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Tottenham Hotspur face an away trip to Bournemouth this week in the Premier League as they look to earn another three points in pursuit of the top four. Let’s take a look at our predicted Tottenham XI for the clash at the Vitality.

Predicted Tottenham XI vs Bournemouth

Goalkeeper: Fraser Forster remains between the sticks in place of the injured Guglielmo Vicario which will be the case for the next couple of months at least.

Right-back: Pedro Porro starts at right-back once again, despite him being in desperate need of some rest. Ange Postecoglou’s comments about Djed Spence this week didn’t make it sound like he is about to start.

Centre-back: Radu Dragusin starts in place of Cristian Romero who is back in training but still not ready to actually start a game. He might make the bench though.

Centre-back: Ben Davies has been in fine form since Micky Van de Ven picked up his injury and Spurs fans should not worry about him on the left side of defence.

Left-back: Destiny Udogie starts at left-back as usual, once again calling into question whether Tottenham are rotating their full-backs enough.

Pivot midfielder: Yves Bissouma is almost certain to start in the middle of the pitch with Rodrigo Bentancur still having games left on his seven-match suspension.

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Central-midfield: Pape Matar Sarr gets the nod over James Maddison away from home as Postecoglou will want to press high from the first minute.

Central-midfield: Dejan Kulusevski is back in the starting XI for Tottenham. The team missed his drive and creativity last week against Fulham.

Right-wing: Brennan Johnson scored again for Spurs against Fulham and is on yet another hot streak in front of goal. Fingers crossed that can continue against the Cherries.

Striker: Dominic Solanke missed the Fulham game through illness and is still not 100 per cent according to Postecoglou, but we expect him to start and play 60 minutes anyway.

Left-wing: Heung-min Son needs to rediscover his goalscoring form and will look to do so off the left at the Vitality Stadium.

No James Maddison or Cristian Romero for Spurs

Yang Min-hyeok is seen by many as potentially the next big star to emerge from South Korea and Tottenham fans will be hoping that he can emulate his idol, Heung-min Son. But who is Yang Min-hyeok?

Who is Yang Min-Hyeok? Tottenham’s heir to Heung-min Son

Yang was only a few months into his professional career when Tottenham paid in the region of £3.5m to sign him from Gangwon FC in the summer of 2024, with the North London club agreeing to loan him back out to the K-League club until the end of the year.

Spurs had seen enough to be convinced about the youngster’s potential and they are not alone, with many talent spotters seeing the teenager as being the potential future heir to Heung-min Son.

One can understand the comparisons as the youngster’s attributes are similar to Son’s. Here is everything you need to know about the new Tottenham signing, including his age, his rise to fame, height and more.

How Yang Min-Hyeok was first spotted

In 2022, Yang joined Gangneung Jeil High School and started to play for the school’s football club, which serves as the academy for Gangwon FC.

Before Yang had even graduated high school, he was promoted to the senior squad, with Gangwon having seen enough to make them confident that he could perform at the highest level of football in the country, and they were not wrong.

The pacy winger made his K-League debut for the club at the start of 2024, aged just 17, and within just a few months, it was clear to everyone that they were watching a special talent.

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Yang’s first season of professional football

Yang’s first taste of professional football came in the K-League and the youngster immediately stood out as one of the best players in the country.

He ended his first season in the K-League with 12 goals and six assists, and won the K-League Player of the Year award for April 2024, becoming the youngest player in the history of the competition to earn that accolade.

Unsurprisingly, a call-up to the South Korean national team soon followed, with Yang bypassing several steps by going from the Under-17s straight to the Taegeuk Warriors set-up.

Who is Yang Min-Hyeok? Best position and his best attributes

Yang is an old-fashioned wide player who likes to get his head down and attack spaces, playing primarily on the right despite being right-footed.

He usually prefers beating players on the outside but can change it up by cutting in as well, not being shy of taking players on.

Yang is pacy and is blessed with quick feet, which he uses to get away from players, and unlike some other touchline wingers, he tends to have a picture of what is around him, with the timing and his choice of passes usually being good.

The South Korean is also a natural goalscorer, being skilled at timing his runs in behind the opposition backline. While his favoured finish is to blast it across the goalkeeper from the right into the bottom corner, he has also scored several goals by smashing it into the roof of the net at the near post.

Given the teenager’s ball-striking ability and a tendency to be at the right place at the right time, one can potentially see him evolving into a striker in the future.

