Tottenham host Villa at the weekend in the first game back after the international break, with the Lilywhites looking to bounce back from two straight defeats.

Ange Postecoglou‘s men were flying high until the wheels came off against Chelsea at the start of the month. With injuries and suspensions affecting the squad, Spurs suffered a late loss against Wolves in their last game.

Aston Villa are on fire this season, too, with Unai Emery continuing the fine work he started last term with the Midlands club.

Just one point separates the two clubs going into the weekend, with the winner of the upcoming tie set to end the week in the top four.

Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images

Agbonlahor’s questionable combined XI

It’s fair to say that both sides have great players, but Gabriel Agbonlahor definitely appears to have let his personal bias as a former Aston Villa player affect his decision-making when asked to name his combined XI for the two teams.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Agbonlahor only selected Destiny Udogie and Heung-min Son from the Spurs squad. There is a catch, though. Agbonlahor has only chosen from players who are available for selection right now, which is why the likes of James Maddison aren’t in the team.

The rest of his XI includes: Emi Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezra Konsa, Pau Torres, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Moussa Diaby, and Ollie Watkins.

Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Torres
Udogie
Luiz
McGinn
Kamara
Son
Diaby
Watkins

Gabby Agbonlahor’s combined Spurs and Villa side

pic.twitter.com/MO9lZ4DBrz

— The Spurs Web (@thespursweb) November 23, 2023

The pundit also said: “I think [Villa] will finish above Spurs this season.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Even with the caveat that he’s selecting available players, I think the omission of Guglielmo Vicario, Pedro Porro, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Dejan Kulusevski is a strange way to go. 

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After struggling to make much of an impact in his first season at Tottenham, Yves Bissouma has been a revelation so far this season, having now become one of the first names on Ange Postecoglou’s teamsheet.

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Has Yves Bissouma got shades of Mousa Dembele?

Udogie stated that the Mali international caught his eye immediately as soon as he arrived at the North London club in the summer.

He said about the former Brighton man: “You can’t take the ball off him. The confidence, the quality in driving the ball. The passes, he’s one of the top, top players. He impressed me from the first day. Though he always loses in training games. I don’t know why. Romero’s team always wins.”

When asked if that is because everyone is scared of the Argentine, Udogie responded with a smile: “Maybe.”

Udogie also admitted being mightily impressed by Son Heung-min’s finishing ability since he arrived at the club.

The 20-year-old said about his captain: “Sonny (Son Heung-min) is also a quality player. As a finisher, he’s so good.”

The left-back revealed that having Guglielmo Vicario at Hotspur Way has been a huge help in settling into the new environment.

Udogie said about the goalkeeper: “He is such a good guy. He helps me every day. We speak together in Italian and he’s a great player.”

The former Udinese man was suspended for the 2-1 loss to Wolves after receiving a red card in the London derby against Chelsea, and he confessed that he felt like he let the team down.

He said about his sending-off: “I was really sad for the team because we knew the importance of the game. Especially as we were already down to 10 men.”

When asked what the reaction in the dressing room was after the London derby, Udogie responded: “We’re a family. So we win together, we lose together. So the important thing was to stay together and come back stronger. That was the message from all the team — the captains, the manager.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It can often take teams a while to find their feet when there is a significant turnover of players in a transfer window but it sounds like the newcomers have quickly gelled into the environment at Tottenham, which is perhaps a testament to the kind of culture that exists at the club.

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Udogie had made his name at Udinese featuring exclusively as a wing-back and that is the position he was presumably signed for, with Antonio Conte preferring to play with three at the back.

So there were some question marks over whether he would be able to adapt to Postecoglou’s system, which requires the full-backs to tuck in to provide extra bodies in midfield.

It is fair to say that Udogie has answered those questions unequivocally, with the Italian arguably being the best left-back on show in the Premier League so far this season.

The Italian revealed that Postecoglou was clear with him from day one just what he expected of him.

