SPORTbible

A Tottenham Hotspur star has shared a social media post criticising the club's actions before the 1-0 loss to Arsenal in the North London derby.

There is no bigger fixture in a football club's season than a local derby against your fiercest rivals.

On Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur were cruelly reminded of the difficulty of such a big game, as they lost 1-0 to rivals Arsenal in the North London derby.

And now one of Tottenham's top players has taken to social media to seemingly criticise the club for how they acted before the match

Defender Cristian Romero appeared to be at fault for Arsenal's winner, as Brazilian defender Gabriel easily shrugged Romero off before scoring the header which sealed the three points for the visitors.

After the game, Romero responded to the criticism he faced by sharing a post on X from Argentine TV reporter Gaston Edul that blamed Tottenham for how they managed the return of their players from international duty.

The post, originally written in Spanish, translated to: “Tottenham lost to Arsenal again.

"They weren’t able to fight until the end because they weren’t across the details.

“It was the only Premier League club that made their international players return, on their own and without proper logistics, on the decision of the club’s leadership.

“They gave away the advantage because their players arrived with less rest than the others: Cuti Romero played with tiredness.”

Five days before the fixture, Romero started for Argentina in their 2-1 defeat to Colombia during the World Cup qualifiers campaign.

Typically national federations are responsible for organising the travel to and from their player's clubs for any international game, but some clubs decide to organise private travel to get their players back as soon as possible.

However, Tottenham do not often feel the need to do this and, as Thursday was a day off for the club's players, they decided that this would not be necessary for Romero, and it appears that 26-year-old is suggesting that this impacted his tiredness, and therefore his performance, during the North London derby.

Romero later deleted his reposting of Edul's claim.

Tottenham suffered defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby and Son Heung-min’s post-match interview has raised eyebrows.

Spurs were beaten thanks to a second-half header from Gabriel as their poor set-piece record under Ange Postecoglou continued at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Three of the last four goals scored by the Gunners against their fierce rivals have come from corners and a dogged defensive performance from Mikel Arteta’s men ensured it was Tottenham’s worst start to a Premier League season for nine years.

Despite having four points from four games this season, Postecoglou remained confident in his post-match interview, asserting he always wins trophies in his second season at a club.

His interview raised eyebrows and Son’s comments have also come under the microscope.

The 32-year-old claimed Spurs ‘dominated’ the game against their rivals which has led to some fans calling him ‘deluded’.

“We dominated the game, the football was there, we just conceded from a set-piece again,” he told Sky Sports.

“We did it last season and it is really frustrating. I am sure the fans are also very disappointed. We have to improve, 100%, it’s a tough moment and we have to stick together.

“We are getting into the final third but the players have to take the responsibility to score. It is the hardest part of football, making the right decision and being clinical.

“We will bounce back strong, there is a long way to go.”

Spurs conceded 16 goals from set-pieces last season out of 54 excluding penalties but Postecoglou refused to be drawn on their apparent weakness from dead ball situations.

The ex-Celtic boss said Tottenham worked on them like any other in the league but came unstuck against their rivals.

He told Sky: “I know, I know, for some reason people think I don't care about set pieces and it's a narrative that you can keep going on for ages and ages.

“I understand that. Like I said, we work on them all the time like we do for every other team. You know that they're a threat, as I said, for the most part, we handled them really well today, but we switched off for one and we paid a price and you learn from that and you move on.

"But it is what it is, you know, it's my burden to carry mate and I'm happy to do that. It's not like, like I've always said, for me, there's a bigger picture that's at play here that's much more important than the finer details of us getting to where we want to. For us, the way forward is to try to turn the football we're playing now into something meaningful.”

Tottenham lost the north London derby against Arsenal and Ange Postecoglou’s post-match interview has got fans talking.

Arsenal were without Declan Rice due to suspension and Martin Odegaard to injury but came out on top at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thanks to a header from Gabriel Magalhaes in the second-half.

The fiery encounter which saw the Premier League record for first-half yellow cards equalled means Spurs have just four points from their opening four fixtures, their worst start to a season since 2015.

Set-pieces proved to be their Achilles heel again under Postecoglou with three of the last four goals conceded against the Gunners coming from corners.

