyed with the Swedish international in the final two games of pre-season - both against Bayern Munich.

Kulusevski started both fixtures as Tottenham’s striker, a position that the versatile attacker had shone in against Sheffield United in the final game of the season, and, just like at Bramall Lane, Kulusevski shone again, finding the back of the net twice.

Unfortunately for Kulusevski, the second game against Bayern Munich where he netted a brace was the very same day that new £65 million striker, Dominic Solanke, was unveiled to the Spurs faithful.

Moving to midfield

With Solanke routinely occupying Tottenham’s striker role and Brennan Johnson seemingly immovable from the right-wing position under Postecoglou, the Australian manager decided to fuse the two roles Kulusevski shone in during pre-season, allowing the 24-year-old to return to the role that he grew up playing.

Coming through the ranks of Atalanta’s U17’s, Kulusevski was routinely utilised as an attack-minded central midfielder, netting fifteen goals in twenty-one games whilst playing such a role.

Kulusevski only thrived when moved up an age level as a central midfielder, setting up 22 goals and netting 16 of his own in his 39 outings as a midfielder for Atalanta’s ‘B’ team. (TransferMarkt)

It was no shock therefore to Kulusevski himself when he started producing monstrous performances in his boyhood role when given the chance this season.

After his performance against Manchester United that near enough cemented the ex-Juventus man’s new role as a central midfielder, Kulusevski explained that he hasn’t surprised himself with his impressive return to being a midfielder, stating:

“I have worked incredibly hard to be able to play at that level. I’m not shocked. I’ve just been waiting for it. Every match has felt good, but that one was perhaps extra good.” (Fotboll Skanalen)

Kulusevski was first given a chance in midfield against Everton, when he teed up Yves Bissouma, who slammed in Spurs’ opener – neither Postecoglou nor Kulusevski has looked back since.

James Maddison accompanying Kulusevski in the middle of the park for Spurs has proved a match made in heaven with the former Leicester man often dropping deep and drawing in opposition players, allowing for Kulusevski to effectively enjoy a free role.

A creative machine

Dejan Kulusevski’s physical attributes have always been inarguably an aspect of his game that makes him an attractive option for any club or manager.

Even whilst playing as a right winger last season, Kulusevski covered the most ground in a single match in the entire Premier League, eating up an astonishing 13.36 Km against Everton. (Premier League)

Kulusevski has continued his machine-like running this season. Tottenham captain, Heung-Min Son has even revealed how the Swede’s teammates struggle to comprehend just how much he runs, explaining:

"Everybody is talking about how Deki's work rate is unbelievable. He's everywhere on the pitch. I think people have never seen that. Deki works really hard." (TalkSport)

It’s not just ground covered with no avail though for Tottenham’s newfound midfielder, Kulusevski is currently churning out the highest average progressive passing distance, expected assists, passes into the final third, and most importantly, shot-creating actions of his entire career, and by some way. (FBRef)

Dejan Kulusevski is currently providing an astonishing 6.48 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes in the Premier League, barring Bukayo Saka, that’s the highest rate out of any player who has played five or more games this season. (FBRef)

Whilst Kulusevski hasn’t moved the dial in his defensive actions despite his deeper role, he is currently cutting out the highest rate of passes per 90 in his Premier League career, with an impressive 1.36. (FBRef)

If the 24-year-old can make his high work rate even more meaningful by further developing his tackling ability, Tottenham may well have one of the most effective midfielders in world football on their hands.

Feeling ‘unstoppable’ in his new role

On the pitch, Kulusevski appears to be playing with a freedom that other players can only envy and Tottenham supporters are currently relishing.

Kulusevski has even said as much, admitting to Viaplay Fotboll after his outstanding display against Manchester United, “I have played there my whole life, and I have waited to play in this position. I feel completely unstoppable.”

Whilst being wary of jumping the gun, it’s currently appearing as though Kulusevski’s midfield transformation has not only evolved Tottenham’s performance, barring a concerning 3-2 loss to Brighton, but also breathed new life into Kulusevski’s Tottenham career.

The midfielder was clearly more than aware of the importance of adapting his game, explaining to Fotboll Skanalen: "I want to try to maximise this career as much as possible and never be one in the crowd.”

