Cartilage Free Captain

A loss to Newcastle was neither shocking nor something to read into too deeply, but a second defeat in a row for Tottenham Hotspur might raise some alarms. Chelsea is another opponent who will be favored against Spurs, but the fanbase is not going to be satisfied with a subpar result. This run of fixtures was always going to be tricky, though there are no excuses here.

Thomas Frank gets his first taste of one of the two big derbies and will look to secure Tottenham’s first point(s?) against Chelsea since Oliver Skipp and Harry Kane took down a struggling side that ended up finishing 12th three seasons ago. The task is much different this time around, but at least this one is in the right part of London. A Spurs win would be far from crazy, yet is anyone actually expecting one?

Match Details

Date: Saturday, November 1

Time: 1:30 pm ET, 5:30 pm UK

Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

TV: Peacock (US), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)

Table: Spurs (t-3rd, 17 pts), Chelsea (9th, 14 pts)

So yea, Spurs have lost each of the past four in this derby and have just that one win in the past 12 league contests. Last season saw Tottenham go ahead 2-0 only 11 minutes in thanks to strikes by Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski, but that lead did not hold in a 4-3 loss. The reverse fixture featured a lone Enzo Fernandez goal as the visitors generated little threat.

Three Big Questions

Is this the plan or is there hope? Even when Spurs are scoring goals, the play on the pitch does not look pretty, and when those goals do not arrive it gets ugly. Frank gets some benefit of the doubt in both his lineups and tactics due to limited available (good) attackers, but heading into November it is fair to ask if this is him making the most of what he has or if this is his desired setup.

The hope is the former, and even in the loss Wednesday, there was at least some signs of promise. Chelsea did allow four goals midweek against Wolves and are fourth-worst in non-penalty xGA, meaning chances may be available again this weekend. The Blues will certainly look to hold the ball, so Spurs will need to find a way to make the most of what is presented to them, using creativity and directness.

Will the defense bounce back? Cup defeats, even against good opposition, can often be excused in earlier rounds due to interesting lineups and lower intensity, so a couple annoying goals against Newcastle are not the end of the world. That can change quickly, though, against the side who leads the league in scoring and has recorded 13 goals in four matches since the break.

Enzo Maresca’s side is going to be both patient and fluid, waiting for the right moment to spring and doing so quickly. That means Spurs can absolutely not switch off in defense, with the back six needing to focus first on their defensive responsibilities. This is a real test, as unfortunately there is an easy way this gets very out of hand.

Can Frank turn the tide? At its most entertaining, this derby has been filled with feistiness, though that does not always end beneficial for Tottenham (that Antonio Conte-Thomas Tuchel handshake aside). Both sides have had plenty of managerial turnover in recent seasons, and perhaps Frank can use his demeanor to help his side unlock an advantage.

Frank is both passionate and pragmatic, which feels like the best of both worlds here. Chelsea is a legitimately good team that must be treated with caution, but the lifeless Spurs attack could really use a spark in open play. Rallying the troops and finding the right combination of forwards is the new manager’s task; a win this weekend would instantly boost the vibes a few ticks.

Halloween is here!! And that means it is time for your annual Spooky Track of the Day.

In years past this hoddle has highlighted songs from Queen, Vanilla Fudge, Dusty Springfield and someone else who I can’t quite remember.

All the parties at Halloween love to fill their playlists with these kinds of songs. It’s the one time of year Warren Zevon gets any love. And, of course, we get sick of Monster Mash by the time October 31, 11:59pm rolls around. We also get the occasional Maneater, Monster Mash, Thriller, I Put a Spell on You, and the theme song from Ghostbuster.

But why - WHY - do we not talk more about Alice Cooper? He is the king of shock rock, after all!

And today’s TOTD pays tribute to that.

When I first picked up Killer I was overtaken by the record’s cover jacket, a leathery snake with its tongue extended against a blood-rec backdrop and alice cooper’s name scrawled against some sort of port-a-loo reenactment.

The record terrifies me to this day. But it’s incredible nonetheless. I knew Alice Cooper through the School’s Out kind of things, but when I started collecting records I wanted to explore more of his stuff. I bought the band’s self-titled debut, then the follow up - Killer.

