While Schwarzer did preface his comments by stating that Vicario has started really well for Spurs, his comments will still raise a few eyebrows around North London.

After ten games of the new Premier League season, not only are Tottenham two points clear at the top of the table, but Vicaro is also leading the way in save percentage.

The Italian shot-stopped has saved 82.9% of the shots that have come his way (FBRef), compared to the chasing pack of Alisson (76.9%), David Raya (75%) and Ederson (68.4%).

He also has the joint most clean sheets (4) with Sam Johnstone, David Raya, Ederson, and Nick Pope, which is impressive considering all four of those players have been in the Premier League for years.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Italian goalkeeper #13 Guglielmo Vicario shouts at teammates during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in south London on October 27, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Vicario still has his doubters despite Spurs start

Vicario has taken to Tottenham life like a duck to water, both in his shot-stopping and his playing out from the back, which is crucial to Ange Postecoglou’s system. But it appears Mark Schwarzer still needs some convincing.

He said (Mark and Phil’s Derby Adventures podcast): “Look, I think he’s done really well, I really do.

“I think he’s done really, really well. I want to see how it goes on further into the season.

“I hold my hands up, yes, so far, he’s done well but there are still question marks in my head about whether or he is the right goalkeeper for them moving forward.

“At the moment yes, it’s all positive, all working fine for him. I’m not quite sure just yet, but he has had a good start to the season.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

This sounds very much like Schwarzer clutching at straws to defend a prediction he made earlier in the season. It sounds like he is looking at Vicario and waiting for him to mess up.

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Emerson has largely been used as an impact substitute by Ange Postecoglou in the past two months, with the Spurs boss turning to the Brazilian when he needs to solidify things at the back.

While Pedro Porro has been in superb form this season, one could argue that Emerson possesses a more natural ability to defend his own box compared to the Spaniard.

Emerson has also showcased his versatility this season, replacing the injured Destiny Udogie at left-back against Fulham and playing the entire second half there against Crystal Palace too.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur and Antonee Robinson of Fulham FC during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

Emerson vs Porro competition is healthy for Spurs

The former Barcelona man has insisted that he is always there when Postecoglou needs him, and will continue to compete with Porro in a healthy and professional way.

He said (R7): “I’m completely professional, it’s healthy competition, which we enjoy. Even though I’m not always playing, I’m strong, and when the coach needs me, he can always count on me.

“I have the ambition to seek my position again and keep Tottenham at the top of the table, and I believe that this season we have a great chance of staying in the fight for the title.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

The post ‘I have the ambition’ – Emerson Royal on his ‘healthy competition’ with Pedro Porro appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Nketiah has been handed almost 700 minutes in the first 10 games of the season for the Gunners, partly due to his impressive form and partly down to injuries to Gabriel Jesus.

The striker has taken those opportunities with both hands, netting five goals in 10 Premier League appearances (TransferMarkt). Judging by his hat-trick against Sheffield United at the weekend, it appears those Defoe tips are coming in handy.

(Photo by Visionhaus)

Eddie Nketiah asked Jermain Defoe for some tips

The Spurs legend, who is currently coaching at the Tottenham academy, revealed that Nketiah messaged him on Instagram in order to seek guidance from an experienced professional.

It sounds like Defoe was more than happy to help the next generation of English strikers, although his day-to-day focus remains on coaching Tottenham’s exciting academy youngsters.

He revealed to Premier League Productions (29/10/23 at 9:10 pm): “He actually messaged me on Instagram. I thought it was a joke. Arsenal and Tottenham.

“In pre-season, he messaged me on Instagram. He wanted to speak about finishing and movement, all that sort of stuff.

“I thought you know what, I like that because that’s a young centre forward that wants to try and get as much from other players that have played the game in that position as he can. Someone who wants to learn.

“He is a good finisher. When he gets chances, I believe he will score.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Jokes and rivalries aside, it is nice to see Jermain Defoe staying involved in the game. He had such a unique way of finishing, it would be a waste not to pass his knowledge down to the next generation of players.

The post Jermain Defoe reveals current Arsenal star messaged him for shooting tips this season appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Although Pedro Porro has been the undisputed first-choice right-back this season for Ange Postecoglou in Tottenham’s new inverted full-back system, Emerson has still been a regular.

The Brazilian has seven appearances to his name across the ten Premier League matches this season, including a goal in the early days of Postecoglou’s reign.

