Even though Tottenham’s injuries and suspensions list is extremely bloated, Postecoglou decided to double down on his attacking approach on Sunday, dropping both Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Eric Dier from the starting eleven.

The Australian chose to play Giovani Lo Celso in the middle of the park alongside Rodrigo Bentancur, with both players making their first starts of the season while he named a back four consisting entirely of natural full-backs, with Emerson Royal partnering Davies in the heart of the defence.

(Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Postecoglou demands positive play from Spurs stars

Gold has stated that throughout the game, Postecoglou was constantly screaming at the players to get up the pitch and press their opponents.

The journalist remarked that the 58-year-old even berated Davies twice within a span of a minute for not playing the ball out quickly to Bryan Gil on the flank so that the home side could move up the pitch.

Spurs Web Opinion

I thought both Emerson and Davies coped well with Villa’s threat (although they were found wanting for Watkins’ goal) and they generally used the ball well.

It will be interesting to see if Postecolgou sticks with the same pairing against City or brings Dier back into the side to deal with the physical threat of Erling Haaland.

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Davies has an important role to play over the next couple of weeks at Tottenham, with Micky van de Ven out with a hamstring injury and Cristian Romero suspended for two more matches.

The 29-year-old is no stranger to playing as a centre-back in a back three but has not featured often in that position in a back four, which he was tasked to do against Wolves.

The Tottenham man emerged from the clash at the Molineux Stadium with a lot of credit, even though he was not able to stop the Lilywhites from falling to a 2-1 loss.

(Photo by Adam Pretty – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Will Ben Davies start for Spurs vs Aston Villa?

Davies’ showing in the international break should perhaps give some confidence to Spurs fans, with the defender putting on in solid display, registering a pass accuracy of 88.1%, making three tackles, two interceptions and two clearances (WhoScored).

WalesOnline only gave the former Swansea man a rating of 6 out of 10 but that was perhaps influenced by the fact that it was a disappointing result for the Dragons.

The outlet wrote about Davies: “Made a couple of really good tackles to keep Armenia at bay. Did his best to rally the troops but sadly to no avail.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I do not have any fears about one of Davies or Dier playing in our backline with Romero or Van de Ven. However, the pair together do not fill me with any confidence, with their lack of recovery pace being a major issue, given the high line that Ange Postecoglou wants the team to play.

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With Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie suspended for the trip to Molineux Stadium and with Micky van de Ven out with a hamstring injury, Postecoglou was forced to revamp his backline.

The Australian started with an experienced pairing of Dier and Davies in central defence while Emerson Royal deputised at left-back.

Tottenham’s performance left a lot to be desired, with Wolves deservedly picking up all three points, owing to late strikes by Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina.

Postecoglou acknowledged after the game that his players could have been more aggressive in possession but insisted that he was happy with the commitment and effort they showed on the pitch (Football.London).

(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Should Spurs trust the likes of Phillips and Donley?

O’Hara has suggested that a loss on Saturday would have been more digestible for Spurs fans had the Tottenham boss started with some youngsters over the likes of Dier and Davies.

The pundit told talkSPORT (13 November, 11 am): “Ben Davies, I like him. He’s a good lad. He can do a job. Eric Dier… But the fans, they want to move on from that era of players. So, when we pick up injuries, these players you’re trying to get rid of have to play again. 

“The manager has to take a stance. (Postecoglou should say) ‘If I lose a couple of players, I need to try something more new’. Try out a couple of lads from the Under-23s. If you go back to the same players, Dier and Davies, you get the same result.

“I would rather lose against Wolves with some U23 player, and saying ‘you know what, he’s half decent’ (Postecoglou) went safe. He played Hojbjerg, Dier and Davies.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Most of the fans calling for Ashley Phillips or Alfie Dorrington to get a game have not seen them play a full 90 minutes of football. Ange and his coaching staff watch these youngsters train on a regular basis and I trust their judgement on whether they are ready to start.

