Inside Futbol

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Leyton Orient defender Dan Happe has hailed Tottenham Hotspur loan star Josh Keeley for his calmness on the ball and admitted the Spurs loanee has made a big difference.

The 21-year-old shot-stopper joined the north London club two years ago and currently, he is out on his second loan spell away from Spurs.

Keeley is an Under-21 Republic of Ireland international and has been an important player in Richie Wellens’ side this term.

Keeley has kept six clean sheets so far in 12 appearances for the Os and Happe insisted that the Spurs loanee has made a big difference in the team.

The Os central defender stressed Keeley’s composure on the ball gives the League One side an advantage during the build-up.

“Yes, he has made a big difference”, Happe told the Os media about Spurs loanee Keeley.

“We have done well as a back four and we have got the comfortability of him between the sticks.

“And also he is very good with his feet, so from build up, it is very helpful.”

Keeley will be looking to keep his performances levels consistent at Leyton Orient to impress his parent club for the rest of this campaign.

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has revealed that Spurs star Djed Spence’s patience and perseverance were rewarded with a start against Southampton.

The 24-year-old right-back joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough in 2022 and Spence spent last season with Leeds United and Genoa on loan.

On Sunday, Postecoglou handed Spence his first full debut against Southampton and the player assisted a goal in Spurs’ 5-0 win.

Postecoglou pointed out that the right-back position is an area Spurs are well stacked this season and added that with Archie Gray’s arrival, Spence had to bide his time.

The Tottenham boss added that Spence was awarded for his patience and perseverance and pointed out that the player made his presence felt by having an impact on the game.

“Djed has had to bide his time”, Postecoglou said at a press conference.

“To be fair, it’s the one area of the pitch where we’ve had cover this year with Archie playing at right-back, so he’s had to be patient.

“It’s a testament to him and the coaches who have worked with him in training that he could come on today.

“We needed him for sure, not just to play but to make an impact and he did.

“Great reward for his patience and perseverance.”

Spence has so far featured only 12 times for Spurs in his career and he will be hoping that Sunday’s performance could kick-start his season.

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Brazilian outfit Fluminense have made initial contact with one of Tottenham Hotspur’s players as they see if he can be tempted to make the move.

The Spurs hierarchy backed manager Ange Postecoglou in the summer as they sanctioned arrivals, though the emphasis was on youth.

The likes of Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert and Archie Gray came through the door, while the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Oliver Skipp, and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg were moved on from the club.

Spurs are expected to do more business in January if the opportunity presents itself, but players could also leave the club.

One of their attacking players is attracting interest from multiple clubs and Brazilian side Fluminense have now also joined the race.

According to Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte, Fluminense have made contact with Tottenham’s Richarlison, who was on the books at the club between 2016 and 2017.

It has been suggested that Fluminense want to make the Spurs attacker the face of their side and they are willing to invest in him.

Saudi Arabian clubs have shown interest in the Brazilian, who is currently injured, and it remains to be seen if he will fancy a return to his old club in the coming months.

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Former top-flight star Tam McManus thinks that Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou will be sacked by Spurs before the new year gets going.

Postecoglou’s Spurs side are going through a rough patch and they have only won three out of their last nine Premier League fixtures.

That puts Spurs 15th in the Premier League form table over the same number of games and they have some tough fixtures ahead with Southampton, Manchester United, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest to face in the upcoming games.

McManus believes that the Tottenham team that played at Rangers on Thursday did not look like a side fighting for their manager and pointed out that Spurs were not playing the high-tempo passing football that is associated with Postecoglou.

He thinks that Postecoglou would have been sacked if Spurs had lost against Rangers and stressed that he does not think the ex-Celtic boss will last at Tottenham until the new year with the fixtures they have to come.

“I think if you look at that performance in isolation last night, I just think that was a team that kind of went through the motions”, McManus said on PLZ Soccer Show.

“I think they did not look as if they were fighting for the manager last night.

