Hotspur HQ

So far this season, there has been a lot of debate about Ange Postecoglou – both within the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase, and from the wider footballing world. There are not many managers that split opinion more than the 59-year old. Â

That said, within the fanbase, it feels like there has been a more unanimous opinion of him of late, with a lot of fans now in agreement that he is not the man that Spurs should continue with. Some fans want him to go now, whilst others would like him to go at the end of the season – or at the end of the Europa League campaign. Â

The feeling of many is that, if not for the adventure in Europe, Ange would already be out of a job by now. Regardless of any context, the league campaign has been completely unacceptable, and Spurs were knocked out of both domestic cups within a three day period back in early February. Â

So, many have decided that although they do not think this season has been good enough, they are willing to see how the Europa League campaigns. Perhaps not the most impressive season in that time, but it would objectively be Spurs’ best season in 17 years if they are lifting a trophy in Bilbao in May. Â

According to high level journalist Fabrizio Romano, the club feel the same way – with the manager’s hopes of keeping his job “now strictly linked” to Spurs’ performances in Europe, according to Romano. Â

Ange Postecoglou seemingly must win Europa League to save his job

We can probably assume that by performances he means how far they go in Europe. They aren’t sacking him for a hard fought aggregate win over Frankfurt – yet they may sack him for an exit that comes with two good performances. Wouldn’t take “performances” as literally as it may sound. Â

Nevertheless, this report checks out with what many have thought, and hoped for. It all comes down to Europe. Five games, essentially, to save his job. They will not be easy – not by any means. Â

Although Frankfurt lost talisman Omar Marmoush in January, they are still a very good team – with striker Hugo Ekitike wanted by some of Europe’s elite this summer. Despite losing Marmoush, they remain in third place in the Bundesliga, and have won only three fewer games than Bayer Leverkusen. Â

In League One, as we truly enter the business end of the season, there was a full slate of fixtures in midweek. With it, there was action for Tottenham Hotspur loanees. Josh Keeley, Jamie Donley, and their Leyton Orient side faced Burton Albion on the road, whilst Matthew Craig’s Mansfield Town hosted Charlton Athletic. Â

How things went for Tottenham Hotspur loanees down in League One

As usual, both Keeley and Donley were named in the starting XI by Orient manager Richie Wellens. This was Keeley’s 29th start of the League One season, whilst it was start number 25 in the league for Donley (and 32nd overall league appearance). Â

After 10 minutes, Orient made a great start to the game as they took the lead – a goal that was good enough to have them ahead at half time – in a very end to end affair with plenty of chances for both sides – one of those being for Donley five minutes from time, but he could not convert from around eight yards out.Â

In the second half, the O’s had a lot more of the ball, but it was their hosts creating the chances. Their early pressure at the beginning of the half paid off when they equalised on the hour mark following a rebound. Â

Then, just four minutes after, Burton completely flipped the game on its head, as they took the lead for the first time in the game. From there, they were able to see the game out with relative comfort, condemning Orient to a tough 2-1 defeat away from home. Â

During the game, Keeley made three saves, whilst Donley was replaced by former Spurs academy player Dilan Markanday after 81 minutes. Although he missed a good chance, he also created an opta defined big chance that was not taken, so could have had an assist on another day.Â

This defeat leaves Orient in 10th place in League One, with 59 points from their 39 games so far. Â

Next up, Matthew Craig reappeared from the wilderness to start for Mansfield in their game at home to Charlton. It was only his third appearance for the Stags since joining in January, and first start in the league. Â

After 22 minutes, the visitors took the lead – a goal that looked like it was going to be enough to give them the lead going into the break, but out of nowhere – Craig marked his return to the side with his first goal of the season with a superb strike. After a cross into the box was headed away, the Spurs loanee ran onto the ball to strike the ball fiercely into the back of the net. Â

