Fresh Spurs From the fans, for the fans

Tottenham Hotspur may only have picked up a point from Saturday’s North London derby against Arsenal but Harry Kane managed to create history.

The Englishman converted a second-half spot-kick to cancel out Aaron Ramsey’s opener at Wembley to share the spoils.

However, that singular strike not only earned his club a point but ensured he becomes the new goal king of the fixture.

Saturday’s strike was the Englishman’s ninth goal in only his ninth match against the Gunners in the competition to climb as the derby all-time goalscorer.

What that means is that he overtakes Emmanuel Adebayor in the rankings and is now four ahead of Gareth Bale as Spurs’ top scorer in this fixture.

More impressively, though, no player has broken Arsenal hearts like Kane in the competition in equivalent game ratio.

Wayne Rooney and Robbie Fowler are the only players to have managed more against the Gunners, albeit from significantly more matches.

The ex-Manchester United skipper plundered 12 goals against Arsenal from 29 matches, while Fowler struck 18 in 19 games.

Kane’s penalty, though, was his fourth scored against Arsenal and the 18th converted in this fixture.

Here’s to many, many more.

Whilst this individual accolade is great, Tottenham and their fans will be more concerned about how the team have performed collectively since Kane has returned to fitness.

Following the loss against Burnley, and an uninspiring performance against Arsenal, Spurs could yet be sucked into a top four race, something that appeared unthinkable just a couple of weeks ago.

Kane needs to keep scoring, but Pochettino must find a way for the whole team to perform when the England captain is leading the line.

If there was any lesson from Mauricio Pochettino’s angry exchange with referee Mike Dean after a damaging defeat at Burnley, it was a sign that Tottenham’s Premier League title hopes were over.

Spurs stay in third place, but six points behind Liverpool who shared the spoils with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

 It was understandable why the Argentine reacted in that unusual manner. Most decisions went against his team including a corner that led to Burnley’s opener.

A remorseful Pochettino later said he had “crossed the line” and would “maybe” apologise to Dean.

But the damage had already been done.

Chris Wood opened the scoring for the hosts early in the second half, rising high to head home Dwight McNeil’s inswinging corner – his fourth goal in as many games.

Harry Kane, who was making his first appearance since January, restored parity, latching on to Danny Rose’s quick throw before Ashley Barnes tapped in Burnley’s winner late on.

Burnley rise to 14th and are now six points clear of the relegation places.

But at Turf Moor Spurs came unstuck, as Ashley Barnes netted a late winner after Kane had cancelled out Chris Wood’s opener.

Pochettino has been criticised for failing to bring any silverware to North London and it looks like the wait will continue.

The pressure will definitively mount should Spurs continue to fall away from the league leaders and into a top four battle.

Kane was left utterly disappointed by the outcome.

“It’s very disappointing,” Kane told Spurs’ official website. “It was one of those games, a tough battle, a dry pitch, we know how Burnley play, especially at home and it was physical.

“We did well to get back into it at 1-1, but we couldn’t find the next level to push on and get the win and then, unfortunately, we conceded again.”

Kane’s frustration is clear. Manchester City and Liverpool, Spurs’ title rivals have shown more consistency.

Should the Lilywhites fail to get their act together, then the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and United may ultimately beat them to top four and leave many of the clubs top players long term futures in doubt.

Despite making huge improvements in recent seasons, Spurs fans have seen their team ultimately crumble when it matters in the Premier League in the last few years. Pochettino’s biggest regret must be not tipping Leicester City to the title a few seasons ago.

It looks like this season will be the latest near miss for the club in terms of winning the league.

When Tottenham drew League One strugglers Rochdale in the FA Cup fifth round, massacre was expected.

Spurs, a seasoned Premier League club and enjoying a fine run of form across all competitions, on paper, should have made easy work of Rochdale.

Spurs are third in the countries elite competition, only behind Manchester City and Liverpool and only recently thrashed Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

However, when they faced England’s lowest-ranked third-tier team, that counted for nothing.

This is the FA Cup and Rochdale earned a 2-2 draw.

Tottenham seemed to be heading to the quarterfinals after Harry Kane’s late penalty but fellow substitute Davies fired home to share the spoils at Spotland.

Rochdale began with intent, rewarded by Ian Henderson on the stroke of halftime.

Spurs, who also needed a replay to get past fourth-tier Newport in the previous round, dominated the second half.

On the hour mark, that dominance paid off with Lucas Moura restoring parity.

