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The Athletic continues its weekly search for the most exciting prospects coming through club academies with a trip to Leicester City to watch Tottenham Hotspur’s under-21s, who have made a fine start to the season.

In the same way Thomas Frank’s senior side have been prolific scorers in the top flight to date this term, Wayne Burnett’s under-21s are the Premier League 2 top scorers, thanks largely to their 6-3 victory at Leicester’s Seagrave training ground.

There were plenty of impressive displays that night, but one young player stood out with a dazzling first-half showing.

It is not often that a pre-match plan comes together so perfectly, but The Athletic was there mainly to watch one young player who did not fail to deliver — and was rewarded with a senior call-up a few days later.

The player

Player: Luca Williams-Barnett

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Date of birth: October 1, 2008 (16)

Position: Attacking midfield

The backstory

Williams-Barnett has been in the Tottenham academy since the age of 10 having begun his football education at hometown club Luton Town.

Having long been considered a strong prospect for the first team, his progress through the youth ranks has been accelerated in recent seasons. He was an unused substitute for the Europa League matches against Roma and Galatasaray last autumn and, a few days after the under-21s’ win at Leicester, made his first-team debut as a late substitute in Wednesday’s 3-0 Carabao Cup third round victory over Doncaster Rovers.

Williams-Barnett replaced Mathys Tel in the 87th minute; as a senior player, he was duly assigned the Spurs legacy number 900.

Frank had praised Williams-Barnett’s composure, technique and vision in the build-up to that Doncaster tie with the club’s first-team academy transition coach Stuart Lewis having kept him abreast of the teenager’s progress.

“It’s always a pleasure to be part of a young player’s debut,” said the Tottenham manager post-match. “But it’s one thing to make a debut when you’re 16. The next step, and much more important, is how Luca moves forward. It’s very tough to keep going and then get into the first team as a really regular player. But the first step is very important.”

Last season he had impressed in the under-18s with 20 goals and 12 assists from 23 games and became renowned for his ability to take on defenders and his long-range shooting.

In fact he won the under-18s’ goal of the season when he scored against Leicester from just inside the opposition’s half, and he almost repeated the feat again in the second half last Friday night…

What we saw

It was actually his predatory instincts and ability to be in the right place at the right time that were key to his first-half hat-trick.

Playing in a floating No 10 role behind central striker Rio Kyerematen, Williams-Barnett would often change positions with left-sided forward Oliver Irow and immediately displayed a desire to get on the ball and run at the Leicester defence, giving central defender Kevon Gray a torrid time in particular.

His first goal, scored inside two minutes, may have had an element of good fortune about it as it was Gray, in attempting to clear a dangerous low cross, who inadvertently played his clearance onto Williams-Barnett and the ball looped into the net, but his positioning certainly was not fortuitous. He was in the right place at the right time to restore Tottenham’s lead with his second, slotting home the rebound after Yusuf Akhamrich’s shot was saved by the Leicester keeper, Stevie Bausor.

Williams-Barnett was at the heart of most of Tottenham’s dangerous attacks and took the set pieces as well.

He had another effort cleared off the line and teed up Akmanrich before completing his hat-trick five minutes before the break, showing composure and an impressive first touch before finishing well from just inside the penalty box.

He was quieter in the second period as he tired but still offered moments of quality, teeing up Leo Black for the sixth. Tottenham could have scored more had Williams-Barnett picked out the unmarked Kyerematen having dragged three Leicester defenders towards him with another threatening run.

His team-mates may have been unimpressed with that particular decision but, overall, it was a match-winning performance from Williams-Barnett, who showcased the potential that helped earn that senior bow a few days later.

“Some of his football is very, very good,” Burnett said after the Leicester game. “He’s an intelligent footballer for such a young man. He’s got ability, he’s got talent. You can clearly see that.

“He has to keep working. He has to keep developing, but he can be very, very exciting at times and we’re pleased to have him.”

It was difficult to tell that Williams-Barnett is several years younger than many of the other players on show, although he did fade physically in the second half.

That strength and stamina will come as he grows over the next few years, but it was clear he possesses are the raw ingredients — and natural talent — to succeed.

(Top image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The only thing missing from Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night was a goal for Mathys Tel.

The France Under-21 international finds himself in a strange situation in north London. He was convinced to leave Bayern Munich and join Spurs, initially on loan for the second half of last season, by former head coach Ange Postecoglou. The deal contained an option to buy for €55million but he struggled to impress and only scored three goals in 20 appearances. Spurs renegotiated with Bayern and by the time they signed Tel permanently, on a six-year contract for €35m, Thomas Frank had replaced Postecoglou.

As part of the hiring process, Frank and other candidates were asked to assess the squad’s strengths and weaknesses. Maybe it is just a coincidence that Tel joined Spurs permanently three days after Frank was appointed, or maybe the 51-year-old had to grant his blessing first.

Due to a lack of locally-trained players, Spurs had to name a reduced squad for the league phase of the Champions League. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin were left out while they recover from long-term knee injuries. The surprising exclusion was Tel, who scored twice in 16 appearances for Bayern in the competition.

