Cartilage Free Captain

Preseason is a time of optimism and hope for football fans, and nowhere is that hope more pronounced than at Tottenham Hotspur. Buoyed by good preseason friendly performances and the exciting emergence of several highly-talented youth players, Spurs are flying, and the expectations for an improvement under Ange Postecoglou in year two of his tenure are high.

And that’s not just the fan perception — the players sense it too. In an interview with Football.London today, Dejan Kulusevski gave comments that suggest the team is training and operating with a different set of assumptions to last season — most of the team is now familiar with Postecoglou, his philosophy, and the way he wants his team to play. Though last season had its challenges, particularly on the injury front, the club remained uncompromising in its playing style and were able to qualify for the Europa League, finishing fifth in the table.

According to Kulusevski, this season is where the real work begins, and the players are picking up on it. Year one was about the vibes. Year two is about the specifics and tactical minutae.

“[This club] has to be, has to be [challenging at the top], and I think we showed glimpses of that last year, but we have to do it for one whole year, I think that’s maybe the harder part of it, to not play good for maybe a month and then you go down a little bit.

“I think you have to do it the whole year, like the other teams, like Man City and Arsenal did it last year, so that is what we are trying to train. I noticed already a little bit of change in the training, and we are very, very focused on doing much better than last year.

“I noticed that it’s much more about how we’re playing, and every exercise has been thinking a lot of making the players understand how we want to play.

“Maybe last year was much more just play, you know, play and do your things, but now, it’s much more...they’ve been thinking a lot about training sessions and trying to make everyone understand what they want from them in the team.”

This tracks with what we know about Ange Postecoglou’s previous managerial stints at other clubs. Although Celtic was an outlier (winning the SPL in Ange’s first season), there and at Yokohama Marinos, Postecoglou’s focus in his first season was first establishing a mentality at the club and trying to instill basic core concepts into the squad. The second year is when a lot of the more technical and tactical elements got added in, once the players were comfortable with the basic contours of Ange-Ball. Marinos is also where Postecoglou saw his biggest one-season improvement, taking his team from initial relegation worries and a 12th place finish in year one to winning the J-League with a goal differential of +30 in 2019. Postecoglou also showed a dramatic improvement in year 2 at Celtic once his principles were established.

So it’s interesting to read Kulusevski’s comments about “just play, you know, play and do your things” in this context. Postecoglou clearly has a long-term plan in mind for how he wants to develop this Tottenham team. Deki is noticing that the work is different this season — perhaps more granular, more specific, more tactical, because the stakes are higher as are the expectations. That should get everyone excited by what’s possible in year 2 of Ange-Ball in North London.

Deki also gave some interesting answers about his own play and tactical evolution under Postecoglou, saying that he’s had, and continues to, adjust his playing style to the demands of his manager’s tactics.

“A little bit, of course, because you have to do what the manager wants, because the team has a clear path in how they want to play. Of course, [as] a winger, you see less of the ball, but you have to be ready all the time to go in the space and put early balls in to cross and always be ready to score goals – while in the middle, you’re much more involved, so I have to [adapt], of course, when I play.

“I have to look where I am on the pitch and what I can do for the team, but I have to stay aware of everything, because it can change within a game also. I maybe start as a midfielder, then you go out to be a winger, you know. Last year, I finished the last game as a striker, you’ve got to be ready for everything.”

Tottenham emulating Yokohama Marinos’ dramatic path to a league title this season under Postecoglou is perhaps unrealistic. But we have enough evidence of how Big Ange works with his squads to anticipate that Tottenham could very well be primed for a significant improvement this season, if the pieces all fall into place. Spurs are still working in the transfer market to bring in a few new players, and have established a core of very young players with high ceilings that should continue to raise the ceiling of what this club can accomplish. And if Kulusevski’s comments are any indication, the pattern is clear.

Death, taxes, David Pleat. That’s what it’s felt like over the past two decades at Tottenham Hotspur — the 79-year-old Pleat has had a remarkable 20+ year association with the club, starting with his stint as manager back in the 1986-87 season. Today, the club announced that Pleat has “stepped back” from his role with Spurs’ scouting team, ending his official duties after fourteen years as a scout.