As is the case with most Ange Postecoglou-era signings, Yang is also blessed with a fantastic engine, which should make him a good fit for Tottenham’s high-pressing, high-intensity style of play.

Yang’s personal information and his contract at Spurs

Yang was born in Gwangju, South Korea, on 16 April 2006. He stands at 1.76 meters and weighs 62 kg.

He signed a six-year contract with Tottenham in the summer of 2024, with his deal set to run until the summer of 2030.

Yang’s accolades and achievements

The winger has played for the South Korean national under-17 team at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup and the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

He was the runner-up in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup and won the K-League Young Player of the Month award four times in his only season to go with his Player of the Month award in April.

Yang was also selected for the K-League All-Star side which took part in the Coupang Play Series in 2024, featuring against Spurs and Bayern Munich.

The teenager rounded off an impressive campaign by also being named K-League Young Player of the Year and also being selected in the K-League Best XI 2024.

Yang wants to emulate his idol Son

As you would expect, it appears Son has taken Yang under his wing, with the Tottenham newcomer admitting that he spoke to his idol about life in the Premier League before arriving.

The winger insisted that he wants to emulate the Spurs captain’s success at the North London club.

Yang said just ahead of his move to the Lilywhites: “I want to be like Son Heung-min at Tottenham. I especially want to emulate his shooting and finishing skills.

“He also told me that playing in the EPL is by no means easy. Adjusting to a culture that’s different from Korea after moving to London, England is crucial. I want to adapt to Tottenham quickly and play in matches as soon as possible.”

Yang is determined to succeed in the Premier League

The South Korean is certainly not arriving at Spurs to just make up the numbers, admitting that he is desperate to be successful in his new adventure in England.

With multiple players still unavailable across the back line, Tottenham may require contributions from under-utilised members of the squad – including Sergio Reguilon.

Tottenham are overusing their fullbacks

While Tottenham’s match against Fulham highlighted the squad’s weakened attacking depth, it should not be forgotten that their defensive depth is equally thin.

Of the whole squad, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie hold 1st and 2nd place in the number of minutes played across all competitions this season. The previous injury to Djed Spence and the current injury of Micky van de Ven have exacerbated the issue.

Archie Gray has contributed some admirable performances in both fullback positions. However, Djed Spence being unregistered for the Europa League has limited where he can contribute meaning one of Porro or Udogie nearly always plays.

Postecoglou praises attitude of Sergio Reguilon at Tottenham

In his press conference before Spurs’ trip to Bournemouth, Ange Postecoglou was asked about Sergio Reguilon after the left-back was named on the bench against Fulham.

Postecoglou said (FootballLondon): “He’s ready [if needed]. He’s training every day and he’s part of the squad. There’s also a reason why Reggy is in the last year of his contract with us. We’ll see how that all transpires. There’s nothing wrong with his attitude and he’s been training all the time with us.”

Although Reguilon has now featured on Tottenham’s bench twice this season, he has yet to play a competitive minute of football. Reguilon’s contract with Spurs expires in the summer and he will be free to negotiate with foreign clubs over an end-of-contract deal from January.

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Sergio Reguilon is needed, but is unlikely to play for Spurs again

Sergio Reguilon’s situation is an odd one. He is a player of too high quality to not be playing football, however, if Postecoglou has determined he is a poor fit profile-wise, then this absence is understandable.

Postecoglou’s phrasing is peculiar as it is difficult to argue that Reguilon hasn’t been ‘needed’ already with Destiny Udogie being overplayed and Spence being periodically unavailable. Reguilon is also not registered for Europa, so that situation was always going to be difficult.

With rumours of Reguilon being appreciated by clubs across Europe, it is unlikely we will see him play for Spurs again unless there is no other alternative. One can only hope he gets a move to a club where he has the opportunity to play and gets the appreciation he deserves.

Spurs have identified a potential replacement for Pedro Porro as Real Madrid continue to circle over the Spanish right-back.

Is Pedro Porro going to swap Spurs for Real Madrid?

If you have been following Spurs Web’s coverage, you would know that a number of Spanish outlets have talked up Madrid’s interest in Porro over the last few months.

However, it remains unclear if the Spaniard is their top target, with many sources continuing to suggest that Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is their number one priority.

It now appears that Tottenham are making contingency plans in case Los Blancos come calling for Porro at the end of the season.

Spurs identify Pedro Porro replacement

The latest update on the matter comes from CaughtOffside, who say that Porro wants to join Madrid and is expected to leave North London next summer.