Wednesday’s cup tie against Doncaster was the 20-year-old’s second start of the season, after playing centrally in the 3-0 win against West Ham United, and another opportunity to impress with loan signing Randal Kolo Muani unavailable due to a dead leg.

When Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke return to full fitness, it is difficult to see Tel receiving a lot of game time. On the left wing, he faces competition from his international team-mate Wilson Odobert, €60m summer signing Xavi Simons, and last season’s top goalscorer Brennan Johnson.

Tel started positively against Doncaster. In the second minute, Simons drove forward with the ball to the edge of the box and he laid it off to Odobert. Tel ghosted in front of his marker but it was an awkward angle and his first-time flick from Odobert’s cross went over the bar.

Less than sixty seconds later, he held off a defender and played a great pass around the corner for Archie Gray. Tel darted forward as Johnson aimed a cross towards the penalty spot. Tel stepped back and somehow failed to cleanly strike the ball instead of drilling it past Doncaster’s goalkeeper Ian Lawlor. A similar situation happened in the second half and he mishit the ball again.

Those moments summed up his night and, if we are being honest, his entire time with Spurs. There have been flashes of promise but no end product.

It is not all Tel’s fault. He was unfairly paraded as a statement signing in February. Spurs were in the middle of an injury crisis and what they desperately needed was an experienced striker. They tried to sign Kolo Muani, who moved to Juventus from Paris Saint-Germain for six months instead, and enquired about Yoane Wissa, but Brentford did not want to sell in the middle of the season.

Tel made his debut for Spurs in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the second leg of a Carabao Cup semi-final. He left Bayern, who went on to win the Bundesliga and scored 99 times in 34 games, for an underperforming side with barely any fit players. He is still figuring out what his best position is. This season should be considered a fresh start for him.

Frank said it was an “extremely difficult decision” to leave Tel out of the Champions League squad and that he handled it “maturely”. Tel might not have scored against Doncaster but he was probably guilty of trying too hard to make things happen against the League One side, and was brimming with energy. He made a couple of clearances from set pieces and was applauded by Rodrigo Bentancur for not backing out of an aerial challenge in the middle of the pitch. Tel finished the game with grass stains smeared across the back of his shirt.

Tel, and frustrated supporters, should be encouraged by Frank’s track record of developing talent. He converted Wissa, Ollie Watkins and Kevin Schade into No 9s during his time with Brentford. Frank also helped Ivan Toney to break the Championship goalscoring record and thrive in the Premier League by telling him to focus on attacking the six-yard box — he has given the same advice to Tel.

“You can see his ability in this game to arrive in the box and the pace he (has) got running behind, and getting into the right areas,” Frank said. “It’s good. His pressing ability is very good. I like the way he works in that situation and then, his link-up play is something that is a good level, but he can be even better.

“He really wanted to score and do well. Unfortunately, as a striker, that (is what) you get measured on. Exactly the same as a goalkeeper: you need to get measured. You can’t throw it into your own goal but I think, as I said before, the overall performance was really a step forward. I really wanted him to score as well because that would make it an even better story.”

The problem for Tel is that his game time, which is already low, could drop. Solanke has returned to full training as he continues his recovery from a persistent ankle injury. Richarlison has scored three times in five league appearances. Tottenham’s opponents in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup are the holders Newcastle United. Tel might not be the best option up front at a raucous St James’ Park.

Whenever he starts again, he cannot afford to waste the opportunity like he did on Wednesday.

(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has said that there is a “good chance” Dejan Kulusevski will return from injury before the end of the year.

Kulusevski hurt his right knee in Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace in May. The 25-year-old underwent surgery on his patella (kneecap) and missed their Europa League final victory over Manchester United.

Kulusevski was a key player for Spurs under former head coach Ange Postecoglou but he has spent the last few months recovering from his operation. The Sweden international scored 10 goals and recorded multiple assists last season, including Pedro Porro’s strike in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final win over Bodo/Glimt.

“Kulusevski is a top player, I always liked him when I saw him from afar,” Frank said before Spurs’ Carabao Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday night. “He is a key player for us, a key player for me. Instead of putting an exact month, I just want him back as soon as possible. The medical guys and Kulusevski are working very hard on that. It’s not tomorrow but hopefully not too far away.”

Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies are unavailable to face Doncaster because of “minor” injuries, Frank added. Kolo Muani played once for Spurs since he joined them from Paris Saint-Germain on the final day of the transfer window.

Kota Takai and club-record signing Dominic Solanke took part in training on Tuesday but are unlikely to feature against Doncaster.

What could Kulusevski’s return mean for Spurs?

Kulusevski was sensational for Spurs at the beginning of last season.

He predominantly played in a central attacking midfield role and became the team’s chief creator under then head coach Ange Postecoglou.

He faded in the second half of the campaign because Tottenham’s injury crisis afforded him barely any rest. Kulusevski then missed a month of action with a foot issue before his campaign ended a couple of weeks early after he hurt his right kneecap in a defeat to Crystal Palace on May 11.

Kulusevski and James Maddison’s lengthy absences are a key reason why Spurs spent the majority of the summer trying to sign a creative midfielder. They missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze before signing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in a €60million deal.

