James Trembath reviews the Luton fixture and whether Tottenham can actually win the league.
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00:00 Spurs with another win this weekend, James, they go top of the league going into the international break,
00:06 a massive turnaround from where they were this time last year, although it perhaps wasn't vintage Spurs in that 1-0 win against Luton, but three points nonetheless.
00:16 Yes, I think it showed the two different faces of our game. The really good football, the way we started and came out of the traps was absolutely terrific,
00:26 and we'll get into that in a second. And then obviously, second half, backs to the wall, having to dig deep, show that character, still grind out the result with 10 men.
00:33 So, it was certainly the two faces of the mantra that Andrew Postakoglou was trying to build, really.
00:43 Another solid display, despite 10 men and the challenges that we faced during the game.
00:49 And I think it does show the areas that we need to improve on as well. We weren't clinical in that first 10 minutes.
00:54 We came out of the traps absolutely terrific in the first 10 minutes. We should have been 3-0 up. Richarlison missed pretty much an open goal.
01:02 Perhaps he got a shirt pull as he flew into the back stick there, but he really should have took that one away from Kulosevsky's cross.
01:09 He then had another one. That was a good save, but again, it was too close to the keeper.
01:13 And then Pedro Porro, some put him clean through after a breathtaking move. So, we should have been 3-0 up, really.
01:20 The stats in the first five, six minutes were 100-nod passes for Spurs to nine to Luton.
01:25 So, it just showed the domination that we had, nearly 90% of the ball.
01:28 So, we really were outstanding, but we didn't capitalise on that.
01:33 Luton had one or two moments, but we never really looked in any difficulty.
01:38 And then, Bissouma has that moment of madness, frankly. He's been walking a tightrope, to be fair, with four yellow cards.
01:46 Needless Buckings is obviously in the engine room, he's box to box.
01:50 You're going to get yellow cards along the way during the season, but to have four yellow cards in seven games,
01:55 it shows an area that he needs to improve on in terms of his discipline.
01:59 He goes and gets the first yellow card, which was a real clumsy, scruffy challenge over the back of one of the Luton players.
02:07 And then, he's waiting for a touch that never comes, isn't he? Right on half-time, goes down.
02:14 Absolutely no argument from me, really. Complete simulation, second yellow card, letter of the law, he had to go.
02:20 He was obviously waiting for the contact to come, but it just never came.
02:24 So, that cost us, and the double-edged sword on that one is that he now misses the Fulham game after the international break,
02:29 but he actually stays on four Buckings.
02:31 So, if he picks up a Bucking in the Crystal Palace game, when he comes back, he then serves another suspension.
02:36 So, we need to cut that out.
02:38 He reminds me very much, actually, of Romero last season, who was just picking up yellow cards for fun,
02:44 walking that tightrope every week, whereas Romero's now reined it in.
02:49 He's shown that discipline, and the vice-captaincy has really brought him on a notch, perhaps winning the World Cup as well.
02:54 He's shown a new level of maturity, a real leader.
02:57 He's rarely committing any fouls.
02:59 He has picked up a couple of Buckings, but nothing like the challenges in terms of the recklessness that he was throwing in last season.
03:06 So, Bissouma definitely needs to learn from that.
03:10 But, you know, second half, we still came out.
03:12 Hoiberg did a decent job.
03:14 Obviously, we sacrificed for Charleston at half-time.
03:16 Hoiberg did a decent job in the midfield.
03:18 And, you know, despite Luton having…
03:20 You know, they did miss an open goal, pretty much.
03:22 It has to be said that that probably could have changed the game.
03:24 But after that, they huffed, they puffed.
03:26 They had one or two openings, which you'd expect, with gaps appearing with us having 10 men.
03:31 But we dug in, and we looked relatively comfortable, really.
03:34 We got the goal.
03:36 Maddison, again, really, really sharp thinking from the short corner.
03:40 Drops the shoulder, puts the ball in on the touchline with the left foot.
03:43 And Micky van der Ven, who again was terrific on the day.
