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Tottenham Hotspur ended their clash against AS Roma with a hard-fought point as Mats Hummels netted a late equaliser.

Ange Postecoglou’s side delivered another thrilling performance that kept the fans on edge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Despite their efforts, Spurs currently find themselves in ninth place, occupying a playoff spot.

Tottenham initially took the lead through a Heung-min Son penalty, but Roma quickly responded with an equaliser. Brennan Johnson continued his impressive season by scoring again, restoring Spurs’ advantage. However, Roma struck late to secure a dramatic draw.

While Ange Postecoglou recently praised Johnson following the victory over West Ham before the international break, the Spurs manager appeared unimpressed with something the Welshman did during Thursday’s clash with Roma.

Why Ange Postecoglou Was Frustrated with Brennan Johnson Against Roma

Johnson demonstrated his quality once again with a well-taken goal, set up by the in-form Dejan Kulusevski. However, his performance wasn’t without criticism, as Ange Postecoglou expressed frustration during the first half.

Analysing the incident on TNT Sports, Glenn Hoddle noted Postecoglou’s visible displeasure, highlighting the manager’s call for Johnson to make a specific movement during a build-up. Postecoglou was seen urging him to “go, go” and make a run in behind.

There may have been some question marks about Johnson following his showings in his first campaign at Spurs, but he’s certainly answering them now. Brennan Johnson, earning £70,000 gross per week, has been in sensational form this season. With nine goals across all competitions and one assist to his name, his performances have been pivotal. Fans will undoubtedly be hoping he continues this impressive streak in the matches ahead.

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Despite a roller-coaster season, marked by Johnson deleting his social media accounts due to fan abuse, the £48m winger has emerged as a standout player for Tottenham. Even without starting against Manchester City, he continues to prove his value and establish himself as a rising star in Postecoglou’s side.

Mikey Moore has missed the last few games for Tottenham due to illness

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a late heartbreak on Thursday night in the UEFA Europa League, with AS Roma equalising at the death for a 2-2 draw.

Ange Postecoglou was left extremely frustrated with the result, with his players failing to put the game to bed on the night. Goals from Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson were not enough to earn the North Londoners maximum points and subsequently inch closer towards qualification to the Europa League’s knockout rounds.

Spurs came into the midweek European game with several players on the sidelines, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario becoming the latest casualty. Academy talent Mikey Moore has also missed the last few games for Tottenham.

The teenage prodigy was starting to become a regular fixture in Ange Postecoglou’s side at the beginning of the new season, amassing eight appearances across all competitions including three starts. His first start in the Premier League came in the shock 1-0 away defeat to Crystal Palace last month.

Mikey Moore has been unavailable for several weeks after being hit by a virus, with his last outing in a Tottenham shirt coming in the 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup. And the young left-winger’s absence is set to continue in another blow for Big Ange’s side.

According to club insider Paul O Keefe via X, Moore will need another three to four weeks of rest to fully recover from the bad virus before he returns to team training.

This is a setback considering the talented Englishman was quickly becoming a key part of the first-team squad. He is now set to miss most of the busy Christmas period as the attacker continues to recover from what was quite clearly a serious illness.

Spurs really needed Moore for this busy schedule, with Richarlison and Wilson Odobert both injured, question marks over Timo Werner’s consistency and Son Heung-min’s fitness levels managed by Big Ange and his coaching staff. As a result, the North Londoners are extremely thin in attacking areas of the pitch and it came to the fore when Big Ange didn’t have options to bring off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Roma.

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As Moore is extremely young, the medical department has to handle his case with great care and only green-light his return to training once he fully recovers from the bad virus.

Tottenham Hotspur allowed AS Roma to come back from a goal down on two separate occasions to take two points off them in their Europa League fixture on Thursday. The Lilywhites scored through Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson, but the Italian outfit ensured that the spoils were shared through Evan N’Dicka’s first-half equaliser and Mats Hummels’ in stoppage time of the second half.

Ange Postecoglou was quizzed about the team’s display in front of the goal and whether he was frustrated by what he saw from the players in the second half. The Australian manager had the following to say in response, as quoted by Football London, in his press conference following the game.

“Yeah frustration with the way the game ended. Yeah we should have killed it off a lot earlier. We should have killed it off in the first half with the chances we had. At 2-1 you’re always keeping the opposition in the game and they’re throwing men forward, so disappointing we weren’t able to see the game out. Ultimately we’re still in a decent position.”

Tottenham scored twice in the first half and had pegged back Roma for the majority of the second half, although the Serie A giants were very good defensively and stayed deep. To his credit, the Giallorossi’s goalkeeper Mile Svilar was also having the game of his life as nine saves across both halves were more than enough in denying Spurs a win in front of their home supporters.