Kane and Davies added one apiece as Rochdale will now look forward to a money-spinning replay at Wembley.

Swansea City or Sheffield Wednesday awaits the winners in the quarter-finals.

Tottenham need to take this competition seriously as the club attempts to end a seriously long trophy drought.

Whilst Pochettino is keen to win the Premier League, an FA Cup is certainly a more realistic achievement at this stage for the club.

With the likes of Harry Kane attracting transfer interest from Europe’s best clubs, winning trophies of any kind will surely go some way to helping the club retain this calibre of player.

It feels like the club are at a crucial stage of their development and now is the time to win a trophy. Hopefully Spurs can get the job done comfortably in the replay and go on to win the whole competition.

Belgium international Mousa Dembele has revealed why he opted to leave Tottenham for Guangzhou R&F last month.

Dembele, 31, spent nearly seven remarkable years in North London, endearing his way to the faithful with impressive performances.

He wasn’t the most-skilful, strongest or technically gifted middlemen around.

 But the 31-year-old’s hard work, dedication and humility won him admirers even beyond London.

Dembele featured 250 times for Spurs, hitting the net 11 times.

His decision to swap an utterly competitive Premier League for the Chinese League came as a huge surprise.

While there were speculations that he moved for the money, Dembele has suggested that it was all about a new challenge.

He said as quoted by Sky Sports that: “I wanted to have a different experience in life. I heard already there is good food in Guangzhou. I will try this a lot. I think my family will enjoy it as well here.”

Dembele joined Spurs from Fulham for £15 million but left for less than that fee to Asia.

It isn’t surprising. The Belgian struggled with varying degrees of injury this season. He started just seven league games, the last was over two months ago.

Pochettino wasn’t so keen to allow the 31-year-old to depart last summer but didn’t ignore the last approach.

Dembele began his career at defunct Belgian side, Beerschot A.C in 2003 before moving to the Netherlands.

His first stop was Willem II in 2005 then AZ just one year later.

It was there he developed into an elite midfielder in four years, racking over a century of appearances with 24 goals.

Dembele is unlikely to make many headlines in Europe following his move to China, but I’m sure the player will impress his new fans with his incredible technical ability.

It was a memorable evening in London when Tottenham Hotspur welcomed Borussia Dortmund to Wembley in the Champions League.

 Spurs produced an unforgettable display, cruising to an emphatic 3-0 victory on Wednesday in the last-16 first leg.

An unbelievable finish from Heung-Min Son, coupled with a rare moment of magic from Jan Vertognhen set Mauricio Pochettino’s men on their way.

Just when the Spurs faithful thought they had enough, Fernando Llorente stepped off the bench to bury Christian Eriksen’s corner with five minutes left.

Former Manchester City prodigy Jadon Sancho showed his brilliance but it wasn’t enough as Spurs made a huge step closer to the quarter-finals.

Spurs managed the result even without star duo Harry Kane and Dele Alli, the pair still absent due to injury.

The surprise, though, was Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to start Son up front instead of Llorente.

It ultimately proved a masterstroke as the South Korean troubled the Germans with his pace and movement.

Christian Pulisic thought he had given Dortmund the lead after 15 minutes only to be stopped by Hugo Lloris.

The Frenchman was called into action again when Axel Witsel tried his luck from just outside the box. He was equal to the task again.

As if that wasn’t enough, Lloris then produced another unbelievable save to keep out Dan-Axel Zagadou’s deflected header on the brink of half-time.

The hosts began the second half on a front foot and expectedly it was Son Heung-min who put them in front.

Vertonghen’s incredible cross from the left dropped perfectly for the Korean who cushioned the ball beyond Roman Burki and into the Dortmund net in the 47th minute.

Soon after, it was the Belgian’s turn, storming onto Serge Aurier’s pinpoint cross to smash a beautiful volley home.

At this point, Spurs were in absolute control, dictating the game’s pace and tempo.

Llorente had other plans, though, registering his name on the scoresheet with an excellent nod to give Lucien Favre’s men an uphill task in Germany.

What an incredible night for the team and all the fans – can Spurs go all the way in the Champions League?

This season it feels like there is no clear favourite to win the competition and Pochettino will be desperate to add a major trophy to his CV.

In terms of major trophies, they don’t get much bigger than the Champions League, but the club will face much sterner tests before having the chance to lift the trophy.

Tottenham Hotspur are already preparing for life after Christian Eriksen, it seems.