Pleat’s had a remarkable run with Tottenham, despite not playing for the club as a footballer. His stint as full manager in 1986-87 resulted in a third-place finish in the table and a run to the FA Cup final and League Cup semifinal while managing Glen Hoddle, Ossie Ardiles, Chris Waddle, and Clive Allen. While he left the club in October the following season he returned as caretaker manager on three separate occasions — 1998, 2001, and 2003. He clearly has a brilliant mind for the game, because there’s no other way you can stay associated with football for as long as he has.

He’s been an omnipresent part of Tottenham’s scouting operations over the years, and fans will probably know him best as the man chiefly responsible for identifying and bringing in Dele from MK Dons, as well as identifying Jan Vertonghen, Ben Davies, Jermain Defoe, and many others. Whatever other contributions he’s had for Spurs’ recruitment efforts, we’ll always have that.

Speaking on the club website, Pleat had this to say about his decision to step down:

“Football is my life and continues to be. Spurs has been a huge part of that. However the game and its methods change and it’s time for me to now step back from my scouting role. I look forward to watching the Club have great success in the coming years. I hope to continue my association with the game.”

—David Pleat

As fans, we can parse that statement however we want. It does seem to suggest that Spurs’ move to data-driven analysis and recruitment methods in recent years is a departure from Pleat’s skill-set, and fair enough! It’s no longer enough to just send an old, sharp football mind like Pleat to a bunch of games and say “pick us out a good lad, Pleatey” (though there’s clearly still a role for the “eye test” in modern scouting). Regardless, there does seem to be a sense encoded in Pleat’s remarks above that the game has moved on past him and it’s time to make way for people more comfortable with computers, advanced metrics, and data.

It’s hard to say whether stepping down is fully Pleat’s decision or whether the club decided they wanted to move in a different direction. Either could be the case, but it hardly matters. Pleat’s been a fantastic and long-standing part of the club and deserves recognition today for his years of service. Thanks, David.

Death, taxes, David Pleat. That’s what it’s felt like over the past two decades at Tottenham Hotspur — the 79-year-old Pleat has had a remarkable 20+ year association with the club, starting with his stint as manager back in the 1986-87 season. Today, the club announced that Pleat has “stepped back” from his role with Spurs’ scouting team, ending his official duties after fourteen years as a scout.

Pleat’s had a remarkable run with Tottenham, despite not playing for the club as a footballer. His stint as full manager in 1986-87 resulted in a third-place finish in the table and a run to the FA Cup final and League Cup semifinal while managing Glen Hoddle, Ossie Ardiles, Chris Waddle, and Clive Allen. While he left the club in October the following season he returned as caretaker manager on three separate occasions — 1998, 2001, and 2003. He clearly has a brilliant mind for the game, because there’s no other way you can stay associated with football for as long as he has.

He’s been an omnipresent part of Tottenham’s scouting operations over the years, and fans will probably know him best as the man chiefly responsible for identifying and bringing in Dele from MK Dons, as well as identifying Jan Vertonghen, Ben Davies, Jermain Defoe, and many others. Whatever other contributions he’s had for Spurs’ recruitment efforts, we’ll always have that.

Speaking on the club website, Pleat had this to say about his decision to step down:

“Football is my life and continues to be. Spurs has been a huge part of that. However the game and its methods change and it’s time for me to now step back from my scouting role. I look forward to watching the Club have great success in the coming years. I hope to continue my association with the game.”

—David Pleat

As fans, we can parse that statement however we want. It does seem to suggest that Spurs’ move to data-driven analysis and recruitment methods in recent years is a departure from Pleat’s skill-set, and fair enough! It’s no longer enough to just send an old, sharp football mind like Pleat to a bunch of games and say “pick us out a good lad, Pleatey” (though there’s clearly still a role for the “eye test” in modern scouting). Regardless, there does seem to be a sense encoded in Pleat’s remarks above that the game has moved on past him and it’s time to make way for people more comfortable with computers, advanced metrics, and data.

