Our cameras were out and about in N17 capturing the Spurs family back in Tottenham for our Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Saturday.
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Once again impressive in the early stages – just like against Newcastle, Everton and Liverpool in midweek – we somehow didn’t open the scoring and were later punished as Villa came back into the game.
Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki proved the difference when we were on top with wonder saves from Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray and Savio. Solanke’s goal-bound header was blocked by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
But then Villa opened the scoring just before half-time, Mo Kudus looked to have levelled only to be ruled out by VAR and then a quick one-two saw us 3-0 down with 11 minutes left. We managed to grab two goals back through Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke, but it wasn’t enough.
Speaking to SPURSPLAY, Roberto reflected: It's difficult to describe this game, no? In the first half, we played very well, another time we created more chances. With Everton, for example, many, many chances.
“We conceded a goal with 10 players, but in that moment, we have to be stronger. We have to understand the situation. We have to be more compact, because in just one minute, I think we can play one player less. It's not a big problem.
“In the second half, after we scored in the offside, we conceded another unacceptable goal from a goal kick. The last situation was very clear. We knew before the game that Suzuki, the goalkeeper, is very good in the long ball. We knew Aston Villa changed their style of play this season with the long ball. We knew everything.
“It's tough to accept. It's tough to understand. It's tough to explain, because I've never seen one team able to play the same game in two different ways. In the first half, what do I have to say? I won many games creating less chances than we created today and not many times in my career have I conceded the goals we’re conceding.”
The World Cup winner was back in the starting line-up after missing our last two matches against Everton and Liverpool last week, but sat frustrated on the turf after just 19 minutes. After medical attention, he was withdrawn for Archie Gray.
Asked about Pedro in his post-match interview with SPURSPLAY, Roberto told us: “Listen, Pedro, I said after the World Cup, I said the management of Pedro should be different, because after the World Cup, many games. I don't know what the problem is. It's a hamstring, I think. Hopefully, it's not a big problem.”
Here's what he had to say...
It felt like another one of those games where you're dominant in the first half but don't score your goals, that puts pressure on the team and they don't react well...
Roberto: "Yes, but I don't want to speak about the first half. When we dominate the game, we create more chances to score, we play well. My focus is why we concede the first goal with 10 players just for one minute. In that situation, we can stay stronger, we can communicate more and more and more. We can defend in a compact way. I put Betancur as a centre-back in that moment, Matheus Fernandes as a midfielder. So, if we bring a red card, we can play 40 minutes, 70 minutes, 60 minutes with 10 players. What is the problem? And then, in the second half, we scored the goal with Kudus, offside. I don't know if some players lost energy, but we conceded an unacceptable goal from a long kick with a long ball. We knew before the game, because this season, Aston Villa are playing 86% more long balls than last season. We spoke in many, many meetings yesterday and two days ago. Then, we have to explain another game, like Newcastle, where we played the first half well, 60 minutes, okay, and then we lose. For sure, it is my responsibility. I take my responsibility, but in that moment of the game, when the game is different than ball possession, than playing in the last third, because we can't play 90 minutes in the last third like the first half, because there is an opponent, Aston Villa. It's a good team, good players, and the moment when we have to defend, we have to defend compact. The leaders have to be leaders and to lead the team."
Mo Kudus came on for Fernandes, it felt like he took a while to get into the game...
Roberto: "I had a doubt before the game yesterday between Kudus, Gallagher and Mateus Fernandes. Kudus starting in the first 11, maybe as a 10, especially as a 10. I thought he couldn't have the intensity like Mateus or Gallagher. The, Mateus-Gallagher, I decided for Mateus to give more control, more technique on the midfield position. Mateus is younger. Kudus, when he played, I think we lost balance."
Do you think you could see that coming, given how different Kudus and Mateus are in terms of profiles when you bring up midfield like that? Is it maybe understandable why Aston Villa were able to come through midfield in that way?
Roberto: "I think, yes, but explain because I didn't understand the question. You want to ask me if in the second half we played worse than in the first half because there was Kudus?"
I think Kudus probably added something to your attack, but maybe having Fernandes off the pitch lost something from your midfield potentially...
