The ideal Europa League set-up for Tottenham Hotspur

 

With the COVID-19 pandemic wrecking havoc worldwide, the Premier League was subjected to a lengthy suspension over a period of four months from mid-March till mid-July.

Tottenham Hotspur, which had been in a crisis prior to the suspension, found themselves beneficiaries of this pause as key players such as Harry Kane were able to be nursed back to the starting line-up, and the squad was able to adjust themselves to the tactics of new manager, Jose Mourinho.

However, with the damage already dealt prior to the suspension, Spurs found themselves out of contention for next season’s UEFA Champions League, and face stiff competition for the UEFA Europa League spots.

With one game left in the 2019-20 Premier League season, Europa League qualification is no longer in the hands of Tottenham Hotspur. Even if Spurs win away at Crystal Palace in their final game, a victory for Wolverhampton Wanderers over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge will still leave Spurs in 7th place, which does not necessarily guarantee a place in next season’s Europe League.

The FA Cup, which has yet to conclude, could result in the 7th placed Premier League team losing out on Europa League football next season should Arsenal beat Chelsea in the finals in August.

This means that Chelsea has a huge role in deciding if Spurs will qualify for the Europa League. A Chelsea FA Cup victory, coupled with a Spurs top 7 finish, would ensure Europa League for the latter next season. This means that Spurs are vulnerable to Chelsea’s FA Cup finals performance if they are unable to leapfrog Wolves to 6th place in the league table (a position that is not in Spurs’ hands, but rather in that of Wolves).

With 2 of the UEFA Champions League spots for next season already occupied by Liverpool and Manchester City, the last 2 spots are contested by Manchester United, Chelsea and Leicester City.

While Spurs will be hoping for a Chelsea victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers today in order for them to qualify for the Europa League, a Chelsea win, coupled with a Manchester United win, will help Spurs a lot for the Europa League next season as well.

Should Chelsea and Manchester United join Liverpool and Manchester City in the Champions League next season, the English teams in the Europa League could be Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers/Arsenal (the latter depending on the results of the FA Cup finals).

This would make Spurs’ journey in the Europa League much easier.

Spurs have a 50% win rate over Leicester City (18% draw and 32% lost), 49% over Wolves (21% draw and 30% lost), making these two teams better opponents for Tottenham to play against in the Europa League.

In contrast, Spurs only have a 27% win rate over Manchester United (25% draw and 48% lost), 33% over Chelsea (24% draw and 43% lost), and 33% over Arsenal (26% draw and 41% lost). While Spurs have performed well against United and the Gunners in recent seasons, it would still be more difficult to face any of these three teams compared to Leicester and Wolves.

Therefore, with these statistics in mind and assuming that Spurs qualifies for the Europa League next season, the following table is the list of ideal outcomes for Spurs, from best to worst.

Best outcome for Spurs (best to worst)	English teams in next season’s Europa League	Condition
1	Spurs, Leicester	Chelsea beats Wolves Man Utd beats/draws Leicester Wolves win this season’s Europa League Chelsea beats Arsenal in FA Cup finals
2	Spurs, Wolves	Chelsea beats Wolves Leicester beats Man Utd Man Utd win this season’s Europa League Chelsea beats Arsenal in FA Cup finals
3	Spurs, Leicester, Wolves	Chelsea beats Wolves Man Utd beats/draws Leicester Chelsea beats Arsenal in FA Cup finals
4	Spurs, Arsenal	Chelsea beats Wolves Leicester beats Man Utd Man Utd win this season’s Europa League Arsenal beats Chelsea in FA Cup finals
5	Spurs, Leicester, Arsenal	Chelsea beats Wolves Man Utd beats/draws Leicester Arsenal beats Chelsea in FA Cup finals
6	Spurs, Chelsea	Wolves beat Chelsea Leicester beats Man Utd Chelsea beats Arsenal in FA Cup finals Wolves win this season’s Europa League
7	Spurs, Man Utd	Chelsea beats Wolves Leicester beats Man Utd Wolves win this season’s Europa League Chelsea beats Arsenal in FA Cup finals
8	Spurs, Wolves, Chelsea	Wolves beat Chelsea Leicester beats Man Utd Chelsea beats Arsenal in FA Cup finals
9	Spurs, Man Utd, Wolves	Chelsea beats Wolves Leicester beats Man Utd Chelsea beats Arsenal in FA Cup finals
10	Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal	Chelsea draws with Wolves Leicester draws with Man Utd Arsenal beats Chelsea in FA Cup finals
11	Spurs, Man Utd, Arsenal	Chelsea beats Wolves Leicester beats Man Utd Arsenal beats Chelsea in FA Cup finals

Therefore, despite Spurs needing Chelsea to beat Wolves today, and beat Arsenal in the FA Cup finals as well, a Manchester United victory over Leicester City will be immensely helpful as well. Of course, Spurs would also need to do their part by beating Crystal Palace today to set up the ideal Europa League English team combination for next season.