It’s hard to say whether stepping down is fully Pleat’s decision or whether the club decided they wanted to move in a different direction. Either could be the case, but it hardly matters. Pleat’s been a fantastic and long-standing part of the club and deserves recognition today for his years of service. Thanks, David.

Tottenham Hotspur touched down in Seoul, South Korea today (yesterday? time zones are a thing and time is a flat circle) as they continue their preseason tour to East Asia. And because there literally isn’t a better time to do it, Spurs also formally announced the signing of 18-year old Korean winger Yang Min-Hyeok from Gangwon FC!

Yang signs an initial five year deal that will keep him at Spurs through the end of the 2029-30 season, and will formally join the club in January, at the conclusion of the current K-League season. The official release on Tottenham’s website does NOT indicate a loan back to Gangwon, so I guess that means he remains a Gangwon player for now until the transfer officially goes through in January. There were reports that the transfer fee between Tottenham and Gangwon was €4m, which is both a pittance for what might be a top young international talent and also a lot of money for a club like Gangwon FC.

As some mentioned earlier, the lack of a loan is a bit weird, as it means that he may not be able to earn Spurs homegrown status when he turns 21. But maybe that’s okay? Spurs have a ton of homegrown players in the development squad coming through over the next few years, so it’s likely less of a concern that he’ll use up a foreign player slot than it might have been.

I can’t confirm or deny it, but you’d have to think Yang will be introduced to the Korean Spurs fans in attendance for the upcoming friendly against Harry Kane-less Bayern Munich. With Spurs literally in Korea, Son Heung-Min being a thing, and a new player from the K-League, the synergy is just too obvious not to do something like this.

Yang’s a young player with an enormous ceiling, but it would be a disservice to suggest that he’ll be an instant impact player when joins Tottenham in January. But he’ll now have time to adapt, improve, and be mentored by Sonny before eventually supplanting Son in the Tottenham squad as the best Korean footballer of all time. (Choose hope.)

Welcome to Tottenham, Yang Min-Hyeok!

Tottenham Hotspur touched down in Seoul, South Korea today (yesterday? time zones are a thing and time is a flat circle) as they continue their preseason tour to East Asia. And because there literally isn’t a better time to do it, Spurs also formally announced the signing of 18-year old Korean winger Yang Min-Hyeok from Gangwon FC!

Yang signs an initial five year deal that will keep him at Spurs through the end of the 2029-30 season, and will formally join the club in January, at the conclusion of the current K-League season. The official release on Tottenham’s website does NOT indicate a loan back to Gangwon, so I guess that means he remains a Gangwon player for now until the transfer officially goes through in January. There were reports that the transfer fee between Tottenham and Gangwon was €4m, which is both a pittance for what might be a top young international talent and also a lot of money for a club like Gangwon FC.

As some mentioned earlier, the lack of a loan is a bit weird, as it means that he may not be able to earn Spurs homegrown status when he turns 21. But maybe that’s okay? Spurs have a ton of homegrown players in the development squad coming through over the next few years, so it’s likely less of a concern that he’ll use up a foreign player slot than it might have been.

I can’t confirm or deny it, but you’d have to think Yang will be introduced to the Korean Spurs fans in attendance for the upcoming friendly against Harry Kane-less Bayern Munich. With Spurs literally in Korea, Son Heung-Min being a thing, and a new player from the K-League, the synergy is just too obvious not to do something like this.

Yang’s a young player with an enormous ceiling, but it would be a disservice to suggest that he’ll be an instant impact player when joins Tottenham in January. But he’ll now have time to adapt, improve, and be mentored by Sonny before eventually supplanting Son in the Tottenham squad as the best Korean footballer of all time. (Choose hope.)

Welcome to Tottenham, Yang Min-Hyeok!

