The New York Times

Alfie Whiteman was never your typical footballer.

As Tottenham Hotspur’s third-, fourth- or latterly fifth-choice goalkeeper, the prospects of making an impact for his boyhood club on the pitch were slim. So, in his free time, he channelled his energy into different passions: taking acting classes, developing his skills as a photographer and hosting a monthly radio show where the listed genres are folk, indie rock, leftfield pop and dream pop.

And while his team-mates whisked into the training ground in supercars, he travelled on public transport.

After leaving Spurs as a free agent this summer, he expected to continue his career, perhaps lower down the English football pyramid or abroad, where he would have the chance to prove himself as a No 1.

However, despite receiving concrete interest from clubs as high as the English Championship, Whiteman decided to quietly retire from the game on his own terms this summer at just 26, just months after winning the Europa League.

Whiteman is beginning a new career as a budding photographer and film director signed to Somesuch, a global production company with offices in London and Los Angeles. It is the studio behind Harris Dickinson’s directorial feature film debut ‘Urchin’ and Aneil Karia’s ‘The Long Goodbye’, winner of the Oscar for Best Live Action Short at the 2022 Academy Awards.

While it was not an easy decision, it has been years in the making.

“I signed for Spurs at 10 years old,” Whiteman tells The Athletic over a jug of lemonade at a cocktail bar in east London. “Then I left school at 16 and went straight into this full-time life of football. When I was around 17 or 18, living in digs, I just had this feeling inside of, ‘Is this it?’ Getting on the mini bus, going to training, doing the Sports Science BTEC (he also did an A Level in Economics) and going home to play video games. I realised, ‘Oh, I’m not happy here’ from quite a young age.

“The stereotype of a footballer is generally quite true. It’s the golf, washbag culture. I was that young footballer. I wanted the Gucci washbag and I drove the Mercedes. You all just become a reflection of each other. You’re a product of your environment. It’s the way football is in this country; it’s so shut off from anything else. You go to training and then you go home, that’s it.

“I guess I always felt a little bit different. My team-mates — who I got on well with — called me a hippie. That was their definition. But then, when I was 18, I met my ex-girlfriend, who was a model. She was a bit older than me. Her best friend was a director. It just started opening my eyes to what life has to offer.

“So as I was getting a bit older around 18 or 19, I started meeting new people and realising a bit more about myself, and understanding the football bubble, because it’s so insular.”

Stuck behind internationals Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm and Joe Hart in the goalkeeping pecking order, Whiteman continued training hard with the hope of one day representing Spurs as a professional or developing elsewhere on loan. Meanwhile, he was mixing with new crowds in his free time and making friends within the creative industry. On his days off, producers, directors and photographers invited him to assist them as a runner on set. While he expected it would happen well into his 30s, Whiteman was consciously setting himself up for a life after football.

“Football is a short career regardless, even if you do really well, and I knew that I didn’t want to stay in it,” says Whiteman. “It was about trying to gain experience and be proactive in learning about these things I was also interested in, but mainly because I was enjoying it, and was surrounded by the kinds of people that were doing what I enjoyed as a job. They were making things. It was really inspiring.”

Whiteman made one appearance for Tottenham as a second-half substitute in a Europa League match under Jose Mourinho before moving on loan to Degerfors in Sweden in 2021. There, he had the opportunity to play frequently and build form on the pitch, making 34 appearances across an 18-month period in Sweden’s top flight. Living in a small cabin in the woods, Whiteman spent large amounts of his time alone, exploring his feelings through art.

“I learned a lot,” he says. “I was in a new environment, in nature. I’ve got this exhibition coming up in spring about a body of work I did while I was there, which is all these self-portraits and weird things. I never planned it to be, but it served as this period of introspection. I look at the work now, and these feelings of being a bit lost or torn are in it. That was in 2022, so it’s always been there.”

He returned to Spurs determined to make an impact and signed a two-year extension in 2023. Under new coach Ange Postecoglou, Whiteman played and trained well in pre-season, but his progress was halted after sustaining an ankle injury in Singapore, which would keep him out for most of the season. His ‘Sweet Tooth’ show on NTS, a radio channel founded in east London in 2011 focusing on eclectic music from around the world, served as a creative outlet through the toil of recuperation. Reflecting on the injury now, Whiteman sees it as a sliding doors moment.

“It was a kind of freak injury, causing me to miss most of the season, where a new manager comes in,” says Whiteman. “So I was immediately in this bad situation. But during that rehab, I worked so hard every day to try to get back. I eventually did, but even then, it was just to be sat in the stands. It was so hard applying myself and really trying and then just not getting the games.

“That’s where you show the work you’re doing. Otherwise, the training and stuff, it’s all repetitive and in the shadows. It’s like f***ing Groundhog Day. Tottenham have an incredible training ground with incredible facilities, and I was working with the best players. But it wasn’t fulfilling. I want to be in a high-pressure game, or feel progress. When you’re not playing, it’s very difficult to do. It’s even worse, it’s more like you’re regressing.”

Whiteman, who represented England at the under-17 World Cup in 2015, made it clear to the Tottenham hierarchy after recovering from his injury in summer 2024 that he would like to leave the club on loan to explore first-team opportunities. But with Spurs short on club-trained players for their upcoming Europa League campaign (clubs are required to involve four players developed in their own academy for UEFA competition), the club would not sanction a move away.

He describes the lack of control as “frustrating”. The season ended with Spurs winning the Europa League, with Whiteman collecting a winners’ medal and circling through Tottenham, the neighbourhood in which he grew up, on a bus in the parade.

“My house is two minutes from the stadium,” says Whiteman. “I used to walk to the home games. So the bus goes past my road, my sister, my best friend who lives at the house with me, they’re there waving from my street. I spotted a girl who goes to the youth centre that I was volunteering at; I did her headshots because she wants to be an actor. I was like, ‘Hey!’ And she was there in disbelief like, ‘What are you doing on the bus?’ It was funny.”

Whiteman went on trial at two clubs in the English Football League in the summer. The first, a League One side, could not offer a contract due to financial issues. He then went on trial with a Championship club, who offered him an initial six-month contract as a No 2. However, by the time the contract offer came, he had decided professional football was no longer for him.

“There was a weekend when I went home, and I started contemplating all my options,” says Whiteman. “I had other things I’ve been building on the side and it was more exciting to me. To put it plainly, I saw happiness in these other avenues.

“It got to this point where I’d rather end this on my terms than go to a club that I just didn’t want to go to. When I was younger, I always said I didn’t want to play in the lower leagues; it was always about the highest level. Otherwise, I’d rather do something else. So I just took this step into the unknown, and I was like, ‘Oh, holy s***. I’m actually doing it.’ Anything can happen. I’m in complete control of my life, and it’s really exciting and really scary.”

Within days of calling his agent to inform him of his decision, Whiteman was on set with fashion photographer Harley Weir and British rapper Central Cee for a Nike shoot. He later travelled to Norway and Ukraine to help his friend Aria Shahrokhshahi film a feature documentary. In between, he was getting in contact with people in the industry and introducing himself over coffee.

“I ended up going to assist my friend for this photography job for Vibram (a footwear company known for their ‘five finger’ shoes) at the World Toe Wrestling Championships,” says Whiteman. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll come hold the lights!’ And the day before that shoot, they asked for a video, too, so I was like, ‘I’ll do it. I’ll do it!’

“There was no budget or brief, nothing. I turned up with him on the day and ran around with my camera, and then took it to an editor, sat with him, and made this thing and it got posted.”

The short film was a critical success, earning a five-star review from David Reviews, a prominent outlet within the short-form content space. Within weeks, he was signed to Somesuch as a professional film and commercial director.

“Somesuch have their film and commercials departments and I do photography,” says Whiteman. “I’ve got project ideas for photo stuff and short film ideas. The plan is to do some short films, and then hopefully one day a feature-length. But there are no real strict steps. You can decide. I just want to be on set and work with some of the most talented cinematographers, DoPs (directors of photography), producers and meet new people. There’s just so much to learn.”

While he has not watched any football since his retirement, he’s not turning his back on the game completely. He has ideas for films based on next summer’s World Cup in North America, and is excited to pick up the gloves again soon — without any of the politics of the industry attached.

“I’m really excited to go and play on a Wednesday night with my mates,” he says. “I’ve had a load of friends inquiring! I just enjoy playing football with my friends. It’s pure.”