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Rodon was seen by many as one of the best young defenders in English football when he arrived at Tottenham back in 2020 but he never quite managed to get a consistent run in the side during his time in North London.

The Welshman also did not set the world alight during his loan spell at Rennes last season, having struggled for game time during the second half of the campaign.

However, things appear to have clicked at Elland Road for the 26-year-old, who has made himself an indispensable part of Leeds’ backline.

Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Would Joe Rodon suit Ange-ball more than others?

Davies, who has played alongside Rodon quite a lot for Wales, is not surprised that the former Swansea man is thriving with Daniel Farke’s side this season.

When asked about his international teammate, the 29-year-old said (via Football.London): “It is difficult. Sometimes people forget how challenging it is going somewhere and then you have to move every nine months to a new place, but I think he really seems to have found himself a home at Leeds.

“Joe is a terrific player. Every time I play with him with Wales he is very solid, good on the ball and I think we have a good understanding. To see him have success at Leeds, it really does make me happy.

“Joe is one of my best mates in football, so we speak all the time. He is the type of player that, when he is at somewhere he is feeling valued and he is getting a good run of games, he is a really, really good defender and I think he is showing that right now.”

Rodon’s decision to drop down to the Championship might have surprised a few in the summer but Davies suggested that it was the perfect opportunity for the defender to get his career back on track.

The left-back added: “I think it was a great opportunity to go there, he knew he was going to go there and play a lot of football and play at a massive club with ambitions of going back to the Premier League. He has started so well and he is enjoying it there.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Davies seems to be alluding to the fact that Rodon is a confidence player who needs an arm around the shoulder and the manager’s backing to be able to perform at his best. That perhaps explains why he plays so well for Wales and that sort of backing is something he never got at Spurs.

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The Welshman has had to watch on from the bench for much of the campaign, with Destiny Udogie making the left-back spot his own.

The 29-year-old was asked to deputise at centre-back against Wolves last Saturday, owing to Cristian Romero’s suspension and Micky van de Ven’s injury, and he delivered a solid display even though Spurs fell to a disappointing defeat.

Davies might have to continue playing in that position a while longer, with Van de Ven expected to be out until January (The Telegraph) and the experienced defender insisted that he is ready to help the team wherever required.

He said (via Football.London): “When we do well as a team it’s not always easy to get people out of the team. It’s when those chances come, you’ve got to be ready to take them.”

(Photo by Pakawich Damrongkiattisak/Getty Images)

Ben Davies is a big fan of Ange Postecoglou at Spurs

The former Swansea man also spoke highly of Postecoglou and the role clarity the Aussie coach has given the players.

Davies continued: “[Postecoglou] has been great since he’s come in. He’s been a breath of fresh air. He has given us clear roles within the team and it is a pleasure to play for him.”

His international teammate, Brennan Johnson got his first goal for the Lilywhites at the Molineux Stadium and Davies has suggested that the winger has already shown glimpses of his quality despite his injuries.

When asked about the 22-year-old’s impact, the defender responded: “Brennan has been great. He missed quite a bit of football last month as well, so as time drags on, it doesn’t necessarily go with the amount of game time he’s had. He has been very good for us since he came in and I’m very lucky I’ve got him here at Wales as well.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Davies is not used to playing as a centre-back in a back four but he showed against Wolves that he is more than capable of playing in that position in Ange’s system. I would not be surprised if the 29-year-old keeps his place in the side ahead of Dier when Romero returns from his suspension.

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Tottenham were without four key starters for their trip to the West Midlands, with Micky van de Ven and James Maddison out with injuries while Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie were suspended following their red cards against Chelsea.

That meant that Postecoglou had to field almost an entirely new back four with Eric Dier and Ben Davies starting at centre-back and Emerson Royal filling in at left-back.

