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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou believes Djed Spence's 'characteristics' suit the club, as the Australian looks to start their season with a win away to Leicester City.

Spence, 24, spent last season on loan at Leeds United and Genoa. He was expected to depart Spurs permanently in the summer, but the former Nottingham Forest star has since impressed during pre-season.

Capable of playing on either flank, Spence is now seen as the deputy to both Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie, particularly after the sale of Emerson Royal to AC Milan. Ahead of tomorrow's match against Leicester City, his manager Postecoglou was full of praise for him.

"We obviously had quite a few players who were out on loan last year. Again, a part of me [thinks] we need to keep evolving this squad [and] the guys go out on loan for a reason. How they come back? Are they fitter? Are they part of what we're doing? With Djed, I had hope in mind," the former Celtic manager said.

"I certainly think the kind of characteristics he has would fit into our football. He's had a good pre-season. He's trained really well. He seems to fit into the group really well.

"I don't think left-back is his obvious position — he's more of a right-back — but the fact he can play on the left gives us some good options into the season where, with European football, we're going to have more challenges.

"It was quite obvious last year that whenever we had disruptions in terms of injuries or suspensions, our performance dropped a fair bit. We're trying to narrow that gap and, hopefully, Djed is part of that squad and allows us to do that. He's available for Monday.

Postecoglou was later questioned about previous attitude concerns and added: "You would know about it if it was [a problem]. He would probably not be part of [the squad] if it was. I've had absolutely zero issues with his attitude this season."

Tottenham finished last season in fifth and are expected to push for Champions League qualification once again. Postecoglou has always won the title in his second season in charge at each club — and, although he did not say they would be champions, he did state: "We will improve and see where that takes us."

Solanke's 'got a great work ethic'

Dominic Solanke joined Tottenham for a club-record fee last weekend. The former Bournemouth striker scored 19 goals last campaign, impressing with his mobility and ability to press from the front.

The 26-year-old is set to take the number 19 shirt at Spurs as their main striker ahead of Richarlison, with a debut against Leicester increasingly likely.

Postecoglou, who just makes the decisions regarding signings as part of his 'small role' in the process, stated his overall play was the most impressive factor when bringing him to N17, not one specific performance.

"There was not one performance; I thought he did well against us. He gave us some problems that a lot of strikers in the league did not. His mobility and movement were really impressive. There's no secret that we love to press and he's got a great work ethic," the 58-year-old outlined.

"He scores different types of goals and the way we play really suits him. I really liked where he was in his career. He obviously was an outstanding young player and got to some big clubs, but it never worked out for him.

"It's what you do in that scenario. Do you think 'it's never going to happen for me' or do you work your way back? He's done remarkably well to get himself back into a position where he scored 19 league goals last season. I love that aspect. It was a whole range of things that made me keen to bring him in."

Last campaign, Spurs were struck with injuries across the pitch. James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison all had prolonged spells on the sidelines, with Spurs' backline being hit the worst. However, despite those defensive insecurities, Postecoglou was always adamant the team's attack needed the most work.

"As much as the injuries at the back cost us last year, that was mainly because we lost three-quarters of our backline for a big chunk. I still felt it was upfront where we were most short — and it's still the area we need to improve the most," he said.

"A lot of that was because Richarlison, when he played, was outstanding, but he had a lot of injuries. We had to play Son centrally. It was [Brennan] Johnson's first year at the club. I still think he did well, but we had to sign Timo [Werner]. We lost [Ivan] Perisic and [Manor] Solomon [early on], so I felt it was the area we needed to bulk up this summer.

"Just going into the season with Dominic and Richarlison in the striker's position allows Son [to play out wide]. It does not mean Son can't play through the middle, but I think we look like a much better team when he's on the left. We are looking for improvement."

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has insisted playmaker James Maddison does not lack self-belief ahead of their opening match of the Premier League season.

Maddison, 27, struggled with injury last season, seeing his electric form at the start of the campaign fizzle out. With four goals and nine assists in 28 matches, it became clear that the former Leicester star, who will be returning to his previous club for the first time on Monday, was trying too hard to get involved.

After missing out on England's Euro 2024 squad, the new campaign presents a fresh opportunity for Maddison to break into the international frame again, something Postecoglou thinks he can do.

"Even though it was not a significant injury in terms of time out, it still set him back a fair bit. Even when he came back, he had a couple of other smaller disruptions and we were also struggling.

"That did not help him because of the kind of player he is. He had a disappointment with the Euros obviously, but he's working harder pre-season and the good thing is that he's fit and given himself a foundation to have another strong season," the former Celtic manager stated during his press conference.

"I am sure he will want to go out there and get himself back into the international frame, but that's up to him to find the right way to use that as a motivation. If you deflect at any point and say 'that had nothing to do with me', you are missing an opportunity to improve."

At his best, Maddison is one of the best players in the Premier League. Capable of switching play quickly and elegantly gliding past the opposition, the Coventry City prodigy can be world-class — and Postecoglou continued to outline that he is not a player purely determined by confidence.

"I don't know what a 'confidence player' means. As a player, you've got to be on it all the time. You can't pick and choose. If you're physically fit and you get selected, you should be buzzing. I do not think Maddison lacks self-belief," the 58-year-old said.

"He knows he can be a really dominant player. Last year, a lot of it was about the physical element. When he was not 100% fit, he could not perform at the levels he wanted to. Even when he came back from injury, I never felt like he reached the levels he had earlier in the year.

"That's really key for him. If he's training really well and in good physical condition, his game flows from that. We've tried to give him a really strong pre-season — pushing him in a physical way — where I think when he feels really good about that, the rest of it goes from there. Rather than him lacking confidence or self-belief.

Postecoglou later added: "He's an exciting player. When the ball's at his feet, he's one of those creative types — and, for most people, that's what rocks their boat. Others love a big tackle and a great save, but he's a player who can get punters off their seats. The players feed off that as well. It's important for us that he's playing at his best. He makes us a better team and more dangerous. Hopefully that's what we see."

Tottenham finished last season in fifth and they will be hoping to go one step further and reach the Champions League this campaign. As they begin their season against Leicester, expectations are high in N17, but they will have to perform without midfielder Yves Bissouma.

"The best way is education" for Bissouma

Tottenham suspended Bissouma for their opening match of the season after he filmed himself taking nitrous oxide on social media last week.

Possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it for a psychoactive effect, is now an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act since last November.

Bissouma, 27, previously apologised for his actions, stating that there was a "severe lack of judgement." However, Spurs still opted to suspend him, insisting that the former Brighton midfielder must regain trust and undergo education.

"How prevalent it [nitrous oxide] is I don't know because it's a world away from my kind of life, but I think the best way is awareness, education and understanding the ramifications of making those decisions. Obviously, there's the personal ramifications; it's illegal," the manager said.

"There's a significant price to pay there. I am sure Bissouma is like every other human being. He's got people in his life who love him and they would not want to see that. Then there's the professional responsibility of the image of the game. There are so many people who follow the Premier League and we are all in a pretty privileged position.

"We get well rewarded for that, but there is a responsibility for what you do. There's a reason it's illegal; it's not because somebody thought 'let's ban this for no particular reason'. There's science behind why it is.

"He's made a poor choice, but within that context, we all make mistakes and there should always be an opportunity there for rehabilitation and redemption. That's up to Bissouma now."

After a year in the Championship, Leicester City will return to Premier League action as The King Power Stadium welcomes a Tottenham side with big ambitions coming into a fresh Premier League season.

The sides share a lot of history in past encounterss, with the fixture having the highest goals per game average of those played more than 30 times. Between the two teams there have been 128 goals scored in 34 games.

In their most recent meetings in the 22/23 season, there was a combined total of 13 goals scored across both fixtures, and in the last 5 matches played between the teams a record 28 goals have been scored.

Leicester hold 13 victories over Tottenham in the Premier League, the joint largest total of victories against any other team.

Tottenham have won four out of the last five matches between the two sides claiming 12 out of the 15 points available. One of the most memorable meeting between the two teams was in January 2022, when Leicester hosted Spurs and after leading 2-1 the home side then lost to Tottenham after two last minute goals in the last 80 seconds of the game.

James Maddison scored for Leicester in both fixtures the last season the two teams met as a Leicester player, he will now be returning to the King Power Stadium to face his former team.

Tottenham will be looking to secure their first three points of the campaign under Ange Postecoglou while Steve Cooper's newly-promoted Leicester face a tough task.

Team News

Tottenham have no major injurie concerns, says head coach Ange Postecoglu, after some concerns with Forster [foot] and Richarlison [calf] after both failed to make an appearances during pre-season.

New signing Solanke had a minor foot injury but is clear to play and have a pretty much fully fit squad to come up against Leicester.

Leicester has a few injury problems coming into the game against Tottenham, Patson Daka will be unavailable and will continue to be out for a few months says the Foxes boss Steve Cooper.

Daka has had surgery on his ankle following an injury picked up in pre season in a match againts Lens. Conor Coady will also be unavailable due to a muscle injury and will remain out until September. Club captain Jamie Vardy also won't be available for selection until September due to a knock injury.

Likely Line-ups

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Son, Solanke.

Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin; Winks, Ndidi, Soumare; Reid, Mavididi, Fatawu

Players To Watch -

Leicester

Abdul Fatawu -

Abdul Fatawu became a permanent member of the Leicester City squad after spending last season on loan from Sporting Lisbon.

He is one of football most exciting and upcoming talents, he provides pace and skill on the wing and in his first Championship season with Leicester scored 6 goals and provided 13 assists in 40 appearances.

He will experience his first season in the top flight of English football and will hope to burst into life in the Premier League.

Tottenham -

Archie Gray -

Tottenham have brought in 18-year-old Archie Gray this summer from Leeds United; he is described as one of the most exciting talents in English football.

He is a player that provides versatility, as he was played at center back during pre-season but also played in central midfield and right back for Leeds throughout last season.

In his last season in the Championship, he completed the most tackles for any player under the age of 21 and will be an exciting prospect for Tottenham who will be pushing for silverware this season.

Match Details -

Where will the game be played?

The game will be played at King Power Stadium, home of Leicester City.

What time will the match kick-off?

The match will kick off at 8pm BST on the 19th of August 2024.

How can you watch the match?

The match will be available to watch on Sky Sports in the UK.

Nineteen-year-old Wilson Odobert has swapped Lancashire for London, as he has completed a move to Tottenham Hotspur less than twelve hours before the new Premier League campaign gets underway.

The deal, which is subject to international clearance and other formalities, looks to have been completed before the registration deadline, meaning the Frenchman will be eligible to feature in The Lilywhites' season opener against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Monday night.

He becomes the sixth teenager to be signed by Ange Postecoglou since he arrived at the club thirteen months ago, meaning the average age of his sixteen senior signings is now 21.8 years old.

Odobert, who can play as both a winger or number ten, leaves Burnley with their Sky Bet Championship season already underway, having beaten Luton Town by four goals to one just four days ago. The attacker even got himself on the scoresheet during the victory at Kenilworth Road.

Here is what Tottenham fans can expect from their latest addition.

A 'dribbly' winger

It's been well-documented that Johan Lange and his recruitment team were looking to add a direct, explosive winger to Postecoglou's squad this summer, and it appears that Tottenham have finally secured their man.

Amongst all teenagers in the Premier League, the nineteen-year-old ranked first for the most successful dribbles completed during the 2023/24 campaign (53). When compared to teenagers around the continent, he ranked fourth, with only star boy Lamine Yamal, former Tottenham target Désiré Doué and new Brighton recruit Brajan Gruda ranking above him.

It looked pretty clear that Pedro Neto had been the main target throughout the summer to date, but in a crazy turn of events, he joined rivals Chelsea just days ago, meaning the North London side needed to act fast.

They have done exactly that, securing the services of another exciting young prospect, who seems to fit the mould of 'Postecoglou winger', and draws close similarities to previous targets.

Career to date

Despite only playing professionally for just over two years, Odobert has enjoyed a favourable career to date, which has seen him represent France from u16 to u23 level.

Formerly a member of Paris Saint-Germain's academy, the Frenchman opted to make the switch to fellow Ligue 1 side ESTAC Troyes in July 2022 as he sought regular first-team playing time. With L'ESTAC, he made 32 appearances across the 2022/23 campaign, scoring on four occasions.

