sportsview.co.uk

Tottenham Hotspur crashed out of the League Cup with a whimper, losing 2-0 to Newcastle United.

Spurs were outrun and outplayed by the reigning champions, leaving Thomas Frank’s side to rue a missed opportunity to make a mark in cup competition.

Without Joao Palhinha in the engine room, Tottenham lacked dominance in the middle and struggled to come to grips with the game.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr were forced to operate in a double pivot for Spurs. The latter did not particularly cover himself in glory with his performance.

Sarr struggled, unsurprisingly playing deeper in midfield. He is much better in advanced positions, and it showed yesterday.

Sarr failed to provide the control Tottenham needed in the middle, allowing Newcastle to dominate and kill the tie.

Football London gave Sarr a 5/10 rating, saying, “Ghosted through large spells of the match.

“Did force brilliant save from Aaron Ramsdale on hour mark. Has craved a starting berth but failed to make an impression.”

Frank should have known that Sarr does not work in a pivot

Frank should have known that playing Sarr in the pivot, against this Newcastle side that overwhelms the middle, was a recipe for disaster.

The young Senegalese midfielder has the energy and drive to influence games, but his qualities shine far brighter in a more attacking role.

As the forward midfielder, he can press, create, and burst forward rather than sit deep and dictate play.

Asking him to anchor the midfield stripped Spurs of their natural rhythm and left them vulnerable in transition, which Newcastle ruthlessly exploited.

Frank must take note that Sarr’s best work comes when he’s closer to the final third, not bogged down by defensive duties.

Tottenham have already seen flashes of his brilliance when given freedom to roam, and that’s where he must stay.

Spurs cannot afford to repeat this tactical misstep. Sarr is an energetic No. 8, not a holding midfielder. The experiment failed, and it shouldn’t be revisited.

Looking to build on last weekend’s emphatic away win, Tottenham Hotspur face Newcastle United at St James’ Park in the League Cup fourth round tonight.

Spurs are looking to progress to the quarter finals, but will have to face their demons head-on to get through.

Despite heading into the game on the back of a thumping 3-0 win against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Tottenham know they face a daunting task at Newcastle.

Wednesday’s hosts have proven to be Tottenham’s Achilles Heel over the past few years.

Spurs have won just once in their last five visits (D1, L3), although they enjoyed a thumping 4-0 win the last time they faced Newcastle in the League Cup.

How Tottenham could line up

To make their already daunting task even more difficult, Tottenham have to visit St James’ Park without numerous first-team players due to injury.

Spurs will be without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Kota Takai, Yves Bissouma, Dominic Solanke, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie.

Nevertheless, Frank is still expected to make sweeping changes to the line-up. One of those changes could result in Antonin Kinsky replacing Guglielmo Vicario in goal.

Joao Palhinha may have to slot into defence alongside Kevin Danso in place of Micky van de Ven, while Pedro Porro and Djed Spence maintain their full-back roles.

Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall will be keen to make a statement in midfield, while Rodrigo Bentancur adds a bit of experience to the line-up.

There should also be a couple of changes to the frontline with Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert coming in for Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons.

However, Brennan Johnson should maintain his place after starting the 3-0 win against Everton.

Predicted Tottenham starting XI

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Heung-min Son left the club over the summer after ten storied years in London.

Unfortunately, because of how things played out, the former Spurs captain never said ‘goodbye’ to the fans in person.

Son joined Los Angeles FC and has been sensational for them, but he still wants the opportunity to bid farewell to Tottenham supporters.

He said (via Chosun): “I need to return to London to say goodbye to the fans. I think it’s right to say goodbye in person. It will be an emotional day.

“I want to go back to London and meet the Tottenham fans. I’m happy that Tottenham is doing well.”

Son joined Tottenham in 2015 and subsequently bagged 173 goals and 96 assists in 454 matches.

He helped end the club’s 17-year drought in his final game, leading Spurs to the Europa League title.

Intriguingly, rumours continue to spread that Son could return to Spurs on a short-term loan to stay fit for the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.

The 33-year-old has been in terrific form in Major League Soccer, registering nine goals and three assists in 10 appearances.

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, he is still capable of delivering the goods at the highest level.

But as romantic as a reunion might sound, sometimes the best stories are the ones left untouched.

Son’s decade in London ended on the perfect note, lifting silverware and cementing his legacy as one of Spurs’ all-time greats.

Returning now would only risk dulling that glow. Tottenham have moved forward with an exciting crop of wingers, all eager to make their mark.

Son should let the curtain close gracefully, preserving the purity of his farewell and the love the fans still hold for him.

Some chapters are best left complete. For Son and Spurs, this one ended exactly as it should.

Tottenham Hotspur travel to France for a mouth-watering Champions League encounter against French giants AS Monaco on Wednesday.

Thomas Frank’s side were dealt a huge blow last weekend as Aston Villa came from behind to win 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The defeat ended Tottenham’s seven-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.