Kulusevski’s return from injury would give Frank an extra attacking option in the No 10 role and an alternative to Mohammed Kudus on the right wing. Kudus has started every game for Spurs this season and will need a rest at some stage.

It will take time for Kulusevski to return to top form after spending such a long time on the sidelines.

If he can reach the levels that he set this time a year ago, then he could be crucial for Frank’s Spurs who have struggled to consistently create chances from open play this season.

(Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)

For the second year in a row, Tottenham Hotspur’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium featured a dramatic comeback.

Last season, Spurs collapsed after leading 2-0 at half-time and conceded three times in 21 minutes. It was a defeat that punctured the momentum under then-head coach Ange Postecoglou. On Saturday afternoon, it was their turn to come from behind. They did not manage to find a winner, but rescued a point. Thomas Frank, who replaced Postecoglou in June, boldly claimed that it was their “most complete performance of the season”.

“We conceded two goals but it is never that black and white,” Frank said. “We defended well. The high pressure was very aggressive and we were winning the ball back more or less all the time. In phase one, we got out every time, more or less. We controlled it up there and we created many good opportunities. Counter-pressing and rest defending. On top of that, the mentality to come back from two goals down is so important.”

Jan Paul van Hecke’s 82nd-minute own goal might have slightly clouded Frank’s judgement because there were multiple occasions in the first half where Spurs looked vulnerable. The 51-year-old said, “I don’t think Brighton were over the halfway line in the first 10 minutes,” but after that, they started to control the game.

Frank described Destiny Udogie, who made his first start of the season after fully recovering from a knee injury, as “exceptional” and that “he was almost unstoppable going forward”.

The Italy international provided a lot of dynamism from left-back but the issue was how Brighton targeted the space he vacated. Yankuba Minteh and Georginio Rutter kept darting into that gap, stretching Spurs’ defence. On one occasion, Brajan Gruda burst down the right wing and Micky van de Ven nearly shoved him into the linesman in his desperation to prevent another dangerous attack.

Frank praised his team for the barrage of corners and crosses that they launched into the box but a lot of them were ineffective. A minute after Minteh opened the scoring, Richarlison rolled Van Hecke and played a smart pass out wide to Wilson Odobert, who was making his first start of the campaign too. Odobert’s cross with the outside of his right boot was poor but Richarlison should have shown more urgency to catch up with him.

It happened again in the second half when Udogie flew past Joel Veltman and looked up to see nobody attacking the six-yard box. By the time he attempted the cross, Brighton’s defence had recovered their positions. Frank even admitted that “if Richy had run in the right gaps, he could have scored maybe two more goals today”.

However, Tottenham’s second-half performance was encouraging. Frank waited until the 61st minute before he made his first substitution, with Xavi Simons replacing Rodrigo Bentancur.

Frank keeps insisting that Simons can play in multiple positions, but based on his electric cameo against Brighton, he has to be the starting No 10.

Simons is only 22 and less experienced than the other creative midfield targets Spurs chased in the summer, including Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, but his decision-making is consistently good. He seemed to perfectly understand when it was the right moment to dribble at the opposition or make a simple pass to a team-mate.

Within the first eight minutes of coming off the bench, Simons had three chances to score with his right foot. The Netherlands international creates space with his clever off-the-ball movement. The way he linked up with Lucas Bergvall and Mohammed Kudus down the right wing in the second half was crucial to Spurs eventually finding an equaliser. It cranked up the pressure on Brighton and prompted Fabian Hurzeler to switch formation to a back three.

The most pleasing aspect of the performance was the resilience they showed. Spurs lost 22 times in the league last season and there were lots of occasions where they crumbled after conceding. They had plenty of potential excuses lined up for them here: this was their third game in eight days after victories over West Ham United and Villarreal; Frank is experiencing European competition for the first time, embedding new players into the squad and finding a way to cope without club-record signing and first-choice striker Dominic Solanke; Randal Kolo Muani missed the game with a dead leg.

After conceding twice in the first 31 minutes, things could have become ugly. But Frank was in constant communication with his assistants as they looked to find ways to threaten Brighton.

After equalising, it looked like he had made two defensive substitutions by replacing Pedro Porro and Lucas Bergvall with Djed Spence and Archie Gray. The pair then combined down the right wing in stoppage time and created a chance for Kudus but his shot was deflected for a corner. Everybody was proactive. They came away frustrated at not winning instead of relieved they earned a draw.

This result should give Spurs and Frank belief. They have been excellent this season when they take the lead but faced a completely different challenge on Saturday. Having lost twice to Brighton during the 2024-25 campaign, this represents progress.

Frank’s claim that this was their “most complete performance of the season” might seem slightly bizarre when you consider they beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad and drew 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain in the European Super Cup. Maybe he actually meant that this result was significant because of what it represented.

Spurs showed great character and attacking flair in the second half, qualities that had been absent from other games. It felt like the first sign of everything coming together for Spurs, in complete contrast to what happened here 12 months ago.

(Top photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur came back from 2-0 down to claim a point at Brighton & Hove Albion, thanks to a vastly improved second-half performance.