Since becoming Tottenham Hotspur head coach this summer, Thomas Frank has reminded everyone at the club of the value of set pieces.

Following on from Ange Postecoglou, who disparingly compared them to rugby scrums, Spurs’ efficiency and ingenuity from corner kicks is a significant reason why they are sitting third in the Premier League. Defender Micky van de Ven, who bagged the first brace of his professional career in the 3-0 away win to Everton on Sunday, is Spurs’ leading scorer this season, with all four of his goals coming from or shortly after a set piece. But they’re also among the best in the league at defending them.

Frank and set-piece coach Andreas Georgson approach dead-ball situations as if it were a science, paying attention to every detail, zone and player to maximise their chances of success. The moment the structure, developed and refined in training, has a piece missing, the arrangement can collapse — which is precisely what happened for Newcastle United’s first in a 2-0 defeat on Tuesday night.

Leading up to the decisive corner, the referee allowed Djed Spence to take his boot off and adjust his laces around 10 yards from Sandro Tonali, who was setting up to take a corner kick. It was not the first time the England international had issues with his boots in the first half, attempting to alter them on multiple occasions during brief stoppages, suggesting there may have been an issue with the fit from the opening whistle.

With jeers becoming louder from the home support at St. James’ Park, and having given Spence over 40 seconds to adjust the boot, referee Chris Kavanagh signalled to Tonali to take the corner. The Spurs defender was still on the floor. As Tonali began his short run-up, Spence had yet to get back into position. By the time Fabian Schar had powered his header past Antonin Kinsky in the Spurs goal, Spence was around five or six yards from the position he assumed in the previous defensive corner.

“I feel it’s harsh on Spurs,” pundit Jobi McAnuff, who played for West Ham United and Crystal Palace among others over a 21-year professional career, said on British broadcaster Sky Sports.

“He’s playing an important part in terms of where that ball is going to be delivered. That is where Djed Spence would be. I feel like the referee should have given him a little bit more time to get in. I know there’s going to be an argument against that.”

Immediately after Schar put Newcastle in front, Frank directed his frustration towards the fourth official. He later confirmed Spence was responsible for marking the goalscorer.

“I think the first was a mistake from Chris (Kavanagh), the ref, because he didn’t allow Djed time to come back in, which he clearly should have done,” he told Sky Sports. “He’s supposed to mark Schar, who scored. So I think that was the first mistake.

“It’s very, very rarely I comment on any decision, but this we need to comment (on) because it was completely common sense.”

In this age, where set pieces seem to reign supreme — 19 per cent of all goals in England’s top-flight this season have been scored from corners (45 of 241), the highest share in Premier League history — does Frank have a point? There is no rule that Kavanagh violated in giving Spence time to get into position, and it would be plausible to suggest that the 46.5 seconds (timed by Sky) it took for Spence to sort his boot and get back into position was more than enough.

But in the interests of fair play, Newcastle, who have scored four goals from set pieces this season in the league (one fewer than Spurs), may not have been entirely pleased if the proverbial boot was on the other foot. In a game settled by fine margins, the referee’s decision to wave play on left Spurs at a significant disadvantage. This was punished by Eddie Howe’s side.

What few can dispute, however, is that Tottenham were deservedly beaten on the night. Before Schar profited from the breakdown in Spurs’ set-piece structure, Newcastle had already sliced through their defence from open play on several occasions.

It took Newcastle’s opener to wake them into action, but there were moments in the aftermath where Tottenham’s forwards and midfielders connected in a way they have struggled to do for much of the season. In the 4-4-2 structure, which occasionally resembled the 4-2-2-2 popularised by the Red Bull football group, it’s perhaps no surprise that Xavi Simons appeared to come alive, receiving the ball in pockets and showing glimpses of the talent fans were anticipating when he arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer.

As inverted No 10s, Simons and Lucas Bergvall were involved, fluid and as likely as anyone to create a moment of magic — something that has been lacking from Spurs in open play for much of the season.

“I think the way we played the game in how we built from behind in phase one and especially in phase two, I think we controlled the game much more,” Frank said. “I think we had some short connections in the middle of the pitch. I think we found Lucas (Bergvall) and Xavi (Simons) in good positions. I think it was one of our better offensive performances of the season. It was not like we created 500 per cent chances, but we created some really big chances.”

Unfortunately, Guglielmo Vicario was not around to deliver an inspired performance to keep them in the game, with backup Kinsky at fault for Newcastle’s second, which ultimately killed the tie and Spurs’ hopes of adding another trophy to their cabinet.

But Spence and Spurs have left with a lesson that might prove as valuable moving forward: make sure your boots are tied and snug before you step onto the pitch.

Carabao Cup holders Newcastle United reached the quarter-finals of this season’s competition after easing past Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at St James’ Park.

Newcastle took the lead when Fabian Schar headed in from a corner on 24 minutes, though Spurs protested that Djed Spence had not been given time to take up his defensive position after tying his lace by the corner flag.

In a lively first half, both teams created chances and Harvey Barnes could have scored twice, with Newcastle eventually doubling their lead five minutes into the second half when Woltemade headed in after Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky misjudged a cross.

Aaron Ramsdale, in goal for Newcastle, saved well to deny Pape Matar Sarr’s low drive from the edge of the box and while both sides made changes in pursuit of goals, Eddie Howe’s team held firm.

Newcastle, who have not been behind in a Carabao Cup game since losing the 2023 final to Manchester United, will now continue in pursuit of a third final in four years with a home tie against Fulham in mid-December.

Here, The Athletic’s Chris Waugh and Elias Burke explain the key talking points.

Is the Carabao Cup Newcastle’s competition?

Some of the key personnel may have changed, including the striker who is putting the ball in the back of the net, but this very much remains Newcastle’s competition under Eddie Howe’s tutelage.

Only once, in 19 matches spread across four seasons, have Newcastle lost in normal time in the Carabao Cup. And that was their 2-0 final defeat against Manchester United in 2023. They have not trailed in a match in this competition since, being knocked out by Chelsea on penalties in 2023-24 before lifting the trophy last season.

For the fourth year in succession under Howe, Newcastle have reached the last eight, and they have beaten all of the so-called ‘Big Six’ now in this competition. In Arsenal’s case, twice.

Alexander Isak, the scorer of the winning goal in March’s final, may have deserted Newcastle, but his replacement, Woltemade, continues his ridiculously impressive conversion rate in front of goal. Across nine starts, he has scored six goals for Newcastle so far, four of them at St James’ Park, and once again he did so with a solitary shot.

Some of his build-up play, the touches, flicks and passes, was breathtaking once more, and he is brilliant at setting up his team-mates. Yet he only managed three touches inside the opposition box, the first coming in the 43rd minute, and only had 21 in general.

Regardless, the 23-year-old has been prolific since arriving and Newcastle continue to find ways to win in this competition. Having failed to lift a domestic trophy for 70 years until seven months ago, they are not willing to give up this one easily and are still on course to become only the fifth team to retain the League Cup.

Chris Waugh

Why did Newcastle’s opener upset Spurs?

Tottenham have been among the best teams in the Premier League from set pieces this season, proving as formidable at defending them as they are threatening when attacking them. Thomas Frank and Spurs’ set-piece coach Andreas Georgson obsess over every detail, and when one piece is out of place, it can throw the whole structure off.

In the corner-kick routine before Newcastle opened the scoring, Spence was in the mix inside the box. Tottenham, as they have done so well this season, defended that corner kick competently. However, in the lead-up to Schar’s header, Spence was near the corner flag, tying his laces.

After Spence had tied his laces — a process that seemed to take an age, inviting jeers from the home support — the referee allowed Sandro Tonali to take the corner, but Spence was rushing back into position.

Frank immediately turned towards the fourth official, venting his frustration. In his view, Spurs were left a man down in the box, and the referee should have given Spence the time to return to his designated position to defend the corner. Frank criticised Chris Kavanagh and said afterwards that Spence was due to mark Schar.

Elias Burke

Did Schar show he can still be a starter?

Ask those inside Newcastle and they will stress that, no matter how much he may be doubted, Schar always backs himself to come good again.

The 33-year-old had not started a match since he was forced off due to concussion against Barcelona on September 18. Malick Thiaw slotted in alongside Sven Botman and that pairing have complemented one another superbly, supporting the theory that they can and will be Newcastle’s centre-back pairing for years to come.