Udogie told The Athletic: “The first day I came in, he called me to speak with him and he told me I’m a key player for him. He explained what he wanted from me, and knowing I had the trust of the head coach was a big motivation.”

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Destiny Udogie is working hard to learn inverted role

The 20-year-old admitted that he had to learn to overrule his natural instinct to stay out-wide and had to develop a better awareness of what is around him.

He said about adapting to the new role: “At the beginning playing as an inverted full-back was a bit different because I was a wing-back. As a wing-back, I’m just on the side, but playing partly in midfield you have to be aware of what’s going on behind you.

“You have to be ready before you receive the ball. You have to know what is behind you and in front of you and what you’re going to do. So it’s a bit like being a midfielder. At the beginning, I was more operating close to the wing. But step by step, I move more inside, and feel more secure. It’s going well. I’m enjoying it.”

Udogie revealed that the work he has done with assistant manager Matt Wells has helped him improve his defensive awareness.

He added: “Wellsy and all the defence we work together every day. And he is very good at it because he helps us a lot — with the high line, and how to be compact. We work together and we move together. So it’s a risk, but it’s also a good, good thing for us.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Watching Udogie this season, one would have thought that he has played as an inverted full-back for many years. His transition to the role has been quite seamless, which perhaps shows the youngster’s all-round ability and his tactical awareness.

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Spurs fans are well aware of the kind of competitor Romero is, with the centre-back not shying away from making hard tackles even when he comes up against players he knows well, as evidenced by his tackle on his international teammate Enzo Fernadnez a couple of weeks ago, for which he got sent off.

So, it will come as no surprise to Tottenham supporters to learn that the 25-year-old does not spare any of his teammates in training either, with Udogie admitting to learning that the hard way.

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Cristian Romero gave Udogie a painful hello

The left-back told The Athletic about Romero: “This guy, he has no mercy! I remember in one of my first training sessions I was playing inside as an inverted full-back, I controlled the ball and from my back ‘Boom!’ I said, ‘Wow’ and Ivan (Perisic) was like, ‘Yeah, welcome’.

“But Cristian’s a good guy because the way he trains is how he plays. He’s a great defender. One of the best for sure.” When asked if the defender apologised for the tackle, Udogie said with a smile: “Nah, he never said sorry. Impossible.”

The Tottenham man admitted that he was in awe of the facilities at Hotspur Way when he first set foot into the venue.

He said: “When I entered the training ground for the first time, I was like, ‘Wow’.”

The former Udinese man also named Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr, Eric Dier and Ivan Perisic, as the players who helped him settle into his new surroundings when he arrived in the summer.

He told The Athletic about the aforementioned players: “All of these players helped me a lot from the first day. They explained to me how the club works, how you have to behave and play, and areas around north London. So that made it easier for me.

“And I spoke with Sonny too. I’m a young guy, so he just said to stay focused every game, every day in training, train well. But with the whole group, the vibe is just good. I love this team.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Spurs players used to say the same thing about Erik Lamela, with many admitting that they were forced to train with chin pads due to the winger. It sounds like Lamela’s role in training has been taken over by a fellow Argentine in Romero over the past couple of years.

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Tottenham signed Udogie from Udinese last summer for a fee of £15 million but loaned him back to the Serie A club for the 2022/23 campaign. He was yet another of Fabio Paratici’s smart acquisitions at the club (Sky Sports).

The 20-year-old had an impressive season with the Italian club last time out but there were question marks over his adaptability to the Premier League. He has stepped up brilliantly for Spurs in the first portion of the season though, adapting to a new inverted role under Ange Postecoglou.

Udogie has played 10 times for the club in the Premier League this season, providing two assists (Transfermarkt). Stats won’t do justice to just how good he has been though.

Luciano Spalletti, the Italy national team manager called Udogie up to the national squad in the international break before this one, to reward him for his impressive club performances. The Spurs left-back also made his debut.

