CaughtOffside

Tottenham Hotspur crashed to a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal in the North London derby earlier today.

Tottenham were expected to grind out a positive result at home in front of their own fans, but they have failed to deliver once again. Arsenal will be delighted with their performance in a big game.

The Gunners had multiple injury problems, but they have managed to get the job done and the win over Tottenham will certainly establish their title credentials.

Meanwhile, popular pundit Matt Upson has now highlighted the poor performance of Tottenham midfielder James Maddison in another big game.

James Maddison slammed for North London Derby performance

The England international, who joined the Lilywhites for a reported £40 million 14 months ago, has been heavily criticised for his tendency to go missing in certain games, and again, he was quite mediocre against Arsenal.

“James Maddison has had a quiet game,” Upson told BBC Sport.

“How often have we referred to anything he has done in this game? He has not been very effective with the ball at all.”

The 26-year-old midfielder is undoubtedly Tottenham’s creator in chief and they needed him to step up and deliver in the final third today. The North London outfit failed to create ample goalscoring opportunities, and Maddison will be thoroughly disappointed with his performance as well.

After an outstanding start to life at Tottenham since the £40 million move, his form dipped sharply during the second half of last season and he missed out on the chance to represent his country during Euro 2024 as a result of that. It will be interesting to see if he can bounce back strongly and contribute significantly in the big games.

Tottenham will need him to step up and deliver if they want to win trophies and finish in the top four this season.

Jamie Redknapp has claimed that Cristian Romero has been unable to come to grips with the zonal marking style that Ange Postecoglou wants to implement on set pieces.

Despite missing arguably two of their best players along with their star summer signings, the Gunners have come out triumphant at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in their North London derby on Sunday afternoon.

But that victory was by no means an easy one as Spurs dominated the opening portion of the game, with only Dominic Solanke’s hesitancy and David Raya’s heroics stopping them from breaking the deadlock.

Both sets of fans were no doubt slightly relieved at the referee’s half-time whistle after an intense and nail-biting opening 45 minutes came to an end with Tottenham dominating the possession.

However, the second-half was far more tame with Mikel Arteta’s side clearly more composed on the ball as they slowly grew into the game.

Jamie Redknapp claims Cristian Romero looked “lost” against Arsenal

It was the Gunners who finally found the breakthrough after a lot of patience and in typical fashion, the goal came from a set piece with Gabriel Magalhaes towering above Romero to power the ball into the roof of the net.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Redknapp criticised the Argentine defender’s lack of awareness in the area and highlighted how he has struggled to adapt to the zonal marking system.

“He never really got to grips with Gabriel,” he said.

“Last year in this fixture, Romero was doing zonal marking, I think he struggles when he has to man-to-man mark. He just gets a little bit lost.”

The games are coming thick and fast for Arteta’s men with clashes against Atalanta and Manchester City awaiting them next week.

Credit: Top photos by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images and George Wood/Getty Images

Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby today and the Gunners were handed the first corner of the game.

With the Tottenham fans booing the Arsenal players during the corner, winger Bukayo Saka was seen wandering over to the corner flag very slowly.

The Tottenham fans will certainly be annoyed with his casual approach and time-wasting.

Referring to the incident, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said: “Saka is walking over very slowly, almost taunting those Tottenham fans in that corner.”

Saka could certainly be a game-changer for his side today, and he will look to make his mark in the North London Derby and help his team secure all three points away from home.

The England international has been in fine form in the Premier League so far and the Tottenham defence will have to be wary of the threat from him in the wide areas.

A win here could prove to be vital

A win here will be a huge morale boost for both teams and they will look to pick up all three points. Arsenal will be fighting for the league title with Manchester City this season and a win here will give them the confidence and the momentum to put together a winning run.

Meanwhile, Tottenham will be looking to showcase their progress under Ange Postecoglou with a win over the Gunners. Both teams are capable of grinding out a positive result here and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top eventually.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away from the club.

The Argentine international joined Tottenham on loan in 2021 and the North London club signed him permanently in 2022 for a fee of around £40 million.

The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the best defenders in the league and top clubs across Europe are keeping tabs on him.