Those of you dedicated enough (if you live in the USA) to wake up this morning at 6 a.m. ET or earlier to watch Tottenham Hotspur play an international friendly match in Japan were treated to a fun game! Spurs, playing in sweltering Tokyo heat, defeated defending J-League champions Vissel Kobe 3-2 behind goals from Pedro Porro, Son Heung-Min, and Mikey Moore.

We’ve already talked about the match — it was fun! The starting players got an extended run against a real team in mid-season form, the younger players got a good run out, and best of all Tottenham Hotspur won its first totally-real-and-not-at-all-made-up trophy since the 2019 Audi Cup, lifting the J-League World Challenge Cup winners plaque!

It totally counts, shut up. Want proof? If you’re reading this on Saturday, July 27 be sure and type “Tottenham Hotspur” into a Google search window, because there’s a pretty neat surprise waiting for you.

Actually, if you missed it, then never mind — I did it for you. Check it out.

See that? Those are REAL GOOGLE FIREWORKS and a rising banner saying Spurs are J-League World Challenge Cup Champions. That shit doesn’t just HAPPEN, it’s the same graphic Real Madrid got for winning the Champions League, which makes the J-League World Challenge Cup on par with the best competitions club football has to offer.

That’s also officially one more trophy than Harry Kane has won at Bayern Munich and I will not have it slandered. Think it doesn’t mean anything? Try telling that to J-League World Challenge Cup match-winner (and forthcoming Premier League golden boot winner) Mikey Moore and Best J-League Manager of All Time Ange Postecoglou. “It has always been my life’s ambition to return to Japan to win the prestigious J-League World Challenge Cup with Tottenham Hotspur and I’m so thrilled to be able to succeed today,” Postecoglou said in post-match comments, probably.

Spurs will now have an attempt to do the preseason double when they host Bayern Munich in the VisitMalta Cup on August 10, a win which will no doubt set the stage for their Premier League and Europa League winning campaigns this upcoming season. J-League World Challenge Cup Champions, you’ll never sing that!

Those of you dedicated enough (if you live in the USA) to wake up this morning at 6 a.m. ET or earlier to watch Tottenham Hotspur play an international friendly match in Japan were treated to a fun game! Spurs, playing in sweltering Tokyo heat, defeated defending J-League champions Vissel Kobe 3-2 behind goals from Pedro Porro, Son Heung-Min, and Mikey Moore.

We’ve already talked about the match — it was fun! The starting players got an extended run against a real team in mid-season form, the younger players got a good run out, and best of all Tottenham Hotspur won its first totally-real-and-not-at-all-made-up trophy since the 2019 Audi Cup, lifting the J-League World Challenge Cup winners plaque!

It totally counts, shut up. Want proof? If you’re reading this on Saturday, July 27 be sure and type “Tottenham Hotspur” into a Google search window, because there’s a pretty neat surprise waiting for you.

Actually, if you missed it, then never mind — I did it for you. Check it out.

See that? Those are REAL GOOGLE FIREWORKS and a rising banner saying Spurs are J-League World Challenge Cup Champions. That shit doesn’t just HAPPEN, it’s the same graphic Real Madrid got for winning the Champions League, which makes the J-League World Challenge Cup on par with the best competitions club football has to offer.

That’s also officially one more trophy than Harry Kane has won at Bayern Munich and I will not have it slandered. Think it doesn’t mean anything? Try telling that to J-League World Challenge Cup match-winner (and forthcoming Premier League golden boot winner) Mikey Moore and Best J-League Manager of All Time Ange Postecoglou. “It has always been my life’s ambition to return to Japan to win the prestigious J-League World Challenge Cup with Tottenham Hotspur and I’m so thrilled to be able to succeed today,” Postecoglou said in post-match comments, probably.

Spurs will now have an attempt to do the preseason double when they host Bayern Munich in the VisitMalta Cup on August 10, a win which will no doubt set the stage for their Premier League and Europa League winning campaigns this upcoming season. J-League World Challenge Cup Champions, you’ll never sing that!

Tottenham Hotspur’s Asia tour kicked off with a banger of a match against defending J1 League champions Vissel Kobe. Both sides played with purpose and intensity, as attacking football was the focus of the day.

