The New York Times

Tottenham Hotspur managed a hard-fought win over Leeds United at Elland Road.

The home side had an opportunity six minutes in from a Sean Longstaff free kick, but Joe Rodon could only find the post with his header.

But it was the visitors who took the lead in the 23rd minute. Mathys Tel received the ball on the edge of the area and worked a shooting opportunity to fire at the Leeds goal, with a deflection from Pascal Struijk sending the ball past Karl Darlow. Leeds levelled just over 10 minutes later, with Noah Okafor scoring following an unconvincing save from Guglielmo Vicario.

After chances for both sides in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, Spurs retook the lead in the 57th minute. Mohammed Kudus cut inside onto his left foot to put his team ahead. The ball again hit Struijk before travelling past Darlow.

Beren Cross and Elias Burke were in attendance and analyse the key moments from the game.

Tottenham end international break curse

One of the Premier League’s strangest streaks is finally over.

With Tottenham’s win today, they have ended their unwanted run of seven consecutive defeats directly before an international break. The run started in November 2023 with a 2-1 defeat to Wolves and continued through Ange Postecoglou’s tenure up to the 1-0 loss at home to Bournemouth under Frank last month.

Asked about it in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Frank said he had informed his squad about the run ahead of time, anticipating the question, and that “I really, really do hope we win tomorrow, so we don’t need to speak too much about it in the future”.

Given the number of internationals in Tottenham’s squad, such a run in the game directly after a break would make sense, with key players travelling from around the world in the days leading up to the return. The fact that it affected matches before the break, however, was more puzzling.

But that’s all in the past now. For the first time in almost two years, Tottenham’s players can leave to represent their nations on a high.

Elias Burke

How close were we to Beachball-gate II?

October. Premier League. A beach ball. A goal. That infamous quartet was almost reunited at Elland Road on Saturday.

As Okafor ghosted in to receive his present from Vicario, a beach ball was inches away from being the story once again in an October top-flight fixture. As Jayden Bogle whipped another excellent cross into Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the white inflatable rolled into view at the far side of the Tottenham penalty area.

Calvert-Lewin did well to guide the ball’s pace into Brenden Aaronson for an effort which Vicario saw late. The Italian could only parry the ball into Okafor’s path for a tap-in, while, mercifully, the beach ball remained out of the way. If it had interfered with play and stopped Vicario from saving the shot, play would have been paused.

It was so close to getting in the way, Vicario took out his frustrations on the inflatable as it rolled to him on the goal line.

The incident was almost reminiscent of Darren Bent’s strike for Sunderland against Liverpool in October 2009.

Bent’s effort looked likely to be saved by Pepe Reina, but it collided with a beach ball — thrown onto the pitch by a Liverpool fan — and went in, wrong-footing the goalkeeper. That goal stood, but officials later admitted it should have been disallowed.

Beren Cross

Is this the most Tottenham’s left side has clicked under Frank?

The early signs of a flourishing partnership between Kudus — who was awarded man of the match today — and Pedro Porro down Tottenham’s right side have been one of the most encouraging points of Frank’s first 10 games as head coach, but it was the left that was more dangerous against Leeds.

Xavi Simons started as a No 10 for the first time in the league, and his tendency to drift towards the left from central positions saw him combine with Wilson Odobert and Destiny Udogie, who replaced Djed Spence as the left-back, to create several opportunities in the first half.

Udogie’s inclusion today was central to the success. Spence is a ‘lockdown defender’ in how he keeps opposition wingers quiet, but is naturally right-footed, so can be limited as a dribbler on the left side. While Udogie’s crossing has not always been consistent in a Spurs shirt, his ability to drive down the wing with his left foot opened a new avenue of attack.

Perhaps the most promising passage was on the 27th minute, shortly after Calvert-Lewin spurned an excellent opportunity for Leeds, with Spurs’ left-sided attackers combining to release Udogie down the left wing.

After breaking into the box, he crossed for Kudus on the opposite side, but the Ghana international’s shot flew high and wide. While it did not result in a goal, it was an encouraging sign that things are starting to improve on Tottenham’s left side.

Elias Burke

Leeds’ unbeaten home run is over. Should they be concerned?

Leeds’ unbeaten league streak at Elland Road ends at 385 days. The home suffered their third loss of the season, but this was not the disastrous, one-sided loss of a team out of their depth.

Leeds were better than Tottenham Hotspur in every metric — except for the one which mattered. Struijk may go to bed feeling the most frustrated of those in white tonight; the centre-back had the misfortune of seeing not one, but two goals deflected in off him.

However, Struijk did his best to stop both shots — as a defender should — only to make life harder for Darlow in the process. After Kudus’ match-winning goal, Struijk was visibly bemoaning his misfortune.

Tottenham ended the game second in the league table, and that should in some ways embolden Leeds. The hosts had more possession, higher expected goals (xG), more shots, more shots on target and more big chances.

Crucially for everyone’s mental state in West Yorkshire, eight points from seven matches keeps United above the one-point-per-match average survival generally requires.

Beren Cross

What did Farke say?

He said: “The first overriding feeling is, of course, we are disappointed because we’re playing for results. There are no pictures in the table. You want to win points, that’s why we play football, and, for that, we are disappointed.

“Apart from this, I have to say just many compliments, congratulations to the lads for this performance because, after this game, I would be normally disappointed, even with a draw, not even to speak about a loss.

