Paul Merson posted on Twitter that it “hurts me to say it” but he was delighted with Tottenham Hotspur’s superb win against Sheffield United on Saturday.
It was Leicester City again, but this time Tottenham fans got to watch the magic unfold in their own stadium.
After 97 minutes, it would have been no surprise if some fans left frustrated at the inability of Ange Postecoglou’s side to overcome a stubborn and ruthless Sheffield United side.
Many would have seen it as:
“Just keep going because the season as a whole has started well”, but then the fire was lit by none other than Richarlison.
Coming on as a substitute, he scored and assisted on both goals in the 98th and 100th minutes, sending his home fans into a jubilant mood.
Former Arsenal player and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson also made a confession about that win on Twitter.
Paul Merson reacts to Tottenham’s win over Sheffield United
Points on the board, finishing second, entertaining football, goals galore, making the opposition do a ‘Spursy’ and a manager they love.
Will the real Tottenham please stand up?
After years of fans feeling deflated, the atmosphere around the club has changed enormously!
And Postecoglou, along with some of his summer signings, played an important role in all this, as not many expected such a dramatic change so quickly.
Spurs: Postecoglou could bring in Ben Davies as Hotspur Way Academy star
The post-Harry Kane world at Tottenham Hotspur is looking pretty bright at the moment, with new manager Ange Postecoglou having had a great start to life in the dugout at N17 following his arrival from Celtic earlier this summer.
A feature of the 58-year-old’s first spell has been the faith he has shown in the club’s promising young talents, with Pape Matar Sarr, for example, having already started four Premier League games this season, most notably a goal in the win over Manchester . United last month.
The biggest surprise, however, has been the emergence of 20-year-old Destiny Udogie, with the exciting Italian arriving beautifully after making a late start in north London this summer.
The attacking left-back was the latest on loan at Udinese after signing for the Serie A side last year, with fans eagerly awaiting the defender’s eventual arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since the move was agreed £15m deal.
Although still in its infancy, the Veronese talent already looks “incredibly good” – according to footballJOE’s Hunter Godson – with Postecoglou having found a potential star in the making in that spot on the left.
That recent rise has left long-term signing Ben Davies facing a battle to get back into the squad, with the Welshman also likely to be threatened by those currently thriving in the club’s academy ranks. .
Nine years after joining the Lilywhites from Swansea City, the 30-year-old has undoubtedly been a solid, if unspectacular, servant for the club in that time, making over 300 appearances in all competitions and contributing 32 goals and assists.
The 80-cap international is a versatile figure who has played at left-back, centre-back or full-back and has certainly played in some role over the years, although finding a place for himself in Postecoglou’s squad could play a role. It will be a difficult task to move away from the 3-4-3 favored by Antonio Conte.
There were also reports in the summer that Daniel Levy and his colleagues were willing to cash in on the defender if a £15 million bid came in, with the £80,000-a-week player only having two years left on his contract existing. .
Releasing that report, pundit Gabby Agbonlahor suggested that Spurs should part ways with Davies in a bid to reshuffle the backline, with the full-back disappointed as part of a team that scored 63 league goals last season:
“I saw him recently and he was so bad with the ball. He has been at the club for a long time and still struggles to perform at a high level.
They need a real shakeup to that defense. For me I need two central defenders and a left back because Davies is no longer good enough.”
Now that they may have found the ‘power-up’ they wanted – according to Agbonlahor – in the form of Udogie, it remains to be seen what awaits the Neath native in the next year or so, with Postecoglou apparently keen on experienced players and senior players making up the clubs, including Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
To help usher in the new Greek-Australian revolution, the attack-minded coach could replace Davies with an emerging gem who he can help nurture and develop as a dream student for Udogie, alongside 18-year-old Jahziah. Linton is a talent to keep an eye on.
A youth star who can operate as a centre-back or in his main position as a left-back, the teenager could be a dream successor or replacement for Davies in the backline in the coming years.
Although the London-born sensation is yet to make the first team, it won’t be long before he makes a name for himself in the senior team after recently shining with the North London U18 team.
The rising star recently received his first professional contract, a sign of the value he places on the club and hopes he can take the step to become an important part of Postecoglou’s plans in the near future.
Based on his recent form, Spurs appear to have a really exciting talent, with podcaster Chris Miller even suggesting in March that Linton could be a possible “wildcard” option to slot in as a “traditional” left-back, at midfielder of the first team.
defensive injury crisis at the time.
With 39 appearances across all age groups to date – including one assist – the young talent may need to prove himself at U21 level before he can truly be considered for promotion, although the insider club Superhotspur has already written enthusiastically about its overall qualities:
“He works well with the ball, is good in tackling and, as mentioned, he is also a player who can occupy very good attacking positions on the left side of the pitch.”
The respected source also added that “Jahziah loves to move forward on the left and his interaction with the Spurs winger on that side of the pitch is impressive”, while his “good balance suits him”.
“The play means he is very capable of contributing well at both ends of the pitch.”
This promising report appears to suggest that a first-team opportunity could soon present itself for young Linton if his recent progress continues, although he will have to compete against a player who “already plays for almost every team in the world”. the form of Udogie – according to Godson.
As for Davies, the Welshman may then have to fight to continue his stay in N17 and it would be no surprise if he followed in the footsteps of players like Dier and Hojbjerg and was abruptly let go.