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Sandi Lovric hails former teammate Destiny Udogie

Speaking to The Italian Football Podcast, Udinese midfielder Sandi Lovric says Spurs left-back Destiny Udogie has ‘crazy crazy quality’ in his locker.

“Udogie has crazy, crazy quality. We saw it already here in Udine, when you can train with players like this every day, you see the quality, the strength, the technique, the power that he has. I’m really happy for him, that he’s showing this in the Premier League.”

“I’m watching the games and I think Tottenham, until now, they are having an incredible season, they play fantastic football. You saw it here, that he is on another level”

Spurs Web Opinion

Not many of us saw Destiny Udogie’s impressive start to life at Spurs coming. He has made that left-back position his own. We all knew he had the talent but his temperament is what came as a huge surprise.

The last few weeks have been challenging for the Italian. However, as his former teammate claimed, we can all agree that he has ‘crazy crazy’ quality. Let’s hope he can continue impressing in a Spurs shirt for a long time to come.

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Udogie was forced to sit out the disappointing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers after being sent off in the second half of the London derby against Chelsea when he picked up a second yellow card in the early moments of the second half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

While Spurs did not release any information regarding the left-back’s fitness, Italy boss Luciano Spalletti confirmed last week that the defender was omitted from the national team squad for their Euro qualifier double header against North Macedonia and Ukraine due to injury (Sky Italia).

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Destiny Udogie is fit to face Aston Villa

A few days ago, The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare confirmed that the 20-year-old was suffering from the same hamstring issue that kept him out of the clash against Crystal Palace last month.

The journalist stated that Spurs were hopeful that the former Udinese man would be fit to start against the Villains.

Ugogie has himself now confirmed to The Athletic that he is “feeling really good” and will “definitely” be ready to take to the pitch in North London come Sunday.

The youngster also remarked that he and his teammates are intent on getting back to winning ways after two disappointing results.

He added about the upcoming clash: “We’re at home so we have to go out and play for the win. We go on the pitch to win every game. So that’s the focus.”

Spurs Web Opinion

This is fantastic news as the experiment of playing Emerson Royal at inverted left-back, which Ange was forced into against Wolves, did not work at all. I am now a lot more confident about our chances on Sunday knowing that Destiny Udogie will play.

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Injuries are threatening to derail Spurs’ impressive start to the season and the international break has not helped their cause. Ahead of the weekend’s clash against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, Ange Postecoglou will have to field a makeshift team without a few regulars.

Cristian Romero is still serving his three-match suspension for his tackle on Enzo Fernandez against Chelsea (Football. London). The Argentinian played in the international break though, representing his country against Uruguay and Brazil.

Yves Bissouma is also unavailable after picking up his 5th yellow card of the season against Wolves (Football. London). Micky van de Ven and James Maddison are both set to be out for a significant period following the injuries they sustained against the Blues.

Guglielmo Vicario had to pull out of the national squad after showing flu symptoms. He was replaced by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi (Evening Standard). The former Empoli shot-stopper might be ready to take his place in between the sticks this weekend.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 2: Destiny Udogie of Tottenham Hotspur takes throw in during the Premier League match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on September 2, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Son Heung-min and Udogie are expected to be fit

According to Football.London, Spurs have to deal with a number of injuries but they are expected to have Son Heung-min and Destiny Udogie available.

The South Korean superstar seemed to go down injured in his nation’s win against Singapore but was fit enough to play the entire game against China on Tuesday, netting a brace in a 2-0 win.

Destiny Udogie on the other hand has been suffering with an issue for a while now. Thus, he was left out of the national squad as a precaution and should be fit and raring to go against Villa.

Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Alfie Whiteman and Ivan Perisic all remain long-term absentees.

Spurs Web Opinion

Injuries aren’t something you can plan for in football and this is where Spurs have not had the rub of the green this campaign. With the number of first-teamers who are currently injured, we are bound to drop a few games.