This has reportedly caused Tottenham to look for a potential replacement for the 25-year-old and one name they have settled on is RB Leipzig’s Lutsharel Geertruida.

The outlet claims that Ange Postecoglou‘s side are now showing ‘concrete interest’ in the Dutchman, even though he only moved to the Red Bull Arena back in the summer.

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A deal for Lutsharel Geertruida may not be easy for Spurs

The report says that although Leipzig are reluctant to let the 24-year-old go, there is a price at which they will be willing to do business.

It is revealed that the Bundesliga club’s asking price for the right-back may prove prohibitive for Spurs, but the player is thought to have expressed an interest in moving to the Premier League.

The report suggests that if Geertruida pushes for a move, Tottenham may be able to land him for a fee of around €40m-€45m (£33.2m-£37.3m).

Further, the publication adds that Spurs may face competition from the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Lyon for the former Feyenoord man.

A group of supporters have spent four years attempting to improve the atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but the club has consistently been half-hearted in helping them.

Flat atmosphere at Tottenham home matches

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of the world’s finest sporting arenas, but many who gather there on a matchday see it as nothing more than a soulless bowl used to host events so Daniel Levy can line his pockets. It has even been compared to a morgue, which is not at all flattering.

While White Hart Lane did not especially have a reputation for a fierce atmosphere, it was a traditional ground where like-minded supporters gathered to watch the team they had spent their lives supporting, but the Spurs Stadium does not have the same feel.

The lack of atmosphere at home matches has been a talking point since not long after the stadium opened. Although many will sing along to Freed from Desire after a win, some joked that the minute of silence on the last home game before remembrance weekend was followed by an additional 90 minutes of silence.

And Sunday was a new low for the ground as Fulham supporters sang “Is this the Emirates?” which was followed by shushing noises which could be heard on television coverage of the match. Although if truth be told, if they were at Arsenal’s stadium there would have probably been more noise coming from the home end.

The failed Tottenham singing section against Roma

While in times past songs were started and made their way around the stadium, often now there are specific sections used to generate atmospheres, with the singing sometimes contained to that section, with many housing ultras groups.

One set of supporters have attempted to create a section, dubbed the Return of the Shelf, to ‘recreate the atmosphere the Shelf and Park Lane corner generated,’ as well as the culture and sense of community those areas of the stadium brought about, but despite their commendable efforts, they have seen little success in their cause.

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Despite working with the club since the year the stadium opened, the ROTS project has only been given 53 seats for Premier League matches, which is not enough to make a difference.

Their allocation is higher for cup matches though and they were encouraging supporters to join the section for Tottenham’s Europa League clash against Roma, where they were reportedly supposed to have a section of over 1000 people who signed up.

But instead, it became a free-for-all as anyone could buy a ticket in the South Stand blocks the group were allocated. So other than a nice collection of flags being waved before the match thanks to THFC Flags, there was no noticeable improvement in the atmosphere.

The solution is in the club’s hands

While the ideal scenario would be for all matchgoers to be more vocal, lecturing supporters, who have paid for their ticket, on how they should behave never goes down well. The way forward is to group supporters together who want to stand and sing throughout the match.

Tottenham’s away support usually make a decent amount of noise and this can be replicated if the club do their part in allocating more seats to the ROTS initiative. But if they do nothing more than mention there is a singing section in an email, without limiting ticket sales to those on board with the group, the atmosphere will not improve.

The club may only be interested in filling seats, but noisy crowds spur teams on and can positively affect how motivated the players are. In order to create a cauldron of noise, the Tottenham board need to fully commit to backing both the ROTS campaign and THFC Flags, otherwise, nothing will change.

Mark Lawrenson has made his prediction for Tottenham Hotspur’s next Premier League fixture against Bournemouth and he does not expect things to play out how they usually do.

Tottenham have a string of worrying results

The story of Tottenham for over a month now has been to take one step forward and another step back. A free-flowing performance in the Premier League, where they have put their opponent to the sword has consistently been followed up by a lacklustre display which has resulted in dropped points.

Spurs have only managed to win two consecutive league matches once all season, when they beat Brentford and Manchester United in September, and they have picked up just 48 per cent of the points available to them since their 3-0 victory at Old Trafford.