In recent weeks, Emerson was introduced in the second half to replace the injured Destiny Udogie at left-back against Fulham before coming on for the full second 45 against Crystal Palace too.

Although he may not be a superstar of the current Spurs XI, the former Barcelona man is trusted by Postecoglou and his versatility is proving valuable for the Lilywhites so far this season.

(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Emerson holds himself to his own high standards

When asked about the criticism that gets levelled at him, Emerson said (R7): “I’ve always been a guy who has a lot of confidence in myself and my work.

“The fans, narrator, commentator and whoever is watching don’t know what I do every day, they don’t watch my training, they don’t know the work I do at home, I know who I am. They criticised me a lot, but I didn’t listen.

“Obviously, there’s no way I could escape it, because it was in front of me, on social media and in the stadium, but I knew my potential.

“I believe that in a situation like this, you have two options: either you victimise yourself or you turn things around, and I’ve always been the person to turn things around.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Not everyone can start, but everyone has to contribute. Emerson has done himself proud every time he has stepped onto the pitch this season and he is clearly a great trainer. You never know when an injury might thrust you into the regular starting XI, but I’m sure Emerson would be ready for that.

The post ‘I know who I am’ – Tottenham player opens up on how he deals with criticism appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Let’s take a look at the five things we learned:

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

That Heung-min Son aura –

Harry Kane always had that aura in North London where you felt he could pop up with a goal at any time even if the team weren’t playing well. Heung-min Son seems to have that this season. Whether it’s a simple finish in the right place at the right time, or a sensational curled effort from 30 yards, Son is proving the difference week in, week out. That armband is doing wonders for him.

Five points clear at the top –

Of course, it means very little this early in the season when everyone else has a game in hand. But you would rather be five points clear than not! Wherever Spurs finish come the end of the season, let’s enjoy this period while we can. The longer this promising start to the season continues, the more Tottenham’s credentials for Champions League football next season increase. (Plus… who knows?)

Yves Bissouma escapes a ban –

He may not have been at his best tonight, but it will definitely be a boost for Ange Postecoglou to have Yves Bissouma available for selection against Chelsea next week. A yellow card this evening and he would have been banned. That being said, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg may have his eye on that starting spot.

The Destiny of Tottenham –

If Spurs missed one thing this evening, it was the drive and pace of Destiny Udogie down the left. Ben Davies struggled to get into the game and Emerson Royal did well, but Udogie just offers something different. After just 9 games in his new position, he already has such awareness both at left-back and even pushed all the way up to a left-sided number ten. He has incredible quality on the ball in tight areas and Postecoglou will want him back against Chelsea.

The return of Rodrigo Bentancur –

He is back! That is all! For the first time since February, Rodrigo Bentancur is back! And he even got a few minutes at the end. Happy days!

The post Opinion: Five things we learned from Tottenham’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Let’s take a look at how the individual players got on:

Tottenham Player Ratings vs Crystal Palace

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate Emerson (L) and Brennan Johnson of Tottenham Hotspur after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Guglielmo Vicario – 6.5 – Did his job when Tottenham needed him. A smart stop and some quick reactions early in the first half. After that, he was more of a sweeper passing out from the back.

Pedro Porro – 6 – Not at his best in the first half. Lost the ball a couple of times and never quite found the space he needed in the pockets. A lot more dangerous in the second 45 when he drifted a bit wider. A few really nice balls into the box. Gifted Palace a goal at the end with some sloppy defending.

Cristian Romero – 7.5 – A dominant performance from the vice-captain again. Gobbled up any Palace player that dared come near him, and was probably Tottenham’s chief passer across the back line today. Really positive and proactive display.

Micky Van de Ven – 7 – A little quieter on the ball than Romero as a lot of the play went down Spurs’ right, but he won so many races in behind to sweep up danger. Such a powerful defender.

Ben Davies – 5 – Struggled to impose himself on the game. Tucked inside but never quite got involved in the Palace half. I wonder whether he was fully fit after coming off at half-time.

Yves Bissouma – 6 – Way off it today from Bissouma. A few nice moments but gave the ball away far too much. Not his usual press-resistant self. Could be a real battle between Bissouma and Hojbjerg to start against Chelsea now.

Pape Matar Sarr – 7.5 – Set up the Maddison goal/own-goal with his run in behind and cross into the box. Then helped to create the second with a lovely cross-field ball. Always full of running, but also full of such quality on the ball today.