Unfortunately, Charlton retook the lead after 74 minutes and saw the game out to win 2-1, meaning Craig’s sublime strike counted for nothing in the end. Still, great to see him back playing, and scoring a goal to go with it. He played 65 minutes in this one. Â

This defeat leaves Mansfield in 17th place in League One, with 47 points from their 39 games to date. Â

Next up for Orient is a home game against Wigan on Saturday at 15:00 GMT, whilst Mansfield face Huddersfield Town on the road at the same time. Â

The injuries that Spurs have had this season have been very well documented – such has been the sheer magnitude of them. Several crucial players have missed a number of games this season, and a lot all at the same time. Â

Although things have somewhat improved on that front recently, with the return of the likes of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Dominic Solanke and co, there were fresh injuries to Kevin Danso and Dejan Kulusevski not long before the international break. Â

Ange Postecoglou provides fans with an update on injured players

On Wednesday – the second of April – Ange Postecoglou has provided the fans with an update on how the two are progressing, saying: “Kevin and Deki are working hard still, they’re probably a couple of weeks away, but both are progressing well.” Â

Well, imagine how badly they’d be doing if they weren’t progressing well. “A couple of weeks” certainly implies they will be missing for the first leg of the Europa League quarter final tie against Eintracht Frankfurt, and quite possibly for the second leg too.Â

Ideally, Romero and van de Ven, would be the partnership for the games against Frankfurt, but this means that 1) should either get injured, the first choice back up is also out, and 2) they are more likely to now be played in the Premier League games in the meantime, increasing the chances of an injury. Â

Although we have been some of the main advocates for Archie Gray playing in midfield, he may have to do a few more shifts at centre back. As unacceptable as the Premier League season has been, it objectively does not matter. If need be, go with the partnership of Gray and Ben Davies. Spurs need Romero and van de Ven in cotton wool for the Frankfurt showdowns. Â

Meanwhile, Kulusevski will undoutedbly be a miss too. There is now an expectation on James Maddison for the first leg – and potentially second – to be the creative hub of the team. They are going to need him to make something of nothing during the games to try and get Spurs through to the semi finals. With Kulusevski not playing, he will be the one with the keys to the side. Â

The hope could be to get through the home tie in the first leg, get a good result, and then potentially have Kulsevski back for the second leg in Frankfurt the week after, but let’s see how it goes. Â

Although it has been a while since Spurs played, there has still been plenty for us to talk about. From Heung-Min Son and Yang Min-hyeok cleaning up the KSA player and young player of the year awards, loan watches, transfer rumours, and everything else in between.Â

For better, and often worse – there is never a dull moment with this football club. It is pretty exhausting to cover, but also fun and exciting in equal measure. Although admittedly some fans will not think that way. Â

The latest thing to update you on is the alleged interest in Lazio winger Gustav Isaksen. As per Italian media outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move for the Danish attacker. Â

Tottenham Hotspur looking at 23-year old Lazio and Denmark winger

Got to admit, not the most exciting name to be linked with a move to Spurs. So far in Serie A this season, the winger has scored three goals and provided two assists in 30 games, with 24 of those appearances being from the start, totalling around 1841 minutes of action.Â

In the Europa League his numbers look more impressive – where, although he has scored two goals and provided two assists in the competition, they have come in eight games – three starts – and just 370 minutes of action, meaning he has scored or assisted every 90 minutes on average. Â

The Italian side are seen as one of the strongest competitors to Spurs for Europa League glory, although many of the fans have given up on the chances of Ange’s side even getting close to the final this year. A lot think Frankfurt will be too tough of a test. Â

Later on this month, Isaksen will turn 24 – so it’s not like he is really young either. The numbers he put up would sound more appealing if he was 20 or so. As someone who would be 24 by the time of any potential transfer, it does feel pretty underwhelming. Â

Many fans currently feel disillusioned at the state of the club. A 24 year old with very ordinary – at best – numbers in Italy is not going to get the fans on board again. Nothing against the player himself, it is just pretty dull. Â

This season is the first since the 2012/13 season that Spurs have had no Danish players at the club. Perhaps Daniel Levy wants to improve the viewing figures in Denmark. He would be joining fellow Scandinavians Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski – whom have a Danish national team manager – in North London.

