Tottenham fan Q&A: The 'Ange Ball' revolution
James Trembath looks at Spurs season so far and assesses the transfer window successes and failures.
Transcript
00:00 So James, the season has got to its first international break.
00:04 We can sort of take a small judgement point of where teams are at.
00:08 Not a full one because of course there's plenty of football still to be played.
00:11 We're only a few games in, but Spurs have certainly made a good start to the season.
00:15 They've won a good few games under Ange Postacoglu.
00:18 How would you rate their progress so far?
00:20 Well, I think it's so far so good, to be honest with you.
00:24 I mean, completely enthused by Ange Ball.
00:27 He's won us all over, hasn't he, in the first few games.
00:29 I mean, we've had a tough start.
00:31 You know, when you look at it on paper, Brentford away as an opener,
00:35 Man United at home, Burnley and Bournemouth, you know, a tough start.
00:39 You know, three out of four fixtures away from home as well.
00:43 Who knew how we were going to get on without Harry Kane?
00:45 Obviously, big upheaval in the summer, losing our main talisman,
00:48 you know, one of the best ever players at the club.
00:50 But Ange Postacoglu has come in and just been like an absolute breath of fresh air
00:54 through the whole club, I think.
00:55 And, you know, it almost feels like a start of a new era.
00:57 You know, everybody was worried without Kane.
01:00 But it's almost like the collective group has now decided that, you know,
01:04 they're going to step up, essentially.
01:06 And the collective effort is actually, you know, better in many ways.
01:10 We're less reliant on everything going through one player in Harry Kane,
01:14 with the odd chip in from the likes of Son, Kulosevsky, etc.
01:18 So, it's been a fantastic start.
01:20 You know, the new signings have bedded in really, really well.
01:23 I think the leadership group that he's chosen, Son as the captain,
01:27 behind the scenes has been terrific.
01:29 So I'm told Romero, Madison equally, you know, leading by example,
01:34 both among the goals.
01:35 Madison's been absolutely fantastic.
01:37 I think, you know, we've spoken about him many times on these videos,
01:40 but he is definitely going to be one of the signings of the summer.
01:43 Terrific, at £40 million, two goals, two assists already to his name.
01:47 And it looks like he's stepping up into that number 10 shirt
01:50 to become a real leader for us as well.
01:51 So, we're among the goals, 11 goals in four games, you know,
01:55 three wins and a draw.
01:57 I don't think you can ask much more than that.
01:58 I think the only blot on the copybook, I think, was the Carabao Cup exit at Fulham.
02:03 A bit disappointed to see nine changes in that team.
02:07 I didn't, I've only seen the highlights,
02:08 but it looked like we were pretty poor in that game, to be honest with you,
02:12 and rightly went out on penalties, which, you know,
02:15 obviously we're only in two Cup competitions this season.
02:17 So I think, you know, lots of fans rightly very, very disappointed with the team selection.
02:21 I can sort of get Costa Cogli wanting to have a look at some of the fringe players.
02:26 But for me, you know, I'd have maybe made four or five changes
02:28 and gone all out for that competition,
02:31 because that's certainly one that we could have been in a chance with,
02:33 at least getting to Wembley, you know, not saying we'd have won it.
02:35 But that was one of the trophies that we could have hung our hats on this season, to be honest.
02:40 So that was disappointing.
02:42 You know, that's definitely a negative in the box there.
02:45 But overall, hugely, hugely positive.
02:47 You know, I mean, the atmosphere inside the club, the fans are on side.
02:50 The football's been fantastic.
02:52 I mean, you look at the last-song goal for his hat-trick on Saturday against Burnley.
02:57 Every single player touched the ball before that goal went in.
02:59 It was an absolutely terrific move.
03:02 World-class assist from Pedro Porro.
03:04 You know, he's made a huge impression as Antropositiv-Cogli,
03:07 and I think we can only be positive.
03:08 There's going to be bumps in the road.
03:10 You know, it's high-risk, high-reward football.
03:12 You know, we've seen that with a few of the goals that we've conceded.
03:14 We have been carved open once or twice, got lucky on a couple of occasions.
03:18 We've looked at Beccario to pull us out of the fire with a couple of tremendous saves.
03:22 So, I think there are going to be bumps in the road.
03:24 We've obviously got Sheffield United at home coming next,
03:27 which is certainly a winnable home game with the greatest respect to Sheffield United.
03:31 But then we'll really see, I think, with a trip to Arsenal looming
03:34 and then a home game against Liverpool.