Brighton took the lead when Yankuba Minteh exploited Tottenham’s high line, rounding Guglielmo Vicario to slot home. When Yasin Ayari’s powerful shot from the edge of the box made it 2-0, the game looked done by the half-hour mark.

But Richarlison scrambled home his third goal of the season before half-time, and a dangerous Mohammed Kudus cross was deflected into his own net by Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, as Spurs dominated the ball in the second half.

The Athletic’s Jay Harris assesses the action…

Cranking up the pressure pays off

This was a huge test for Thomas Frank. Spurs have been exceptional this season when they have taken the lead against teams but on the only other previous occasion when they conceded first, in a 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth, they never came close to scoring.

Spurs have struggled to create chances from open play since Frank took charge and Brighton repelled their corners easily as Kudus’ deliveries were underwhelming. Could Spurs show a different side of themselves under their new head coach?

Even if there was an element of fortune about both of their goals, the way Spurs aggressively attacked Brighton in the second half deserves a lot of praise. Frank was proactive with his substitutions and threw on more offensive players. The key to unlocking Brighton’s defence was Xavi Simons, who was superb. Frank will have to answer awkward questions about why Simons did not start this game but maybe the head coach was conscious of not overplaying him. The Netherlands international only joined the club in the final week of the transfer window.

The scenes at full-time underlined the growing bond between Frank and the fans. What could have been an ugly defeat on the south coast for the third year in a row turned into a valuable point. Frank and the supporters applauded each other and it felt like a performance that they would learn a lot from.

Spurs showed resilience under pressure and great character to come from behind. There were not many occasions when you could have said the same about them last season.

A first glimpse of Xavi Simons in the middle

Everybody assumed that Spurs signed Simons to play as a No 10 but he started on the left wing in his first two appearances against West Ham United and Villarreal.

Simons dropped to the bench against Brighton but came on in the 61st minute to replace Rodrigo Bentancur. He was involved straight away as he lashed a right-footed shot wide from after Destiny Udogie charged into the box. Bentancur and Simons are very different players. Simons’ introduction was an acknowledgement from Frank that he needed to be more adventurous to try to rescue a point but crucially, it did not prompt Lucas Bergvall to drop back.

They combined on multiple occasions. Simons received the ball deep in Brighton’s half and waited until the perfect moment before playing a clever pass to Bergvall, who could not control it in the box.

Simons naturally drifted out wide to the left and in the 67th minute, he dribbled past a couple of players before trying to bend a right-footed shot into the box that Bart Verbruggen saved.

It felt like Simons created more chances and had more shots in his first five minutes on the pitch than his team-mates managed in the first hour without him. A few moments later, Bergvall dummied Kudus’ cross and Simons had another chance but he failed to make a good enough connection. In the 80th minute, he slalomed past multiple challenges and set up Richarlison, who shot straight at Verbruggen.

Just when it looked like Simons would not be able to inspire a comeback against Brighton, he picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch and found Kudus out wide. The Ghana international’s cross was deflected into his own net by Van Hecke for the equaliser. Simons is already showing why he is going to be a star for Spurs.

Defence too easily pulled out of shape

Tottenham’s defence has looked rock-solid under Frank but Brighton pulled them apart. Frank changed the back four for the first time this season, starting Destiny Udogie, who has just recovered from a knee injury, instead of Djed Spence.

Frank spoke on Friday about how Udogie offers them a different dimension on the left-hand side from Spence, who is predominantly right-footed. It was fresh on his mind because Simons and Spence kept occupying the same areas in their 1-0 victory against Villarreal on Tuesday night. Udogie overlapped Wilson Odobert on multiple occasions against Brighton and whipped dangerous crosses into the box, but he struggled to cope with Minteh.

Brighton’s opening goal started deep in their own half. Minteh shrugged Odobert off the ball before darting past the halfway line. Udogie and Micky van de Ven were caught far too high up the pitch, allowing Minteh to charge unchallenged towards goal before rounding Vicario.

It was not a one-off incident. Georginio Rutter found himself in a similar situation but he was held up by Van de Ven. Rutter worked the ball inside and Brajan Gruda’s fierce drive was saved by Vicario at the second attempt.

Frank’s aggressive man-marking approach has paid dividends in other fixtures this season but against Brighton, their defence was dragged out of position too often and the gaps were exposed.

What did Frank say?

We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.

What next for Spurs?

Wednesday, September 24: Doncaster Rovers (Home), Carabao Cup third round, 7.45pm UK, 2.45pm ET

(Top photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

To contextualise the growing debate around Joao Palhinha within the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase, let’s first consider the circumstances that led to him signing on a season-long loan.

Rewind to 2021. Given his standout performances for Portugal at Euro 2020 and his crucial role in Sporting CP’s league title win in 2020-21 under Ruben Amorim, if Palhinha were to leave the club he progressed through as a youngster, many expected it to be for one of Europe’s elite.

As it transpired, he waited a year and left his hometown of Lisbon for London. But not for Chelsea, Arsenal, or indeed Tottenham. He joined newly-promoted Fulham in a deal worth around €20m (£17.2m).