James Maddison – 7 – Not at his scintillating best today, but neither were Spurs. The important thing is that he turned up when required and provided the split-second spark needed to break the deadlock. Sometimes that’s all you need on tough nights like tonight.

Dejan Kulusevski – 6 – Not really his game tonight. Crystal Palace were really well drilled and doubled up on Kulusevski whenever it went wide. Spurs had more luck with the raw pace of Johnson and Son in the end. He was still involved in some nice interplay with Sarr, but sloppy at times.

Heung-min Son – 7.5 – Son has been amongst the goals for the best part of a decade for Spurs, but he has a certain aura around him this season where you just feel he will be in the right place at the right time – Harry Kane-esque. Turning into a real captain for the Lilywhites under Ange.

Richarlison – 6 – Never quite happened for Richarlison once again. Struggling to get to grips with the wide-left role under Postecoglou and had a fair few wasteful moments this evening. Given enough minutes, I’m sure he can adapt, but Brennan Johnson is knocking on the door now.

Substitutes:

Emerson Royal – 6.5 – Seemed to offer a bit more than Davies. Even though he is right-footed, it doesn’t seem to matter as much when the full-backs play so inverted. More confident on the ball in tight areas and also covered well in behind defensively. Good shift from Emerson.

Brennan Johnson – 7 – Comes on and grabs an assist. Not much more you can ask for. His pace in behind seemed to be more of a threat this evening and he will fancy his chances to start against Chelsea.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 6.5 – Postecoglou clearly really trusts Pierre, and with good reason. He calmed things down and used the ball perfectly after coming on. Could he displace Bissouma next week?

Rodrigo Bentancur – N/A – WOOHOO!

Bryan Gil – N/A

The post Opinion: Player ratings from Tottenham’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

We believe that Postecoglou will make two changes to the XI that beat Fulham 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday.

Predicted Tottenham XI vs Crystal Palace

Guglielmo Vicario starts between the sticks after yet another positive performance against the Cottagers.

Destiny Udogie passes a late fitness test to take his place in the starting XI, alongside the usual trio of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Pedro Porro.

In midfield, Postecoglou recalls Yves Bissouma after his suspension, although he must avoid a yellow card in order to play a part next week against Chelsea. James Maddison retains his spot, while Pape Matar Sarr recovers from an illness to play.

In attack, Brennan Johnson comes in for Richarlison on the left, while Heung-min Son continues as the lone striker and Dejan Kulusevski supports from the right.

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The Lilywhites put in a professional performance against Fulham on their return from international duty on Monday and return earlier than usual this Friday evening.

That gives Tottenham the chance to go five points clear at the top of the table, albeit having played a game extra than the likes of Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

We caught up with Tottenham legend and friend of The Spurs Web, Pascal Chimbonda once more to get his best score prediction for the Premier League match.

The Tottenham Predictions

Pascal – 2-0 Tottenham win

Spurs Web – 2-0 Tottenham win

The Rules

The rules are simple – We will be predicting Tottenham scores against Pascal for the entire 2023/24 season. Three points will be awarded for a perfect prediction, while a correct score will get one point.

The Table

Spurs Web – 14 points after 10 games (5 correct results, 3 correct scores)

Pascal – 8 points after 10 games (5 correct results, 1 correct score)

The post Opinion: Pascal Chimbonda vs Spurs Web score prediction – Crystal Palace appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Ever since the former Fulham man was signed by Spurs in 2019, he has been riddled with frustrating knocks and long-term injuries in North London, making it near impossible to build up a positive run of form.

When Ange Postecoglou was hired in the summer, Sessegnon would surely have wanted to impress the new manager in pre-season to assess his chances for the campaign ahead.

Unfortunately, yet another long-term injury means the left-back is still yet to kick a ball for Postecoglou, in training or in a game situation.

Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Sessegnon is working hard for Tottenham return

The England U21 international remains one of Tottenham’s long-term absentees, but Postecoglou insists that Sessegnon is working hard to get back to the main group.

Postecoglou said (Football London): “Yeah it’s tough for him, it’s hard. When people ask me about being motivated, look at players like Ryan who have done nothing wrong but are working their backside off every day to try to get back.