As a seventeen-year-old, his form during his first season in the professional game caught the eye of many, with Burnley sealing a £10.2m deal to bring the attacker to Turf Moor in the summer of 2023. Whilst with The Clarets, he scored five goals in 34 appearances - becoming the club's youngest-ever goalscorer in the top flight.

His impressive quality in Vincent Kompany's relegated side has now earned him a mammoth move to Spurs, who have secured a deal worth an initial fee of £25m.

Mixing amongst the best

Whilst his outings in a Burnley shirt may have snuck under the radar, his numbers match up with some of the world's best.

Compared to midfielders, he ranks in the 99th percentile, the top one per cent of players in that position, for take-ons attempted and completed, progressive carries and progressive carries into the penalty area., completing at least two a game in every metric stated.

The versatile forward is also amongst the top two per cent when it comes to touches in the opposition box. Although this statistic may sound rather pointless if there is no end product, it is an extreme necessity when playing in the way that Tottenham do.

An awful lot of goals were scored from low bye-line crosses last season, with numerous assists from Brennan Johnson coming from within the width of the eighteen-yeard box. If Odobert can combine his dribbling successes with some improvement to his end product inside the box, he could be set for a very healthy season in the goal contributions list.

Opinion of the writer

It is very early to call but this capture appears to be one of great promise. A versatile attacker is exactly what Tottenham have been chasing for a few months now, so finally securing a main target is a huge coup for Postecoglou.

His ability to play across the front line will be much needed with Spurs fighting in four competitions this season and hopefully Odobert will be able to match the performance levels he exerted at Burnley, as with a Premier League giant in Tottenham he will naturally reap greater rewards.

Only time will tell, but a £30m package for an attacker who scored five and assisted three in a relegated team, seems to be a fantastic opportunity for The Lilywhites, and it will also help in their bid to offload Manor Solomon, who has now fallen further down the pecking order.

Last week Tottenham Hotspur smashed their transfer record to attain the services of Dominic Solanke from AFC Bournemouth.

In a deal believed to be in the region of £65 million, it eclipsed the fees paid for Tanguy Ndombele in 2019 and Richarlison two summer's ago.

So what does that mean for the current holder of the number nine shirt? Will it be a season mostly spent on the side lines or are there other avenues to success?

New man on the block

£65m might seem a lot for a player who has only had one high-quality scoring season in the top flight, but the reception Dominic Solanke received before the pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich last Saturday proved how desperate Tottenham fans had become for an out-and-out number nine.

Solanke ticks all the boxes: Premier League proven, hitting nineteen league goals last season; has performed well in an attacking system; now entering his prime years.

A gaping hole has been very adequately addressed for Tottenham, and finally a constant feature of the discourse from last season will be put to bed. They have a striker.

Given how needed he was, it would be remarkable if Solanke doesn’t start the opening Premier League fixture against Leicester City on Monday. A punter’s guess would see him make up a front three of Heung-Min Son and Brennan Johnson either side of him.

Although the Lilywhites managed a return to European football with either Son or Richarlison as a centre forward, more was still required in the position.

Even before Solanke's arrival, Richarlison was heavily linked with moves away from N17, reportedly rejecting heavy interest from Saudi Arabia in order to stay and fight for a place in the side.

In an Instagram story last week, the Brazilian alluded to having unfinished business with Tottenham. As a fan favourite and proven international, his decision to stay would be largely welcome with fans and presumably Ange Postecoglou too.

But it is easy to see why Daniel Levy might jump at the chance to recoup the £60 million fee paid for him.

It had been suggested that Richarlison’s proposed move to the Middle East would fund any move for Solanke. Obviously this has not been the case, but if Spurs were truly happy with Richarlison’s output then a move for the Englishman would not have materialised.

That said, Richarlison still managed 11 goals from 18 league starts last season, a wholly impressive return for someone who struggled with fitness throughout. But with Solanke in, where will Richarlison’s minutes come from?

More options up top?

Richarlison’s clearly favoured - and certainly best position - is as the central striker. His career has been full of making a nuisance of himself in the box, pestering defenders and hunting down goals.

What he lacks, and what Solanke certainly has, is the movement in the box to free himself up for the easy ones.

At times last season Richarlison would stand statically in the box waiting for a ball that would never arrive, or misjudge his run to find himself running past the near post before the ball has gone in. He lacks a calmness and can often seem erratic.

His best forward runs are made playing on the shoulder of the last defender. One would think that with James Maddison in behind there would have been great service for him to sweep home often.

But Spurs' attacks almost all come from the wide areas, and although Richarlison swept home from Johnson-assisted crosses against Everton and Bournemouth in consecutive games last season, it is not his specialty.

That said, we know he has the quality to make it work. We have seen it in flashes, and it is fair to say it is probably Richarlison’s consistency rather than his quality that has forced Spurs to play the Solanke hand.

Which is why it is understandable that Spurs might want to keep the Brazillian, especially with the increased fixtures that European football will bring next season. He offers a great rotation option as well as a bench option for league games up top.

It is hard to imagine a world where both he and Solanke are able to play their preferred position, as Postecoglou is particularly woven to his single striker, 4-3-3 formation.

Playing on the left?

While at Goodison Park, Richarlison enjoyed good spells on the left of a front three with Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the main striker.

A fully firing Calvert-Lewin could draw a tangible comparison to Solanke. Both are tall, physical and able to link play up nicely - which would suit Richarlison’s game.

However, there is the caveat of the captain. Son will be the first name on the team sheet each week and, beyond wearing the armband, he is also Spurs’ best attacker.

Richarlison will understandably struggle to make an impression on a league spot on the left so long as the South Korean is fit, irrespective of his form.

An understudy to Son is no position to turn your nose up at. The only problem is it might already be taken.

Timo Werner’s one year extension at the club came as a surprise to many, but it is clear that Postecoglou has an affection for him in addition to the left side being his more natural position.

In a 1v1, Werner has an edge over Richarlison just by virtue of his raw pace. Werner might seem like a one trick pony, - taking the ball to the byline before a low cross with his left foot - but it is remarkably effective.

It feels difficult to imagine a scenario where Richarlison is seen as being able to make more of a difference coming off the bench than Werner, given how Spurs play.

What will happen this season?

It looks as if Richarlison will be resigned to playing a more bit-part role in the team this season, barring any injuries.

Of course Postecoglou is known for picking players based on merit, so the door is by no means completely shut for a good stint in the side. After all, it is a nice problem for a manger to have, and not one that has been seen at Tottenham all too often.