“We were the better side today. We were the better side in all aspects. We had more possession, we had more passes, we had more expected goals, we had more shots with more shots on target, we had more big chances created, more big chances missed, we had more corners.

“In each and every aspect we were the better side today, but football is decided by goals.”

What did Frank say?

He said: “(I’m) extremely happy with the win. I think if you want to build any successful team, you need mentality and character and cohesion and togetherness, no matter if you play like Inter or Barcelona or whatever style of play. You need that willingness to do everything to win. I think we are building that more and more in the team.

“I actually think that until the 80th Minute, I’m very happy with those 80 minutes. You know, give and take, I felt we looked very solid defensively. I think we gave the goal away, which is like a cross/deflected shot. Of course, I know they hit the post, but I think it looks more dangerous than it is. That’s what we gave away until the 80th minute, but I think we created two goals, and other very good and dangerous situations and chances. So very happy with that, and then we need a little bit of surviving and a couple of good saves from Vicario.

“I think 14 points in seven is two on average, that’s very good. I’m extremely happy that we are now on the road, won three and a draw, which I think that’s part of that; if you want to achieve anything, you need to do that. So overall, a good start. But, yeah, we need to continue.

What next for Leeds?

Saturday, October 18: Burnley (Away), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET

What next for Spurs?

Sunday, October 19: Aston Villa (Home), Premier League, 2pm UK, 9am ET

(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou says he does not allow pressure or speculation about his future to “enter my head” and insists his focus is on reviving the fortunes of Nottingham Forest.

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager heads to Newcastle United on Sunday still looking for the first win of his tenure after six games in charge at the City Ground.

It represents the worst start of any Forest manager over the past 100 years — and defeat to Danish side Midtjylland in the Europa League last night saw Postecoglou come under fire from his own fans, just 24 days after taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo.

Postecoglou pointed out that he still managed to lead Tottenham to winning the Europa League last season, even when he knew he was going to be dismissed by the north London club.

“I get it. I think it’s a valid assumption in modern football that there’s always a manager under pressure. That’s just part and parcel of what we do,” he told a press conference on Friday.

“I don’t think that way. Put it this way, I knew I was getting sacked at Tottenham about three or four months before I did, but it didn’t stop me winning something.

“It doesn’t enter my head. My responsibility lies in making sure this football club progresses and gets to a position where it can challenge for things.”

Postecoglou says he will ignore any speculation over his future in the same way as he did at Celtic and Tottenham.

“If I start worrying about what’s going to happen next week, then I’m not performing the role I’ve been given. I just don’t think that’s helpful to anyone,” he said. “The things I control are the environment, training and the way we play. I am still very, very strong in my belief that we are not too far away.”

Postecoglou faced chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from his own fans at the City Ground on Thursday.

“I don’t like sending messages to fans,” he added. “They love their football club and are obviously disappointed with the way things are going at the moment and disappointed with last night.

“The one thing I can do is fulfil the responsibility I have to get the team out there to change our fortunes. If we do that, then I’m sure the fans will be happier with everything.”

(Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

When Tottenham Hotspur announced their starting line-up for last week’s 3-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers in the third round of the Carabao Cup, most observers assumed Archie Gray would partner Kevin Danso in central defence.

Gray, who joined Spurs from Leeds United in July 2024 for around £30million ($40m at current rates), made 46 appearances last season, mainly in different roles across the back four due to a prolonged injury crisis. However, against Doncaster, it was Joao Palhinha who slotted in at centre-back, giving Gray a rare chance in his preferred position of central midfield.

The 19-year-old showed strength and skill on the ball while his driving runs created space for his team-mates. After coming off the bench against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, Gray’s shot forced Jostein Gundersen’s 89th-minute own goal that salvaged a crucial point. Opportunities have been limited under new head coach Thomas Frank but he has shown glimpses of his potential.

This weekend, Gray returns to play at Elland Road, where three generations of his family have represented Leeds, for the first time since he left in the summer of 2024. He will be reunited with Daniel Farke, the head coach who gave him his senior debut at 17. There is a slim chance he might even face his younger brother Harry, who has been named on Leeds’ bench twice this season but is struggling with a hip issue picked up in an under-21s game on Monday.

But Leeds supporters who watched Gray outperform far more experienced opponents when he was a skinny teenager in the Championship will be wondering why he is not yet an integral part of Tottenham’s starting XI.

Early last summer, Brentford thought they were about to complete a club-record deal to sign Gray. He had been impressed by their detailed three-year development plan, and Brentford’s recruitment department thought Gray possessed the qualities to become a world-class deep-lying midfielder. They wanted him to learn from Denmark international Christian Norgaard. Gray would spend his first two seasons as a more advanced midfielder in west London, where he was promised a significant amount of playing time, before succeeding Norgaard, now at Arsenal.

Gray underwent a medical and held conversations about where he would live. Frank was in charge of Brentford and gave the move his blessing, but Spurs swooped in. Members of Gray’s family support Celtic, who won five trophies in two seasons under Ange Postecoglou. The Australian manager joined Tottenham in 2023 and helped convince Gray to join. They only worked together for a year before Postecoglou was sacked, but he had huge faith in Gray.

The building pressure on Postecoglou added to a slightly bizarre debut season for Gray. It ended with a Europa League winner’s medal but Gray regularly found himself playing at centre-back due to the long-term injuries suffered by Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin. He started 19 times in the league, recording 1,743 minutes across 28 appearances. He was a young player unfairly exposed in an unfamiliar position surrounded by underperforming team-mates.