Anthony Georgiou has one season left to prove himself

Academy graduate Anthony Georgiou must be feeling the heat from competition this season, except that the competition is not coming from Tottenham Hotspur’s rivals, but rather from within.

The Cyprus international is primarily a left winger but can also play at left-back, and he impressed at the latter position for Spurs against Juventus at the International Champions Cup.

However, his subsequent performance against Manchester United in the same competition left much to be desired, highlighting his inconsistency.

With pre-season now over, Georgiou must be left ruing his missed opportunity to further impress Mauricio Pochettino, especially with the signing of Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham on deadline day.

The signing of Ryan Sessegnon will prove to be a threat for Anthony Georgiou’s long-term future at Spurs

Just like Georgiou, Sessegnon can also play at both left wing and left-back, with a higher degree of quality than the former.

Despite being 3 years older than Sessegnon, Georgiou will most certainly be fourth choice at left-back this season, behind Danny Rose, Ben Davies and Ryan Sessegnon.

The left wing option is also not a possibility for him, especially with the amount of players ahead of him: Son Heung Min, Erik Lamela, Ryan Sessegnon and even Georges-Kevin N’koudou.

Had Spurs not signed Ryan Sessegnon on deadline day, there might have been a glimmer of hope for Georgiou to play in cup matches if either Rose or Davies was injured or suspended, but with Sessegnon in the picture now, it is unlikely that he would be rotated to play at left-back unless an injury or suspension crisis occurred.

Danny Rose and Ben Davies are the solid first two left-back choices for Spurs at the moment

To top all of that off, Georgiou is also 22-year old this year and would count towards Spurs’ homegrown players in the Premier League squad this season. His inclusion brings Spurs’ homegrown tally to 7 (along with Rose, Davies, Harry Winks, Harry Kane, Kyle Walker-Peters and Dele Alli), 1 shy of the 8 player count that clubs strive toward.

However, with Luke Amos returning from loan next season (23-year old at the start of next season) as well as Cameron Carter-Vickers (22-year old at the start of next season), that would bring Spurs’ total homegrown tally to 9.

While clubs are more than welcome to include more than 8 homegrown players in their 25-man squad and Carter-Vickers may be sold or sent on loan again, Pochettino may still want to let Georgiou go in order to buy another homegrown player to ensure that he gets the maximum quality in his squad as well as the full 17 foreign player quota.

Luke Amos will most certainly take Georgiou’s homegrown spot away when he returns from loan next season

This puts Georgiou on the bubble this season with hardly any opportunities to prove himself, placing him in a position where he is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

From what it seems, there are only 3 options available to Georgiou:

1. Request a loan move. A successful loan move this season will increase his line of suitors in the summer, letting him move for a club more suited to his ambitions. Having 6 senior Cyprus caps under his belt also helps in boosting his portfolio.
2. Play his way above Ryan Sessegnon. It is no secret that the Fulham academy graduate is a much better left winger than a left-back, and if Pochettino feels that Georgiou is a better left-back than Sessegnon, then he may just place Sessegnon solely on left wing duties and let Georgiou take the 3rd left-back spot. However, being 3rd choice also limits his playing time.
3. Hold out till the summer and hope for a Danny Rose departure. Rose was the subject of massive speculation this past transfer window with the club giving him additional time off to pursue other opportunities. If Rose was to depart in the next summer window, coupled with option 2 above, Georgiou may just find himself being Spurs’ 2nd choice left-back next season behind Ben Davies. However, this plays a lot on luck and is a risky move for Georgiou.

Overall, it is not realistic for Georgiou to hope to be part of Mauricio Pochettino’s long-term plans and it may be a wiser move for him to start thinking of a move away and consider his future at another club.

