Tag: Steven Bergwijn

Four Ways Spurs Could Line Up After January’s Transfer Window

With the January transfer window now just over halfway through, James Hicks looks at the different ways that Spurs could line up by the start of February, including a few familiar faces as well as new signings.

  1. Keeping The Faith

Although results haven’t been going the way that fans would’ve liked them to recently, this team is 4th for most goals scored in the Premier League, 3rd for least conceded, and the 2nd least conceded from open play behind Manchester City.

Against Sheffield United on Sunday, Steven Bergwijn showed signs of promise to be able to become the third attacker that Tottenham so desperately need to perform alongside Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son and help the team with goal contributions.

Tanguy Ndombele scored a outrageous chip over Aaron Ramsdale at Bramall Lane and is looking fitter than ever, completing 90 minutes of football against the Blades and slowly showing signs of progression with his fitness which I’m sure every Spurs fan is loving to see his improvement and adaption recently.

The defence is always a major talking point of the Spurs line-up no matter who’s playing and I would argue that this is our most experienced back four, Sergio Reguilon and Serge Aurier give us the width and pace we need in the full-back positions. Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier have been Jose’s trusted partnership this year and their record from open play speaks for itself, conceding the joint least goals from open play, but as everyone knows, set pieces are a huge problem, an issue perhaps which could be solved with the next line up.

2. The Midfield Trio

This was the line-up Spurs fans were most looking forward to after the close of the summer transfer window with a little twist.

In this scenario, Marcel Sabitzer would join the front three in replacement of Steven Bergwijn, with the Austrian – who has a year and a half left on his contract at RB Leipzig – finally making the move having been linked with Spurs on and off for some time.

He would be a great addition to the squad and would provide a player who is extremely versatile where he can play whether it be just off the strikers in the 10 role, out wide either side of a front three or even central midfield. Sabitzer is flexible and can help with goal contributions from anywhere on the field with the 26-year-old producing 17 goal contributions in 32 games in the Bundesliga last season.

It is more likely, however, that Spurs and Levy will attempt to sign Sabitzer in the summer due to his contract situation, replicating what happened with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg negotiations due to his lack of contract, where Spurs ended up with what is looking like a bargain in the Dane.

Another attraction of this team is the midfield three everyone couldn’t wait to watch play together this season in Giovani Lo Celso, Ndombele and Hojbjerg. The trio have only started together once all season, against LASK in the Europa League where it never really gelled, however with Ndombele fitness now ever increasing hopefully when Lo Celso returns from injury we’ll be able to see these three together in action, a spectacle many Spurs were extremely looking forward to.

In defence I’ve partnered Joe Rodon next to Dier after his impressive performance in his second league start against Sheffield United, in his brief cameos in a back four this season he has been really impressive and arguably deserves a chance at a long run in the team, with Jose Mourinho evidently undecided on who he is going to partner alongside Dier in a back four.

3. Five at the Back

Mourinho first debuted Spurs playing three/five at the back against Wolves, where again Spurs conceded from a set piece, however against Sheffield United it look much more assured and controlled posing the question whether it’s worth playing that formation?

Keeping the same front three – which I would say is the best – and a midfield pivot of Ndombele and Hojbjerg, would help to provide the foundations which this team is built on.

Both Reguilon and Doherty were bought over the summer from Sevilla and Wolves respectively, however we have hardly seen either of them play in a position that they thrive in so much as a wing-back. They both offer great pace and crossing ability for one of the forward three to get their head on, especially Reguilon as seen against Fulham.

Last season Doherty had 12 goal contributions in 50 games for Wolves, while Reguilon had eight contributions in 38 games, at the moment Spurs’ highest goal contributor apart from Son and Kane is Ndombele on four, this is something that Jose needs to find the answer to and quick.

By playing this formation it would give Doherty and Reguilon much more license to get forward without having to worry as much about their defensive duties, instead helping Spurs when they go forward, this could help produce many more goal scoring opportunities with crosses and runs from both wing backs.

With the three centre-backs, it would be fair to say Rodon has more than earnt his chance in defence, here he would be alongside Dier and Japhet Tanganga, Tanganga has severely struggled for game time this season due to a back injury he suffered earlier in the season. However with him now slowly progressing back into the set-up and his superb performances last year he also warrants a chance at centre-back especially with all of Jose’s chopping and changing he has been doing recently at centre-half.

4. The Return of DESK

Is the return of DESK a possibility for Mourinho and Tottenham? Christian Eriksen has been heavily linked back with a move back to White Hart Lane after failing to impress at Inter Milan since his transfer last January.

