Cartilage Free Captain

Good morning and welcome to another edition of What Are You Reading Right Now?, where Hoddle Headquarters likes to survey the audience on what pieces of literature (be it a novel, non-fiction, MAD magazine or any other thing) they’re reading right now.

The last time I checked in on this particular topic I was in-between books. I had just finished Lolita and in need of a palate cleanser. Well, I settled on Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. It debuted to wonderful reviews, but your hoddler-in-chief wasn’t impressed by it. Essentially, I think a lot of it was unnecessary.

The heart of the book, I found, was Cyrus’s talks with Orkideh, and every time we got some momentum there we were sent on some strange perspective from another character. Plus I found some of the prose derived.

But that’s come and gone.

I’ve since gone back to my beloved nature books. And I picked one up not long ago that’s been on my radar for some time - Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures.

There are few things I enjoy more than a good mycological book. I’m still in the early pages of this so please no spoilers, but I’m looking forward to exploring it more.

This book takes a look at fungi and their roles in human life. This’ll be the third book on fungi I have read after The Mushroom at the End of the World and What a Mushroom Lives For. It also comes after a few tree-related books I’ve read including The Secret Life of Trees and The Language of Trees.

I can’t think of a better time of the year to dive into fungi and the roots of nature than autumn.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Jumpin’ Jack Flash, by The Rolling Stones

And now for your links:

Matt Law: “Tottenham keen to reward Micky van de Ven with new deal”

Jay Harris ($$): “Thomas Frank and Spurs bask in incredible healing powers great goals can bring”

Alasdair Gold: “Kevin Danso’s classy gesture to Dane Scarlett after brutal Richarlison decision in Tottenham win”

BBC: “Marinakis on trial in Athens over inciting gang violence”

“Djed and I walked off. We were just frustrated after the game and everything got really exploded by the media. It was nothing big. Everyone thinks it was the gaffer… it was nothing to do with the gaffer.

We were just frustrated because of a bad performance — from myself, as well. We want to play well and I didn’t play well, in my opinion.“

“I think it was a step forward. I liked what I saw from Brennan, it was classic Brennan, running in behind. And I really liked the assist from Xavi. Very good assist from Xavi. So happy that it was a goal from Brennan, assist from Xavi. I liked bits from Wilson [Odobert], and also of course he scored. I think Kolo looked like a handful, in many situations he could easily have scored one or two goals maybe in the end. But I think all of them have much more to come. But it was definitely a step forward.

“I think [Kolo Muani] is just taking steps in the right direction and he’s getting more and more fit. And I will still go as far as I don’t think he’s fully firing yet. But you can see he’s such a handful to play against. The goal is a ball in behind where he just can’t really control it, the defender and he’s practically on the goalkeeper. And then he shows extreme composure to just take the ball down and a nice assist for Wilson.

“And he’s through two or three times and could have scored more. So I think he was a threat. Probably also should have scored on the header.”

“I think I understand why it can be given. But I think it’s a little bit - what I’ve talked before - that still footage, studs on leg, is what the ref sees the first thing. That’s where it looks bad. There was no recklessness in this tackle from Brennan. He goes down into a sliding tackle, you can say ‘why give the opportunity?’ But when he goes down, there’s literally no leg in front of him, so when he slides, then the player steps down, and then it looks bad after that. I think it was a little bit unfortunate, and I think it was harsh.”

What a career it’s been for Eliud Kipchoge.

The Kenyan runner, the greatest marathoner of all time, ran his final marathon major this Sunday at the New York City Marathon. He finished 17th.

His storied career could be best defined as a two-time Olympic champion, winning the gold medal in 2016 and 2020 Games after changing disciplines from the 5K.

He was also the subject of a unique experiment: the Ineos 1:59 challenge to run a marathon in under 2 hours - a feat that’s never been done before. Kipchoge finished the 2019 run in 1:59:40, although the greater running authorities do not officially recognise it as a record because of how the event was structured.

He also won 11 World Marathon majors (one in Chicago, one in Tokyo, four in London and five in Berlin) in an astonishing accomplishment.

Kipchoge is also an incredible sportsman, and it was a richly deserving send-off he received in New York.

If you’ve never followed running but feel like you might’ve heard the name Eliud Kipchoge somewhere, maybe it’s because you might remember his visit to Tottenham Hotspur in 2018.

Kipchoge visited the Spurs training centre during the Victor Wanyama era shortly after he won the London Marathon. It was fun to see the two Kenyans have a chance to connect at the time.