“A couple of reasons for that,” Tom Kundert, founder of English-language site Portugoal, told The Athletic in 2022. “He had a couple of injury problems. But also Sporting bought a very promising Uruguayan central midfielder, Manuel Ugarte, who, whenever he played, was just absolutely superb and is a bit more creative than Palhinha.”

It proved a bargain for the west Londoners. In his debut Premier League season, Palhinha was named the club’s player of the year. He won 64.3 per cent of his 112 aerial duels (Rodri with 68.6 per cent of 105 was the only player to win a larger share of those who competed for 100 aerial duels or more) and made 148 tackles in 2022-23, 48 more than any other player in England’s top flight. In his second season, he somehow topped it, finishing with 152.

Having needed just a single Premier League season to convince one of Europe’s biggest clubs he had the quality to step up, Bayern Munich failed in a deadline-day bid to bring him to the Bundesliga in 2023. That move came a year later, with Palhinha joining the German giants for €51million (£43.1m, $54.9m) plus €5m in potential add-ons, equalling a club record sale for Fulham.

The move didn’t work out. Having initially been recruited in 2023 to play under the more defensive-minded Thomas Tuchel, Palhinha was an awkward fit at the base of Vincent Kompany’s midfield, with the Belgian preferring the technical qualities of Joshua Kimmich and academy graduate Aleksandar Pavlovic.

He featured 17 times in the Bundesliga for Bayern, starting just five matches. In an end-of-season player survey conducted by German publication Kicker, Palhinha was voted the league’s most disappointing player by 216 of his Bundesliga peers, receiving 13.4 per cent of the vote.

Back to Kundert’s creativity comment. Combined with injuries, Palhinha’s perceived lack of invention and quality on the ball prevented his career in Bavaria from taking off. Now, having been cast aside by Kompany and permitted to join Spurs on loan with an option to buy for €30m, it’s central to a growing discussion around the 30-year-old’s suitability and fit within Thomas Frank’s midfield.

At the core of the discussion are memories of Tottenham’s dysfunctional engine room last season. Without a natural No 6, Ange Postecoglou experimented with Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray, Yves Bissouma and Lucas Bergvall at the base of midfield, all of whom have the characteristics and qualities to succeed in the right system.

It was evident, however, that Postecoglou’s daring style, which often came at the expense of leaving the defensive midfielder to manage transitions individually, didn’t suit any of them. They were conditions that even the best ball-winners in Europe — of which Palhinha is one — may not have been able to thrive in.

Under Frank, defensive structure is prioritised, and Palhinha’s qualities have been evident. He had a strong debut in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain and produced one of the best performances of his career away to Manchester City, winning more duels (eight) and tackles (four) than any Spurs player, and topping off his performance with a well-taken goal. At that point, the suggestion Palhinha would be anything less than a key player moving forward this season would have felt ludicrous. But after an ineffective display in the 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth at home the following week, where he was taken off at 54 minutes, Palhinha’s limitations in helping to progress the ball through the first and middle third of the pitch were more evident.

“On the offensive side, we struggled to find good enough solutions to get through phase one and two so we could get up there and put a bit of pressure on them,” Frank said in his post-match press conference. “We only did that in the last 15 where we put on good pressure and could have equalised. I think, over the game, it was fair that Bournemouth won.”

But in the modern game, you don’t necessarily have to play every match to be a key player. Contests against City and PSG offered Palhinha the perfect conditions to demonstrate the extent of his defensive capabilities — something sorely missed in midfield last season — but Frank’s willingness to leave him on the bench at home to Villarreal suggests he believes there are better alternatives for home matches where the onus is on Spurs to control possession and build attacks with patience.

For those occasions, Tottenham’s midfielders need to feel comfortable passing the ball forward under pressure. Last season, Palhinha completed 92.9 per cent of his passes in the Bundesliga — but only 2.7 per cent of those were “progressive”. For comparison, Christian Norgaard, who fulfilled a similar role under Frank last season at Brentford, played the ball forward 7.1 per cent of the time.

The immediate need to address this has been reduced by Spurs’ efficiency from set pieces and their overall defensive structure. Four clean sheets out of five matches since the Super Cup is practically impossible to maintain, but Tottenham will be solid under Frank and can expect that to continue for the remainder of the season and beyond. However, leaning on set pieces without creating enough chances from open play is unsustainable. If that well dries up, Tottenham will need more from their midfield, starting at the base.

As Bayern pushed to win the Bundesliga and go deep in the Champions League, Palhinha’s perceived weaknesses in possession kept him on the sidelines as skills to aid build-up were prioritised. Unlike Kompany, who sticks to his principles regardless of club or situation, Frank is a pragmatist and develops bespoke tactical plans. Sometimes Palhinha will be the right horse for a particular course. For other plans, he may not be.

But given the early indications of his defensive and structural value at the heart of midfield, it would be nonsensical to suggest Palhinha is a problem. In fact, in light of last season’s struggles, he’s one of Tottenham’s biggest problem solvers.

(Photo: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Another weekend of Premier League action has come and gone, and with it comes a new set of dilemmas, opportunities, and headaches for Fantasy Premier League managers.

