FourFourTwo

Line-up quiz! Can you name the Tottenham XI that beat Wigan 9-1 in 2009?

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Football quiz time – and we're looking for Tottenham's line-up against Wigan in 2009.

It's still Spurs' biggest-ever Premier League win. The Lilywhites thrashed the Latics, thanks to an inspired second half from Jermain Defoe - you can have that one - who notched five.

It's still a joint record for most goals in a top-flight fixture since 1992. So who else played?

We've arranged the XI out for this Premier League quiz and we're only looking for surnames only. We can tell you that Harry Redknapp was the manager, too. No more hints from us!

But… you can have some from Kwizly. Simply sign in and you can get a hint on this Tottenham quiz by clicking the Hint button to get the next letter of the next player you're currently trying to guess.

Remember to tweet your scores @FourFourTwo and share with your mates…

We use Kwizly for our quizzes – find out more here

Can't see this quiz? Play it here

Line-up quiz! Can you name the Bournemouth line-up from the 2019 win over Southampton?

Quiz! Can you name every Champions League finalist to have played in the Premier League since 2000?

Quiz! Can you name these 40 Premier League cult heroes?

Quiz! Can you name the players, teams and coaches to have unlocked these landmark achievements?

Quiz! Who did Oasis star Noel Gallagher say this about?

Source

Ex-Tottenham goalkeeper saves THREE penalties in one match, as part of heroic performance

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

While Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario had a torrid Sunday afternoon conceding three times to Brighton at the Amex Stadium, one of Spurs' former 'keepers enjoyed saving three penalties during one game.

Vicario could do little as Tottenham blew a 2-0 lead to Brighton, but the footballing drama clearly wasn't reserved for just the Premier League at the weekend.

Indeed, as during Girona's 2-1 win against Athletic Bilbao 2-1 in La Liga on Sunday, one former Tottenham Hotspur player put in a heroic performance to ensure all three points stayed in Catalonia.

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga pulls off heroics

Penalties were clearly the narrative referee Juan Luis Pulido Santana wanted to stick to at Girona's Estadi Montilivi, as he awarded three during the match. The first came in the 28th minute, when a VAR review saw Athletic Bilbao earn their first spot-kick of the afternoon.

Striker Alejandro Berenguer Remiro stepped up, but Gazzaniga saved to keep the scores level. Girona's Yasser Asprilla then opened the scoring for the Catalan side later in the first half, before Oihan Sancet levelled just minutes later.

Then, early in the second half, Athletic Bilbao were awarded another penalty. This time Inaki Williams stepped up, with Gazzaniga saving once more. However, the former Tottenham man had stepped off his line in doing so, leading to the penalty being retaken.

The Argentine atoned for his error, stopping Ander Herrera's spot-kick to make it three penalty saves in the game. It proved crucial, too, as Cristhian Stuani scored the winner for Girona in the 99th minute - from a penalty of his own - after Aitor Paredes had been sent off for Athletic Bilbao.

Gazzaniga faced 13 shots in total during the game, though only four were on target - including two of the penalties he saved (Williams' penalty doesn't count towards the stats due to it being retaken).

VIDEO: Why Cole Palmer Is The Best Player In The Premier League Right Now

During his four years at Spurs, Gazzaniga made 37 appearances in all competitions. He was signed from Southampton where he had played for six years, before a loan move to Elche then saw him drop into the Championship with Fulham in 2021/22.

Another loan came in 2022/23, this time to Girona, followed, before he joined permanently at the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign. The 32-year-old has since become the No.1 at Girona, helping the Spanish side into the Champions League.

Source

'At Tottenham, I went to Feyenoord to see Robin van Persie. He came on as a sub, shirt out of his shorts, socks rolled down, looking a mess’: How Spurs missed out on signing 144-goal Premier League gr

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Tottenham Hotspur missed out on signing Robin van Persie while he was just a teenager, with former director of football David Pleat unimpressed by how the Dutchman looked when coming on during a game for Feyenoord.

Van Persie ultimately ended up moving to Arsenal, with that decision having stuck in the mind of Pleat.