What’s next for Kipchoge? The Kenyan marathoner said his next goal is to run seven marathons on all seven continents over the next two years, which he is calling the “Eliud Kipchoge World Tour”. Kipchoge said that he intends to “unite the world through running”, with each stop on the world tour raising funds for his foundation that supports education and environmental projects.

No idea yet on which of these marathons Kipchoge decides to run, but I’ll be watching closely.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, by The Beatles

And now for your links:

The Athletic ($$): “Micky van de Ven and a goal like no other: ‘It was Messi transformed into a centre-back’”

The Independent: “Red card and wondergoal sum up best and worst of Tottenham in Thomas Frank rebuild”

Alasdair Gold: “Thomas Frank hits back at Jamie Carragher and explains why Micky van de Ven is like Lionel Messi”

Express & Star: “‘I take responsibility … we’ve lost too many games’ - Ryan Mason owns up to struggling West Brom goal-shy form”

There is nothing in football that can’t be healed by a dominating European competition victory. Tottenham Hotspur went into today’s home match against Copenhagen in the Champions League group stage with the vibes in the toilet after a horrible home loss to Chelsea this past weekend. As poor as that match was, this one was the polar opposite. Spurs got a first half goal from Brennan Johnson and a second from Wilson Odobert, assisted by Randal Kolo Muani to put them up 2-0.

Johnson then was sent off for a bad sliding challenge that was controversially upgraded to a red card by VAR. It looked as though Spurs might be set for a nervy spell of sufferball to see the game out. Instead, Spurs ran riot after going down to ten men.

Micky van de Ven scored what in a fair world would be a Puskas Award contender, basically recreating Son Heung-Min’s goal against Burnley, but as a central defender. Second half substitute Palhinha then scored again to put Spurs up by four, and there was no doubt who the eventual winners would be. Spurs took their foot off the gas afterwards, but still nearly had a fifth at the death after Dane Scarlett earned a penalty, but substitute Richarlison put the spot kick off the bar and out.

But never mind that. It was the kind of glory, glory night we all remember, and the kind of performance that banishes all the bad feelings that built up over the past few matches. What a performance!

Here are my match reactions from a dominating win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Match Reactions

Yesterday, the Times of London reported that a Premier League footballer in his 20s was threatened at gunpoint by an unnamed football agent while the player was walking on the streets of north London. The incident took place in early September and due to legal issues in the UK, neither the player’s name nor the name of the perpetrator was stated in the article.

The British media is not allowed to reveal names of those involved in ongoing criminal investigations. However, those laws don’t apply to media outlets in other countries. According to Tuttomercatoweb in Italy, which did its own investigation into the incident, the player at the center of the incident is allegedly Tottenham Hotspur fullback and Italian international footballer Destiny Udogie.

We should be very clear here — these are allegations and we are reporting on the same as published by an Italian media source. Carty Free is also part of SB Nation and Vox Media, which is based in the United States. Details, obviously, are extremely limited as to what happened — only that the player, allegedly Udogie, was with a friend in North London when he was threatened by a man in his early 30s. TMW says that the perpetrator is “the head of a major football agency” who represents a number of players based in the UK, and afterwards “was questioned on charges of extortion and driving without a license, as well as for a crime related to the possession of firearms.”

TMW went on to suggest that the incident might have been precipitated by Udogie’s tenure at Udinese, his former club, and a past decision on with which agency he wanted to sign to represent his career interests. It was suggested that the perpetrator may have been one of the agents whom Udogie turned down.

A statement by the Metropolitan Police, referenced by the Times above, says that there were no injuries reported; the player in question’s companion, who was with him at the time, was also threatened with blackmail by the same individual during the incident. The perpetrator was arrested and later released on bail; the investigation is ongoing.

That is, literally, all that is being reported, and so that is all that we think we may (or may not!) know. There’s clearly a lot of speculation happening by TMW, and obviously we won’t be getting any confirmation one way or the other until the investigation is completed in the UK. A source in the Times says that the player, allegedly Udogie, was “shaken up” by what happened but has been receiving support from his club and teammates.

Scary stuff.

Tottenham Hotspur need a win. Arguably even more importantly, they need a performance.

The atmosphere turned toxic during the weekend’s match against Chelsea, and only a dominant, front-footed showing will get fans back onside. All the better then that this match is against FC Copenhagen of the Danish Superliga, and not, say, PSG (though don’t worry; that’s coming!).