Real Madrid are reportedly keen on signing the 2022 World Cup winner and Tottenham are now prepared to open contract talks with him and they are looking to tie him down to a new long-term deal, as per TBR Football.

The defender has three years left on his current contract and tying him down to a new deal would help Tottenham keep him at the club despite interest from other clubs.

The North London outfit are prepared to offer him a significant pay rise and it remains to be seen whether they can convince the player to pen an extension.

Cristian Romero will want to win trophies

The 26-year-old is one of the best defenders in the world right now and he will want to win major trophies. Spurs must match up to his ambitions if they want to keep him at the club. The North London giants must compete in the Champions League regularly and push for trophies in order to keep the best players in the world at the club.

They have shown great improvement under their new manager and they have put together and exciting squad. It will be interesting to see if they can end their wait for a trophy this season. They will be desperate to finish in the top four as well.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing the AC Milan winger Noah Okafor.

According to a report from Milan Live, Tottenham are keeping tabs on his development and they are willing to submit an offer of around €20 million in the coming months. It remains to be seen whether they can secure an agreement with the Italian club.

Ange Posteoglou wants to improve his squad during the January transfer window and the winger could prove to be a useful acquisition. He is versatile enough to operate anywhere across the front three, and he will add goal and creativity to the side.

The Swiss winger will be tempted to join a big club like Tottenham this season and it remains to be seen whether all parties can finalise an agreement quickly.

A move to Tottenham will be a fresh start for him, and he will look to hit the ground running in the Premier League. There is no doubt that he has the technical attributes to do well at Tottenham, and it remains to be seen whether he can adapt to English football quickly.

Tottenham could use Noah Okafor

Tottenham need more depth in the side if they want to do well across multiple competitions. They will be hoping to secure Champions League qualification this season and they will push for domestic trophies as well. Someone like Okafor could make a big difference for them in the final third during the second half of the season. He will not only help create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates, he will look to get on the scoresheet himself as well.

The player is still only 24 and he could improve with coaching and experience. He could develop into a key player for Tottenham in the long term.

Liverpool are reportedly keen on signing the former Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes.

They will face competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United as well. According to Football Insider, all three clubs sent scouts to watch the 24-year-old in action earlier this week.

The Lille attacking midfielder will be out of contract in 2025, and he will be able to secure a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs when the transfer window reopens in January. It will be interesting to see which of the three clubs come forward with a proposal for the midfielder.

Liverpool could certainly use more quality and depth in the attacking unit. The 24-year-old will add goals and creativity from the central areas and he is versatile enough to drift into the wide areas as well. He will help create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates and he will add technical ability and vision to the side as well.

Spurs and Newcastle keen on Angel Gomes

Similarly, Newcastle United could use more quality in the final third as well. They have been overly dependent on Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak for goals and creativity. Newcastle will be hoping to push for Champions League qualification regularly and they will look to win trophies as well. They need more quality and depth in the side and signing the 24-year-old on a free transfer would represent an excellent business for them.

Meanwhile, Spurs use more depth in the attacking midfield department, especially after the departure of Giovani Lo Celso. They need an alternative to James Maddison so that they can rotate the England international from time to time.

Gomes would be a quality acquisition for all three clubs and he has the ability to thrive in the Premier League as well. After failing to make his mark at Manchester United, the player might feel that he has finished business in English football. It will be interesting to see where he ends up.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin could leave Everton in the summer of 2025 and Tottenham Hotspur have shown interest in securing his services.

According to a report from Fichajes, the North London club are keen on signing the 27-year-old England international and it remains to be seen whether they can secure an agreement with the player.

He will be a free agent next summer and signing a player of his quality and experience for free would be an exceptional bit of business.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is looking to strengthen his attacking unit and he wants to add further depth to the side. Signing the 27-year-old could be the ideal move for Tottenham.

They have already signed Dominic Solanke earlier this summer and Calvert-Lewin could compete with him for the starting spot.

The Everton striker is struggling to hit top form but he has shown his quality in the Premier League before. If Tottenham can help him regain his form and confidence, they could have a top-class player on their hands.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs a fresh start

The England international is certainly at the peak of his powers and he will be desperate to get back to his best. Joining a big club could give him the fresh start he needs. Furthermore, the attacking football at Tottenham is likely to suit him better.