They are two of my favourite records. I remember playing them in my Stamford, Connecticut, apartment years ago. And I wonder why, sitting here now, I haven’t played them in at least a year. I tried recruiting a couple friends to go to an Alice Cooper show at Jones Beach, New York, with me a few years ago. I was unsuccessful.

I don’t care, though.

Today belongs to Alice Cooper. The man who performs with snakes, guillotines, blood and gore. Sure, today’s TOTD might not bring anyone to the dance floor but who cares? Most of us at hoddle headquarters will be watching the World Series anyways, and those that aren’t will be listening to Alice Cooper’s record From The Inside.

———-

Also I know the airwaves always play Werewolves of London, but can we seriously consider it to be the scariest song Zevon wrote? NO - LISTEN TO ME. Is it scarier than Carmelita, which romanticised a strung-out lover in Echo Park or Zevon’s own demise in Keep Me In Your Heart, or the horrors of terror that he penned in Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, or the atrocities committed in Excitable Boy? So why do we fascinate on the word “Werewolves”? Can we just play every song the man’s ever written?

Fitzie’s track of the day: Killer, by Alice Cooper

And now for your links:

The Athletic ($$): “Tottenham’s Djed Spence was adjusting his boot. Was what happened next a breach of ‘fair play’?”

Consequence of Sound: “Alice Cooper and Criss Angel Teaming Up for “Welcome to Our Nightmare” Las Vegas Show”

“I learned a lot [in Sweden]. I was in a new environment, in nature. I’ve got this exhibition coming up in spring about a body of work I did while I was there, which is all these self-portraits and weird things. I never planned it to be, but it served as this period of introspection. I look at the work now, and these feelings of being a bit lost or torn are in it. That was in 2022, so it’s always been there.

“There was a weekend when I went home, and I started contemplating all my options. I had other things I’ve been building on the side and it was more exciting to me. To put it plainly, I saw happiness in these other avenues.

“It got to this point where I’d rather end this on my terms than go to a club that I just didn’t want to go to. When I was younger, I always said I didn’t want to play in the lower leagues; it was always about the highest level. Otherwise, I’d rather do something else. So I just took this step into the unknown, and I was like, ‘Oh, holy s***. I’m actually doing it.’ Anything can happen. I’m in complete control of my life, and it’s really exciting and really scary.”

Newcastle United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 at St. James’ Park, with clinical finishing from the Magpies proving to be the difference in the Round of 16 Carabao Cup tie on Wednesday.

Entering the match off a 3-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium late on Sunday against Everton, Spurs focused on the cup tie against a stadium and side that have given them fits in the Premier League. Being outscored 12-2 in the previous four matches at St. James’, Spurs had another poor display in front of goal in the cup tie.

Starting with a center-back partnership of João Palhinha and Kevin Danso, and keeper Antonín Kinský, Spurs manager Thomas Frank resorted to a 3-5-2/4-4-2 build-up, with the midfield three of Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, and Pape Matar Sarr flanked by Djed Spence and Pedro Porro. Dealing with injuries in the backline and looking for rotational pieces to step up, Richarlison manned the No. 9 with Xavi Simons on the left and Brennan Johnson to his right.

From the opening whistle, Spurs endured heavy pressure from Newcastle’s attack, as the Magpies’ front three put Spurs’ defense in uncomfortable positions, leaving them open to counterattacks.

Newcastle had its chances early in the match as Porro and Palhinha had to put their bodies on the line in the box to block what would have been easy scoring chances. In those first 15 minutes, Newcastle were creating chances to break through, and eventually the home side did so off a corner kick in the 24th minute.

With Djed Spence taking his time to replace his boots near the corner flag, Newcastle waited until the whistle to whip in a far post header for Fabian Schar to outleap Kevin Danso and put his header over the diving Kinsky for the 1-0 lead. Kinsky should have saved the chance, as his reaction off the line was slow and would prove to be a problem later in the match.