However, no matter the decision, Georgiou is still an academy graduate, one of our own, and the well wishes of the fans will be with him.

Breakdown of Tottenham Hotspur’s Player List for the 2019/20 Premier League and Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur’s new season will officially start today with its Premier League opener against newly promoted Aston Villa at home.

Fans will be excited with the new faces of Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso and how they will contribute towards Spurs’ chase for its first trophy in 11 years (unfortunately the International Champions Cup last year and Audi Cup this year does not count).

But with Spurs’ new squad for this season, how will their player lists look like for the Premier League and Champions League? How will these 2 lists differ and will there be any player who miss out?

How will Spurs’ submitted player list look like with the addition of Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso?

Premier League

Under the Premier League’s player list rules, each team must submit a list of up to 25 players, of which 8 must be homegrown. If a team does not fulfill 8 homegrown players, the count will be deducted from the total tally of 25 accordingly.

A homegrown player in the Premier League is one who has been affiliated with a club from the Football Association (FA) for at least 3 years before his 21st birthday, regardless of nationality. This means that players like Ben Davies count as a homegrown player despite his nationality being Welsh.

Ben Davies count as a homegrown player in the Premier League despite his nationality being Welsh

What if a player is English but is not affiliated with any FA clubs for at least 3 years before he turned 21? Unfortunately, he will not be counted as homegrown, as is the case for Eric Dier, who was on the books of Sporting Lisbon before he made his move to Tottenham at the age of 20.

Clubs can also play as many U21 players as they wish, classified as players who are born on or after 1 January 1998.

Spurs can call upon 17-year old Troy Parrott in the Premier League without registering him in the 25 man player list

Homegrown Players

1. Danny Rose
2. Harry Winks
3. Harry Kane
4. Kyle Walker-Peters
5. Dele Alli
6. Ben Davies
7. Anthony Georgiou

Foreign Players

1. Hugo Lloris
2. Toby Alderweireld
3. Jan Vertonghen
4. Davinson Sanchez
5. Son Heung Min
6. Erik Lamela
7. Victor Wanyama
8. Georges-Kevin N’koudou
9. Eric Dier
10. Moussa Sissoko
11. Giovani Lo Celso
12. Paulo Gazzaniga
13. Christian Eriksen
14. Serge Aurier
15. Lucas Moura
16. Tanguy Ndombele

U21 Players (based on Spurs’ squad list only)

1. Ryan Sessegnon
2. Juan Foyth
3. Oliver Skipp
4. Japhet Tanganga
5. George Marsh
6. Alfie Whiteman
7. Timothy Eyoma
8. Jamie Bowden
9. Jack Roles
10. Brandon Austin
11. Troy Parrott
12. Harvey White

Therefore, based on the age of the players, Spurs will submit a 23 man player list, with 7 homegrown players and 16 foreign players. Spurs can fill up this list during the 2020 January transfer window with 1 more homegrown player and 1 more foreign player.

UEFA Champions League

Similar to the Premier League player list, the Champions League requires teams to submit a 25 player list (the A list), of which 8 must be homegrown, otherwise the player count will be deducted from the total tally of 25 accordingly.

However, unlike the Premier League, the Champions League requires at least half the homegrown players to be trained at the registered club for at least 3 years between the age of 15 and 21, so players like Dele Alli will be counted under HG2 (trained under other English FA clubs) instead of HG1 (trained at Tottenham).

Dele Alli counts as a HG2 player for Spurs in the Champions League player list

Additionally, clubs affiliated with the FA but not from England will also not count towards the homegrown tally, so players like Ben Davies, who trained at Swansea City in Wales, count as a foreign player despite Swansea playing in the English system.

Clubs can also register as many B List players as they wish, classified as those born on or after 1 January 1997 and have been eligible for the club for 2 years since his 15th birthday. This new rule change allows players like Juan Foyth to be placed on the B List, freeing up a slot in the A List.

Juan Foyth will be shifted from the A List to the B List for the 2019/20 Champions League season

However, players like Ryan Sessegnon, despite being only 19 years old, has to be placed on the A List as he has not been eligible for Spurs for 2 years yet. However, in the 2021/22 Champions League season, Sessegnon can be placed on the B List if he is still with Spurs and the club qualifies for the Champions League.