Thiaw has started nine matches in succession in all competitions and, with Botman rested on to the bench after having his head stapled followed a clash of heads with Sasa Lukic during the victory over Fulham, he shifted across to left-sided centre-half. Schar, who came on against Fulham, resumed his position as right-sided centre-back, despite having played on the left for much of 2023-24 when Botman was sidelined with a knee injury.

For much of his short Newcastle career so far, Thiaw has looked largely unflustered and extremely impressive, but it was Schar who appeared most at ease against Spurs. Thiaw misplaced a couple of passes and decided he had to commit a tactical foul just before half-time, receiving a booking for upending Xavi Simons.

Schar, meanwhile, capped off his return to the XI with the opening goal, powering in a header from a Tonali corner having found himself in space inside the area. Regardless of his age, Schar consistently produces when called upon.

Impressively, despite this back four having never started together, with Dan Burn and Emil Krafth playing down the defensive flanks, Newcastle kept an eighth clean sheet in 14 matches in all competitions. No matter the make-up of their backline, Newcastle are stifling their opponents.

Chris Waugh

Did Spurs miss Vicario?

Guglielmo Vicario produced possibly his most impressive display in a Tottenham shirt against Monaco and followed it up with a similarly excellent performance against Everton in the 3-0 win on the weekend, putting to bed any doubt over his status as Spurs’ No 1 for the here and now. Still, having joined in January to significant fanfare after impressing for Slavia Prague, 22-year-old Kinsky is viewed as a potential long-term successor, and he had the chance to assert his status as one for the future at St. James’ Park.

Kinsky had a solid first half, demonstrating the short and medium-length distribution which promises to potentially add another dimension to Tottenham’s build-up play. On one occasion, he set Lucas Bergvall away on the counter-attack with a perfectly weighted throw into his direction, an encouraging sign of his ability to inject pace into a Spurs attack that has been ponderous and slow from open play for much of the season so far.

His second half, however, was much tougher. Kinsky was culpable for Newcastle’s second goal of the evening, flapping at a floated Joe Willock cross which Woltemade headed into an empty net. From that point, his distribution was slightly more erratic, miscuing the chipped balls over the Newcastle attack that brought a different dimension to Spurs’ attack in the first half. Still, Frank will take encouragement from the fact that Kinsky’s head didn’t drop, and he continued to make himself available to receive in awkward situations and attempt riskier passes.

With Vicario missing from the matchday squad without explanation, perhaps Kinsky will be called upon again on the weekend to deputise. In the Italian’s absence, Brandon Austin and Luca Gunter were named on the bench, but it seems unlikely that they will ascend Kinsky in the pecking order, despite his error for the goal.

And while Spurs can ill afford another error leading to an opposition goal against Chelsea on Saturday evening, Kinsky is clearly talented, and offers attributes with his feet that no other Spurs keeper has.

Elias Burke

What did Howe say?

“I thought everyone played with the right spirit and determination, it was a hard-fought win,” Howe said.

On if players who came into the team took their chances: “There was no sort of great message to the group from me, but I think on a subconscious level they’ll have known they needed to grab these ones. Of course, training is a massive opportunity for them to impress me. They didn’t let me down.”

On Willock’s performance: “Really pleased for Joe because we all have very short memories in football. We forget how good players can be, but we haven’t as coaches. The biggest problem he has had has been his body but he looked really fit, he covered lots of grounds and tactically he was excellent in a different role. He got an assist and could have scored as well.”

What did Frank say?

“I think we conceded two goals where it was two mistakes,” Frank said to Sky Sports. “I think the first was a mistake from Chris, the ref, because he didn’t allow Djed time to come back in, which he clearly should have done. He’s supposed to mark Schar, who scored. So I think that was the first mistake.

“It’s very, very rarely I comment on any decision, but this we need to comment because it was completely common sense.

“And the second, unfortunately, was a mistake from Atonin.”

What next for Newcastle?

Sunday, November 2: West Ham (Away), Premier League, 2pm UK, 9am ET

What next for Spurs?

It is difficult, when you look at the Premier League table, to argue with Thomas Frank’s record at Tottenham Hotspur so far.

Nine games into the new season, they sit in third place. Only Arsenal, who are top, have won more games than Spurs. No team has scored more goals than Tottenham (they have 17, joint with Chelsea and Manchester City). Only Arsenal (three) have conceded fewer than Frank’s side (seven).

Even if you think it is too early to glean clear lessons from the table, the evidence of those nine games, the first almost-quarter of the league season, is promising. Even more so when you place it in the context of Frank’s time at Spurs so far.

Frank took over a team who had just had one of the most unusual seasons in modern club history, winning the Europa League while also losing 22 league games and finishing 17th. He has had to repair the ship while navigating through Premier League and Champions League fixtures. He has had to do this with a fairly patchy squad, with injuries in key positions. He has not been able to give a minute to Dejan Kulusevski or James Maddison — Spurs’ two leading creative midfielders — so far. Dominic Solanke, the first-choice centre-forward, has not started a game yet. There should still be a lot of growth to come.

And yet those three glass-half-full paragraphs do not in fact tell the whole story of Frank’s tenure so far. There have arguably been as many bad performances as good ones. In Europe, Spurs were fortunate to scrape draws at Bodo/Glimt and Monaco, and could easily have lost both games by a distance. Their home league games have been miserable since the Burnley win on opening day. Without Joao Palhinha’s late equaliser against Wolves, they would have lost their last three straight home league games.

Football is not just about numbers and outcomes. Fans want to enjoy the process too. This is true everywhere, but especially at Spurs. This is a club that invested tens of millions of pounds in big-name managers in recent years — first Jose Mourinho, then Antonio Conte — only to realise that the style of play did not fit. There are aesthetic expectations that have to be met.

Every fan is entitled to their own conception of ‘good’ football, but most of those conceptions will share some similar ideas. That their team should be proactive, dominate the ball, play in the opposition half, take risks, and eventually triumph through their own skill, bravery and co-ordination. These are eternal principles, but as English football has grown more technical and possession-oriented in the last 10 years, they have felt increasingly hegemonic.

This is why watching Frank’s Spurs at times has felt jarring. No football fan is fully free from cultural conditioning. Our eyes have adjusted to what we have watched for the last few years. And through those lenses, they do not look good.

Tottenham rarely move the ball through the middle of the pitch, preferring the stability of Rodrigo Bentancur and Palhinha sitting there together. They struggle to pick through a settled opposition defence. They do not overwhelm teams with relentless pressure. Only Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Ham United and Burnley, according to Opta, have had fewer shots than Spurs this season. They do not squeeze the opposition to death in their own half. Only Crystal Palace, Fulham and Burnley have made fewer high turnovers than Spurs. If you drew up a list of how you would expect a dominant team to play, Tottenham would not tick many of the boxes.

Sunday’s 3-0 win at Everton was a case in point. Everton had more possession and more shots. Tottenham spent long spells defending their own box, Kevin Danso endlessly heading the ball away. Guglielmo Vicario had to make two brilliant saves when the game was in the balance. But Spurs were clinical when it mattered. Micky van de Ven twice headed in from corners, and Pape Matar Sarr finished off a counter-attack in the final minutes.

If it was a one-off, some people might have called it lucky. But there is a pattern to these away wins now. Spurs did roughly the same thing to Manchester City in August, West Ham in September and to Leeds United earlier this month. It’s who they are now.

It is not hard to spot the change in style and emphasis at Tottenham this season. Away from proactive expansive possession, full-backs attacking through the middle, risk-taking on the ball. Towards stability in the middle of the pitch, Bentancur and Palhinha, maintaining shape in possession and maximising set pieces.

But what is true of Tottenham is true of the league at large. Look at Arsenal, who have gone from playing open possession football to being the best defensive team and best set-piece team in the world. Even City themselves have stepped back from the pure possession game, replacing Ederson with Gianluigi Donnarumma, effectively turning the clock back 10 years in the process. Their game is now about getting the ball to their physically dominant No 9 as quickly and as often as possible. Everywhere you look, teams are going direct, focusing on set pieces, teaching their players how to throw the ball long again. The game has changed faster than anyone could have imagined, and in the opposite direction.

And in this brave new world, this Dychenaissance, who better to manage Tottenham than Thomas Frank? His coaching has always been clear-eyed and strategic about pursuing every advantage for his team. At Brentford, some of his football looked like a throwback in an era of endless possession. But he followed his own path and pursued the intimations in a changing game. And right now, in the era when set pieces are becoming the game itself, his approach is at the cutting edge. And if this is what modern football is, Spurs might as well be good at it.

