TBR Football

Son Heung-min has been speaking about leaving Tottenham Hotspur, and he has now made a key promise to the club’s supporters.

Son left Tottenham for LAFC over the summer, bringing to an end his 10-year stay in North London, which finished on the ultimate high of winning the Europa League.

LAFC paid £20 million for Son, convincing Spurs to let go of one of their most prized commercial assets.

Currently, the winger is flying in the MLS, but he is already thinking about the chance of returning to London to share one final moment with the Spurs faithful.

Son Heung-min is looking forward to a reunion with Tottenham fans

Son Heung-min has revealed that he is looking forward to making an emotional reunion with Tottenham Hotspur fans.

Son’s final Tottenham game was in Korea during a pre-season game against Newcastle United, and the attacker is yet to have the chance to say a proper farewell to the club’s supporters.

The 33-year-old has now made it clear that he is ready to come and say a proper goodbye to supporters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Son told Shoot for Love: “I definitely think this is the right time to say, because at the time the transfer was going on and the last game was in Korea, obviously I will go back to London to see all the Spurs fans.

“I think I deserve to say goodbye in front of all of them, and also, they deserve to see me in a physical sense to say goodbye.

“It’s going to be a very emotional day as well, but I think I definitely can’t wait to go back to London and see all the Spurs fans.”

Of course, Son had the chance to parade the Europa League trophy down Tottenham High Road in front of 250,000 Spurs fans last summer, but he now wants to say a proper farewell.

Heung-min Son is on fire in the MLS at LAFC

Son is on fire in the MLS and is making a mockery of the league with nine goals in ten matches for LAFC.

Only Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Milan Iloski from Philadelphia Union have a better goal per 90-minute ratio in 2025 than the South Korean.

The former Tottenham star scored last weekend for LAFC in a 2-2 draw with Colorado Rapids as his impressive goal streak continued.

Everton lost their first home game of the season after a 3-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with the visitors climbing back into the top four. But despite Micky van de Ven scoring twice for Thomas Frank’s side, Everton boss David Moyes named a Tottenham star who was better than him.

Tottenham ran out easy winners on Merseyside after Micky van de Ven rose highest to score from a corner for the opener, the first time Everton had conceded from a set-piece in the Premier League this season – and he did so again on the stroke of half-time to give Spurs breathing space.

Everton rarely threatened in the second half, leaving Pape Matar Sarr to nod home a goal of his own to send the away end jubilant.

But despite Thomas Frank’s side continuing their incredible away record, opposite number David Moyes hailed goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as the Man of the Match for a string of superb saves.

David Moyes said Guglielmo Vicario was Tottenham’s Man of the Match

Moyes would have been watching on in bewilderment as Vicario continued to thwart his side. An early chance for Jack Grealish went begging after some fine work from the Italian, whilst a handful of smart reaction saves kept Tottenham’s clean sheet.

Vicario, who has been an ever present for Tottenham in the league this season, kept his fourth clean sheet of the season on Merseyside to keep Tottenham in the top four.

And it was his best performance yet that earned him rightful plaudits from Moyes, who named him as Spurs’ ‘best player’.

Moyes told BBC after the game: “Their keeper was probably their best player, and dealt with corners incredibly well.

“We played some good stuff, but could not get the goal we needed.”

It’s a glowing recommendation for the Italian, who has been at his best for the most part of this season.

Despite Vicario making an error against Leeds, that will give him his flowers among the away support. Thomas Frank wants to keep Vicario in the starting XI and it will allow him credit in the bank, despite Van de Ven likely taking the headlines.

James Tarkowski backed David Moyes’ thoughts by also praising Guglielmo Vicario

Moyes wasn’t the only Everton figure to praise the Italian goalkeeper.

James Tarkowski, who played the full ninety minutes as captain, would not have been able to believe some of the saves that Vicario pulled off.

Tottenham were effective from corners via Rodrigo Bentancur and Micky van de Ven at one end, but Vicario was equally strong at guarding his area at the same time.

And that led Tarkowski to claim that if it wasn’t for Vicario’s good work, Everton could’ve been in the lead at half-time.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Tarkowski said: “They scored from two set pieces, which we work hard and put a lot of focus on like all teams, it has won the game for them.

“First half we played really well, moved it well but they go in at 2-0 at half-time, it feels like they are on top when they really were not.