03:46 You know, the back four, back five, if you include the goalkeeper, you know, have been a real revelation this season.
03:52 I think, you know, certainly I thought Spurs had conceded a lot more goals with the way we're playing.
03:56 But, you know, Romero is that calming presence.
03:58 Van der Ven's got the speed.
04:00 He's got the turn of pace when the ball comes in over the top.
04:03 They're both brilliantly composed on the ball.
04:06 And then you've got the full-backs converted from wing-backs, who we were a little bit fearful of.
04:10 Udogi and Poro, and they've been brilliant, you know, getting up and down.
04:14 And, you know, the back four looks really, really solid.
04:17 And Vicario, you know, sort of a shout for the left-field centre of the season, really.
04:22 What a bargain at 17 million.
04:23 He's been terrific when he's been called upon.
04:25 So, we showed character.
04:27 We showed a lot of desire, a lot of fight to dig in and get that result with 10 men.
04:31 And that obviously puts us top of the league or joint top of the league going into the international break.
04:35 And who would have thought that with the tough run of fixtures?
04:38 We've only had three games at home out of eight as well.
04:40 I think a lot of people forget that.
04:41 We've had five tough away games.
04:43 Some of you would expect us to win, but, you know, never easy going to the likes of Bournemouth, Brentford, you know, Burnley.
04:49 You never know what you're going to get.
04:50 They play some good football.
04:51 So, I think overall, the start's been absolutely magnificent.
04:54 The international break's probably come at the wrong time.
04:57 Most of the squad now jetting off across the globe for the international fixtures.
05:01 So, we need to make sure that they all come back fresh.
05:04 And we've got the benefit of having that extra day as well.
05:07 We don't play until full on the Monday night football after the international break on the 23rd.
05:12 So, that actually helps us, probably giving us a little bit of time to ease a few players back in after the long trips over the ponds.
05:20 And then we've got Crystal Palace on the Friday night.
05:22 So, there's a bit of a quick turnaround there, Monday to Friday.
05:24 But both games, you'd say we're winnable on paper and a big opportunity for Spurs to keep going and keep the momentum up.
05:32 I mean, you know, I don't think we're going to be up there come the end of the season, but let's enjoy it while it lasts.
05:36 And who knows if we, you know, we keep everybody fit.
05:39 I think the worry is the squad's not deep enough.
05:41 But if we do keep that 1-11 fit, we bring Benton Kerr back in as well, who's very, very close after his injury.
05:47 Brennan Johnson as well.
05:49 You know, we may well surprise a few this season.
05:53 I'm not saying we'll win the league, but, you know, I think we'll be certainly bang thereabouts.
05:58 I think you wanted to mention Kuleshevski as well, because he's a player who certainly is one of Spurs' creative forces going forward.
06:06 Obviously, he comes from Sweden.
06:08 Just how impressive has his start been to the season?
06:13 I think he's been a bit of an unsung hero.
06:15 I mean, his stats for his work rate are absolutely off the charts.
06:18 You know, he's been terrific.
06:20 A ball carrier strength.
06:22 I mean, he played 20 minutes up front on his own with 10 men against Luton on Saturday.
06:28 He was absolutely outstanding.
06:30 He really was.
06:31 I think if you look on paper, it's just one assist this season and a goal.
06:34 But that doesn't really tell the full story for him, because he really does look back to his best.
06:38 And, you know, him and Benton Kerr coming in the January before last, they've been pretty revelations in the group, to be honest with you.
06:48 I think there was a few doubts creeping in about Kuleshevski at the end of last season.
06:51 He's weighed a little bit, had a hamstring injury.
06:53 But then that could be said for a number of players last season.
06:56 But he really has bounced back this season.
06:58 And he's a vital cog in the wheel with his energy.
07:01 He doesn't look the quickest, but he's surprisingly deceptive.
07:05 He's got a lovely left foot.
07:07 Just could do with a couple more goals.
07:09 He nearly scored at the weekend.
07:11 Good save from the keeper.
07:12 But he, along with Romero, the pair of them have been pretty much sort of mainstays and, you know, unsung heroes, really, I think, this season.
