Cartilage Free Captain

James Maddison has emerged as one of the leaders in this Tottenham Hotspur team this season. Stats show the experienced midfielder has been one of the most exciting and productive senior members of the team, with 10 goals and 7 assists in all competitions, one goal behind Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-Min.

Maddison, Tottenham’s vice captain along with Cristian Romero, is often viewed as a spokesperson for the squad in media appearances. James gave an interview posted today in Sky Sports where he talked about the season so far, the recent come from behind draw against Bournemouth, and Tottenham’s hopeful Europa League campaign ahead of tomorrow’s critical second leg fixture against AZ Alkmaar.

Maddison was asked about Tottenham’s horrific injury crisis earlier in the season and how it impacted the playing squad, and he was clear that of course it was a factor in why Spurs struggled around the turn of the year.

“Well it’s a massive factor, and I don’t want to sound like I’m making loads of excuses, but when you have such a long period of time in the busiest part of the year where you miss (Guglielmo) Vicario, (Cristian) Romero, (Micky) Van de Ven, (Destiny) Udogie, (Dominic) Solanke, Richarlison for long periods, not just one game or two games, it is a defining factor.

“Of course, we’re not naive to not look in the mirror and think that we could have been better here, we could have been better there. Performances in certain games maybe could have been better, but it is a defining factor and it’s been a tough year for setbacks with injuries at this club. It’s just factual.

“Over that Christmas period when the Premier League picks up a little bit and we had the Carabao Cup semi-final, which is two legs and just a lot of games with the new European format as well with eight games in the group. It’s a lot of football and you need your squad for that and we didn’t have that.

“The one blessing that it kind of created was the fact that we got exposure to the young lads and the lads who hadn’t played as much, so the likes of Djed (Spence) got his opportunity and he’s been phenomenal. Lucas (Bergvall) and Archie (Gray) have come in as 18-year-olds and played a lot of football, more than probably what the manager and the club had hoped for their transition into the first team, but that’ll leave them in good stead.

“It’s tough as a senior player. I only missed a couple of weeks, but for the lads like Romero, I know who the type of person he is, and Van de Ven, and Vic (Vicario), like I said, the names I listed, senior players who missed months and it’s tough. Any footballer will tell you it’s so tough because you can’t help, you have to watch on the sideline and it kills you inside.”

Maddison knows the importance of the Europa League in what has been a very disappointing Premier League season. But Spurs do have an opportunity, if a slim one, to progress through, or even win, the Europa League which would send Spurs into Champions League competition next season. Maddison said the team recognizes that opportunity and that will factor in to how the team approaches tomorrow’s game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“Yeah, we know what it means to us, the fans, everyone, we’re all on the same page. The first leg obviously wasn’t good enough, tough conditions on a tough pitch to play the way we want to play, but it’s only 1-0, they’ve got to come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and if the fans get behind us and have the place rocking like we know they can.”

“I think [the fans] have been brilliant, especially in Europe as well, the midweek ones are tough in the middle of the week because people have lives and jobs and kids, I know all that, it doesn’t go unappreciated and unnoticed. So just more of that, more of what we’ve seen in Europe so far.

“I remember the game we played against them [AZ Alkmaar] in the group stage. We were doing pretty well, I captained the side and the atmosphere was brilliant that night, we won 1-0. We’re going to need more of that and we need to give them something to shout about and the lads are going to be up for it and we’re going to start fast and hopefully we can get the job done.

“The manager always speaks about how it can still be special for us if we win that, and we’re in a good position to do that. Listen, we’ve got work to do in the second leg but we know we’re capable of that and we can turn it around, there’s no one in there doubting the fact that we can do that. But we have to go and do it, talk is one thing, we have to go and win the game and turn over the defeat of the first leg. You win that and you pick up a bit of momentum, you’re in the quarter-final and then it can still be a special season for us. That’s what we’re hoping for and that’s what we’re striving for.”