But as he starts his third season in N17, he will know he will have the full backing of the fans.

Leicester City have made a swift return to the Premier League after their relegation, but they face a new challenge with the departure of Enzo Maresca, who guided them to promotion. Maresca has taken the reins at Chelsea, and Leicester have brought in Steve Cooper as his replacement. Cooper, who previously revitalized Nottingham Forest and led them to Premier League survival, now takes on a similar task at Leicester.

However, Leicester's return to the top flight begins with a daunting test against a Tottenham Hotspur side that has had a strong summer of recruitment.

Spurs have bolstered their squad with the signings of Archie Gray from Leeds United and Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, the latter becoming their record signing. They will, however, be without the influential Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who has been in their midfield since 2020, amassing 145 appearances for the club.

Leicester have made some key moves of their own, most notably securing the permanent signing of Issahaku Fatawu from Sporting Lisbon. Fatawu was instrumental in their Championship title win last season, featuring in 40 games. Yet, they have suffered a significant blow with the departure of academy graduate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has followed Maresca to Chelsea in a £30 million deal.

Tottenham, under Ange Postecoglou, narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot last season, finishing 5th, just two points behind Aston Villa. Postecoglou's dynamic and unpredictable style of play earned him widespread acclaim, especially after a memorable match against Chelsea where Spurs maintained a high line despite being reduced to nine men. This season presents an opportunity for Postecoglou to build on that success, further demonstrating his tactical prowess and adaptability.

Head2Head

Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur last met in February 2023 at the King Power Stadium, where Leicester secured a resounding 4-1 victory under Brendan Rodgers. Goals from Nampalys Mendy, James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Harvey Barnes overturned an early opener from Rodrigo Bentancur.

Historically, Spurs have had the upper hand in this fixture, winning 61 of the 120 encounters, while Leicester have triumphed 38 times, with 21 matches ending in draws.

Tottenham’s most recent victory came in 2022 when Heung-Min Son netted a hat-trick in a 6-2 win.

Team News

Leicester will be without club legend Jamie Vardy, who sustained an ankle injury in their pre-season match against Villarreal and is expected to miss the early part of the season.

Additionally, Connor Coady is sidelined until mid-September after suffering an injury in training.

Patson Daka also picked up a knock in Leicester's final pre-season friendly against Lens, leaving them without two of their first-team strikers.

In response, Steve Cooper has been actively seeking new signings ahead of the match. One of those signings is Facundo Buonanotte, who joins on loan from Brighton. The 23-year-old could play a crucial role in filling the attacking void left by Vardy and Daka.

Tottenham will be without Yves Bissouma, who has been suspended for Monday’s game following the emergence of a social media video showing him inhaling laughing gas.

Manager Ange Postecoglou addressed the situation, stating, “He needs to rebuild trust with both me and the team. The door is open for him, but his behavior will be key.”

On a brighter note, Richarlison returns to full fitness after missing all of pre-season, though his minutes will be carefully managed.

Aside from Bissouma's suspension, Spurs have no major injury concerns, and new signings Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall are all expected to feature.

The primary selection dilemma for Postecoglou lies in midfield, where he must choose between Rodrigo Bentancur and new arrival Archie Gray to partner with Pape Sarr.

• Predicted Line-Ups

Leicester City: Hermansen, Kristiansen, Okoli, Faes, Justin, Winks, Ndidi, Buonanotte, Fatawu, Mavididi, De Cordova Reid

Tottenham Hotspur : Vicario, Udogie, Romero, Van der Ven, Porro, Maddison, Gray, Sarr, Son, Solanke, Kulusevski

Players to watch

Leicester- Stephy Mavididi

At 26 year of age Mavididi comes into the Premier League off of the back of a very successful debut season with Leicester where he got 12 goals in 46 appearances.

This included picking up the Championship player of the month award in December 2023.

He joined the club from Montpellier where he overtook Chris Waddle as the English player with the most appearances in Ligue 1.

The player came through Arsenal’s youth system and can play either at striker or on the wing.

His versatility offers Leicester's manager, Steve Cooper, multiple options in how he can deploy Mavididi, whether as a central striker, where his sharp finishing can be fully utilized, or as a winger, where his pace and ability to take on defenders one-on-one can stretch the play.

Tottenham Hotspur- Dominic Solanke

Solanke joins the club for a club record fee of a reported £65 million making it his third team that he has played for in the traditional ‘big six’ sides after previously being at Cheslea and Liverpool.

For Bournemouth last season he was the vocal point in the side getting 19 goals for the side as they finished 12th in the league.

At 6ft 2 Solanke is a tall pressing striker who has great finishing ability.

He was part of the side that won the under 20’s World Cup in 2017 band he picked up the Golden ball which saw him move to Liverpool following his contract expiring at Chelsea.

When and how to watch Leicester City vs Tottenham Hotspur

The game will be live on Sky Sports with the game kicking off at 19:45pm in the UK and will be shown on relevant USA channels.

Tottenham Hotspur have suspended Yves Bissouma for their opening match of the season after he filmed himself taking nitrous oxide on social media this week.

Possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it for a psychoactive effect, is now an offence since last November under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Bissouma, 27, previously apologised for his actions, stating that there was a "severe lack of judgement." During his pre-match press conference ahead of Monday night's clash, Ange Postecoglou was clear in his words, highlighting that some "trust-building" is needed between Bissouma and the group.

"I've been in the game for a long time and I've always tried to look at them in a couple of different ways. He's made a really poor decision. You want to understand that and help him through that.

"As a club, what we can do is make sure he does not make those kinds of choices in the future. Within that context, there are also sanctions involved. Some of those sanctions include education, giving him an understanding of what he did was wrong," the former Celtic manager said.

"You always want to give people an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. The second part of that is that he's a footballer at this club. He has responsibilities for the club, his teammates and our supporters. He's failed in those duties, so he will not be available for Monday; we've suspended him.

"Beyond that, there's some trust building needed between me and Bissouma and Bissouma and the group. That's what he needs to work hard on to win that back. He's going to have to earn that. Hopefully, the door is open for him and we can help him to realise that the decisions he makes impact more than just him."