Pleat spent 26 years as a manager, taking charge of the likes of Luton Town, Leicester City, Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham Hotspur. Towards the end of his career, Pleat moved upstairs to become the Spurs director of football - with two stints as caretaker boss and one season in the dugout at White Hart Lane, too.

How Tottenham missed out on signing Robin van Persie

During his time, Pleat missed out on a couple of high-profile signings, though failing to recognise the talent of Robin van Persie still sticks in his mind. When asked who he regrets not signing during his career in football, Pleat highlights a few high-profile stars alongside Van Persie.

"At Tottenham, John Barnes’ agent told me he was leaving Watford: £750,000," Pleat exclusively tells FourFourTwo. "But I had Waddle and Hoddle. I didn’t take Barnes and he went to Liverpool.

"At Luton we had Stuart Pearce training for a week with the reserves when he was at Wealdstone; I asked the coach what he was like and he said, 'OK.' I should’ve played him in an 11 vs 11 and made everyone play properly: then we would have seen his character.

"Then as a director of football, at Tottenham, I went to Feyenoord to see Robin van Persie. He came on as a sub, shirt out of his shorts, socks rolled down, looking a right mess. Steve Rowley at Arsenal had decided not to sign him, but they went for a second look and decided to take a chance."

VIDEO: Why Cole Palmer Is The Best Player In The Premier League Right Now

Indeed, in the summer of 2004 Arsenal signed Van Persie for £2.75m, converting him from a left winger into a centre-forward. That proved a masterstroke from Arsene Wenger, with Van Persie going on to score 132 goals in 278 games for the Gunners prior to his move to Manchester United in 2012.

In total, Van Persie ended up scoring 148 Premier League goals during his 11 years in England, winning the Premier League and FA Cup in that time, too. For Pleat, failing to take a second look at the young Dutchman for Feyenoord was clearly a mistake.

Source

‘We did everything we could to stop Sol Campbell leaving Tottenham for Arsenal, but there was no chance – he decided he needed to move for his own career’: Spurs executive reveals key details behind c

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Tottenham Hotspur were left reeling when Sol Campbell decided to leave the club and join bitter rivals Arsenal on a free transfer in the summer of 2001, but Spurs' then director of football David Pleat reveals there was nothing they could do to stop the move from happening.

For Arsenal fans, it's perhaps the greatest Premier League transfer ever - in FourFourTwo's opinion, it's the second-most controversial move in football history, behind only Luis Figo's switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid.

Tottenham's club captain at the time, Campbell became the first player since Pat Jennings to move from White Hart Lane to Highbury. Crucially, he did so as part of a free transfer, meaning the club he had spent more than a decade at were gaining nothing from the deal whatsoever.

Tottenham tried everything they could to keep Sol Campbell

For Campbell, trophies were the ultimate objective, and he didn't feel Tottenham could help him deliver that ambition, while Arsenal ultimately would.

David Pleat was the director of football at Tottenham at the time, offering Campbell a contract which would have made him the club's highest-ever paid player. That didn't prove enough, however. Pleat and Tottenham's manager George Graham were simply unable to convince the centre-back to stay.

"We did everything we could, but there was no chance – what he was going to get at Arsenal was way out of our range," Pleat exclusively reveals to FourFourTwo. "To be fair to Sol, I’d met him previously with [Alan] Sugar, and Sol believed we weren’t spending enough to get better players in. I told him that it isn’t always possible and you have to be patient.

VIDEO: Why Cole Palmer Is The Best Player In The Premier League Right Now

"I found him a decent guy. But he decided that he needed to move for his own career.

"Later, Sugar said, 'You and George Graham were so stupid: you should have kept him out of the team and he would have signed because he would’ve lost his England place.' Myself and George had decided that we weren’t going to leave him out and cut our nose off to spite our face. He was the best centre-half we had."

Source

'Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar stopped me joining Tottenham', says striker, who saw his transfer blocked

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

For much of the last decade Tottenham Hotspur were driven by boyhood Arsenal fan Harry Kane – at least until their star man departed for Bayern Munich last summer.