Tottenham kick off against AZ Alkmaar tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. UK at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs carry a 1-0 aggregate deficit into the second leg, and will need at least a two goal win to assure progression to the quarterfinals of the competition.

Hello, Hoddlers! This is my last day as interim Hoddler in Chief; Matty will take tomorrow and up to the weekend.

Who was your first Tottenham Hotspur love? This is a very personal question and it will vary from person to person based on how long you’ve been a Spurs fan. A lot of players have come and gone over the years, and we all have our favorites, some because they were excellent footballers and some for reasons much more personal or even stupid.

My first season as a nascent Tottenham fan was the 2007-08 season. I started watching Spurs just after Martin Jol was sacked and Juande Ramos took over, which means my first FULL season was the infamous two points from eight matches which saw Ramos sacked and Harry Redknapp brought in to right the ship.

But that 2007-08 season was me finding my feet as a Spurs fan, getting to know the team and the history and the players, and figuring out if this bad team with the funny name was really the right fit for me. Benoit Assou-Ekotto was on that team but barely played, and so I didn’t learn to love him until later on. Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane scored all the goals and that was fun, but while I liked them they weren’t my first Spurs love either.

No, my first Spurs love was Tom Huddlestone. That tall slow guy at the base of the midfield. Huddlestone wasn’t especially mobile. He wasn’t flashy, he didn’t score a lot of goals or provide a lot of assists. But my god, that guy could pass. It was so much fun watching him ping balls from deep to onrushing attackers in Jol (and later Ramos)’s tactics. I remember Jol comparing him to Franz Beckenbauer (I had to look him up too). For me, a baby soccer and Tottenham fan, Tom Huddlestone just exuded cool. I loved him. Still do. He’s now an assistant coach at Birmingham City and my heart wants Big Ange Postecoglou to poach him next season.

So who was the first Tottenham player who really captured your heart? Put your answer in the comments.

Song of the Day: “Gotta Cheer Up” by Cotton Jones

Your Daily Tottenham Links

Jonathan Wilson unpacks fan protests and ownership unrest amongst Premier League fanbases in the Guardian.

The Athletic crew (£) ponders whether Spurs have a better chance to win the Europa League if they sack Ange. (The answer: probably not)

Well, it’s not a win, but it’s also not a loss. Tottenham Hotspur were profligate with their passing and woeful with their finishing, but somehow managed to claw their way back from an 0-2 deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth. Pape Sarr scored a long range banger off the post, and Son Heung-Min converted a rare penalty as Spurs completed the comeback and got a point for their efforts. It looked like they might actually score a winner late but weren’t quite able to get it done. The match also saw the first action for Cuti Romero and Micky van de Ven in defense — they both looked very rusty, but it’s still good to see them back.

A point isn’t a win, but it also isn’t nothing. It’s time to rate the players.

Rate the players from 1⁄2 to 5 stars. If the player doesn’t deserve a rating due to minutes played, DO NOT RANK. I will round the stars up/down to the nearest half-star for the player ratings later this week.

Pressure was mounting on Tottenham Hotspur as they returned home to take on a firing Bournemouth side. With players returning from injury, the long-awaited return to form had not quite eventuated as some had expected, with Spurs instead struggling to find cohesion and consistency. It was the largely the same story against the Cherries, but with a different result, as Spurs showed fight to wrestle their way back into a match they seemed out of and secure a point in a match in which they were largely second-best.

There was some rotation from Ange Postecoglou, perhaps as an attempt to find some form, or maybe with a view to Thursday’s Europa League second leg. Captain Son Heung-min was rested, with Wilson Odobert starting in his place; Dominic Solanke shook off a late knock to reclaim his starting berth up top; Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison sat for Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr; Pedro Porro came in for Destiny Udogie; and lastly, Cristian Romero returned to the side following a lengthy injury lay-off.