This shows how imperative it is for us to bolster our squad depth and have backups who are ready to step in when an injury occurs. Right now, having Son and Udogie back is encouraging and let’s hope we can arrest the two-game losing slide when we face Villa.

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Udogie was suspended for Tottenham’s clash against Wolves last week after being sent off in the London derby against Chelsea.

There was initially some confusion when the youngster was left out of Italy’s squad for the international break but Luciano Spalletti subsequently confirmed that the left-back was omitted due to injury (SkyItalia).

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 6: Destiny Udogie of Tottenham Hotspur receives a red card for a second yellow during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 6, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

Spurs hopeful that Destiny Udogie will return

There has been no update from Tottenham regarding Udogie’s fitness, but Eccleshare has now revealed that Spurs decided not to release him for the international break so that he can focus on shaking off his hamstring issue at Hotspur Way.

The journalist adds that it is hoped that he will be fit enough to take to the field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

However, Eccleshare confirms that Richarlison remains unavailable for the clash against Villa, along with the long-term injury absentees, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic.

Spurs Web Opinion

It sounds like Tottenham only asked Udogie to withdraw from the Italy squad as a precaution. That is good news as Emerson Royal did not cover himself in glory when asked to play as an inverted left-back against Wolves.

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Tottenham completed a £15 million deal to sign Udogie from Udinese in August of last year with the left-back remaining at the Serie A outfit for the 2022/23 campaign as part of the agreement which was brokered by the club’s former managing director of football Fabio Paratici (Sky Sports).

While the youngster had impressed in the Serie A, it is fair to say that he has taken his game to a different level since arriving at Spurs, now that he is surrounded by better players.

The 20-year-old has thrived in Ange Postecoglou’s system and he also demonstrated his qualities for Italy when he was handed his first two caps by Luciano Spalletti last month.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 2023/10/17: Destiny Udogie of Italy seen in action during the European Championship 2024-Qualifying round Match between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium. Final score; England 3:1 Italy. (Photo by Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Tottenham won a contested race for Destiny Udogie

Antonelli has now lamented the fact that Italian clubs are not willing to bet on young players such as Udogie.

He told TuttoMercatoWeb: “If there is a limit that Italian clubs still cannot overcome today, it is the courage to invest (in young players).

“I invite anyone and challenge them to tell me which Italian club didn’t want Udogie. They all wanted him. The only one who accelerated the deal was (Udinese owner) Gino Pozzo. He bought him for 2.8 million euros and sold him after ten months for 26 million euros.

“Now, with what he is doing, he doesn’t have a defined price. But we spoke with Juventus, with Milan, with Inter. Everyone liked Destiny. Everyone wanted him but, at that moment, there wasn’t the impetus to do the deal. We don’t invest in Italians (in Serie A).”

Spurs Web Opinion

Out of all the signings Paratici made during his time at Spurs, the Udogie one was arguably the most impressive, with the left-back undoubtedly destined to become one of the best in the world in his position.

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While Udogie had won a lot of admirers with his performances for Udinese over the last two seasons, hardly anyone would have expected the left-back to have such an impressive start to his Premier League career.

The 20-year-old has adapted seamlessly to the intensity and physicality of English football as well as the requirements of the inverted full-back role in Ange Postecoglou’s system.

Udogie has also demonstrated that he enjoys the big stage, delivering a mightily impressive performance in his first start for Italy at Wembley last month.

If the left-back keeps progressing at the pace he currently is, it will not be long before he is talked about in the same bracket as the best in the world in his position, and it turns out that he is already starting to turn some heads.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 2: Destiny Udogie of Tottenham Hotspur takes throw in during the Premier League match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on September 2, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Destiny Udogie is already being suggested for Madrid

Real Madrid are reportedly pursuing Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, who is valued at around £43.5m (AS), but Guillen has now suggested that Udogie might be a cheaper option than the Canadian for Los Blancos.