But Kane may have never had the opportunity to breakthrough back in 2014, had Tottenham signed legendary Peru striker Paulo Guerrero. In January 2013, Guerrero was looking to looking to leave Brazilian side Corinthians and return to Europe having previously spent 12 years in the Bundesliga.

The Premier League, and specifically Tottenham Hotspur, were his first choice. However, it was ironically a former Arsenal player who ended up scuppering the deal and denying Guerrero the chance to move to North London.

How Arsenal's Edu blocked Tottenham from signing Paulo Guerrero

Former Arsenal midfielder – part of the immortal ‘Invincibles’ team - and current Gunners sporting director Edu was responsible for Guerrero’s transfer falling through.

The Peru legend has revealed that while at Corinthians, Spurs were close to signing him in January 2013. That was before a last minute intervention, where Edu - then Corinthians director of football - promised Guerrero a pay rise to stay.

Speaking to the D&T programme, Guerrero said: “When I arrived at Corinthians, I said to myself: ‘I win the Club World Cup and I’ll go back’.

“Did I have opportunities to return to Europe? Many, but Corinthians didn’t want to sell me or didn’t want to negotiate. The last offer came from Tottenham, which was a loan-purchase option.”

“I went with the proposal to talk to Edu, who is now Arsenal’s director, and I said ‘I have this, please’. His response was: ‘Do you want the crooked thing to kill me, Paolo? Rest assured that here you will be the highest paid footballer in South America’.

“He didn’t comply. I didn’t renew with Corinthians because the proposal they made me wasn’t within what I think I deserved. I believed that because I was Peruvian, they were not valuing me.”

VIDEO: Why Man United Got DESTROYED By Tottenham

Guerrero eventually did leave Corinthians, but not until 2015, where he instead joined Brazilian rivals Flamengo rather than move to England.

Now 40, Guerrero has still yet to return to Europe since leaving Hamburg in 2012, but remains a legend in South America, winning 122 caps for his country.

After failing to land Guerrero, later that year Spurs instead signed Spanish forward Roberto Soldado. However, Soldado struggled to adapt to English football, paving the way for Kane’s opportunity to break into the first team in 2014.

Source

Tottenham step up chase for Premier League superstar to bolster attack: report

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Tottenham were one of the biggest spenders in the summer transfer window, with their £65 million move for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke the largest fee shelled out by a Premier League club.

The England forward has netted three times for Spurs so far this season, including the final goal in their 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Solanke’s arrival came a year after the club sold Harry Kane and the Spurs are said to be keen to add yet more attacking players as they still look to replace their former skipper’s goal contributions, with Viktor Gyokeres linked earlier this week.

Tottenham could reunite Dominic Solanke with a former team-mate

Now, another in-from attacker has been linked with a move to north London, with Spurs reportedly ready to go back for a second raid on Bournemouth.

Antoine Semenyo has enjoyed a fine start to the current campaign, with the winger’s first-half strike in the Cherries’ 3-1 win over Southampton on Monday evening his third goal of the Premier League season so far.

This form, according to Fichajes, has made Spurs sit up and take notice. The report claims that Tottenham will look to move for the 24-year-old next summer and are willing to spend €40m on the Ghana international, although if his excellent form continues, this price tag could go up.

Semenyo was a £10m signing for the Cherries from Bristol City in January 2022 and would net eight goals and serve up two assists last season to help the Cherries to a 12th-placed finish.

His move to the south coast side came after loan spells at Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland before he broke through with the Robins and his subsequent development at Bournemouth has seen him emerge as one of the Premier League's most exciting wingers.

He is currently valued at €20m by Transfermarkt, but this number is rapidly rising and the Cherries would not do business at that number.

Why Man United Got DESTROYED By Tottenham

In FourFourTwo's view, Semenyo is very much a player on the up and looks to have a bright future at Premier League level.

At the age of 24 and with room to grow further as a player, he fits the kind of profile that Spurs would go for, but with Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski already in place in the right-wing position for the club, would that be the right move for him?

What we can be sure of though, is that his band of admirers will grow if he maintains his current rich vein of form.