“Every manager and club wants to compete and it is about finding the small margins,” Frank said in his press conference on Monday, ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup tie at Newcastle. “I think the success that we had at Brentford was maybe not as fancy because we were a smaller club, but also Arsenal picked up (the importance of set pieces). Liverpool two years ago were extremely good at it too. So top clubs picked it up and then go, ‘Oh, you probably need to do this if you want to be able to compete or raise the bar to be even better.’

Tottenham have always needed a manager who is ahead of the tactical curve. They do not have enough money or enough originality to compete in any other way. They had that in Mauricio Pochettino, whose energetic pressing football gave Spurs an edge, before Jurgen Klopp or Guardiola even arrived in English football. But they appointed Mourinho and Conte too late, and could not even give them all the tools to compete anyway. Postecoglou’s expansive possession felt like it might have been the future, but football moved in a different direction — towards the minimalistic efficiency of the game Frank had been honing in Brentford.

Perhaps this is just what good football is now. And we all need to adjust our eyes.

We are 24 per cent of the way through the 2025-26 Premier League season and one team look to be a cut above the rest so far.

That side are Arsenal, currently four points clear of second-placed Bournemouth and five ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland in third and fourth.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are fifth — having lost three of their nine games — level on points with improving rivals Manchester United, while reigning champions Liverpool remain stuck on the 15 points they won in their opening five matches.

In a season where most sides are exhibiting several flaws, is there anyone out there who can step up and challenge Arsenal — or are Mikel Arteta and his players destined to canter to the north London club’s first league title in 21 years?

The Athletic’s writers have therefore been asked, or rather forced, to make a case for each challenger, down to Chelsea in ninth.

Here then, is an argument as to why those sides can beat Arsenal to the champions’ trophy, a reason why they won’t, and some numerical context from data writer Conor O’Neill.

Bournemouth

W5 D3 L1

Anantaajith Raghuraman on why they can catch Arsenal: Bournemouth have improved both in and out of possession after restructuring their defence and have one of the Premier League’s best players in Antoine Semenyo. Eli Junior Kroupi’s breakout campaign up front adds to the excitement, while Andoni Iraola’s tactics can force mistakes from even the best teams.

Lest we forget, Arsenal lost four league matches in 2024-25 and two of those were to Bournemouth.

The teams don’t meet until January at the Vitality Stadium, but November could prove decisive for a Leicester City-like fairytale to be possible.

Arsenal have two more Champions League matches to contend with, along with tricky matches at Sunderland and Chelsea and at home against Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford between November 8 and December 3. In that same period, Bournemouth play Aston Villa, West Ham United and Everton, while also visiting Sunderland.

Why they won’t: The past two weekends provide a clue. Arsenal were thoroughly professional in putting visitors Crystal Palace away 1-0, limiting the visitors to 0.5 xG. A week earlier, Bournemouth played out a wild 3-3 draw at Selhurst Park with Palace, underperforming their 4.4 xG and missing multiple big chances.

Bournemouth’s style, while comparatively more measured than it was in 2024-25, is still largely direct and chaotic. They are much better positioned to deal with transitions, but 11 goals conceded in their nine games (albeit seven of those have come just against Liverpool and Palace) is a concern. Arsenal have allowed just three in as many matches.

Their high-intensity system can also lead to injuries, which derailed their end to last season. While they seem better equipped to deal with them this time around in most positions and will welcome the returns of Evanilson, Enes Unal and Julio Soler soon, their depth at centre-back – where Arsenal potentially have six different options – behind Bafode Diakite and Marcos Senesi is not the most encouraging.

What the data says: Bournemouth have spent fewer minutes in losing positions this season than any other side — a testament to their quality, but also a trait that plays into their strengths. Their five goals from fast breaks are a league high, and Iraola’s transitional approach thrives against stretched opponents chasing a goal. It won’t be smooth sailing between now and May, and how they cope when falling behind early is likely to be a truer test of their credentials.

Tottenham Hotspur

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Elias Burke on why they can catch Arsenal: Whisper it quietly, but there are a fair few similarities between Thomas Frank’s Tottenham and Arteta’s Arsenal.

Like their local rivals, Spurs’ success is grounded in defensive solidity. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are perhaps the only centre-back partnership in the Premier League that can match Arsenal’s William Saliba and Gabriel on their day, and they are backed up by able deputies: Kevin Danso, who stepped in for the injured Romero, was excellent in their 3-0 win away win against Everton.

That relatively comfortable win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium also demonstrated their set-piece prowess. Much has been made of Arsenal’s threat from corners and free kicks over several seasons, but Tottenham have made a marked improvement from last season in dead-ball situations since appointing Frank, and are now among the best in the league. Carrying on from Rodrigo Bentancur opening the scoring at a corner in the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, Van de Ven profited from set-piece coach Andreas Georgson’s ingenuity to score his first career brace on Sunday.

And while Arsenal might still have a slight edge in that department, Spurs are scoring far more freely than them from open play. They have more than twice as many goals from open play as Arsenal (11 to five), with only Liverpool and Manchester City doing better.

Why they won’t: Tottenham’s impressive defensive structure and set-piece proficiency have given them an encouraging base to start from, but they’re yet to find an attacking rhythm in open play.

Frank’s side have excelled in capitalising on “chaos” situations, recycling the ball well from set pieces to create second- and third-chance opportunities. They have also finished excellently, scoring 17 times from an expected goals (xG) tally of 11.25, which is the highest overperformance (5.75) in the Premier League so far. While Spurs could conceivably remain as threatening from set pieces and their follow-up situations, such overperformance tends to level itself out over the course of a league season, particularly as serial xG model-breakers Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are no longer around.

Their lack of consistent attacking fluency is partly down to injuries. James Maddison, who is likely to miss most, if not all, of the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury sustained on their pre-season tour, would help significantly. As would fellow long-term absentee Dejan Kulusevski, who could return from his own knee issue before the end of the calendar year.

What the data says: Tottenham are also overperforming at the defensive end of the pitch, conceding almost half a goal less than expected per game. But their underlying numbers represent a vast improvement on last season, when only the Premier League’s three relegated sides conceded more xG. That new-found solidity has been the backbone of their strong start under Frank.

Sunderland

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Chris Weatherspoon on why they can catch Arsenal: That Sunderland are even in this conversation is at once testament to the remarkable work being done at the north-east club and hilarious. Four years ago this week, they lost 5-1 at Rotherham United in League One, English football’s third tier; now they sit three spots from English football’s summit.

Talk to anyone on Wearside and this season’s aim remains unchanged: survival. Anything else is a bonus but with 17 points in the bag already, it’s fun to get a little carried away. Life is for living, and all that.

Their chances of ‘doing a Leicester’ look remote but the air of positivity is well-founded, not least after Saturday’s win at Club World Cup champions Chelsea, which was no less than Regis Le Bris’ side deserved. The Frenchman has quickly moulded a slew of new signings into an imposing defensive unit. Behind Arsenal, they’ve conceded the joint-least goals in the division. Marshalled by the unflappable Granit Xhaka in midfield, the summer’s necessary splurge looks justified so far.

Xhaka and Sunderland welcome Arsenal, his previous English club, to the Stadium of Light next week for what now appears a very tasty tussle under the Saturday evening lights. Win that one, and people really might start to believe in miracles.

Why they won’t: The league table never lies but perhaps it tells a fib or two now and then. The last time a promoted club had this many points after nine games was Hull City in 2008-09; they managed only two more victories the rest of the way, finishing 17th and avoiding relegation by a point.

Sunderland’s great start has been aided by good fixtures, but those are turning. The trip to Chelsea was meant to be the beginning of their grounding and, while that was emphatically avoided at Stamford Bridge, the next two months still look arduous. Within the next 11 games, they play Arsenal, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Manchester City (twice), Newcastle and Spurs.

The back end of that run of fixtures won’t be helped when several of their impressive new signings depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, which runs from just before Christmas into January. Congolese midfielder Noah Sadiki will be especially missed.

There’s also the matter of sustainability. Le Bris’ boys aren’t creating a lot and have the fourth-lowest attacking xG in the league to date. A title push on those numbers would be ludicrous. Just as well Sunderland’s ambitions remain a fair sight lower than being champions for the first time since the 1930s – though they’ve certainly ticked up a notch since the summer.