Gray was slightly overshadowed by Lucas Bergvall, another teenager who arrived in the summer of 2024. Bergvall’s performances in the second half of last season earned him a place in the starting XI, which he has retained under Frank. The Sweden international never looked back after scoring against Liverpool in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. It feels like Gray is still waiting for his lift-off moment.

“I haven’t lost sight of the fact that we’ve got two 18-year-olds, one who’s playing at centre back, it’s not even his position,” Postecoglou said after Spurs beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Carabao Cup in January.

“I just don’t think people really understand the level of performance that these young guys are giving us. And in a position (Gray’s) never played. Name me another Premier League team that’s got two 18-year-olds and one playing out of position consistently.

“I’m so happy they’re at our football club and in two or three years, I just pray to God I’m the beneficiary of their talent, mate, because if somebody else is getting it, I won’t be happy.”

Gray played in midfield on a couple of occasions towards the end of last season, including in defeats against Fulham and Liverpool, but looked risk-averse in possession. In all the emotion of Son Heung-min’s final game for Spurs over the summer, Gray’s assured performance as a central midfielder in the pre-season friendly against Newcastle United was overlooked. He snapped into challenges and powerfully carried the ball. He was confident and unafraid to battle with Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

After Spurs returned from their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and South Korea, they signed Palhinha on a season-long loan with an option to buy from Bayern Munich. The Portugal international represents another obstacle in Gray’s path, but there is a growing debate about whether he should start against teams when Spurs dominate possession.

Gray’s other positional rivals are Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma. Bergvall is forging an excellent relationship with Mohammed Kudus and Pedro Porro down the right wing while Sarr quickly established himself as Frank’s favourite.

Bentancur and Bissouma have both entered the final year of their contracts, although The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Bentancur is close to agreeing a long-term deal. Bissouma, meanwhile, was left at home for the European Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain due to persistent lateness, then suffered an injury in training and was not registered in Spurs’ Champions League squad. He is probably the only senior central midfielder who Gray is above in the pecking order.

Gray started alongside Bergvall and Sarr in Spurs’ 3-0 victory over Burnley on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign but a few weeks later, he was dropped from their squad entirely for the trip to West Ham United. Does he deserve more game time? Or can his peaks and troughs be attributed to the natural path of a young player’s development?

“I like flexible players, every coach likes that,” Frank said before the 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. “It gives more squad depth and different abilities for different games. I see him more as a midfielder or a centre-back, he can play both.”

“Sometimes you need that run of games, like Lucas, and you take the next steps. Archie really impressed me. He played a very good pre-season friendly against Newcastle and he really grew into the game against Burnley. He was not in the squad for West Ham and the next day he trained fantastically.

“He does the bit I like from a midfielder, where he can twist and turn to go forward, he is very mobile and reliable. Unfortunately, you can only play 11. Can we change the rules? Get a few more on the pitch, that would help.”

Gray has made five appearances this season in midfield. Has his progress been helped or harmed by covering multiple positions? The Athletic asked Frank last month if versatile players should eventually focus on one role and the head coach spoke about how “modern football is much more flexible now”.

“When you see players perform at their best, most likely they play in one position,” he said. “Although these days centre-backs also play as full-backs and some midfielders play No 10 (attacking midfield) and sometimes No 6 (deeper). When they go towards their peak, that is when they should settle into a position.”

Recent cameos suggest Gray might be more suited to a box-to-box midfield role. In the second half against Glimt, his runs into the right-hand channel stretched the opposition’s defence. He played an exceptional first-time pass against Brighton that led to Kudus having an opportunity to score in stoppage time.

Gray’s talent is there for everybody to see but working out the best way to harness it is proving to be an awkward challenge. Leeds fans will be hoping that he does not break their hearts and score his first senior goal on Saturday.

(Top photo: Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur are confident in reaching an agreement with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur over a new contract.

Bentancur’s existing deal had been due to expire in the summer of 2026.

The Uruguay international, 28, has made nine appearances in all competitions this season, starting eight of his side’s 10 matches under new head coach Thomas Frank.

Bentancur has made 122 appearances for the club since joining from Juventus in January 2022, either side of nine months out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2023.

He would become the latest Spurs player to commit his future to the club after captain Cristian Romero signed a new four-year deal in August.

Bentancur was an important figure in Tottenham’s Europa League success last season as Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy. He played the full 90 minutes in both quarter-final and semi-final legs and in the victory over Manchester United in the final.

In November, he was banned for seven matches by the Football Association (FA) after making a racist comment about team-mate Son Heung-min, for which he later apologised.

Asked about Bentancur’s future during a September press conference, Frank said: “I’m very happy with Rodri. He’s been a very good player for us, a top professional in every aspect. I’m happy with him, he’s happy with being here. I know that for a fact. Let’s see what’s going to happen in the future.”

Spurs strengthened in midfield in the summer with the loan addition of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, with the deal including an option to make the transfer permanent for €30million (£25.9m, $34.2m) at the end of the season.

Fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma is also out of contract in the summer and is yet to feature this season. He was left out of the UEFA Super Cup final squad due to timekeeping issues and has since been sidelined with an injury sustained in training.

‘Bentancur contract reflects midfielder’s growing importance’ – analysis

Bentancur had a disrupted start to last season with Spurs. The Uruguay international suffered two separate concussions and was suspended by the FA for seven games for making a racist comment about Son.