“Second half, I thought we made more good chances again, but their keeper made some good saves and we got punished late on when we were opened up. Ultimately, we lost 3-0, so it is a tough day.”

If Vicario can keep that form up throughout the season, it could lead to Tottenham qualifying for the Champions League, with Thomas Frank gunning for a top four finish.

Tottenham continued their strong Premier League run with a 3-0 win away at Everton on Sunday afternoon, hoisting them into the top four – but Xavi Simons’ performance left a lot to be desired.

Tottenham ran riot on Merseyside to hand Everton their first Premier League defeat at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with a first-half brace from defender Micky Van de Ven giving them a commanding lead before Pape Matar Sarr’s late header wrapped up the win.

It equalled Tottenham’s biggest win this season, and similarly extended their unbeaten away record in the Premier League.

But Thomas Frank may be disappointed with Xavi Simons, who has failed to produce for the most part, after a £52million move to Tottenham from RB Leipzig earlier in the season.

Ashley Young told Xavi Simons he must do more for Tottenham this season

Simons had started four of his first five games for Tottenham, grabbing an assist on his debut but failing to make much else count. Tottenham fans have been wary of Simons, who performed poorly against Aston Villa last week.

That remains his only goal contribution for the club, and going into the clash against Everton, more was expected of the Dutchman going forward.

Ashley Young, on Sky Sports’ coverage of Sunday’s fixtures, stated that more was expected of Simons, especially going forward against the Toffees.

The former England star said: “He’s come to the best league in the world. So, you know, it’s going to take time for him to settle in.

“But I think that once he gets to know the players more and plays more and more games, he can settle in fabulously well.

“He’s a fantastic player — everyone knows that. He’s got the know-how to produce that, and I think that’s what the manager is looking for.

“I suppose the problem, from a Tottenham point of view, is when you look at the touch map from the last game against Villa — his touches were everywhere bar in the penalty area.

“It feels like he just needs something to go his way, because he has shown some really good moments. But again, I think there are a lot of things going forward that they need to improve on.

“Playing that number 10 role, this should be a dream for him today.”

However, Simons failed to perform and having been brought off before the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Brennan Johnson, it was a huge sign to where he stands under Thomas Frank.

Statistics show Xavi Simons has been struggling despite Tottenham brilliance

The statistics don’t lie when it comes to Xavi Simons’ performance. Despite Simons’ good form at RB Leipzig,

According to Sofascore, the Dutchman failed to have a single shot at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and he failed to make any key passes or crosses, which isn’t enough for someone of his creative responsibility.

Furthermore, he only had 38 touches of the ball, with no successful dribbles from two attempts, and he lost possession nine times.

The only statistic that goes in his favour was that 87 percent of his passes in the Everton half were successful, but given he was hooked after an hour, there is little to suggest that they were of any note.

With Mathys Tel, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert all waiting in the wings, the youngster must do more to keep his place, especially given Simons was previously branded as ‘world-class’.

Tottenham Hotspur romped to victory on Merseyside with Micky van de Ven netting twice, but there was another Spurs star who should also receive big credit.

Tottenham Hotspur became the first team to win away at Hill Dickinson Stadium with a strong 3-0 victory, moving them up into third place.

Micky van de Ven produced two headed goals in the first-half from set pieces to fire the Lilywhites into the lead before Pape Matar Sarr sealed the deal late on.

The Dutch defender will rightfully take a lot of the praise for his display against the Toffees, although Tottenham fans must start giving one of their top stars big credit.

Pedro Porro produces stunning display as Tottenham beat Everton

Pedro Porro really deserves more credit for the importance of his role in this Tottenham team, as he produced a superb performance against Everton.

The Spaniard is quickly establishing himself as one of the best players in Frank’s system, given his magnificent passing range.

With Cristian Romero currently missing, having a defender who can help with Spurs playing out from the back in Porro has become crucial.

Meanwhile, the new Spurs boss’s emphasis on the importance of set-pieces means that Porro’s ability to deliver a ball into the box makes him even more key.

The 25-year-old expertly picked out Van de Ven for Tottenham’s second goal of the game with a wicked delivery from a corner.

Defensively, he also stood strong with five clearances, three recoveries, and three duels won against a strong Everton attack.

Joao Palhinha thinks Porro is one of the best full-backs, and it’s now time for him to start getting the full recognition he truly deserves.