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Spurs’ problem this season has been keeping goals out rather than scoring them as several cheap concessions have put their defence under the spotlight in recent weeks. They have a busy December lined up ahead and it will be interesting to see what the team can pull out of the hat considering it could be a season-defining month in many ways.

Tottenham Hotspur drew 2-2 at home against AS Roma

Tottenham Hotspur dropped points in the UEFA Europa League for a second successive match as a loss away at Galatasaray on the last matchday was followed up by a share of the spoils against AS Roma at home in Thursday’s meeting with the Italian giants.

The Giallorossi came back from a goal down twice in the match. Son Heung-min’s penalty gave the Lilywhites an early lead in what should have been a routine win, although Evan N’Dicka hit back shortly thereafter to draw the game level. Brennan Johnson restored the lead with 10 minutes to go until half time and it looked all Tottenham following the Welshman’s strike, but Mats Hummels scored in second-half stoppage time to give his side one point in north London and steal two off Spurs at the death.

After three straight wins to begin their continental season, Ange Postecoglou will hope that two games without victory do not lead to a massive derailing of his side’s campaign. With that said, here is a look at the three talking points from the game.

Another inconsistent Tottenham run

Tottenham Hotspur are without a shadow of doubt the most inconsistent team in the Premier League, if not in Europe. After hammering Manchester City, they were significantly the favourites to beat a Roma side that is on its third manager of the season. Spurs even had the home advantage and did not have any major fitness issues that occurred between the City match and now apart from Guglielmo Vicario’s absence.

Ange Postecoglou even went ahead with a starting eleven without making too many rotations, so he will undoubtedly be puzzled that he was not the victor of all three points on Thursday. In the Premier League, losses against Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town have recently cost the team some vital points and it is looking like a trend that is threatening to impact Spurs in the Europa League too.

Spurs denied by a brilliant goalkeeping show

As inconsistent as Tottenham Hotspur would have been, their opponents also deserve the plaudits for snatching a point off them, with goalkeeper Mile Svilar leading the show. Spurs had a total of 24 shots at goal, 12 of which were on target. They were denied by AS Roma’s goalkeeper on nine occasions, some of which were admittedly brilliant parries away by the Slovakian star.

Roma’s three-man backline consisting of Mats Hummels, Evan N’Dicka and Gianluca Mancini also held the fort well for the Serie A outfit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They were disciplined from a positional standpoint and had a good chemistry to nullify Spurs’ offensive threat, especially in the second half of the match, with wing backs Angelino and Mehmet Celik also contributing to the goods at the back when playing without the ball.

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Maddison’s confusing situation continues

James Maddison started and scored a brace on his birthday last weekend as Tottenham Hotspur thumped Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The former Leicester City midfielder went into the match with a fortnight of rest under his belt after not being called up for international duty by Lee Carsley for England’s UEFA Nations League matches earlier in the month.

However, his performances were not rewarded by Ange Postecoglou with a place in the starting eleven, which is rather puzzling given the player had sufficient rest between both matches and did not have any fitness problems either. There were questions raised regarding his future some weeks back and if the trend continues, the rumours of his exit will not die down any time soon.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a potential takeover, or at least minority investment, for over a year now.

One of England’s finest voices in football finance has had his say on why things have been slow, and whether that’s a good thing.

Kieran Maguire explains sluggishness over Tottenham takeover talks

Speaking to TBR Football, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has presented his view on why talks regarding a potential investment in Tottenham have been slow.

“When people want to move quickly, they can move very quickly.

“I think you see that in the speed that PIF moved to acquire Newcastle very shortly after they got approval from the Premier League.

“I don’t think there is any urgency with Friedkin, for example, in relation to Everton. There are an awful lot of clubs in play today. You can understand why things are moving slowly at other clubs.

“We are talking about substantial money and it is, to a certain extent, a buyer’s market in terms of what is offered by a seller.

“Some of the sellers have got a bit giddy in terms of asking prices, which has meant the buyers have walked away.

“Even if you want to be a sleeping partner, there is politics involved. Levy thinks nobody can run Spurs as a business better than he can, and I think there’s a lot of merit in that view.”

Maguire on why the Tottenham takeover talks have been slow.

Amanda Staveley, credited with both the 2008 Man City takeover by Abu Dhabi Group as well as the 2021 Newcastle United takeover led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has reportedly raised £500 million towards a potential minority stake in Spurs, with backing from the Middle East.

Earlier this year, Staveley also reopened her claim against Barclays Bank in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris.

Better late than never

Daniel Levy is famous for standing his ground in negotiations. He is very likely not going to budge from his £3.5bn valuation of the club, which any potential investor(s) will need to tackle head on if they are inclined to not have Levy around the club going forward.