“If you need motivation as footballers, there’s plenty of it around. You may not be playing or playing as much as you want but you’re still in a good space where you can at least afford yourself the opportunity to play whereas guys like Ryan have got to work hard to get back to the group.

“He’s got a lot of support here, the medical team and sports science staff work hard with him and he’s still part of the team on a daily basis so we’ve just got to get him back to a space where he’s physically able to participate again.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

I really think that Ryan Sessegnon needs a fresh start. I wonder whether a move to another league could give his career the boost it needs. With his consistent injury problems, perhaps jumping right back into the Premier League would be too much to ask of his body.

The post Postecoglou provides an update on how Sessegnon is doing physically and mentally appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Spurs seemed to be in a positive rhythm during the first half at Kenilworth Road, creating chance after chance, albeit without finding the back of the net.

However, on the stroke of half-time, Bissouma attempted to weave his way into the box and chose to take a dive over a Luton defender’s leg, earning him his marching orders and putting Spurs on the back foot.

Fortunately, the Lilywhites were able to come out of the away match with all three points thanks to a James Maddison moment of magic and Micky Van de Ven’s first goal for the club.

Bissouma was apparently relieved that his teammates had managed to spare his blushes, but Postecoglou thinks he will have taken a fair few lessons from the experience.

LUTON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 07: Yves Bissouma of Tottenham Hotspur leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the Premier League match between Luton Town and Tottenham Hotspur at Kenilworth Road on October 07, 2023 in Luton, England. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)

Bissouma will learn from his red card at Spurs

On how Bissouma reacted to the red card, Postecoglou said (Football London): “In terms of Biss himself, he was disappointed but his teammates got the job done and he’s appreciative of that and he saw the team win without him. All these things are lessons.

“As I keep saying, I don’t need to keep reinforcing anything, the players are well aware of consequences of actions & I don’t need to make any further point on that.”

On the Bissouma vs Hojbjerg competition, Ange added: “It’s no different to any other week. They’re not really dilemmas, just choices that people in my position have to make and I’ve always made those decisions pretty simply and cleanly about what I think we need.

“Tomorrow night we’ll start with a certain group of players and finish with another and it’s about trying to get the job done. When that game is done, we’ll look to the next one.

“It’s good to have Biss available, he’s been a big part of what we’re doing. The team did well the other night so that should make us stronger.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

I am in two minds about whether it makes sense to start Bissouma tomorrow. Part of me would rather Hojbjerg played to guarantee that Bissouma is available for the Chelsea match. One yellow against Palace and he would be suspended yet again.

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Tottenham have been a fluid and entertaining unit ever since Postecoglou first arrived in the dugout in the season-opening 2-2 draw with Brentford.

The Lilywhites have scored a total of 20 goals this season in the league while conceding just eight, and the likes of Heung-min Son and James Maddison have been on fire in front of goal.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal with teammate Son Heung-Min during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Spurs attack should get better and better under Ange

However, it appears that Postecoglou still wants to make a lot of improvements in the attacking third, revealing that the main growth of his Spurs team will come in that part of the pitch.

Although Tottenham have come on leaps and bounds from the defensive football of the Mourinho and Conte eras, Postecoglou still needs time to teach his current crop how to adapt to his way of play.

When asked what the main area of improvement will be, he said (Charlie Eccleshare): “Main growth will still come in the attacking third. A lot of our moves are not natural or how we want them to be.”

Interesting bit from Postecoglou when asked what the main area of improvement is for this team: "Main growth will still come in the attacking third. A lot of our moves are not natural or how we want them to be."

— Charlie Eccleshare (@CDEccleshare) October 26, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion:

If this is just the starting point of Tottenham’s attacking capabilities then I am terrified to think about where the team will be 12 months from now!

The post ‘Not natural’ – Postecoglou makes interesting admission about Spurs attack appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Let’s take a look at five things we learned:

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mates after scoring the team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Top of the League

How could we start with anything else? Tottenham Hotspur are not only back at the top of the Premier League, but also two points clear… with a chance to make it five points clear on Friday. We have to enjoy it while it lasts, right?

Unsung Hero Hojbjerg

All of the talk was about Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after the team news was announced, as Ange Postecoglou was forced into a deviation from his normal first-choice XI. Hojbjerg came in for the suspended Bissouma and did an excellent job. What I loved was that he made the role his own.