He told Radio Marca: “Udogie is a less media-friendly and perhaps cheaper option.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Florentino Perez will be well aware of how difficult it is to negotiate with Daniel Levy. The Real Madrid president will know there is no hope of getting someone like Udogie, who has a long-term contract at Spurs, let alone for a fee under £50m.

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Destiny Udogie has been outstanding for Spurs this season, with two assists in ten games for the Lilywhites (Transfermarkt). The youngster has displayed brilliant defensive abilities, and has also been incredibly dangerous going forward in Ange Postecoglou‘s system, too.

Sadly, the last time we saw Udogie, he was receiving his marching orders in the chaotic defeat against Chelsea just over a week ago. The 20-year-old missed the Wolves game through suspension, but there are other issues affecting his chances of playing, too.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 2023/10/17: Destiny Udogie of Italy seen in action during the European Championship 2024-Qualifying round Match between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium. Final score; England 3:1 Italy. (Photo by Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Why has Udogie withdrawn from the Italy squad?

Udogie was replaced after an hour in the win over Crystal Palace with concerns over his condition, and it seems a niggling “flexor problem” has been causing him some discomfort.

The player’s agent, Stefano Antonelli, told TuttoMercatoWeb (via The Independent) about Udogie’s injury status and how his withdrawal from contention for the Italy squad came about.

“Tottenham did everything they could to get him back for the Chelsea game, which was also a poor match: he played 60 minutes before being sent off. Afterwards, it was deemed appropriate not to risk it as there would be a risk of relapse,” Antonelli said.

“Destiny, until the last moment, tried to convince the Tottenham staff that the national team was something exceptional for him. He is a 20-year-old who told me, ‘we want to be part of history, to be part of this group in the run-up of the Euros is to be part of history.'”

Spurs Web Opinion

Hopefully, Destiny Udogie can recuperate over these next ten days and be back for the Aston Villa game ready and raring to go. I just hope he goes into that game with more composure than what we saw in the Chelsea game.

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Udogie was suspended for the clash against Wolves but there was no update from Tottenham suggesting that the 20-year-old was injured, which was why many were bewildered when the youngster was left out of Italy’s squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers (TMW).

However, Italy manager Luciano Spalletti subsequently confirmed to SkyItalia on Monday that the former Udinese man was omitted from the squad due to an injury.

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 6: Destiny Udogie of Tottenham Hotspur receives a red card for a second yellow during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 6, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

Destiny Udogie’s injury is not serious

Eccleshare has now revealed that it is the reoccurrence of the same hamstring problem that kept Udogie out of the win over Crystal Palace last month.

The journalist explained that the injury is not serious and that the defender will spend the next two weeks rehabilitating at Hotspur Way. He added that Spurs hope Udogie will be fit for the clash against Aston Villa on November 25.

Spurs Web Opinion

Given the amount of injuries that Postecoglou is dealing with, Spurs desperately need Udogie fit as soon as possible as we evidently lose a lot going forward by playing Emerson Royal at left-back. 

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Tuttomercatoweb claimed earlier in the week that Udogie’s omission from the Italy squad was causing a lot of confusion as no reason has been provided for the decision, but the reason has now been revealed.

Udogie was suspended for the clash against Wolves on Saturday after being sent off in the London derby last week, but there was no suggestion at the time that the left-back had picked up any injury.

That is why it was puzzling when the Tottenham man was left out of Italy’s squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine.

The 20-year-old won his first two caps for the Azzurri in last month’s international break and he impressed in both matches, particularly earning rave reviews for his performance against England at Wembley (BBC Sport).

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JULY 08: The Italy and England badges on their first team home shirts ahead of the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium on July 8, 2021 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Destiny Udogie has been left out of Italy squads

TuttoMercatoWeb pointed out that many people have been left scratching their heads that Udogie had not been included either in Luciano Spalletti’s squad or in the Italy Under-21s squad.