All three players were arguably at fault for Wolves’ 97th-minute match-winner, with Mario Lemina breezing into the box unmarked and turning the ball home from close range.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 11: Hwang Hee-Chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers is challenged by Ben Davies of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur at Molineux on November 11, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Tottenham squad still needs a lot of rebuilding

Burley remarked he was not surprised by what happened at the Molineux Stadium, insisting that Dier, Davies and Emerson had been making mistakes for the past couple of years.

The pundit told ESPN FC: “It goes back to the point. It’s the same players, who have been making the same mistakes for several managers. That’s why Ange has come in and said ‘no thank you’. 

“That’s why you’re not in the starting lineup but it’s needs must. But Dier, Davies and Emerson Royal have been making mistakes now for 24 months plus.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It is simply inaccurate to say that Davies has been making a lot of mistakes while Emerson Royal’s defending has never been an issue. It is easy for fans and pundits to scapegoat Davies and Dier, but the reality is that we were let down by our midfield against Wolves.

Hojbjerg was a complete passenger, offering nothing either in or out of possession, while Bissouma decided to hide and take the easy option whenever he got the ball in a match where we really needed him to step up.

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With Micky van de Ven out with a hamstring injury, and with Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie suspended, Postecoglou had to start with a centre-back pairing of Eric Dier and Ben Davies at the Molineux Stadium, with Emerson Royal deputising at left-back.

Right until the end of the game, it looked like Spurs’ makeshift defence was going to emerge with an unlikely clean sheet after the away side spurned plenty of opportunities to equalise.

However, stoppage-time strikes from Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina saw Gary O’Neil’s men claim a dramatic win.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 11: Hwang Hee-Chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers is challenged by Ben Davies of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur at Molineux on November 11, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Postecoglou was pleased with Dier and Davies

Despite the defeat, Postecoglou insisted that he was proud of the way his defenders played, pointing out that the home side did not test Guglielmo Vicario too often.

When asked what he thought about the performances of Dier and Davies, the Tottenham head coach told Football.London: “Both of them and Emerson, and even for guys like Brennan and Pierre, who haven’t really started many games because we’ve had a pretty settled line-up.

“Particularly those two guys coming in [Dier and Davies], I thought their commitment, their endeavour to play our way was there for the whole game. They held out in the end. I think you could see they were feeling towards the end but they didn’t let their performance levels drop.

“For the most part, Wolves didn’t have many really big chances, I think Vic had one or two saves to make but obviously, at the end there, I think the first goal was a really good goal and we probably ran out of steam in the last few minutes. Wolves, particularly with the crowd behind them, were able to lift themselves.”

Postecoglou reiterated that he could not fault the efforts of any of his players.

He added: “Yeah, disappointed obviously, particularly after it happened so late, but it’s part of the pain of football and when things happen in those circumstances you’ve just got to take it. Can’t fault the players’ effort or commitment. It was always going to be a tough game anyway at Wolves. We just couldn’t hold out.”

Spurs Web Opinion

There were some pretty average individual performances out there but as Ange points out, it would be harsh to criticise the players who had no game time coming into this game as they were clearly racking in rhythm.

It was Bissouma’s performance that I was most disappointed by as we needed him to be a leader on the pitch and take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Instead, the 27-year-old hid a little bit and always took the easy option, which was the same thing he did in the first half of the North London derby back in September.

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Davies was handed his first Premier League start of the season at Selhurst Park two weeks ago but the left-back came off with an ankle knock at half-time.

The 29-year-old subsequently missed the London derby against Chelsea on Monday night and there has been no update regarding his fitness since.

Ange Postecoglou desperately needs the former Swansea man back for the trip to Wolves since Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero are both suspended for the clash after their red cards against the Blues while Micky van de Ven also picked up a hamstring injury in the game.

(Photo by Adam Pretty – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Tottenham receive Ben Davies injury boost

Rob Page has now named Davies in the Welsh squad for their upcoming clashes against Armenia and Turkey, which perhaps raises hope that the Tottenham defender would be fit to travel to Molineux Stadium.