Roberto: "No, I think no. It's not this the problem. The problem is in the second half we lost balance because we were losing. We forced the pass, we forced the situation. We lost ball and Aston Villa winning, they played more in counter-attack. No, okay, Mateus is different than Kudus, but I have a big confidence in Mateus, but I didn't like the performance of Mateus today. Otherwise I couldn't change. He knows, but it can be normal. It's not an attack of Mateus. I love Mateus, it's not a problem, but I think for Mateus we needed more from Mateus because he can even (more) in that position."
How important is it that you are scoring earlier in games when they are there to be won?
Roberto: "Today I was very disappointed, very sad, very frustrated for the performance, because we can't lose this game in this way, absolutely. We can't concede the second goal. We can't lose balance just because in the first half we are losing. In the beginning of the second half, I spoke with the four attackers to use the head, calm. It was minute 51. The whole second half calm, play, enjoy and don't take risks. We take space or when we go in the last third with more attention, but the goal we conceded, the second goal, was incredible."
Roberto, in my opinion Nicholas Jackson looked like everything Tottenham need at the moment, with the way he performed for Aston Villa. Do you think the club have made a big mistake not signing an out-and-out number nine?
Roberto: "The transfer market is long to explain, because I'm happy for the squad first of all. Otherwise we create polemic. The transfer market was long. The situation changed many times. There was also the financial fair play at the end of the transfer market. We had to respect the financial fair play. We didn't sell the players who we thought in the beginning there was the possibility and the chance to sell. There are a lot of reasons. I think the club and the coach, we are not sleeping. We know the characteristics of the players. We know everything. If we didn't make any different decisions, it was because we couldn't."
Just more generally, in terms of the start, because you now have this break. How worried are you and how can you fix it when so many of your players are now not going to be with you for three weeks?
Roberto: "Maybe it is better. I didn't speak with the players today because I didn't want to say nothing. No, I have nothing with them, but the players who go with the national team, they have to play and work. The other players, Maddison Gallagher, Solanke, Tosin, Senesi, Savio, for sure we have to work more, because also the physical condition, I didn't like even this game."
Roberto, two questions in one. Where was Mathys Tel today?
Roberto: "The technical decision (he) was in the stand, because I think during the game, Maddison and Kudus, they had more chance to change the game. Then two central backs, important. Also the two full-backs. Have a look for Pedro Porro, and the two central midfielders. I explained why to Mathys yesterday. He was very nice and he understood the reason, but nothing more. Also, he's played more than the others."
It feels like you've backed Dom Solanke this summer, you've put your confidence in him, do you need more from him?
Roberto: "We need more from him, for sure, but he's one of my players. I like Domi as a player and I stay with him until the end. He needs to stay better, to feel better. His physical condition is not good enough for sure, but it's normal for him. Maybe he's not good enough in the confidence of himself in this moment, because he's much better than this Domi Solanke. But maybe many, many things can be better than this moment. I think we can't say everything is bad, but it's not enough."
Two goals in the closing stages from Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke – his first in our colours – opened our league account for the campaign having failed to net in our previous four matches. However, by that stage, the visitors had taken a 3-0 lead, Johan Manzambi scoring on the stroke of half-time before Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia extended their advantage after the break.
That came after a dominant first half from us in which we created numerous chances only to be denied by some fabulous goalkeeping from Zion Suzuki, who made a string of fine saves to frustrate us.
There were 11 minutes gone when the Japanese keeper made his first saves, a double stop from Savio. Sandro Tonali had raced clear down the left, pulled a ball back which was initially mis-controlled by Dominic Solanke but fell to Savio, whose first shot in front of goal was blocked by Suzuki and his second tipped over the bar by the Villa number one. Four minutes later, Villa’s first chance saw Manzambi cut inside and hit a low effort which was easy for Antonin Kinsky.
We were dealt a blow early on when Pedro Porro went down and had to be replaced by Archie Gray in the 19th minute and the 20-year-old had only been on the pitch for a minute when he was played in by Savio, only for his right-foot shot from a tight angle to flick off the heel of Suzuki for a corner. That set-piece was cleared away as far as Savio, who hit a crisp volley which was heading in until Suzuki dived across to push it away.
At the other end, Kinsky had to make a big save of his own on 27 minutes, keeping out Buendia’s 15-yard drive before Jackson dragged wide when in a good position on the edge of the box.