Tottenham will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Champions League after their hard-fought 2-2 draw against Norwegian powerhouse Bodo/Glimt last time out.

Monaco are no pushovers, so Spurs will need to move on from last weekend’s stumble and bring their A-game to get a decent result.

How Tottenham could line up

While Guglielmo Vicario will likely retain his place in goal, Tottenham will be without two key defenders for the crunch Champions League outing.

Cristian Romero (groin) and Destiny Udogie (knee) didn’t travel to France after picking up injuries before the defeat against Villa.

Kevin Danso is set to continue alongside Micky van de Ven at the heart of defence, although the latter is one booking away from suspension.

Djed Spence will keep his place at left-back in Udogie’s absence, while Pedro Porro should remain the preferred option on the right ahead of youngster Archie Gray.

Frank will likely shake up the midfield, with Pape Matar Sarr given the nod to partner Joao Palhinha ahead of Rodrigo Bentancur.

Bentancur scored against Villa, but Tottenham were porous in midfield, and he could be sacrificed to add more steel.

Lucas Bergvall could also come in for Wilson Odobert. His presence will likely push Xavi Simons to the left flank, while the Swedish talent will play in the number ten role.

Simons has yet to live up to expectations, but Frank was quick to jump to his defence after the Villa game, and that support could spark a turnaround.

Brennan Johnson could come in for Mohammed Kudus while Richarlison leads the line.

Predicted Tottenham starting XI

Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have been credited with potential interest in Real Madrid attacker Endrick ahead of the January transfer window by talkSPORT.

The frustrated Brazilian has yet to play for the La Liga club this term and wants to leave on loan next window, with both Tottenham and Villa keen to bolster their attack for the second half of 2025-26.

However, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium club and their Villa Park counterparts would be expected to pay a substantial loan fee and cover his £70,000-a-week wages to have a chance of getting him.

West Ham United have shown interest in the 19-year-old attacker in recent transfer windows, but their struggles this term and lack of European football make them less appealing.

Spurs are playing in the Champions League while the Villans have started their Europa League campaign with two victories in as many games.

Endrick has not been called up by Brazil recently and will need to start playing regularly in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup if he wants to go to the tournament.

Madrid manager Xabi Alonso appears not to be a fan, but both Thomas Frank and Unai Emery would be open to including the teenage sensation in their plans should he agree to a Premier League switch.

Endrick will be desperate to impress elsewhere as he is now out of favour at Madrid, and more suitors are expected to join Spurs and Villa should they look to make a concrete move.

He proved himself with Palmeiras before Los Blancos splashed €72 million to recruit his services, and Endrick has what it takes to lit up the English top-flight.

Landing him would be huge for either Spurs or Villa, and both clubs will now look to convince the agents of the youngster in the coming weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Aston Villa in the Premier League yesterday.

They took the lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium through Rodrigo Bentancur, but a ponderous capitulation allowed the Villains to leave with all three points.

Tottenham looked like they would go on to add more, but were let down by some poor performances across the park.

One of those disappointing showings came from big summer signing Xavi Simons, who struggled to make an impact for Spurs.

Simons lost both of his aerial and seven of his 12 ground duels. He also lost possession five times and was dribbled past three times, committing three fouls.

While he did play one key pass, it was clear that the Tottenham attacking midfielder was not up to speed.

However, manager Thomas Frank defended the Dutchman.

Frank said (via football.london): “I like Xavi’s personality today, especially in the first half. I think he wanted to get on the ball. He wanted to create.

“I think he was very aggressive in the pressure. I think it was a fine game. I think I need to remember it myself when we judge players and they come into a new club, a new country.

“I know it’s part of football. We judge them with a very small sample of games. I’m not in doubt that it will be good for us. Today was an average-plus game.”

The 22-year-old is clearly a player of immense talent. His close control, vision, creativity and willingness to demand the ball all point to a special prospect in the making.

However, adapting to the Premier League’s pace and physicality takes time, especially for a player still learning the rhythms of English football.

Tottenham invested heavily in him for a reason, and flashes of brilliance will eventually turn into consistency.

With patience and trust, Simons could yet become the creative heartbeat this Tottenham side needs.

Stats from Sofascore.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to host Aston Villa in north London, looking to pick up where they left off before the international break.

Spurs went into the break on the front foot after eking out a nervy 2-1 win against newly promoted Leeds United at Elland Road.

That result extended Tottenham’s unbeaten run to seven games in a row across all competitions (W4, D3), although that record will be put to the test on Sunday.

If results go their way, Tottenham could end the weekend at the top of the table, but they must first take care of business in front of the home crowd.

How Tottenham could line up

Tottenham didn’t come away from the international break unscathed. They have a couple of injury woes to be worried about, but there’s also some good news on that front.

Yves Bissouma was stretchered off while playing for Mali and could spend some time in the infirmary, while Ben Davies tore a muscle on duty with Wales.