It was an ignominious return initially from the Argentine, however, as an early giveaway called Guglielmo Vicario into action in a moment that was somewhat of an omen of what was to come, with Spurs often playing architects of their own demise. Giveaways from the Lilywhites were an effective creator for Bournemouth, and that was the case for the opening goal. With Spurs pushing forward in attack, an underhit pass by Pedro Porro was well-read and intercepted by Milos Kerkez, who then pushed forward into space and delivered an inch-perfect cross from the left just over the head of Kevin Danso. Marcus Tavernier, who had lost his man in the shape of Djed Spence, timed his run well and met the ball first time to score the first half’s solitary goal.

Postecoglou was clearly unhappy with the first half performance, making two half-time switches as Bergvall and Son came in for Bissouma and Brennan Johnson. Normal service resumed, however, as a scintillating Bournemouth counter saw Tavernier put the ball in the net a second time, with Spurs’ blushes only spared thanks to a VAR-adjudged offside call.

A pair of rare bright moments for Spurs saw Micky van de Ven replace Romero in another return from injury, and James Maddison enter the fray as Spurs searched for an elusive equalizer. They nearly had one, too, as James Maddison teed up Sarr who hooked his shot from near the penalty spot wide. Instead, it was Bournemouth who added to the scoresheet as clever movement and passing from Justin Kluivert pulled the Spurs defense out of shape and opened up space for Evanilson to sneak in and chip a shot over a despairing Vicario.

Sarr soon made amends for his profligacy, however, as Spurs halved the deficit. The Lilywhites recycled possession after Lucas Bergvall clattered the post, and it made its way to the Senegalese midfielder out on the right. He drove forward before looping an effort from wide over the head of Kepa Arrizabalaga. It was a stunning finish and created a glimmer of hope for Spurs fans.

That glimmer soon became a spark, as Kepa was embarrassed once more. Direct football from Spurs played creator, as James Maddison played a pass forward looking for the run of Son. The South Korean knocked his touch past the Bournemouth keeper, who had rushed off his line and slid in in an attempt to win the ball and instead only succeeded in collecting Son and conceding a penalty. Spurs’ captain stepped up and duly dispatched the spot kick, calmly waiting for Kepa to dive left before passing it into the net the other way.

With neither side able to break the deadlock late on, Tottenham Hotspur finished the match probably the happier of the two sides, fighting back to secure a 2-2 draw.

Reactions

It almost feels like things are at rock bottom for Tottenham Hotspur this season. Almost.

After a demoralizing defeat to AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of a Europa League knockout tie, the one competition in which Spurs still have something to play for, a tricky match-up against Bournemouth is the next fixture on the cards. Bournemouth largely dominated the Lilywhites in the reverse fixture, with the one-goal scoreline perhaps not a reflection of just how much the Cherries were able to open up Ange Postecoglou’s side.

This match comes then as a challenge. What is there to play for? Really, only pride, and if the players truly want to persevere with Ange-ball, potentially the future of the manager as well. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are in touching distance of European places and will be desperate for a win. Are Spurs able to match that desperation?

COYS!

Lineups

Lineups will be posted closer to kick-off.

Live Blog

How to Watch

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bournemouth

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Time: 10:00 a.m. ET, 2:00 p.m. UK

TV: Not televised in USA, Sky Sports Premier League (UK). Check international listings at livesoccertv.com

Streaming: Peacock

Match thread rules

The match thread rules are the same as always. To any visitors coming here for the first time, welcome! We’re glad you’re here! Wipe your feet, mind the gap, and be sure to check out the other pages at this outstanding site. While you’re here, though, we have a few rules and regulations:

Absolutely no links to illegal streams. They’re bad and they get us in trouble. Violators will be warned or banned.

We have rules against “relentless negativity.” Nobody likes a Negative Nancy. Don’t knee-jerk and post outlandish or hurtful things just because you’re frustrated.

Along those lines, outright abuse of players or match officials is also not allowed. It’s fine to say “wow, that was a really bad call,” but it’s NOT okay to direct copious amounts of abuse in the direction of said official over a call you did not like.