Despite their poor start to the season, the Australian manager is adamant he will deliver success this season and stopped a Sky Sports reporter's line of questioning after the match.

It was put to Postecoglou that he usually wins a trophy during his second season in charge of a club and the Spurs manager insisted he ALWAYS wins a trophy in his second year and it would be no different at Spurs who are trophyless since 2008.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “Am I going to answer the question or are you going to keep asking it?

“No, absolutely. I’ll correct myself. I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year.

“Nothing has changed.”

Asked whether he was confident he could deliver that success with his Spurs’ side, he said: “Well I just said it now.

“I don’t say things unless I believe them.”

His comments and manner of his post-match interview has been widely criticised on social media.

Here is a selection of the reaction.

One fan said: “This will come back to bite him.”

A second fan said: “Don’t say s*** like this. IT’S OUR WORST START IN 9 YEARS!”

A third fan said: “He still hasn't realised that he's now at Spurs.”

A fourth said: “That’s fine when you’re managing Celtic or in Australia. Embarrassing.”

A fifth concluded: “I really like Ange but no need to ever be rude in an interview mate.”

Postecoglou has previously come under fire for failing to sort Tottenham’s deficiencies at set-pieces but insisted he ‘doesn’t care’ about his side’s poor record.

He said: “I know, I know, for some reason people think I don't care about set pieces and it's a narrative that you can keep going on for ages and ages.

“I understand that. Like I said, we work on them all the time like we do for every other team. You know that they're a threat, as I said, for the most part, we handled them really well today, but we switched off for one and we paid a price and you learn from that and you move on.

"But it is what it is, you know, it's my burden to carry mate and I'm happy to do that. It's not like, like I've always said, for me, there's a bigger picture that's at play here that's much more important than the finer details of us getting to where we want to. For us, the way forward is to try to turn the football we're playing now into something meaningful.”

Jamie Carragher was left disappointed with one player during the north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal - and says he has been 'very poor all season'.

A bad-tempered first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium saw a host yellow cards handed out by referee Jarred Gillett, while both sides were wasteful in front of goal.

Arsenal took the lead on 68 minutes through Gabriel Magalhaes' header from a Gunners corner.

Spurs pressed forward for an equaliser but couldn't find it, with Arsenal winning their ninth Premier League away games in 10 attempts in 2024.

Taking to Twitter during the match, Carragher took aim at one Spurs player in particular for his performance - defender Cristian Romero.

He simply tweeted: "Romero's start to the season has been very poor!"

Romero played every minute in five of Argentina's six games in the Copa America during the summer, and was rested for their final group game.

That included 120 minutes in the final against Colombia, which Argentina won.

He returned to Spurs in time for the beginning of the season, and has also played every minute for Ange Postecoglou's side this term.

The powerful centre-back was sent forward with minutes left to help Spurs get an equaliser against Arsenal, but the equaliser couldn't be found.

According to TBR Football, Spurs have entered negotiations over a new contract for Romero - containing a considerable pay rise - amid interest from other clubs.

But speaking to Argentinian outlet ESPN F90, Romero ruled out joining another club - and even said that he wanted to win a title with Spurs this season.

He explained: "I always strive to play at my best. I have a lot of respect for Tottenham.

"They've always given me a lot of support here, so I like playing here. I don't think about other clubs or their possibilities. I know there's a lot of talk about a possible move, but I'm calm.

"At my club, I play differently to the national team, more forward. I still have years left in Europe and I want to see where I can go.

"Hopefully this year we can win a title at Tottenham."

Tottenham forward Richarlison is reportedly facing legal action from his former personal assistant.

The Brazil striker arrived in English football in the summer of 2017 when he joined Watford from Fluminense.

A year later, he followed former Watford boss Marco Silva to Everton, where he spent four years.

After keeping the Toffees in the Premier League with 11 goals in the 2021/22 campaign, he signed for Tottenham for an initial £50 million in 2022.

Now, his former personal assistant Reginaldo Pereira - who accompanied Richarlison during his early days in English football - has now filed legal action against the Spurs striker, according to a report by The Sun.

The report says that Mr Pereira is claiming £95,000 on grounds of unfair dismissal.

In legal papers seen by The Sun, Pereira claims he faced 'long-working hours and excessive demands' as well as 'verbal abuse, especially from Richarlison's father'.