Because, as long as it’s a matter of minority ownership, Levy is going to remain in charge, and in either case he will play a key part in making sure the club do not sell themselves short. The fact that all of this is progressing at a slow pace must be annoying for the fans, but it is still progressing, and it won’t be the worst thing in the world if Levy were to land new stakeholders primarily on his terms and not the other way round.

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Tottenham No.1 Guglielmo Vicario is set to spend months on the sidelines following an ankle surgery

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a big blow as No.1 Guglielmo Vicario has been ruled out for months following an ankle surgery.

The Italian international suffered an ankle fracture during Spurs’ 4-0 rout of Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday. He produced a strong performance despite picking up a knock at the half-hour mark, making five saves to keep a clean sheet.

The 28-year-old had no option but to go under the knife at the start of the week. Guglielmo Vicario is now expected to be sidelined for several months, which poses a massive problem for head coach Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou has revealed that Spurs will not be signing a new goalkeeper in January. He will be trusting Fraser Forster to do the job.

Despite the Tottenham boss’ claims, ex-scout Bryan King thinks the chiefs at the Hotspur Way have started compiling a list of goalkeepers immediately after Vicario underwent surgery on his fractured ankle. He expects Daniel Levy and his team to have a potential list of goalkeepers they want to sign during the winter window.

Forster has proven to be a decent back-up goalkeeper for many years but he needs to now prove himself to be a reliable presence in between the sticks until Vicario returns. The ex-England international has been shaky in the few games he has played earlier this season, yet Big Ange has given his vote of confidence.

It is great to see Big Ange showing trust in Forster to step up and show his quality in the upcoming weeks and months. Although the 59-year-old tactician insists the club won’t dip in the transfer market for a new glovesman, a couple of underwhelming displays from Forster may lead to a change in plan. Thus, nothing should be deemed guaranteed at this moment.

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As per reports, the North Londoners are keeping tabs on Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford ahead of a possible swoop. The Englishman has done well in the Championship this season, helping Burnley enjoy a strong defensive record.

As he is extremely vital to manager Scott Parker’s plans, Spurs would have to pay a bit over the odds to persuade the Clarets to sell Trafford in January.

Tottenham have been linked with Chelsea winger Jadon Sancho

Tottenham Hotspur fans will be scratching their heads with speculation surrounding Jadon Sancho, especially after his tumultuous stint at Manchester United.

The English winger swapped Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge in the summer, joining Chelsea on an initial loan with an obligation to buy come the end of the season. He endured a torrid time at Manchester United, scoring just 12 goals in 82 appearances before being shipped out on loan to former club Borussia Dortmund for the second half of last season.

Jadon Sancho hasn’t pulled up trees since arriving at Chelsea, with fitness concerns limiting him to just six Premier League appearances thus far this term. He may have three assists to show but the winger’s chronic problems with fitness and lack of consistency raise alarm bells amid shock links with Tottenham.

As per reports, the Lilywhites have emerged as a “serious contender” to sign Sancho. John Wenham—the owner of the reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose—thinks Spurs have no chance to sign Sancho. He doesn’t believe the emerging reports are true, with the player’s hefty wages among the biggest obstacles to preventing a transfer from materialising.

Sancho has struggled to perform in the Premier League consistently since arriving from Dortmund in the summer of 2021, and there are no assurances he would get into Postecoglou’s side. He turned out to be a big-money flop at Man United, failing to live up to the lofty expectations of their supporters.

The Camberwell-born attacker has been in and out of Enzo Maresca’s side at Chelsea, further highlighting his continuing lack of consistency. Plus, there are also question marks about his attitude, having publicly fallen out with former Man United boss Erik ten Hag in September 2023.

Wenham cites Sancho’s high wages at Chelsea as a potential stumbling block. Moreover, the terms of the loan and whether a permanent deal could be on the table are additional contemplations that Spurs would have to navigate. It is difficult to see the former Dortmund star making the move across the capital.

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In addition, there are some young attacking talents already at the Hotspur Way waiting for their opportunities to impress, including academy starlet Mikey Moore, who is on course to enjoy his breakthrough campaign. All in all, Tottenham must stay far away from any potential transfer for Sancho.

Should Tottenham make a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka?

Tottenham Hotspur may be forced to dip their toes in the January transfer window after an inconsistent start to the 2024/25 season.

With 12 games done and dusted, the Lilywhites find themselves sixth in the Premier League but only four points behind second-place Manchester City, who they thrashed 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. The mid-season trading period is often viewed as a window of opportunity for many clubs and Spurs could benefit from it.

Several players have been linked with a move to the Hotspur Way in recent weeks and months. Germany icon Lothar Matthaus has now mentioned Tottenham as being one of the potential suitors for Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka.

Throughout the majority of his career at Bayern Munich, Leon Goretzka has generally been a mainstay in central midfield. However, the 29-year-old had a frustrating start to the 2024/25 season as he was largely left out of the starting XI by new boss Vincent Kompany. He has totalled only 396 minutes across 11 appearances in all competitions.