Source

Tottenham to pip Arsenal to long-term target in attack: report

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Tottenham came up short when they hosted Arsenal in the first north London derby of the season earlier this month as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against their local rivals.

But the pair could again be set to clash again in the transfer market after Ange Postecoglou's side were linked with a player Arsenal have reportedly been courting to bolster their attack.

Arsenal were heavily linked with bringing in a new striker this summer, but opted to focus on their defence and midfield ahead of their latest effort to dethrone Manchester City.

Tottenham eye move for Viktor Gyokeres, ahead of Arsenal

Despite signing Dominic Solanke for a fee that could rise to £65million this summer, Spurs are now said to be looking to sign another forward as they continue to attempt to fill the void left by Harry Kane, who left the club for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

According to Portuguese outlet Fichajes, Spurs are now among the contenders to land Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has been one of Europe's most prolific strikers since swapping Coventry City for the Portuguese Primeira Liga last summer.

Gyokeres netted 43 goals in 50 appearances for Sporting last season and has begun the 2024/25 campaign in even better form, netting 11 times in nine games so far, with FourFourTwo recently ranking the Sweden international as the seventh-best centre-forward in the world.

That has seen the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain all linked with the 26-year-old, who could cost up to €100million next summer.

Gyokeres was signed by Sporting for €20million from Championship side Coventry City in the summer of 2023, with the forward also having had loan stints at Swansea City and St Pauli after he joined Brighton from IF Brommapojkarna in 2018.

Solanke, meanwhile, was signed by Spurs for a club-record fee this summer and has netted three times so far this season, including a goal in Sunday's 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

VIDEO The ONLY Way Man City Can Survive Without Rodri

In FourFourTwo's view, it would be something of a surprise to see Spurs spend big on another centre-forward next summer, not least one where the level of competition for his signature would surely drive his price up.

Source

Tottenham Hotspur set for huge investment, in seismic deal for club's trophy hopes

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Tottenham Hotspur could have new minority shareholders by the end of 2024, with the club set to receive fresh investment in the next few months.

ENIC, the company owned by the family trust of Joe Lewis, currently owns 86.58 per cent of Tottenham. Lewis, though, is looking to descrease his influence at the club in the near-future by offloading some of his shares, opening up the opportunity for external investment.

That could see some familiar faces turn up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the second half of the 2024/25 season, with one key figure "ready to invest middle eastern funds" in a top Premier League club as soon as possible.

Tottenham Hotspur could be taken over by former Newcastle director Amanda Staveley

According to the Mirror, Amanda Staveley is expected to buy some of Lewis' shares at Tottenham by the end of the year, with one source telling the publication: “Amanda is serious about being involved with Spurs, and is hoping that an initial purchase can be completed within weeks.”

Staveley helped the Public Investement Fund of Saudi Arabia take over Newcastle United in October 2021 in a deal worth £305m. She and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi acquired a 10 per cent stake in the club, which were then reduced before they sold their remaining shares in July 2024.

In doing so, she confirmed to The Athletic that she didn't want to leave Newcastle when she did, but was open to investing in another Premier League side as soon as possible.

“My preference would have been to stay with Newcastle, but life doesn’t always work out exactly how you want it to," Staveley said. "Nothing is going to replicate that.”

Now, though, it seems Staveley and Ghodoussi will get their wish with Tottenham Hotspur. They hope that improved funding from the Middle East could help get Spurs challenging at the top of the Premier League table again, with trophies also sought after in north London.

VIDEO: The ONLY Way Man City Can Survive Without Rodri

In doing so, she confirmed to The Athletic that she didn't want to leave Newcastle when she did, but was open to investing in another Premier League side as soon as possible.

“My preference would have been to stay with Newcastle, but life doesn’t always work out exactly how you want it to," Staveley said. "Nothing is going to replicate that.”

Now, though, it seems Staveley and Ghodoussi will get their wish with Tottenham Hotspur. They hope that improved funding from the Middle East could help get Spurs challenging at the top of the Premier League table again, with trophies also sought after in north London.

VIDEO: The ONLY Way Man City Can Survive Without Rodri

“My preference would have been to stay with Newcastle, but life doesn’t always work out exactly how you want it to," Staveley said. "Nothing is going to replicate that.”