CARFAN CYMRU

Barod 🫡#TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/6LKjEEMsxd

— Wales (@Cymru) November 8, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

It will be a big boost if Davies is passed fit for Saturday’s clash. I fully expect Ange to start the Welshman at centre-back alongside Eric Dier and play Emerson Royal at left-back.

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The Tottenham unbeaten run continued last night, with the Lilywhites delivering a professional performance to overcome Fulham 2-0 and return to the top of the table.

The first-half display was up there with the best 45 minutes we have seen from Ange Posteoclgou’s men this season but the home side did take their foot off the gas in the final 30 minutes, and conceded a few chances.

That was perhaps down to the changes that Postecoglou rang in the second half, with the Australian deciding to rest some of his starters and to bring on the likes of Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp, Alejo Veliz, Giovani Lo Celso and Brennan Johnson.

Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Ben Davies picked up a knock before Fulham match

Emerson played the final 36 minutes of the game at left-back after coming on for Desinty Udogie, with Davies not being named on the bench.

Eccleshare has explained that it was because the 30-year-old, who started both of Wales’ clashes against Gibraltar and Croatia during the international break, picked up a knock ahead of yesterday’s clash.

Spurs Web Opinion

It sounds like there was nothing serious and that Postecoglou decided to leave out Davies as a precaution.

Given the short turnover to the clash against Palace on Friday, it is not surprising that the Spurs boss decided to give a rest to many of the key international stars during the second half.

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Bale arrived at Tottenham as a teenager from Southampton in the summer of 2007 and evolved into one of the best players in the Premier League over the next six years.

Real Madrid paid what was then a world record fee of £85m (BBC Sport) to sign the winger in the summer of 2013 and he went on to win three La Liga titles and five Champions League titles during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Ben Davies loved playing with Gareth Bale at Spurs

Bale completed an emotional loan return to Tottenham during the 2020-21 campaign, and although he was not a regular in the starting eleven under Jose Mourinho, he still ended the campaign with 16 goals in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

The 33-year-old, who is undoubtedly one of the club’s biggest modern-day legends, retired from professional football after the World Cup last year.

When asked which players he has most enjoyed playing alongside during his nine and a half years at Spurs, Davies has now told TNT Sports: “I’ve been very lucky. I’ve played with some amazing players. I’ve played with Gareth Bale, not only at Wales, but also he came back to Spurs for a year which was really special.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It is a massive shame that there were no fans in the stadium during the year that Bale was back at Tottenham as a result of Covid.

The supporters deserved a chance to see their returning hero in the flesh and the atmosphere at the stadium would have been fantastic that campaign had fans been allowed.

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Kane, who is undoubtedly one of Tottenham’s biggest modern-day legends, left his boyhood club to join Bayern Munich in the summer.

The striker, who became the club’s record goalscorer last season, was not just Spurs’ best player but also one of the most influential voices in the dressing room and the face of the club, which is why his departure signalled the end of an era in N17.

Davies knows the England captain well both on and off the pitch, having shared a dressing room with the striker for nine years since his move to the North London club from Swansea City back in 2014.

(Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Ben Davies was sad to see Harry Kane leave Spurs

The left-back has now told TNT Sports: “I would say Harry Kane as well, it was sad to see him go after all this time, but he was an incredible player and I was lucky to play with him.”

Meanwhile, The Daily Mail revealed last week that Kane, who was back at Hotspur Way training with England during the international break, reconnected with former players and staff at the club and said a proper goodbye, having not had the chance to do so in the summer.

Spurs Web Opinion

There was certainly a big leadership void at Spurs in the summer following Kane’s departure and Lloris’ demotion, which has been filled admirably by the likes of Son Heung-min and James Maddison so far.

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Davies has largely had to watch from the sidelines so far this season, having not started a single Premier League match but the defender got some much-needed minutes under his belt at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham yesterday.

