Tottenham Hotspur started the 2024/25 season where they ended 2023/24 – showing a lot of promise going forward but ultimately shooting themselves in the foot at the back.
Let’s take a look at the five things we learned:
Is there anything more sobering than a Tottenham Hotspur match? With the fans so full of hope ahead of the new season, it already feels like a bubble has been burst a little. Of course, it is only the first game of the season and you should never celebrate or dwell on a result too much – but a defeat to Leicester is a bad result no matter where it comes in the campaign.
For some reason, Spurs really struggle to adapt when the opposition takes it up a gear. The Lilywhites never recovered from that one Leicester attack when they scored with their first shot on target. Worrying signs.
A side note away from the football – Rodrigo Bentancur went down after a really nasty head injury in the second half, which is why we had nine minutes of added time. After receiving a lot of attention from the medical staff and some oxygen, he was stretchered off the pitch.
Updates on commentary (SkySports Main Event 19/08/22 at 21:30) said he was up and talking in the changing room after. Whatever the case, he will be monitored not only tonight, but through the week and will not play for Spurs against Everton.
It’s hard to analyse Solanke’s Tottenham debut. On the one hand, his hold-up play and link-up play was superb, especially in the first half when Spurs looked so dominant. He also got himself into some incredible positions in the box.
On the down side, he should have really had a hat-trick today. He cushioned two simple headers into saveable areas in the first half, got his feet muddled in the box a couple of times, and hit one great chance straight at the keeper. All-in-all, it’s a good sign that he’s getting chances and I’m sure they will start flying in soon, but the lack of composure did cost Spurs a little in the end.
If we are clutching at straws for positives after letting that game slip through our hands, then the first half was nothing short of superb. Maddison was back to his creative best. Porro was popping up in all kinds of dangerous positions. Sonny looked happy again on the left, linking up well with Udogie. And Solanke was getting chances for fun.
Spurs should have really walked into the changing room at half-time 3-0 up, at least. But if they don’t fix the problems at the other end of the pitch, and their ability to control football matches without working themselves into a panic, it will count for nothing in the long term.
It would be a whole lot nicer to name him the Man of the Match having just won Spurs the game (and without picking up an injury) but Pedro Porro was immense this evening. Some may criticise him for not picking up Vardy in the box, but that was more of an error on Romero’s part in my opinion.
Going forward, Porro scored Tottenham’s first goal of the season and whipped in so many dangerous crosses that were begging to be flicked home. His attacking influence really should have been enough for Spurs to win the game by a decent margin this evening.
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