Now, though, it seems Staveley and Ghodoussi will get their wish with Tottenham Hotspur. They hope that improved funding from the Middle East could help get Spurs challenging at the top of the Premier League table again, with trophies also sought after in north London.

VIDEO: The ONLY Way Man City Can Survive Without Rodri

Indeed, Tottenham last won a trophy in 2008, when they beat Chelsea in the League Cup final. For a club with as much stature, demands will surely be placed upon Ange Postecoglou and his side to deliver success as soon as possible.

Source

Quiz! Can you name every Tottenham Hotspur have faced in European competitions since 2000?

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Time for a football quiz. Can you tell us everyone Tottenham Hotspur have played in Europe since 2007?

Spurs return to European action this summer after an impressive fifth-placed finish in Ange Postecoglou's debut campaign last season.

The Lilywhites have enjoyed their most successful period in Europe since the turn of the millennium, reaching the Champions League group stages for the first time since the early 1960s in 2010, before reaching the final in 2019.

The North London outfit have tasted European success on two occasions, 1972 and 1984, beating Wolves and Anderlecht respectively to lift the UEFA Cup.

Following a baron spell of appearances leading up to 2006, Spurs have been an almost ever-present figure across UEFA's three club competitions, although missed out last season after a difficult 2022/23 campaign.

With that in mind, Can you name every Tottenham Hotspur have faced in European competitions since 2000? 88 clubs to name, 15 minutes on the clock.

Remember to tweet your scores @FourFourTwo and share with your friends.

We use Kwizly for our quizzes – find out more here

Can't see this quiz? Play it here

Quiz! Can you name the top 100 scorers in Premier League history?

Quiz! Can you name the 40 most valuable players in the world right now?

Quiz! Can you name every Premier League club ever?

Quiz! Can you name every MLS team?

Source

Tottenham want shock forward - who could replace Dominic Solanke ALREADY: report

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Description

Tottenham’s £65 million move for England striker Dominic Solanke was one of the biggest moves of the summer transfer window. Despite this, the club are reportedly in for another big-name striker when the next window opens.

Solanke was signed from Bournemouth this summer to boost Spurs’ attacking corps but after a slow start to the 2024/25 season, they are now being linked with another statement signing up front.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have lost their two Premier League matches, including a 1-0 home reverse to bitter rivals Arsenal last weekend and needed two late goals to get past Championship side Coventry City on Wednesday evening – with Postecoglou firing back at fans. Now, the Australian could be about to get a new forward to help in the final third, after Alan Shearer suggested his side had “no real quality” at home to Arsenal.

Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race for Viktor Gyokeres

As the pressure begins to creep up on Postecoglou, Spurs are the latest side to be linked with a move for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres.

The former Coventry hitman is one of Europe’s most in-form strikers after netting 43 goals during his first season in Portugal last year – and sits at No.8 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world. He has already netted nine goals in his seven matches so far this term after Sporting were able to fend off the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, who were both linked with the 26-year-old over the summer.

According to Fichajes, Spurs are the latest side to throw their hat in the ring for the Swedish international, with the report claiming that Postecoglou’s side have ‘fully entered’ the ‘intense’ chase for Gyokeres.

Chelsea are also reported to be looking to sign the forward in the January transfer window, after the club were only able to sign one new forward in Marc Guiu this summer.

Paris Saint-Germain are the third club mentioned in the report, with the French champions offering ‘tough competition’ to the Premier League duo.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Gyokeres’ form over the past 12 months since he swapped the Championship for the Portuguese top flight has been astonishing. The player looks to have the quality to succeed at the top end of the Premier League – but we don't think that Tottenham will be looking to sign another centre-forward any time soon, having invested £65m in Solanke.

VIDEO How Arne Slot Just Fixed Liverpool's Biggest Problem Against Milan

He is valued at €65m by Transfermarkt, while there have been reports of €100m price tag. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has relayed on X (formerly Twitter) that in Gyokeres' own words, his release clause is high.

That may put clubs off, but the Swede could be a signing with a very high ceiling.

Source