(Photo by Adam Pretty – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Tottenham’s Ben Davies scores for Wales

The Tottenham man started at left centre-back as the Dragons lined up with a back three and he opened the scoring for his side on the night.

Davies met a looping corner at the far post to head home from close range on 22 minutes before Kieffer Moore netted a brace and Nathan Broadhead added another.

Watch the 29-year-old’s goal below on ViaPlay Sports:

@Cymru score the opener!@SpursOfficial's Ben Davies heads into the net for the opening goal pic.twitter.com/HqaUXsfUlB

— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) October 11, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

The international break is certainly vital for the likes of Davies and Hojbjerg to get minutes under their belt so that they remain sharp if and when called upon by Postecogou.

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Tottenham go into the international break at the top of the Premier League table after an incredible start to the season under Ange Postecoglou.

The Spurs boss has bid farewell to a large portion of his squad for the next couple of weeks, as various players head out to join up with their national squads.

There are Euro 2024 qualifiers, friendly matches, youth squad action, and even some World Cup 2026 qualifiers on the way in the coming days.

On Wednesday, Ben Davies captained Wales to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground. The Spurs defender even opened the scoring on the night, nodding home from three yards out.

Meanwhile, Tottenham youngsters Luca Gunter and Ashley Phillips played the full 90 minutes as England U19s drew 0-0 with Montenegro. Alfie Dorrington was an unused substitute for the game, while Jamie Donley didn’t make the matchday squad.

Fellow youngster, Will Andiyapan, was in action for Wales U19s, playing the full 90 minutes in another 0-0 draw, against Austria.

SOLNA, SWEDEN – MARCH 24: Dejan Kulusevski of Sweden during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group A match between Sweden and Belgium at Friends Arena on March 24, 2023 in Solna, Sweden. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

When do Spurs players have international games?

Here are the upcoming international games for the Tottenham Hotspur players.

Heung-min Son: South Korea vs Tunisia (friendly) October 13 at 12pm, South Korea vs Vietnam (friendly) October 17 at 12pm

James Maddison: England vs Australia (friendly) October 13 at 7:45pm, England vs Italy (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 17 at 7:45pm

Dejan Kulusevski: Sweden vs Moldova (friendly) October 12 at 6pm, Belgium vs Sweden (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 16 at 7:45pm

Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero: Argentina vs Paraguay (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 13 at 12am, Peru vs Argentina (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 18 at 3am

Micky van de Ven: Netherlands vs France (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 13 at 7:45pm, Greece vs Netherlands (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 16 at 7:45pm

Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario: Italy vs Malta (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 14 at 7:45pm, England vs Italy (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 17 at 7:45pm

Yves Bissouma: Mali vs Saudi Arabia (friendly) October 17 at 4pm

Pape Matar Sarr: Senegal vs Cameroon (friendly) October 16 at 7:30pm

Richarlison: Brazil vs Venezuela (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 13 at 1:30am, Uruguay vs Brazil (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 18 at 1am

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Denmark vs Kazakhstan (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 14 at 7:45pm, San Marino vs Denmark (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 17 at 7:45pm

Ben Davies and Joe Rodon: Wales vs Croatia (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 15 at 7:45pm

Dane Scarlett: England U21s vs Serbia U21s (Euro qualifier) October 12 at 7:45pm, Slovakia U21s vs England U21s (Euro qualifier) October 16 at 5:30pm

Alfie Devine: Romania U20s vs England U20s (Euro Lite) October 12 at 5pm, England U20s vs Portugal U20s (Euro Lite) October 17 at 7pm

Alfie Dorrington, Ashley Phillips, Jamie Donley, and Luca Gunter: England U19s vs Wales U19s (Euro qualifier) October 14 at 2pm, England U19s vs Austria U19s (Euro qualifier) October 17 at 5pm

Will Andiyapan: Wales U19s vs England U19s (Euro qualifier) October 14 at 2pm, Montenegro U19s vs Wales U19s (Euro qualifier) October 17 at 5pm

Josh Keeley: Latvia U21s vs Republic of Ireland U21s (Euro qualifier) October 13 at 1pm

Mikey Moore and Callum Olusesi: England U17s vs Norway U17s (friendly) October 13 at 12pm

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Postecoglou’s starting eleven has been unchanged for the most part so far this season, barring one or two positions, and that looks set to continue unless there is a dip in the team’s form.