Treat other people in the match thread the way you would want someone else to treat your grandmother. Be nice. This is a community of fans, not an un-moderated message board.

NO SPIDERS!

Finally, while we don’t have a rule against profanity, please try and keep the naughty words in check. Also, language that is sexist, racist, transphobic, or homophobic in nature will be swiftly deleted and you will be immediately banned. This is an open, supportive community.

Have fun, and COYS!

With just 11 matches to go, Tottenham Hotspur still finds itself in the bottom half of the Premier League table by a decent margin. Getting into the top 10 is not an insurmountable challenge, but it is worth asking what the benefit even would be (aside from finishing in the European places). This is a lost season domestically, but throwing in the towel with over two months left feels weird.

To salvage anything from the league, Spurs will need to perform well against the current top 10, of which seven remain on the fixture list. That includes Sunday’s visit from Bournemouth, who is clinging to seventh place but is heading in the wrong direction. AZ Alkmaar is still the priority after Thursday’s embarrassment, but there are enough healthy bodies to give it a go this weekend too.

Tottenham Hotspur (t-13th, 33pts) vs. Bournemouth (t-7th, 43pts)

Date: Sunday, March 9

Time: 10:00 am ET, 2:00 pm UK

Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

TV: Peacock (US), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)

Bournemouth was a pleasant surprise near the top of the table but has drifted back in recent weeks. A top-three defense (32 goals allowed) has fueled this run, and the Cherries are fourth in xGD, showing this season is not a fluke. However, three losses in their last four matches — with a total of one goal scored in those defeats — show the club might be running out of gas.

The Cherries did only need one goal to take down Spurs at the Vitality, though. December’s 1-0 win could have been even more lopsided, with a 3.5-0.9 xG line indicating just how tilted the contest was. This was a day where Ange Postecoglou was forced to start Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin at center back (before Archie Gray replaced an injured Davies), but even the relatively unaffected front three were able to do very little.

Chaos vs. control

Bournemouth has an identity and will stick to it, especially on the road. Even in recent matches with multiple goals, the attacking metrics do not jump off the page. The Cherries will wait for the counter and succeed at a high rate, perhaps willing to earn some set pieces, which is how the winner was scored in the reverse fixture. The Spurs defense is thankfully healthier this time around, but it will require an engaged 90 minutes with potentially limited, but dangerous, opportunities awaiting.

The flip side is Bournemouth’s recent poor form has come from a leaky defense. Tottenham struggled to control the middle of the pitch in December, and indeed that has remained a challenge. Whether it is Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, or even Lucas Bergvall taking on the central responsibility, the Spurs playmakers need to find ways to get the ball into the box. There are goals to be had if the attack is fluid, but often this feels like a difficult ask.

Seeking sparks

Thursday’s limp effort against AZ was a familiar tale, with Tottenham showing very little creativity or directness with the ball. It is frustrating to have a lineup full of youthful players like Bergvall, Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert, and Brennan Johnson — in addition to Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie — unable to consistently show an ability and willingness to attack with speed and put the defense in a difficult position.

On Sunday, this will be the test again. Good defenses are not going to just give away results, and Spurs seemingly have the pieces in place to generate…something. However, many of these names are not fully proven, and that might be the storyline to watch down the stretch. Postecoglou will have some decisions to make during the offseason (if he keeps his job) and the next couple months will be crucial for just about all of the attackers.

Welcome to another edition of fitzie’s film and tv reviews, where your hoddler-in-chief reviews some things he’s seen on the television or on the big screen.

Today’s two reviews are melancholic ones: These are the last two films I saw at the Landmark E Street Cinema, which unfortunately closed its doors this week.

A Complete Unknown: It took Timothee Chalamet a little bit of time to sink into Bob Dylan’s character, but the film completely changed when he did.

I appreciated the direction this film took, taking particular hotspots in the New York folk scene at a time of great upheavel in US and world politics. Many of the things that shaped Dylan’s songwriting.

