TBR Football

Tottenham slumped to their twelfth Premier League defeat of the season against Everton on Sunday afternoon, a 3-2 defeat which only added to concerns in north London.

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side were somehow 3-0 down at half-time to an Everton side who had only scored 15 goals in 20 league games previously this season.

Postecoglou had perhaps hoped that the introduction of Ben Davies could have helped his side defensively, but Spurs were arguably worse than ever in front of their own goal.

Things slightly improved in the second 45 minutes, but Jamie O’Hara thought Tottenham were shocking, and he was absolutely right.

Of course, the result and performance sparked the usual debate of whether Postecoglou is still the right man to lead this project forward in N17.

Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer not sure Ange Postecoglou is Tottenham’s biggest problem

Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, both Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer discussed the situation, concluding that it can’t just be Postecoglou that is the issue at Spurs.

The duo mentioned all of the brilliant managers who have passed through the club in recent years, pointing to bigger issues above Postecoglou right now.

Shearer began: “What about if I said to you, Mourinho, Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo, and now Postecoglou, they’re not all bad managers, are they?”

Lineker replied: “Certainly not. Some of the very best.”

Shearer: “So what does that tell you?”

Lineker: “Conte, look how well he’s doing now with Napoli. Great win for them.”

Shearer: “Look how well he’s doing at Forest. What’s the problem?”

Lineker: “Well, maybe it’s, I mean, I think both Conte and Mourinho have both been quite damning of the way the football club is run.

“I mean, they’ve got a great football stadium and probably, well, definitely one of the best in Europe. They’ve got a wonderful training ground and that kind of thing that’s really good.

“But you’re right, they’ve been underperforming considering the managers that they’ve had in recent times.

“So you have to have a little look beyond perhaps just, it’s always the coach’s fault, isn’t it?”

Shearer: “It has to be deeper than that.”

Lineker: “Yeah it has to be.”

Ange Postecoglou still needs to improve things on the pitch

As mentioned, Spurs did hit a new low on Sunday, falling to 15th spot in the Premier League.

James Maddison understood why fans were unhappy, almost apologising to those who had made the trip to Merseyside.

Tottenham aren’t quite in the relegation battle right now but Ipswich Town are only eight points behind in 18th.

Leicester City’s trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next week now seems immensely important, an absolute must win for Spurs.

And perhaps it might be time for Postecoglou to turn to the likes of Richarlison and Mikey Moore to provide some fresh impetus.

Whilst there do seem to be bigger issues at the club as mentioned, Postecoglou can ultimately only affect matters on the pitch, where efforts also need to improve.

Tottenham supporters endured yet another miserable afternoon following their team, however, they will leave Goodison Park with a small glimmer of hope following Mikey Moore’s cameo.

For Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur, the end is nigh, but for Moore, his journey is only just getting started as the teenager registered his first-ever Premier League goal contribution.

The winger was brought on at 3-0 down and whilst he ended up on the losing side, he reduced the deficit to 3-2 with two assists, one pending confirmation.

It was almost a changing of the guard moment for the North London club as Son Heung-min was shown up by the 17-year-old in just 17 minutes of action.

Tottenham fans call for Mikey Moore to start over Heung-min Son

Spurs fans are calling for Mikey Moore to start over Son in their next few matches as the teenager really impressed in a shocking team performance from the visitors.

Unfortunately for the South Korean, he was once again well off the pace even against a struggling Everton side as he spurned several chances.

When Moore entered the pitch he breathed a new lease of life into the team as he looked to run at the Everton defence and produced some wicked deliveries and the Tottenham faithful have reacted.

One fan said: “Mikey Moore has to be starting. He offers loads more than Son and any other attacking option.”

Another supporter claimed: “Micky Moore is always at the back post to pick up the loose ball. Son is never there when he should be.”

There was yet more praise for Moore: “Mikey Moore, captain material. give him the armband right now. I’d prefer it over Son or Maddison if I’m being completely honest.”

“Son needs to step down. Ange is afraid to drop him for Mikey Moore, an 18-year-old because he’s club captain,” stated another supporter.

Mikey Moore’s stats vs Everton vs Heung-min Son’s

Despite playing 73 minutes less, Moore created more chances for the team than Son and had just one less attempt at goal.