From new heroes emerging to familiar faces reminding us why they’re essential, the season is taking shape after four games. Here, we will analyse the main talking points from the weekend’s action.

Semenyo is taking even more responsibility at Bournemouth

Few players have impressed more than Antoine Semenyo (£7.5m) in the opening weeks. The Bournemouth forward continued his electric start with a goal and assist in the 2-1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion, taking his tally to three goals and two assists in just four matches.

He was already looking lively, but this weekend added a twist that could reshape FPL planning: Semenyo took and converted a penalty.

This is quite a big development for FPL managers. In a season where nailed-on penalty takers are scarce, especially in mid-priced forward brackets, Semenyo’s appeal skyrockets. Add to this that he has been Bournemouth’s most dangerous attacking outlet, and it’s hard to ignore him.

Justin Kluivert (£7.0m) took and scored six penalties in the Premier League last season, and has recently returned from injury — but given how well Bournemouth are playing, it won’t be easy for him to get back into the starting XI.

Their fixtures sweeten the deal as they come up against Newcastle United (H), Leeds United (A), Fulham (H), Crystal Palace (A) and Nottingham Forest (H) — a run of three home games from their next five means he should be high on our shopping list.

Chasing last week’s points can be a dangerous game in FPL, but in Semenyo’s case, there are plenty of compelling reasons to bring him in right away.

Nick Woltemade steps into the spotlight

When one door closes, another opens. With Yoane Wissa (£7.5m) expected to be sidelined for six weeks, Newcastle’s new striker Nick Woltemade (£7.0m) can cement his place. The Germany international made his debut this weekend and scored Newcastle United’s only goal in their 1-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With virtually no competition for the No 9 role until Wissa returns, Woltemade should get plenty of minutes and chances to score in Newcastle’s upcoming fixtures.

After a tricky double against Bournemouth (A) and Arsenal (H), they then face Nottingham Forest (H), Brighton (A), Fulham (H), West Ham United (A) and Brentford (A).

Woltemade is one to monitor over the next few, especially if he is on penalty duty.

Steady Spurs defenders — and an exciting differential

It might be early days, but Tottenham Hotspur’s appointment of Thomas Frank has helped transform them into one of the most solid sides in the league. Three clean sheets in their first four games is no fluke: they are compact, well-drilled, and hard to break down.

Add in an attack that has scored eight goals in four matches and, suddenly, Spurs’ assets look far more attractive than in pre-season. Their defenders, including Micky van de Ven (£4.6m) and Cristian Romero (£5.0m), are becoming reliable FPL picks for their clean-sheet potential, while the attackers are benefiting from more structure behind them.

It’s early days, but Xavi Simons (£7.0m) is looking like one of our most exciting mid-priced midfield options. Already establishing himself as a first-choice starter, he also took four corners and a free kick in Spurs’ 3-0 win against West Ham.

Regular minutes and the potential for more points from set pieces make him very appealing, especially with Wolves (H), Leeds (A), and Aston Villa (H) coming up in the next four.

His price makes him attainable and his low ownership (two per cent of managers) makes him a significant point of difference.

A premium problem: Haaland or Salah?

For all the excitement around new budget options, Erling Haaland (£14.1m) has been the most reliable premium option. After a somewhat underwhelming campaign by his lofty standards last season, he looks like he is back to his ruthless best. A double in the 3-0 win against Manchester United took his tally to five goals in four matches, underlining his form and reminding us why going without him is always a gamble.

But timing is everything in FPL. Manchester City’s next league game is away at Arsenal, arguably the toughest fixture for Haaland to obtain points. Jumping on him this week feels premature. Gameweek 6, however, could be a turning point. After Arsenal, Manchester City face a very favourable run against Burnley (H), Brentford (A) and Everton (H) — all games where Haaland will be the standout captaincy pick.

That creates a very real dilemma. To fund him, managers may need to sacrifice Mohamed Salah (£14.5m), who converted a 95th-minute penalty in Liverpool’s 1-0 win against Burnley. Losing last season’s highest-scoring player will always feel uncomfortable, but Haaland’s captaincy potential in those fixtures may well outweigh the risk. Using two free transfers to restructure your team and make room for Haaland could be a shrewd play.

I am looking at this double move myself in Gameweek 6 as I don’t own Haaland.

The bigger picture

This weekend gave us a snapshot of the shifting FPL landscape. Semenyo’s emergence as Bournemouth’s talisman, Woltemade’s entry as a very viable forward, and Simons’ appeal as a starter and set-piece taker provide managers with fresh options. Meanwhile, Spurs’ newfound solidity opens the door to defensive picks we might not have trusted before.

But Haaland is the storm on the horizon. Every decision between now and Gameweek 6 is, in reality, a step toward answering one question: how do we fit him in? Whether you plan to use your wildcard or free transfers to do it, it’s something we should be working towards.

(Top photos: Micky van de Ven and Erling Haaland; Justin Setterfield/Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Mohammed Kudus is yet to score for Tottenham Hotspur but when he does, he will be able to use his trademark celebration after his wooden elephant seat was returned to him by former club West Ham United.