What the data says: Leicester’s miracle a decade ago aside, Sunderland’s counterpunching style is not one that usually delivers titles. As the territory plot below shows, they have not dominated games this season in the way the more established heavyweights have. Momentum has its own mystical qualities, but even the most delirious Sunderland fan would admit that this is unlikely to last.

Manchester City

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Jordan Campbell on why they can catch Arsenal: Erling Haaland. In the Norwegian striker, City have arguably the best goalscorer in the world, and someone who looks destined to break the 30-goal barrier for the fourth season running. Arsenal have not had a player do that since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019-20.

While they have vastly improved the depth of the squad, finally investing heavy sums in forward areas, the strategy of spreading their goals throughout the team is still to prove it can outperform a freakish individual such as Haaland.

The addition of Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal means City can now make the argument they possess the league’s best individual player at both ends of the pitch. While Arsenal are about the collective, having two such giant figures could prove pivotal if the race is close on its final stretch — the very period City tend to come into their own.

Why they won’t: Rodri has not been able to return from the knee injury that wrecked his 2024-25 season and stay fit for any length of time yet. He is fundamental to this team’s balance and flow.

Without him, City are going to find it difficult to find consistency of selection or performance. There have been several games this season already in which they have looked defensively fragile, albeit far less than around this time last year. Until they solve those issues, it feels like Arsenal are going to be too strong. Arteta’s men could even break Chelsea’s record for fewest goals conceded this season. It is a target that has been brewing for some time, having posted the best defensive numbers two years running.

It can be argued whether Arsenal’s ceiling is as high as City’s, but their floor is certainly much higher. That should mean that this time, with no other team likely to post a points total above 90, the title is finally theirs.

What the data says: City have never relied on their power centre-forward this much, and, as Jordan has written, title-winning teams generally boast a healthier spread of goalscorers. Arsenal are certainly pitching in from all corners, with 11 individuals finding the net already, the most in the league. Guardiola’s side, who have just four other scorers not named Haaland, need to find that sort of variety, and quickly.

Manchester United

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Carl Anka on why they can catch Arsenal: United have not finished above Arsenal in the league since 2020-21. Still, if we are to momentarily play devil’s advocate, the best case for a record 21st league title at Old Trafford comes via a fixture list with no European commitments or any further Carabao Cup ties. Head coach Ruben Amorim has previously spoken of the training-ground value that can be found in only playing one game a week, and they’ve been much improved in recent wins over Brighton, Liverpool and Sunderland.

United narrowly lost 1-0 to Arsenal at home to kick off the campaign in August, but they look to be getting stronger with every win. A lot could change between now and their rematch at the Emirates in late January. A Premier League season is a long process.

Why they won’t: Recent wins suggest that while Amorim is beginning to settle on a starting XI that can challenge for the European places, his approach asks too much from too few players to make them real title contenders.

Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui will all depart for the Africa Cup of Nations in December, leaving him without some of his best technicians. United also lack strength in depth in defensive midfield, an issue that can be mitigated so long as Casemiro plays closer to his 2022-23 self, but the team noticeably loses attacking shape/finesse following the Brazilian’s late-game substitutions.

Arsenal’s squad, meanwhile, has reached a critical mass of talent, honed into a robust team by an excellent coach over several seasons.

United are still learning how to walk in step with the Premier League’s best again. Figuring out how to outrun them in a nine-month marathon? That will surely take a few more years.

What the data says: United’s significant summer spending on new attackers has quickly borne fruit, with their attacking metrics markedly improved, as shown by the rolling expected goals chart below. They have steadied the ship defensively too, but it is this added firepower that has excited fans, fuelling dreams of an unlikely title charge.

Liverpool

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Gregg Evans on why they can catch Arsenal: The club’s attacking riches. Once Alexander Isak gets up and running, he’ll start terrorising defenders like he used to do in a Newcastle shirt. Florian Wirtz will also find his feet, despite all the current negativity surrounding him. Oh, and Mohamed Salah is back among the goals too. What you’ll see now is a player with a little more confidence and someone more likely to make an impact at important moments.

Liverpool have far too much quality to continue losing. Once Ryan Gravenberch returns, and Alexis Mac Allister shakes off this rusty patch, they’ll be fine… even if it means deploying Dominik Szoboszlai in every position on the pitch, presumably other than goalkeeper, at some stage of the season.

Why they won’t: Losing four games in a row is bad for any team, let alone the defending champions, and it’s going to take a serious wobble up above for things to change.

Injuries are also adding up, and Liverpool are one central-defensive setback away from a crisis. There’s little chance of both Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk staying fit all season, and even if they do, they’ll need a rest at some point, with Joe Gomez the only alternative.

What the data says: While Arsenal have mastered the art of eking out wins through set-piece prowess, Liverpool’s struggles in this area offer a stark contrast. Since the start of last season, only Fulham and Manchester City have converted a smaller share of their set-piece chances. They’ve lost their last four games by a single goal, and finding that extra edge from dead balls could be what turns those narrow defeats into points.

Aston Villa

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Jacob Tanswell on why they can catch Arsenal: They have one of the world’s best managers, somebody able to defeat the best teams and overcome the best tactical minds. Unai Emery has now beaten Pep Guardiola at home three times in a row and has lost to Mikel Arteta once in four matches, winning two of them.

Villa boast the best home record of any Premier League side over the past two years. Now that rhythm and confidence have been restored, they are rarely defeated, possessing the ability to roll from one game to another, within a congested fixture schedule, without appearing overexerted or lacking. They can grind out wins due to a spine — Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins — that can rival any other side.

Unlike other potential competition for Arsenal, this is an experienced group who have been together for a long time and know every granular detail of their manager’s approach. And as Guardiola said of Villa on Sunday, “this is a Champions League team… a top, top team.”

Why they won’t: Now for some realism. Frankly, every bit of evidence will lead you to realise Villa have no chance of winning this title. They have the Europa League on Thursdays until at least the end of January, adding to the workload, and are a squad, despite growing in strength, which is imbalanced and lacking in key positions following a turbulent summer.

Yes, they can beat strong teams, especially at Villa Park, but are often left frustrated against certain tactical, low-block setups, often found when they face middling to lower Premier League outfits. The goal this season is to qualify for Europe again — finishing ahead of Arsenal, or even trying to, would be the most exceptional achievement.

What the data says: Villa’s form has dramatically improved after their stodgy start, but their underlying metrics betray a side still searching for their groove. Only West Ham and Burnley have a lower expected goal difference per game — hardly the sort of company a title contender wants to keep.

Chelsea

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Cerys Jones on why they can catch Arsenal: Being able to beat the defending champions is a pretty good litmus test of title credentials.

Chelsea’s win against Liverpool was particularly impressive because of its context: fresh from a very poor defeat to Brighton, just about squeezing past Lincoln City of League One in the Carabao Cup, and coping with a long injury list that includes talisman Cole Palmer. The fact that Chelsea beat the 2024-25 title winners while so far from full strength and form is a real statement.

Their Club World Cup triumph in the summer has surely done wonders for the players’ confidence and the ‘Cole Palmer FC’ allegations are weakening: Chelsea just won four games in a row without the 23-year-old. His return, and that of striker Liam Delap, will bolster an attack that is already the joint-highest scoring in the league.

Why they won’t: That four-game winning streak ground to a halt on Saturday in a home loss to promoted Sunderland that showed as much about Chelsea’s shortcomings as the win against Liverpool did about their strengths. Enzo Maresca’s side allowed the game to drift, struggled to break down Sunderland’s block, and poor decisions let them down defensively at the end.

At times, they have been their own worst enemies: losses to Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion could have turned out very differently without straight red cards for Robert Sanchez and Trevoh Chalobah. Self-inflicted suspensions, along with that considerable injury list, have denied them consistency.

Chelsea can go toe-to-toe with top sides — see the Club World Cup final against recently-crowned Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and that defeat of Liverpool — but those dramatic, ‘statement’ results have not been backed up with the gritty, often dull, wins that all champions need.

Rebecca Caplehorn will leave her role as Tottenham Hotspur’s head of administration and football governance at the end of the January transfer window in another high-profile change at the Premier League club.

Sources close to the club, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to do so publicly, said the decision to leave was her own, and her duties would be taken on by an incoming director of football operations, who is yet to be named.

Caplehorn, who joined Spurs in 2015 after five years with Queens Park Rangers, was promoted to her current role in September 2020 as part of a significant reshuffle of the club’s senior management positions under former executive chairman Daniel Levy.