07:20 A long way that continues for him.
07:22 And finally, going into the international break, as you said previously, it perhaps doesn't come at the best time for Spurs, given the run that you're on.
07:31 But is this a chance, you know, just for things to reset and to go again and just make sure everything's just steady and not get too ahead of yourselves, going into more tricky fixtures coming up after the break finishes?
07:43 Yeah, you could be right.
07:44 I mean, it's been a little bit chaotic, hasn't it?
07:46 Every game involving Spurs seems to be a bit of a drama from the opening day at Brentford where they ran out of water in the main stand to the Liverpool game with the controversy over the VAR and the red cards and another red card on Saturday at Luton.
08:01 So it's been a little bit chaotic.
08:03 We've had a lot of things sort of going against us, one or two bits going for us, it has to be said.
08:07 We've ridden a bit of a crest of a wave, obviously, two last minute winners against Liverpool and Sheffield United.
08:13 So, you know, perhaps it is a good time just to, like you say, hit the reset button.
08:18 I think my one concern is the likes of Maddison not quite been fully fit, Son as well not been fully fit.
08:25 The last thing we really needed was Son jetting halfway around the world to play two matches for South Korea, which he undoubtedly will as the captain.
08:31 And he pretty much plays every game.
08:33 We could have done with a couple of players just getting the feet up for a couple of weeks because that is the one fear for Spurs.
08:39 You know, if we did lose Son, if we did lose Maddison, we haven't got the depth in terms of replacements.
08:44 And I think that has been laid bare.
08:46 Obviously, the one disappointment so far this season was the League Cup at Fulham.
08:50 And we made a lot of changes and you saw the result really that some of the squad players aren't up to it, albeit they've not had lots of game time.
08:57 So, you know, you sort of caveat with that.
08:59 But still, you know, Richarlison obviously still isn't firing 100%.
09:05 He's shown flashes again, you know, really good assist against Liverpool.
09:10 He got the goal against Sheffield United, but obviously he's been battling off field problems and he still looks clumsy at times, doesn't he?
09:17 You know, that one that he missed, he really should have stuck that away.
09:20 I mean, it looked on the TV, it looked harder to miss really.
09:23 And then the one on one chance again, a yard either side of the keeper.
09:27 That's a goal. So, you know, that is a worry if we lose Son.
09:30 Because, you know, I really want to be hanging my hat on Richarlison at this stage.
09:35 He's definitely got something to give to Spurs.
09:37 But, you know, whether he can become that talisman.
09:39 So, I do think perhaps January comes around.
09:41 We need to be looking at that sort of number nine focal point.
09:44 I know that's not how Postakoglu wants to sort of go with you, he wants the front three all contributing.
09:48 And luckily we all are so far.
09:51 But, yeah, one or two injuries and, you know, we could slightly wobble.
09:56 And I think it'll be a test when we suffer that first defeat.
09:59 I mean, you could easily see the likes of a Crystal Palace.
10:01 They're pretty strong at home, turning us over.
10:03 There will come a defeat soon.
10:06 But I think it'll be another test for this young group.
10:09 But we've certainly passed every test with flying colours so far.
10:12 And, you know, I think that's the one thing that surprised me.
10:14 I expected the football. I didn't necessarily expect, you know, the character, the work rate.
10:19 That other side, the ugly side, I guess, of the game that Spurs have been so spursy for over the last few years.
10:26 You know, we have been very, very flaky in the away games at times.
10:29 Whereas Postakoglu just seems to have sort of brought this sort of, you know,
10:33 almost run through a brick wall type of mantra again to the club, which is what we want to see.
10:36 And, you know, as I say, long may that continue.
10:39 But there'll be undoubted character tests coming, I'm sure.
10:42 We've got Chelsea coming up as well, which will be a tough game.
10:44 They've just turned the corner a little bit, haven't they?
10:47 So, yeah, let's hope we get all the players back from international duty unscathed.
10:52 and we go again in a couple of weeks' time on Catway.