Whilst Everton’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur was predominantly pitched as a tale of two managers, David Moyes vs Ange Postecoglou, it was also a significant match for Richarlison.

Surprisingly, Richarlison wasn’t picked to start against his old side Everton despite Dominic Solanke being absent due to injury for Tottenham.

Instead, Postecoglou opted to play Son Heung-min through the middle, with James Maddison out on the left.

The Spurs boss finally opted to change his shape in an attempt to make his side harder to break down, a decision that didn’t pay dividends.

Everton deserved their 3-2 victory against Spurs, a scoreline which should have perhaps looked a little more comfortable after their first half performance.

Richarlison soaks up applause from Everton fans after Tottenham defeat

Jamie O’Hara thought Tottenham were shocking and asked the big question about Postecoglou’s future after watching their first half performance at Goodison Park.

Fortunately, things did improve in the second and Richarlison had a strong impact once he came on.

The Brazilian has been injured for much of the season, one of the players who Postecoglou has been missing.

But he did score an impressive poachers goal towards the end, a striker he barely celebrated in respect for his old side.

That being said, Richarlison shared a nice moment with Everton fans at full-time, when Spurs’ other players were gathered at the away end with the travelling supporters.

Richarlison made his way round the pitch presumably saying goodbye to Goodison, and he was applauded by the home fans who seemed in good spirits after their first win since Moyes’ return.

Journalist Joe Thomas shared the moment on X, a striker who remains incredibly popular at Everton despite leaving for Spurs.

Richarlison was crucial in keeping Everton in the Premier League a few years ago, and supporters on Merseyside clearly still have a lot of time for the Brazilian.

Richarlison can help ease pressure on Ange Postecgolou

Of course, it’ll now be interesting to see what the future holds for Richarlison.

Postecoglou was impressed with Richarlison against Arsenal, which again made it a surprise that the forward was only on the bench against his old side.

It is still believed that Tottenham might sell Richarlison in the near future, even if that is unlikely to be a move that transpires this month.

But in a period when Spurs are seemingly struggling for confidence, turning to a maverick like Richarlison may not be a bad idea in order to lift the mood.

And should he ever be free to leave north London, perhaps one or two Everton fans may even hope that he makes a return to Merseyside, wearing blue.

Iliman Ndiaye was one of the stars of the show for Everton as they pulled off a shock 3-2 victory against Tottenham Hotspur.

Ndiaye produced the standout moment from the contest when he scored a stunning goal, playing a one-two around Archie Gray before dancing past Radu Dragusin and blasting the ball past Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

Everton have a true maverick on their hands in the former Marseille winger.

Ndiaye was tipped to become a top player and slowly but surely, he is doing that at Goodison Park.

Previously, Ndiaye was deemed good enough for Manchester City; such is the talent he possesses as he gave Spurs a real nightmare with his quick feet and sublime technique.

The Senegalese international is a true entertainer on the pitch and as David Moyes has brought the feel-good factor back at Everton, he is expected to be central to the Scotsman’s plans.

Premier League fans rave about Iliman Ndiaye after Everton vs Tottenham

Several Premier League fans flocked to X to sing Ndiaye’s praises as he produced a masterclass against Tottenham.

Firstly, an Everton fan wrote: “Iliman Ndiaye is possible the most gifted player I’ve ever seen in an Everton shirt.”

An Arsenal supporter simply wrote: “Ndiaye is such a baller, wow.”

Another Arsenal fan commented how Ndiaye reminds him of Steven Pienaar, adding that he is capable of being a squad player for every team in the Premier League.

“Ndiaye is so underrated, genuinely think he could be at least a regular squad player in every prem team. I love his unpredictability, he’s such a relentless forward. Could explode under David Moyes. Steven Pienaar 2.0 vibes.”

A Chelsea fan also suggested his club to make a move for Ndiaye, whose signing has been praised.

“We should sign Ndiaye lowkey.”

Another Chelsea supporter raved about Ndiaye’s work ethic despite being a player blessed with flair, writing: “My favourite thing about Iliman Ndiaye is how he gets stuck in, works the channels and does all the dirty work “ballers” don’t do. Non league football and chaotic journeys are a football education.”