One complaint I did have is that the film didn’t quite explain why Dylan going electric was such a big deal at the time. And it was also a little strange there wasn’t much of a look at the album that Dylan did go electric on - or the song the film is named after.

Still I loved watching it and would absolutely watch again.

Anora: The indie darling that swept through awards season, capped off with the Best Picture win at the Oscars.

The film is split up into three episodes: A love affair, a slapstick mystery and the conclusion (which I won’t spoil).

I ask myself, Which of those three was most enjoyable? The film could’ve been so different if it had focused on just one of those three. But they all blend together very well. Having said that, there were a fair amount of times I broke out into laughter after the Russians arrived.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Love Revival Machine, by The Cult

And now for your links:

The Athletic ($$): “Tottenham did not have the ‘right mindset’ for AZ match, says Ange Postecoglou”

Dan KP: “Ange Postecoglou highlights where Tottenham went wrong in damaging AZ defeat”

Filed under:

Tottenham Hotspur Match Reports

UEFA Europa League

Europa League 2024-25

AZ Alkmaar 1-0 Spurs: Tea-Time Torture for Tottering Tottenham

That was real bad.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar was a real opportunity to make a statement now that Spurs have a rested and (mostly) healthy squad. That didn’t happen today. Tottenham played one of their worst matches of the season, conceding a first half own goal from Lucas Bergvall, and could only muster one shot on target despite 61% possession and fell to AZ by the final score of 1-0.

It was real bad.

Tottenham welcomed three injured players back to the matchday squad, if not to the starting lineup. Cuti Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Dominic Solanke all started the match on the bench, with Ange Postecoglou preferring Mathys Tel up top alongside Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-Min, while fielding a back line of Djed Spence, Kevin Danso, Archie Gray, and Destiny Udogie. Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, and James Maddison started in midfield, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal.

It’s always tough to cover a 12:45 p.m. ET kickoff on a work day, but here are some basic notes from my viewing of the match.

Match Reactions

Final xG: 1.58 — 0.35. Spurs had 7 shots, one on target. Is that bad? (Answer: yes, yes it is.)

I feel for Bergvall, who had an awful start to the match. First he loses the ball and inadvertently injures an AZ player who needed to be subbed off, then he shanks a clearance and scores an own goal. Had a few wild moments in midfield, too — a comment from Carty Free chat was “Someone keeps unplugging Bergvall’s controller.”

At first I thought Vicario had dope-slapped Lucas after the goal, but on replay it was more just a light manhandling, i.e. “shake it off, bro.”

Not a great day for the young Tottenham stars-to-be. Archie Gray had a real ‘mare out there; Parrott and the rest of AZ’s forwards turned him around repeatedly and he was loose with his passing. Mathys Tel also looked ineffectual and young, and he was rightfully hooked for Odobert at halftime. Look, this is normal — if you play talented 19 year olds, you’re going to have games where they play like they’re 19. Just a shame they all decided to revert to teenage form at the same time.

But the adults in the squad were equally bad. Danso, Udogie, Maddison, Son, and Johnson all had sub-par performances. The kids are going to play like kids sometimes, but the adults need to pick up the slack and they 100% did not tonight.

At least Djed ruled.

That was one of the worst games I’ve seen Spurs play all year, and I think a lot of it came down to how Postecoglou set up the team. AZ are vulnerable to direct play and guys who can dribble, and Spurs played the opening 45 minutes without anyone who can fill that role. The midfield also looked completely out of shape and like they didn’t have a good plan on how to transition the ball forward.

Gotta say, it was nice to see Dom Solanke and his insane pressing energy back out there today. I’ve missed him, even when he’s not scoring.

What I think we learned here, apart from anything else, is that Dejan Kulusevski is our best player and when he’s not available we’re just going to struggle. Hurry back, Deki — we need you.

Look, getting outplayed and out-muscled by a Dutch team is pretty awful, but all things considered leaving a European away match with only a one goal hole and no away goals rule is an ok situation to be in. You have to like Spurs’ chances to pick up a 2-0 win at home, but they’ll have to play MUCH better next week than they did tonight.