A late winner from Mikey Moore secured victory for Spurs as the youngster tapped home a Jamie Donley square ball. Earlier, Vissel Kobe struck first, as James Maddison gave the ball away in buildup. From there, an out of position Pape Matar Sarr inadvertently squared to Yuya Osako who smashed the ball past Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs at times played gorgeous football, and their first goal was an example. Started by Archie Gray, Dejan Kulusevski was heavily involved before Pedro Porro showed great feet to create space for a clinical finish. Spurs then claimed the lead soon after half-time by turning out one of their greatest hits: a ball from Porro down the right to an onrushing Brennan Johnson, who squared for Son to hit home.

A midfield giveaway by Gray was then compounded by poor defensive play by Oliver Skipp, allowing Vissel Kobe back in the game before Spurs claimed victory through Moore and took home the J League World Challenge trophy.

J League World Challenge champions, you’ll never sing that!

Here are my top 10 talking points from the match.

As predicted, Ange Postecoglou used this fixture in large part to start to increase his senior players’ match fitness. With that in mind, he named possibly the strongest starting XI he could with the squad available to him, and gave most extended minutes, making the brunt of his substitutions after the sixty-minute mark (save three half-time changes).

Fitness was definitely put to the test as well, with the temperatures at Japan National Stadium sweltering. Vissel Kobe, however, were halfway through their season and as such were match fit and prepared for the conditions. This allowed them to really pressure Spurs, with a high press and aggressive playstyle that at times caused Tottenham problems.

It’s that aforementioned pressure with Spurs struggled to adapt to initially. With Kobe coming out firing, and some players in unfamiliar roles at the back, the Lilywhites struggled early on to move the ball up the pitch with several dangerous giveaways. Pape Matar Sarr and Emerson Royal especially struggled, with Royal’s lack of passing range heaping pressure on his less-experienced defensive partner Archie Gray to take on the responsibility. James Maddison at times looked out of sync with his teammates as well, with one giveaway leading to the opening goal.

New faces in defense can often cause problems with communication, and Archie Gray and Emerson Royal had yet to play alongside one another in preseason. It was also Vicario’s first match of preseason, and it was perhaps this lack of familiarity that resulted in the comedy of errors that created Vissel Kobe’s goal. Pape Matar Sarr tracked an overhit cross when he really didn’t need to, but it appeared nobody called to let the ball run so the Senegalese midfielder instead stretched to clear and played the ball into the path of Kobe’s striker. Not much changed in the second half, with Spurs’ defense still uncomfortable, perhaps personified by some comical defending by Oliver Skipp as Kobe scored their second.

One of the brightest players for Spurs in preseason has been Archie Gray, and he didn’t disappoint. Starting in an unfamiliar left center back role, he took time to warm into the match before turning in an impressive display, pulling the strings at the back. He was at the core of everything positive Spurs did in the first half, and his passing game was especially impressive: particularly the line-splitting pass to Kulusevski that started the move for Tottenham’s first goal. Unfortunately, he ended up with one black mark on his performance, with a giveaway after he’d shifted to midfield second half leading to Vissel Kobe’s second goal.

Dejan Kulusevski made a couple of cameos at center forward late in the 23/24 season, and for the first time this preseason he resumed that role. It suited him well, with his sharp feet, clever touches, and ability to bring those around him into the play helping Spurs’ attack look dangerous. Honestly, I like him more there than in midfield.

This was a friendly, and often the expectation would be a low-tempo, low quality match. Not the case. Both teams went at each other, and it was an exciting watch. The referee was always going to take a more casual approach, though, and it almost cost Tottenham. Kulusevski was scythed down on a breakaway which could have conceivably been a red card for denial of goal-scoring opportunity, while Spurs could have two penalties in the second half: a blocked Mikey Moore shot really looked like it was handled and Will Lankshear appeared to be pulled back as he stretched to get onto the end of a gorgeous piece of play by Spurs.