When asked how he rebuilds trust, Postecoglou said: "Behaviour mate. It's quite simple — him making better choices moving forward. He's obviously disappointed and he was very apologetic, but that's just the first part of the process. The next part is that he does the things we need to do. We all make mistakes; it's how you come back from them."

With Bissouma unavailable, it opens up room for Archie Gray to make his debut for Spurs. Gray, 18, joined from Leeds United at the start of July, and has since played in a multitude of positions during pre-season.

Acting as a right-back and centre-back at times, his preferred position is in the middle of the park — and Postecoglou stated he could play on Monday.

"Archie has settled in really well. He's a great kid, but a really strong mindset. We've asked him to play different positions, but he's held it really well," Postecoglou outlined.

"Part of the attraction when bringing him to the club is that, when required, we can use him in those areas. He's going really well, I'm really happy with him, and there's every chance he can play on Monday."

On Tottenham's different expectations

Tottenham finished fifth last campaign in Postecoglou's first season in charge. After the signings of Gray, Dominic Solanke and Lucas Bergvall, there is a natural sense that progression is expected.

It's been a different time in charge for Postecoglou this year compared to last. With a more settled squad, and notably no major loss in Harry Kane, the Australian highlighted this in his press conference.

"It's been a different pre-season. I think we feel better prepared for what's ahead. Last year, this time there were a lot of unknowns. Having said all that, it didn't stop us from having a great start to the season. It's one of these things where just because you're better prepared does not guarantee anything," Postecoglou said.

"For the most part, we got some guys in late last week. This last seven days when we've had everyone in, the level of training's gone up from what we had on tour. That's created a really good squad environment for us. The pleasing thing is pretty much everyone on the list is available."

There are still over three weeks left of the transfer window — and, after making three first-team signings, Spurs are still expected to make further signings. As usual, though, Postecoglou kept his cards close to his chest.

"There's always a little bit of uncertainty, but as supposed to last year, where there were a lot more moving parts, you're working in a smaller spectrum, for me anyway," the Australian said.

"I can plan for the season knowing that a lot of the work is done and whatever we get from here on in is not going to disrupt us too much. I still expect there to be activity, but the uncertainty is a lot less than last year.

"Solanke was important. Even though it was settled, it was a tricky pre-season for us, because we had the majority of the backline missing and we didn't have a striker as Richarlison was injured. When you didn't have those key elements, we tried to build a team.

"Super pleased to sign Solanke and that's coincided with Richarlison coming back. From that perspective, it does give us a settled look to see what the team will look like moving forward."

With just under a week to go until Tottenham Hotspur open their Premier League season against Leicester City under the lights of the King Power Stadium, fans are wondering whether the Lilywhites can push on after Ange Postecoglou's maiden campaign showed many positive signs.

Despite Spurs' tumultuous form resulting in a season of highs and lows, Postecoglou restored hope and ambition to a beleaguered set of fans after the chaotic and underwhelming spell of Antonio Conte.

Now after a summer of smart business and a positive pre-season tour, Tottenham fans will be hoping for a successful second campaign under their Australian manager.

VAVEL has you covered with everything you need to know about Tottenham Hotspur, from reflecting on last season's progress to the club's transfer activity, as well as previewing their prospects for what lies ahead.

Season Recap

After a protracted managerial search following the dismissal of Conte, Tottenham Hotspur finally landed on the relatively unknown candidate of Postecoglou, albeit one with a glowing CV following trophy laden spells in Australia, Japan and at Celtic.

Postecoglou was thrown into the deep end straightaway, with a disrupted pre-season seeing fixtures cancelled while the departure of the club's record goalscorer and team talisman, Harry Kane, saw a dampened mood engulf the club before a ball had even been kicked.

However, Spurs would take to life under Postecoglou like a duck to water, remaining unbeaten until November as they won 8 of their opening 10 games.

A fateful fixture against Chelsea would spell the end of Tottenham and Postecoglou's honeymoon as a nine man Spurs side slumped to a 4-1 defeat, following the dismissals of Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie combined with a devastating hamstring injury to Micky van de Ven.

While the match would prove disastrous to Postecoglou's team selection, the way in which Spurs responded to the adversity would enthuse the whole club and become a point of reference for how his Spurs wanted to play.

With a return of a clear identity and fast paced, attacking football, the remaining six months would see Tottenham continue to show glimpses of promise that was so evident in the first half of the year.

However, a poor run of form come the end of season, in which Tottenham lost to Newcastle, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in the space of six games, would see them miss out on Champions League football and settle for a place in the Europa League.

While Postecoglou won't be afforded the same sympathy when things don't go his side's way in his second season, the hope is that Tottenham can push on following a summer of clever signings and a positive pre-season and finally make a strong claim for either domestic or European silverware.

Transfer window so far

Written by Johnny Davies

Tottenham have been busy this window in terms of their business, scouting more towards the club's future rather than the now.

Postecoglou has set a clear vision for the club with what he wants. And with the new structure of Johan Lange as Technical Director and Rob Mackenzie as Chief Scout, Spurs have had a busy summer getting players in and out of the door.

Incomings

The first two signings of the window for Spurs demonstrated their emphasis on youth, with 18-year-old Swedish talent Lucas Bergvall and Leeds United's, EFL Championship Young Player of the Season, Archie Gray, signing on long term deals for the club.

Spurs picked up Bergvall for the small fee of £8.5 million back in the summer of 2023, with the player always set to play another season at Swedish club, Djurgården. Meanwhile, Gray attracted the larger fee of £40million after an impressive season in the Championship.

Spurs also brought in Timo Werner on a loan extension deal from RB Leipzig while 18 year-old Min-Hyuk Yang was signed for around £1million from Gangwon FC.

Yang will stay at Gangwon until January 2025 where he will then join up for Spurs ready to be part of Postecoglou’s plans.

The final incoming for Spurs this year is the main one they’ve needed, a new striker. In a club record deal, Spurs signed Dominic Solanke from AFC Bournemouth for fee that could approach £65million.

Solanke produced some standout performances amongst strikers in the Premier League last season, scoring 19 goals in 38 games for the Cherries.

Outgoings

The Lilywhites also saw several outgoings this window, many of which being free transfers with expiring contracts.

Those free transfer outgoings include Japhet Tanganga to Millwall, Ivan Perisic to Hadjuk Split, Tanguy Ndomeble to OGC Nice, Ryan Sessegnon to Fulham, and Eric Dier to Bayern Munich.