A List HG1

1. Danny Rose
2. Harry Winks
3. Harry Kane
4. Kyle Walker-Peters

A List HG2

1. Ryan Sessegnon
2. Dele Alli

A List Foreign Players

1. Hugo Lloris
2. Toby Alderweireld
3. Jan Vertonghen
4. Davinson Sanchez
5. Son Heung Min
6. Erik Lamela
7. Victor Wanyama
8. Georges-Kevin N’koudou
9. Eric Dier
10. Moussa Sissoko
11. Giovani Lo Celso
12. Paulo Gazzaniga
13. Christian Eriksen
14. Serge Aurier
15. Lucas Moura
16. Tanguy Ndombele
17. Ben Davies

B List (based on Spurs’ squad list only)

1. Juan Foyth
2. Oliver Skipp
3. Japhet Tanganga
4. George Marsh
5. Alfie Whiteman
6. Anthony Georgiou
7. Timothy Eyoma
8. Jamie Bowden
9. Jack Roles
10. Brandon Austin
11. Troy Parrott
12. Harvey White

Just like its Premier League player list, Spurs will also submit a 23 man player list for the Champions League, but should Spurs want to increase that tally to 25 in January, the 2 additional players must be homegrown (does not matter if its HG1 or HG2 as Spurs already have 4 HG1 players on that list).

It’s a lucky break for Georges-Kevin N’koudou as he may get his chance to play in the Champions League with the rule change that shifts Juan Foyth from the A List to the B List. This is because Spurs have only signed 2 foreign players in Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso to replace the departed Michel Vorm and Fernando Llorente.

For any other queries on the player list, do leave a comment below.

West Ham and Leicester interested in Tottenham’s Fernando Llorente

The Sun has reported that West Ham United and Leicester City are the latest clubs interested in a move for the free transfer of Fernando Llorente from Tottenham Hotspur.

This comes after previous reports that FC Barcelona and Napoli are eyeing up moves for the previous Swansea man.

Spurs had an option to trigger a year long extension in the Spaniard’s contract but missed the timing to do so.

Among all these clubs linked with Llorente, West Ham has got to be the club that can offer Llorente the playing minutes that he needs, and from a Spurs fan perspective, despite West Ham being London rivals, Llorente would probably benefit more from moving to West Ham.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Top 4 Battle with Arsenal, Squad Against Everton – Everything on the 2018-19 Premier League Finale

It is finally the last matchday of the 2018-19 Premier League season, and despite recent poor performances, Tottenham Hotspur have somehow managed to remain within the top 4 places thanks to the equally poor performances from Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Manchester United’s draw against Huddersfield Town on matchday 37 ensured that Spurs can no longer finish below the Red Devils while Arsenal’s draw with Brighton and Hove Albion have boosted Spurs’ chances of a top 4 finish.

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So can Tottenham Hotspur still finish outside of the top 4 after today? Mathematically, yes. Spurs are currently on 70 points, with a goal difference of +28 while rivals Arsenal are on 67 points with a goal difference of +20.

A home defeat for Spurs against Everton and a away victory for Arsenal against Burnley, coupled with a goal swing of 8 will make the worst outcome happen as Arsenal have scored more goals than Spurs, so an equal tally of points and goal difference will see the Gunners leapfrog the Lilywhites.

However, a victory or a draw against the Toffees will ensure that this does not happen and you can be sure that Mauricio Pochettino will be urging his side to go all out at home against Everton.

This will not be easy though as Spurs, having gone through two transfer windows without a single signing, have been plagued with injury concerns and could possible be without 8 players for this final match, namely Harry Kane, Harry Winks, Jan Vertonghen, Davinson Sanchez, Victor Wanyama, Danny Rose, as well as Son Heung Min and Juan Foyth who are suspended.

This leaves Spurs with only one centre-back in Toby Alderweireld, and Pochettino could call upon left-back Ben Davies to fill in as his partner as he did earlier this season while Eric Dier is another option.

Should Davies be called upon the left-back position could be left empty as Danny Rose is injured as well, and young Kyle Walker-Peters could start as he can play both right-back and left-back.

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Fit-again Serge Aurier could start at right-back with the disastrous performances from Kieran Trippier recently.

In central midfield, young Oliver Skipp could start alongside Moussa Sissoko with Luke Amos, Harry Winks and Victor Wanyma doubts. Eric Dier could possibly start but may be left on the bench as a defensive cover.

Kane’s injury and Son’s suspension mean that Lucas Moura could start upfront with Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente on the bench as impact substitutes with the latter two not having the speed to deal with the pacey Everton.