Pereira also claims that Richarlison did not register him and paid his £500-a-week wages into his account.

He alleges that he was then sacked 'without notice' in the cinema room of the player's house, and was left 'physically and emotionally broken'.

Within the legal papers, Pereira wrote: "After being dismissed, I had to seek medical treatment to deal with the negative impacts of this toxic environment.

"My wife filed for divorce. I'm emotionally shaken and unemployed."

A spokesperson for Richarlison denied Pereira's claims in a statement to The Sun, and added: "We will be making no further comment in respect of these proceedings."

The Brazil striker will miss tomorrow's north London derby against Arsenal after suffering an injury last month that was said to keep him out for 'a few weeks'.

He has made two Premier League appearances for Spurs this season but is yet to score his first goal of the campaign.

Premier League fans who attempt to illegally stream football this weekend have been warned they could be 'intercepted' as part of a new anti-piracy initiative.

The rise of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) technology has helped to contribute to an upsurge in illegal streaming of sports events in recent years.

Last year a YouGov poll found that one in ten Britons are now using illegal broadcasts to watch sport, including the Premier League.

Fans have been warned about the potential consequences of accessing illegal streams following a number of recent convictions of those involved.

Two brothers were sentenced to a combined 11 years behind bars last month after a crackdown on illegal IPTV streaming, which is often accessed through jailbroken Fire Sticks.

Meanwhile, broadcasters Sky have been working with police forces across the UK to target those responsible for setting up the illegal services.

Now, a new anti-piracy scheme has been set up to target Premier League fans ahead of the north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham on Sunday, which will be shown live on Sky Sports.

BeStreamWise is planning to 'intercept' football fans searching for an illegal stream for the game in the hopes of protecting them from 'the dangers of digital piracy'.

Fans who click faux streaming links on Reddit and X will instead be redirected to a site showing footage of an actual stream, with a 'well-known' comedian providing football commentary.

BeStreamWise is a cross-body initiative set up by several organisations to counter illegal streaming, with its partners including the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), the Intellectual Property Office and Crimestoppers UK.

The BBC, Sky and ITV are also partners, as is the Premier League.

In a statement on its website, BeStreamWise warn fans that illegally streaming sport could open them up to several other risks in addition to potential legal action.

"In all cases, users should be on their guard. Sites and apps are often used to deliver dangerous or malicious content, such as malware, sophisticated scams, and extreme/explicit content," read the statement.

"And when consumers part with personal information, such as email addresses or payment details, they should be aware that they are sharing those details with criminal organisations."

Tottenham Hotspur star Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the English Football Association.

The Argentine was charged over comments made regarding Spurs teammate Son Heung Min this summer.

When speaking on Uruguayan TV, Bentacur was asked by a presenter for a Spurs shirt, to which he replied: “Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same.”

The 27-year-old later apologised, writing: “Sonny brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke.

“You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you, brother!”

On his own social media, Son wrote: “I've spoken with Lolo. He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised. Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.

“We're past this, we're united and we will be back together in pre-season to fight for our club as one.”

On Thursday, it was reported that Bentancur had been charged by the FA.

A statement from the FA read: "Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview.

“It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.”

It continued: “It’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach” which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.

“Rodrigo Bentancur has until Thursday 19 September 2024 to provide a response to this charge.”

It has been claimed that Bentancur will be free to play until the conclusion of the case.

Spurs are set to return to Premier League action this weekend when they host North London rivals Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

There has reportedly been an update on Martin Odegaard’s fitness ahead of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures.

On Monday night, Arsenal fans were left worried after Odegaard suffered an ankle injury during Norway’s win over Austria in the UEFA Nations League.

Manchester City star Erling Haaland scored a late winner to seal a 2-1 win for Staale Solbakken’s side.

With the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur coming up this weekend, Arsenal are now sweating over the fitness of their captain.

On Wednesday morning, an apparent update regarding the fitness of Odegaard was given by the Norway national team doctor.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano wrote on social media: “Norwegian NT doctor on Martin Ødegaard’s injury: “Injuries like this takes minimum 3 weeks. Everything else is bonus”.

