Inside Futbol

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Tottenham Hotspur will not pull the plug on the loan spell of attacker Timo Werner in January to send him back to RB Leipzig.

The former Germany international is on a season-long loan with the north London club and they also have an option to purchase him permanently.

He also played for the second half of the last season on loan at Spurs and Ange Postecoglou wanted to keep him.

The German struggled before in the Premier League during his spell at Chelsea and he is yet to find his feet in Postecoglou’s side this term.

Werner has already played nine games in all competitions this season but has not been able to score a single goal yet.

It has been suggested in some quarters that Tottenham might terminate Werner’s loan in January.

However, according to German magazine Sport Bild, that is wide of the mark and Werner will not be leaving Tottenham in the new year.

He is fully expected to see out the entire loan spell at Tottenham.

Werner will need to up his ante in the upcoming months of the season if he wants Spurs to activate his £8.5m buy option at the end of the campaign.

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A club have already started work on an ambitious swoop to bring in a player Tottenham Hotspur only signed in the summer transfer window.

Spurs did limited business in terms of incomings in the summer, with more players leaving than arriving in north London.

They did splash big cash on striker Dominic Solanke though, while younger options that arrived were Wilson Odobert and Archie Gray.

Now, with the season firmly established, La Liga giants Sevilla have noted that Gray is getting little in the way of regular game time at Spurs.

They have as a result already begun to work on a swoop to take him to Spain, according to Spanish outlet Mucho Deporte.

Sevilla consider the deal to be a difficult one to do, but think Spurs could be tempted by the idea of sending the teenager on loan for the second half of the season.

That would hand the midfielder, who can also play in defence, the opportunity to get regular football under his belt in La Liga.

Whether Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou would even consider such a move is open to question, with the Australian a big fan of what Gray can bring to the table.

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One of Tottenham Hotspur’s out on loan stars has been dubbed ‘extraordinary’ by his club boss, along with being pointed to as an intelligent player.

Spurs experienced a serious amount of squad churn during the summer transfer window, with the likes of Emerson Royal, Giovanni Lo Celso and Oliver Skipp being sold, while there were loan departures too.

Though Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg left on loan for Marseille, he is expected to join the French side permanently next summer.

Hojbjerg has established himself as a regular in Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille team and this weekend he scored his first goal for the club in their 5-0 victory over Montpellier.

De Zerbi says that Marseille are grateful to have the Spurs loanee in their squad and praised him for his personality.

The Italian tactician thinks that the Dane is an intelligent player with high quality and hailed the Tottenham midfielder, along with Adrien Rabiot, as an extraordinary player.

“I think we’re lucky to have these two players together at Marseille”, De Zerbi was quoted as saying by French radio station RMC.

“They are two extraordinary, intelligent players of a very high standard.

“They have great personalities and a lot of quality. They played a good game.

“I would have liked to have taken Rabiot off at the 70th minute to avoid taking any risks with his fatigue, but he held up very well physically.

“We’re really pleased to have him and Hojbjerg in our team.”

The defensive midfielder has started all eight league games for Marseille and he will be hoping to continue his form throughout the season.

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Former Tottenham Hotspur star Jamie O’Hara is of the view that Spurs still look too open, despite having returned to winning ways by beating West Ham United.

Ange Postecoglou saw his side fall behind in Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off as Mohammed Kudus struck for the visiting Hammers.

Spurs came back quickly though to level it before the break, while they struck three further times in the second half to run out 4-1 winners.

West Ham also had Kudus sent off late on and it was a good afternoon’s work for Spurs.

Ex-Spurs star O’Hara though believes despite the result, Tottenham continue to look too open and stressed West Ham created good chances.

He is of the view that Spurs being too open remains a problem.

“You know what, we’re playing alright, but we do look open”, O’Hara said on talkSPORT’s GameDay Phone-In.

“We still look open.

“It’s a problem.

“West Ham created some good chances.”

West Ham did have eleven shots at Tottenham’s goal, of which four were on target.

Spurs had the lion’s share of the ball, with 57 per cent possession, which they used to register seven shots on target during the 90 minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Fixture: Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United

Competition: Premier League

Kick-off: 12:30 UK time

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has picked his starting line-up and substitutes to welcome Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham United side to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon.

Spurs suffered a bad defeat before the international break when they let a two-goal lead over Brighton slip.

That has put some pressure on Postecoglou, raising questions again about his approach, and he will hope for a strong response today.

Postecoglou has a host of options to choose from, with Lucas Bergvall and Richarlison available, while Heung-Min Son is back.

Guglielmo Vicario is in goal for Tottenham today, while in defence Spurs name a back four of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie.

Midfield sees Postecoglou go with Yves Bissouma, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, while Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke support Heung-Min Son.

If the Spurs boss needs to shake things up he has options off the bench that include Richarlison and Timo Werner.

Tottenham Hotspur Team vs West Ham United

Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bissouma, Maddison, Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke, Son

Substitutes: Forster, Dragusin, Gray, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Moore, Richarlison, Werner

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Fixture: Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United

Competition: Premier League

Kick-off: 12:30 UK time

West Ham United have officially named their starting side and substitutes to take on Tottenham Hotspur away from home in the Premier League today.