Both players are ruled out for Sunday’s outing, but Frank may finally be able to call on Randal Kolo Muani, who played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Watford.

He has hardly kicked a ball for Frank’s side, but could play a part from the bench against Villa. Frank will likely make just one change from the team that beat Leeds a fortnight ago.

While he has a decision to make at the top end of the pitch, he’ll likely stick with a familiar backline.

That means Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie should start ahead of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur should anchor the midfield. Wilson Odobert will likely drop to the bench despite his 7/10 performance against Leeds, with Richarlison returning to the XI.

With the Brazilian leading the line, Mathys Tel could shift to the left flank. Xavi Simons should start in his more familiar number 10 role with Mohammed Kudus on the right.

Predicted XI;

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that former consultant Fabio Paratici has returned to the club as a joint-sporting director.

The 53-year-old has been out of a job since he stepped down from his role as Tottenham’s managing director of football two years ago after losing an appeal in Italy against a 30-month ban from the game.

After Paratici’s exit, Tottenham hired Johan Lange as technical director. He was reunited with Thomas Frank in the summer, having worked with him at Lyngby nearly two decades ago.

Paratici’s return to Tottenham has led to yet another change in leadership structure.

He’s expected to work alongside Lange, who has been promoted to Tottenham sporting director as part of what the club called a ‘new men’s football leadership structure’.

The changes were instigated by Tottenham’s new chief executive, Vinai Venkatesham.

Venkatesham joined the club in June and has been in charge of football operations at Spurs since long-serving executive Daniel Levy was relieved of his duties as chairman in September.

Paratici has been working for Tottenham as a consultant for several months, helping the club mainly in the transfer market, and his return in an official capacity was always a possibility.

It is unclear how Paratici and Lange will work together as sporting directors and whether a formal partnership in such an important position can work long-term.

“I’m delighted to be returning to a club that I love,” Paratici said when his return was officially confirmed.

“I have been working with Johan, Vinai and Thomas as a consultant for a number of months, and I now look forward to returning to London and joining the team full-time.

“I’m convinced that working in partnership with Johan, we can build a special future for the club and our supporters.”

Lange will focus on the scouting, analysis and performance departments, including areas such as medical, sports science and nutrition, and the club’s academy.

Paratici will continue in his preferred role, overseeing the club’s transfer activities.

Tottenham Hotspur are showing interest in Rangers deep-lying playmaker Nicolas Raskin, according to the Daily Mail.

The 24-year-old endured a torrid start to the 2025/26 campaign with Rangers after clashing with now-sacked manager Russell Martin.

Following Martin’s dismissal, Raskin is enjoying a new lease of life. He has made 14 appearances and recorded a goal and four assists.

His performances earned him a call-up to the Belgian national team, where he impressed against North Macedonia.

Tottenham will have been watching as Raskin made 25 passes into the final third and won possession 12 times, the most of any Belgian player on the pitch.

Raskin also won five out of five tackles and made 10 final-third entries, showing any potential Spurs scouts in attendance his fine abilities.

He would pair nicely with Joao Palhinha in the engine room for Spurs, providing competition for Rodrigo Bentancur, allowing the club to move on from Yves Bissouma.

His contract with Rangers expires in 2027, and the club must either sell next summer or risk losing him for free in two years if they cannot get him to sign a new deal.

Lauded as a ‘huge talent‘ by former Rangers star Barry Ferguson, Raskin would be a brilliant signing for Spurs.

However, they should be wary of his temperament.

Run-ins with previous coaches do not help his case, but he is a fantastic deep-lying midfielder, the sort Tottenham need in their ranks.

Tottenham Hotspur duo Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel were both on the scoresheet again for France last night.

Tel has endured a torrid start to life under manager Thomas Frank, but repaid his faith with a goal as Tottenham beat Leeds United last weekend.

The Tottenham ace bagged the opener for France’s Under-21s in the win over Estonia, calmly slotting home after an error by the goalkeeper.

After being left off Tottenham’s Champions League squad list, Tel has been fighting tooth and nail to make his mark, and it is showing.

Tel had scored in the first France game of the break against the Faroe Islands.

Despite playing in his secondary position as a striker, Tel has now bagged goals in three successive games, which will excite the Spurs coaching staff.

Odobert has also been struggling, but the international break was an opportunity to build some confidence.

Tel played a massive role in the build-up before Odobert scored in the 63rd minute. His second was more sublime, blasting home a rocket from the front of the box.

Odobert also scored a brace versus the Faroe Islands, making it four goals in two international outings.

His time at Tottenham has been underwhelming, but it is up to Frank and his coaching team to consistently unearth his talent.

Both players have now offered a timely reminder of their quality and hunger.

Tel’s sharpness in front of goal and Odobert’s explosive flair make them dangerous options in any system, and their recent form should force Frank to think.

These are players who can change games. They are direct, inventive and eager to impress.