After Christmas, he became then head coach Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice defensive midfielder. Bentancur started all of their games in the knockout stages of the Europa League, apart from the second leg of their last 16 tie against AZ Alkmaar, and played a key role in the final.

Bentancur and Bissouma both entered the final year of their contracts in the summer. Bentancur impressed Frank during the pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea. Bissouma was dropped from the UEFA Super Cup squad for persistent timekeeping issues and has missed all of their games since through injury. It became clear that Frank favoured Bentancur and this new contract will recognise his growing importance.

It is crucial for Spurs that they retain their best players as the squad continues to evolve under Frank. They have a young core but Bentancur and Romero’s contract extensions mean they can rely on two of their most experienced players.

The long-term plan might be for Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray to permanently take over from Bentancur and Joao Palhinha but for now the latter are valuable members of the starting XI.

(Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Under normal circumstances, equalising in the 89th minute of an away game in the Champions League would prompt wild celebrations, but Tottenham Hotspur’s players and coaching staff were subdued after their 2-2 draw with Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening.

Glimt produced a frenetic firework display before kick-off, which was soundtracked by AC/DC’s 1990 hit single Thunderstruck, and it served as a complete contrast to Spurs’ performance.

Five months ago, under then head coach Ange Postecoglou, Spurs beat Glimt 2-0 in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final to secure a 5-1 victory on aggregate. Glimt had 69 per cent possession but, according to data from Fbref, only registered an xG of 0.5. It was a rare, disciplined display from Spurs, who lost 22 games in the Premier League last season and conceded 65 goals.

Spurs have improved defensively under Thomas Frank, who replaced Postecoglou in June, but they were dreadful on their return to Norway. Possession was split fairly evenly, but Glimt recorded 18 shots and an xG of 2.5, according to Fbref. Frank’s side took eight shots and, not for the first time this season, mainly threatened from set-pieces. They escaped with a point thanks to a combination of poor finishing from Glimt’s strikers and a slightly bizarre own goal by Jostein Gundersen.

After a bright start under Frank, Spurs seem to be slowing down. This was the third time in the last four games that they have conceded first and equalised after the 80th minute. You are allowed to be excited and proud on the first occasion that you pull off an unlikely comeback. By the third time, you should be worrying that it is part of an unhealthy and unsustainable pattern.

Tottenham’s best performances under Frank have been the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain and last month’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad. He came up with a specific plan for both opponents, which the players executed superbly. This squad seems to find it a lot more difficult when they are expected to be the protagonists and dominate the ball against lower-quality opposition.

This is partially because they are missing their first-choice centre-forward, Dominic Solanke, along with creative midfielders Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison due to injury. Xavi Simons looks destined to be the long-term solution in the No 10 role, but Frank keeps using him on the left. They should still have had more than enough firepower to beat their Norwegian opponents.

Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Simons dropped to the bench as Brennan Johnson, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert supported Richarlison upfront. Pedro Porro and Johnson wasted possession on the right wing on multiple occasions. In the 26th minute, Odobert dribbled across from the left and linked up nicely with them until Porro’s simple pass for Bergvall went out for a throw-in.

Kevin Danso, who replaced the injured Cristian Romero at centre-back, lost the ball after trying to dribble past Glimt’s forwards, and the move ended with Jens Petter Hauge firing a shot inches past the post. Spurs did not progress the ball with any conviction. They were content to pass it sideways and backwards.

Spurs improved after the introduction of Simons and Kudus in the 60th minute, but this picks at an awkward issue. Frank is excellent at reacting in games and making adjustments to help his side recover. Spurs fans have seen glimpses of this, and it happened during his time in charge of Brentford. For example, when Brentford were losing 2-0 to Leicester City on the opening day of the 2022-23 season, Frank switched to an aggressive 3-4-3 formation and they drew.

But Spurs need to be more proactive and assert their authority. Spurs played the game on Glimt’s terms

Frank admitted that they were slightly surprised by Glimt’s clever midfield rotations, but it was concerning how easily full-back Frederik Andre Bjorkan was allowed to rampage down the left wing. He earned a penalty, which Kasper Hogh missed, by overlapping and being wiped out by Rodrigo Bentancur. Hauge skillfully evaded Porro for both of his goals. Andreas Helmersen hit the bar while Patrick Berg’s stinging effort was saved by Guglielmo Vicario. Spurs did not just play badly against Glimt; they were battered. Micky van de Ven’s reckless tackle on Sondre Aukland straight after Bentancur’s goal had been disallowed hinted at the underlying frustration.

After the game, Frank was asked why Spurs are struggling to control games and have to keep mounting comebacks. “That can be various reasons,” he said. “I think against Wolves we had no problem controlling in the beginning. I think we were by far the best team against Wolves in the first half.

“I think Brighton was a different game. I think also we were by far the best team in the first half. Just conceded one fairly well-played goal, and as we talk about a game, a goal that shouldn’t have been conceded. Today, I felt we struggled in the first half. So I think that’s the only time we struggled in the three games against a very good Bodo team. Up here, a lot of teams will struggle when they play against them here. So it’s just fair play to Bodo.”

Maybe this was an important lesson for Frank about European competition, and Spurs fans should be glad it has happened now. This was his first away game in the Champions League, and he will have a better understanding of the different challenges they can present.

