Cartilage Free Captain

This may or may not be good news depending on your current mental state, how you are feeling or want to feel about Tottenham Hotspur’s current squad, and the time left in the transfer window. But this is interesting, so I’m writing it up. There have been reports in the media, most notably from Alfredo Pedulla, that Tottenham were interested in and actually negotiating for 28-year-old Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. According to Sky’s Michael Bridge, those rumors were wide of the mark.

Look, I’m not a psychologist so I guess you’re free to either be relieved or upset depending on how you’ve interpreted the Rorschach Test that is Tottenham Hotspur transfer rumors. Mateta is 28 and has been actually pretty good for Palace this season (and past seasons) after a slow start. Tottenham also could use a new attacker, especially in the face of constant rumors linking both Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani away from the club this month.

I was open to the idea, but Pedulla in particular is one of those online sources where you read his reporting and think “Hmm I think I’ll wait for David Ornstein.” So that’s why I haven’t written on this yet — it’s just not a reliable source. Now, Sky isn’t exactly Tier 1 for transfer news but Michael Bridge is a real reporter with actual sources close to clubs in England, so I’m inclined to believe this. It also suggests that the Pedulla rumors were likely coming from Mateta’s agent trying to create a false bidding war for him to move to another club this month; Mateta was also linked with a move to Nottingham Forest this month.

So here’s where your interpretation will come into play and will impact how you feel about this. My guess most of you will fall into one of a few camps: those who were okay with this happening and are upset that it now probably won’t, those who were not okay with this happening and are now relieved that it probably won’t, and those who were prepared to be mad at Tottenham no matter what but especially now since it means they’re not signing another player, even one that might not be a good fit.

So pick your champion and have it out in the comments. Meanwhile, the window closes on February 2 and the credible reports of incoming players have mostly dried up. That doesn’t mean Johan Lange and the departing Fabio Paratici don’t have a couple of rabbits they can pull out of their hat that’s currently ensconced in an air-gapped black box below the Tottenham training ground, but it’s all we have to go on for now.

Also, please continue to be skeptical of transfer rumors, especially ones that come from Italian sources that feel weird.

Your hoddler-in-chief doesn’t like that he missed his workout tonight. A combination of getting home late and trudging through the ice-covered sidewalks, frankly, took it out on him. I’ll have to make a decision soon on how I make it up: standard medium-distance run, a tempo workout, or a combination of the two somehow. Either way, it’s a treadmill kind of week.

But that’s not the point of this hoddle. It snowed in DC this week. And while commuters like me are having a bad time, the pandas at the DC Zoo seem to be having the time of their life.

Look how fun Bao Li and Qing Bao are having!

Is that not cute enough for you? Well how about this red panda?

These are the kinds of snow days that I can support. I mean, just look at that freaking red panda. I might’ve spent a little too much time watching the video of the pandas playing in the snow today, but that’s only if you believe there is such a thing as watching too much panda snow playtime.

Fitzie’s track of the day: In the Country, by Chicago

And now for your links:

Football London: “Every word Thomas Frank said on the funny thing he told Kolo Muani and his two Solanke decisions”

The Standard: “Three things we learned from Tottenham win as next step beckons for star man Xavi Simons”

The Athletic ($$): “Frankfurt 0 Tottenham 2 – Hats off to Thomas Frank and Kolo Muani loves a revenge game”

BBC: “Why have English teams dominated as Real & PSG face play-offs?”

The Guardian: “Champions League: Benfica keeper’s last-gasp header sends side into playoffs”

Tottenham don’t know exactly which team they’ll play next in the Champions League, but they know it’ll be one of four potential options. Spurs punched their ticket to the Round of 16 with a bye after defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 tonight in Germany, finishing fourth in the overall table and ensuring that they skip a two-legged playoff round. The draw for the playoffs will take place on Friday, January 30, but Spurs know that their opponent will come from one of four teams — Club Brugge, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, or Galatasaray.

The draw for the playoff rounds will determine who in that pod will play each other, and will set the brackets for the Round of 16. Spurs will play the winner of one matchup, while Liverpool will play the winner of the other one. Juventus and Atletico are both seeded teams in the playoffs so they can’t play each other, but they can draw either Galatasaray or Brugge. We’ll find out on Friday.

It’s actually a pretty decent draw, all things considered. Spurs would be considered slight favorites against either Brugge or Galatasaray, and probably slight underdogs against Atletico Madrid or Juventus. Spurs managed to avoid some of the big fish that landed in the playoff round, including PSG, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan; I’m not a betting man but no matter how the playoffs turn out I’d say if Tottenham play well they’ve got a fighting chance to advance to the quarterfinals. It’s about as good as you can ask for.