The Denmark international is a reported target for Real Madrid who could break the bank to make him the next Galactico.

Eriksen has just 18 months left on his current deals with talks over a new one unsuccessful despite going on for over a year.

Even if the proposed switch to Spain ultimately fails to go through, the Dane isn’t short of admirers.

Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Chelsea have expressed interests in the playmaker.

Although Mauricio Pochettino has said he will do everything in his power to keep the midfielder, the North London side may already be working on a potential replacement.

Leicester City midfielder James Maddison has been tipped to succeed the 27-year-old.

Maddison will get a first-hand chance to impress when Leicester go to Wembley on Sunday.

The Englishman has only been at the King Power Stadium for eight months after joining for a £24million deal from Norwich.

In that short time, Maddison impressed in the Premier League, gaining loads of admirers beyond Leicester.

Like Eriksen, he is proficient in the art of finding pockets of space between the lines.

Maddison is given the freedom of the pitch in whichever formation his manager deploys him in.

Whether out wide or forward, he constantly floats in-field to find space, making it difficult for opposing wide players to track him, much like Eriksen.

The 22-year-old has been directly involved in nine strikes (five goals, four assists) in 23 Premier League appearances and his fine form won him his first England call-up last October.

However, 90min reports that the Foxes won’t let him leave and will offer him a bumper new deal to convince him to stay similar to Harry Maguire.

Eriksen joined Spurs in 2013 from Ajax and has since evolved into an elite midfielder creating and scoring at will.

Real would have to cough out almost £100m to land the midfielder but with the Spanish club struggling this season, they will be under pressure to invest in the summer.

Just 50 per cent of that fee would surely be enough to lure Maddison to North London.

That’s if the Foxes don’t give blind eyes to the megabucks.

After winning the title a few seasons ago, the club have ambitions to remain amongst the top teams in the division and selling any of their star players would give the wrong message to the fans.

Tottenham may have to rely on the player to help push through any move, as he would surely be keen to regularly compete at the top of the table and in the Champions League, something Leicester cannot offer.

The transfer window has come and gone. Like in previous window’s, Tottenham Hotspur are reeling over inactivity in the market.

For the second successive window, Spurs were unable to make any kind of reinforcement to their squad despite obvious deficiences.

Lucas Moura was the club’s last addition to Pochettino’s squad from Paris Saint Germain over a year ago.

The Lilywhites lost two players in the window; Georges-Kevin Nkoudou to AS Monaco and Mousa Dembele who moved to China.

The expectation was that Spurs would bring in some fresh legs to at least replace the duo that left, especially Dembele who has been an influential part of Pochettino’s team in recent years.

Pochettino has been left disappointed with another inactive month in the market, especially with his side in an injury crisis of some sort.

The Argentinean has always preferred to stay muted over questions about funds available to him but revealed his frustration this time when quizzed ahead of Spurs’ home game with Newcastle United on Saturday.

“I wanted to strengthen the squad but, if we cannot sign anyone, I need to stick with the pressure of the club.” He said as quoted by Goal.

“I am disappointed because we are in a very good position and maybe, with a little more help, we could not have an excuse not to be a real contender. But we are in a very good position and we will fight until the end to be as high as we can.”

Spurs are without three first-team players ahead of a busy February.

Harry Kane, Ben Davies and Dele Alli are ruled out due to ankle, groin and hamstring injuries.

Moura, too, isn’t fully fit after picking up a knock last month.

Tottenham are in the race for the Premier League, trailing Manchester City and Liverpool.

The Lilywhites have a tough Champions League last 16 clash with Borussia Dortmund on the cards and their participation in numerous competitions could see an already thin squad stretched to beyond their means.

Tottenham fans will be gutted if, at the end of the season, their team falls just short of the title once again and will wonder what could have been, if only the club added some fresh faces in January.

Tottenham are reportedly plotting a summer move for Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler, according to Mirror.

Mauricio Pochettino is eager to add a new face to his squad having failed to do so in the last two windows.

Lucas Moura was the club’s last addition joining from Paris Saint-Germain during the 2018 winter window.

Spurs’ lack of activity in the market place is increasingly putting Pochettino under pressure, especially after Mousa Dembele left for China.

The Argentine manager is seeking a replacement in midfield and young Soler is an option.

According to the Mirror, the Lilywhites are ready to cough up £30million for the 22-year-old.

However, the English side faces huge competition landing the promising central midfielder with Paris Saint Germain also keen.