That means a whole host of first-team stars at Tottenham are yet to start a single Premier League match so far this season.

However, the Tottenham head coach has now insisted that his job is not to keep those who are out of the team happy, and praised the professionalism that some have shown.

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Postecoglou told Football.London: “I’ve never seen my role as keeping players happy. My role is to try to create an environment where they feel like they’re valued, they contribute.

“The reality is 11 players will play and some players have had more game time than others. I mentioned it to the lads this week, if you see our training our best trainers are guys like Ben Davies, Skippy, Emerson Royal – unbelievable training, and these guys aren’t playing.

“So that sets the standard for the whole group. If you’re not training well, these guys are ready to step in. They’re disappointed they’re not playing, 100 per cent, as they should be.

“The way they train, I think I mentioned Fraser Forster a couple of weeks ago, the reason we’ve had a strong level of performance so far is because our training has been at such a high standard.

“They’re the guys who can potentially affect your training. If they’re not at it or if they’re feeling sorry for themselves it affects the whole training group but that they’ve been the best players means the guys who are playing know they had better train well or ‘these guys are ready to take my spot’.

“That doesn’t mean they’re happy. I wouldn’t expect them to be happy but that’s not my role. I don’t go round taking surveys on how people feel every day.

“It’s about setting the right environment where they feel valued, we work with them, we treat them all the same and when the opportunity arises they get the opportunity to contribute.”

Eric Dier is remaining professional at Tottenham

One senior player whom Postecoglou does not appear to fancy is Eric Dier, with the 18-year-old Ashley Phillips even making the bench on a couple of occasions ahead of the England international.

Some reports over recent weeks have indicated that Spurs have already decided to cash in on the 29-year-old in January (Football Insider) but Postecoglou insisted that the centre-back is in the same boat as everyone else.

The Australian said: “I haven’t had any chats with Eric. He’s had a couple of disruptions, and a couple of injuries and last week he wasn’t well. He was in the squad but he wasn’t well so we left him out. He’s training and he’s making himself available.

“With all these guys, if they feel the need to discuss their future I’m more than happy to do that but I’m not going to go out and seek it unless I see there’s an issue. For me, the issue is: are they training well? Are they contributing to what we’re doing? If they’re doing that I see no reason to have extra discussions with them.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The fact that we do not have European football this season has robbed the likes of Davies, Skipp and Emerson of the chance to get some game time under their belt. It is difficult to see any of them starting games unless there are more injuries.

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Ben Davies is now one of the longest-serving members of the Tottenham squad, having joined the club from Swansea in 2014.

The versatile defender has been a useful member of the Tottenham squad under various managers, and was particularly prominent during Antonio Conte‘s time at the club when he was utilised as a centre-back rather than his usual left-back role.

(Photo by Adam Pretty – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Now, with Ange Postecoglou in charge of the Lilywhites, Davies has had to settle for two substitute appearances in the league so far this season. He did play the full 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup tie with Fulham recently, and was given the captain’s armband for the match.

This past weekend, Davies took to the field for his country and came up against Spurs teammate, Heung-min Son in the friendly clash between Wales and South Korea.

Davies is man-of-the-match for Wales

The press have been very impressed with Davies’ latest performance, as he kept his club captain quiet all night to help Wales to a 0-0 draw against the Asian side.

Davies was given a rating of 7 out of 10 and named the star man on the night by Wales Online, who wrote: “Felt like he was everywhere at times. Did his job defensively with minimal fuss and showed little fear in getting forward. A really good performance.”