It’s not just Kulusevski’s on-field position that has switched however, Kulusevski himself has hinted that there is perhaps more to his upturn in form that merely meets the eye, explaining:

“I really feel that I am stronger mentally and physically this season. I've changed my mindset a bit. I think that is to my advantage. I've grown off the pitch as well. The plan is to get better every day, and I feel that I will be.” (Fotboll Skanalen)

Spurs will now face West Ham United after the international break with the London derby wielding much more importance than many Tottenham may have expected after an agonising second-half collapse to Brighton stopped Spurs’ winning run in its tracks.

However, should Tottenham overcome their East London rivals, the hope will be that Postecoglou’s men return to the level of performance they displayed against Manchester United.

Should such events transpire, Kulusevski will once again be the prized piece of Postecoglou’s team, controlling the heart of his relentlessly attacking machine.

If Kulusevski continues his form, and perhaps even improves upon it as he suggested, there is no limit to how good the Swedish star could be.

Surfacing at N17 is an uncertainty of the future for Cristian Romero, who is beginning to become frustrated with the club, reflected in sub-par performances and effort in the opening fixtures of this Premier League season.

That frustration is born by the lack of ambition at Spurs – the same lack of ambition which has driven away stars of the last 20 years that have left to add deserved silverware to their name.

The weekend result against Brighton was not just painful, and typical, but the point of any Spurs manager's tenure where they begin to go slightly mad. Ange Postecoglou appeared defeated yesterday.

Cristian Romero seems to be losing a desire to fight at Spurs, with a lack of focus during games leading to sloppy conceded goals.

Though the Argentinian is not a failure of a footballer; the World Cup triumph in winter 2022 was a glorious showcase of the intelligence and dominance he can have on a football pitch.

However, the start of the season has presented an unmotivated, disenchanted defender who is growing tired of the powers that be in North London. The upward trajectory is no longer evident with the Ange Postecoglou train slowing down and losing momentum.

With rumoured interest from elite footballing superpowers in the summer, temptation may be entering the mind of Romero, who will be seeking a club with proven success to elevate his name and reputation.

The start of the season has not been a positive reflection of his talent or work rate, with both leading to on-brand, typical, Tottenham errors that have tumbled promising performances into dropped points, leaving a grim taste in the mouth.

In a bizarre contradiction, Romero is still performing in the stats yet the eye test suggests otherwise.

Statistically sound

Despite criticism arriving from Spurs fans at the beginning of the 2024/25 season, Romero has continued to excel in the statistical department.

A gradual improvement in the Argentinian’s game has been evident since arriving in North London in 2021, and with expectations for the defender now that great, consistent performances are required to justify the high appraisal.

As before the North London Derby last month, Romero averaged high for aerial duels won in the Premier League this season at 3 per 90 minutes among centre-backs with at least 135 minutes played, but a success rate of 56.25%, as per Squawka.

The aerial duels have always been an advantage of his game, with the ability to use his lack of towering height and instead the strength of his intelligence to oust and overcome physical Premier League strikers.

Romero also sat in the top ten centre-backs who have played 135 minutes for ground duels won (3.67 per 90), the top ten for ball recoveries per 90 (6), and tackles per 90 (3) per Squawka.

Statistically, this is a centre-back who would appear to be valuable to any team on the planet, performing in the top percentiles in the most useful stats to determine defensive quality.

However, moments in which Tottenham have conceded this season have caused questioning over Romero, particularly positionally.

Sequences of shocking marking

For a sequence of Spurs goals this campaign, Romero has been caught positionally unaware or completely out of position – in an exploit of poor defending. The disappointing beginning of the season has been partly down to the Argentinian.

In the first of many disasters, Cristian Romero leaves Jamie Vardy unmarked at the back post. Awareness zero. In a game where Postecoglou’s side had utterly dominated and controlled, that lapse in concentration cost Tottenham the three points, even though the attacking output was also lacking during the game.

After scoring and earning a clean sheet in the following game against the doomed Everton, Romero reverted back to positional errors at St. James’ Park.

On both goals, the World Cup winner was caught napping. For the first Newcastle goal, a quick throw-in, Romero was caught napping on the edge of the box, failed to track back into his position, and the goal followed from Harvey Barnes.