Erik Lamela, who is back from injury, could link up with Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen in the attacking midfield role.

On the bench, Kieran Trippier could be on standby along with youngsters Timothy Eyoma and George Marsh.

Despite the severely depleted squad, you can be sure that Spurs will give everything to finish in the top 4, otherwise their Champions League hopes for next season will lie on winning the Champions League finals against Liverpool.

Can Vincent Janssen emulate Mousa Dembele’s transformation to find success at Spurs?

The chapter of Vincent Janssen’s Spurs career seem to be rapidly closing to an end, with the fit again striker not included in Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs squad that faced Fulham.

Instead, it was 20-year old Kazaiah Sterling who was pulled out of an U23 match to stand by on the bench as he watched his first team seniors grabbed a breathtaking stoppage time winner at Craven Cottage.

In many ways Janssen’s career seem to be hitting the same obstacle that Mousa Dembele faced early in his career with Fulham.

Signed as a striker, Dembele failed to score as freely as he did at AZ as the Premier League proved to be another domain altogether for the Belgian.

It was not till 9 months after he was signed by Fulham did new manager Martin Jol realised Dembele’s true talents can be utilised in a more central role, and in that position Dembele stayed till now.

Indeed, the agile Belgian’s dribbling and passing was more useful to the team in central midfield and that prompted Tottenham Hotspur to move in for him in 2012.

Just like Dembele, Janssen was signed from AZ in the Eredivisie and the striker too struggled to find his shooting boots in the Premier League, and after 2 seasons at Spurs, Mauricio Pochettino seem to have given up on him.

However, just Dembele, Janssen is a good passer and is able to pick out key passes. While the Dutchman is not as agile, he is strong and he utilises this trait for his hold-up play, which helps him to maintain possession for his passing game.

Janssen is also two-footed and while this trait is more important for his forward play, it will help him to pass more effectively and quickly, without the need for a second touch.

His two-footed ability is exemplified by his one and only Premier League goal from open play against AFC Bournemouth, where he turned and took the shot with his left foot on the first touch. When the shot was deflected and fell back to him, he took a second shot with his right foot on the first touch again.

A Vincent Janssen and Harry Winks midfield would be an effective combination for Spurs to maintain constant possession in midfield and play forward key passes.

The question is, can Janssen earn the trust of Pochettino again and will he be able to emulate the success of Mousa Dembele should he be given this opportunity?

Josh Maja should choose Tottenham Hotspur over Manchester City

Amidst the intense speculation surrounding the future of Josh Maja’s future, a host of clubs have emerged as potential destinations for the 20-year old Englishman.

A couple of days ago, Sunderland manager Jack Ross gave Maja an ultimatum, sign a new contract within a week or be sold in January. The offer tabled by Sunderland appeared to be attractive, £5000 per week, which is 7 times that of Maja’s current wages.

Much of Sunderland’s goals this season have came from Josh Maja

The aggressive stance of Ross to keep one of the Black Cats’ own, as well as wages offered, appeared to soften Maja as he indicated his interest to sign the new contract. However, in a twist of events, the signing was blocked by Maja’s agent, as reported by Sky Sports.

With the deadline up for Maja, it now seems inevitable that the talented young striker will leave the Stadium of Light, but where is the best destination for him to further his career?

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Newcastle United

Sunderland’s fierce Wearside rival, Newcastle United, will table a £5 million bid for Maja, as reported by The Sun, as the Toons prepare to reinforce their attack.

However, a transfer to Newcastle may not be the most ideal destination for Maja.

The Magpies are currently in the midst of a takeover negotiation and while this may potentially signal more funds forthcoming for the club in the transfer market, the opposite could well be true with the new owners not willing to over-commit to a club battling relegation at the moment.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley may sell the club in the coming weeks

Newcastle currently sits 15th in the Premier League table, just 2 points off the bottom 3, with 21 matches played. If the Toons do get relegated, Maja will be playing in the Championship, and could also play against Sunderland, who are gearing for an immediate promotion from League One.

Newcastle also has plenty of strikers to choose from, boasting the firepower of Salomon Rondon, Yoshinori Muto, Joselu and Ayoze Perez, which may limit Maja’s playing time.

This is hardly the situation which Maja would want to find himself in, and it hardly suits his ambitions of playing at the top as well.