According to Pundit Feed, Davies was “the most composed of the three Welsh centre-backs.” His display earned him an 8 out of 10 from that particular outlet.

Spurs Web Opinion

We are pretty fortunate to have such a reliable defender in our squad, and a player who appears to understand that he is essentially defensive cover rather than a first-team regular.

If one of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were to get injured, I would feel more comfortable using Ben Davies, than Eric Dier, that’s for sure.

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After trailing the 22-year-old for much of the summer, Tottenham finally got their man on transfer deadline day. Brennan Johnson arrived at Spurs in a deal reportedly worth £47.5m (Sky Sports).

The former Nottingham Forest man arrives at Tottenham at an exciting time. Since Ange Postecoglou took over, the Lilywhites have been playing attractive, expansive football.

(Photo by Adam Pretty – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

It’s a style of play that should suit Johnson to the ground. Postecoglou certainly believes so, too, as he told Football.London that Johnson has all the right “technical and physical attributes” necessary to fit into his system.

The move to Tottenham is seen as a step up for Johnson, and a natural progression for his impressive career so far. Despite his age, Johnson has already made a name for himself at club level and on the international stage.

Ben Davies spoke to Johnson about joining Spurs

With 19 caps and two goals to his name for Wales (Transfermarkt), Johnson has rubbed shoulders with Spurs players of the past and present, including Ben Davies.

In his first interview with the club, Johnson revealed what Davies told him about Spurs: “I spoke to Ben who said unbelievable things about the club and was really positive with me.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to feels like it’s the right time to join the club because it’s on a forward trajectory so I’m really excited to come here now.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It’s a very exciting time to be a Spurs fan, which feels weird to say. Last season particularly, I used to dread matchdays, but now I can’t wait to watch the team.

It’s nice to win, obviously, but the main thing is we are actually fun to watch again. I’d rather see us be brave and bold, even if it means we lose a game, than be as conservative and lifeless as we were last year.

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Even though we are now less than a week away from the start of the new Premier League season, Kane’s future remains unresolved.

According to reports over the past few days, Bayern made a €100m (£86.2m) offer for the England captain, and the Bavarian club were still thought to be optimistic about the deal (Fabrizio Romano – YouTube).

However, it emerged today that Tottenham have rejected the latest bid (The Athletic).

(Photo by Pakawich Damrongkiattisak/Getty Images)

Kane once again captained the Lilywhites in their pre-season friendly against Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday, serving another timely reminder of his world-class qualities by netting four of the home side’s five goals.

Ange Postecoglou insisted in his post-match press conference that he is planning for the new season with Kane at the club unless he is informed by the player or the club that the situation has changed (Football.London).

Ben Davies says Kane never lets rumours impact him

Davies lavished praise on the centre-forward for delivering a memorable display in what could very well be his final outing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Welshman told talkSPORT about Kane: “He’s one of a kind. He’s always in the right place at the right time, it’s a huge skill that not many people have. It’s a pleasure to play with him every week and four goals, he makes it look easy.”

Davies insisted that Kane’s behaviour behind the scenes is no different to how it always is.

The 30-year-old added: “It’s not like we’re unaware of the speculation that’s going on but the reality is we feed off him and nothing changes within his energy every day. He’s giving his all every single day.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The fact that Postecoglou has started Kane in every pre-season game is certainly evidence that the Australian has been happy with the striker’s commitment in training.

That also indicates that there is still a genuine possibility that the striker might remain at the club next season, especially after that bid rejection.

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Davies primarily played as a left centre-back in a back three under Antonio Conte but with Postecoglou looking set to revert to a back four, there was a question mark on where the defender would play.

(Photo by Pakawich Damrongkiattisak/Getty Images)

Surprisingly, the 30-year-old featured as a centre-back in Tottenham’s first two pre-season friendlies against West Ham United and Lion City Sailors, with Sergio Reguilon and Destiny Udogie playing as the left-back in either half.