The playoff rounds will take place Feb. 17/18 and Feb. 24/25, 2026, and the Round of 16 will take place on March 10/11 and 17/18, 2026.

Tottenham Hotspur went into their final round of Champions League Group Stage matches with clarity: a win would guarantee them automatic qualification to the Round of 16, a loss would all but lock in a two-legged playoff, and a draw would take circumstances out of their… feet. The obstacle? An Eintracht Frankfurt side that had conceded more goals in the Bundesliga and the Champions League than any other team.

Spurs had further obstacles to overcome in the shape of player availability, however, with defenders Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven the latest to be added to the ever-growing casualty list. That meant a very limited squad from which Thomas Frank could pick his XI, resulting in five changes from the weekend match against Burnley, four of which were enforced. With Porro and van de Ven both missing with the aforementioned injuries, Yves Bissouma and Conor Gallagher were also unable to be selected as unregistered players, and Frank also opted to rotate Dominic Solanke after two starts in a row following his return from injury. Destiny Udogie, Joao Palhinha, Archie Gray, Pape Matar Sarr, and Randal Kolo Muani were the replacements.

They lined up against Frankfurt’s back three in a structure that seemed like a 4-2-3-1 on paper, but played out more like the 4-3-2-1 Christmas tree formation, with Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert operating in pseudo-free #10 roles, and Sarr, Palhinha, and Gray operating as a three, with Palhinha often dropping in line with the center backs and Sarr given freedom to get forward. The structure seemingly suited Spurs early as they started rapidly, appearing to open the scoring via Xavi Simons following a brilliant run and deflected cutback from much-maligned Kolo Muani. Celebrations were cut short, however, as a combination of VAR and the on-field referee conspired to overturn the goal. Destiny Udogie appeared to foul a Frankfurt defender in buildup from an offside position, and though it was a soft call, it was probably the technically correct one.

Frankfurt looked to sit deep and counter, ceding possession to Spurs and occasionally interrupting the pattern of play to stretch Spurs in transition, but struggled to find a final ball. Spurs also struggled to finish chances, but in different circumstances as they generated a number of opportunities upon which they could not capitalize. Udogie fluffed a chance from a cross when open in front of goal; Odobert struck the post following a lovely one-two with Simons; and Simons was unable to finish when Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos gave the ball away under pressure. Frankfurt almost made Spurs pay for their profligacy as well, as Hugo Larsson clipped the crossbar following a counter, and Spurs were in the end thankful the half finished 0-0.

Spurs soon opened the scoring following the break. As per usual, it was a set piece routine that provided the breakthrough, as Spurs went short from a deep free kick down the left, creating an angle for Xavi Simons to curl a cross into the box. Cristian Romero was hunting at the back post, and he leapt high to head the ball back across the six-yard box, where Kolo Muani was on hand to flick the ball goalwards with a tidy finish.

Following the goal, Spurs dropped off in their attacking impetus, a shift not unusual in their performances this season, and Frankfurt nearly capitalized. A curling cross into Spurs’ area found wingback Aurelio Buta completely unmarked on the penalty spot, but he seemed to get caught between controlling the ball and immediately flicking the ball at goal, instead miscontrolling his touch straight into the grateful gloves of Guglielmo Vicario.

Thankfully, Spurs’ downturn did not last for long, with Frankfurt unable to maintain their pressure and Spurs raising their intensity. Kolo Muani had a header fizz past the top corner, while another Sarr effort from range was tipped around the post by Kaua. It felt a matter of time until Spurs added another, and that soon came to pass as a poor headed backpass from Mahmoud Dahoud fell neatly into the path of substitute striker Dominic Solanke. He blazed in behind the Frankfurt defense before slotting a neat finish past Kaua, enough for Spurs to finish 0-2 winners and qualify directly for the Champions League Round of 16.

Reactions

Another week, another European win! And a hugely valuable one at that; with all the injuries, Spurs need as few fixtures as they can get.

It’s hard to separate that performance from the quality of the opponent. Frankfurt were really poor, but you can only play who’s in front of you, right?

That said, I’m starting a petition for Spurs to move to Germany. I think this team could win the Bundesliga. Can we play Bundesliga teams every week?

Xavi Simons seems to like playing German opponents as well, turning up the style for the second time in two weeks. He was all over the pitch and routinely cut the Frankfurt defense to shreds with smart passing and movement. While he’s not the fastest, I love his little burst of acceleration he has to break the lines with a carry.