You would be hard pressed to find a player that divides opinion within the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase as much as Cristian Romero does. There is strong competition for that crown, with the likes of Brennan Johnson - but Romero may well be number one.

There are fans who see him as a world class defender, one of the best in the world - who deserves to play with better players. Others, meanwhile, see him as reckless, unreliable, and someone who only cares about the Argentina national team.

For what our tuppence is worth, he is a very, very talented player, who is just extremely passionate about his national team - like most South Americans - and he does care about Spurs. However, the old age cliche about availability being the best ability is something that is certainly relevant when it comes to Romero.

Last week, we aggregated the news that La Liga side Atletico Madrid were interested in the player - to join an Argentine contingent of manager Diego Simeone - and five first team players this coming summer.

Well, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri - Romero has already spoken to Simeone over the phone, and is excited by the idea of joining Atletico. He also reports that Daniel Levy could demand 80 million Euros - which is around £67 million pounds.

Cristian Romero said to have spoken to Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone

As it stands, the 26-year old - whom will turn 27 next month - has two years remaining on his current contract in North London, so in truth a fee of £67 million, for an injury prone player who seemingly wants out - would be fairly difficult for the club to turn down.

There is little wonder that the Spanish side are in for a central defender. Former Spurs loanee Clement Lenglet has been a regular in their backline this season. Indeed, you did read that correctly. At the weekend, he gave a penalty away to cost them a win and evaporate their small title hopes.

Some have suggested that Luka Vuskovic will be the successor to Romero, which would in turn allow Spurs to use the money in other positions. That said, you feel like they would need to bring in a centre back anyway.

Ange - or whoever is in charge next season - would be left with an injury prone Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, an 18-year old Vuskovic, Radu Dragusin who will miss the first few months of the season, and is probably not up to the level regardless, and Ben Davies. Is that enough, quality wise? The last thing anyone wants is another season of having to stunt Archie Gray's development by playing him in defence.

This midweek, as we enter April – the beginning of the best part of the year – there are plenty of games for Tottenham Hotspur loanees. Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up for each and every player. Â

How the midweek slate looks for each Tottenham Hotspur loanee

In League One, there is action for Josh Keeley, Jamie Donley, and their Leyton Orient side, as they face Burton Albion away from home. After five defeats in a row, the O’s have now won both of their last two games. Should they get another three points here, they could re enter the play offs, as they currently sit three points behind sixth placed Reading – with better goal difference. Kick off here is 19:45 BST, and can be watched on the Sky Sports red button, for those of you in the UK. Â

Meanwhile, Matthew Craig’s Mansfield Town host Charlton Athletic – though he continues to be MIA, so probably not much to report on that one, though we will update you if there is. It really has been a tough season for him after such a positive start at Barnsley – hard to believe that was the same season as his current situation. Â

In League Two, George Abbott and his Notts County side face MK Dons at home on Wednesday evening. Last weekend, the Magpies pulled off a huge win to give themselves some breathing space in the play offs, with a seven point buffer – whilst being just two points off the automatic promotion spots, so they could enter them by the end of the gameweek. This game is on Wednesday, will kick off at 19:45 BST, and is also live on Sky Sports red button for those in the UK. Â

Meanwhile, down in the National League – Luca Gunter and his Wealdstone side have an absolutely huge game, as they host Boston United. Coming into the game, Wealdstone are 21st in the League – the final relegation spot – whilst Boston sit just one place above in 20th. As you would expect, Gunter’s side can leapfrog their visitors with all three points in this one. 19:45 BST kick off on Tuesday here.Â

That is that for this midweek. There is no Championship midweek action here, despite there often being so and having had an international break just last week, so they will continue at the weekend. Go well everyone, and don’t get injured.Â

One of the few shining lights of this terrible Tottenham Hotspur season has been the emergence of Lucas Bergvall. In the winter of last year, a then 17-year old Bergvall rejected a move to Spanish side Barcelona in order to join Spurs a few months later, ahead of the 24/25 season.