I was worried that Spurs would try and force Hojbjerg to become this Bissouma-esque press-resistant pivot and Fulham would have a field day. Instead, the Dane dropped deep, picked up the ball, recognised where the most dangerous point of attack was, and recycled the ball into the space. Very simple but very effective. He also ran his socks off for the team, creating the second goal as a reward.

Postecoglou Has High Standards

Although Spurs were 2-0 up and Fulham didn’t look like getting back into the game, Postecoglou cut a frustrated figure on the touchline. Spurs were sloppy in the second 45 at times, and it appears he holds them to high standards for the full 90. After all, one goal out of nothing and Fulham were within a sniff of a point. I love that Postecoglou is always thinking about the big picture. We are at the start of a process and a good performance means more to him than a simple win.

Captains Fantastic

I would argue that Tottenham’s three best players on the pitch last night, or at least three of the top five, were Heung-min Son, James Maddison, and Cristian Romero. Captain, vice-captain, and vice-captain. Two goals and an assist for Sonny, a goal for Maddison, and a commanding clean sheet for Romero.

If you watch any of the three off the ball for ten minutes, you also see how much they talk to the players around them. Romero applauded his fellow defenders a few times, Maddison had his arm around Richarlison, no doubt delivering some extra motivation or instructions, and Sonny is so much more of a talker than he was even 12 months ago. Strong leadership at Spurs!

Gugo, Gugo, Gugo!

Vicario deserves more than a mention here, and not just for his performance last night. He is among the most impressive goalkeepers in the Premier League this season, and there have been very few games where he has been allowed to sit back and enjoy a stress-free show.

More often than not, he earns his clean sheets with superb stops at important moments of the game, and that was no different yesterday. One to prevent Fulham from equalising with a header and another at 2-0 when the Cottagers went through on goal. The future of the Spurs gloves looks secure.

The post Opinion: Five things we learned from Tottenham’s 2-0 victory against Fulham appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Let’s take a look at how the individual players got on:

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal with teammate Son Heung-Min during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings vs Fulham

Guglielmo Vicario – 8 – He had a couple of nervy moments with the ball at his feet and, on another day, that could have cost Spurs a goal. However, his two crucial stops at important times in the game are worthy of more recognition.

Pedro Porro – 7.5 – A delightful performance from Tottenham’s right-back. Fulham afforded him a lot of space, both out wide and in the pockets, and he exploited that space expertly while also coming off best in his one-on-ones against Willian.

Cristian Romero – 9 – One of his finest performances in a Tottenham shirt, albeit not up against the most potent attackers. Fulham had an off day going forward and Romero was merciless. Winning the ball back for fun, covering in behind, and carrying the ball out of defence. Superb.

Micky Van de Ven – 8 – Almost as good as his Argentine partner, Van de Ven was cool, calm and collected on the ball. Defending as a two in a last-ditch manner really isn’t easy, but Van de Ven uses his pace and strength to make it look so.

Destiny Udogie – 7.5 – Picked up some really nice positions in the pockets between midfield and attack, while looking incredibly composed on and off the ball in defence. Only lasted 55 minutes.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 8.5 – There was so much attention on PEH before kick-off as he had a tough job of replacing Bissouma, but he made the role his own. Recycled the ball into the most dangerous areas for Spurs, setting up the attack for the second goal. Also spared Vicario’s blushes with an interception at one point when Tottenham otherwise may have conceded.

Pape Matar Sarr – 8 – Seemed to step up in the absence of Bissouma, dropping a little deeper at times to collect the ball and get Spurs up the pitch. Went down injured in the second half but fingers crossed it is nothing serious.

James Maddison – 9 – At first, I thought Maddison was just enjoying a purple patch, but he is maintaining these ridiculously high standards every single game. Another goal last night and it could have been a lot more. He took the game by the scruff of its neck and stamped his name on it.

Richarlison – 7 – It just won’t come off for Richarlison at the moment. He was arguably more impressive off the ball, with an incredible work rate and appetite to win the ball back. Unfortunately, he was wasteless in front of goal once again and could have had a couple.

Heung-min Son – 9 – A goal and an assist, plus a bunch of really bright moments in attack. When you give Sonny time and space around the box, you are going to have problems. His work in tight, central areas has really improved over the past year.

Dejan Kulusevski – 7.5 – Needs to be more selfish. Some of his work on the ball was crazy last night, wriggling through gaps that weren’t there and bullying the Fulham left-back with ease. Made a number of great chances, but also tried to tee up a teammate when he should have shot a few times.