Facing a 1-0 deficit, it felt as if Tottenham awoke to the thought that it was time to regain this match, and they put several chances on a plate for Richarlison. Creating chances off the break with Xavi Simons linking up with both Brennan Johnson and Lucas Bergvall with one-twos, the final balls into the box for Richarlison were all squared across the six-yard box with the Brazlian running past one, sliding late for a back post chance, and finally another one that was missed before having a shot on target with a header directly at Aaron Ramsdale.

Being frustrated all night long with the fouls that weren’t going his way or missing the chance that could spark him again, Richarlison has now scored one goal for the club in the country in the last 17 matches.

Down 1-0 at the half and truly having the hopes of at least leveling the match at the break, Spurs came out in the second half and endured another error for a goal.

Missing a golden chance in the attacking half of the field -- by Richarlison -- Danso dealt poorly with the pressure on his back as Newcastle intercepted his sliding pass attempt. Joe Willock took the ball from the box and crossed a ball onto the head of Nick Woltemade. Stuck in no man’s land, Kinsky attempted to punch the ball in time, but his poor effort allowed Woltemade to get the slightest of touches over Danso and into the back of the net.

Trailing 2-0, Spurs put together some moments as Sarr had an outside-the-box chance — as he loves to do — that was saved by Ramsdale. Danso had one, and his placement was for the top corner. Overall, Spurs had chances as the side kept fighting — literally against Joelinton after his strong challenge on Mohammed Kudus in the final minute of the match — but again the final balls aren’t resulting in goals. Spurs have moments in matches where they should be burying goals. Still, with a striker who is out of form, another who is injured (Dominic Solanke), and a final one who is showing glimspes (Randal Kolo Muani), the end product is not enough to be a competitive side in multiple competitions.

With the 2-0 defeat and their Carabao Cup exit, Spurs can now shift the focus to three competitions, with the side hosting Chelsea on Saturday.

Ah yes. The Carabao Cup. From the heights of the Champions League to the depths of an energy drink, Tottenham Hotspur’s intense run of fixtures continues with a cup tie against Newcastle United. The Toon are in good form, having won four of their last five fixtures, while Spurs are coming off a solid 3-0 victory against Everton amidst a struggle for consistency.

That search for consistency won’t be helped by the consistency with which Spurs seem to be picking up injuries, with Archie Gray reportedly the latest to be added to the treatment table. Despite the player shortage, though, Thomas Frank has been adamant he plans to rotate in a match that will be a hard-fought battle. Both sides will want to win and increase their chances at securing some silverware, so will be up for the fight.

This is going to be a tough one.

COYS!

Lineups

Lineups will be posted closer to kick-off.

Live Blog

How to Watch

Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur (EFL Cup)

St. James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. UK

TV: Not televised in USA, ITV 1 (UK). Check international listings at livesoccertv.com

Streaming: Paramount+, Amazon Prime

Match thread rules

The match thread rules are the same as always. To any visitors coming here for the first time, welcome! We’re glad you’re here! Wipe your feet, mind the gap, and be sure to check out the other pages at this outstanding site. While you’re here, though, we have a few rules and regulations:

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Have fun, and COYS!

Tottenham Hotspur tasted victory for the first time since early October over the weekend, using a Micky van de Ven brace to take home three points from Merseyside. The win over Everton was the seventh away fixture across all competitions this season, and all have yielded at least a point. On Wednesday, Thomas Frank will try to preserve this trend with a difficult tie against Newcastle United in the Fourth Round of the League Cup.

Newcastle is not quite enjoying the season it hoped to have, currently sitting 12th in the league table. Six points in the Champions League helps, though, and its prospects in the two main competitions are about level with those of Spurs (at least in terms of the betting markets). The same could be said for the League Cup at the moment, though that will obviously change this week, as only one top-four hopeful will advance in this cup.

League Cup Fourth Round

Date: Wednesday, October 29

Time: 4:00 pm ET, 8:00 pm UK

Location: St James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne

TV: Paramount+ (US), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)

Both contests between these clubs ended with 2-1 Newcastle victories last season. A September trip to St James’ Park was decided by an Alexander Isak winner after a Dan Burn own goal equaled the score in the second half. The reverse fixture featured two goals in the opening 10 minutes, with Dominic Solanke’s header instantly wiped out by Anthony Gordon, and Isak again scoring the deciding goal later in the first half.