Spurs have still only lost once under their new head coach. They have a newfound resilience and mental fortitude. They have four points from their first two games in the Champions League. The most important outcome is that they grow in confidence and start to click in attack sooner rather than later.

(Top photo: Lise Aserud/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

Just when it seemed defeat was looming, an own goal late in the game earned Tottenham a draw against Bodo/Glimt as Thomas Frank’s team came back from two goals down in Norway.

Though the scoreline would suggest this was a close Champions League tie, Glimt impressed and would have been deserved winners against a below-par Spurs had defender Jostein Gundersen, under pressure from Richarlison, not directed the ball over the line at his near post in the 89th minute.

Sloppy in possession and showing little creativity in attack, Tottenham were fortunate to go into the break on level terms. Only Kasper Hogh will know how he managed to miss his 35th-minute penalty so spectacularly. Rodrigo Bentancur had been penalised for a rash tackle on Fredrik Andre Bjorkan but the hosts, who had enjoyed over 60 per cent possession and had 11 shots to Spurs’ three in the first 45 minutes, were unable to take advantage.

It wasn’t long after the break that Glimt were celebrating after Jens Petter Hauge — who had gone close in the first half — curled a lovely shot into the far corner in the 53rd minute. Bentancur thought he had equalised moments later, only for it to be disallowed as Micky van de Ven was deemed to have fouled Odin Bjortuft in the build-up.

The visitors then lost possession in their own half and Glimt clinically took advantage with hometown hero Hague beating Guglielmo Vicario with a rasping effort in the 66th minute. Tottenham responded positively, halving the deficit through Van de Ven’s header two minutes later, and went close again only for Destiny Udogie’s header to hit the crossbar late on.

The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jay Harris analyse the action.

Why were Tottenham so awful in the first half?

Tottenham allowed Glimt to completely dominate the ball. The first warning sign came in the fourth minute when Pedro Porro took a poor touch and was easily dispossessed by Bjorkan. Glimt’s full-back sidestepped a clumsy tackle from Lucas Bergvall, charged down the left wing and passed it to Patrick Berg, who fired a stinging shot straight at Vicario.

Frank’s side were ponderous in possession. Every time they worked the ball down the right through Bergvall and Brennan Johnson, they ended up passing backwards instead of whipping a cross into the box.

Spurs’ aimlessness was summed up by Glimt’s penalty. Vicario hit a pass long towards Johnson, who ducked out of an aerial challenge with Bjorkan. Glimt attacked down the left wing and Bjorkan charged towards the byline. Bentancur frantically raced across and wiped him out.

Glimt’s fans were buzzing with anticipation, but the pressure clearly overwhelmed Hogh. The striker blazed his spot kick so high over the crossbar it would have flown out of the stadium had it not bounced back off the protective netting.

The visitors did not learn their lesson and a few minutes later, Kevin Danso’s overconfidence led to another good opportunity for Glimt. The Austrian international tried to dribble past multiple players in his own half, lost the ball and left a huge pocket of space. Hauge collected the ball, cut inside on his right foot and fired a shot which just flew past the post.

Spurs lacked creativity, their ball retention was woeful and they were very lucky not to be losing at half-time — but things were about to get worse.

Jay Harris

Do Spurs need more options up front?

Tottenham are relying too much on Richarlison right now.

Dominic Solanke’s ankle injury, which has just been addressed by surgery, means he has not played for more than one month, while Randal Kolo Muani has only been able to make one brief substitute appearance since joining on loan a month ago. This puts too much of a burden on Richarlison, who has now started eight of Spurs’ 10 games this season.

This performance showed how much Richarlison needs some support. He missed a golden chance early on, failing to turn in Bergvall’s cross from close range. He continued to work hard and eventually forced the late equaliser, but Spurs could have done with some different options through the middle here against strong opponents.

Richarlison was brilliant here in May when Spurs sealed their place in the final of the Europa League. He was not at the same level today.

In an ideal world, Frank would be able to rotate between his three number 9s, keeping them all fresh, sharp and hungry. Instead, he is forced to keep playing Richarlison, even when his output is clearly below his best.

He may have to try something different at Leeds United on Saturday, like a turn back to Mathys Tel, who started up front against West Ham and Doncaster Rovers.

Jack Pitt-Brooke

How will this performance be viewed?

Spurs did not learn their lesson during the first half and Frank, surprisingly, refused to make any changes at the break. They were then punished in a chaotic 15-minute spell.

Bjortuft played an incisive pass which cut through Tottenham’s midfield and found Hakon Evjen in space in front of their defence. Evjen passed to Hauge, who tricked Porro far too easily with a simple drop of the shoulder before gliding into the box on his right foot and curling a shot past Vicario.

Spurs thought they had equalised within 60 seconds when Bentancur deflected Johnson’s shot into the net. However, it was ruled out following a VAR review because Van de Ven pulled the shirt of one of Glimt’s defenders from Porro’s initial delivery. Van de Ven was incensed and soon made a reckless tackle on Sondre Auklend, which resulted in a yellow card. The Netherlands international was captain on the night due to Cristian Romero’s absence but it was an erratic response lacking in composure.

Frank sent on Mohammed Kudus and Simons, but the situation did not improve. Simons lost the ball from a free kick and Glimt ripped Spurs open on the counter. Just when the move appeared to have slowed down, a poor pass from Van de Ven to Vicario allowed the home side to reclaim the ball. Hauge found himself one-on-one with Porro again, danced past him, moved the ball onto his left foot and drilled a shot into the bottom corner.