Wilson Odobert is another who has got better as the season has gone on. He was very good tonight.

I had to scratch my head a little at the midfield setup. It felt (for want of a better word) redundant, albeit somewhat necessary due to the players Spurs had available. Sarr and Palhinha were almost invisible in possession, but the more defensive structure didn’t really seem to reduce space in transition for Frankfurt.

That was in part due to the formation relying heavily on the fullbacks to provide width high up the pitch, with Spurs struggling to stretch the defense otherwise; this meant the CMs were often caught covering wide, leaving acres of space in the middle of the pitch. I hope Frank doesn’t take the wrong lesson from this match as he seems to do and try to apply this in the Premier League; Spurs will get cut to shreds.

How nice is it to have a player like Kevin Danso in the squad? He’s such a solid, reliable player. The fact he stepped in following Micky’s injury and didn’t miss a beat is a credit to him, and I think he was an underrated signing.

It looks like Spurs will be playing one of Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray, or Club Brugge in the Round of 16. I know which of those options I’d rather take on.

Next up: Manchester City on Sunday. COYS!

As Tottenham Hotspur limp along, the last thing they need is more matches; which is why it’s vitally important they win this Champions League Group Stage match against Eintracht Frankfurt.

If Spurs win, they are guaranteed to finish in the top 8 of the group stage, and progress straight to the Round of 16 without having to contest another play-off round consisting of a home and away leg. Two extra matches for a Spurs squad that has been further decimated by injury sounds like a terrible idea, so let’s maybe avoid it happening!

That’s going to be tough, however, as Thomas Frank will be forced to put out an XI that is down to bare bones, with Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven the latest absentees. Frankfurt have been poor in this European campaign though, so despite the lack of depth, Spurs should be strong enough to come out the victors. Should.

I’m not taking anything for granted.

COYS!

Lineups

Lineups will be posted closer to kick-off.

Live Blog

How to Watch

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Time: 3:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. UK

TV: Not televised in USA, TNT Sports 5 (UK). Check international listings at livesoccertv.com

Streaming: Paramount+

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:

Absolutely no links to illegal streams. They’re bad and they get us in trouble. Violators will be warned or banned.

We have rules against “relentless negativity.” Nobody likes a Negative Nancy. Don’t knee-jerk and post outlandish or hurtful things just because you’re frustrated.

Along those lines, outright abuse of players or match officials is also not allowed. It’s fine to say “wow, that was a really bad call,” but it’s NOT okay to direct copious amounts of abuse in the direction of said official over a call you did not like.

Treat other people in the match thread the way you would want someone else to treat your grandmother. Be nice. This is a community of fans, not an un-moderated message board.

NO SPIDERS!

Finally, while we don’t have a rule against profanity, please try and keep the naughty words in check. Also, language that is sexist, racist, transphobic, or homophobic in nature will be swiftly deleted and you will be immediately banned. This is an open, supportive community.

Have fun, and COYS!

Don’t you love the transfer window? Don’t answer that. While Spurs anxiously wait for something — anything — that resembles an incoming transfer window, instead we’re stuck with increasingly hallucinogenic reports of continuing exits. There’s the whole Antonin Kinsky thing, which we thoroughly dissected yesterday, but there’s an even stupider rumor floating around the Italian transfer media that suggests Juventus want to bring in Randal Kolo Muani this month on loan.

Reports from Gianluca DiMarzio (via Sky Sports Italy) say Juventus are pushing PSG and/or Spurs to recall Kolo Muani from his season-long loan at Tottenham so they can instead bring him back to Juventus, where he spent last season on loan. It’s not especially clear what Spurs would get out of this deal, minus the services of one of their few remaining attackers, and indeed according to Fabrizio Romano not even PSG are especially keen on the idea, considering Juventus unsuccessfully failed to bring in RKM permanently last summer which led to him ending up at Tottenham.

And even in the Italian media, I’m not seeing anything concrete that say PSG or Tottenham are interested in making this happen. Point of fact, the only thing I’m really seeing are reports from Italy that say “the biggest obstacle to RKM joining Juventus is Tottenham.” Which, yeah, duh.