In the newly-created position, Caplehorn oversaw all football governance at the club, and worked closely to represent Spurs with the European Football Clubs (previously the European Club Association), the FA and various other governing bodies. She was also involved in transfer and contract negotiations.

In April, Spurs appointed Vinai Venkatesham as their chief executive officer. At the beginning of the summer, chief football officer Scott Munn left his role and long-serving executive director Donna Maria-Cullen stepped down.

In September, executive chairman Daniel Levy left the club after nearly 25 years in charge. Tottenham’s statement said that Levy had “stepped down” but the decision was taken by the club’s majority shareholders, the Lewis family.

Peter Charrington was appointed as a non-executive chairman following Levy’s departure, having joined the board in March as a non-executive director.

Earlier this month, Fabio Paratici was appointed joint-sporting director with Johan Lange. Last week, Spurs announced that Eric Hinson would join the board as a non-executive director.

Analysis

The departure of Rebecca Caplehorn is another sign of the significant executive changes behind the scenes at Tottenham this year.

Caplehorn was one of the longest-serving officials left at the club following the departures of Donna-Maria Cullen in the summer and executive chairman Daniel Levy, who was dismissed last month.

Caplehorn joined as head of football operations in early 2015, having previously been finance director of Queens Park Rangers. Over the course of her 11 years at Spurs she worked on football administration, transfers, player and staff contracts, as well as representing the club to various football bodies. She also took special responsibility for overseeing the development of the Tottenham women’s team.

While never courting publicity, ‘Bex’ was very popular inside the club and well respected throughout the football industry. Staff would often comment in private that Caplehorn was one of the most impressive colleagues they had ever worked with.

Her departure – with the arrival of a new director of football operations – shows how much has changed this year. Just six months ago the structure, built around Levy, was the same that it had been for a generation. But this year everything has changed. Matthew Collecott remains as long-standing operations and finance director, but so many other parts have changed or moved.

There is a new (non-executive) chairman Peter Charrington, a new CEO in Vinai Venkatesham, and a new football model with two co-sporting directors, in Johan Lange and the returning Fabio Paratici. More appointments are expected as the new model is fleshed out.

At 4:30pm on Sunday afternoon, Everton were the only team in the Premier League not to have conceded from a set piece this season. By 5:21pm they had done so twice, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven scoring two close-range headers in the first half of his team’s 3-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Spurs are struggling to create chances from open play under Thomas Frank but we can still celebrate how formidable they have become from corners and free kicks.

There was a sense that set pieces were neglected by former head coach Ange Postecoglou, who dismissively compared them to a “rugby scrum”. At the beginning of his career, Frank did not champion set pieces either. During his time as an integrated talent development (ITU) coach with Danish second-division side Lyngby, Frank took inspiration from how Barcelona played under Pep Guardiola.

“In that period, we didn’t think set pieces were part of football,” Birger Jorgensen, who hired Frank at Lyngby, told The Athletic in July. “We wanted to have the ball all the time. It’s Thomas’ personality that catches you but he has progressed tactically. He is clever to take the next level and follow how football has developed. He can adapt to different clubs.”

Frank’s mindset changed when he worked at Brentford. They had a smaller budget than the majority of their promotion rivals in the Championship and experimented with unique ideas to help improve performances.

“We need to make the business sustainable by buying cheap and selling expensive,” Rasmus Ankersen, Brentford’s then co-director of football, told Sky Sports in February 2019. “It comes down to not only identifying undervalued talent in the market, but also we invest a lot in the development of players. We invest in different types of specialists — sleep coaches, kicking coaches — to try to raise the level of the players who come in. Then we make the asset worth more than it was before.”

Andreas Georgson was one of the specialists that Brentford hired. He spent a year in west London working on set pieces under Frank until he was poached by Arsenal for the 2020-21 season. He then worked for Malmo, Southampton, Lillestrom and Manchester United before he was reunited with Frank at Spurs in the summer.

Brentford had an excellent record from dead-ball situations throughout Frank’s reign. After losing at the Gtech Community Stadium in January 2023, Liverpool’s head coach Jurgen Klopp said that Brentford “create chaos” from set pieces.

“I respect that a lot and it’s really good and well organised,” Klopp said. “They stretch the rules in these moments. They’re really pushing, really holding and everything. That’s why it’s really difficult. I wish we could have done better there.” There are lots of similar examples from this season of Spurs “stretching the rules” by blocking opposition players and preventing them from clearing the ball easily.

Georgson spent a lot of time in pre-season drilling the squad on defensive and attacking scenarios, assisted by analyst Sean McManus. They held long-throw auditions to establish who could become their new secret weapon. At a training session in the baking heat on tour in South Korea, Georgson worked individually with Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert and Djed Spence to improve their set-piece deliveries.

Before Spurs’ victory over Everton, the 43-year-old led a set-piece drill that involved the coaching staff acting as the attacking players when Tel swung free kicks into the box. The coaches used crash bags to push and disrupt the players when they jumped to clear the ball. The idea is to make them stronger in physical duels and unafraid of taking contact in mid-air.

In an interview with The Athletic in November 2021, Georgson admitted that “no coach goes through the ranks of education to become a set-piece specialist. They go because they love the tactics, or they love the leadership or they love the team building.” He then revealed how he keeps the players engaged.

“You can try to make it fun — a match-like, live situation where you compete,” Georgson added. “But then sometimes you have to take it slow, because it might be a situation where the player needs a bit of calm, for their technique or to focus on details.

“The main thing is when they see results. That’s how simple the human brain is.

“If you’re a specialist coach, it’s easy to think, ‘I need more time in my specialist area’. But I don’t think that’s the way to think of specialists in football — the process has to be holistic, synchronised.

“If the team at that moment will take more from a big tactical preparation of the game, with the focus on open play, then I say, ‘OK, at this time, it would be good to have 15 minutes. But for the team now, it’s better that it’s eight (minutes)’. And then I have to make the most of those eight minutes, not try to achieve everything — just focus on the one or two things that will be the most important.”

Georgson is happy for players to “improvise” during games but provides them with a framework.

“You have to see it as a long-term project,” he said. “So even if I don’t get everything I wanted done by the second gameweek, I accept that we build it block by block. A big part of the job is not getting desperate, and accepting that, over time, we will improve. It’s not like American football, where the quarterback is used to keeping 200 plays in his head. It’s a different situation in football, that’s not the traditional culture. If you look at some of the strongest teams in set pieces, it’s not like they’ll have 100 plays. They might have surprisingly few, but they’re just very efficient. You don’t have to have more than two.”

Georgson can be spotted at the edge of the technical area when Spurs are defending or attacking a set piece, frantically dishing out instructions. According to WhoScored, Spurs have scored five Premier League goals from set pieces this season, with only Chelsea (eight) and Arsenal (nine) scoring more.

Georgson gives Frank advice on other areas of the game and is unafraid to challenge his boss’ decisions. He has quickly proven his worth.

“He has a different approach, which is important in a group, to ask different questions,” Frank said of Georgson in a press conference before September’s 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. “Sometimes the questions are extremely annoying and put me on the spot but that’s good. We need that. I need that.

“But on the set pieces you can see we have a very good foundation to stand on. We can get better, but defensively we look strong, offensively we look strong. So a big credit to him. But also a massive credit to Sean, our analyst, and to the players that really bought into it.”

Spurs can hurt teams in a variety of ways which makes them tricky to predict. Van de Ven’s opening goal against Everton came from Mohammed Kudus hitting an inswinging corner towards the back post which Rodrigo Bentancur knocked back across the penalty area. Van de Ven attacked Pedro Porro’s delivery at the front post for Tottenham’s second. Lucas Bergvall and Cristian Romero scored from cleverly worked free kicks against West Ham United and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.

Everton had nine corners against Spurs but Guglielmo Vicario marshalled the defence expertly. David Moyes admitted it was the correct decision to disallow Jake O’Brien’s 25th-minute header because Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye were offside. Georgson and Frank’s attention to detail in attacking and defensive situations is paying off.

“We have specific principles and also specific routines,” Frank said. “It’s very important to have those principles in place and then tweak them a little bit towards the opponent, depending on their system, how they defend, let’s say corners or wide free kicks. Then we can tweak it a little bit. But we can’t change it too much because then we need to be consistent in the messages.”

Van de Ven is the biggest beneficiary of Tottenham’s improvement from set pieces. The Netherlands international has scored five times in 14 appearances under Frank — he did not score at all last season.