Spurs completely restricted Glimt when these teams faced each other in the Europa League semi-finals in May but it was the opposite story on this occasion. Van de Ven’s consolation barely changed anything in terms of the game. Up until the 89th minute, it looked like Glimt were more likely to score a third than Spurs find an unlikely and undeserved equaliser.

Somehow though, Tottenham pulled it off. Archie Gray strode into the box and his shot deflected off Gundersen into the net. It was such a bizarre goal that VAR took a few minutes to check any potential issues.

Spurs escaped with a point but that will not mask how badly they performed.

Jay Harris

What did Frank say?

The Tottenham head coach said his team showed “big character” to earn a point.

“I think that’s hugely important in any team that they have that and keep running, keep fighting, keep doing the right thing,” he told reporters after the match.

“I felt that we kept doing the right thing, we kept moving the ball, kept reducing the situation from the side and showed great character to come back into the game, which I’m very, very pleased with. But big praise to Bodo. I think until the 2-0 they were the best team. I think after that the game changed a bit and I think we got more on top.

“Of course, I hope we could have done a little bit more first half, got a little bit more into the high pressure in situations. And I would say, especially on the ball, I felt we could and should have kept the ball better in situations.”

What next for Spurs?

Saturday, October 4: Leeds (Away), Premier League, 12.30pm UK, 7.30am ET

(Top photo: Martin Ole Wold/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have ended their relationship with Rothschild & Co, as the Premier League club say they do not need the multinational merchant bank’s financial advice because they are not for sale.

Former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy appointed Rothschild to help find potential external investment in April 2024 and it was still advising Spurs when they were forced to issue a London Stock Exchange statement on September 8 to confirm they had rejected two expressions of interest from Amanda Staveley’s PCP International Finance and Firehawk Holdings.

In that statement, the club’s board and majority shareholder ENIC said Spurs were “not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the club”.

However, last week, when Spurs had to issue another statement to say they had “unequivocally rejected” a third informal expression of interest from a group led by American crypto investor Brooklyn Earick, Rothschild was no longer listed as an advisor.

When asked by The Athletic if this meant Rothschild had been sacked, a club spokesperson said: “We’re grateful for the support of Rothschild in recent years.

“However, given the club is not for sale, we mutually agreed there is no longer a role for them and have mutually ended the mandate.”

The spokesperson added that British law firm Dickson Minto will continue to provide independent advice while the club is the subject of takeover speculation, which has stepped up since Levy was sacked on September 4. That ended almost a quarter of a century in charge at the north London club, a tenure that started when ENIC became Spurs’ majority owner in 2001. The British investment firm had bought its first shares in in the club in 1991, before steadily increasing its stake over the next decade.

Founded by British businessman Joe Lewis, ENIC now owns almost 87 per cent of Tottenham’s shares. ENIC itself is controlled by the Lewis and Levy family trusts, with the former controlling just over 70 per cent of the business and the latter owning the rest. This means that the Levy family trust owns about 26 per cent of Spurs.

Under Levy, Spurs built a state-of-the-art stadium and training ground, gained a reputation for being a well-run business and consistently qualified for Europe. But they also hired and fired managers regularly, sold their best players and did not win many trophies.

What does this mean for Spurs?

Rumours about a potential takeover at Spurs have regularly surfaced for several years, with the club repeatedly denying it was on the market, but three approaches for the club have reached the public domain in the last month. This is partly because of the uncertainty caused by Levy’s exit and the fact that Lewis, 88, has kept a low profile since pleading guilty to multiple counts of insider trading in the U.S. in early 2024, but it is also because Spurs are still subject to the UK’s Takeover Code.

Tottenham became the first sports team in the world to be floated on a stock market in 1983, spending the next 18 years on the London Stock Exchange. They then moved to the smaller Alternative Investment Market between 2001 and January 2012, when they were de-listed and taken private.

However, 13 per cent of the shares are still held by approximately 30,000 small shareholders, and it is still possible to trade those shares in auctions held every other month by Asset Match, an online platform. The next auction closes on November 27.

To protect the interests of these small shareholders, any takeover at Spurs will have to follow the same rules as a publicly-listed company, with transparent bids and clear deadlines. This is why Staveley’s PCP had to admit that it did not intend to launch a formal bid for the club and can now not come back to the negotiating table for six months. And Earick, a former DJ and ex-NASA employee, now has until October 24 to announce a firm intention to bid or his group will also have to step back.

Since emerging as a potential bidder, the 41-year-old American has put several posts on social media to counter Spurs’ claim that his interest was unsolicited, as he was given a full tour of the club’s facilities in early August.

However, where his money comes from remains unclear beyond media references to a 12-strong group of American sports investors who are willing to pay £3.3billion for the club, with a further £1.2billion available to upgrade the playing squad. In March, an Earick-led bid to buy Maserati’s Formula E team collapsed at the 11th hour despite him announcing himself as “chairman and CEO” on social media a month earlier.

With Spurs not being advised by a major bank, it is hard to dispute their owners’ claims that they are not for sale. But many sports industry insiders remain convinced that the Lewis family will, at the very least, eventually explore their options, with the advice of at least one multinational financial advisory group.

(Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke will undergo surgery to fix his ankle problem, head coach Thomas Frank said on Monday.

The 28-year-old did not travel to Norway for Spurs’ Champions League fixture against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday, and has not played for the north London side since their second game of the season against Manchester City.