Gary Neville hails Pedro Porro’s ‘wicked’ delivery vs Everton

Gary Neville was full of praise for the cross into the box from Porro for Van de Ven’s second goal of the game against the Toffees.

Tottenham hadn’t been playing particularly well in the first half, but a set-piece from the Spanish international ensured they doubled their lead just before the break.

When discussing the goal on commentary, Neville told Sky Sports: “That is a great time to score for Spurs. Pickford gets bullied. It’s wicked, the delivery from Porro, it’s right on top of the goalkeeper.

“Pickford has to be stronger. Once he’s taken off balance, he has no chance. What a moment for Thomas Frank. His team haven’t been great these last 20 minutes, but he’ll feel great going in at half-time.”

Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur’s partnership in Tottenham’s midfield has caused a fair amount of controversy, but some fans now think they know why the latter keeps being selected.

Tottenham Hotspur became the first team to win away at Everton’s new stadium with an impressive 3-0 victory, which moved them into third place.

Micky van de Ven netted an impressive first-half brace from set pieces to fire Spurs on their way, before Pape Matar Sarr secured the win late on.

Before the game, Thomas Frank’s decision to start Bentancur was a big talking point, and Spurs supporters have a theory as to why he keeps getting the nod.

Tottenham fans on Rodrigo Bentancur’s set-piece threat

Some Tottenham supporters are adamant that Frank keeps selecting Rodrigo Bentancur, given his threat from set pieces.

Frank has been urged to bench Bentancur, but the Dane stuck with him again away at Everton, and it paid off as he assisted Van de Ven’s first goal.

Mohammed Kudus’ corner picked out the Uruguayan at the back post, who flicked the ball back across goal to set up Van de Ven.

Bentancur, who Xavi Simons rates, had a rather tidy game in the middle of the park for Spurs as he completed a high pass accuracy against the Toffees.

This was the 28-year-old’s 12th start in Spurs’ 14 games this season, highlighting just how important he has become under the new Tottenham boss.

During the game, Spurs fans took to X to share their thoughts on Bentancur and to suggest the reason why Frank keeps starting him.

One fan claimed: “Bentancur’s only in the team for his presence in attacking and defending corners.”

“Bentancur assist. He’s playing 90 every week this season, isn’t he?” suggested another Spurs fan.

Meanwhile, another fan questioned why Ange Postecoglou didn’t make better use of the midfielder’s threat for corners: “Ange actually neglected set pieces when he had Bentancur and Van de Ven.”

Finally, another supporter said: “Bentancur has been our target man for almost all our set pieces, and he delivered.

Thomas Frank is a big fan of Rodrigo Bentancur at Tottenham

Frank is a big fan of Bentancur, and he played a big role in the former Juve star signing a new contract with the North London club.

The experienced midfielder put pen to paper on a new deal, having held talks with the manager and been so impressed by his project.

Bailey told TBR Football: “Bentancur and Frank quickly built a relationship. As we know, the club always rated him and new talks over a deal took place before the end of the season.

“But the player wanted to talk to Frank and work with him, and I am told Frank loved that approach, not just taking the easy deal, he wanted to know there was something worth staying for.

“Frank told Bentancur, he was a key part of the midfield going forward and that’s what we have seen.

“Betancur believes in Frank, but he is not alone, we saw it with Romero and his new deal, we saw it with Palhinha in choosing the club, and we know van de Ven loves him. These Spurs players trust Frank, they really do.”

Everton were denied an equaliser in the first half against Tottenham Hotspur, and Mark Clattenburg has shared his opinion on whether the referee made the right decision.

A goal from stand-in Spurs skipper Micky van de Ven gave the Lilywhites the lead after 19 minutes at Hill Dickinson Stadium but Everton didn’t take long to reply.

An inswinging corner from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was nodded home by Jake O’Brien just five minutes later, but after a lengthy VAR review and a visit to the monitor for Craig Pawson, the goal was chalked off.

Everton fans were furious with the decision, with both Iliman Ndiaye adjudged to have impeded Guglielmo Vicario from an offside position as the ball came into the box. So, should the goal have stood?

Mark Clattenburg’s verdict on Everton’s disallowed goal

We asked former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg what his thoughts on the matter were, and he told TBR Football exclusively that Pawson made the right decision.