All the worse though that Spurs’ injury worries continue. Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Bergvall are the latest players to fall victim to various ailments, with Thomas Frank having to contend with poor form and a lack of options as he looks to turn the tide while in the midst of a brutal fixture run.

Things haven’t been looking positive; could this be the match that rights the ship?

COYS!

Lineups

Lineups will be posted closer to kick-off.

Live Blog

How to Watch

Tottenham Hotspur vs. FC Copenhagen

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

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

TV: CBS Sports Network, TNT Sports 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:

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!

Though both Newcastle and Chelsea are quality sides, the pair of losses last week spells trouble for Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur. The 0.1 xG from Saturday has been hard to tune out, but the defensive effort over the past four matches cannot be ignored either as there have been more than a few instances of Spurs being flattered by the actual numbers of goals conceded.

The fanbase is getting restless and it seems to have made an impact on the players as well. The good news is that a visit from Copenhagen Tuesday offers the perfect opportunity to get back on track and restore some of the optimism. The challenge of a match like this is that any sort of slip-up against this level of opponent is going to throw fuel on the flames that are rapidly expanding.

UCL League Phase MW4

Date: Tuesday, November 4

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

Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

TV: CBS Sports Network (US), TNT Sports 1 (UK)

Table: Spurs (15th, 5 pts), Copenhagen (t-31st, 1 pt)

Tottenham has little competitive history against Danish opposition. The only instance I see is against Aalborg BK in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup Group Stage, a 3-2 comeback win at White Hart Lane after falling behind by two goals early. It has been the opposite for Copenhagen and English opponents, with a loss and draw against City in the 2022/23 Champions League Group Stage and a defeat in the 2023/24 Round of 16, as well as a loss against Chelsea in last season’s Conference League knockout stages.

Three Big Questions

Who is going to score?! It is debatable if it is the players or the tactics at fault for Spurs rapid descent into threatlessness, but when Micky van de Ven is leading the team in goals (5) there is plenty of blame that falls on the attackers. The absence of Dominic Solanke is really an issue with neither Richarlison or Randal Kolo Muani inspiring any confidence (let alone Mathys Tel), but it is going to be a long season if all we do is lament injuries, especially while Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain out.

No, someone needs to step forward as the primary attacking threat. Whoever Frank selects should relish their chances against a Copenhagen defense that has allowed eight goals in three League Phase contests so far. Simply put, Tottenham must figure out how to score in open play. Mohammed Kudus seems like a key factor here, but he will need someone to finish off the attacking moves. I have no answers, but there better be goals in this one.

Do home tactics need a revamp? When the manager says that they have never seen a team create as little as Spurs did over the weekend, it would be wild to see the same approach tried again the very next match. While only so much can be done between one fixture and the next — and certainly Frank is never going to set up as reckless as his predecessor — this is a good chance for something new.

Copenhagen has scored four goals during this Champions League phase, with an average of 1.2 xG per outing. If there ever was a time to show some ambition and throw caution to the wind a bit, this is the time. There is no reason to act like cement mixers and wait for set pieces on Tuesday; with even the defense starting to show some cracks, it is time to help out the back line by forcing the issue up the pitch.

Is it getting late early? I hate how reactionary sports fandom has become, but after watching Forest sack Ange Postecoglou instantly (and seeing the turnstiles at Stamford Bridge, among other places), supporters can feel justified because clubs are willing to be impatient too. Still, the Frank discourse feels so rushed and even bringing up the potential of his dismissal seems extremely shortsighted.

Admittedly, there is plenty of frustration in North London and this match has the potential to really cause some commotion. Frank will surely feel some emotions facing a side from Denmark and will endure the extra weight following the minor fiasco following the Chelsea tunnel incident. Everyone should give the new regime some patience, but I know that the dissent will only get louder if Spurs fail to take all three points as heavy favorite Tuesday, regardless of home form.

Hoddle Headquarters today mourns the passing of Donna Jean Godchaux, former backing vocalist for the Grateful Dead.

Godchaux, who joined the Grateful Dead in 1971 with her husband Keith Godchaux, sang backing vocals for the band during its seminal years. She was there for Europe 72, under the full moon in Egypt and, of course, at Barton Hall in 1977.

Her voice added a fresh layer to the Grateful Dead sound in what could be considered the band’s biggest era - the points between Ron McKernan’s death and before the arrival of Brent Mydland delivered a harder sound.

Many of the Grateful Dead live songs I enjoy because of Godchaux’s inclusions - think The Music Never Stopped, Dancing in the Street or, of course, Playing in the Band, the jammiest of the Dead’s catalogue defined by her wailing.

I just so happened to be at a Grateful Dead cover band concert on Sunday night. The band played its rendition of Scarlet Begonias into Fire on the Mountain. As I was listening to that version I pondered if the Grateful Dead had achieved its so-called telos on May 8, 1977, when it paired those two songs together for the first time.

The idea of telos, first brought by Aristotle, is sort of to consider an object or whatever else as its intended and ultimate reason for its existence. It’s probably a silly thought to ascribe to a band, but I’ll do it anyways.

When the Dead paired Scarlet > Fire, I think it can be reasonably asked if they had achieved the ultimate objective for the band’s existence. Of joining the rock fusion of Scarlet Begonias with that reggae-like Fire on the Mountain, but it’s the interlude between the two where things get interesting. Like the space that connects two interdimensional portals.

During that version you can hear Donna Jean Godchaux’s soft wails in the background, leading us from the first song into the second before Phil Lesh’s boppy bass carries the audience into the latter half of one of the band’s most legendary outputs.

If the Grateful Dead did indeed reach telos at Barton Hall, then Godchaux guided us all there.

May the four winds blow her safely home.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Sing Me Back Home, by the Grateful Dead

And now for your links:

Matt Law: “Micky Van de Ven and Djed Spence ‘sorry’ for Thomas Frank snub”

Alasdair Gold: “Every word Thomas Frank said on his Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence meeting plus Kudus injury”

“Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday, unprompted. And just said: ‘Want to say sorry for the situation.’ They didn’t want it to look bad or disrespectful or all of the kind of perceptions you can get in this beautiful media world. That was not the intention at all towards me or the team or the club. They were just frustrated with the performance, the loss and the booing during the game.

“Of course I had to ask them about the situation they were walking in, what they were feeling, why they were doing it, because we all have a perception. And we are very, very good to have that strong [opinion]. That’s because they... whatever, because their mom wasn’t well, or they didn’t like the head coach, or they were irritated with the performance, or it’s because they lost, or whatever. We’re very, very good at that. None of us knows.

“So that would be my first question to them. How were they and why? Of course I’m happy, because I knew the question would come today, that they were coming in. And that means they care. I think that’s very good. They care about the team, the club. In this case, me.

“I’m happy with that. So that was very good. Then we just had a good talk about a lot of things. And like with everything, we keep it internally. Like I said to the players when I said that before, it will be very, very, very unusual if I ever throw a player under the bus. We’re all humans, but I’ll always protect them.”

“I think it depends on whose narrative that is. The journalists? A few fans? I guess we have quite a few fans out there so I guess the ones who write on social media. I’m not on social media. I’m very aware we haven’t been free flowing, in some games, I think there’s definitely been some moments where we’ve been quite good. It’s something we work very hard on every single day.

“It’s fair to say every team I’ve managed, we’ve been able to score a lot of goals. Also a Brentford team with let’s say on paper lesser players, creating a lot of top goal scorers. I’m convinced we will do the same here. I think it’s fair to say we are also working very hard on it. The players are doing everything they can and it’s my job with the coaches to make sure they hit good relations, good structure and can be confident.”

Does anyone really want to revisit this match? I don’t. So I’ll give you a binary choice: you can read this article or not. You can continue to be upset about the match, or you can stop. You can boo players or you can not. You can choose to feel things or not. Binary choices are FUN!

No rest for the weary. Spurs host Copenhagen tomorrow in the Champions League. And true to form, Spurs will either win or they wo… crap, there are draws too. Dammit.

Here are your player ratings to the theme of binary code.

Guglielmo Vicario (Community — 4.0): A heroic eight saves made this only an embarrassing loss as opposed to one that forces Tottenham fans to walk around all week with a bag over their head with a woman walking behind ringing a bell and yelling SHAME.

Everyone else (Community — Thomas Frank 1.5; Pedro Porro 2.0; Kevin Danso 2.5; Van de Ven 2.0; Djed Spence 2.5; Joao Palhinha 3.0; Rodrigo Bentancur 2.0; Pape Matar Sarr 2.0; Mohammed Kudus 2.5; Xavi Simons 1.5; Randal Kolo Muani 2.0; Richarlison 2.0; Destiny Udogie 2.0; Brennan Johnson 1.5; Wilson Odobert 1.5; ): Yarp.

No Tottenham players were as bad as the set that contains nothing, not even zero.