““They are investigating the MR now. There is probably no breach in his foot”, he’s told @vgsporten.”

The player who injured Odegaard, RB Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner, wrote on social media: “Hi guys! I would like to sincerely apologise to Martin Odegaard. It was never my intention to injure this player, I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.

“Come back stronger @odegaard.98 [prayer hands emoji].”

Meanwhile, Solbakken said after the match: “It looked bad in the dressing room as well. I saw he was sitting with the physiotherapists around him but he had no chance to continue and we know it was an ankle sprain.

“Yes, it’s a sprain, and as those of us who had played football know, with luck it can turn out OK if the ligaments aren’t torn.”

He added: “I’m not really sure that (Mikel) Arteta will call me tonight to praise me.”

Team doctor Ola Sand added: “He got a small ankle sprain. We will see throughout the evening and tomorrow what happens next and what we will do about it. Ankle sprains are difficult to deal with straight away, so we almost have to see how things go forward.

“We will examine him when we are back at the hotel. Maybe we use ultrasound to look at it. If we are unsure, there will be an MRI tomorrow.”

Arsenal have been forced into an unprecedented kit decision for the North London derby this weekend, the club have confirmed.

The Gunners face Spurs away from home on Sunday and are looking for a third straight win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But unlike in previous times, Arsenal will not be lining up in their traditional colours.

That's because the PGMOL have ruled that Arsenal's kit contains too much white, clashing with Spurs' home strip.

There were discussions about wearing red shorts and socks as a solution but on their official website, the club have confirmed they will sport their new black away kit.

For the same reason, Spurs must wear their away strip when they travel to the Emirates Stadium in January.

A statement from Arsenal read: "This season’s north London derbies will have a similar feel to them with the usual excitement and passion, however they will have a different look than seasons gone by.

"That’s because both teams will be wearing their away strips in the fixtures this campaign, after the PGMOL and Premier League ruled that our 2024/25 home kit features too much white, thus clashing with Tottenham’s traditional colours, even with the option of red shorts and socks for us, which was also discussed.

"As a result, for the first time in recent ‘NLD’ history, we’ll be wearing our changed colours, with our black adidas away kit being donned at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where we’ll aim to clinch a third-straight victory at the venue."

The away strip, which is black with hints of green, red and white, was debuted in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa on 24 August.

Arsenal look set to be without a number of their regular starters amid a mixture of injuries and suspensions.

Adrien Rabiot has made an apparent u-turn regarding the potential destination of his next club as the free agent continues his search for a new club.

The 29-year-old midfielder is still without an employer after leaving Italian giants Juventus earlier this summer.

Having been capped 48 times for France, Rabiot would appear to be a shrewd pick-up on the market given his experience at the very top level.

A five-time Ligue 1 champion, the former Manchester City man has so far kept quite regarding his next venture.

After snubbing Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur back in 2019, Spurs themselves have now decided against signing him.

Arsenal are another club who Rabiot is said to have offered his services to this summer, according to information from TBR Football.

The former PSG man is also said to have had interest in him from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but it's understood his preference is to sign for a team in one of Europe's top leagues.

Having been involved for France at Euro 2024, Rabiot admitted earlier this summer he was unsure then where his immediate future was.

"The renewal with Juve? I don't know what will happen but I don't feel like talking about this," he told the media back in June.

"Say something to the fans? I think they've understood that I'm focused on the European Championship with my national team and that we'll see what happens after that.

"My focus is 100% here, then obviously I'm always in contact with the club.

"If I'm not under contract, I'm no longer a Juventus player".

Reports have suggested that Rabiot's wage demands are also a huge stumbling block for prospective clubs.

The midfielder is said to be asking for around £220,000-a-week, with Tottenham's highest-earner, Son Heung-min, only taking home a figure close to £190k-a-week.

Spurs also looked to the future by bringing in teenage star Archie Gray from Leeds United.

“Yeah. Yeah [I’ve felt backed]," said Ange Postecoglou earlier this year.

"Well, [targeting younger players] was definitely part of my plan because I think when you’re trying to build or rebuild a team, you’ve got to…look, all managers hope they’re there for the long-term, but the reality is that you don’t know how long you’ll be there, but I’ve always tried to build teams that will last over a cycle which is, you know, three, four, five years."