One of the biggest concerns has been the nature of the teams they have been defeated by, which have included Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, both of whom were in the relegation zone before they played Tottenham. Bournemouth, on the other hand, have enjoyed some of their recent fixtures against England’s big guns, beating Arsenal and Manchester City and drawing with Aston Villa.

Mark Lawrenson predicts Bournemouth vs Tottenham

Lawrenson has made the point that there is very rarely a middle ground in how well Tottenham play, but he expects this could change against Bournemouth.

Making his prediction on Paddy Power, he said: “With Tottenham, we know what it’s like – heads, they’re really good, tails, they’re awful. It was a bit of a mixture of both at the weekend. I’ll go for a draw between these two. It’s not Tottenham’s kind of result – it’s either win 4-0 or get beaten 4-0 for them.

I love how they can play at their best, and I love the manager because he just tells it like it is. But I fancy Bournemouth 1-1 Tottenham.”

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Although draws have been less common for Spurs this season, their previous two matches in all competitions against Roma and Fulham have both ended level.

Lawrenson’s assessment is not entirely accurate

While Lawrenson makes a valid point about Spurs either playing very well or poorly, saying they win or lose 4-0 is not even close to the truth. While Spurs have recorded two 4-0 wins this season, their losses have been close and they have not lost by more than a goal in any competition this campaign.

Tottenham have been named as one of the clubs holding an interest in one of La Liga’s most exciting wingers – Nico Williams.

Youngster destined for the very top

Nico Williams was always seen as a special talent right from his teen years, and the winger has started fulfilling that potential over the last couple of seasons.

The 22-year-old has taken his game to the next level, regularly imposing himself on matches for Athletic Club Bilbao and having become a regular for Spain.

It was reported in the summer that Tottenham showed interest in the winger but decided against doing the deal when they found out that the player’s £50m release clause would have to be paid upfront in one instalment.

Nico Williams continues to be on Tottenham radar

The Athletic have now named Spurs as one of several clubs who hold a ‘long-standing admiration’ for Williams.

The outlet reveals that the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Liverpool are also keeping close tabs on the pacy winger’s situation.

The publication adds that Williams would prefer not to leave San Mames in the window but suggests that a transfer cannot be completely ruled out.

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January deal would be difficult to do for Spurs

Athletic Club are well protected, with Nico Williams’ current deal at Bilbao running until 2027.

There is no reason for the La Liga side to offer a discount in January and they might continue to demand that the player’s release clause be met.

Tottenham have historically not tended to make big-money signings in the winter, which is why it is difficult to see this one coming to fruition.

Tottenham Hotspur will keep a close eye on the performances of one EFL star until the end of the season before deciding whether or not to push ahead with a move in January.

Spurs want to bolster their goalkeeping stocks

With Guglielmo Vicario out with a long-term injury, it has been widely reported over recent weeks that Tottenham want to add a goalkeeper to their squad in January.

It emerged last week that Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson and Burnley’s James Trafford are both options that the Lilywhites are considering.

The two English shot-stoppers are impressing at Sunderland and Burnley respectively, and are rated as two of the best in the Championship.

Spurs will continue checking in on Anthony Patterson

The Sun have now put forward the same two names as targets for the North London side but they explain that Trafford would be too expensive for Tottenham.

However, the report states that Ange Postecoglou‘s men are continuing to check in on Patterson and will do so until the end of the year before making a decision on whether to sign him.

The 24-year-old is allegedly seen as a ‘perfect fit’ for Spurs and it is thought that he would accept a backup goalkeeper role at N17.

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Will Sunderland sell Patterson in January?

The Sun explain that Sunderland do not want to lose their number one as they see him as crucial for their bid to win promotion.

However, the outlet points out that the Black Cats usually sell their players if the price is right, thus opening up an opportunity for the Lilywhites in January.

The publication adds that apart from these two English goalkeepers, Angers number one Yahia Fofana is also on Tottenham’s wishlist.

A Cristian Romero injury update has emerged ahead of Tottenham’s trip to the Vitality Stadium on Thursday.

Cristian Romero on the road to recovery

Romero has been sidelined with a foot injury since the last international break and has missed Tottenham‘s clashes against Manchester City, Roma and Fulham.

Speaking after Tottenham’s draw against the Cottagers on Sunday, Ange Postecoglou revealed that the Argentine is “not too far away” but he confessed that the centre-back had not trained with the squad as yet.

Injury update: Can Cristian Romero play against Bournemouth?

Football London have now provided a promising update on the Tottenham vice-captain, revealing that he is expected to join his teammates in training this week.