The chances kept coming, Tonali with a rasping shot from 25 yards which flicked off a defender for a corner as we continued to apply the pressure, only to fall behind four minutes into first-half stoppage time. There had just been a lengthy break after Micky van de Ven had taken a whack to the head and he was off the pitch when play resumed. Andy Robertson attempted to keep the ball in play right on the byline but gave possession to John McGinn, he picked out Boubacar Kamara and his low shot was turned home by Manzambi from close range.
The second half began with us on the front foot again, this time though Villa were content to sit back, soak up the pressure and try to hit us on the break which they almost did in the 53rd minute, Jackson played through but Kinsky was quickly off his line to prevent him from doubling the visitors’ lead.
We thought we’d scored on the hour mark when half-time substitute Mohammed Kudus bundled the ball over the line from close range, only for celebrations to be cut short when VAR confirmed Robertson was offside in the build-up. Our misery at that setback was compounded further when Villa added a second with 67 minutes on the clock. Suzuki’s long goal-kick wasn’t dealt with by our defenders, Manzambi touched the ball off to Jackson who beat van de Ven before hitting a low shot which Kinsky got a hand to but couldn’t prevent from creeping in.
We tried to respond quickly, Tonali curling just wide from 22 yards out but, while we had plenty of the ball in the final third, we couldn’t create any meaningful chances and instead, Villa added a third on 79 minutes, Buendia with a sumptuous finish into the top corner from 22 yards.
Our first Premier League goal of the season finally arrived four minutes from time after a one-two between Kudus and Omar Marmoush, the former cutting back from the byline for Gallagher to slide the ball into the far corner, just two minutes after the midfielder had come off the bench.
We continued to apply the pressure and had chances in stoppage time, James Maddison’s fierce free-kick down the left edge of the penalty area heading in until Suzuki pushed it away, with Kudus volleying the rebound way over. Van de Ven then headed inches wide from a Robertson cross. And with the virtually the last kick of the game, we added a second, van Hecke powerfully heading Robertson’s free-kick past Suzuki. In the end though, it was too little, too late.
Line-ups
Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kinsky, Pedro Porro (Gray 19), van de Ven (c), van Hecke, Robertson, Tonali (Gallagher 84), Bentancur (Bergvall 84), Savio, M Fernandes (Kudus 46), Marmoush, Solanke (Maddison 66). Substitutes (not used): Dubravka, Senesi, Tosin, Udogie.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Suzuki, Wan-Bissaka (Cash 46), Lindelof, Mings, Ruggeri, Kamara (Mbaye 84), Joao Gomes, McGinn (c) (Barkley 84), Buendia, Manzambi (Hemmings 72), Jackson (Abraham 88). Substitutes (not used): Wright, Harwood-Bellis, Garnacho, Bogarde.
Match data
Goals: Spurs – Gallagher 86, van Hecke 90+8; Villa – Manzambi 45+4, Jackson 67, Buendia 79.
Yellow cards: Spurs – van Hecke; Villa – Jackson, Cash.
Referee: Sam Barrott.
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Weather: Light rain, moderate breeze, 22 degrees.
Attendance: 60,920.
Despite falling behind in the clash at Stevenage with Teddie Lamb on target for the visitors, we responded brilliantly, equalising through Luca Williams-Barnett two minutes later.
With our tails up, we really exuded confidence late in the half and went on to turn the game in our favour, first through an exquisite goal from Miracle Adewole on 41 minutes before Olusesi produced one of his own three minutes later.
The midfielder then grabbed a second 20 minutes into the second period as he continued his impressive form after his return from injury before City scored a late consolation with Lamb adding another to his tally with 17 minutes remaining.
While it ended up being a six-goal game, you wouldn't have expected that to be the final outcome after the first 25 minutes, which produced very little action of note. As both sides looked to work each other out, there were half-chances at best, the most promising of which came for us - a back-post effort from Adewole which was well saved by Max Chabot.
The deadlock was ultimately broken after a mistake. Maeson King didn't get the desired connection on a clearance which put Lamb through one-on-one with Archer, the forward rounding the goalkeeper before firing the ball home on the half-hour mark. Two minutes later, though, we were level, Olusesi winning the ball high before playing in Williams-Barnett to round the goalkeeper himself and stroke home.