Two Big Questions

Who feels more in form? Newcastle has won four of five across all competitions, outsourcing its opponents 12-3 in that stretch. Spurs are experiencing ups and downs but have kept back-to-back clean sheets and have been great on the road, scoring multiple goals in six of those seven matches. This is an opponent who has given Spurs plenty of issues in recent years, but Frank also has done well against the bigger clubs this season.

Call it overreacting, but I strangely feel good heading into this one. Newcastle can definitely score, but it is actually Spurs who are tied for first in goals, even if the play does not look pretty. If the overly defensive double pivot is back, there is every reason to think the visitors are ready to weather the storm. It might take another set piece goal, but the formula is there to take on these sort of fixtures.

How many fronts to fight? With Spurs back in the Champions League (and under a new manager), this season began with questions surrounding the importance and desire of competing in the cups. That unknown was punted for another month after Tottenham drew, and easily disposed of, Doncaster in the Third Round of the League Cup. Wednesday’s lineup should provide those answers.

I expect Frank to roll out his strongest side, even with Chelsea on the weekend and two more important fixtures next week. This is a difficult, but winnable match, and it feels like Spurs have the recipe to fend off bigger sides on the road. It still would be nice to figure out the front four, as Sunday’s quartet was far from impactful, but the trial-and-erroring must continue.

Hey. You remember that time you felt hope? Tottenham Hotspur are here to put that right!

It’s flown largely under the radar, but Spurs actually have a rather large injury list; one that has continued to grow in recent weeks. The likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Radu Dragusin all went into the season in recovery from severe injuries, while Dominic Solanke, Kota Takai, Ben Davies, Yves Bissouma, Destiny Udogie, and Cristian Romero soon found themselves on the treatment table over the last couple of months.

Well, it’s time to add one more to that list: Archie Gray.

Rumors started to leak out yesterday via various social media channels that perhaps Gray had picked up some sort of knock, and Matt Verri confirmed that earlier today in the London Evening Standard. Though details are still patchy, it seems Gray picked up a calf strain in training and could be out anywhere from 1-2 months.

Welp.

It’s poor timing for both club and player. As far as the club are concerned, fixtures have started to pile up, with there now being a regular rotation of two matches per week. Even without the fixture congestion, Spurs are extremely short now at the back, with a sizable proportion of their injuries affecting the defense and the likes of Pedro Porro having already played significant minutes this season. There will also be fears as to the durability of Micky van de Ven, with his hamstrings not having the best track record of staying intact when he is overworked.

As for Gray, he had shown some real signs of form in his limited appearances of late, and was starting to present himself as a real option in midfield to play alongside the likes of Joao Palhinha. His versatility was an added bonus, with his ability to deputize in defense key while the aforementioned players continue treatment. Note the ‘was’ in that sentence.

I’m sure more details will emerge with regards to the extent of the injury, but even a smaller knock is a cruel blow during a vital period in Spurs’ season and Gray’s development. Hopefully he can be back up and running sooner rather than later, and Spurs’ injury list starts to shorten.

We’re nine games into the Premier League season, two games into the Champions League campaign and one Doncaster Rovers game in, yet we’re still without a Tottenham Hotspur third-kit signing.

I have two questions:

Why?

When?

I’m not sure the answer to either of those questions. I do remember that Tottenham quietly released the third kit (wasn’t the discourse around this because of transfer window activity?). Are Spurs ashamed of the kit? And if so, why?

I really like this year’s third kit too. The yellow is awesome, we’ve got the blue AIA, the crest on the torso. But most of all I like the throwback Spurs crest that sits on the centre of the chest.

And I think we deserve to see that. I believe Spurs Women have worn this kit, but the men haven’t yet. I’m eagerly awaiting the day when Spurs finally release it into the wild.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Dirt Off Your Shoulder, by JAY-Z

And now for your links:

Los Angeles Times: “‘His face is everywhere’: Son Heung-min is making LAFC a household name in South Korea”

Jack P-B ($$): “Frank’s Spurs don’t always thrill – so maybe they’re at the cutting edge”

The Independent: “Micky van de Ven has a big future at Tottenham – Thomas Frank”

The Guardian: “Agyemang injury for England deflates Bronze’s birthday celebrations against Matildas”

The Telegraph: “US billionaire eyes Sheffield Wednesday takeover – with advice from Reverend and the Makers”

Tottenham Hotspur’s football match schedule will not let up for the foreseeable future, so it’s up to head coach Thomas Frank to figure out how best to tackle Spurs’ participation in (as of now) four major competitions. The current challenge is the League Cup — Tottenham travel north to face Carabao Cup holders Newcastle United on Wednesday, but while cup competitions are important, Frank will certainly have one eye on this weekend’s home match against Chelsea this Sunday.

Speaking in a press conference yesterday ahead of the match, Frank all but admitted he plans to rotate his squad after an important 3-0 win away at Everton this past weekend.

“That’s the challenge. It’s one game so there’s more at stake. I changed four from Monaco to Everton and three before that. Of course there’ll be rotation, playing every third or fourth day. If you want to compete over 60 games, you can’t play the same XI. So there’s a fine balance. That’s one of the beauties of being Head Coach, that’s all part of the good fun.”

Of course we have no idea HOW Frank will rotate, and that’s pretty key. With Newcastle likely to similarly rest some key players tomorrow, it’s anyone’s guess how much Frank will lean on his reserves, or whether any youth players will get an opportunity to play. The injuries will also play a role — Frank also provided a positive update on the status of Cuti Romero, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke, but stopped short of saying any of those three will feature at St. James’ Park tomorrow.

“All good from the guys that played [Sunday]. Dom stepped forward, step by step. Cuti on the pitch today, not a time frame [for his return]. Destiny on the pitch as well today. Three steps forward.”

So what does that mean? Based on the players who featured at Everton, it’s likely we’ll see players like Mathys Tel, Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, and Archie Gray at some point. Frank’s hands are a bit tied in defense as long as Romero and Radu Dragusin remain hurt, but could we maybe see a surprise Kota Takai debut, or someone like Gray or Palhinha drop into the back line to give one of Kevin Danso or Everton hero Micky van de Ven a breather. Maybe we’ll also see some late minutes for Dane Scarlett or Ju’nai Byfield, both of whom have made the bench the past couple weeks?

Nobody likes to lose, but if there’s one competition that I’d have little compunction rotating for — and dropping out of — it’s the League Cup. That said, Toon will also rotate, and Spurs have been good away from home lately. It’ll be interesting to see how Frank addresses this one.

Before Tottenham Hotspur took the pitch on Sunday I spectated a sporting event far more impressive: the marathon.

We’re in the tail-end of the marathon season. Chicago and Berlin have come and gone. New York City is due this coming weekend. But before that comes we had the marathon here in Washington DC. I’ve run this one twice before - in 2018 and 2022.

Since I last ran the marathon I’ve always come down to spectate it and support the marathoners. I usually like to position myself somewhere late on in the race where there are fewer spectators (because I think the runners need it more then). In 2023 I chose around Mile 23 in Crystal City, and last year I hung around Mile 25, which situates on the highway between the Pentagon and the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia

But this year I did something different (mostly because of time). I travelled down to L’Enfant Plaza and walked down to around Smithsonian Station, which I believe was somewhere between Miles 19 and 20. I was a little late going down there, so the 5-hour plus group was making their rounds.

What does a marathon sound like?

Well, that depends on which part you’re watching. It could be the clicking and clacking of trainers or - in my case on Sunday - the shuffling of feet of people struggling. I was pretty concerned, because I knew they haven’t even gotten to the most difficult part yet.

Still, it underlined why the marathon is a unique sporting event. It’s full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. And there comes a point when you are fighting against the doubts inside your head - regardless if you’re an elite runner or a couch-to-marathon runner.

Now, as for what your hoddler-in-chief has in store? Well, it looks like there’s another local half marathon next month that I’ll be signing up for. And a 10k, so why not both? Then, it’s just about finding which marathon to run in the spring.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Payday, by Yard Act

And now for your links:

The Athletic ($$): “More change at Tottenham: Rebecca Caplehorn to leave the club in January”

The Times: “Only one Premier League game set for Boxing Day due to calendar pressure”