Substitutes: 

Oliver Skipp – 6 – Came on for the injured Sarr and did a good job seeing the game out.

Emerson Royal – 6 – Came on for Udogie and looked really at home on the left and right.

Brennan Johnson – N/A

Alejo Veliz – N/A

The post Opinion: Player ratings from Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Fulham appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Wins for Liverpool and Man City took them above the Lilywhites, while Arsenal came from two goals down to rescue a draw away to Chelsea, thus keeping their unbeaten record intact.

That means, we currently have the Citizens at the top of the table with 21 points and a goal difference of 12, followed by Arsenal on the same tally but a goal difference of 10.

Liverpool and Spurs are both one point behind the leaders on 20, with goal differences of 11 and 10 respectively heading into Monday Night Football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

What do Spurs need to do to go top again?

While a draw at home to Fulham would take Spurs joint top on points with Man City and Arsenal, they would fall short on goal difference.

A score draw would take Spurs up into second, above Arsenal on goals scored. However, a 0-0 result would see the two North London sides both have 21 points, 10 goal difference, and 18 goals scored.

Normally, it would go down to head-to-head, but the clubs played out a 2-2 draw at the Emirates earlier this season. Therefore, it would go down to away goals in that fixture, inching Spurs ahead.

A win, of course, would take Tottenham back to the summit of the table and two points clear of both Man City and Arsenal, three clear of Liverpool.

The post What Tottenham need to do vs Fulham to go top of the Premier League again appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The Cottagers are actually the only team to have handed Spurs a defeat so far this season, knocking Ange Postecoglou’s much-changed Tottenham XI out of the Carabao Cup.

Currently top of the Premier League table, the Australian will be hoping to see his side extend their lead rather than fall to Fulham for the second time in a row.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 30: Fulham FC club badge on the corner flag during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Craven Cottage on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

We caught up with Tottenham legend and friend of The Spurs Web, Pascal Chimbonda once more to get his best score prediction for the Premier League match.

The Tottenham Predictions

Pascal – 3-1 Tottenham win

Spurs Web – 2-0 Tottenham win

The Rules

The rules are simple – We will be predicting Tottenham scores against Pascal for the entire 2023/24 season. Three points will be awarded for a perfect prediction, while a correct score will get one point.

The Table

Spurs Web – 11 points after 9 games (5 correct results, 2 correct scores)

Pascal – 7 points after 9 games (4 correct results, 1 correct score)

The post Opinion: Pascal Chimbonda vs Spurs Web score prediction – Fulham appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Gil is yet to play a single minute under his new Tottenham boss thanks to an injury he picked up before pre-season training even began.

In fact, the Spaniard has found North London game time hard to come by ever since he joined Tottenham, having been sent out on multiple loan spells back in La Liga.

However, with the recent injuries to Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic on the left side of attack, Gil could find himself with opportunities to break into the starting XI once he is up to fitness.

Postecoglou has used a number of options on that side so far this season, including Solomon, Perisic, Heung-min Son, Richarlison and Brennan Johnson – who has also just returned from injury.

(Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Postecoglou sounds like a fan of Bryan Gil

Postecoglou said (Football London): “He [Gil] can be really important for us. He’s one like I said the last couple of weeks it has been great to have him just working really hard at training.

“He’s missed all of this season so far and it’s well chronicled that we lost Ivan and Manor who play in that left-wing position. Having Bryan fit and available again is great for us.

On Lo Celso, he added: “He is obviously very highly regarded with the Argentinian set-up because they always call him up and he played in both games.

“He didn’t play significant minutes but he played in both and played 15-20 in the second game. It is great for him and his confidence.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Bryan Gil could get a real chance to stake a claim on that left-wing spot with Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic out. Of course, he will still have to push hard and compete with Brennan Johnson, Richarlison and even Heung-min Son, but Postecoglou seems to like him.

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Premier League leaders, Tottenham, face 12th-place Fulham in a London derby in North London on Monday as they hope to extend their lead at the top of the tree.

Unfortunately, because the fixture will be the last to take place this week, Spurs may find themselves as low as fourth before a ball is kicked, with Arsenal, Man City, and Liverpool biting at their heels.

Spurs and Arsenal are now the only two unbeaten teams at the start of the new campaign, with six wins and two draws each.