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Crystal Palace

While the potential situation for Maja at Newcastle United looks grim, it is not that much better off for him at Selhurst Park as well, with The Sun reporting Crystal Palace’s interest in Maja as well.

The Eagles sit 14th in the Premier League, one position above Newcastle United, and 6 points off the bottom 3.

Just like Newcastle, Crystal Palace also has a list of strikers in their ranks, with Connor Wickham, Jordan Ayew and Alexander Sorloth currently available. Christian Benteke is also close to a return, and Maja may also have to fight hard for his place.

Christian Benteke is close to a return for Crystal Palace, increasing competition for the forward spot

Unlike the playing system at Sunderland where Maja operates as a lone forward, the Crystal Palace under Roy Hodgson prefers to play with 3 upfront, with Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha supporting the centre forward.

While this may mean more firepower support for Maja, it also means that only one striker plays at any time, with the other 2 positions on the flanks occupied by Townsend and Zaha, making Crystal Palace another less than ideal destination for Maja.

Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha runs the show for Crystal Palace on the flanks

Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City

While there are a whole list of clubs which are also interested in Josh Maja, namely Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Bristol City, Leeds United, Burnley and etc., the two big clubs which have emerged as suitors for his signature are Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

So which of these two clubs would be the best move for Maja?

At first glance, City may be the rewarding club for Maja. He spent some time in City’s academy before joining Sunderland due to the Sky Blues’ unwillingness to offer him a scholarship.

However, if the list of strikers at Newcastle and Crystal Palace would cause Maja to rethink his decision to join them, then surely the situation at City is worse.

While Manchester City do not have as much centre forwards among their ranks like Newcastle and Crystal Palace, the competition for that spot at the Etihad Stadium is pretty much a two-way battle between Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, and it would take years before Maja can establish himself ahead of them.

It would be near impossible for Josh Maja to get ahead of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus at Manchester City

Just like Crystal Palace, Manchester City operates a three-man forward line, with Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez vying for the positions on the flanks to play alongside the centre forward.

This makes the competition even stiffer for Maja as he would have to get ahead of both Aguero and Jesus in order to play.

On the other hand, while Tottenham Hotspur may not be able to offer Maja the level of wages that City can, it would still be significantly higher than that of the rest of the clubs chasing his signature, and definitely higher than the £5000 per week offered by Sunderland.

Similar to Sunderland, Spurs typically plays with one man forward, mostly Harry Kane, a system that is familiar and suits Maja.

While Spurs still have Fernando Llorente and Vincent Janssen in their ranks, they are not trusted and are expected to depart the club in this January transfer window, allowing Maja to immediately enter as the second choice striker in the club.

The one man forward system at Spurs also mean that there are always opportunities for Maja to play alongside Kane in a two-forward system, be it in situations where Spurs have to chase the game or when Mauricio Pochettino just wants to break down the defence of the opponents.

Fancy Maja playing alongside Kane?

Spurs are also conveniently situated in the city of London, where Maja was born in, and this would definitely be a huge factor of consideration for the 20-year old.

Just like Manchester City, Spurs can also offer Maja Champions League football, and given Mauricio Pochettino’s reputation for developing youth players, Maja would find himself in good hands and even receive a Three Lions call-up and put on the England jersey.

Overall, in terms of location, wages and playing time, even from an unbiased point of view, joining Tottenham Hotspur will be the best choice for Josh Maja.

Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Burnley: 5 Players’ Talking Points

Tottenham Hotspur maintained their title hopes with a 1-0 win over Burnley in the Premier League yesterday, but it was not an easy win for the North Londeners as they had to wait till the 91st minutes of the game to secure all 3 points.

A strike from Christian Eriksen broke the hearts of Burnley fans as the Clarets were seemingly cruising towards a draw with an injury-ravaged Spurs to put some distance between them and the relegation zone.

Spurs players celebrate Eriksen’s winner

Despite a scrappy win, there was still plenty to talk about as we dive into the talking points of 5 Spurs’ players from the match yesterday.

Christian Eriksen

The Dane was the hero of the night, but he had to wait till the 65th minute before coming off the bench to replace Lucas Moura.

With 2 matches per week, Mauricio Pochettino opted to rest Eriksen and Son Heung Min, but the absence of Eriksen meant that Spurs were missing that creative spark upfront, and despite enjoying the bulk of the possession, the Lilywhites were unable to break down the resolute defence of Burnley.