The transfers of Dier and Perisic were already set in stone after having been at their retrospective clubs in the 2023/24 season.

Joe Rodon also left the club this window for a fee of around £12 million to Leeds while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg joined Marseille, initially on loan but with an obligation to buy that could see the club earn up to £17 million for the Danish midfielder.

Youngsters Bryan Gil joined Girona, with a view to the move being made permanent for a fee of £12 million, while Alejo Veliz joined Espanyol for a season long loan.

Emerson Royal has also departed Spurs to join AC Milan for a transfer fee worth around £15 million after three seasons in North London.

Spurs arguably sold their players that were deemed to be ‘deadwood’ and managed to get quite a lot off their wage bills off their book.

With time still left in the window, Postecoglou stated that, “there is still more activity to be done”.

Manager and Tactics

Written by Brandon Williams

With his swashbuckling style of play and endearing Aussie charm, Postecoglou won over swathes of Tottenham fans during his first season with the club. Two thoroughly successful years at Celtic gave him a reputation for full throttle, attacking football – something he duly delivered on in north London.

Fifth place, which secured a return to Europa League football, was sufficient enough for an opening campaign. Despite disappointments in the domestic cups, the maiden campaign under Postecoglou saw positive steps in the right direction.

Tactics-wise, the majority of the first eleven suited his ideas. Pedro Porro and Udogie worked as inverted full-backs, Brennan Johnson and Werner liked to stretch the play to feed the ball into the area, while Cristian Romero and van de Ven thrived as a centre back pairing who push up high and looked to effect the midfield.

But Tottenham were still shaky. The lack of a solid No.6 certainly a factor alongside getting up to speed with a change of intensity. The addition of Gray should give the side a stronger spine alongside further moulding to Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr.

Solanke, meanwhile, is a near-perfect box striker - a player profile Postecoglou sets his teams up to have but was largely lacking in the last campaign.

It is said his methods take a season to embed - ideal for a Spurs side hungrier than ever to win silverware.

Strongest XI

Written by Harrison Nathan

Whilst Postecoglou has spent the majority of pre-season experimenting with his side, and not giving any real clue as to who his go-to starting line-up will be, here is how we are expecting the Australian to line up on the opening day of his second season in charge.

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Van der Ven; Bissouma, Sarr, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son

At the base, and what will come as no shock to supporters, will be Guglielmo Vicario. Last season, the £17 million man kept seven clean sheets and became the first Spurs goalkeeper since 2007/08 to go an entire league season without making a mistake leading to a goal.

In defence, Porro will start as the right full back - as he has done in every single pre-season game to date - and he should be accompanied by the reliable Cristian Romero, who is fresh off the back of winning Copa America.

Postecoglou is expected to bring Radu Dragusin into the backline while moving van de Ven out to left back in order to deal with the potential absence of Udogie, as the former Udinese man has completed just 45 minutes of action since returning from his injury, which saw him side lined since April.

In midfield, Bissouma has been a regular in pre-season matches and will be expected to feature along with Sarr and James Maddison.

However, the former Foxes man has failed to rediscover his early form in a Spurs shirt and will have to work hard to keep Dejan Kulusevski from taking his role, who has made six goal contributions in six pre-season matches.

In attack, captain Heung-Min Son will begin on the left of the front three, with Johnson set to begin on the right. Through the middle, new club record signing Solanke, who scored nineteen Premier League goals during the 2023/24 campaign, will likely spearhead the attack.

Key Talking Points

Written by Harrison Nathan

A chance for youngsters to star

The new season will bring many opportunities for the fine young prospects on the books at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Last season, during the rotten injury crisis, Jamie Donley was often called upon and used on a number of occasions, including a chance to make his professional debut in the thrilling 3-3 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Towards the end of campaign, Mikey Moore - who was just sixteen-years-old at the time - was often named amongst the substitutes, and became Tottenham's youngest ever player when he came on during the 0-2 home loss against Manchester City. In pre-season, Moore and the likes of fellow youngsters Donley, Gray, Bergvall and Lankshear have impressed supporters.

With Postecoglou's men fighting on all four fronts, integration of these promising youngsters will be pivotal for Spurs.

Options galore for Postecoglou

Ahead of the new season, Postecoglou will be very happy with the squad he currently holds the keys to, and there is still time for signings to be made in the remaining weeks of the transfer window.

To date, his side have completed just three signings, but the former Celtic manager now has multiple options all over the field, including in the striker role where Solanke and Richarlison will be expected to compete for the number nine spot allowing Son to be moved out to his preferred position on the left.

Straight in depth will be the key to a good and competitive season for Tottenham Hotspur, who suffered a barren injury crisis which dented hopes of a title charge in the Premier League, following an unbeaten opening ten games of the season.

Predicted Finish

Written by Jude Deedigan

When all aspects are considered, it’s not unreasonable to suggest Tottenham will get their hands on one of the coveted Champions League spots at the end of the season.

Spurs arguably should've finished fourth last campaign, but a turbulent run of form in the closing stages put a stop to that, as they narrowly missed out to Unai Emery's Aston Villa.

That finish resulted in qualification to the UEFA Europa League for the upcoming term, their first appearance in the competition since the 2020/21 season.

Furthermore, Postecoglou’s philosophy has had a whole year to manifest itself and the large majority of the players have acclimatised to their new role, whether that be inverting at full-back, pressing with more intensity or being braver and riskier in possession.

Spurs have recruited well in this transfer window thus far, addressing all the key areas that needed improving. Solanke provides necessary competition for Richarlison, whilst securing Werner on a season-long loan is a smart addition. 18-year-old Gray brings versatility in abundance, and he is only going to get better.

They've also succeeded in selling a plethora of players that were on the fringes of the squad and, in the process, they have dramatically decreased the wage bill, which was of paramount importance this summer.

Before an injury crisis hit the Lilywhites in November, the North London club were cruising at the top of the table. If they can replicate that impeccable form and sustain it over a longer period , fourth place or higher could be more than achievable.

Tottenham Hotspur's fanbase expands to all four corners of the world, with a particular hotspot in Asia, more specifically South Korea.

Of course, Spurs' captain Heung-min Son has a lot to do with that. The South Korean national team skipper is cherished in his homeland, with thousands of passionate supporters from his native country travelling to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium every season just to catch a glimpse of Spurs' No. 7.