Davies was also named at left centre-back alongside Cristian Romero for the clash against Leicester on Sunday but the game was eventually called off due to water logging on the pitch at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.

Davies has important role to play at Tottenham

Postecoglou’s selection decision did raise some eyebrows as the former Swansea man is not used to operating as a centre-back in a back four but the Tottenham head coach has confirmed that he sees the experienced defender as an ideal fit for the left-back role.

When asked if Davies would play as a full-back or a centre-back next season, the Australian told Football.London: “Again don’t read too much into where he’s playing. I think Ben has all the attributes I look for in a full-back, particularly the way we play.

“At the moment he’s doing a very good job at centre-back, and apart from Japh pretty much all the other centre-backs came in late. So we’re juggling a few things there and looking to bring in at least one.

“So from that perspective, I’m just trying to get game time into him now, but my inclination is that he will be a very very good left-back for us.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Davies is perfectly suited to the inverted left-back role as he is good at counter-pressing, decent on the ball, has a good passing range, and is tactically quite astute.

I expect the Welshman to be the first choice at left-back ahead of Destiny Udogie when the campaign gets underway.

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Hardly any Tottenham player covered themselves in glory last season, but it was the Lilywhites’ defence which came in for the most criticism over the 2022/23 campaign.

Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images

With a shocking 63 goals conceded across the season, it’s no surprise that new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has made it clear he wants to sign new defenders this summer (90 Min).

While new faces are set to arrive in North London during this transfer window, Postecoglou is also expected to oversee a mass clearout of the squad he has inherited (Telegraph).

It is thought there has already been an offer from Russia for Davinson Sanchez (Eto Futbol brat!), while Eric Dier‘s future at the club has been a matter of contention, too (90 Min).

Question marks over the Spurs defence

According to Alan Hutton, experienced Spurs stars like Dier, Sanchez, and Ben Davies could all be moved on under Postecoglou, as well as academy graduate Japhet Tanganga.

Hutton told Football Insider: “I think he will want more than one, I think he will want a couple [of defenders]. I think it has been a big problem for Tottenham, especially over the last season.

“There is a lot of players that have been there for a long period of time and have struggled. So it is probably about time they had a new challenge.

“Ange will obviously analyse his whole squad but I am sure he has got targets in mind of who he wants. For me, there are question marks over Dier, Sanchez, Tanganga, all of them. Even [Ben] Davies, I think he has done well but is it time for him to move on?

“It is not all going to happen in one transfer window but he is going to have to move on players to bring his own targets in.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It is clear that the Spurs squad in general has been coasting for too long and needs to be culled rather drastically.

Sanchez is almost definitely on his way out this summer and Tanganga will probably go if a suitable offer comes in.

However, I can’t see Dier or Davies leaving just yet, as their experience could be valuable in the early stages of Postecoglou’s tenure.

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We covered a report from Corriere Giallo Rosso a few days ago which claimed that a swap deal could be in the offing between Spurs and Roma in light of the Lilywhites’ interest in Ibanez.

Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Ben Davies and Roger Ibanez swap deal tipped again

The report explained that the Serie A club are looking for reinforcements at left-back and Davies is an option that could appeal to the club.

It was alleged that Jose Mourinho ‘likes’ the Weslhman, knowing him well from his days in N17.

If Corriere Roma’s latest update is to be believed, Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto recently held a meeting with Spurs over the sale of Ibanez.

During the discussions, Tottenham expressed a willingness to offer Davies to the Giallorossi ‘in a partial exchange’ deal to sign the Brazilian centre-back.

Spurs Web Opinion

I would be surprised if Tottenham were willing to sell Davies this summer as he is a decent fit for the inverted full-back role, which Postecoglou is likely to employ. 

I expect the Welshman to compete with Destiny Udogie for the left-back spot next season. I believe Ryan Sessegnon is likely to be the one sacrificed.

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