Talking Point #1: Eriksen still has not signed a new contract with Spurs, with reports suggesting that he had ran out of patience with the club’s lack of transfer activities to strengthen the squad. The Dane is reportedly eyeing a move to Spanish giants, Real Madrid.

Talking Point #2: The match with Burnley only serves to remind Spurs that Eriksen is a player that they must hold on to, and with the January transfer window fast approaching, it is only wise for Spurs to spend to convince Eriksen of the club’s ambitions.

Ben Davies

The Welshman has been heavily criticised this season for his inability to take on defenders as well as poor crosses.

However, with injuries to centre-backs Jan Vertonghen, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth and Eric Dier, leaving Toby Alderweireld as the only fit centre-back, Pochettino placed his faith in Davies to fill in the void and play alongside the Belgian.

Davies duly repaid the faith with a solid performance at the heart of the defence, and ensured that Spurs ended the match with a clean sheet.

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Talking Point #1: With Davies having the experience to play centre-back in a back three for Wales, his transition to playing centre-back in a back four yesterday highlights his versatility in playing in different positions along the backline, should Spurs make use of this trait for future matches?

Talking Point #2: This season appeared to be a nervy one for Davies as Danny Rose’s resurgence in form meant that many fans were calling for Davies to be sold. However, if Davies can prove himself to be an utility player like Eric Dier, he would continue to be an important squad player for Spurs.

Oliver Skipp

Perhaps the most talked about player from yesterday’s match, 18-year old Oliver Skipp earned praises for his confident performance in his first ever Premier League start.

Pochettino reserved special praise for the youngster, commenting that he played with the confidence of a 30-year old.

Indeed, Skipp was able to fit in well with the rest of the senior players right from the start, holding off the experienced Burnley players as he controlled the midfield with help from Moussa Sissoko, and lasted 75 minutes on the pitch before he was eventually substituted off for Son Heung Min.

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Talking Point #1: The inclusion of Skipp in the starting eleven was a puzzling one as despite the injury to Eric Dier, many were expecting Harry Winks to start alongside Sissoko at the center of the field.

It could be the case in which the Carabao Cup tie against Arsenal in midweek next week is prioritised and Winks is being rested to start that London derby.

Talking Point #2: Skipp needed luck to start the Premier League match yesterday as Luke Amos was the academy graduate favoured at the start of the season. However, a season-ending injury meant that Amos missed out on this opportunity and it was passed on to Skipp instead.

Erik Lamela

The Argentine has turned his fortunes around this season, scoring crucial goals and making impact off the bench when he was called upon.

However, yesterday was a different case for Lamela as he looked to be lacking his usual tenacity and accuracy, and was easily closed down by the Burnley defenders on multiple occasions.

Lamela’s persistent hip injury meant that it would be difficult for him to start back-to-back matches, but despite not being named in the starting eleven against FC Barcelona after coming back from injury, he still did not look sharp enough to start the match yesterday.

Talking Point #1: Lamela is seemingly more potent as an impact sub, making darting runs at tired defenders during the latter stages of the match. However, any professional footballer would want to be in the starting eleven all the time. Pochettino needs to manage his expectations and yet utilise his trait effectively in matches.

Talking Point #2: The Argentine missed a golden opportunity to give Spurs the lead against Burnley after receiving a pass back from Sissoko, shooting straight at Joe Hart. Although Sissoko should have done better in his return pass, Lamela should have scored with that opportunity and it remains to be seen if this will affect his confidence in future matches.

Kieran Trippier

Just like Ben Davies, the England international has been the subject of ridicule from Spurs’ fans this season.

Despite a glorious World Cup campaign for the right back, Trippier has been criticised for his poor decisions on the ball as well as his inability to take on attackers in one-on-one situations.

Trippier was seemingly have difficulties in holding on to the ball for more than a second, with Burnley’s Robbie Brady running at him every time he touched the ball. It took neat inter-plays between Trippier and Sissoko to minimise Burnley’s opportunities on the right.

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Talking Point #1: Trippier’s inability to take on opposing attackers in one-on-one situations remain a problem for the right back as Serge Aurier is edging closer to taking his first choice right back spot.

However, Trippier is showing great promise in picking out players for key passes and his crossing abilities is one of the best in the squad. With a bit more fluidity on the ball, Trippier should be able to mitigate his own weakness with his innate game-reading abilities.