Clattenburg said: “It was a correct decision to disallow the goal after Ndiaye was judged to have interfered with Spurs goalkeeper Vicario. There was a clear contact which impacted the goalkeeper’s ability to save the ball.”

While some will say this is something of a subjective call, there is certainly precedent for such a situation and the FA rules are pretty clear on the matter, too.

As per Law 11 in the FA’s rulebook, it is stated: “A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by: interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or interfering with an opponent by preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision.”

Guglielmo Vicario has always struggled to deal with set-pieces

Tottenham Hotspur fans know all about Guglielmo Vicario’s weaknesses when it comes to dealing with set-pieces.

Vicario played a starring role in Spurs’ last outing in the Champions League, but his command of his area leaves a lot to be desired.

In many ways, the Italian is the main reason that referees have started to clamp down on opposition players being too intrusive and aggressive in the box in terms of interfering with goalkeepers.

Vicario has been caught out time and time again over the last two seasons, and it’s the one area of his game he must improve. He may well be a little bit lucky to have got away with that one today against Everton.

The Thomas Frank era at Tottenham Hotspur is off to a pretty positive start, but there are still some things he needs to fix, including one obvious mistake he keeps making.

Under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs were criticised for being too disorganised and cavalier, while the manager himself was repeatedly told to be more adaptable in his tactical approach.

He refused to do so, at least in the league, and it cost him his job despite ending Tottenham’s 17-year wait for a trophy with that Europa League triumph.

Now, with Thomas Frank at the helm, the Lilywhites are far more solid and consistent. But, one pattern has continued across the tenure of both Spurs bosses, and even an unbeaten start in the Champions League is not disguising it.

Archie Gray needs to be played in midfield

Frank was told he’s using Mathys Tel wrong just a few days ago, but it’s actually the repeated insistence on playing Archie Gray in defence that is a crime against football.

The youngster has proven himself more than dependable wherever he’s played. Last season, Postecoglou employed the former Leeds starlet all the way across the back four, and he never let Spurs down.

Indeed, playing at left-back against Monaco last night, Gray was tireless, composed, did the dirty work, and made efforts to progress the ball forward at every opportunity — something that cannot be said of his teammate, Rodrigo Bentancur.

However, his natural position is in midfield, and yet Tottenham fans have hardly ever actually seen him play there. He’s shown time and time again that he has all the attributes needed to unlock the best out of this Spurs midfield, so when will Frank realise he needs to be playing higher up the pitch?

The balance of the Spurs midfield is all wrong

I’ll go back to Rodrigo Bentancur and reiterate that he is quite clearly the weak link in this Thomas Frank system right now. The Uruguayan midfielder has plenty of positive attributes — he’s good at breaking up play and is always calm on the ball — but the problem is, he seems terrified of making progressive passes.

While that’s great for maintaining possession, it seriously harms the attacking momentum and Spurs look blunt in that regard lately.

Despite injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, Thomas Frank still has very exciting options in the middle of the park, but he just seems to be using them in the wrong combination.

TalkingPoints

Poll: Who is Tottenham’s best midfielder?

Lucas Bergvall was poor in the number 10 role against Monaco, a role which should be reserved for Xavi Simons. Instead, the Swedish star needs to drop a little deeper into the pivot role.

Pape Sarr has been inexplicably absent of late, and that needs to change, with the athletic Senegalese star offering much-needed energy in the midfield.

Lucas Bergvall featured for Tottenham Hotspur in their Champions League clash against AS Monaco, but it was a night to forget for the young Swedish star.

Bergvall has been magnificent for Tottenham this season, with the wonderkid quickly becoming a fan favourite.

Frank has acknowledged Bergvall’s talents, and for that reason, at just 19 years old, he’s becoming a regular starter under his new manager.

That said, there are always going to be games where he looks a little out of his depth.

Lucas Bergvall was poor for Tottenham against Monaco

Bergvall started in the number 10 role on Wednesday evening, with Frank opting for the youngster over major summer coup Xavi Simons.

The usually ever-elegant midfielder was anything but on Wednesday evening. Fans noted that Bergvall looked chaotic in his role, rushing many of Spurs’ attacks against the French opposition and losing the ball on several occasions.

For this reason, the teenager only managed 60 minutes on the pitch before being hooked by Frank and replaced by the Dutchman, Simons.