However, Spalletti himself has now confirmed another Tottenham injury problem (SkyItalia). He was asked, ‘why is there no Udogie?’, to which he responded: “Because he is injured.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The only explanation for this was always going to be that Udogie has a slight injury problem. The left-back was a doubt for the Chelsea clash before he was eventually passed fit. Hopefully, it is not a serious issue as we desperately need him back for the clash against Aston Villa.

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Tottenham travel to Molineux tomorrow afternoon for the early kick-off in the Premier League, looking to bounce back from the 4-1 defeat against Chelsea on Monday night.

The bad news is, Spurs will go into this game without four of their key players: Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie are serving suspensions due to their red cards in the Chelsea game, while James Maddison and Micky van de Ven suffered injuries in that match.

Suffice it to say, that makes things pretty difficult for Spurs, who had been flying so far this season. All four of those players had been at the heart of that success, and will be mightily difficult to replace.

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Spurs players have a chance to impress

But, Ange Postecoglou insists this is now a chance for players we have not seen as much this season, to step up and show what they can do.

When asked if Giovani Lo Celso can benefit from Maddison’s absence, Postecoglou said (via Football.London): “Look, it is not just Gio, it is Bryan Gil, we’ve got to be careful with Bentancur a bit, it is for him, it’s for Skippy, for Eric Dier, for all these guys.

“That is why they have been training hard. They have been training with us, they haven’t been separate from the group.

“Everything we’ve done, we’ve done together. They’ve worked hard and for all of them, it is about being prepared for when the opportunity comes. Fair to say the opportunity comes now for a few of them.

“It’s up to them now to take that opportunity, but they’ve been preparing themselves for that since the first day.”

Spurs Web Opinion

These injuries to Maddison and van de Ven in particular are cruel and frustrating, but it’s a golden chance now to see just how strong our squad is and pinpoint the areas we definitely need to improve in January. We’ve had a great start to the season, which gives us a cushion, but these next couple of months will be tough, I suspect.

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Chelsea took all three points from their London rivals in a fiery affair which saw Tottenham reduced to nine men.

Both Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie saw red for reckless challenges, although the pair could have been sent off even sooner.

Udogie was the one who lit the fire under the match with a dangerous two-footed tackle early in the first half. Not long after, Romero lashed out while on the ground but was only deemed to have been petulant.

It didn’t take long for the Argentinian to get his marching orders though, penalised for an aggressive tackle on Enzo Fernandez in the box. Cole Palmer scored the resulting penalty, and the sides went in at halftime with the scores level.

Ten minutes into the second half, Udogie was shown his second yellow for a silky challenge on Raheem Sterling. Spurs held firm from there, and continued to push for a win, but Chelsea eventually managed to break the Lilywhites down and ended the game 4-1.

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, looks dejected following the team’s defeat during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 06, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Postecoglou accepts the referee’s decisions

Speaking to the BBC about the red cards, Ange Postecoglou said: “You have to accept the referee’s decision, that is how I grew up. This constant erosion of the referee’s authority is where the game is going to get – they are not going to have any authority.

“We are going to be under the control of someone with a TV screen a few miles away. The decision is the decision. In 26 years I have had plenty of bad decisions, and I have had plenty fall in my favour. It is what it is.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The players who remained on the pitch put in a valiant effort to stay in the game as long as they did. Romero and Udogie have absolutely cost us the game and should be really ashamed of themselves tonight. They can have no complaints about the decisions, either.

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Tottenham‘s unbeaten run came to an end tonight in the most abrupt fashion, with Chelsea securing all three points in a 4-1 win.

That scoreline suggests an easy game for the Blues, and when you consider Spurs ended up with nine men due to red cards for Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, you’d be forgiven for thinking Chelsea had it all their way.

The truth is, Ange Postecoglou set his team up to play an incredibly high line, and the Spurs players kept pushing with such determination and desire that they managed to keep themselves in the game until the dying embers of the game.

