Baker ordered to leave Borough Market for being 'too successful' wants public apology: 'Say it was a mistake'
Baker ordered to leave Borough Market for being 'too successful'
At least one player is earning his spot
Huff and puff: Omar Marmoush
AFP/Getty
Sam Tabuteau, Sports Reporter
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Tottenham remain winless and without a goal in the Premier League after they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Everton.
Boos rang out around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at full-time as Spurs’ wait to break their scoreless streak continued with another frustrating display.
For the first time in their history, Spurs have started the season with four goalless results, and the pressure is slowly building on Roberto De Zerbi after a heavy summer of spending.
Sam Tabuteau was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to rate the Spurs players…
Antonin Kinsky 6
Got away with a slack pass out from the back which Dewsbury-Hall should have scored. Had been attentive and proactive up to that point, though, saving well from Barry’s close-range header.
Archie Gray 7
A bundle of energy in attack and dealt well with Tyrique George as he threatened to take charge of the game at the start of the second half.
Jan Paul van Hecke 7
Would probably have scored had he got an early half-volley on target. Played some lovely crisp passes through the lines
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Micky van de Ven 8
Produced a couple of vital interventions. His relationship with Van Hecke is coming along nicely, and the pair are growing into their respective roles.
Andy Robertson 6
Consistently pulled wide to provide an option, but his crossing missed the mark. Full of running, with no player making more sprints than him.
Rodrigo Bentancur 8
So important to how De Zerbi wants to play. Comfortable receiving under pressure and first to every loose ball. Produced a heroic block to deny George in the second-half.
Sandro Tonali 7
A more confident performance from the Italian. Got his head up at every opportunity and showed his quality with a few searching balls in behind Everton’s backline. Struggled to exert the same influence in the second half.
Mateus Fernandes 6
Started brightly but was too indecisive at crucial moments. Drifted as the game wore on and was replaced by Kudus.
Savio 4
Despite his efforts, it was another high-energy but unproductive performance from Savio. Wants too much time to make decisions in the final third.
Dominic Solanke 4
Replaced just past the hour mark after an ineffectual display. Had the fewest touches of any outfield player for Spurs.
Omar Marmoush 4
Agile under pressure and constantly looking for the ball, you could not fault his application, and he feels like a good fit for De Zerbi’s system. For all his industry, though, he struggled to work shooting opportunities.
Subs
Mathys Tel 4
Dropped to the bench, he could not make an impact as a substitute as Spurs struggled to put any tangible late pressure on Everton’s backline.
Lucas Bergvall 6
Forced Pickford into a wonderful save on the stretch. The closest Spurs came all game to a winner.
Mohammed Kudus 6
The brightest of the players to come off the bench, but that is not saying too much.
James Maddison 6
Produced an excellent sliding interception to set up Bergvall’s late chance and got a good block on a late Everton chance. Did not offer much going forward, though, as Spurs toiled.
Tosin Adarabioyo N/A
On for his debut, he helped out as Spurs held on for another clean sheet.
Unused subs: Dubravka, Senesi, Gallagher, Davies
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Baker ordered to leave Borough Market for being 'too successful' wants public apology: 'Say it was a mistake'
Baker ordered to leave Borough Market for being 'too successful'
Baker ordered to leave Borough Market for being 'too successful' wants public apology: 'Say it was a mistake'
Baker ordered to leave Borough Market for being 'too successful'
Supporters will soon lose patience if Spurs don’t manage to best Toffees at home
Sam Tabuteau, Sports Reporter
COMMENTS
Tottenham Edition
Your weekly briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau
I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.
Tottenham escaped the City Ground with their honour intact but little in the way of inspiration as their slow start to the season continued with a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Still without a league win after three games, they were industrious yet insipid against Forest. Physical in midfield but procrastinating in the final third. It was progress after back-to-back defeats to Newcastle and Brentford, but nothing more.
Roberto De Zerbi knows his side can play better. “If you watch the game in Nottingham, it was a bad game,” he said of the attritional fare the two teams served up.
Spurs, in particular, were devoid of any creativity or composure as they hurried from one loose ball to the next, unable to get a hold of a game that was played as much in the air as it was on the ground.
Commitment is not in short supply. De Zerbi demands that as a minimum having informed those whose heart is not in this arduous Spurs project that they are free to leave.