“He is really growing and has taken some big steps,” Frank said after beating Everton. “I’m very pleased with him overall. He is taking more leadership, defending better and better and not only using his pace but also more clever positions.

“I said at the beginning of the season, ‘It’s OK if you score with your left and right foot but you need to score more headed goals. You are a centre-back, you need to score more of that’. We have worked on it, big praise to Micky and especially to Andreas. The way he attacks the ball and gets in there where it hurts is key. Now hopefully he can continue.”

Spurs cannot simply rely on set pieces for the entire season but free kicks and corners have been crucial in the first few months of Frank’s tenure. If things start to click from open play too, maybe they could make a genuine push for a spot in the top four.

Everton fans were accustomed to seeing this kind of set-piece domination during Sean Dyche’s tenure. The inswinging corner to a towering figure at the back post. The exploitation of a vulnerable goalkeeper under the high ball.

At times, there was almost a brutality about the execution of it all.

Cast your mind back to December 2023’s 2-0 win at Burnley or the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur the following year, when Guglielmo Vicario struggled fielding balls under his own crossbar. On both occasions, Everton’s success came from comprehensively winning the aerial battle and, to put it bluntly, bullying their opposition.

For all their other failings, these were the types of moments where Dyche’s Everton thrived.

Everton, though, have changed a great deal in the nine months since Dyche was replaced as manager by David Moyes. While there is still some crossover in terms of personnel and principles, Moyes has attempted to take the squad in a different direction. Dyche stalwarts like Dwight McNeil are no longer regular fixtures, and have been replaced by more diminutive ball players. Instead of looking to break down the door in open play, Everton now largely try to pick the lock, even if Moyes still places a strong emphasis on set pieces.

Both styles have their merits, of course. But direct play — long balls and throws, plus a renewed focus on set pieces — is now du jour once again in the Premier League.

We know Everton are still evolving under Moyes after a summer overhaul, but it was somewhat surprising to see the extent of their fragility from set pieces in Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat to Spurs. With Micky Van de Ven scoring twice from corners, a previous strength was ruthlessly exploited.

Although there were numerous reasons for Sunday’s defeat, including a continuation of the profligacy that has plagued Moyes’ team, this was a game decided by set pieces.

On the face of it, few would have seen this coming. Tottenham are also a side cast in a new image under Thomas Frank, a keen proponent of the dead ball, but not typically renowned for their prowess in this area. Everton, meanwhile, came into the game as the only Premier League team not to have conceded from a set play this season.

“We have been undone by set pieces,” Moyes said. “I’m not happy about it, but there were some positives.

“We’ve been very good with set pieces in the main. But Thomas’ teams have always been good, too. We had more corners but they got their head on some and we didn’t. Their goalkeeper punched some and we didn’t.

“It wasn’t for the lack of preparation. It’s not something (conceding) that we are known for. I am disappointed. There are a couple of things we could have done better.”

Here’s Tottenham’s first goal. Mohammed Kudus, a left-footer, is set to take an inswinging corner from the right, with Van de Ven circled next to Pickford in the middle.

As the ball is about to be delivered, Van de Ven has his arm around Pickford…

It knocks the Everton keeper off balance, and he calls for a free kick. The VAR checked both Spurs goals for fouls, as is standard policy, while Moyes later refused to criticise the officials…

The other interesting thing happens closer to the penalty spot.

Everton are largely defending zonally, with the number of Spurs players close to goal reducing the need for ‘blockers’.

That gives Rodrigo Bentancur (circled) an opportunity…

Bentancur runs to the back post, where Everton full-back Vitalii Mykolenko is marking Randal Kolo-Muani. Spurs have a numerical advantage…

Bentancur heads across goal and Van de Ven, free between Jack Grealish and Jake O’Brien, nods in. O’Brien ends up on the goal line, rather than competing for the ball.

Spurs manager Frank praised the work of his analysts as well as the “structure, big physicality and desire” of his side. They certainly are a tall, imposing team now, with Van de Ven, Joao Palhinha and Kevin Danso all useful targets.

Everton appeared to alter their setup for Spurs’ second goal, with O’Brien (highlighted in blue) instead stationed at the back post.

Perhaps this was a response to Bentacur’s role in the opener, but again, Everton are deceived by Van de Ven’s movement.

The below shows his position as Pedro Porro gets set to deliver…

He is already on the move before the kick is taken, running round the back of O’Brien…

Everton are marking in zones, with their main ball winners (James Tarkowski and Michael Keane) situated centrally in the six-yard box.

Pickford will be expected to deal with anything coming into his zone…

Van de Ven gives Pickford another shove, knocking him off balance for the second time…

He climbs above Pickford, his superior height making the difference, and nods in close range. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher later suggested that the Everton goalkeeper’s size makes him vulnerable to the Premier League staple of corners under the bar.

Everton will not face Spurs’ physicality every week. Van de Ven was a towering force and now has five goals this season, so Moyes will hope these issues are the exception rather than the rule.

The game was a reminder, though, of how quickly things can change in the Premier League. Every side is striving for an advantage and has analysts poring over footage to find even slight weaknesses.

Everton no longer have a set-piece coach of their own. Charlie Adam, who handled that area last season, departed over the summer with his duties so far absorbed by the rest of Moyes’ coaching staff.

Everton may look to add a specialist to compensate. Before it was bought by Everton owner The Friedkin Group, head of strategy Chris Howarth’s company Insight Sport provided set-piece data to top-flight clubs, including Nottingham Forest.

He, Moyes and the rest of Everton’s backroom staff will be keen to avoid a repeat of Sunday’s problems.

Tottenham Hotspur became the first team to beat Everton at their new stadium in the Premier League after their set pieces proved too much for David Moyes’ side.

The first half was a tale of three corners, with Spurs taking the lead through Micky van de Ven’s header on 19 minutes, the first set-piece goal Moyes’ side have conceded in the league this season.

Everton equalised through Jake O’Brien’s header — only for two of his team-mates to be ruled offside and interfering sufficiently for the goal to be denied. Van de Ven then outmuscled Jordan Pickford to score his second from another corner in first-half stoppage time.

Everton had the greater possession across the game, but Pape Matar Sarr headed in a third in the 89th minute and the result lifted Tottenham to third in the Premier League table.

Here, The Athletic’s Jay Harris breaks down the key talking points.

How has Frank got Van de Ven scoring?

Micky van de Ven has scored five times for Spurs in 14 appearances under Thomas Frank. Any defender would be proud to boast that record, but it is even more remarkable when you consider that he did not score in any of his 22 matches last season.

Nobody was surprised that Spurs struggled to create chances from open play against Everton, but they are formidable at set pieces. Van de Ven scored twice from corners and they executed different routines on both occasions.

Tottenham’s opening goal arrived in the 19th minute when Mohammed Kudus hit an inswinging delivery deep towards the back post. Rodrigo Bentancur beat Vitaliy Mykolenko in the air and appeared to purposefully direct the ball with his shoulder back across the box, leaving Van de Ven with a simple chance from a few yards out.

Van de Ven’s second goal, which arrived in first-half stoppage time, was even sweeter. The Netherlands international lurked at the back post unmarked. He then ran behind Jake O’Brien along the goal line and darted in front of Jordan Pickford to connect with Pedro Porro’s curling ball.

It was an intelligent run which deceived Everton’s defence…

Van de Ven will take the headlines but Andreas Georgson deserves a lot of credit. The Swede, who previously worked with Frank at Brentford, has had a huge impact on Tottenham’s set-pieces since he joined the coaching staff in the summer. Corners and free-kicks were neglected by former head coach Ange Postecoglou but are now a key weapon in Spurs’ armoury.

What did Kolo Muani show he can do?

There was a moment in the first half which offered Tottenham supporters a glimpse of what Randal Kolo Muani is capable of.

The ball was pumped long towards the France international near the right wing, but instead of controlling it and waiting for his team-mates to catch up, he had the confidence to effortlessly roll past James Tarkowski. Everton’s defender made a desperate lunge to clear the ball and conceded the corner from which Spurs took the lead. If Tarkowski had not attempted the challenge, then Kolo Muani would have been free to charge into the box.

Kolo Muani’s speed and directness will be a valuable asset for Spurs when he is fully up to speed. A dead leg disrupted his momentum after arriving on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of August. This was only his first start and fourth appearance overall.