It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Tottenham will be hoping to challenge for major trophies in the coming seasons and they will look to compete in the UEFA Champions League regularly. They need quality players at their disposal and the Premier League striker would be a superb addition on a bargain.

Ahead of the North London Derby against Arsenal, Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, has been tipped to make a decision that could change the long-term future of the club.

Although Spurs are generally seen as one of the Premier League’s big clubs, the fact remains that they’ve underperformed for years, to the extent where being ‘Spursy’ has become something of a disparaging knock to the Lilywhites.

All that could be about to change if former Everton CEO, Keith Wyness, is on the right track with his thoughts.

Daniel Levy tipped to make Tottenham a ‘halo’ club

“I don’t think that’s where the money would go initially,” he told Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast.

“They may use part of that to pay down some of the debt still on the stadium, they’d like to try and do that still and reduce the interest payments if they can.

“Spurs would be very easy to become a halo club for a multi-club organisation.

“They’ve got great networks throughout the world in terms of the sporting side, and they’re very well thought of, it wouldn’t be hard for them to do that.

“I know that they would build one that would make sense rather than having the clashes that some of the multi -club owners do.

“I don’t know if they want to do it informally or formally, it’s something I’m sure they’ll look at.

“It’s probably one of the last areas that Daniel can actually build greater value with Spurs.”

Though the way modern football is going wouldn’t appear to be to everyone’s liking, clearly if club’s want to be at the vanguard of the new era, they need to get on board with new ways of working whether they like it or not.

Having one of the best stadiums in Europe will mean little if the club are left further behind as the wheels keep turning in the game.

Levy hasn’t always been the most popular of chairmen, and there’s an argument in this instance that he’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.

The traditionalists are likely to rail against any decision that drags them into the modern era, but it’s perhaps something that drastic that could be the difference maker in finally seeing the glory days return to N17.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing the Argentine midfielder Kevin Zenon.

They are keeping tabs on the 23-year-old attacking midfielder and they will face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

According to a report from Boca Noticias, Newcastle have already made an enquiry for the South American attacking midfielder and it remains to be seen whether they follow up with an offer to sign him.

The midfielder has a release clause of around £11.5 million in his contract. Tottenham and Newcastle will have to pay up if they want to sign him. The Boca Juniors midfielder is a phenomenal talent with a bright future and he could easily justify the investment in the coming seasons.

The 23-year-old is capable of operating as an attacking midfielder as well as a winger. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham or Newcastle can get the deal done.

Tottenham and Newcastle need Kevin Zenon

Tottenham could certainly use more quality and depth in the final third. Zenon is versatile enough to operate in multiple roles and he could be a backup option to players like James Maddison and Son Heung-min.

At Newcastle, the Magpies will need to add more cutting edge in the final third. They have been overly dependent on Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon for goals and creativity. The arrival of the South American will help share the creative burden.

Zenon will certainly be attracted to the idea of competing in the Premier League and a move to Tottenham or Newcastle will be an exciting opportunity for him. It would be a major step up in his career and he will look to prove himself in English football. The 23-year-old certainly has the physical and technical attributes to do well in the Premier League and he could be a key player for the two clubs.

Newcastle United have entered the race to sign Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu, according to reports.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been heavily linked with the 19-year-old, who has caught the eye with Italian side Lecce over the last 18 months, making 38 senior appearances.

Dorgu’s form in Serie A has already seen him capped twice at senior level for Denmark, scoring on his debut in a 2-0 win over Switzerland in the Uefa Nations League last week.

Even with a reported €40m price tag, the race to sign Dorgu — who can also play as a winger or right-back — appears to be hotting up.

Newcastle United join Chelsea and Spurs in Dorgu race

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle have become the latest Premier League giant to register their interest in Dorgu, despite recently making fellow left-back Lewis Hall’s loan from Chelsea permanent.

The Italian outlet claim that Dorgu’s agent, Maurice Ogbodo, has close ties with CAA Base, whose Premier League clients include Cole Palmer, James Maddison and Eberechi Eze, as well as Newcastle star Kieran Trippier.

Previous reports before the summer transfer market (via Football Italia) also linked Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan with Dorgu, so the teenager can expect an intense fight for his signature in the next couple of windows.