The outlet claims that there is a ‘possibility’ that the 26-year-old will be available for the clash against the Cherries.

This was the same information carried by The Standard, who suggested on Monday that the former Juventus man has a chance to feature against Andoni Iraola’s men.

Tottenham will not risk Romero

Ange Postecoglou will not want to risk picking Romero unless the Argentina international is 100 per cent fit.

Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies have impressed over recent weeks and the Spurs boss will be comfortable with the idea of the pair starting again on Thursday.

The big London derby against Chelsea this Sunday might be a more realistic target for Romero’s return.

Every time Tottenham Hotspur drop points many are quick to point the finger at Ange Postecoglou, but one person should not bear all the blame for each collective failure.

Ange Postecoglou under pressure at Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou has been rebuked by supporters since before he even became Tottenham manager. While household names such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte largely played dull, uninspiring football and were dismissed by the club, many turned their noses up at Postecoglou simply because he was not a big-name manager.

Although there are plenty who now back him, Postecoglou is heavily criticised by fans and the media alike whenever Spurs fail to pick up three points, yet the praise he receives when his side wins is not always as prominent.

While it may be convenient to make him the scapegoat, every player in the team is responsible for what has been an inconsistent season for Spurs.

The players have to take some responsibility

Postecoglou is not telling his players to perform brilliantly one match and then poorly the next. Looking at Tottenham’s players, how many can we actually say have had good seasons?

The problems in defence are obvious, with both fullbacks looking poor at the back. Pedro Porro has been giving possession away a lot and looks like he could use a good rest, while Destiny Udogie has looked a shadow of the bright, hard-working player we saw last season.

Plenty could also be said about Tottenham’s centre-backs, with Cristian Romero looking less solid than usual, often being caught out and failing to mark the attacker, while his replacement, Radu Dragusin, has made a number of basic errors, some of which have proved fatal for Spurs.

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As for the midfield, Spurs are sometimes lacking in inspiration. Although Dejan Kulusevski has been nothing short of tremendous in his central role, James Maddison has struggled to reach the heights he hit in his early days at the club.

Despite Tottenham’s strong attacking statistics, their forwards and wingers are actually one of their biggest problems. Heung-min-Son filled the role of main goalscorer last season, but he has offered little in the past few months, except for the odd performance when he has looked sharper, such as when he returned from injury to face West Ham and got on the scoresheet.

Brennan Johnson has provided a number of goals, but his overall play shows he still has much to learn, while Timo Werner’s problem is the opposite, with the left winger’s finishing a long way off what is required.

As for Dominic Solanke, there is obviously a good player there. His play holding up the ball has been excellent, but he has to become more clinical, as he has already missed seven big chances in the league this season.

This is not to say that all of Tottenham’s players have failed their manager, but it is important to consider their performances and see that a number of them have not been at their best.

When critiquing Postecoglou, we should look at the players he has at his disposal, rather than merely saying he is at Tottenham so he should be in the top four, which often seems to be the measurement of how good a Spurs manager is.

The season so far has not been a disaster for Tottenham

Even with players underperforming it is important to remember after frustrating results to look at the bigger picture and not overreact. Currently, Tottenham are three points off the top four in the Premier League table, in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup and only outside the top eight of the Europa League on goal difference.

This has been accomplished despite a number of injuries and unavailable players in the first-team squad, which has become such an issue that Postecoglou named seven substitutes on his bench who have never started a Premier League game, in the 1-1 draw against Fulham.

Also, Spurs have won matches in style, scoring more goals than any other team in the English top flight. And while Postecoglou is more often criticised for showing naivety by playing a high line and abandoning defending, only three teams have conceded fewer goals than Tottenham.

Having said all this, there are problems which need addressing, most importantly Tottenham’s inconsistency, but would getting rid of Postecoglou really fix this?

Ange Postecoglou is doing his best with limited resources

To suggest many of Tottenham’s players are underperforming because of Postecoglou’s tactics seems bizarre. His style of play ought to be an attacker’s dream, while many of the goals Spurs have conceded have been a result of poor man-marking and missed tackles, rather than balls in behind which have exposed the Aussie’s system.

Whether it is players struggling for form or being kept out with injuries, exposing Tottenham’s thin squad after quite a weak summer transfer window, there are many factors making Postecoglou’s role difficult.

Rather than waiting for Spurs to drop a poor performance and condemning the manager, now is the time to get behind him because there is still much to play for.