The timing of the goal, so soon after City's opener, really swung the tide of the game in our favour and we really seemed to take a lot of confidence from it. We sprung into life and found our rhythm after that moment, playing some exquisite football before effectively taking the game away from the visitors. On 41 minutes, we took the lead with Tyrese Hall producing a pretty magical back-heel flick from Williams-Barnett's ball forward to move it in to Ellis Lehane who then teed up Adewole to slam home. We had breathing room moments later with Olusesi demonstrating some individual brilliance to evade three players in the right-hand side of the box before sending the ball through goalkeeper Chabot and in.
We continued in that vein into the second period and were unlucky not to add a fourth 10 minutes in as Williams-Barnett had the ball in the back of the net, only for the referee to deem there had been a foul in the build-up. The forward was in again three minutes later but was denied by Chabot although Olusesi was not to be stopped on 66 minutes as, after some industrious work from Tyrese Hall, the midfielder curled in our fourth and his second from the edge of the area.
It was only then that City came back into the game with the impressive Lamb causing issues. Archer had produced a good save to prevent the forward grabbing a second of his own on 72 minutes as he prodded towards goal, but our shot stopper could do littlle a minute later when Lamb bundled the ball in from a matter of yards out.
However, that was really the visitors' last real effort in the game. Instead, if any team was more likely to add to the scoreline, it was us, and perhaps Reiss Elliott-Parris, who had scored in every one of our league games this term up to this point, should have done better with his wayward effort on 85 minutes.
‘We created some good chances’
Under-21s Coach Wayne Burnett was pleased with his team’s display: “Our performance at times was very good, we played some good football and created some good chances, although we probably didn’t hit the heights that we have done in some of our previous games,” he reflected. “Having said that, I was really pleased that we’ve managed to create as many chances as we have done.
“It was very pleasing to see Callum, Luca and Miracle on the scoresheet – Callum and Luca have been able to get some invaluable minutes under their belts – and overall it was a good team performance. We’ve now come through this block of games going into the international break and are still unbeaten in the league – as I said, we probably didn’t hit the heights that I know we’re capable of, but nevertheless it was still a very good win.”
Line-ups
Spurs: Archer, Rowswell (c), King (Feeney 83), Hardy, Dorrington, Tye Hall (Byrne 65), Adewole, Olusesi (McFadden 77), Tyrese Hall, Williams-Barnett (Elliott-Parris 65), Lehane (Sowunmi 77). Substitutes (not used): Knightbridge, Ramsey.
Manchester City: Chabot, Nfonkeu (Headley 67), H Parker (Wain 46), Drake, Henderson-Hall, Noble (c), Dunbar-McDonald (Midwood 77), Miles, Lamb, Fapetu (Gorman 67), X Parker. Substitutes (not used): Hudson, Courtman, Tevenan.
Match data
Goals: Spurs - Williams-Barnett 31, Adewole 41, Olusesi 44, 66; Manchester City - Lamb 29, 73.
Yellow cards: Spurs - Tye Hall 26; Manchester City - Noble 7, Dunbar-McDonald 27.
Referee: Richie Watkins.
Venue: Stevenage FC.
Weather: Cloudy but dry, 19 degrees.
Attendance: 345.
Roberto De Zerbi makes one change from our previous league outing against Everton last weekend with the returning Pedro Porro replacing Archie Gray at full-back. Sandro Tonali also returns to the starting side having missing our Carabao Cup defeat at Liverpool in midweek.
Destiny Udogie was ruled out for the Toffees clash but started at Anfield and could make his 100th appearance for the Club if he comes off the bench this afternoon.
Here’s the team in full…
Starting XI: Kinsky, Robertson, van Hecke, Tonali, Savio, Fernandes, Solanke, Marmoush, Pedro Porro, Bentancur, van de Ven (c).
Substitutes: Dubravka, Tosin, Senesi, Gallagher, Maddison, Udogie, Gray, Bergvall, Kudus.
The visitors line-up as follows...
Starting XI: Suzuki, Lindelof, Mings, McGinn (c), Kamara, Buendia, Jackson, Ruggeri, Wan-Bissaka, Gomes, Manzambi.