Ultimately, that high line was exposed by Chelsea and Nicolas Jackson reaped the rewards with a fairly simple hattrick.

Despite losing the game, Spurs fans gave their players a standing ovation at the end of the match for the efforts they showed throughout. 

Tottenham Hotspur’s Greek-Australian Head Coach Ange Postecoglou applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on November 6, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Spurs will not change the way they play

In his post-match interview with the BBC, Postecoglou was asked why his team played that way, and his answer was a very straightforward one.

He said: “It is just who we are mate, it is who we are and who we will be for as long as I am here. If we go down to five men we will have a go.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Every player who stayed on the pitch should be incredibly proud of their efforts, and it’s so impressive the way Postecoglou stuck to his guns and demanded such an approach from his team given the circumstances. I love that mentality, and it’s going to earn Ange even more plaudits.

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Spurs return to action at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with the incentive of knowing that a win against Chelsea will move them back to the top of the table and create a two-point advantage over current champions Manchester City.

If the incentive of going back top is not enough, fans will also be expecting Postecoglou’s side to send former boss Mauricio Pochettino back to Stamford Bridge with nothing to show from the game in what will be his first visit back to N17 since Daniel Levy sacked him in November 2019.

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Spurs team news vs Chelsea

Postecoglou admitted in Thursday’s pre-match press conference that Destiny Udogie will be assessed ahead of the match after the Italian international also missed the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, while Ben Davies, who started at Selhurst Park was also a doubt.

He told talkSPORT: “We will see how he [Udogie] progresses.

“He still has a few days before Monday’s game, he’s progressing good. We will assess it closer [to the time].

“Everyone else is OK, though Ben Davies also has a bit of a knock and hasn’t trained with the team yet so he is unlikely for Monday. Still, though, a couple days to go.”

Spurs fans will be pleased to know that Udogie is fit to start, while there is also a change further up the pitch with Brennan Johnson coming in for Richarlison, who drops down to the bench.

This is who takes to the field in North London this evening:

Team news is in for #TOTCHE! pic.twitter.com/m89QOmdvnC

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 6, 2023

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Johnson, Maddison; Son.

Subs: Forster, Højbjerg, Richarlison, Dier, Bentancur, Skipp, Emerson Royal, Lo Celso, Gil

Chelsea: Sanchez, Colwill, Disasi, Silva, James, Enzo, Caicedo, Gallagher, Palmer, Sterling; Jackson.

Subs: Petrovic, Gusto, Cucurella, Maatsen, Badiashile, Ugochukwu, Madueke, Mudryk, Washington

COYS

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Tottenham did some outstanding business during the summer transfer window, with the likes of Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, and Micky van de Ven hitting the ground running after arriving at the club.

Gabbanini, who departed Spurs last month, played a prominent role in the club’s summer business after Fabio Paratici vacated his role as Spurs’ managing director of football.

When asked about the acquisition of Maddison, the Italian told The Athletic: “Honestly he’s a perfect player, there wasn’t any deep scouting activity needed there.”

Gabbanini admitted that his role involved making predictions on players’ career trajectories, revealing that Ange Postecolgou was also keen on knowing about the players’ personalities before green-lighting any transfer.

He continued: “When we have a player like Van de Ven, it’s not as simple as, ‘He’s tall and fast’. We have to predict the future. You need to be sure when (decision makers) start to say, ‘I don’t know, the price is high, he’s young, not in the national team’.

“Your job is to be there and say, ‘No, go ahead. He will achieve great things’. And this is the thing I’m most proud of at Tottenham because I didn’t fight for obvious players.

“Knowing the background, the history and education of the player was fundamental in saying this is the player for us. Ange is the same, he wants to know the person, he wants to know the man behind the player. So it was a high level of scouting with a focus on the player as a person.”

