Tottenham Hotspur have finally found their groove following an underwhelming start to their 2024/25 campaign, and the Lilywhites looked in strong shape in yesterday’s 2-1 away win in the Europa League against Hungarian champions Ferencvaros.
The North Londoners secured a narrow halftime lead owing to a 23rd-minute Pape Sarr strike, which came bare minutes after a trailing scare where Barnabas Varga’s effort was disallowed for offside for Ferencvaros.
Narrow win!
However, while Spurs come back to North London with all points, they didn’t enjoy as splendid of a game that everyone would have expected from a soaring Ange Postecoglou’s side. The hosts dominated the xG column at 1.32 as opposed to Spurs’ 1.24. Moreover, they also managed to hit their shots 13 times from inside the box. (FotMob)
The game could’ve easily gone the other way.
The score line did stay 1-0 for the majority of the game before Brennan Johnson continued his purple patch in front of goal when he slotted an 86th-minute goal to give the visitors some cushion, which was quickly taken away when Varga scored just four minutes later.
Hoddle criticizes Postecoglou’s teenage experiment
Spurs just about held for a win, and former England manager Glenn Hoddle has criticised Ange Postecoglou for his team selection. He insists that the head coach starting four teenagers—Archie Grey, Lucas Bergvall, Mikey Moore, and Will Lankshear—doesn’t show the intent to get through games and get the result.
Speaking via. BBC, Hoddle said:
“For me, you play your best team. You play your best team, get the result done, and then make changes from there. If they get the result and gain all that experience, it’s a plus-plus.”
-> “Couldn’t be happier”- Postecoglou pleased with Tottenham breakout talent’s European outing
The North Londoners came through with the maximum outcome despite starting four teenagers, but it could easily go the other way. Ange may not have learnt his lessons, as his wholesale changes nearly got Tottenham knocked out of a silverware contention once this season.