After a steady start to life in North London, Bergvall has really thrived in the last few months - become a regular starter in the midfield, and impressing with his performances both on and off of the ball. His best moment was surely the goal in the Carabao Cup semi final first leg against Liverpool, with a superb curling finish into the bottom corner.

Owing to his performances in a Spurs shirt this season, Swedish outlet Fotbollskanalen have reported that the club have rejected any enquiries into the player's availability, with the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund said to have shown an interest in the player. Spurs are said to consider the midfielder 'untouchable'.

Spurs not entertaining any interest in teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall

At the moment, the player has a contract at the club until the summer of 2029, so there is absolutely no pressure to sell for the time being. There would be serious outrage, and rightly so, within the fanbase if a player with as much potential as Bergvall was allowed to leave the club. It would be a damning indicment of where Spurs are as a club if he was allowed to leave.

The Spurs fans see the likes of Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore as the future of the club. All three players were selected in media outlet GOAL's list of the 50 best teenagers in football, as well as Luka Vuskovic and Yang Min-hyeok, whom many people also see as the future of the club, with Vuskovic in particular a player that people are extremely excited about.

No doubt, the player himself will have high ambitions, and he will want to be competing at a better level than Spurs currently are, so there is that to take into consideration too. That said, having compatriot and international team mate Dejan Kulusevski at the club should help in that regard. There is very little doubt that the latter helped Bergvall settle into life at Spurs.

To think that Kulusevski was born in the 21st century yet is six years older than Bergvall, a regular for club and a senior international himself, is pretty crazy. We are all getting old.

On Saturday afternoon, Tottenham Hotspur youngster George Abbott and his Notts County side were in League Two action, as they travelled across the water to face namesake side Newport County in a huge game. Coming into this one, Notts had only won two of their previous nine games, and were at risk of falling out of the play offs that they had spent so much of the season in. Â

As usual, the Spurs loanee was named in the starting XI by manager Stuart Maynard – his 32nd start in the league this season, his 34th start in all competitions, and 36th total game in all competitions. Â

How things went for George Abbott and his side in League Two

It would be the dream start for Notts, who took the lead after just six minutes of the game. They continued to be the better side throughout the first half, having ten shots to three, and 61% of the ball, though they could not extend their lead and went into the break with a one goal advantage. Â

After the break, the hosts came back into the game, at least in possession, but Notts would double their lead on 63 minutes. From there, they were able to see the game out relatively comfortably, to secure a big and much needed three points away from home. Â

As for Abbott himself, another 90 minutes completed for him, making it 2920 minutes completed in League Two. During this game, he recorded; 61 touches of the ball, 42/45 completed passes, one chance created, one shot off target, one shot blocked, one foul drawn, 5/9 ground duels won, one clearance, and four tackles. Â

Given how much is on the line for Notts this season, with promotion in their sights, it really is a big testament to Abbott that he is trusted to start and play 90 minutes every week. For a teenager to be given so much responsibility in a promotion fight shows what a player Spurs have on their hands. It really has been a great season individually and collectively. Â

This win keeps Notts in 6th place in League Two, but with a seven point buffer on 8th place Colchester United, having now picked up 65 points from their 39 games. They also have superior goal difference to the chasing pack – should that be needed come the end of the season. They are now just two points off the automatic promotion spots too.