So it comes as no surprise that the North London club have again decided to show a sign of appreciation as they made the trip to South Korea for consecutive summers.

Three games in just seven days posed a challenging test physically and mentally for Ange Postecoglou's side, with a wide variation of opposition from J-League giants, Vissel Kobe, to serial European winners, Bayern Munich.

Spurs began the tour by narrowly edging out J-League outfit Vissel Kobe 3-2 in Japan before brushing aside Team K League4-3 before concluding the tour with a defeat to Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich 2-1.

But with scorelines being largely considered arbitrary in pre-season, here are four key outcomes that will give Ange and his coaching staff food for thought for the campaign ahead.

Spurs' youngsters impress

The future of the Lilywhites' team appears to be in more than safe hands, with Tottenham possessing some potential world beaters in the academy.

Academy starlets Jamie Donley, Will Lankshear and 16-year-old Mikey Moore have particularly flourished this tour, with the latter earning countless of plaudits for his level of maturity and skill at such a tender age.

Teenagers Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, both 18, can also be thrown into that conversation, but more on them later...

Remember the name; Mikey Moore. Moore announced himself on the senior stage at the backend of last season as he came on as a late substitute against Manchester City to become Spurs' youngest Premier League player ever aged 16 years and 277 days old.

The excitement around the player is palpable and he is living up to the expectation already this summer.

In his boyhood club's first three friendlies back in the UK, prior to the Asia Tour, Moore registered a goal contribution against Queens Park Rangers, Cambridge United and Hearts, with his goal against the latter being taken with impressive composure.

Moore's 88th minute winner against Team K League proved he can be a player for the big occasion, a necessary attribute of being one of the world's best. His development over the course of the campaign will be intriguing to track and as long as he nurtures Moore with care, Postecoglou could have a generational talent on his hands.

Jamie Donley was in fine form for Tottenham's U21's last season, recording six goals and 13 assists in only 20 Premier League 2 games. However, a completely different role has been asked of him by manager Ange Postecoglou this pre-season.

Due to the absence of Destiny Udogie, who has only just returned to training after a quadriceps injury he suffered back in April, Tottenham have been without a recognised 'inverted left back.'

With that role requiring a very specific skillset, it has resulted in 19-year-old Donley, an attacking midfielder, being deployed at left-back.

In a typical tactical setup, an attacking midfielder playing left-back would seem ludicrous, but due to the inverted nature of both full-backs in the Postecoglou system, the 'defender' ends up more centrally and much higher up the field, which of course suits Donley down to the ground.

He has excelled in this role, providing an assist for Son's stunner against Team K League from a more central position and Mikey Moore's late winner against Vissel Kobe with a cross that is becoming synonymous with "Ange Ball". The low, drilled cross, typically fired towards the near post, has become a customary avenue for goals and this could favour a certain young striker.

Will Lankshear has also benefitted from some sizeable senior minutes in friendlies and as a natural, classic number nine his innate ability to find himself in the right place at the right time could see him fit into Tottenham's squad this season, especially with European football retuning to N17.

After a goal in a friendly against Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts a few weeks ago, Lankshear also found the net in Asia, as he was in the right place to tap home Spurs' fourth goal against Team K League from a driven cross by Timo Werner. Exactly the sort of situation that has paid dividends for Tottenham countless of times since Postecoglou's arrival.

Dejan Kulusevski at False Nine?

Replacing Harry Kane was never going to be easy.

Last campaign saw Postecoglou play Son and Richarlison through the middle, and despite both players performing well, a large portion of Spurs supporters have been crying out for a natural striker to come through the door this transfer window.

Unsurprisingly, Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange have been looking to address these complaints, with the club being linked with forwards such as Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke, Lille's Jonathan David and Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokores.

However, the answer to the Spurs' striker conundrum could arguably be staring everyone in the face. Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swede has been implemented as a 'False 9' in this system and it has bore fruit on multiple occasions this tour. He is not a complete stranger to this role, as he has played through the middle whilst in Serie A with Parma and Juventus during the formative years of his career and he has even been quoted as saying that it is his preferred position.

Kulusevski has never been blessed with pace, so he has always relied on his attacking acumen and nous to succeed on the flanks. Playing him centrally seems to play to his strengths, and when played through the middle last season, it looked like the right position for all parties.

The 24-year-old's ability to improve the players around him is an invaluable asset and one that very few possess.

As we saw against Team K-League, his link-up with Son was almost telepathic for the South Korean's second and earlier on in the game he opened the scoring with a poachers finish.

Notably, he has attempted multiple back heel 'flicks' in recent times that not only excite the crowd, but catch out opposition defenders.

Changing his position also allows the frontline to be more fluid as the likes of Son, Werner and Brennan Johnson can drift more centrally, whilst he drops deeper and all three are technically gifted enough to interchange positions.

Is Djed Spence set for a redemption arc?

A man that was virtually out of the picture a mere few weeks ago, it seems Spence has turned his fortunes around at the club.

The 23 year-old has become the face of Spurs' social media in the past fortnight, with his seemingly nonchalant and cavalier attitude making for humorous viewing. Furthermore, he appears to be a popular member of the dressing room, another indicator that this season might be different.

He fits the mould of a Postecoglou full-back like a glove. His technical ability allows him to be comfortable in the advanced areas and his athleticism and speed enables him to transition from one end of the pitch to the other in an instant.

While the fullback's loan spell at Leeds United last term didn't exactly gone to plan, it appears as if the Englishman has turned a page, and fans will be hoping this isn't a temporary change.

Spence's revival could mean the outgoing Emerson Royal can be replaced internally.

The midfield is set for years

This Tottenham midfield is endowed in talent and potential, with newest recruits Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall at the forefront of that sentiment.

The two technicians are the newest members of the squad. Gray is Spurs' only first team signing of the summer so far from Championship side Leeds United for roughly £35 million and Bergvall has been fully integrated this summer after signing for the Lilywhites back in January from Djurgården before being loaned back to the Swedish team for the remainder of their league campaign.

The silkiness and confidence that the pair exude on the ball mean they are tailor-made for possession based football under pressure. They are also versatile, with both players having the ability to play in every position across the midfield and Gray can even slot into the right side of defence.

The physical demands of the Premier League would be the only question mark over Bergvall's availability straight away, but despite his slender build, the midfielder stands at 6'1 tall, so the Swede is no slouch.