“They didn’t play the way Ange probably wanted them to play, high tempo, passing.

“It was just lacklustre and they were very fortunate, let’s be honest, to get a point out of the game.

“If they got beat last night, I think he probably would have been sacked, to be honest.

“They have got Southampton away; they have got Manchester United and Liverpool coming up. I mean, does he see the new year?

“Probably not for me.”

Postecoglou will take his team to St. Mary’s on Sunday and all eyes will be on him to see whether he can turn things around.

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Former Premier League star Jan Aage Fjortoft thinks that Tottenham Hotspur star Timo Werner will have to leave if he is not able to meet Ange Postecoglou’s demands.

Tottenham signed Werner on loan from RB Leipzig once again in the summer with an option to buy in the deal, but the striker has scored only once in all competitions for Spurs so far.

On Thursday, Werner started the game against Rangers but was taken off at half-time and later was criticised by Postecoglou in his post-match assessment.

Fjortoft believes that Postecoglou is feeling the pressure due to Spurs’ weak performances in recent games and added that Werner is not producing for Tottenham at the moment.

The former striker also stressed that the winger has been the worst player at times and added that although he loves Werner for his funny side, he thinks that the German will have to leave if he does not meet Postecoglou’s demands.

“Postecoglou, I think now has to feel he is under pressure himself”, Fjortoft said on ESPN.

“He is defending some weak performances over the games and Timo Werner has sometimes been the worst, I have to say that.

“I love Timo Werner; if you work with Timo Werner, you will love him because he is the funny kind of player, always honest, but he is not producing.

“And Timo Werner was the number one striker for Germany for a long time and Postecoglou demands and if you can’t live with that, then you have to go back to Germany.”

Now it remains to be seen whether the 28-year-old forward will be able to find his shooting boots and turn his season around, impressing the Spurs boss.

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Ex-Rangers attacker Steven Thompson has insisted that Gers midfielder Nicolas Raskin bossed Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma off the ball on Thursday night.

The Belgian midfielder has been on Rangers book since last year’s January after he left Standard Liege for the Gers on a four-and-a-half-year deal.

On Thursday night, Raskin played in the Rangers’ engine room against Spurs in the Europa League and the match ended 1-1.

Thompson believes Raskin is one of the most important players in Philippe Clement’s Rangers side.

The former Ger indicated the Belgian has fantastic upper body strength and he is of the view that Raskin dominated Tottenham’s Bissouma on Thursday night.

“If I were to pick one Rangers player, I thought Nicolas Raskin was absolutely brilliant and he has been for weeks and weeks and weeks”, Thompson said on BBC Sportsound.

“He was bossing Yves Bissouma off the ball, he’s just a wee guy but his upper-body strength is exceptional.

“He bossed the middle of the park tonight and he’s gone from being someone who you thought was maybe not going to get back in the team under Philippe Clement to being arguably one of their most important players right now.”

Raskin will look to have the same impact against arch-rivals Celtic on Sunday in the Scottish League Cup final.

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Fixture: Rangers vs Tottenham Hotspur

Competition: Europa League

Kick-off: 20:00 UK time

Tottenham Hotspur have announced their side to lock horns with Scottish giants Rangers at Ibrox in the Europa League this evening.

Spurs have now gone four games without a win across all competitions and have won just one of their last six matches.

There is growing pressure on Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, whose side are in the bottom half of the Premier League table and have suffered seven defeats in the league this term.

Postecoglou enjoyed big success in Scottish football as Celtic boss and is sure to get a lively reception from the Rangers faithful.

Fraser Forster is in goal for Tottenham, who name a back four of Pedro Porro, Radu Dragusin, Archie Gray and Destiny Udogie.

In midfield, Tottenham have Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma, while James Maddison, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner support Heung-Min Son.

Postecoglou can make changes if needed and his options include Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski.