Dele Alli has suffered a similar dip in form since last season, but is still putting up decent numbers when being put in the team with four goal contributions in twelve matches. What Dele needs is a sustained period in the first XI where he tries to rediscover his form with the full support of his manager and he’ll get back to his best.

Dele, Eriksen, Son and Kane, if both Dele and Eriksen were able to rediscover their form this front four would be formidable and could possibly resolve Tottenham’s reliance on solely Son and Kane to provide goals.

Alderweireld partners Dier in defence in this team, both of whom are accustomed to each other by now having played together for nearly 6 years, many of which have been spent alongside one another at the heart of Spurs’ defence.

Would the return of Dele and Eriksen help to improve Spurs’ creativity moving forward?

Carlos Vinicius: Perfect for Spurs?

Playing the understudy to Harry Kane is a bitter-sweet situation for any young striker. On the one hand, the prospect of learning from one of the Premier League’s all-time prolific forwards. On the other, a distinct lack of Premier League minutes. Furthermore, the Spurs talisman does not look like slowing down this season. With 18 goals and 14 assists in 26 games, the England captain has been in scintillating form for Jose Mourinho’s side. 

The understudy in question has certainly given Mourinho another viable striking option. Carlos Vinicius has hit the ground running since his loan switch from Portuguese giants Benfica. He has netted six times whilst laying on a further three assists for teammates in as little as nine games for the Lilywhites. Remarkably, the Brazilian has only started five games for Spurs in all competitions, a testament to his knack for scoring goals. 

The 6”3 target-man hasn’t always been primarily focused on scoring. During his youth career, he was largely employed as a central defender due to his height and athleticism. He made his senior debut in 2017 as a defensive midfielder for fourth-tier Brazilian side Caldense. A move to Gremio Anapolis saw Vinicius play as an attacking midfielder before completing his rapid positional journey to become a forward. A switch to Europe saw the striker join Portuguese side Real SC. A £4 million switch to Napoli resulted in impressive loan moves to both Rio Ave and Monaco. Vinicius eventually signed for Portuguese champions Benfica in the summer of 2019. Notching 18 goals and 5 assists in 32 league matches for The Eagles was enough to convince Spurs chairman Daniel Levy into a year-long loan with a £45 million option to buy this summer.

Spurs fans have grown familiar with seeing Vinicius bring down long-balls and link play. These characteristics make him a useful weapon for when Mourinho’s side cannot play a counter-attacking game. As well as his strength and aerial threat, Vinicius has a respectable burst of pace and is technically adept to dribble at speed. This dimension to his game provides a more than valid attacking alternative for days in which Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son are struggling to convert.  

During his stint at Benfica, Vinicius was primarily utilised as a striker in a 4-4-2 formation. Mourinho has employed the same formation at points in his successful spell at Inter Milan, as well as currently in North London. The prospect of having both Kane and Vinicius to deal with is a headache for any centre-back partnership. Due to his pace and impressive agility, Vinicius also occasionally occupied a wide attacking birth during his time in Portugal. This gives the Special One a more combative wide option compared to the trickery of Steven Bergwijn, the raw pace of Lucas Moura, and the intelligence of Gareth Bale.

The current situation is beneficial for both the club and the player. At 25-years-old, Vinicius is entering the golden years of his career. Having been given a chance in the Premier League, he will feel he has to seize every playing opportunity that comes his way. Furthermore, having a hungry striker seeking to prove he belongs at the top level will only benefit Spurs. Time will tell if Vinicius has impressed enough to warrant a permanent switch.

One Year of the Humble One

20th November 2019. José Mourinho is presented to the world as the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

It would have been a barely believable statement had it been made less than six months previously. Mauricio Pochettino had just taken the club to their first ever Champions League final and it was hoped that he would lead the club into a glorious new era in their wonderful new home.

It wasn’t to be. The 2-0 loss to Liverpool sapped the energy and confidence of a team and a manager who had taken Spurs to new heights, with the attempts to refresh the squad coming too late to prevent the slide. Pochettino left the club after a five game winless streak with the team in 14th position.

In many ways Mourinho seemed to be the complete contradiction to Pochettino. Friction with senior players were par for the course during his most recent spells at Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United, and there were major doubts about his commitment to bringing through young players – his treatment of Luke Shaw, in particular, was uncomfortable viewership. His defensive style of football was a far cry from what Spurs fans had grown accustomed to, and while Pochettino built himself into the DNA of the club, Mourinho rarely stayed anywhere for more than three seasons. Then there was his history with Chelsea. Enough said there.