Tottenham have room for improvement after insipid draw at Nottingham Forest
PA
But that is a baseline, a non-negotiable, for the style De Zerbi wants to implement. Now, having shown they can compete with Forest’s physicality, it is about adding layers and “personality” to Spurs’ football.
“I would like to see one team playing with courage, with energy, to try to dominate the game, dominate the pressure with the right spirit, with the spirit I like.”
This is the blueprint for De Zerbi’s new era. Courage, energy and control. But what is courage if it is not also commitment?
For De Zerbi, courage is a different form of bravery entirely. The confidence to take a risk in possession - receive the ball on the half turn, break the lines with a pass, or even just to have a shot on goal. Spurs did not manage to trouble the Forest goal once last weekend.
De Zerbi wants his side to take more risks
AFP/Getty
“It is like we don't want the ball or we don't want to take any risks because if we lose the ball, if we lose the ball, we can concede a goal,” De Zerbi rallied, clearly sending a message to his players ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Everton.
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If this weekend’s game is not yet a must-win, then it is, without a shadow of a doubt, a must-score.
“I'm the coach, I take the responsibility I have to take without problem, but I would like to play, to play, to play, to play, to run, to press, to dribble, to shoot many times, more times on the goal, because I know the potential of my players.”
Spurs’ last Premier League win came in this fixture on the final day of last season. A victory that remarkably secured Spurs’ top-flight survival.
It was a result that ended up being the catalyst for a summer splurge in excess of £300million and a heightening of expectations that have as yet been unfulfilled.
Money can’t buy mentality, though, and Spurs’ struggles at home showed no signs of improvement as they were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle two weeks ago.
Spurs have won just nine home league games since the start of the 2024/25 season. But De Zerbi insists there are no issues with pressure.
“I think no because in Nottingham we didn’t play at home.
“We played away and if we watch the game together I show you how many times there was the space and the time to play better and better and better, with more courage and availability but it’s a process.”
There is time yet for Spurs to turn things around. They are not the only team building relationships and an identity after a summer of change.
Supporter patience will run thin, however, if they can’t pick up three points against an Everton side without an away win in the Premier League since February.
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Striker has only played 114 minutes so far this season despite Spurs’ struggles in front of goal
Sam Tabuteau, Sports Reporter
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Roberto De Zerbi has revealed that Dominic Solanke could be ready to start for the first time since April when Tottenham host Everton on Saturday evening, going on to challenge his forwards to up their level.
Solanke has not started a game for Spurs since he was withdrawn 40 minutes into the north London club’s crucial 1-0 win away to Wolves last season with a hamstring injury.
The 28-year-old, who spent the majority of last term nursing a recurring ankle injury, played no part in Spurs’ final four games and watched from the bench as they secured Premier League survival on the final day.
It had been hoped that a full pre-season would allow Solanke to return to fitness in time for the start of this season, but the club’s medical team, in collaboration with De Zerbi, were cautious about risking Solanke due to concerns over jet lag as well as his injury history.
Spurs, who have revamped their medical team under the guidance of performance director Dan Lewindon, have erred on the side of caution, particularly with players who have a patchy injury record such as Solanke.
It means the former Bournemouth hitman has played just 114 minutes in all competitions this season despite Spurs failing to score in each of their first three league games.
Asked when Solanke would be ready to start, De Zerbi said that the former England international would either be included from the start against Everton or when Spurs take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup third round next Tuesday.
Comeback trail: Dominic Solanke
AFP/Getty
“I think he is close. He’s a crucial player for us, Dom Solanke. For the characteristics, personality, level of the player. He’s very close after two times on the bench - Newcastle and Nottingham - he could start the game. Or, anyway, Tuesday, he can start the game,” De Zerbi said.
Spurs remain winless in the Premier League this season but have played better than their results suggest.
The main issue for De Zerbi, though, remains in attack, where his side have failed to find the back of the net in the league and looked devoid of inspiration in drawing 0-0 with Nottingham Forest last weekend.
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Spurs let Brennan Johnson, their top goalscorer in the 2024/25 season, leave for Crystal Palace in January, and the Welsh winger will line up for Everton tomorrow evening.
Brennan Johnson may well start for Everton as they visit Tottenham on Saturday
PA
They are also trying to negotiate an exit for last season’s top scorer, Richarlison, with Brazilian side Vasco Da Gama showing serious interest.