Seriously, are Spurs training this? Little layoffs and flicks were seen through the match as Tottenham turned on the style, and it wasn’t just for show: a Kulusevski backheel found Pedro Porro in the box for Spurs’ first goal, before Manor Solomon did similar to find an onrushing Jamie Donley in the build-up to Spurs’ second.

There were some strong performances today for Spurs, but also some square pegs in round holes. I’ll get yelled at for Masthead Groupthink for some of these, but Manor Solomon really struggled. His involvement in the late goal aside, he consistently made the wrong decision and often dribbled into traffic or just passed backwards. The left-side attack second half was consequently mostly a big old nothingburger. Oliver Skipp also seemed to struggle with the tempo of the match at times, turning the ball over on multiple occasions; but it was Sarr who perhaps had the strangest performance of all, looking extremely out-of-sorts and frenetic in his play. Dane Scarlett and Tyrese Hall will have been disappointed not to have seen the pitch as well.

Ange Postecoglou though will have been encouraged by some of the young talent he saw on display today. Jamie Donley was especially impressive, grabbing himself an assist and having a stinging volley tipped over the bar after he hit the post early in the second stanza. Alfie Devine had another quietly influential display in midfield; but the plaudits go to Mikey Moore, who at times made the defense look silly and who made an excellent run to score the winning goal.

Screw it, we’re gonna win the league.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Asia tour kicked off with a banger of a match against defending J1 League champions Vissel Kobe. Both sides played with purpose and intensity, as attacking football was the focus of the day.

A late winner from Mikey Moore secured victory for Spurs as the youngster tapped home a Jamie Donley square ball. Earlier, Vissel Kobe struck first, as James Maddison gave the ball away in buildup. From there, an out of position Pape Matar Sarr inadvertently squared to Yuya Osako who smashed the ball past Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs at times played gorgeous football, and their first goal was an example. Started by Archie Gray, Dejan Kulusevski was heavily involved before Pedro Porro showed great feet to create space for a clinical finish. Spurs then claimed the lead soon after half-time by turning out one of their greatest hits: a ball from Porro down the right to an onrushing Brennan Johnson, who squared for Son to hit home.

A midfield giveaway by Gray was then compounded by poor defensive play by Oliver Skipp, allowing Vissel Kobe back in the game before Spurs claimed victory through Moore and took home the J League World Challenge trophy.

J League World Challenge champions, you’ll never sing that!

Here are my top 10 talking points from the match.

As predicted, Ange Postecoglou used this fixture in large part to start to increase his senior players’ match fitness. With that in mind, he named possibly the strongest starting XI he could with the squad available to him, and gave most extended minutes, making the brunt of his substitutions after the sixty-minute mark (save three half-time changes).

Fitness was definitely put to the test as well, with the temperatures at Japan National Stadium sweltering. Vissel Kobe, however, were halfway through their season and as such were match fit and prepared for the conditions. This allowed them to really pressure Spurs, with a high press and aggressive playstyle that at times caused Tottenham problems.

It’s that aforementioned pressure with Spurs struggled to adapt to initially. With Kobe coming out firing, and some players in unfamiliar roles at the back, the Lilywhites struggled early on to move the ball up the pitch with several dangerous giveaways. Pape Matar Sarr and Emerson Royal especially struggled, with Royal’s lack of passing range heaping pressure on his less-experienced defensive partner Archie Gray to take on the responsibility. James Maddison at times looked out of sync with his teammates as well, with one giveaway leading to the opening goal.

New faces in defense can often cause problems with communication, and Archie Gray and Emerson Royal had yet to play alongside one another in preseason. It was also Vicario’s first match of preseason, and it was perhaps this lack of familiarity that resulted in the comedy of errors that created Vissel Kobe’s goal. Pape Matar Sarr tracked an overhit cross when he really didn’t need to, but it appeared nobody called to let the ball run so the Senegalese midfielder instead stretched to clear and played the ball into the path of Kobe’s striker. Not much changed in the second half, with Spurs’ defense still uncomfortable, perhaps personified by some comical defending by Oliver Skipp as Kobe scored their second.