Talking Point #2: Is Kieran Trippier better as a right back or as a right wingback? Many fans are convinced that it is the latter as it gives him more freedom to attack and cross, which utilises his best traits.

However, as mentioned in the above talking point, Trippier can definitely excel as a right back as well and fend off competition from Serge Aurier and Kyle Walker-Peters.

And finally, some happy smiles from Christian Eriksen and Son Heung Min

Match Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley (Premier League)

After an exciting UEFA Champions League final group stage match which saw Tottenham Hotspur draw with FC Barcelona to secure a spot in the last 16, it is back to Premier League action as Burnley awaits.

Spurs are the favourites to win this match, but a Burnley side pumped up by their win over Brighton & Hove Albion cannot be underestimated.

Burnley beat Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 to snap their winless run

Team Form:

Spurs have won 5 of their last 6 Premier League matches, with the only defeat coming against Arsenal at the Emirates.

On the other hand, Burnley has only won once in their last 6 Premier League matches, but with their winless run finally snapped in the last match against Brighton, Burnley’s fans would be dreaming of bigger things today against Spurs.

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Team News:

Spurs have no fresh injury concerns, with Mousa Dembele, Victor Wanyama, Kieran Trippier, Serge Aurier, Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth on the injury list.

However, the good news is that the latter 4 may come back today or would be closing in on a return with a fitness assessment lined up for them. With the Lilywhites thin on their defence, it would be welcoming to have these defenders back.

Burnley are missing Stephen Ward and Nick Pope, with Steven Defour and Johann Gudmundsson optimistic of a return today or in the near future.

Spurs target, Nick Pope, is out injured

Team Stakes:

With Manchester City losing to Chelsea last week, Spurs have closed the gap to the top to 6 points, and with league leaders Liverpool taking on Manchester United this weekend, any result other than a win for Liverpool should give Spurs the hope of further bridging this gap.

Burnley are 2 points off the relegation zone, and with 18th place Huddersfield Town taking on fellow strugglers Newcastle United (3 points off relegation zone) this weekend, Burnley will be looking for a strong result to leave this party.

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Previous Results:

*Only results from the last 2 seasons are displayed as Burnley was not in the Premier League in the 2015-16 season.

2017-18

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Burnley (Dele Alli, Chris Wood)

2016-17

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Burnley (Dele Alli, Danny Rose, Ashley Barnes)

Dele Alli has scored against Burnley in the past 2 seasons

Spurs Predicted Starting Lineup:

With the Carabao Cup against Arsenal next week in mind, Spurs may opt to rest the likes of Danny Rose and Son Heung Min.

Spurs Fan Prediction:

Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Burnley (Harry Kane to score first)

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Match Preview: Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

The first North London derby of the 2018/19 season has finally arrived, and it will be a match of paramount importance to both teams.

Tottenham Hotspur currently sits 3rd in the Premier League table, 2 points ahead of 4th place Chelsea and 3 points ahead of 5th place Arsenal.

Chelsea plays Fulham in the West London derby 2 hours before the North London derby, and should the Blues win, they will be temporarily 1 point ahead of Spurs, making it important for the Lilywhites to beat Arsenal to reclaim the 2 point lead.

Should Spurs beat the Gunners, the gap between these two rivals will extend to 6 points. However, should the Gunners prevail by any goal margin, they will leapfrog Spurs in the Premier League table.

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Team News

Tottenham Hotspur will miss Kieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Mousa Dembele, Erik Lamela and Victor Wanyama through injuries.

Arsenal will equally be missing five players, with Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Danny Welbeck and Alexandre Lacazette all on the sidelines.

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Team Form

Tottenham Hotspur are currently on a six match winning run. The last match that they were unable to win was a 0-1 defeat to Manchester City in October.

Arsenal are on a two match winning run, with the last non-winning match being a 1-1 home draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in early November. However, the Gunners are currently on a 18 match unbeaten run in all competitions, with their last defeat being a 3-2 match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

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Predicted Spurs Starting Lineup

Jan Vertonghen is unlikely to start as he just came back from injury and played the full match against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League a couple of days ago, which means another start for young Juan Foyth.

Danny Rose is also unlikely to start as he has yet to play since coming back from injury, so this is perhaps Ben Davies’ final chance to impress.

Spurs Fan Prediction: Arsenal 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Son Heung Min to score first)