Finally, a Manchester City supporter stated: “Ndiaye believer since 2021 or so, after the season he had last year, he deserves this, what a player.”

Iliman Ndiaye stats in Everton vs Tottenham

Ndiaye seems to have a long list of fans from other clubs, which goes to show how special a player he is.

Everton seemed to have signed an absolute gem in the 24-year-old.

Under David Moyes, Ndiaye has the chance to become a real talisman. The silky technician’s statistics from his latest outing indicate he is up for the challenge.

The fact that Ndiaye completed four out of his six dribbles and scored a belter of a goal but still managed to press relentlessly and complete five defensive actions shows how selfless of a player he is.

The Everton wideman has all the talent in the world to become the complete winger.

Ndiaye seems to thrive when the world is watching as well.

The Toffees forward was excellent against Tottenham, he scored and thrived against Manchester City while also giving Axel Disasi the runaround in Everton’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea.

Ndiaye must remain consistent as he seems to be destined for big things.

Tottenham Hotspur hit a new low against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon, picking up their twelfth defeat of the Premier League season.

Remarkably, against low scoring Everton, Tottenham managed to concede three goals before half-time, handing David Moyes the Merseyside return he was hoping for last week.

Put bluntly, Spurs were shocking against Everton, but the performance was on par with a lot of their displays this season.

And although a lot of supporters believe that the issues at Tottenham go above Postecoglou, the manager is still ultimately responsible for performances on the pitch.

Spurs are still in the thick of an injury crisis, but that doesn’t excuse being in 15th place after 22 games – Postecoglou should have adapted to the situation.

Jamie O’Hara slams ‘shocking’ Tottenham amid Ange Postecoglou sack question

That being said, Jamie O’Hara shared his thoughts on Tottenham’s performance on X at half-time, labelling Spurs’ performance as ‘absolutely embarrassing’.

O’Hara stopped short of protesting that Postecoglou should definitely be sacked, but he did pose the question, alluding to the manager not doing enough despite the situation.

He wrote: “I’m sorry this can’t continue regardless of injuries, this is absolutely embarrassing.

“All over the place defensively, shocking in midfield, this is one the worst performances I’ve seen in a long time, if we’re not careful we could get dragged into a relegation battle.

“Sacked??”

Before the defeat to Everton it was shared that Tottenham will continue to back Postecoglou, a position that is unlikely to change when considering injuries.

But Spurs are getting closer and closer to a relegation fight, even if they are going well in Europe and hoping to head to a Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

Why Tottenham might hold on to Postecoglou

The question of whether Postecoglou is the right man for the job seems to be dividing opinion in N17 right now.

Aaron Lennon spotted a huge issue with Tottenham against Arsenal, and the problem was arguably still evident against Everton too.

There are still positives at Spurs right now, the club have a trio of seriously talented youngsters: Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Mikey Moore.

And it’s hard to argue against the idea that Postecoglou is well placed to help deliver their potential.

But it does feel as if more pragmatism is needed for Tottenham to pick up results in the process, a side who can’t afford to miss out on European football for seasons on end.

If Ange Postecoglou was not already under pressure at Tottenham, he certainly is now.

Spurs suffered an embarrassing 3-2 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park earlier on Sunday, with all three goals for the Toffees coming in the opening 45 minutes as things went from bad to worse for Tottenham.

It is now six Premier League games without a win for Ange Postecoglou and Spurs – with five of those coming as defeats.

It would – admittedly – be harsh for Daniel Levy to sack the Australian given the ridiculous amount of injuries Tottenham have at the moment, with stars such as Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke, Rodrigo Bentancur and others absent.

However, if the 62-year-old does decide to make a change in the dugout, there are several unemployed managers he could hire immediately, with TBR Football now selecting the three we think are most feasible.

Daniel Levy has already spoken to two managers in the past who could replace Ange Postecoglou

Paulo Fonseca

The name Paulo Fonseca might ring a bell for some Tottenham fans.

Spurs actually agreed a deal with the 51-year-old after he spoke to Levy back in 2021 before opting for Nuno Espirito Santo instead.