One of the brightest players for Spurs in preseason has been Archie Gray, and he didn’t disappoint. Starting in an unfamiliar left center back role, he took time to warm into the match before turning in an impressive display, pulling the strings at the back. He was at the core of everything positive Spurs did in the first half, and his passing game was especially impressive: particularly the line-splitting pass to Kulusevski that started the move for Tottenham’s first goal. Unfortunately, he ended up with one black mark on his performance, with a giveaway after he’d shifted to midfield second half leading to Vissel Kobe’s second goal.

Dejan Kulusevski made a couple of cameos at center forward late in the 23/24 season, and for the first time this preseason he resumed that role. It suited him well, with his sharp feet, clever touches, and ability to bring those around him into the play helping Spurs’ attack look dangerous. Honestly, I like him more there than in midfield.

This was a friendly, and often the expectation would be a low-tempo, low quality match. Not the case. Both teams went at each other, and it was an exciting watch. The referee was always going to take a more casual approach, though, and it almost cost Tottenham. Kulusevski was scythed down on a breakaway which could have conceivably been a red card for denial of goal-scoring opportunity, while Spurs could have two penalties in the second half: a blocked Mikey Moore shot really looked like it was handled and Will Lankshear appeared to be pulled back as he stretched to get onto the end of a gorgeous piece of play by Spurs.

Seriously, are Spurs training this? Little layoffs and flicks were seen through the match as Tottenham turned on the style, and it wasn’t just for show: a Kulusevski backheel found Pedro Porro in the box for Spurs’ first goal, before Manor Solomon did similar to find an onrushing Jamie Donley in the build-up to Spurs’ second.

There were some strong performances today for Spurs, but also some square pegs in round holes. I’ll get yelled at for Masthead Groupthink for some of these, but Manor Solomon really struggled. His involvement in the late goal aside, he consistently made the wrong decision and often dribbled into traffic or just passed backwards. The left-side attack second half was consequently mostly a big old nothingburger. Oliver Skipp also seemed to struggle with the tempo of the match at times, turning the ball over on multiple occasions; but it was Sarr who perhaps had the strangest performance of all, looking extremely out-of-sorts and frenetic in his play. Dane Scarlett and Tyrese Hall will have been disappointed not to have seen the pitch as well.

Ange Postecoglou though will have been encouraged by some of the young talent he saw on display today. Jamie Donley was especially impressive, grabbing himself an assist and having a stinging volley tipped over the bar after he hit the post early in the second stanza. Alfie Devine had another quietly influential display in midfield; but the plaudits go to Mikey Moore, who at times made the defense look silly and who made an excellent run to score the winning goal.

Screw it, we’re gonna win the league.

Tottenham Hotspur kick off their Asia Preseason Tour with a match against 2023 J1 League champions Vissel Kobe in Tokyo.

The first of three matches across South Korea and Japan, Spurs' goal will be to start increasing the minutes of their key players to build fitness ahead of the 24/25 Premier League Season, with reports suggesting Ange Postecoglou could name quite a strong side for this fixture.

That doesn’t mean we won’t see the kids, though! It’s a young squad that traveled, with a number of senior players still missing due to injury and international duty (and consequent late holidays). Keep an eye out for some intriguing cameos and some exciting football!

COYS!

Lineups

And because I can’t find a nice, tidy Twitter post...

Vissel Kobe

Starting XI: Maekawa, Kuwasaki, Kikuchi, Thuler, Hatsuse (c), Ohgihara, Iino, Ideguchi, Yamauchi, Muto, Osako.

Substitutes: Arai, Takayama, Obi, Yamakawa, Honda, Homma, Terasaka, Yamada, Iwanami, Sasaki, Hidaka, Hamasaki, Patric, Tominaga.

How to Watch

Vissel Kobe vs. Tottenham Hotspur (friendly)

Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Time: 6:00 a.m. ET, 11:00 a.m. UK

TV: Not televised in USA or UK. Check international listings at livesoccertv.com

Streaming: SPURSPLAY, CBS Sports Golazo Network, J1 League YouTube Channel

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!