Next up for Notts is some midweek action, as they host MK Dons on Wednesday, for a 19:45 BST kick off. Going to keep saying how wonderful it feels to say BST. Â

At 11:00 GMT on Tuesday morning, Tottenham Hotspur captain Heung-Min Son was in action for the South Korea national team, as they hosted Jordan in their second World Cup qualifying game of this break. In the first game, they had been held to a 1-1 draw at home to Oman. Â

For this game, as expected, captain Son was named in the starting XI – though this time up front, having played on the left hand side in the last game, and for the vast majority of his games with the national team. Yang Min-hyeok was again on the bench.Â

How things went for Tottenham Hotspur duo in World Cup qualifier

After just five minutes of the game, South Korea had taken the lead, with Son grabbing an assist from a corner. Seven minutes later, he also put in an excellent delivery from a corner, but this time it was not taken, and they did not go two goals up. Â

They would be made to pay for that miss, as Jordan equalised on the half an hour mark. That was enough for the two sides to go into the half time break at 1-1, with everything still to play for. Â

At half time, Min-hyeok was introduced to the action, making his debut for the national team in the process, whilst still being just 18 years of age. A very impressive achievement that should not be understated. Â

Despite huffing and puffing, South Korea could not find a way through in the second half, as they were condemned to their second consecutive draw during this international break. Had they won both of their games, they would have secured ther qualification for the World Cup next year. Â

As for Son, he was substituted in stoppage time. It was a good performance from the skipper, recording; 44 touches, 17/19 passes, five chances created, 7/13 accurate crosses, two big chances created, one assist, and two fouls drawn. He did only have one shot – a free kick from miles out – which is a bit of an issue, but more of a team mate one based on his overall performance. Â

Meanwhile, it was a quiet debut for Min-hyeok, but still a very proud day nevertheless. South Korea remain top of the group, with 16 points from their eight games so far. Given their superior goal difference, two points in their final two games should guarantee qualification, though three points would 100% confirm it. Â

According to a report from journalist Matteo Moretto, Atletico Madrid are considering the option of signing Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur, with manager Diego Simeone viewing the player as a “dream signing”. Â

Atletico Madrid interested in wantaway Tottenham Hotspur defender

Furthermore, Moretto states that the player is “determined to leave Tottenham”, though Atletico must be prepared to make a “significant financial investment”. They are said to be monitoring his situation closely if he is to leave North London this summer. In addition, he mentions that, as touched on above, he is highly regarded by Simeone, and the fact that they are compatriots only strengthens that.  Â

So, the interest is clear based on this report. In addition to Simeone, he would also be joining fellow compatriots and international team mates; Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo de Paul, Guilano Simeone, Angel Correa, Julian Alvarez. There are also as expected many Spanish players there and Uruguayan Jose Gimenez, so plenty of fellow Spanish speakers. Â

There could be another Uruguayan player there too, with fellow Spurs player Rodrigo Bentancur also linked with the Spanish outfit this month. Coincidentally, they both played each other last time out, as Argentina beat Uruguay 1-0 in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers. Â

It's hard to argue that Romero would be a good fit over there. He is an absolute lunatic and so is Simeone. Atletico are an extremely passionate club, and have always had South Americans in their successful teams. Particularly nutcases like Romero.

It is probably no secret at this point that Romero would like to leave the club. Spurs are languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League – not even mid table – and reports are suggesting that the player is unhappy with the medical department at the club, with his social media posts also implying the same. Â

Some will say well at least Spurs may have a defender instead whom is available for every game – or at least more than Romero – but there is plenty to suggest that the injuries are a club issue. So although it is a valid point to raise, the club could end up replacing Romero with an inferior defender who also misses plenty of games.Â

Meanwhile, the defender is in action later on tonight, as Argentina host Brazil in World Cup qualifying at midnight GMT. Should his side win the game, they will be the fourth team to qualify for the World Cup (via qualification) after Japan, New Zealand and Iran (although Uzbekistan may have too by the time you are reading this)Â

Let's see. What we can expect is the rumours regarding Romero to not go away anytime soon, that is for sure. Â