(Photo by Aston Villa/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)

Could Postecoglou and Lange be a dream team?

Ange Postecoglou, who has won back-to-back Manager of the Month awards, will want to see his new-look Tottenham keep progressing on the pitch, no matter their position in the table.

And it appears he already has one eye on the January window and some additions Johan Lange could help him make to the squad.

He said (Football London): “I’ve had a good couple of chats with Johan now since he’s been appointed.

“I think it is fair to say it is a position we needed to fill and with all big football clubs, they become such an important part of the function knowing that for the most part that with recruitment these days there aren’t too many hidden gems out there.

“Everyone knows what’s out there and having people who are really adept and qualified in seeking out the ones who will be a good fit for us is really important.

“That is Johan’s brief and I’m looking forward to him getting started. Obviously, we’ve got the January window not too far around the corner so I am sure he will be keen to get involved as well.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Tottenham have everything in order from top to bottom to really kick on now. It’s just about giving Postecoglou the right tools and placing trust in him to make progress on the pitch.

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Tottenham face a London derby against Fulham on Monday Night Football as they look to shake off any potential international break hangover.

The Lilywhites were last in action when they scraped a 1-0 away win at Luton Town, following Yves Bissouma’s red card in the first half – which also means the midfielder will miss the Fulham clash.

It appears Postecoglou has his eye on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as a possible replacement for the Mali international, which will come as little surprise to most Spurs fans.

While it is still very early in the season, Ange Postecoglou and his team will be hoping to extend their lead at the top of the table come the end of the game week.

However, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal will all have chances to go ahead of Spurs before a ball is kicked at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday.

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou said (FootballLondon): “With Bissouma missing out this game, we had to adjust without him at Luton which I thought we did awfully well with 10 men.

“We’ve got some options, certainly Pierre is a ready-made replacement, he’s been training really hard, he’s obviously probably wanted to be playing more because he’s pretty much been a constant for the last two/three years.

“But when he has come on for us he’s done really well, for me he’s the logical one to come in but we’ve got a couple of sessions to go.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Hojbjerg is certainly the logical option. What I would say is I hope Spurs tweak the system a little around the Dane and what he is good at. If we play assuming Hojbjerg can be as press-resistant as Bissouma then we will get into some real trouble.

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We believe that Guglielmo Vicario will retain his place between the sticks, with the usual back four of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky Van de Ven and Destiny Udogie.

In the pivot role is where we see our guaranteed change for the evening, as Yves Bissouma picked up a suspension for his red card last time out against Luton Town.

We expect Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to step into the role, although he will likely play it slightly differently to the Mali international.

Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison both start once more, at least giving some stability to a changed midfield system.

Up front, Heung-min Son is named as the lead striker again, with Dejan Kulusevski playing off the right. However, we have a feeling that Brennan Johnson may pass a fitness test to replace Richarlison on the left.

Predicted Tottenham Hotspur XI vs Fulham

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The international break is finally over and Tottenham Hotspur fans will flock back to their home stadium on Monday evening to watch a London derby as Fulham come to visit.

Spurs went into the break at the top of the table, although three rivals in Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool will have the chance to overtake the Lilywhites before Monday’s kick-off.

Fulham are currently 12th in the Premier League table and have just two wins from their last six, compared to Spurs who boast an unbeaten start to the season, with six wins and two draws.

Tottenham will also be without Yves Bissouma after the Mali international saw red against Luton Town last time out. Bentancur would arguably be Tottenham’s best press-resistant pivot replacement, but the Uruguayan is not quite up to speed yet.

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 12: Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham Hotspur arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 12, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou said (Football London): “No he won’t be in the squad Monday.

“We’ll be careful with him. Now he’s sort of fully training, so that means he’s into the whole session. We’ve drip-fed him into training the last month and he’s coped pretty well with that. Now he’s into full training.

“We’ve got to be mindful that he’s missed a fair bit of football, but I think the more he trains with the first team over the next few weeks we’ll sort of pick our moment.

“He’s looking good at training and it was great to have him for the last couple of weeks to fully integrate with the guys who are here and we’re looking forward to having him back.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Having Bentancur back will be huge for Spurs and offer some real competition to the midfield ranks for the first time this season. Although Pape Matar Sarr has looked really impressive, I think everyone is excited to see a midfield of Bentancur, Bissouma, and Maddison.

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