On Saturday, the 25-year-old winger made his first return to the London Stadium since his £55million ($74.5m) summer switch.

The Ghana international received a hostile reception and was booed by home fans throughout West Ham’s 3-0 defeat. Given the animosity surrounding his departure, a ball boy in the lower tier of the Bobby Moore Stand opted not to give Kudus the match ball before he took a corner.

The attacker featured heavily in Tottenham’s attack missed a chance in the latter stages to open his account. Post-match, Kudus had a brief catch up with West Ham’s non-playing staff.

Near the family enclosure area, he was given his wooden stool and duly thanked them. Kudus, who joined West Ham from Ajax £38m in 2023, scored 19 goals across 80 appearances during his two-year spell.

In 2023, the former Ajax playmaker adopted his trademark celebration. He would initially sit on on the perimeter boards, then the stool used by ball boys and stewards but he revealed his prized item in the 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion.

“It’s a special stool, a stool from Ghana,” Kudus explained to West Ham’s social media page. “With my celebration, I see a lot of competitors and people doing it so I thought, ‘Why not do something different?’

“It’s my roots. Where I come from, the chiefs and the kings, they sit on stools where are they are from. So I thought it would be nice to share a little bit of life where I am from.

“As you know there’s a lot of people sitting on the boards now and there’s a lot of conversations about it. This is mine now and no one (else) can do it!”

(Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

“More wins, more often” was the phrase from a source close to the Lewis family last week, explaining the decision to remove Daniel Levy as chairman after 24 years. It was a reminder that ultimately it is what happens on the pitch, not in the boardroom, that fans care about. That is where they want to see results. That is where they want to see change.

And how better to start the post-Levy era than this 3-0 win? It is hard to imagine how Saturday evening could have gone any smoother for Tottenham Hotspur. Vivienne Lewis and her son-in-law Nick Beucher — two of the most influential members of the majority-shareholding Lewis family — were seated in between technical director Johan Lange and CEO Vinai Venkatesham in the directors’ box. They watched on as Thomas Frank’s side picked West Ham United apart, with a perfectly executed tactical masterclass, identifying West Ham’s weaknesses and mercilessly exploiting them. The Lewis family must know that things will not always look this easy.

Remember that the last time Tottenham won here at the London Stadium was almost six years ago, in November 2019. That was also the first game back after a cataclysmic international break; Daniel Levy sacked Mauricio Pochettino, six months after the Champions League final, and replaced him with Jose Mourinho. At the time, that felt like the end of the world. But in historical terms, it has little on the removal of Levy himself by the Lewis family last week.

It was difficult not to raise an eyebrow when Venkatesham twice referred to “business as usual” in his video interview released by Tottenham last week. That sounded like an impossibility after the sudden departure of the man around whom everything had revolved for almost a quarter-century. But the only way that “business as usual” might be possible is through wins on the pitch. The football calendar has a profound focusing effect on people. The games come twice a week and for as long as Spurs are doing well, that is what most people want to think about and talk about. Rather than the specifics of the UK Takeover Code, or the difference between an executive and a non-executive chairman.

But this new dynamic does place the club’s senior management under the spotlight. For years Levy was effectively the lightning rod for so many of the fans’ complaints. Now that he is gone, there is perhaps a degree of extra pressure on the people running the club. The fans will look for accountability somewhere else.

This is doubly challenging because so much of the club’s senior leadership is so strikingly new. Lange, sat next to Beucher in the directors’ box, is a relative veteran, having been at Tottenham for almost two years. Venkatesham and Frank both joined in June. Peter Charrington, the new non-executive chairman, did at least join the board in March. For better or worse, the club has lost decades of accumulated experience in recent months.

So much has changed this summer on and off the pitch that Frank already feels part of the furniture at Tottenham. This is just how quickly football moves at the top level: it is already difficult to imagine Spurs without him. Especially given that Frank provides such calm leadership as the public face of the club.

Watching this game at the London Stadium, it certainly did not feel like it was only Frank’s fourth league game in charge of Spurs. Partly because his brief reign already has an air of permanence and stability given everything else that has happened. But also because this game was a Frank masterclass, a perfect example of the strengths that he has already brought to this team. Almost everything you want to see from Frank’s Tottenham was on show here.

In their previous game against Bournemouth — which now feels as historically remote as the First World War — Frank picked the wrong team and played straight into Bournemouth’s hands. His side looked predictable, flat and very stoppable. This time Frank got it spot on.

Lucas Bergvall came in for just his second start of the season — how Spurs missed him from the start against Bournemouth — and he was exceptional, moving the ball forwards every time he got it. He scored Spurs’ second with a brilliant header, running onto Cristian Romero’s long pass and looping the ball over Mads Hermansen. Frank said afterwards that Bergvall “drags the team with him”, which is true, and a remarkable thing to say about a 19-year-old just starting his second season in England.

Tottenham also showcased their new-found excellence on set pieces. Their first goal came from Pape Matar Sarr heading in from Xavi Simons’ curled delivery. They should have been 1-0 up already, after Romero’s first-half near-post header was harshly disallowed. They already look a different team from dead-ball situations and yet this early into the Frank tenure, they are likely to keep getting even better.

