Spurs were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane by Leicester yesterday, and Mauricio Pochettino admitted that is ‘difficult’ for his team to win games at present. A positive from the day was summer signing Vincent Janssen grabbed his first Premier League goal, before Ahmed Musa restored parity just after the re-start.
Tottenham remain unbeaten in the league but have now draw three games on the spin. Nevertheless they sit only three points behind the leading trio of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. Overall, it has been a more than acceptable start to the season but Spurs need to start putting teams to the sword.
Intriguingly, Claudio Ranieri remains unbeaten as a manager against Tottenham, a run that spans 11 games. Pochettino said:
“Disappointed. We created chances. We dominated the game. But I am disappointed with the way we conceded the goal. It’s hard to lose two points.
“I was disappointed for the goal as the way we conceded was a little unlucky. I am happy with the performance.
“We are still strong and unbeaten in the league, that is very important. It’s true we are fighting and it’s difficult to win games recently but the team showed it is strong enough.”
Tottenham had more draws than any other team in the top flight last season, and that trend is continuing this. Pochettino has made them into a well-organised and athletic unit, but Spurs perhaps lack a little bit of craft and guile in the final third. The imminent return of Harry Kane will give them added firepower, with the season’s first north London derby just a week away.
Spurs are set up to do well against the bigger team’s, and flourish in a game with some cut and thrust because of the additional space on the counter attack. They are yet to consistently master the art of breaking down deep-lying defences, so in this respect the game at Arsenal might suit them.
The Spurs manager gave an update on the England international’s fitness, saying he has a 50% chance of being fit for Wednesday night’s Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen at Wembley.
Kane has not featured since turning his ankle in Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Sunderland, and though Heung Min Son filled in with a hot run of from for a few weeks, Spurs have missed his goals (as any team would). A return at the Emirates would be some occasion to make a comeback, but judging by his slow starts to campaign’s he might need a few weeks to gain sharpness.
Finally, in more news about Spurs’ new stadium at White Hart Lane, fans had their first chance to walk through the site of their new ground before yesterday’s match. The £400 million development will be ready for the 2017-18 season. Those sat in the West Stand could take a different route to the ground and walk through the building site, with discussions over naming rights well underway. There has even been talk of a glass tunnel so that those in hospitality can see the players lining up.
Featured image: All rights reserved by Christine Sanjaya