The Hammers went into the international break on the back of a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town to ease some of the pressure on boss Julen Lopetegui, but the Spaniard will want that performance following up now.

West Ham won 2-1 on their visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season and then held Spurs at the London Stadium.

Lopetegui remains without attacker Niclas Fullkrug, who has an issue with his Achilles.

Alphonse Areola slots into goal for West Ham, who have a defence of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Emerson Palmieri.

Guido Rodriguez, Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta line up in midfield, with Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus supporting Michail Antonio.

If the Spurs boss needs to shake things up he has options off the bench that include Crysencio Summerville and Danny Ings.

West Ham United Team vs Tottenham Hotspur

Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Rodriguez, Soucek, Paqueta, Bowen, Kudus, Antonio

Substitutes: Fabianski, Coufal, Cresswell, Ings, Guilherme, Mavropanos, Soler, Summerville, Alvarez

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has admitted that midfield talent Lucas Bergvall picked up a small knock over the international break.

The 18-year-old has been impressive since joining Spurs in the summer and is now firmly established as part of Postecoglou’s first team mix.

He headed away with Sweden over the course of the international break and was an unused substitute in their Nations League draw with Slovakia, before missing the win over Estonia.

Bergvall will be looking to now kick on for Spurs and though Postecoglou admits he did pick up a knock, the news is positive with the midfielder.

“Lucas Bergvall picked up a small knock but he trained as well so he has no problem”, Postecoglou told a press conference.

“In terms of the internationals, everyone is available.”

Tottenham went down to a damaging loss away at Brighton before the international break and need to bounce back when they take on West Ham United on Saturday.

Spurs played out a 1-1 draw at West Ham last season, but the Hammers turned them over 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is satisfied that Ryan Mason is committed to his coaching role at Spurs.

Mason is part of Postecoglou’s backroom staff in north London, but could have departed recently.

He held discussions with Belgian side Anderlecht about taking over as the club’s boss, though ultimately he stayed at Spurs.

Anderlecht were not convinced about handing Mason the job, with some board members concerned at how Scott Parker struggled at Club Brugge.

Postecoglou himself is not surprised that Mason is in the market to become a manager, but is happy he is committed to his role at Tottenham for now.

“Ryan is someone who sees himself as one day taking that opportunity”, Postecoglou told a press conference.

“Ryan is doing a great job for us here but if that’s something they want to explore then I think that’s the right thing.

“I’m happy with Ryan, he is happy and committed.”

Mason, 33, has twice been required to step in as interim boss at Tottenham.

For now he will continue to learn the managerial trade at Postecoglou’s side and hope the Australian can end Spurs’ trophy drought.

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A player that Tottenham Hotspur loaned out in the summer transfer window has already established himself at his new club in terms of an impressive statistic.

Ange Postecoglou substantially trimmed his squad over the course of the summer and a number of players were allowed to leave.

Oliver Skipp, Emerson Royal, Joe Rodon and Giovani Lo Celso were all sold, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg left on loan to Marseille, but with the French club expected to sign him permanently next summer.

The Danish midfielder has wasted no time in making an impact at the Stade Velodrome under Roberto De Zerbi.

He has ‘made 100 passes breaking an opposition line’ in Ligue 1 this season, according to Opta.

And that number is at least 16 more than any other player in the division.

Hojbjerg has made seven outings in Ligue 1 this season and has been booked just once.

The midfielder played for Denmark over the international break, against Spain and Switzerland, and provided an assist in the 2-2 draw with the Swiss.

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou feels Spurs do not want to just win any trophy, but want to be competing for everything and explained that is what he is trying to do.

Postecoglou is in the middle of his second season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but is yet to change the fortunes of the club.

Despite early promise last season, wherein the club managed 20 points from their first eight league games, Tottenham failed to capitalise and only managed a fifth-place finish, thus securing Europa League qualification.

Postecoglou insists that before taking the Tottenham challenge he knew what he was up for and the expectations he had to fulfil.

Spurs are desperate for silverware, but Postecoglou thinks the club do not just want any trophy, but want instead to be competing for everything.

“You try and understand what you are walking into before you take a role. I have always tried to do that”, Postecoglou told Optus Sport.

“So it’s about okay well I am all right, I am taking over one of the biggest clubs in the world, fantastic facilities, fantastic resources, that’s the obvious.

“The other obvious thing is that they haven’t had success for quite a while and you kind of know what that feels like. But what does that feel like here?

“What I have learned is that there is a kind of desperation for that feeling of ‘we have won something’, which I understand.

“I don’t subscribe to it but I understand it.

“I don’t think that’s where this club really wants to be.

“I just don’t think it’s a club that just wants to win anything.

“I think they want to be a club that is competing for everything.

“And that’s the bit that I am trying to sort out.

“The bridge that I am trying to build at the moment is to get sort of everyone to see that.”

Postecoglou recently stressed that sides he has taken charge of always win silverware in his second season and the pressure is on the Australian to live up to that now.