Soler is largely unknown in England but his stock is rising fast in Spain.

Manchester United fans will remember the player who scored in Valencia’s 2-1 Champions League win against Manchester United at La Mestalla in December.

Soler loves to storm forward to produce a moment of magic.

The 22-year-old has done so twice in 28 games in all competitions this season but also created six assists for the club.

Born in Valencia, Soler is yet to be capped by Spain but has represented his nation at several youth levels.

Quick and direct, he is fond of roaming the midfield waiting to be picked out with a pass.

As soon he receives the ball, he drives into the heart of the opposition, using his deft touches and good vision to push forward Valencia’s forays into attacking areas.

Soler could prove to be a good replacement for Dembele.

The Belgian international will be playing in China soon and so Spurs will be missing some technical ability in the heart of midfield and Soler could fill that void.

One thing that is for sure is that the club need to invest in new players or they risk being left behind by their title rivals. Both Manchester City and Liverpool have invested in already very strong squads in recent windows, as they continually look to improve.

Tottenham have confirmed the departure of Mousa Dembele to Guangzhou R&F in the Chinese Super League.

The Belgian, described by Mauricio Pochettino, as a “genius” loved by the club’s supporters during his six and a half years with them joined the Asian side for £11m.

Dembele, 31, was severally linked with an exit to the CSL, with a switch to Beijing Guoan last summer falling through in the final minute.

Spurs, however, will have a big grin to have taken the money for a player who had just six months to run on his contract this time with no desire to sign a new.

The Belgian joined Spurs in August 2012 from Fulham for £15m, going on to make 250 appearances in all competitions for them, scoring 10 goals.

It was never about the numbers, though. Dembele charmed the hearts of Spurs faithful with his unique mixture of brute strength and soft touch.

On his day, he could single-handedly dictate Spurs games from central midfield and virtually all of his teammates at various times described him as the best player at the club.

“I always say to him: ‘Mousa, when I write my book, you will be one of my genius players that I have been lucky enough to meet,’” In March 2017 Pochettino said to him as quoted by Talksport. “One was Maradona; also Ronaldinho, Okocha and Iván de la Peña – he was a genius, too – and then Mousa. We always tell Mousa that if we had taken him at 18 or 19, he would have become one of the best players in the world.”

On his part, Dembele described Spurs as “part of my family now, 100%”. Sometimes you separate in a bad way but I don’t feel that way. I go away with an unbelievable feeling and with a certain love for the club.”

Good luck, Dembele.

The 2019 Asian Cup comes at the worst possible moment for Tottenham Hotspur. The North London club are competing on four fronts. They are very much still in the Premier League race, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and a Champions League last-16 tie with Borussia Dortmund in February.

Without the attacking luxury of their top rivals, Mauricio Pochettino tries to make maximum use of his squad. However, the expected departure of Son Heung-min would further reduce his offensive options. But how long will the skilful playmaker be away with his South Korean team in Saudi Arabia?

The tournament runs for almost one month from January 5 to February 1. The number of games the 26-year-old will miss exactly depends entirely on how well his nation fare at the continental tournament.

South Korea is drawn in Group C alongside China, Philippines and Kyrgyzstan. Son missed his country’s first match against the Philippines as he helped Spurs to a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, but he will be available for their upcoming group matches.

In the situation whereby Korea reach the final, Son could miss as many as five games in what is a crucial period for Pochettino’s charges.

“It’s not easy for me to leave the team at this important time,” Son told Sky Sports. “I feel very sad and sorry but I want to win this game and go with confidence to Dubai.”

Son’s final game is the Premier League clash with Manchester United. After that, he will miss the trip to Fulham on January 20. Even without the Korean, Spurs have enough manpower to defeat the struggling side.

Should they reach the quarter-final, the 26-year-old will be absent for the decisive second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea and, most perhaps, the FA Cup fourth-round tie with Crystal Palace.

Son will be ruled out of Spurs’ league game at home to Watford if his nation crosses to the semis.

A place in the final of the Asian Cup for South Korea will rule the forward out of the Premier League encounter with Newcastle United.

However, Son is not only the Premier League star who will be competing at the competition and thus potentially missing a sizeable football.

Newcastle United will be without Ki Sung-Yeung, who is Son’s teammate, and Yoshinori Muto, who has been called up by Japan.

Brighton will be without Matt Ryan and Alireza Jahanbakhsh representing Australia and Iran respectively.