Fonseca – who Everton considered before hiring David Moyes – revealed that information himself, telling the Telegraph: “The agreement was done. We were planning the pre-season and Tottenham wanted an offensive coach. It wasn’t announced but we planned pre-season players.”

Erik ten Hag

Erik ten Hag is another available manager who Levy has already spoken to.

The Daily Mail claimed that the Dutchman failed to impress Levy during an interview back in 2021 – specifically mentioning his poor English – and Nuno was eventually hired.

Ten Hag eventually secured the Manchester United job – winning the FA Cup last season – but was sacked in October.

Edin Terzic

Edin Terzic – who guided Borussia Dortmund to the UEFA Champions League final last season – is another coach Spurs can hire immediately, and a comment from Serdal Adali in Turkey has now intensified rumours linking the German to Tottenham.

Before hiring Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the 60-year-old, who is President of Besiktas, told Tivibu Spor: “Edin Terzic was one of our foreign alternatives. In the meeting, he said he was expecting an agreement with Tottenham.”

Will that supposed agreement now come into action after Postecoglou was embarrassed by Everton? Only time will tell.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a lot of injury issues this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have been without several key players for large parts of the campaign, and that has had a huge impact on their performances.

Tottenham have won just one of their last 10 games in the Premier League and started this weekend 14th in the table, just eight points above the relegation zone.

Postecoglou needs all of his injured players back, and one of them is set to make his return against Everton.

Ange Postecoglou says Ben Davies should be back for Everton vs Tottenham

Tottenham’s defence has been hurt the most because of injuries this season.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have been out for a long time now, while Destiny Udogie has been sidelined as well.

Their backup, Ben Davies, has been out of the side since suffering a hamstring injury against Bournemouth in the first week of December.

The ‘outstanding‘ Welshman has missed a total of 11 games since, and that has forced Spurs to use Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin without giving them a break.

Davies returned to training earlier this week, and Postecoglou has claimed that the left-footed defender ‘should be involved’ for the clash against Everton at Goodison Park.

When asked for an injury update ahead of the game, the Spurs boss said, as per Football London: “There’s a couple still sore from mid-week, just waiting to see how Brennan is, he’s got a bit of a calf complaint, and Biss has been sore as well, so just waiting for information on them.

“Coming back, Ben Davies should be involved.”

Postecoglou only sees Davies as an option in one position

Davies joined Tottenham from Swansea all the way back in 2014.

The Wales international has played 341 games for Spurs in all competitions over the years, most of which have come at left-back, which is his natural position.

However, Postecoglou does not see him there.

Just last month, Alasdair Gold claimed that Postecoglou does not see Davies as a left-back anymore. The Spurs boss prefers him as a central defender.

However, with Udogie out injured, the Australian may well be forced to use Davies in his natural position when he decides to give Djed Spence a rest.

Tottenham Hotspur will once again look to get back to winning ways when they head to Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.

Spurs fell to a 2-1 defeat away at Arsenal in midweek, a result which left them just eight points above the Premier League relegation places.

Tottenham will be up against an Everton outfit who are also struggling, having lost their last three league games in a row to end up in 16th place.

TBR Football looks at who Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou could name in the Spurs starting XI for the trip to Goodison Park.

Everton v Tottenham team news

Everton loanee Armando Broja could return to parent club Chelsea following an ankle injury.

James Garner could be back, but Dwight McNeil, Seamus Coleman, Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti remain out injured.

As for Tottenham, Ben Davies is available after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered early in December, while Fraser Forster is also back in training.

Yves Bissouma and Brennan Johnson are doubts and will be assessed after recent knocks.

Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, Wilson Odobert and Timo Werner are all out.

Chris Sutton has backed Tottenham to run out 3-1 winners over Everton on Sunday as he explained what he doesn’t see “ending well” at Goodison Park.

Tottenham predicted XI v Everton

Postecoglou is actually set to have a bit more leeway in terms of his backline now that Davies is back from injury.

However, we predict the Tottenham boss will keep him on the bench for now and potentially bring him on for Djed Spence during the game.

Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin and Pedro Porro are likely to start for Spurs too, with Antonin Kinsky once again in between the sticks.