European football has returned! After a well-deserved week off, Tottenham Hotspur head back to the Netherlands to face a familiar foe: AZ Alkmaar, home of Troy Parrott (and previously Mousa Dembele), a side Spurs took on in the Europa League group stage.

That match was a hard-fought victory for Spurs, with the margin a single goal, somewhat of a rarity this season. It was a heavily rotated side that took the points that day; this time out, expect Ange Postecoglou to name a much stronger lineup. With returns nearing for Dom Solanke, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero (there’s an international break soon, guys), Ange will potentially have a few more resources at his disposal than in recent weeks.

With Spurs out of the running for all other trophies, this is really the sole opportunity for this side to make its mark as well. These aren’t throwaway matches for rotation any longer; it’s time for things to get serious.

COYS!

Lineups

Lineups will be posted closer to kick-off.

Live Blog

How to Watch

AZ Alkmaar vs. Tottenham Hotspur

AFAS Stadion, Alkmaar, Netherlands

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Time: 12:45 p.m. ET, 5:45 p.m. UK

TV: Not televised in USA, TNT Sports 3 (UK). Check international listings at livesoccertv.com

Streaming: Paramount+

Match thread rules

The match thread rules are the same as always. To any visitors coming here for the first time, welcome! We’re glad you’re here! Wipe your feet, mind the gap, and be sure to check out the other pages at this outstanding site. While you’re here, though, we have a few rules and regulations:

Absolutely no links to illegal streams. They’re bad and they get us in trouble. Violators will be warned or banned.

We have rules against “relentless negativity.” Nobody likes a Negative Nancy. Don’t knee-jerk and post outlandish or hurtful things just because you’re frustrated.

Along those lines, outright abuse of players or match officials is also not allowed. It’s fine to say “wow, that was a really bad call,” but it’s NOT okay to direct copious amounts of abuse in the direction of said official over a call you did not like.

Treat other people in the match thread the way you would want someone else to treat your grandmother. Be nice. This is a community of fans, not an un-moderated message board.

NO SPIDERS!

Finally, while we don’t have a rule against profanity, please try and keep the naughty words in check. Also, language that is sexist, racist, transphobic, or homophobic in nature will be swiftly deleted and you will be immediately banned. This is an open, supportive community.

Have fun, and COYS!

Do y’all remember a time when Tottenham Hotspur used to get nominated for Premier League monthly awards? It’s only been a few months, but those fallow months also coincided with a severe Spurs injury crisis and a subsequent drop in form.

Well wake up, babe — the Premier League monthly award nominations are back! The League announced that Djed Spence was nominated for Player of the Month for February, Ange Postecoglou was nominated for Manager of the Month, and Dejan Kulusevski’s spectacular goal against Ipswich was nominated for Goal of the Month.

It’s been so long! They practically bring a tear to my eye.

Spence’s nomination is maybe the most surprising, and the most gratifying, as it recognizes how well he’s been playing for Spurs since breaking into the first team squad earlier this season. He’s up against Everton striker Beto, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, and the Liverpool duo of Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai. I have no real idea how realistic it is that Djed wins the award — probably unlikely considering Salah’s on it and Mateta’s been on a goal-scoring tear recently. But hey, this is pretty dang huge for Djed and for Tottenham, and is a real reflection on his recent performances and attitude in recent weeks. I’m biased, but I’d say he’s got the poll Djed to rights.

Elsewhere, Postecoglou has been nominated for Manager of the Month, along with Palace’s Oliver Glasner, Everton’s David Moyes (I still feel I’m back in 2010 whenever I type that), Fulham’s Marco Silva, and Liverpool’s Arne Slot.

Kulusevski also got a nod for Goal of the Month for his ridiculous strike against Ipswich a few weeks ago. He’s up against Salah, Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri, Everton’s James Tarkowski, Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Wolves’ Matheus Cunha, Palace’s Daniel Munoz, and Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert.