Inside Futbol

Tottenham Hotspur have been given a timely boost as a top prospect is back fit and starting this evening for their Under-21s.

Ange Postecoglou has been coming under pressure in north London following a derby defeat at the hands of Arsenal.

Spurs only just squeaked through the EFL Cup in midweek when they came from behind to beat Coventry City.

Now Postecoglou has been given a boost as top prospect Will Lankshear is back fit.

Recovering from a hamstring issue, Lankshear returned to full training earlier this week and has now taken another step forward.

The attacker has been named in Spurs Under-21s’ team for this evening’s Premier League 2 game against Fulham.

Lankshear is in the team from the off against the Cottagers and all eyes will be on how many minutes he gets in the 7pm kick-off.

The forward was wanted on loan by a host of Championship clubs this summer, but Spurs decided to keep hold of him.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has admitted that Spurs looked at one more English striker before signing Dominic Solanke in the summer transfer window.

The Australian boss was backed in the summer by the Spurs board and sanctioned a £65m package to bring in Solanke from Bournemouth.

Solanke is yet to hit the ground running at the north London club as he is yet to register a goal contribution in three starts.

But he is not the only striker Spurs looked at as Postecoglou admitted that Ivan Toney is a player they were interested in.

However, he made it clear that even though Spurs looked at Toney, Solanke was always his first choice and stressed that the former Cherries man fits the desired profile at Tottenham.

“We did look at him [Toney] but I have said Dom [Solanke] was the one I wanted and it took pretty much the whole summer to get him in”, Postecoglou told a press conference about looking at the former Brentford star.

“Because he was the one who fitted the profile of what we were looking for at the time.”

Toney ended up going to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli after there was a lack of movement from Premier League clubs.

Solanke will be looking to score his first goal this weekend when his side face Toney’s former side at home.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou believes that people are rushing with their judgment of Dominic Solanke and pointed out that he has played only two games in the league so far.

In the summer transfer window, Tottenham were keen on signing a centre forward and were linked with several players but they deemed Solanke to be the right fit for their squad.

The 27-year-old striker has had a stop-start beginning of his career at Spurs after suffering an ankle injury last month and has played two times so far in the league for Tottenham, but is yet to find the back of the net.

Postecoglou stated that Solanke has played only two league games so far for Spurs and pointed out that critics are wrong to judge him so early.

The Spurs boss added that he would have been concerned if Solanke went out not scoring for 15 games in a row, and he advised Solanke’s critics to think before making an early assessment of the player.

When asked whether he is concerned about Solanke not able get himself on the scoresheet. Postecoglou said at a press conference: “I don’t know because people are just so quick to judge.

“It’s a small sample. The guy has played less than two games for us.

“If he has gone 15 games without a goal then I can answer that question or 15 games where he hasn’t contributed, but I just think to take a breath.

“Do a bit of yoga. Think about the world for a second and make an assessment after that.

“We don’t have to rush to make judgement all the time because the alternative is he may have got off to a great start, he is fit, scored in all four games, is flying and then he goes through a patch like all strikers where he doesn’t score.

“I just don’t look at those things. What I look at is he has come in, fitted really well and quite logically has picked up an injury that has disrupted the way he wanted to start his career, but he’s still got plenty of time for that.”

Tottenham will face Brentford in search of their second win in the league and all eyes will be on Solanke to see whether he can find his shooting boots.

Tottenham Hotspur have been boosted with one of their top prospects now returning to full training.

Spurs eased some of the pressure which has been building on Ange Postecoglou by beating Coventry City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.

Postecoglou handed outings to two young talents in the shape of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall.

Progression in the competition means more youngsters could get chances at some point and Will Lankshear will be looking to feature.

In a boost for Spurs, Lankshear has now returned to full training.

The top prospect has been absent with a hamstring injury, but he is now back in the full training mix, according to football.london.

It had been thought the 19-year-old forward could be loaned out in the summer and he did have interest.

Spurs though kept hold of Lankshear and the forward will hope that is an indication that Postecoglou plans to give him game time.

Former EFL star Sam Parkin has revealed that he liked Tottenham Hotspur’s loan stars Josh Keeley and Jamie Donley during Leyton Orient’s match against Brentford in the EFL Cup.

In the summer, Tottenham sanctioned season-long loan moves to League One outfit Leyton Orient for Donley and Keeley to experience regular first-team football.

While Donley has featured six times for Leyton Orient this season, 21-year-old goalkeeper Keeley made his debut against Brentford on Tuesday in the EFL Cup.

Brentford knocked Leyton Orient out from the EFL Cup, but Spurs loanees Keeley and Donley caught Parkin’s eye.

He believes that Leyton Orient have a good goalkeeper in Tottenham starlet Keeley and pointed out that Donley plays like a number 10.

“They seem to have a good track record of getting Spurs loanees; no one more high profile than our Harry Kane once upon a time”, Parkin said on the What The EFL.

“A good goalkeeper in Keeley, made his first appearance.

“And Donley I liked, a kind of number 10, on loan from Spurs as well.”

Keeley will be looking to establish himself as the first choice goalkeeper in the Leyton Orient squad and Donley, who is highly rated at Spurs, will be eager to showcase his talents in League One.

Ange Postecoglou thinks Tottenham Hotspur showed something they have been missing in their 2-1 EFL Cup win over Coventry City on Wednesday night.

Spurs looked to be heading out of the competition as they found themselves 1-0 down heading into the final few minutes of the game.

The visitors were poor in the opening 45 minutes and though they improved slightly in the second half, Coventry took the lead just after the hour mark.

Late goals from Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson saved the day and Postecoglou was pleased to see something in the performance he feels has been missing.

The Tottenham boss thinks his side showed real spirit to fight through and win the game and that pleased him.

“There is no easy of quick fix to where we want to get to and one result doesn’t change that”, Postecoglou told Sky Sports post match.

“Tonight we showed what we have been missing the first four games, a little bit of spirit to fight and win.

“We have lacked a little bit of an edge and hopefully tonight gives the boys a little bit of belief.”

Postecoglou now prepares his side to take on Brentford this weekend in the Premier League and given the performance at Coventry, Spurs will be under extra scrutiny.

Next week they kick off their Europa League campaign by hosting Qarabag.

One of Tottenham Hotspur’s stars has insisted that Coventry City was always going to be a tough place to go after Spurs just got over the line 2-1 in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.

Ange Postecoglou made a number of changes to his team for the EFL Cup tie at Coventry, but Spurs were largely expected to get past the Championship side comfortably.

That was not the case as they did not have even a single shot on goal in the first 45 minutes and then fell behind when Brandon Thomas-Asante struck just after the hour mark.

Spurs needed a late, late show to get through and levelled with two minutes left through Djed Spence, while Brennan Johnson then scored the winner in stoppage time.

For Spurs star Archie Gray, the game was always going to be tough as going to Coventry is difficult.

He recalled meetings with Coventry for Leeds United last season as an example, but thinks Spurs knew they had what it took to eek out a win.

“It’s a difficult place to come”, Gray told Sky Sports.

“I played here last year here and even at our ground I was playing last year they always bring a tough game and lots of transitions.

“That’s the way they play and they did well in this game, fans got behind them and they brought a good game to us.

“Credit to them but we always knew that we had what it took to take it to the end.

“They did very well and I thought the game plan was executed very well as well.”

Spurs will now wait to see who they will be drawn to face in the next round of the EFL Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur’s first half performance against Coventry City in the EFL Cup has been dubbed ’embarrassing’ by a former Spurs star.

Ange Postecoglou’s men are in cup action away at Coventry as they look to plot a route through to the next round and bounce back after a derby defeat against Arsenal.

Spurs ended the first 45 minutes at the Coventry Building Society Arena locked at 0-0 with the hosts.

They bossed possession, enjoying over 70 per cent of the ball, but had not a single shot at the opposition goal.

Former Tottenham star Jamie O’Hara took to X to react and wrote: “No shots in 45 minutes embarrassing really ain’t it, jeez.”

While Tottenham did not register a shot, Coventry had four efforts at goal, with two on target.

Spurs boss Postecoglou has piled pressure on himself by vowing to deliver a piece of silverware for the club this season.

The EFL Cup is considered to be one of the most likely silverware targets for the north London club.

Fixture: Coventry City vs Tottenham Hotspur

Competition: EFL Cup

Kick-off: 20:00 UK time

Tottenham Hotspur have announced their team and substitutes to take on Championship side Coventry City in the EFL Cup this evening.

Spurs were beaten by Arsenal in the north London derby at the weekend and there is pressure to respond.

Ange Postecoglou has created extra pressure by insisting he always wins trophies in his second seasons at clubs, something which means there is now more riding on the EFL Cup.

Coventry currently sit in 14th spot in the Championship and head into the cup tie on the back of a 1-1 draw at Watford.

Spurs have Fraser Forster in goal tonight, while in defence Postecoglou goes with Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie.

The Tottenham boss looks towards a midfield of Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall, while Wilson Odobert and Timo Werner support Dominic Solanke.

If Postecoglou needs to shake things up he has options on the bench to call for and they include Pedro Porro and James Maddison.

Tottenham Hotspur Team vs Coventry City

Forster, Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Odobert, Solanke, Werner

Substitutes: Vicario, Spence, Porro, Reguilon, Moore, Maddison, Kulusevski, Johnson, Son

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has indicated he could unleash three of his top talents on Coventry City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.

Postecoglou has put extra pressure on himself by insisting he always wins a trophy in his second season in charge of clubs.

That has led to a real focus on what side the Australian might put out against Coventry, with the EFL Cup considered a possible trophy target for Tottenham.

Postecoglou has young talents Mikey Moore, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall as his disposal and indicated he could unleash them on Coventry.

“You can see them. Yes, they might even be on the pitch mate. Yes, they’re ready to play and we’re keen to get them some game time”, he told a press conference.

“That’s why we brought them to the club.

“They’re training really well and the games haven’t gone the way we wanted in terms of giving them some more exposure but we always knew that this is the period where it starts.

“Not just between now and the next international break but post that, probably until the end of January we’re going to have a really busy schedule and they’re going to play a big part in that.”

Spurs splashed out a monster £40m to sign Gray from Leeds United, while they notably beat Barcelona to the signature of Swedish midfielder Bergvall.

Coventry impressed with their run in the FA Cup last season and are primed to try and spring a surprise on Tottenham at home on Wednesday evening.