With Bissouma a doubt, Postecoglou could bring in £40million playmaker James Maddison in his place, while Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall could start once again.

Tottenham’s front line is likely to remain unchanged, with Son Heung-min on the left, Dominic Solanke leading the line, and Dejan Kulusevski on the right.

Tottenham Hotspur are in pursuit of attacking reinforcements this month and Barcelona’s Ansu Fati is one of the players on their radar.

TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey understands that Fati is one of the attackers proposed to Spurs in recent days.

Reports from Spain have also claimed that Tottenham have rekindled their interest in Fati, who was linked with Spurs before he joined Brighton on loan.

Fabrizio Romano has now shared an update on Fati along with Barcelona’s stance on the future of their player.

Romano, taking to X, relayed news of Fati being left out of the Barca squad for the fourth consecutive game.

He then said the Blaugrana have “definitely opened doors to his exit”, and now it’s up to Fati to decide where he’d like to go and play.

West Ham have also been linked with Fati along with Serie A side Como, though Cesc Fabregas has played down links between the two parties.

“The links (of Como with Ansu) are not true. There is nothing at all,” he said.

What Fati can bring to Tottenham and what they must be mindful of

Fati, who Tottenham were offered the chance to sign in 2023, primarily operates in a central role, but he can also play on the left of attack.

Lionel Messi once called Fati ‘fantastic’ as a youngster at Barcelona, and he certainly has the kind of talent that would make him a feared opponent.

He boasts great technique and acceleration, knows how to dribble, and has great vision in terms of seeing opportunities to play balls between lines.

On his day, Fati is almost unplayable, but his injury record is concerning, especially with regards to a team who have been derailed by plenty of injuries.

A calf injury disrupted Fati’s time on the English south coast, which should perhaps serve as a warning to Tottenham if they are to move for him.

Meanwhile, TBR Football understand that Tottenham are still working on a number of deals for January.

A new defender is a priority and Spurs would ideally like a left-sided defender, with Slovakian duo Milan Skiniar and David Hancko on their radar.

As for attacking players, AC Milan forward Noah Okafor has also been suggested to Spurs alongside Fati.

Tottenham Hotspur will look to get back to winning ways on Sunday when they play away at Everton in the Premier League.

Spurs fell to a disappointing North London derby defeat in midweek, which left them a lowly 14th in the Premier League standing.

Tottenham will be up against an Everton outfit who are also struggling. They sit 16th in the table and have lost their last three league games in a row.

Chris Sutton has now predicted how the two teams will fare in Sunday’s encounter at Goodison Park.

Chris Sutton backs Tottenham to win 3-1 at Everton

Sutton, writing on BBC Sport, explained how he feels Everton were “quite open” against Aston Villa and reckons it’ll be the same case against Tottenham.

And while Spurs have also fallen to a low place in the table, Sutton feels they’ll have enough to run out 3-1 winners at Everton.

“Sean Dyche was accused of being too defensive-minded before he got sacked last week,” began Sutton.

“But Everton got a little bit stuck between being hard to beat and pushing for a goal when they lost to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

“It meant they were quite open and, although David Moyes’ side had chances, Villa really should have won by more than one goal.

“I think it will be a similar story here, where Everton’s approach will be different because they are at home.

“If they were away, I think they would be happy to sit in and soak up pressure, but they might be a little bit more expansive at Goodison Park, and I don’t see it ending well for them.

“It’s hard to make a case for Everton to beat Tottenham, even though Ange Postecoglou’s side are on a poor run too.

“Spurs have fallen so low in the table – 14th – that they need a win, and quickly.

“This might be the boost they need, although I am not convinced they will keep a clean sheet, even against Everton.”

Everton v Tottenham team news

Everton boss David Moyes has confirmed that loan striker Armando Broja could return to parent club Chelsea following an ankle injury.

James Garner could return, although Dwight McNeil, Seamus Coleman, Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti are injured.

As for Tottenham, Ben Davies is available after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered early in December, while Fraser Forster is also back in training.

Yves Bissouma and Brennan Johnson are doubts and will be assessed after recent knocks.

Guglielmo Vicario, Cuti Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, Wilson Odobert and Timo Werner are all out.