But De Zerbi isn’t worried about the number of goals Spurs have been happy to let leave the club, having also sold Heung Min-Son and Harry Kane in recent years.
“Solanke didn’t play many games. I hope Solanke can be available this season more than last season. Marmoush didn’t play for Tottenham last season,” De Zerbi continued.
“Savio didn’t play last season for Tottenham. And then all players they have to…Mathys Tel has to improve. Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. Now he is 22 years (old) and he has to push, to show.
“Because the level of football is you show who you are and what you can do, or you lose the level. I think we can score goals with this squad, but we have to see.”
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Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that James Maddison will be back and available for selection as Tottenham host Everton this weekend.
Maddison is back in training as he steps up his recovery from a shoulder fracture suffered on the opening weekend of the season against Brentford.
The 29-year-old will continue to be carefully managed as part of the club’s new medical advice, and De Zerbi would not clarify if he was ready to start.
“Maddison, yes (he will be back),” Spurs boss De Zerbi said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
Asked if Maddison could start, he added: “I’m happy when all my players are available. It is maybe a problem for me because my decisions are not easy. But I want to manage all players together.”
Maddison missed the majority of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and was used sparingly throughout pre-season this summer.
Mykhailo Mudryk is expected to be out for between six to eight weeks after sustaining a blow to his left ankle in training this week.
De Zerbi lamented the injury as “stupid”, owing to the innocuous nature of the incident, which is set to keep Mudryk out until after the international break.
The Ukrainian winger had been working his way back to full fitness, having not played a competitive match in nearly two years before his cameo off the bench against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Savio and Destiny Udogie are both fit to face Everton, despite being taken off on the hour mark against Forest.
The decision to substitute the pair was made pre-game and was taken on the advice of the club’s medical team, with both players having had minor fitness issues at the start of the season.
Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert remain long-term absentees, while Dejan Kulusevski is continuing to struggle with a setback in his recovery from a serious knee injury.
Kulusevski returned to full team training last week before suffering what De Zerbi described as a minor issue.
Roberto De Zerbi insists that he does not know if Richarlison will leave Tottenham.
The Brazilian forward is in danger of being left in transfer limbo, having so far failed to secure a move away from Spurs despite informing the club of his desire to exit late last month.
Richarlison is believed to be considering legal action in an attempt to try to terminate his Spurs contract, with the club said to be unwilling to facilitate a loan switch to Brazilian side Vasco da Gama.
A temporary move back to his homeland is said to be Richarlison’s preference as it would allow him to build match fitness before reassessing his options in January.
Tottenham would prefer a permanent sale but have yet to receive any formal offers.
Time is running out for Richarlison, with the transfer window in Brazil set to close on Friday night and Spurs no closer to an agreement.
Richarlison will not be with the team on Saturday as Spurs look for their first top-flight win of the season against Everton after he was left out of De Zerbi’s 25-man Premier League squad last week.
Richarlison saw a potential £35million return to former club Everton collapse last week as the two sides were unable to agree personal terms.
Asked for an update on the situation at his pre-Everton press conference on Friday, Tottenham boss De Zerbi said: “I don't know (if Richarlison will leave). I don't know, it's not my job.
“All I can say is I know very well what the club have done for Richarlison, and Richarlison knows what he has done for the club.”
Should a move back to Brazil fail to materialise on Friday, Richarlison would be set to stay at Spurs unless a solution can be reached to terminate his contract.
Reports had suggested that the transfer windows in Saudi Arabia and Portugal could also provide a route out for Richarlison.
But with the Saudi Pro League announcing on Sunday evening that the window was closed and clubs in Portugal now only allowed to formalise transfers for youth players before the deadline, Richarlison is fast running out of options.
Standard Sport understands that Bergvall, who was already under contract at Spurs until 2031, has signed fresh terms until 2032, with the 20-year-old midfielder also handed a sizeable pay increase.
Bergvall had expressed a desire to leave Tottenham at the start of the summer, but the club were adamant they wanted to keep the Swedish midfielder and rejected multiple offers for his services.
After talks with head coach Roberto De Zerbi, Bergvall reaffirmed his commitment to Spurs and has now been rewarded with a new deal to reflect his continued importance to the side.
Bergvall is the latest first-team player at Tottenham to be handed a new contract since the end of last season, with new captain Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro also committing their futures to the club.