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Gabbanini wanted Destiny Udogie for years and years

The 42-year-old admitted that Destiny Udogie, who was signed last year and loaned back to Udinese, was someone that he had his eye on for a long time, remarking that the Italian is a better fit for the Premier League than the Serie A.

Gabbanini said about the left-back: “Destiny is a player that I first wanted to sign six years ago for Udinese and Watford. I always had in my mind that he would become a top player.

“Ange has helped him improve a lot already from last season, and perhaps playing in the Premier League is a better fit for him. The coach is so good and clear in his instructions, he gives Destiny and every young player a clear pathway to follow.”

When asked about the acquisition of Vicario, Spurs’ former chief scout responded: “Signing him was a team decision and it’s clear that (last season) our targets were different because we had a different coach. But when you have the scouting department leading the process, the names will be different.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It is obvious that Postecoglou had identified Maddison as one of his top targets as soon as he took the job. However, Leandro Gabbiani, Paratici and Tottenham’s recruitment department deserve immense credit for the acquisitions of Udogie, Van de Ven and Vicario.

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Tottenham fans are understandably over the moon with the start that the Lilywhites have made to the season, particularly since many had very low expectations at the start of the campaign.

One of the most exciting things about the current Spurs side is the fact that it is full of young players, whose best years are very much ahead of them.

This includes Udogie, who has arguably been the best left-back across the Premier League so far this season, adapting seamlessly to the inverted full-back role in Ange Postecolgou’s system.

The 20-year-old took his form onto the international stage last month, demonstrating in his first start for the Azzurri against England at Wembley that he is not fazed at all by the big stage.

Meanwhile, Sarr has also been a revelation under Postecoglou, forming a formidable partnership with Yves Bissouma in the middle of the park.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 2: Destiny Udogie of Tottenham Hotspur takes throw in during the Premier League match between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on September 2, 2023 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Sarr and Udogie show that Spurs’ future is bright

Whoscored have now named their five highest-rated players younger than 21 across the Premier League this season, with Udogie and Sarr coming in at third and fourth place respectively.

Highest rated players aged 21 and under in the Premier League this season (6+ apps):

Jeremy Doku – 7.34
Jarrad Branthwaite – 7.00
Destiny Udogie – 6.95
Pape Matar Sarr – 6.93
Levi Colwill – 6.90 pic.twitter.com/efEyvkwCha

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) November 1, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

There is no doubt that the likes of Van de Ven, Sarr and Udogie will continue to develop over the next couple of years as they get more experience under their belt. It is certainly an exciting time to be a Tottenham fan as their ceilings are incredibly high.

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One of the trademarks of Ange Postecoglou’s system is the inverted full-backs, with both Udogie and Pedro Porro often finding themselves in central roles quite high up the pitch.

That was certainly the case for much of the first half against Fulham, with James Maddison dropping deep to receive the ball from the central defenders, allowing Udogie to take up positions in between the lines.

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Destiny Udogie was like a forward against Fulham

Fulham struggled to cope with the pace at which Tottenham moved the ball in the first half and with the way that the Spurs stars interchanged positions.

While the away side did give a much better account of themselves after the interval, Postecoglou’s men eased to a 2-0 win, owing to goals from Son Heung-min and Maddison in either half.

Speaking after the game, McCoist told talkSPORT (24/10 8:23pm): “I’m looking at [Destiny] Udogie’s starting position as well when Tottenham have got it in kind of a back three.

“He’s actually playing in a kind of the left-hand side of a number 10 position. He’s so far up the pitch, it’s incredible.”

Spurs Web Opinion

What is already quite noticeable is that Ange is making some clear tactical tweaks depending on the opponents we are coming up against, with Udogie and Porro not taking up as advanced positions against Arsenal or Liverpool.

So, the Australian is showing already that he is not someone with a one-size-fits-all approach like Marcelo Bielsa, and that he can be a little pragmatic, even though he sticks to his principles of play.

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