03:36 So, we've got a really tough September coming up,
03:38 and I think probably by the end of September,
03:40 we'll have a bit more of a barometer in terms of where we're at.
03:43 But as I say, bumps in the road for sure, no doubt.
03:47 But so far, so good.
03:49 I'm really, really enthused and positive from the first few games.
03:53 You did mention the Cup there, of course.
03:55 Now, that is a disappointment for Spurs, going out of a domestic Cup so early on
03:59 and on penalties as well, having made a lot of changes.
04:01 But as you also rightly say, in the league form has been really good.
04:05 So, where does the priorities lie this season for Tottenham?
04:08 Is it getting back into Europe in some form,
04:10 or is it winning a domestic Cup as well?
04:12 Obviously, you're out of one, but what's the priority for Tottenham?
04:17 Well, I think at the moment, the expectation levels are so low,
04:20 having had such a poor season last year.
04:22 So, you know, from a lot of senses there,
04:25 Antropositicov has got a bit of a free pass this year.
04:27 We're in the painful rebuild stage, if you like,
04:30 and we've brought a lot of players through the door this summer.
04:32 We've lowered the age of the squad massively.
04:34 I mean, if you look at the team now, I think there's only Sondlet's over 30.
04:37 The majority of the players are sort of 23, 24, 25.
04:40 So, we've really lowered the age.
04:42 We've got a really youthful group.
04:44 We're hungry.
04:45 And I think it's just a case of we'll see where we go.
04:48 I mean, an FA Cup run would be fantastic.
04:49 You know, that would really get the fans on side.
04:52 Obviously, we're desperate for a trophy.
04:54 We're desperate for another day out at Wembley.
04:56 It's been such a long time since we've lifted any silverware.
04:58 Everybody knows that.
04:59 And that's the sort of monkey we need to try and get off our backs.
05:02 But you look at the stats that some of the big clubs have made,
05:06 and there could be an opportunity to sneak back into Europe,
05:10 possibly the top four, depending on how it goes.
05:12 I mean, you look at the likes of Newcastle, they've had a stuttering start.
05:15 And it's going to be tough for them with the Champions League.
05:17 I mean, you know, they've got a real tough group there.
05:19 And it'll be difficult to juggle league and cup there with the midweek fixtures
05:24 and the extra sort of impetus that brings.
05:27 Man United have had a shaky start.
05:29 You know, you look down the road at Chelsea, they've had a very, very stuttering start.
05:33 And despite the £1 billion worth of spending, still haven't brought in a goalscorer,
05:38 which is a gaping hole in their squad.
05:39 So, you know, you maybe worry for them a little bit.
05:42 Obviously, a long way to go in the season.
05:44 And we know Pochettino's a brilliant coach,
05:47 albeit very strange seeing him in blue and not white.
05:50 So there could be an opportunity as the season unfolds.
05:52 But I think from Spurs fans' point of view, we just want to see progress.
05:55 You know, we're already enthused by the good football that we're seeing,
05:59 the development of some of the players.
06:01 You know, there'll be some young players coming through the door as well,
06:03 potentially, with some of the moves that have occurred in the transfer window.
06:08 So I think we just want to see good football, positive progress
06:11 and something to really build on, I think.
06:14 You know, whether that's this season and we end up in Europe,
06:17 hopefully top six, possibly top four.
06:20 But then that gives us a real sort of springboard to leap into next year
06:23 and have a real good go at getting back into the top four
06:26 if we don't achieve it this season.
06:28 And of course, the transfer window slammed shut just at the end of last week.
06:32 Tottenham did a lot of business, as you say.
06:34 James Madison perhaps being the standout of those signings.
06:37 But how would you rate Tottenham's transfer window in terms of,
06:41 as you say, lowering the squad age and, you know,
06:44 bringing in a bit of a revolution to the side as a whole?
06:48 Yeah, I think revolution is a good word.
06:50 I mean, we've managed to clear eventually.
06:51 It took us far too long, but we've cleared out quite a number of players.
06:55 The Deadwood, if you like, the likes of Davinson Sanchez, Tanguy Ndombele,
07:01 one or two others as well have headed for the exit door on loan.
07:04 Jens Spence, Sergio Reguilon, it's a name but a couple.
07:07 So we've managed to clear out.
07:09 It's taken far too long, as it always does with Spurs.
07:11 You know, we always ask for too much in terms of the fees and we haggle.
07:15 So one or two have ended up leaving after the English transfer window closed.
07:19 We've brought in some really, really good players.
07:21 You know, we've spoken a lot about Madison,
07:23 but I think the goalkeeper, Vicario, at 17 million looks like he's going to be a bargain.