Now look, it’s not like Kolo Muani has been especially effective while in North London. He had 10 goals and 2 assists for Juventus last season, but only has two goals in all competitions thus far for Spurs and has looked almost disinterested at times this season, certainly not the experienced attacker that we thought we were loaning. That said, with Richarlison out for a couple of months and Dominic Solanke only freshly back from a long term injury of his own, letting RKM go would mean Spurs have Big Dom, Mathys Tel, and Dane Scarlett, with only Solanke and Scarlett currently eligible to play in the Champions League. Doesn’t seem like a particularly great idea to me, unless Spurs decide to bring in another attacker. That’s something Johan Lange and Thomas Frank have said they’re interested in doing, but we’ve seen no evidence they’re actually working towards a specific target and there are only three days left in the window. It might work out that a replacement player would do better in the role than Kolo Muani — Lord knows I’m willing to entertain that notion — but until then, I’ll settle for the warm body.

So until I see evidence to the contrary, I’m just going to assume that this is Juventus and the Italian sports media infrastructure trying to make “fetch” happen, GRETCHEN, and I’m not going to worry about it.

The Champions League campaign will continue on for Tottenham Hotspur regardless of Wednesday’s outcome, though the same cannot be said definitively for Thomas Frank. The writing seems on the wall for the beleaguered manager, and perhaps his only hope is continuing to perform well in Europe. If/when this avenue dries up, it feels all but certain that his time in North London will cease.

Frank has no excuse but to grab all three points on Wednesday and secure a bye into the Round of 16. Eintracht Frankfurt is already eliminated from the competition, losing in five of the seven preceding matchweeks. A loss to Hoffenheim over the weekend makes Saturday’s fixture against Leverkusen even more important, so the Champions League might not really be a priority for the German side any longer. Regardless, Spurs control their own destiny and have every incentive to bring home the win.

UCL League Phase MW7

Date: Wednesday, January 28

Time: 3:00 pm ET, 8:00 pm UK

Location: Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, Germany

TV: Paramount+ (US), Discovery+ (UK)

Table: Frankfurt (33rd, 4 pts), Spurs (5th, 14 pts)

When Frankfurt went up 1-0 in the first leg of last season’s Europa League Quarterfinals, it did feel like perhaps Ange Postecoglou’s tenure was reaching its end. Instead, Pedro Porro equalized soon after, and the clubs headed back to Germany on level turns. There, the visitors put in a professional shift, advancing from the tie via a Dominic Solanke penalty and continuing on their path to an eventual trophy.

Two Things to Watch

European Spurs

For whatever reason, Tottenham has been a completely different side in the Champions League than in domestic play. The lone loss came to PSG, and five of the seven contests have results in clean sheets, including each of the past two matches. This defensive effort has not incumbered the attack, as each of the past four matchweeks produced multiple goals. Who is this club?!

Perhaps the contrast in styles fits better in Europe, where Spurs are facing fewer low blocks and instead tasked with facing more tactical sides, which shifts the burden. Against Dortmund, it was very clear which side was in control — even before the red card — and Frank’s group seemed well aligned in its approach and execution. Frankfurt is languishing in the Champions League, but does not act like a bottom-table English side.

Some of the difference just has to be down to mentality, though. There are no meaningless matches in the Premier League right now, as relegation is technically still a priority and a climb into the European places is not impossible, but this club has now prioritized continental play for the past 12 months and simply plays its best on these stages. That will work for Frank (for now).

Dead rubber

It is pretty amazing that Tottenham has a chance to finish in the top eight of the League Phase, fully holding its fate in its own hands. What looked to be a tough closing to this stage with back-to-back Bundesliga opponents is now quite manageable, especially after getting through last week. Frankfurt have been dreadful in this competition, failing to record a win after the opening matchweek.

Consecutive 5-1 blowouts to Atleti and Liverpool and a 3-0 loss to Atalanta have given way to a pair of one-goal defeats, which I guess is a reason for encouragement, especially since one came away to Barcelona. However, the loss to Qarabag (ouch) last week was the first time Frankfurt scored multiple goals since the win over Galatasaray, and the defense has allowed two-plus goals five out of seven times.

Frankfurt has been better domestically, but that is all the more reason why Wednesday’s contest might not feature its best effort. It is quite literally the opposite scenario as Spurs, and while things in football that seem so clear cut rarely play out as such, this is really the ideal situation for Frank. I would expect a controlled effort from Tottenham that features more moments of boredom than excitement, but three points should be in the cards.

Can you believe it? We’re in the final match of the league phase for the Champions League with a trip to Frankfurt.

Last week the hoddle took a look at some other leagues around Europe. Those featured some of the big names - Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga.

Today we’re going to have a look around Europe again, but this time we’re gonna focus on some leagues that might not be getting as much attention. Let’s take a look:

Scottish Premiership:

This is one of the most exciting title races in all of football right now as Hearts seem to break the Rangers-Celtic rivalry that has dominated the league for decades. Hearts held on for a 2-2 draw against Celtic at the weekend to maintain some distance in the race. But there’s a big game coming up against Mikey Moore’s Rangers next month.