For the second of those, the effort put into tracking back was utterly appalling. As detailed earlier, it has appeared that his commitment levels to Tottenham have not remained the same as in previous seasons.

The second goal displayed something more than just not tracking back, but a frustration with something larger. Not that die-for-the-club attitude that has usually been seen, but a genuine lack of commitment.

The North London Derby last month was quite simply a poor defensive mistake, where he lost his marker Gabriel at the corner leading to the only goal in the Tottenham defeat.

And in a fashionable one-step forward, two-steps back result for Spurs, the collapse at the Amex encapsulated the lack of engagement and brutishness the defence needed.

There was a calamity everywhere, so this witch hunt on Romero can rest on this occasion. Actually, no. The third goal was dreadful in terms of commitment to the entire production of the goal.

Once again, it is an easy day for the striker, Danny Welbeck. You can scarcely believe how free he is. A free bird on the centre of the box, a few yards from the goal.

The errors have been costly, mainly due to the lack of output in the attacking sector of the team, which has been woefully unproductive in the opening stages of the season.

Cashing in on Romero - if the commitment and desire have dissipated - should be a genuine consideration based on the early performances of the season.

Teams were and will be interested. Daniel Levy will not sell to a Premier League rival, but a move to an elite Spanish team is an absolute possibility.

Diego Simeone managing Cristian Romero is the sort of horrific fairytale that would cause wars. Best to not imagine that, but clubs will be interested based purely on the statistical strengths he has.

Eres el arquitecto de tu propia caída, Romero. Or, to translate, you are the architect of your own downfall. The direct cause is unknown, but a lack of focus can be attributed to a lack of motivation.

Tottenham Hotspur travelled to the Amex off the back of wins in both the Premier League and the Europa League, with hope they could successfully carry on their winning streak of 6 wins in their last 6 games in all competitions.

Brighton on the other hand are unbeaten at home this season their most recent results at the Amex being draws against Nottingham Forest and Ipswich.

Tottenham started the half in control of the game and you could see the result of that in the 0-2 score line at half time with goals scored by in form Brennan Johnson, who has 6 goals in 6 games, and James Maddison.

After being behind at the break, Brighton turned the game on its head scoring three goals in 18 minutes, causing Tottenham Hotspur to fall apart and meant the Seagulls went on to win the match.

'Feedback is what I believe in'

Ange Postecoglou spoke to the media and when asked on whether he let the players know his thoughts after the game he stated, "Feedback is what I believe in. I'm sure they are disappointed. I don't care. I am disappointed, the fans are disappointed."

Postecoglou described Tottenham’s performance as lacking intensity, he said in the press conference, "We didn't compete, lost the duels and we lacked intensity."

After scoring their first goal in the 48th minute, Brighton stole the show and score their next two within eighteen minutes, Tottenham became unrecognisable to the team they were in the first half.

After their poor performance in the second half, Ange Postecoglou was asked about the contrast of their first and second half performance.

"That's a real stark reminder of what elite sport is about. The core of it is competitive. If you're not competitive it doesn't matter how good you are or how good you think you are, you're going to trip up."

‘We've usually dealt with it pretty well’

The Tottenham Hotspur boss discussed whether he saw this coming at half time after being so dominant in the first half.

"Well like I said, I haven't seen it before, and I certainly didn't feel like that's the way the game was going to go.

"You understand that at 2-0 obviously they're going to come out and be fairly aggressive in their approach, but that's not the first time we've faced that and we've usually dealt with it pretty well. But obviously today we failed to do the things we needed to do," Postecoglou told the reporters.

Postecoglou discussed with the media whether he had seen a learned something new about his Tottenham side this evening at the Amex.

"I don't know if I learned something new, but I certainly experienced something new."

The Tottenham boss had a chance to explain how his players weren’t overconfident with their win streak behind their back, and how important winning their last games previous was.

"Look, it's not a couple of positive results. It was five wins, let's just keep things in context here.

"I understand the extremes of what we do. What I'm saying is that we didn't do the basics of everything we've done to get to this point, good, bad or otherwise.

"Even when we didn't win at Newcastle, we played well and fought hard to the last second to win that game of football. We didn't do that today and every time we've played that's been an element of our game but I didn't see that today."