Most impressive of all was the clean sheet. In Frank’s four league games, they have kept three clean sheets and only conceded one goal, Evanilson’s deflected shot two weeks ago. It gives them the joint-best defensive record in the league, along with Crystal Palace and Arsenal. Yes, the sample size is small, and it is too early to make big judgements. But on the limited evidence, it looks like a big step in the right direction from last season. Frank revealed this was his “first aim” when he arrived at Tottenham in June, and they have been working hard on it ever since. “Obviously we want to score, want to play offensive football,” he said. “But over so many, many games, that foundation, being able to get clean sheets is key.”

We are still in the very early days of the Frank tenure, even if it does not feel like it. He starts his first Champions League league-phase campaign against Villarreal on Tuesday night. It is a new step, a new challenge, but fans will trust that he can come up with some new answers. As Spurs keep aiming for that simple but lofty goal: more wins, more often.

(Photo: Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur thumped rivals West Ham United 3-0 at London Stadium on Saturday evening, to make it three wins from four league games under new manager Thomas Frank.

The highlight of a relatively low-key first half was a disallowed goal by Cristian Romero, after the Spurs captain had headed home a Mohammed Kudus corner. West Ham, given their recent propensity to concede from corners, riskily gave up a succession of them to Frank’s side during the first half, but made it to the break unscathed.

But just two minutes into the second half and Tottenham were in front from — you guessed it — a corner. Debutant Xavi Simons took it and an unmarked Pape Matar Sarr headed home at the far post.

Less than 10 minutes later West Ham were down to 10 men after Tomas Soucek had been sent off for a studs-up foul on Joao Palhinha. And nine seconds into the restarted game, Spurs went 2-0 up, the impressive Lucas Bergvall powerfully heading over goalkeeper Mads Hermansen from Romero’s pass.

And a third goal arrived from the second phase of yet another corner, Micky van de Ven guiding the ball home on 64 minutes after more good work from Bergvall. The scoreline is Spurs’ biggest margin of victory at London Stadium, but the result doesn’t flatter them in the slightest.

Jack Pitt-Brooke analyses the key moments from the game.

Bergvall continues to impress

When Tottenham lost their last game 1-0 against Bournemouth, Bergvall started on the bench and it felt like a rare misstep from Frank. Spurs missed his ability to move the ball forward and his technical ingenuity.

Only when he came on did they start to threaten. Here at West Ham, Frank did not make the same mistake again. Bergvall started his second game of the season — replacing Rodrigo Bentancur — and he was excellent. The 19-year-old was integral to the 3-0 win, Spurs’ best ever result at the London Stadium.

Tottenham were 1-0 up and had a one-man advantage when Romero got the ball just inside the West Ham half. Sensing that the defence was napping, Bergvall darted in behind and Romero found him with a perfectly-judged clipped ball over the top. Bergvall leapt and looped his header high over Hermansen into the West Ham net.

It was a brilliant piece of inventive athleticism, comparable to Robin van Persie’s famous leaping header against Spain in the 2014 World Cup.

Soon after, Bergvall broke into the box again, received a pass from Palhinha and laid up Van der Van to make it 3-0 and kill the game. He deserves to start again against Villarreal on Tuesday.

Spurs take advantage of West Ham’s set-piece troubles

It is no secret that Frank is good at coaching set pieces. This was perceived as a weakness at Tottenham in recent years but there has already been a marked improvement since Frank took over as head coach in June.

Spurs had West Ham under pressure all game with the quality of their set pieces. They briefly thought they had taken the lead in the first half when Romero headed in from close range, only for the goal to be disallowed for a Van de Ven push on Kyle Walker-Peters. It felt like a harsh decision based on the modern standards for physicality in the box.

But Spurs continued to ask questions of West Ham and it felt inevitable that they would break eventually. And sure enough, right at the start of the second half, they did. Simons bent the ball high towards the far post. Sarr was totally unmarked, and thumped a header back past Hermansen and into the net. It gave Spurs a lead they never relinquished.

How did Mathys Tel work as a centre-forward?

The most interesting selection decision from Frank was to give Tel his first start of the season as centre-forward.

He was the only fully-fit option: Richarlison had just flown back from international duty, Dominic Solanke was out with an ankle injury and Randal Kolo Muani is still getting up to speed. And it was not a new role for Tel either. He had a run there under Ange Postecoglou in February and March last year. But Tel has often looked as if he did not have the physical presence to lead the line, and so it proved again here.

He has a lot to his game, but as Spurs started to fling crosses into the box late in the first half they needed someone who could win those headers. Tel was never that man, although he did pose questions of the West Ham defence with his movement, particularly when the game started to open up.

It has been a difficult time for Tel recently, culminating with being left out of Spurs’ initial Champions League squad. It will be fascinating to see if Frank sticks with this experiment or whether he goes back to a more traditional profile when the other centre-forwards are fit.

What next for Spurs?

Tuesday, September 16: Villarreal (home), Champions League 8pm UK, 3pm ET

(Top photo: Getty Images)