07:27 You know, Destini Odogi, who came in last summer, was out on loan last year,
07:32 but only 15 million euros I think we paid for him.
07:35 He looks like a brilliant prospect at 20 years old.
07:38 Italian wing-back converted into full-back.
07:40 We've obviously made Kulishevski and Pedro Porro's loan that was permanent.
07:44 A little bit of doubt about Porro, I have to say, with him being a wing-back
07:47 and now converted into a full-back.
07:49 But to be fair, he's been brilliant for the first few games.
07:52 He was caught out for the first goal at Burnley,
07:54 but overall his defensive contribution has been very, very solid.
07:58 And we know what he brings going forward.
07:59 He's got goals in him, he's got assists.
08:00 I mean, you look at the assist, as I say, against Burnley on Saturday,
08:03 and it was an absolutely world-class ball.
08:05 If De Bruyne had put that through for Erling Haaland,
08:08 they'd still be talking about it now.
08:09 It was a world-class pass that.
08:12 So they've come in, loan signings that have been made permanent.
08:16 And then Brendan Johnson as well, you know, I think is a really, really good signing.
08:19 He's absolutely electric in terms of his pace.
08:23 You know, we've kind of recruited in the collective sense,
08:26 I think, rather than replacing Harry Kane.
08:27 You know, we've brought in a number of players who can share the load in terms of goals,
08:31 which is the way Possefkoe said he wanted to go.
08:33 I think we'll see a lot more of Son through the middle,
08:35 you know, obviously explosive start to that side of his game on Saturday with three goals.
08:40 And then the defensive back line, you know,
08:42 Micky van der Ven has come in and settled in really, really well.
08:45 You know, he's only 21, extremely short career so far,
08:48 but it looks like he could be the heir to Jan Vertonghen's throne, in all honesty.
08:53 Really good left foot, electric pace as well.
08:55 I think he was one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga.
08:57 So, we've lowered the age, we've upped the pace and the intensity of the team.
09:01 Obviously, we've got the likes of Bissouma as well,
09:03 who's almost like a new signing.
09:05 He's been outstanding.
09:06 I think we'd probably say, I'd say seven and a half out of ten, I think, for the window.
09:10 I think where we're short and where the fear is, is injuries,
09:15 especially at centre-back.
09:16 We've got Romero, van der Ven, Eric Dier seems to have been frozen out.
09:20 You know, if we get an injury to one of those two players,
09:24 then we've sold Damian Sanchez.
09:25 So, we're looking at the likes of Ash Phillips, who's a young player,
09:28 Ben Davies to potentially fill in at that centre-back role.
09:31 So, you know, the first 11 is very strong and we have got a little bit more depth on the bench,
09:35 but there is a little worry, particularly over the centre-backs.
09:38 Goalkeeping situation as well, you know, should Vicario get injured, Fraser Foster,
09:42 he's a reliable goalkeeper, but he's not quite, perhaps at that level.
09:48 We're well-stocked in the forward lines and I suppose Madison's the one,
09:51 if he gets injured, we've got the Chelsea.
09:53 Really pleased we managed to keep hold of him, actually.
09:55 I think he does bring us something different,
09:57 but he is a different type of player to James Madison.
10:01 So, I think overall, you know, Rome wasn't built in a day.
10:03 It's been definitely a good start.
10:05 I would have certainly liked to see another centre-half come in,
10:07 perhaps another midfielder.
10:08 I think there was a lot of talk about Conor Gallagher coming in,
10:11 should Pierre-Emile Hoibier depart.
10:14 He didn't go on deadline day to Atletico Madrid.
10:16 I'm pleased about that.
10:17 I know Hoiberg's the butt of many fans' sort of frustrations,
10:21 or he has been in the previous couple of seasons.
10:23 But I think as a squad player, he's a good leader.
10:26 And he's perhaps not as progressive, I think,
10:28 where he'll fall down under Postacoglou with too many sideways passes.
10:31 But he can certainly do a job coming off the bench,
10:34 particularly in the game against Manchester United.
10:37 He came off the bench, did a good job just seeing out that result.
10:40 So, I think, you know, keeping all the VIMs are positive for me.
10:44 But we definitely do need another centre-back.
10:46 Although somebody told me the other day,
10:48 I think there's only 12 games for Tottenham until the January transfer window opens.
10:51 So, one game a week means we haven't got too much to navigate
10:55 before the January window opens.
10:56 But I would expect us to be in for a centre-back pretty sharply in January to help there.