On his new deal, Bergvall said: “I think we're building something great here. It's an exciting time for the club and that's why I'm happy to extend my contract.
"I'm always trying to achieve as much as possible, to be the best version of myself both on and off the pitch and I know this is the right place to do that.
"Personally, my goal is to produce more for the team - performances, goals and assists - to help as much as I can. I'm getting better every day in training and I'm looking forward to what will be a really good season ahead."
De Zerbi also praised Bergvall’s bravery and personality, while adding that he had worked hard to improve on the weaknesses in his game.
"Every day in training you can see Lucas' desire to learn, improve and push himself to the highest level,” said the Spurs boss.
"Lucas is brave, he wants responsibility and has the personality to play in big moments. He also understands that development is a process and he has shown a fantastic attitude towards working on the areas of his game where he can become even better.
"I believe his best football is still ahead of him and we want to give Lucas the platform to reach his full potential."
The former Deputy Prime Minister’s comments come amid a wave of support for Zack Polanski’s Green Party in London
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David Lammy has admitted that his Tottenham constituency is no longer a safe Labour seat, according to a report.
The former Deputy Prime Minister is said to have highlighted how more “hipsters” have moved into the north London constituency, changing its demographics amid the surge in support for Zack Polanski’s Green Party in London.
Mr Lammy, who also served as Foreign Secretary and was one of Sir Keir Starmer’s closest allies, is said to have made the comments at a fundraising dinner on Wednesday.
“My majority was 15,000 at the general election, but I went on to Electoral Calculus and it says if the seat of Tottenham is retained by David Lammy, it will be no more than 1,000 votes,” he told the event, according to The Telegraph.
“So what was a safe seat is no longer a safe seat.”
King Charles meets then Foreign Secretary David Lammy at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 12, 2025 in London
Getty
Spurs fan Mr Lammy previously strongly rejected suggestions that the Greens could win Tottenham, despite some polls suggesting that they could.
“I can 100 per cent tell you, knowing my seat as I do, that there is no prospect of the Greens taking my constituency,” he told the New Statesman in March.
However, the Greens won control of a string of councils in the capital in the May local elections, including Haringey and Hackney.
Mr Lammy is said to have explained at the fundraising event how he now believes he could face a fight to hold onto the Tottenham seat.
“The truth is, because of regeneration in London, the demographic is changing a bit,” he reportedly said.
“There are hipsters, particularly, that are voting for other parties.
“That’s how I’m going to put it.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanski wants to be MP for Holborn and St Pancras
PA Wire
Given the change in London politics, Mr Lammy continued: “So for the first time in 27 years, I need an organiser, a community organiser who’s day-to-day in the constituency on doors, with those leaflets, helping me know where the issues are, street to street, neighbourhood to neighbourhood.
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“This is something that marginal constituencies do the whole time, but a seat like mine has never had to do.
“And when you have an organiser, you have to pay your organiser, you have to have resources for the things the organiser needs, and that is why I’m having this fundraiser.”
The Green threat to Mr Lammy is highlighted by Mr Polanski seeking to become MP for Holborn and St Pancras in north London after Sir Keir Starmer quit as the local MP.
Mr Lammy, who may seek to be Labour’s candidate for Mayor of London if Lord Sadiq Khan decides not to seek a fourth term in City Hall, won Tottenham with a majority of 15,434 at the July 2024 general election.
He got 23,066 votes, with the Greens in second place on 7,632.
His tally was still 57.5% of the overall vote, but down 20.3 percentage points from the 35,621 he gained at the 2019 general election.
Andy Burnham is seeking to win back voters who deserted Labour for the Greens
AFP/Getty
The most recent London poll, by Savanta for the Mile End Institute Queen Mary University of London, suggested Labour could lose 18 seats in the capital at the next general election, expected in 2029, but that Mr Lammy would hold Tottenham.
Luke Tryl, director of think tank More in Common, said: “It’s definitely true that, at the height of the Polanski surge, David Lammy’s Tottenham seat looked like it could be heading into the Green column and our MRP earlier this year put the race as a statistical dead heat.
“The Greens’ wins in Haringey council confirmed the peril.
“Since then, the Greens’ polling has ticked down as Burnham has united the Left, but what we don’t know yet is whether this is a permanent trend or whether the Greens could climb back up to threaten Labour’s Left flank.”
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