But Mourinho was also a serial winner. For all of the joy Pochettino brought to our football club, he couldn’t get the team over the line and secure that elusive trophy. It had been eleven years since Spurs’ last and even that was only a League Cup. The wait for a League title had stretched to nearly sixty years and the whole club still seemed to be reeling from the Champions League final loss.

Mourinho had been brought in to win, to find the final piece in a puzzle that already included world-class players, stand out training facilities, a growing global reach accompanied by lucrative commercial sponsorships, and arguably the best new stadium in world football.

The short-term brief, however, was to drag Spurs into the European places, a must for a club who had accumulated significant debts in building the aforementioned stadium. The football wasn’t always pretty, and the defence remained porous at times – eight clean sheets was the lowest total since 2010/11 – but it was a small achievement in itself to move a team low on form, confidence and energy from 14th to 6th.

The 2-0 victory over Manchester City, courtesy of a memorable debut goal by Steven Bergwijn, was a highlight, but it was the form after the season’s restart which really underlined the recovery. In nine games Spurs lost just once, with five wins – one of which being in a North London Derby – and four clean sheets sealing European football for another season.

The summer transfer window proved to be the real watershed moment, however. Uncharacteristically, Spurs moved quickly and decisively, securing two new full backs, cover for Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris, a promising young centre back, the marquee signing of Gareth Bale and, arguably most significantly, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, a player who has already established himself at the heart of the side.

As well as filling the gaps on the pitch, Mourinho looked to address the much sought after but statistically unquantifiable qualities of ‘leadership’. Højbjerg is the obvious embodiment of that, but in Joe Hart, Bale and Sergio Reguilón too, Mourinho brought in players with experience of winning major trophies. Added to the mix are international captains Kane, Lloris, Heung-Min Son and Serge Aurier, plus the competitive drive and experience of Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld. There can be few complaints now that this Spurs team is lacking in the right mentality.

Mourinho has also shown that he has evolved tactically too. There was a belief in some quarters that the methods which had made Mourinho one of the most decorated managers of all time had grown stale, that managers like Jürgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino had moved the game on. Against Manchester City, however, Mourinho underlined why he remains one of the leading managers in the game.

The defensive solidity that epitomises all of Mourinho’s teams still remains central to his ethos and the ease with which Spurs soaked up City’s attacks was striking. Dier is repaying the faith shown in him and was immense on Saturday night, making block after block after block. Højbjerg continues to marshal the side brilliantly leaving Kevin De Bruyne isolated and frustrated. And, while Kane rightly gained plaudits for his defensive display, hard work and tactical nous runs right through the team.

As well as epitomising Spurs’ relentless pursuit of defensive perfection, it was also Kane who showcased the evolution of Mourinho’s tactics in attack. Kane’s game has reached another level since being deployed in a deeper position by Mourinho. He should now be described as a complete forward and can rightly lay claim to being one of the top 10 players in world football.

Against City Kane looked to reinforce that status, pulling Rúben Dias and Aymeric Laporte – a £120 million central defensive partnership – all over the pitch, rupturing Guardiola’s high pressing game and leaving acres of space around them. Both goals resulted from Mourinho’s game plan and Manchester City’s defence – and indeed Guardiola – were left unable to respond.

Of course, Kane was already an exceptional player when Mourinho arrived, with his dedication and professionalism ensuring that he would’ve continued to excel as he entered his peak years. But Mourinho’s finessing of Kane’s positioning has seen marked improvements in both his individual performances, and the team’s as a whole.

It is not just Kane who has taken his game to another level. Lloris is having his best season for some time, regaining his trademark calming influence on the team as a result. As previously mentioned, Dier is repaying Mourinho’s faith and is getting better with every game at centre back. Son has been the clear beneficiary to Kane’s deeper positioning and together they have formed the most devastating strike partnership currently playing in the Premier League. And Tanguy Ndombele is now regularly showing his talent – you’d frame his pass to Son for the opener and put it on your wall at home if you could. Mourinho’s tough love looks like it’s paid off and you suspect there is even more to come, a mouthwatering prospect.

The performance against City was a culmination of the progress that has been made defensively. Sure, Mourinho would like to improve on the number of clean sheets Spurs have kept, but the nine goals conceded is the fewest in the Premier League. But for the aberration against West Ham, that figure would’ve been even lower. They are scoring plenty of goals too, the ruthless six goal dismantling of Manchester United being an obvious example. 2.33 goals per game is Spurs’ best ratio since the Premier League era began and dispels the notion that Mourinho is content to squeeze out stodgy 1-0 wins.