“Dom has got that ankle issue that’s been bothering him for a little while so now it’s time to make a minor surgery,” Frank said in Monday’s pre-match press conference.

“It’s a small procedure, so that will mean he’s not ready for (tomorrow). We will have more news about timeframes after the international break but I don’t expect it to be long.”

The striker, who joined Tottenham in a £65million deal from Bournemouth in August 2024, sustained an ankle injury in pre-season and missed five of their summer fixtures before returning as a substitute in the Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Solanke then appeared off the bench in Tottenham’s first two matches of the season with Richarlison starting up front.

The north London side bolstered their options at striker on transfer deadline day with the loan signing of France international Randal Kolo Muani from PSG.

(Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Joao Palhinha could not hide his joy, ripping his shirt off in celebration as he ran over towards the fans in the north-east corner of the stadium. He had just rescued a point for Tottenham Hotspur, driving the ball into the far bottom corner of the net from just outside the box. Four of the five added minutes had already gone.

It was the only moment of quality in an utterly miserable second half on Saturday against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the sole glimmer of light in what was otherwise total darkness. Over the course of that half, Tottenham had found themselves tactically manoeuvred, unable to respond to Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira’s switch to a 5-4-1.

Spurs went 1-0 down, never looked like getting back into the game, and were one minute away from what would have been a painful home defeat against the club who are bottom of the league. Palhinha’s goal at least saved them from the ignominy of that.

But just because Tottenham found a way to scrape a point, it does not mean that fans will brush over the obvious flaws in this performance. The weaknesses were there for all to see.

Spurs were clunky and predictable in possession, apart from a spell at the end of the first half when Mohammed Kudus looked too quick and too sharp for the Wolves defence. He had a header palmed onto the bar by Sam Johnstone and a lovely ‘goal’ disallowed for offside.

But in the main, whenever Spurs got the ball, you knew what they were going to do. It would go out to a full-back, down the line to the winger (Kudus on the right or Xavi Simons on the left), they would attempt an overlap and try to get a cross in. At times, it nearly worked, but there was little subtlety to it, nor any surprise. When Pereira changed Wolves’ formation at the break, with Jackson Tchatchoua and Hugo Bueno at wing-back, even that route was shut down. Wolves controlled the game from then on, Spurs offered nothing else until the equaliser.

What will have concerned Tottenham fans is that some of these problems felt predictable.

New head coach Thomas Frank has started well here — Spurs finished the game third in the Premier League, and a win would have put them second — but the weaknesses of this team are as clear as their strengths. Good on set pieces, good defensively, good in wide areas, but lacking in open play and lacking in possession, especially in home games when they have to take the initiative. If Tottenham do not go ahead from a set piece, they do not always look bursting with ideas about what to do next.

It was impossible not to watch this game and think back to the 1-0 home defeat against Bournemouth four weeks ago. That day, Spurs came up against a very clever, ruthless, pressing team and were made to look clueless on the ball. Bournemouth should have won by far more than one goal.

While Bournemouth are clearly a better side than Wolves, you could easily spot some similarities between the two matches, including in the starting midfields that Frank selected. Against Bournemouth, it was Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr. For Wolves, it was Palhinha and Bentancur plus Lucas Bergvall.

With Palhinha and Bentancur sitting in front of their defence, Spurs struggle to progress the ball through the centre of the pitch. It feels as if those two players are there for other reasons: to foil attacks, to keep a structure out of possession, even to attract opponents to create space for team-mates. But it leaves Tottenham unable, or unwilling, to play through the middle.

This is not to criticise Palhinha, who has brought a lot to the team since joining on a season’s loan from Bayern Munich. He is one of the league’s best midfielders against the ball, as he showed in the 2-0 away defeat of Manchester City a month ago. Spurs would not be able to win games like that without him. He can be an exceptional game-manager, as he showed when they held on to beat Villarreal 1-0 last week in the Champions League. He brings a sense of focused protection that this team desperately lacked last season.

But that does not mean that Palhinha is always right for every game. Especially not at home, alongside Bentancur, in a match when Tottenham have to take the ball and do something with it. That is a game for Bergvall, for Sarr and, when they get fit again, for James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. But it is not a game for Palhinha, who just looked, not for the first time, a bit imprecise and one-dimensional in the heart of Saturday’s midfield battle.

Sometimes, the ball came to him and he lost it. Sometimes, Spurs just bypassed him and went wide instead.

We are still in the very early days of the Frank era and the overall picture is good, but it feels as if this season will stand or fall by these home league games against non-elite sides.

Frank was brought in from Brentford to raise Tottenham’s floor, rather than their ceiling. But if they struggle to convince in a match like this, fans will ask what the plan is for such games, and how Spurs can better impose their will upon them. And whether Palhinha, the indispensable man for the harder games, the man who rescued a point against Wolves, is always the right answer on a night like this.

(Top photo: Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur rescued a point at home to Wolves on Saturday evening, drawing 1-1 with the Premier League’s bottom side thanks to a 94th minute goal from Joao Palhinha.

Spurs, with Pedro Porro rested and Djed Spence switched to right-back, struggled to get a foothold during the first half as the visitors defended impressively. And it was winless Wolves who took the lead, Santiago Bueno poking the ball home from close range after a defensive scramble following a set-piece caused goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario some problems. Any hopes this setback would spur the hosts into action were misplaced, with the visitors from the Midlands continuing to look the more dangerous side.