Things have improved for the Germany international of late, as he has completed the full 90 minutes in wins over FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. However, Goretzka is expected to slip down the pecking order once the injured duo Aleksandar Pavlovic and Joao Palhinha return for the Bavarian giants.

As a result, he is believed to be considering his options. Should the central midfielder choose not to renew his contract, Bayern will be forced to cash him in at the end of the season as Goretzka’s current deal expires in June 2026 (Transfermarkt).

However, the main question arises here—Does Tottenham need Goretzka in their squad? There is no doubting the German’s class, quality, winning mentality, leadership skills and experience, having made over 230 appearances for Bayern and won 13 honours.

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Tottenham certainly could do with a player of his European pedigree and winning mentality. But, Goretzka is 29, will have little re-sale value and has missed 70 games at Bayern due to a myriad of injury problems. Plus, he has a contract until 2026 and will definitely not come cheap.

So, while having been given a seal of approval on Goretzka from the legendary Lothar Matthaus, Tottenham must avoid signing the Bayern star and look for a young profile elsewhere.

Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi has emerged as a target for Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur did good business during the past summer transfer window, bringing in young talents to replace the deadwood in the squad.

The Lilywhites broke their previous transfer record by signing Dominic Solanke in a £65m deal from Bournemouth. Now, they have begun planning for the January transfer window, with a substantial budget set aside to sign a quality central defender.

Injury problems to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero expose potential depth issues in the central defensive unit under Ange Postecoglou. Against Manchester City last time out in the Premier League, Tottenham lined up with Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies as their centre-backs, demonstrating that Postecoglou could potentially do with more options at the back.

According to an exclusive report from TBR Football, Tottenham are monitoring the situation of Marc Guehi at Crystal Palace.

Marc Guehi has established himself as one of the most reliable centre-backs at Crystal Palace since leaving Chelsea three years ago. Newcastle United were pushing to bring the 24-year-old to St James’ Park in the summer and had multiple bids rejected by the Eagles. They still retain an interest, while Chelsea are keen to re-sign the England international in the summer.

With Guehi’s contract set to expire in June 2026 (Transfermarkt), Palace may consider cashing in during the next two transfer windows if their skipper shows no signs of signing an extension. The aforementioned report adds the English stopper is set to leave Selhurst Park at the end of the ongoing campaign and a new contract is unlikely to be agreed.

Spurs are in desperate need to bolster their defensive unit owing to injury problems to Romero and Van de Ven. Moreover, Dragusin has yet to prove himself in a Tottenham shirt. With Big Ange’s side looking to secure Champions League qualification and win a trophy this term, Daniel Levy and Co. must consider improving the depth of the squad in the winter window.

Although a January exit looks unlikely, the North Londoners must push hard to sign Guehi. Big Ange would likely have to provide assurances that the Abidjan-born talent is going to be a regular starter. With Romero, Van de Ven and Dragusin all competing for the centre-back spots, giving the Palace skipper guarantees of a starting berth would be difficult.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s first-choice goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, is facing an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a fractured ankle during Spurs’ emphatic 4-0 victory over Manchester City. Manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed that the 28-year-old will be out for “months, not weeks” following surgery to address the injury.

Vicario, who sustained the fracture during a collision with City winger Savinho, showcased remarkable resilience by playing through the pain for over an hour. His performance drew high praise from Postecoglou, who described it as “quite outstanding” and “one for the record books.” Despite the setback, the Australian manager remains confident in the squad’s ability to navigate this challenging period.

“It’s a blow, but we’ve dealt with setbacks before and we’ll deal with this one.”

Fraser Forster Steps Up as Tottenham’s Reliable Backup

With Vicario sidelined, Tottenham will rely on experienced backup Fraser Forster to guard the net. The 36-year-old has previously deputized in four matches this season, including a Carabao Cup win over Coventry and Europa League outings against AZ Alkmaar and Galatasaray. Postecoglou expressed full confidence in Forster, emphasizing his strong character and readiness to step up.

“Fraser, I’ve known for a long time. He’s such a strong character in the group and always ready to play,” Postecoglou said via BBC, ruling out the possibility of signing a free-agent goalkeeper as a stopgap measure. Additionally, the Spurs manager confirmed that the injury would not alter the club’s plans for the January transfer window.

As Tottenham sit fifth in the Premier League, the loss of Vicario will test their defensive stability during a busy period. Spurs are set to host Roma in the Europa League on Thursday before returning to domestic action against Fulham on Sunday. Forster’s experience will be pivotal as Tottenham aims to maintain their momentum in both competitions.

While Forster’s experience offers some reassurance, his ability to match Vicario’s level of performance will be critical during this period. After all the Italian held his own against Manchester City despite his injury mid-game, the standards set are already very high.