Granted, there is a long way to go. Spurs may be top of the league, but they are less than a quarter of the way through a long season unlike any other. While a number of players have found their feet in new Mourinho era, others like Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Steven Bergwijn are yet to recapture the form needed to break into the first team on a regular basis. Meanwhile, despite flickering back to life at the start of Mourinho’s reign, Dele Alli seems to have entered a permanent state of decline. It’s becoming increasingly hard to see a way back for a player who, at the age of 24 and with nearly 40 England caps to his name, should be entering the best years of his career.

But the early signs are good and seems to be a different Mourinho to the one we’ve seen for much of the past decade. He feels revitalised and happier. He’s still evolving tactically, and continues to show that he can not only compete with the ‘new’ generation of managers, but he can dominate them too. He’s quickly built a squad with depth in every position, the team is defensively sound and still scoring plenty of goals. The vast majority of players have recovered their form of old, while some like Son and Kane are now the leading players in the Premier League and among the world’s best.

Perhaps Mourinho may not bring as much unbridled joy as Pochettino did and his strong connection with Chelsea will always sit uncomfortably – the two may well be correlating factors – but, with football fans being as fickle as they are, joy will be unbridled and his time at Chelsea will serve as a footnote should he lead Spurs to a long overdue trophy.

Who knows, that could include a Premier League title. The thought doesn’t seem so fanciful with Mourinho in charge.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City – Match Preview: Team News, Predictions and Line-Ups

Tottenham face Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night, with victory putting Spurs top of the Premier League table, if only for 24 hours.

There are no new injury concerns after the international break for either side, however Spurs will be without Matt Doherty who tested positive for coronavirus while with the Republic of Ireland. Erik Lamela “is still in the last period of his recovery” and Harry Winks has a “little problem” putting both in major doubt ahead of Saturday’s fixture.

Steven Bergwijn is training at Hotspur Way and is said to be available for Saturday despite being dropped by the Netherlands national team after being deemed “not fit enough” following a groin issue. Japhet Tanganga is also back is training after being out with a back injury for nearly two months.

Manchester City are without Fernandinho who has ‘stomach problems’, meanwhile Raheem Sterling, who missed international duty with England, and Sergio Aguero have both returned to training for City and could possibly feature on Saturday. Reports suggest defenders Nathan Ake and Benjamin Mendy are also doubts.

Spurs fans would’ve been worried about the availability of Heung-Min Son earlier this week with 10 of South Korea’s playing and coaching staff testing positive for coronavirus, however Spurs fans will be happy to know that Son has returned two negative tests and “is fine to play”.

Both teams face a busy period with both teams having to play at least two games a week until after the new year due to European commitments as well as the EFL Cup quarter-finals. It is an especially difficult period for Spurs who have to face City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Leicester all within the next month and they’ll be hoping to kick off this period in the right way by beating City on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho will face Pep Guardiola for the 24th time in his management career on Saturday with Mourinho looking for his 7th win over the Spaniard, and Guardiola looking for his 12th win in what is always a fierce contest no matter the teams that they manage. In their time in England however it has been even, both managers winning three times and drawing once.

Mourinho and Guardiola both marked this week with personal milestones – Mourinho has now been Spurs’ manager for a full year, while Guardiola has renewed his contract until 2023.

Both teams have players rich in form following the international break with Ferran Torres scoring a hat-trick against Germany for Spain, whilst Phil Foden scored a brace for England against Iceland. Meanwhile Spurs had four players record a brace of assists during the break: Son, Lo Celso, Bale and Winks.

Spurs are yet to lose since the opening day defeat against Everton in the league and are looking to continue this run. City are unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions. 

Tottenham’s win over City in February at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium courtesy of a goal from debutant Steven Bergwijn was their first victory over Manchester City in their last six premier league fixtures.

Spurs and City have varying records in the league with both teams having the joint best defence in the league only conceding nine albeit Manchester City have played one less game, while Spurs are the 2nd highest scorers in the league with 19 goals, City only with 10.

The match will be refereed by Mike Dean who will be accompanied by Kevin Friend on VAR at Stockley Park.

Possible Spurs starting XI: Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguillon, Højbjerg, Ndombele, Sissoko, Bale, Kane, Son

Possible Manchester City starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden, Sterling, Torres, Jesus

Prediction: 1-1.

Where to watch? The game is live on Sky Sports Main Event on Saturday at 5:30 pm GMT.

Spurs’ 2020/21 kits leaked

The leaked designs for Tottenham’s four 2020/21 kits are here:

Ratings out of 10?

[Credit to GraphicStyler]