Tottenham Hotspur Team vs Rangers

Forster, Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Udogie, Bentancur, Bissouma, Maddison, Johnson, Son, Werner

Substitutes: Austin, Whiteman, Dorringtom, Hardy, Sarr, Bergvall, Kulusevski, Williams-Bassett, Olusesi, Lankshear, Solanke

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Fixture: Rangers vs Tottenham Hotspur

Competition: Europa League

Kick-off: 20:00 UK time

Rangers boss Philippe Clement has picked his side to play host to Tottenham Hotspur in a Europa League league stage clash at Ibrox tonight.

With the Scottish League Cup final at the weekend there is little doubt where Clement’s priority lies, but he will still want a good result and performance against Spurs.

Rangers have proven to be a class act in Europe so far this season and thumped Nice 4-1 on their last outing in the competition.

However, Tottenham will start the game as favourites and Rangers did struggle at Ibrox against Lyon in October, losing 4-1.

Jack Butland is in goal for Rangers tonight, while at the back the Gers go with James Tavernier, John Souttar, Robin Propper and Jefte.

Midfield sees Rangers play Nicolas Raskin and Mohammed Diomande, while Ridvan Yilmaz, Vaclav Cerny and Nedim Bajrami will look to support Hamza Igamane.

Clement can shake things up with his changes if needed and options include Connor Barron and Ross McCausland.

Rangers Team vs Tottenham Hotspur

Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Propper, Jefte, Raskin, Diomande, Yilmaz, Cerny, Bajrami, Igamane

Substitutes: Kelly, Cortes, Barron, Dessers, Dowell, Sterling, Balogun, King, McCausland, Fraser, Rice, Curtis

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has taken reference from his experience in Glasgow to tell his players that a European night at Ibrox is going to be something players want to be part of.

The 59-year-old will return to Glasgow this evening as his current side Tottenham are set to take on Rangers in a Europa League league phase game.

Postecoglou was previously the manager of Rangers’ bitter rivals Celtic and visited Ibrox in that capacity, despite a significant period of his stint being marred by Covid.

And he knows the kind of reception he is likely to get from the Rangers fans on the night, though he told his players that the atmosphere there will be something to be part of.

“I think you know what kind of reception I’ll get”, Postecoglou said at a press conference.

“I loved it. It was a different experience, it was mixed. The first one here we lost and the next one with only 500 or 600 in the building we won and that was pretty special.

“I’ve enjoyed all the games against Rangers, all the derbies, they’re big games here in Scotland and usually very significant games.

“They’re either title deciders or cup knockouts so they’re always big games and I enjoyed them all and enjoyed the atmosphere.

“European nights here are going to be something you want to be a part of it.”

After a bright start to their Europa League campaign, Tottenham’s momentum was halted by a defeat to Galatasaray and then a draw against Roma.

They will now look to bounce back against Rangers, who are due to face Celtic in the Scottish League Cup final at the weekend.

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Rangers captain James Tavernier has revealed that the Gers have watched a lot of clips of Tottenham Hotspur to prepare for Thursday and stated that he expects a different type of game.

Tottenham are going through a bad patch of form and former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou will take his side to Scotland on Thursday to face Rangers in the Europa League.

The Scottish giants are in good form and they are sitting in eighth place in the Europa League table, just above Tottenham.

Tavernier revealed that Rangers have studied a lot of clips to prepare for the clash against Spurs and admitted that Tottenham have quality players throughout the pitch.

The Rangers star stated that Spurs are one of the top teams in the Premier League and admitted that he is expecting a different type of game on Thursday.

“We have watched a lot of clips, and have prepared for this game at the training ground”, Tavernier said at a press conference.

“We know they have top quality players around the pitch and we have to be on our game.

“They are a top Premier League team, a different type of game against a good opponent.

“We are only concentrating on tomorrow night; we only focus on the next game.”

Postecoglou has experience of facing Rangers at Ibrox during his time as Celtic boss and he will be keen to guide Spurs to victory on Thursday.