Thomas Frank introduced Porro, Brennan Johnson, Pape Sarr, Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel to try to turn the game in his team’s favour, but it was holding midfielder Palhinha who rescued a point with a neat finish from the edge of the box. The goal was Spurs’ first shot on target in the second half, which tells its own story.

Jay Harris and Jack Pitt-Brooke break down the key moments from a frustrating evening for Tottenham fans.

Was this a missed opportunity on a chaotic day in the Premier League?

It was shaping up to be the perfect weekend for Spurs. Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all lost earlier on Saturday, while either Newcastle United or Arsenal will drop points when they face each other on Sunday at St James’ Park.

Wolves had lost all five of their games in the top-flight this season and conceded 12 goals in the process. If Spurs had inflicted a sixth defeat, they would have moved up to second in the table. We might be little more than a month into the new season, but another victory would have maintained their early momentum under new head coach Frank.

Instead, Spurs failed to beat Wolves yet again, having dropped four points against Vitor Pereira’s side under Ange Postecoglou last season.

Frank tried every trick possible to reverse their fortunes, including sending on Porro, who had been rested, along with Odobert, Tel and Johnson. When striker Tel replaced full-back Destiny Udogie in the 83rd minute, Tottenham even switched to an aggressive 3-4-3 formation.

Few of these tweaks had the desired effect, however.

Spurs threatened on a couple of occasions in the first half through Mohammed Kudus and Lukas Bergvall but were toothless after half-time. As they became more desperate, Palhinha and centre-back Cristian Romero tried to score from long distance but fired their shots over the bar, before the former finally made an effort count deep into added time.

A draw is clearly better than a defeat, but this was an insipid performance at home when a victory would have given these players real confidence they can achieve something special this season.

Jay Harris

Can Frank deal with injuries better than Postecoglou did?

The fundamental problem Tottenham struggled with last season was how to manage their limited resources through the twin demands of domestic and European competition. They simply did not have a sufficiently deep or robust squad to cope, and while their Europa League campaign ended in triumph, it clearly came at the cost of domestic matters as they finished 17th.

Frank needs to find a way to manage his squad through the Premier League and Champions League campaigns, and tonight felt like a reminder of how difficult that will be.

Spurs are not dealing with a severe injury crisis yet, but are missing enough players to limit their options in games like this. With strikers Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani both out, Richarlison has had to carry the attack, and if he is not at his best it blunts the whole team. With James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski both recovering from knee surgeries, there is not a lot of creative quality in midfield either. Much is riding on new signing Xavi Simons but he was not in top form here either. Bergvall cannot do it all himself.

This is still a squad that should be good enough to beat Wolves at home, but this match was also a reminder that it does not take much for Spurs to look a bit flat, predictable and thin on the ground.

Maddison and Kulusevski will not be back any time soon, but they certainly need Solanke and Kolo Muani to return as quickly as possible.

Jack Pitt-Brooke

Why were Spurs so flat-footed?

Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and Sarr started together in the 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth here last month. It was a disciplined and hard-working midfield combination that lacked creativity. Bergvall started instead of Sarr against Wolves, but Tottenham experienced a similar issue.

With Simons shunted out onto the left wing, Bergvall seemed to be the only player in the home side capable of progressing the ball in central areas.

Bergvall is quickly forging an excellent relationship with newcomer Kudus and they combined delightfully for a ‘goal’ which was unfortunately ruled out for a fairly clear offside. However, they were the only players to inject any spark into Tottenham’s attack.

Simons underperformed. He whipped in one fantastic cross for Kudus, whose header was tipped onto the bar by Sam Johnstone but apart from that moment, the Netherlands international kept losing the ball. He would either dribble for too long and get crowded out or overhit simple passes. A reckless tackle on Marshall Munetsi, which led to a yellow card, summed up his evening — everything was completely off the pace. Simons moved into the No 10 role in the second half but still struggled to make an impact.

Spurs need to become much better at creating chances from open play. Udogie looked threatening on the overlap but his crosses were ineffective. Richarlison lacks Solanke’s abilities to link the play up and offer a threat when running in behind the opposition. Even when Bueno scored for Wolves early in the second half, there was a lack of urgency.

After improving the defence so quickly following his off-season switch from Brentford, Frank still has a lot of work to do to make this team look slick going forward.

Jay Harris

What did Thomas Frank say?

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the Spurs boss was in a reflective mood. “I think we played a good first half. Without having enough clear cut chances we got into dangerous situations, some good situations we didn’t get enough out of.

“The second half I think we started ok, and then after the (Wolves) goal I felt we lost a little bit of of control. We didn’t keep the structure enough, we were rushing too much in my opinion. The effort and the mentality of the players was fantastic, staying in the game and keep on pushing and I think we got a well-deserved equaliser in the end.”

Speaking to The Athletic post-match, Frank pointed out that Spurs have had a poor record against Wolves recently. “I think if you look before the game, you would say there was a good chance for us to win. But I said this before the game, we haven’t beaten Wolves the last five times and now it is six times in a row. A team that has lost the first five (games) there is a time where they will get something.

I also said before the game they played very even games so it is never easy. That said, I hoped and believed if we hit a top performance we would win. We didn’t hit a top performance. I think we hit an average performance but you do that some times. We got a point where not everything worked and we move forward.”

What next for Spurs?

Tuesday, September 30: Bodo/Glimt (away), Champions League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET

(Top photo: Ian Kington/AFP via Getty Images)