There were other promising moments before Kolo Muani was replaced by Richarlison midway through the second half. In the 10th minute, the forward held off his marker to receive the ball inside the box from Mohammed Kudus and set up Xavi Simons with a deft first-time pass. Simons should have been stronger to hold off Michael Keane and shoot.

In the 35th minute, he reclaimed the ball from a corner and found Rodrigo Bentancur unmarked on the edge of the area. Bentancur’s crisp half-volley flew narrowly over the bar.

Kolo Muani did suffer from the same affliction which has impacted Richarlison and Mathys Tel this season. Spurs do not look fluid in attack and struggle to create chances. Kolo Muani tried to pose a consistent threat, but it is difficult when you rarely receive the ball.

It was an encouraging first look at the 26-year-old, though, and hopefully there will be a lot more to come.

How will Spurs feel about this performance?

A significant section of Tottenham’s fanbase probably groaned when they saw the starting XI against Everton included Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur. There is a growing feeling that the pair exclusively offer defensive security and not much else. That is slightly unfair but this performance underlines why lots of people are keen to see either Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr start more regularly.

Bergvall is clever in possession and can glide past players to drive Spurs up the pitch while Sarr is a threat with his late runs into the penalty area. Sarr’s header in the 88th minute perfectly proved this point as he started the move in the centre circle and finished it inside Everton’s six yard box.

With Sarr and Bergvall on the bench, Frank tried a different approach to improve his side’s chance creation by moving Mohammed Kudus centrally behind Randal Kolo Muani. Brennan Johnson started out wide on the right instead with Xavi Simons on the opposite flank.

Kudus could not resist drifting towards his normal role out on the right and Xavi was ineffective so the changes did not exactly work even if Spurs won 3-0. It was important though that Spurs regained some momentum after losing to Aston Villa last week and somehow escaping with a point from Wednesday night’s Champions League tie with Monaco. It might not have been a pretty performance but it was a great result especially as Chelsea, Liverpool and Brighton all dropped points this weekend.

Why was O’Brien’s header ruled out?

Everton thought they had equalised on 24 minutes when Jake O’Brien headed in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner, only for it to be overturned by the officials.

Referee Craig Pawson initially gave the goal but then ruled it out when sent to the screen by VAR Stuart Attwell, who had spotted that Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye were both in an offside position after O’Brien’s header.

Pawson decided after review that they were interfering sufficiently with Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario’s attempts to reach the ball for the goal to be ruled out.

What did Frank say?

“Very, very happy with that, I think overall very solid performance, especially pleased with the first half. I think we were good in phase one, good in phase two,” Frank said in his post-match press conference.

“In general, the second half was a little bit more of a dogfight at times. Going here to Everton, which is against a very good team, well set up by David Moyes and a very good home crowd, they’ve been unbeaten here so far. So, yeah, very happy, happy with obviously the set pieces as well. What I would say, the clean sheet mentality, that is a very good foundation to stand on.

“That gives you an ability to perform at a certain level where you want to always do a little bit more, but be really, how can you say, competitive and especially away from home.

What next for Spurs?

Wednesday, October 29: Newcastle (Away), Carabao Cup round of 16, 8pm UK, 4pm ET

(Photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

On a dark autumnal London morning, Eberechi Eze is going back to school. It is an early Thursday wake-up for the Arsenal forward as he prepares to return to his alma mater to give back to the place that helped make him.

At The John Roan School in Greenwich, south east London, hundreds of children have filtered into the gymnasium to listen to the England international. Such is the interest, three assemblies will be held this morning.

Despite being told to keep their eyes forward, excitable murmurs begin as soon as the first group spots Eze entering the room. He receives a hero’s welcome each time; teachers and students applaud the introduction of the former pupil.

Just days before Arsenal host his former club, Crystal Palace, at the Emirates on Sunday, the 27-year-old has come with supplies, specifically chess boards, pieces and clocks for the school’s chess club, and patience to answer tens of questions posed by smiling, wide-eyed teenagers with bright futures as hard-nosed journalists.

One student asks whether Arsenal’s £67.5million summer signing misses Palace, another wants to know why he did not join Tottenham Hotspur. The questions come thick and fast as if it were a press conference: Who is the best player you’ve played with? Are Arsenal going to win the league? Can you sign my school schedule?

For the record, Eze does believe Arsenal will win the Premier League, laughing off suggestions from the audience that Liverpool will contend as he answered an unwavering “yes.”

As for Arsenal’s north London rivals, “I was prepared to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them,” he says, before winning the Spurs fans in the audience back by naming Harry Kane as the best he has played with. “He’s just great at what he does, scoring goals,” he says of his international captain.

So, what does he miss most about Palace, the club where he spent five seasons and is regarded as a great? “The people and relationships I made,” he says.

The purpose of Eze’s visit is to promote chess, another sport in which he excels. In partnership with chess.com, the Eze Foundation brought equipment for the school’s club, which meets weekly. Also in attendance this Thursday morning is the player’s older brother, Ikechi, who introduced him to chess and is the COO of the foundation, and Lorin D’Costa, a British chess coach and International Master (IM), who runs the chess charity She Plays to Win, which supports UK girls and young women in playing chess.

Ikechi and Lorin lead the assemblies, discussing the benefits of chess, of its ability to improve focus and resilience, and explaining the rules while encouraging students to attend the school’s club and to play online.

Through further questioning from students, Eze reveals his favourite chess piece is the knight, and his favourite chess player is GothamChess, an American IM, which is the second-highest chess rating, called Levy Rozman, who played Eze while he was at Crystal Palace in a YouTube video.

Though Eberechi has played chess for just a few years, in May, he won the sixth edition of chess.com’s PogChamps, a tournament between internet personalities, winning $20,000 for his foundation. He streamed the tournament on chess.com’s Twitch and YouTube and told students he is considering streaming his chess games in the future.

The Arsenal forward started playing chess after being persuaded to do so by his brother, also a footballer in the non-League, and former Crystal Palace forward, Michael Olise, telling The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam in 2023 that he began studying the sport by watching “YouTube videos of the best chess openings.”

The school pledges to create new inter-house chess tournaments, while Ikechi promises prizes and invites challengers to play him and his brother. They will, Ikechi says, attend the first tournament.

“Inside, I had something that was telling me just keep going, keep pushing until the end,” Eze tells students.

“This is what you want to do, this is your passion, this is where your heart is and no matter how many people say no, or how difficult the road looks, you have to keep it up.”

Fourteen years after being released from Arsenal, the road has led him back to the club where he started.

“My first (senior) Arsenal game was special. It almost didn’t feel real because it’s something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time,” Eze says in the assembly. “Playing for Arsenal from eight to 13, it’s been in the back of my mind wanting to go back. It felt like the realisation of a dream.”

Eze wrote himself into Palace folklore last season by scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final to help the club win their first major honour.

He won his first England cap while at Palace too, against Malta in June 2023, scoring his first international goal, in a 3-0 win over Latvia at Wembley in March 2025. But this summer Arsenal came calling. It was a move he could not turn down.

After the sports hall has cleared, the students returning to their lessons with treasured photos and autographed postcards, Eze tells The Athletic how Palace will have a lasting impact on how he lives his life.

“(At Crystal Palace) I learnt that relationships and connecting with people are far more important than anything else,” he says. “What you can do for people, that feeling you can’t replicate in many other places, so that’s something that will live with me forever and something I will continue to live by for the rest of my career.”

Arsenal are top of the league table after eight games, while Crystal Palace are eighth, having beaten Liverpool at home this season. After a net spend of £245m over a busy summer, having finished runners-up for the last three league campaigns, Arsenal are looking strong, three points ahead of Manchester City in second.

“It will be a special day and game,” he says of Sunday. “It’s another game of football that I intend on winning, but the love that I have for Palace, the people, the fans will forever be there.”

Despite Arsenal’s good form since his arrival and an injury to captain Martin Odegaard creating an opening in the team, Eze has yet to hit his full stride. Primarily playing as a right-sided No 10, he has created two assists in seven league games (five of these starts). Over his 450 minutes, Eze has accumulated an xG of 1.33 (measuring the likelihood of a shot becoming a goal) — the fourth highest in the team. It is a good start but, he says, it could be better.

“It’s a bit different from when I was at Crystal Palace. Playing for Arsenal (matches) are more like a show or theatre,” Eze told students.

“There’s more pressure, playing for titles and in the Champions League, but it’s something I’ve dreamed of since being a kid. It’s not 100 per cent there at the minute, but I’m enjoying getting better.”