One game remains of pre-season for Tottenham Hotspur, as they bizarrely face the same opponent in consecutive friendlies, hosting Bayern Munich at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Saturday 10th August.

Goals from Pedro Porro, Heung-Min Son and Mikey Moore ensured that Tottenham Hotspur would keep their unbeaten run in pre-season going, as they edged a victory against Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.

Although the scoreline may have been slightly tighter than expected, it is worth remembering that The Lilywhites' Japanese opponents are currently 25 games into their J-League campaign, whilst the English side are only three matches into their Premier League preparations, and the entirety of the starting eleven were yet to play more than 45-minutes in their opening two pre-season outings.

Despite a leggy first half, which may have been partly down to scorching conditions and jet lag, considering Spurs only arrived in Asia four days ago, its was another good showing from Ange Postecogou's men, who sealed a victory with two minutes of the ninety to spare.

Here are the main talking points.

Another excellent display from Mikey Moore

Although this may be a very cliché thing to say amongst the Spurs fanbase at present, you simply cannot ignore the fact that Mikey Moore is a very special talent, which The Lilywhites have at their disposal.

Scoring the winner in the capital of Japan means the youngster takes his pre-season tally to two goals and one assist in three official games, whilst in unofficial behind closed doors games against Cambridge United and Japan's u20 national team, he has also notched two goals.

When the winger arrived to the playing field on the hour mark, he instantly made his mark on the game. Silky dribbling in tight areas, electric pace and a deadly attacking ability, culminating in match-winner which was assisted by fellow academy star Jamie Donley.

Speaking after the game, Ange Postecolgou had this to say about the stunning 16-year old: "Mikey has been fantastic since we brought him in. He’s earned his spot on the roster at the moment — he did at the end of last year.

He’s been good in all the games - he probably should have had three tonight, to be fair - but he did take his goal well by being in the right areas. All we can do is keep allowing him to develop."

It's safe to say the manager and the fans have seen the potential, now it's up to the player to ensure he keeps working hard and striving towards the end goal - following in the footsteps of the likes of Harry Kane and co. and becoming a superstar in North London.

Headache for Postecoglou

The Australian Head Coach now has a major headache to deal with, but it's a good issue to have.

With the academy stars shining in pre-season so far, Ange Postecoglou now has a major headache to contend with as he looks to improve and finalise his squad for the 2024/25 season in the coming weeks.

As Tottenham are set to fight on all four fronts in the upcoming season, the former Celtic boss will need a large squad to ensure he can meet expectations and progress as far as possible in all competitions.

Whilst Spurs are yet to dip into the transfer market for any marquee signings, Postecoglou now has a decision to make - does he opt for homegrown talents which are proving their worth, or does he look to purchase some experienced, big money names in the remainder of the summer transfer window.

Mikey Moore has added a goal contribution in every pre-season appearance, whilst Will Lankshear has impressed up front - two positions which Spurs were in dire need of strengthening following the end of the 2023/24 season.

In defence, Djed Spence appears to have knuckled down as is taking the chance given to him by storm, and is continuing to offer hope that he can finally match the expectations placed on him by fans when he first joined in 2022.

Nineteen-year old Jamie Donley, normally deployed in midfield, has unusually been selected at left back during the three pre-season contests but has looked very assured in that role, leaving Postecolgou with multiple options in that area. That means Spurs, who have been rumoured to be interested in a left-sided defender this summer, will not ned to spend in that role and can put the money towards different options.

With the North London side heavily rumoured to be in the market for a winger and striker, these issues may have already been solved with players already on their books. Although the names mentioned above are still raw, perhaps Postecoglou could look to embed them into the first team squad in the new season, especially with plenty of opportunities in the UEFA Europa League and Carabao Cup.

Bissouma back to his best?

Yes, it's only pre-season and it's important not to get carried away, but the Yves Bissouma's performances in a white shirt have looked very promising so far.

Less than a year ago, he was comfortably the best performing midfielder in the Premier League, but after his red card in the first half at Luton away, his form took a turn for the worse and he never recovered his early season form, often struggling in the final 28 games of his second season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, in his first two 45-minute cameos in wins against Hearts and Queens Park Rangers, the Malian has looked sharp and has offered plenty of glimpses of his elite ability that we saw at the start of Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham career. He even broke his duct in a Spurs shirt with an impeccable goal at Loftus Road, just over a week ago.

Bissouma was at the centre of the majority of The Lilywhites' build up play during his first half appearance, keeping the ball moving and starting attacks with his powerful, penetrating runs from deep. The deep-lying, tough-tackling has an immeasurable partnership with Pape Matar Sarr, with the duo often starring when lining up together.

If the former Brighton and Hove Albion man can get back to his best, stay fit and keep his performances consistent throughout the entire season, then Tottenham will have a beast in their midfield and Ange Postecolgou will have a very strong option available.

'Ange ball' is back

The second half of last season was torrid for Tottenham Hotspur and Head Coach Ange Postecoglou, who said Spurs had "lost their identity", as his side suffered a horrendous injury crisis following their November collapse against Chelsea.

They were missing Micky van de Ven and James Maddison until January, Heung-Min Son jetted off to the Asian Cup, Richarlison struggled to maintain fitness and Destiny Udogie's season ended early due to needing surgery.

However, in pre-season we have seen a return of the fast tempo, possession-based build up play which wad first offered to fans during the early months of Postecoglou's reign. Spurs dominated proceedings in their opening game thrashing of Hearts and in the first half at QPR, they did exactly the same.

Both goals scored in that game epitomised the Australian's philosophy, and in Japan, he would have been extremely pleased with the manner in which Tottenham scored all three goals to beat one-time J-League champions Vissel Kobe.

The opener saw Pedro Porro end up in the centre of the penalty box, whilst Spurs' second goal, which gave them the lead, was a move we have seen so often. Brennan Johnson, who has largely impressed so far in the new campaign, found captain Son with a low cross, and he calmly finished past Daiya Maekawa.

In training, the boys from N17 can often be spotted perfecting a low bye-line cross for an easy finish from close-range, and Mikey Moore's winner saw their work on the training pitch put into action in a game scenario. Jamie Donley, playing on the left of the back four, broke into the box before finding Moore, who scored an open goal to win the game.