Football London cited that he looked “weak in possession” and subsequently “was substituted after an hour and never looked really comfortable positionally.”

Lucas Bergvall’s stats reflect bad day at the office in Champions League

The proof is in the pudding – and Bergvall’s stats do him no favours. Sourced from FOTMOB.

It’s safe to say that in his short Tottenham career, this was his worst outing. That said, it happens. With Bergvall’s immense talent, some forget just how young the creative midfielder is.

Bergvall will bounce back at Tottenham, with no better time than this weekend as Spurs face a tough trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium to take on Everton.

Thomas Frank watched his Tottenham side move up to five points in the UEFA Champions League table after three games with a 0-0 draw against Monaco.

Guglielmo Vicario was the hero – making eight saves in total to deny the French side and save his defence – but it was undoubtedly a concerning display from an attacking perspective as well for Spurs, who are now 15th.

Thomas Frank therefore has work to do at Hotspur Way – but the Dane can take some comfort from making a bit of Tottenham history in Monaco.

History made as Thomas Frank sets a Tottenham first

The 52-year-old has now become the first Tottenham manager ever to go unbeaten in their first three UEFA Champions League matches.

Spurs recorded a 1-0 win over Villarreal in their opening match of the 2025/26 European campaign, before fighting back from 2-0 down to claim a 2-2 draw against Bodo/Glimt in the second outing.

Tottenham undoubtedly need to improve on the attacking front if they want to have a memorable season in Europe, but Frank – who benched Pape Sarr again – can be proud of his solid start to life in the UEFA Champions League with Spurs.

Thomas Frank also did something not witnessed since Antonio Conte 959 days ago

The draw against Monaco could represent something of a reset for Tottenham, after several chaotic matches during the reign of Ange Postecoglou – who Nottingham Forest just sacked.

Not since Antonio Conte on 8th March 2023 have Tottenham been involved in a 0-0 draw, which came against AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League.

For too long under Postecoglou, the backline was stretched and clean sheets were all too rare, so it should actually bring an element of calm to Tottenham that a 0-0 draw has finally occurred.

It gives Frank a foundation to work on his attack, and hopefully start to turn these draws – four of which have now occurred across all competitions this term – into wins.

Thomas Frank continued his peculiar treatment of Pape Sarr as Tottenham faced Monaco in the UEFA Champions League.

The Senegal international was a key man under the Dane at the start of the season, playing 90 minutes in the UEFA Super Cup against PSG and a further 90 minutes in three of Tottenham’s opening four Premier League games.

However, since being left on the bench for the 2-2 draw at Brighton in September, the Spurs No.29 has only been given 12, 17 and four minutes respectively in the last three Premier League outings.

Thomas Frank snubbed Pape Sarr once again when naming his lineup for the UEFA Champions League clash against Monaco – frustrating Tottenham fans on social media in doing so – but there is one positive they can take from the situation.

Spurs will need to get used to coping without Pape Sarr

While it is admittedly odd to see Sarr left out lately – despite being heavily involved at the start of the season – Tottenham do need to get used to life without the man born in Thiaroye.

The 23-year-old is set to jet off to the Africa Cup of Nations this winter, with the tournament starting on 21st December and ending on 18th January.

Given the fact Senegal can boast the likes of Sarr, Nicolas Jackson, Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye, Idrissa Gueye, Ismaila Sarr, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy, many expect them to go all the way.

Should that happen, it would see Sarr miss seven games for Tottenham, as well as the FA Cup third round (draw yet to take place) and a potential Carabao Cup game if Spurs progress.

We appreciate the games against Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund do not fall between the 21st December and the 18th January, although Sarr – who has impressed Ally McCoist – is likely to miss these encounters as he travels to and from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Thomas Frank might just be taking a very cautious approach over Pape Sarr

Sarr did miss the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Doncaster back on 24th September due to a thigh issue Frank described as a “minor” problem.

The 52-year-old said: “It was a minor precaution. A minor, how can you say… a little stretch to the thigh, so we didn’t want to take any risks today. There is a good chance that he could be ready for Saturday (the 1-1 draw against Wolves).”

Sarr did actually start the 2-2 draw against Bodo/Glimt on 30th September, playing 69 minutes, so it is possible that a setback occurred in that match and Tottenham are just easing him back into action, but that is merely speculation.