Top four:

Hearts (51 Pts, +25 GD)

Rangers (47 Pts, +20 GD)

Celtic (45 Pts, +18 GD)

Motherwell (40 Pts, +18 GD)

Eredivisie:

I always like to keep tabs on this one. This year, PSV seem to be walking their way to the title. I’ve never heard of NEC before. Apparently it’s short for NEC Nijmegen and they’ve been competing in the Dutch premier tier since they got promoted in the 2021 season.

Here’s another fun fact: They were drawn in the same group as Tottenham during their 2008-09 UEFA Cup campaign. Spurs won the fixture 1-0 thanks to a header from Jamie O’Hara.

PSV (53 Pts, +36 GD)

Feyenoord (39 Pts, +22 GD)

Ajax (37 Pts, +13 GD)

NEC (35 Pts, +16 GD)

Danish Superliga:

I’m throwing this one in here because it’s rare to see Copenhagen not in a spot to compete for the title or European football, but here we are. Instead, it’s Aarhus Gymnastikforening that are in pole position to win the whole thing.

Top three:

AGF (40 Pts, +18 GD)

Midtjylland (36 Pts, +27 GD)

Brondby (31 Pts, +10 GD)

Fitzie’s trak of the day: Where’s My Phone?, by Mitski

And now for your links:

Alasdair Gold: “Every word Thomas Frank said on Kolo Muani car crash, transfers, Porro, Van de Ven and Kinsky”

BBC: “Bayern legend? How Kane is viewed in Germany as contract talks begin”

The Guardian: “Champions League permutations: who needs what from final night of fixtures?”

Last night, when I wrote the initial rumors by Matteo Moretto about West Ham negotiating with Tottenham Hotspur to bring in Antonin Kinsky on loan, I was skeptical that an Italian journalist would have the goods on this, considering there are no actual Italians involved in this move. Well, I maintain that skepticism, but it now looks like this is a real and distinct possibility.

The Athletic is now reporting that West Ham are increasingly confident that they can bring Kinsky in on a straight loan to the end of the season, reportedly with a purchase option. Kinsky would effectively come in to serve as Alphonse Areola’s primary backup, replacing Mads Hermansen, who started off as West Ham’s #1 under Graham Potter but was dropped for Areola after six matches.

This would also dovetail nicely with another, more specious rumor making the rounds that Spurs are looking at the possibility of bringing in 32-year-old Wolves reserve keeper Sam Johnstone, ostensibly to replace Kinsky. I won’t link to those rumors as they’re not great sources (yet) but they’re out there if you want to find them.

There’s a lot going on here, and none of them would dramatically improve Tottenham’s football club so you kind of wonder why we’re going through all of this fuss over our backup keeper. But there is actually a decent rationale — if Kinsky, a Czech national, isn’t up to snuff at Spurs, it would make a ton of sense to bring in someone like Johnstone, a veteran and most importantly an association trained English keeper to serve as Spurs’ backup for Champions League squad construction purposes. It’s not a lot different than when Spurs brought in Fraser Forster for that exact role, except that Spurs got bitten when Guglielmo Vicario got injured last season and Forster was forced into playing a lot of minutes that we would’ve preferred he not play. Like with Forster, I’m not convinced Sam Johnstone is especially GOOD, but he’s almost certainly serviceable and sometimes when it comes to your backup keeper serviceable and English can override someone who can actually push the starter for minutes.

So I guess it would make sense, if we assume that a) Kinsky isn’t the backup keeper we want right now, b) West Ham are willing to make the move, and c) Spurs can bring in an English veteran this spring. Anyway, it at least appears to be a thing not confined to Italian Bat Country.

“Kolo Muani and Wilson Odobert are both fine. They were unfortunately involved in a minor car accident. Everyone else involved is fine. It was a tyre blowing up. They will be travelling a little later tonight.

“Pedro has a hamstring injury and will be out for four weeks. Micky has something minor and hasn’t travelled but could be available for City.

“Pape [Matar Sarr] is available again and so is Joao Palhinha.”

“[The injuries are] definitely not a help to any of us. Of course we prefer to have the best players out on the pitch. Any coach wants that and any team-mate wants that. That’s why we have a squad though.

“We need to keep doing the right things and improve the things we want to do. Also getting players back. Dom is huge for us and he’s been out for six months. To have your main striker and top scorer out, I’d like to see other teams deal with that. He’s a physical beast and he’s been pushing himself.”